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Gettin’ Gritty With Chef-Owner Frank Kline of Mt Pleasant’s Grace & Grit
I was immersed in enjoying the last bites of the Fried Oyster Rockefeller appetizer and dipping hushpuppies into the decadent white wine, lemon, and herb broth of the Bull’s Bay Clams with Roasted Pork Belly when owner Frank Kline introduced his wife and restaurant partner, Eli. The interim between appetizers and entrees left time to meet Eli and discuss the wonderful space they have for private events. She coordinates events both large and small with the same attention to detail used in the brand’s modern, upscale-casual design.
Frank led me on a discovery tour of the venue earlier that morning. The unique location-specific elements are sprinkled throughout, each holding a story of their own—like the piece of the John P. Grace Memorial Bridge, later renamed the Cooper River Bridge, which was replaced by the massive Arthur Ravenel Jr.
Bridge used today to connect Charleston and Mt. Pleasant. There are oyster shells, painstakingly strung on lines that dangle above the dividing wall carved in the shape of the bridge, separating the booths in the main dining room. There are black and white photos of the meatpacking delivery trucks and the King Street butcher shop from Frank’s family’s business…
“My family had a farm out on John’s Island, and they were butchers. The photo on the right is of the King Street butcher shop, and the photo on top is of the commercial meatpacking business in North Charleston—it sadly burned down in the forties. They were the first commercial meatpackers in the state. There’s still a road in North Charleston named after my grandfather Morris Baker,” Frank shared some history on our tour of the building.
There’s a mirror on the wall that was recreated with the same script used on the family meat market truck and framed covers of Grit magazine near the lavatories, not to mention the fun, magnetic map on the foyer wall with species of fish on the menu—the magnetic cutouts of specific fish are placed on the map indicating the sourced location. Exploring the thoughtfully designed space was exciting, and I love a good history lesson!
“My wife, Eli, is fifth-generation old village, and I grew up on the other side of Mount Pleasant. We try to be super involved with the community,” Frank said proudly.
From supporting local fisheries and farmers to championing sustainable efforts, the team at Grace & Grit gives back to the area in varied ways.
After a tour of the lovely private event space, entrees were making their way down the expo line, which beckoned my return to the half-moon chef’s table with a sliding window that offered a direct view into the busy kitchen. The talented Executive Chef Joseph Martin (Chef Joe) was running the kitchen at high speed, serving up plate after plate, and along with the top-notch staff, they were killing it—every plate hitting the expo window was photo-worthy. About a year ago, Frank handed over the head chef position to Chef Joe and firmly planted himself in the front of the house, shaking hands and kissing babies, as they say.
The Blackened Snapper and its crispy skin, set against the surprising Blackberry Jam and pseudo Succotash of Bacon Infused Butter Beans and Creamy Corn held my attention for more than a few minutes before I asked my husband about his main course—The Flounder was presented with the “Herb Dijon Glazed” setup of Roasted Mushroom & Goat Cheese Grits, a Sauté of Wild Rice, Roasted Carrots, Haricot Vert and House Bacon, finished with Pickled Red Onion. We were well on our way to being stuffed, and it wasn’t until the namesake menu item arrived that I knew I would need looser fitting pants soon.
The Grit Flight was placed in front of us by our excellent server of the evening, Sarah Tucker, who chuckled a bit when I commented on the amount of food we were consuming. Our grit flight included the Basil Pesto, Blueberry, Bananas Foster, and Smoked Gouda. The idea of this unusual menu addition of gourmet grits with fourteen+ flavor variations is a strong play. It’s a fun differentiator for the brand, so much so that the fast-casual spinoff, The Grit Counter, is making waves in North Charleston.
“Grit Counter has the same heart and soul and the same playful grits, but it’s more casual,” Frank offered.
When asked about the menu at the flagship establishment…
“The only non-local fish on the menu is the salmon. My mom loves salmon, so I source the best salmon I can find for her, and she has a standing weekly reservation. It’s also a nice option for those who are seafood shy. As far as the other fish—it can be a battle financially to source locally, but it means everything to us to stay true to our community. We serve many varieties of fish that are mostly unknown to tourists and even some locals, and the cool thing is that we don’t even know ourselves what fish we will get that day. Chef Joe calls our fishmongers at six o’clock in the morning to see what’s available, and we get the freshest fish just out of water delivered a couple of hours later. He preps it all inside the walk- in cooler, on a special table setup, to maintain the appropriate temperature,” Frank explains.
Chef Joe walked by, and I asked about the fish prep…
“It’s a chilly endeavor! That’s okay though; it’s how it’s supposed to be,” he exclaimed.
The back-of-the-house is a busy place with Chef Joe, Sous Chef Kaylee Sang, Head Line Cook Xavier Curry and his apprentice, the supporting team, and Chef-Owner Frank all buzzing around. I noticed that everyone seems humble, kind, well-tempered, and genuine. Chefs are notoriously hot-headed and demanding, with a harsh management style. I see the opposite here, and I like it.
They have a nice wine and beer list and a collection of curated cocktails.
“Bourbon is the feature of the bar. We like corn in the bar and corn in the kitchen; that’s our motto,” Frank chuckled.
When I first sat down with Frank, he reminded me of the main character in a recent show, The Bear from FX. The show featured a highly acclaimed chef’s return to his family’s deli business only to find himself mustering through keeping the lights on and finally pursuing a rebrand that allowed his talent to shine while he chased down a Michelin Star. If you haven’t watched the show, I highly recommend it—the writers and producers have closely matched the reality of the restaurant business in many ways. There is quite the distinction to be made between Chef Frank of Grace & Grit and Chef Bear of the series—and that is the calm demeanor and management style of Owner-Chef Frank.
That leads me to the question, what’s in a name?
Everything! A southern sentiment of grace (and charm), a southern character trait of grit (and perseverance), and a place to showcase both. There is the nod to the “Grace Bridge” connecting Charleston and Mt. Pleasant, and yes, there is the callout to the grits and grit flights that jump off the menu onto your plate effortlessly, and then there’s the grace of the front of house and the grit of the back of house—as well as Frank’s devotion to Eli’s “grace” that brings light to the building. So, yes, what’s in a name? Everything.
Frank’s passion started when he entered a local Italian kitchen at fifteen years old.
“Chef Whitmire said he would teach me everything to succeed if I just listened. And so I did, and by seventeen, I was kitchen manager—that’s when I realized it was in my blood,” Frank divulged.
Frank’s background also includes The Boathouse and Acme Lowcountry Kitchen in Isle of Palms.
“The Boathouse was like a training ground for great chefs in the late nineties and early 2000s. A lot of the cooks I worked with then are now big-time chefs in Charleston and New York. And my years at Acme were everything; the owners gave me free rein to create with few limitations,” Frank expanded.
Frank personally brought over the Coconut Crème Grit Brûlée to finish our evening—yes, it is made with grits but, you’d never know it. It reminded me of rice pudding that had the nice crusty layer of a traditional crème brûlée. It was delicious; in fact, everything we had during our visit was amazing. The kitchen has a handle on executing the menu flawlessly.
Mt. Pleasant is blessed to have birthed the mastermind behind the venue, Chef Frank, and the town is the benefactor of his early passionate culinary exploration, where he honed skills and developed his cooking style. Frank Kline has hospitality in his blood, a bit of grit in his bones, and the grace to make it all work.
As you enter the front doors of Grace & Grit, the modern-casual design coupled with the lowcountry location-specific details throughout will grab your attention and make you want to explore. Be sure to check out the fishing map in the foyer to see the varieties featured for the evening.
You can be assured during my next visit to Charleston, I will be checking out the brunch service; the Dirty Chai Martini is calling my name.
Grace & Grit | https://gracegrit.com | 843-698-4748 320 Wingo Way, #100, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
Happy Hour Wednesday – Friday 5-6:30PM Dinner Wednesday and Thursday 5-9PM Dinner Friday and Saturday 5-9:30PM
Brunch Saturdays and Sundays 9:30AM – 2PM
Grit Counter | https://gritcounter.com
3438 W Montague Ave. North Charleston, SC 29418
