Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, bringing with it many high expectations for an enchanted evening. This year, why not step up your game by reserving your table for two chez vous? We’ll keep it our little secret that chef Ben Berryhill of Mount Pleasant’s Red Drum and Next Door restaurants stepped into your kitchen with the menu.
We tasked our culinary cupid with including aphrodisiacs in the dishes he created for a sensual supper à deux—oysters, Champagne, nuts, chiles, crab, olives, and even garlic. “The dishes also represent a combination of silky and crispy textures that should awaken and stimulate the senses,” Berryhill explains.
Indeed, the avocado married to the oyster adds a buttery richness to the briny mollusk. The squash soup is sumptuous with the addition of exotic cardamom and spices. The risotto is rich but tempered by the smoky heat that the chiles lend. And Berryhill’s rustic approach to the lamb—with herbs, mustard, garlic, and hand-torn croutons—makes it earthy and uncomplicated. “Unquestionably,” the chef adds, “the dessert’s chocolate, caramel, and port are a combination of ingredients from the heavens.”
