COLUMBIA — On Aug. 12, Columbia-based chef Joe Gibson and LTC Hospitality Group opened Gregory's Restaurant, a scenic, Italian-inspired eatery nestled inside the manicured Solina Golf Club in West Columbia. Gibson is no stranger to Columbia's food and dining scene.
Before heading a restaurant of his own, he "caught the fine dining bug" at Main Street's Hampton Street Vineyard before spending the last two years at LTC's Smoked . As he worked his way from a cook to the restaurant's executive sous chef, he forged connections with the ever-growing LTC Hospitality Group, which is owned by the Middletons, an affluent family of entrepreneurs in the Midlands. Formerly known as the Indian River Golf Club , Solina was built in the 1990s and is home to 18 holes and over 1,000 members.
Located 20 minutes from downtown Columbia, the club is members-only. Gregory's is open to the public. After LTC invested in Solina and began turning its clubhouse into a restaurant, wasn't long before the LTC team asked Gibson to take on a new level of leadership.
"They presented me an opportunity to take the reins, help open the restaurant and become their executive chef here," Gibson said. "I poured my heart and soul into this." Steel Hands' new Vista location will offer more than just craft beer When Gibson drafted the menu for Gregory's, he described his creative process as that of a "mad scientist.
" He gleaned inspiration from his mother's Italian recipes, his Florida hometown's Cajun culture and his time executing French cuisine. "Meals, to me, have always had this family aspect to it. Growing up, that's where you bonded with your family and talked about your day," Gibson said.
"When people taste the food (at Gregory's), I want them to have the feeling of, 'Yeah, we're going out to eat, but I feel like we're eating at home.'" As the leader of his kitchen, Gibson also hopes to motivate his staff to experiment with new dishes and to take culinary risks — including featuring menu specials created by his cooks. "If it works, then we'll run it, and I'll make sure that the people know that this is from them," he said.
"We're all a team. If I have somebody who is passionate about wanting to build on themselves in the kitchen, then that's my responsibility, as a chef, to encourage that." Along with making his menu nostalgic, Gibson was also intent on keeping it affordable.
"I'm not trying to break the bank with anybody," he said. "I'm not trying to make anybody feel like they have to take out a second mortgage on their home to come out to eat, because I know times are tough." During the almost-month since Gregory's has opened, Gibson said his biggest challenge has been publicizing the restaurant.
While Gregory's "already has regulars," he also said there are plenty more who don't know the restaurant is open to the public. "They look online and see this a private golf course, and they think that the clubhouse is (private) as well. That's anything but the case," he said.
"I want everybody to come out here, have a good meal and make memories." If you're planning on paying Gregory's a visit, keep reading for a guide on what to order. A new breakfast and lunch spot will cater to workers along Columbia's Main Street The Master Board at Gregory's Restaurant at Solina.
Gibson's take on the ever-popular charcuterie board, the Master Board ($31), is piled high with sweet, savory and briny bites. The spread includes caprese salad with sweet balsamic glaze, house-made herbaceous pickled cucumbers and banana peppers, a generous portion of olives and a selection of cured meats and house made strawberry jam. One of the heartier grazing boards in the Soda City restaurant circuit, it's easy to bounce between its myriad flavors and textures.
Just be warned: you might want to put that jam on everything, including the herb fries that come with the rest of the entrées. Fried green tomatoes from Gregory's Restaurant at Solina. Gregory's Restaurant's fried green tomatoes ($14) are anything but traditional, with thin slices of tart tomatoes, a light beer batter, heaping spoonfuls of extra-creamy, pimento cheese and bourbon candied bacon.
"The beer batter was sort of a happy accident with the fried green tomatoes," said Gibson. "We wanted to do something different, because every time you get fried green tomatoes somewhere, usually the batters look pretty, but it falls apart." Today's Top Headlines Story continues below Charleston firm pays $22M for Festival Centre, signs entertainment venue as anchor Charleston's nightlife culminates on King Street with more than 70 restaurants, bars, clubs Filling the void: Spartanburg's WestGate Mall renews effort to sell vacant spaces Clemson's most explosive offense since when? Takeaways from a rout of App State A ship was abandoned near Johns Island.
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Warehouse developer says its North Charleston Shipyard Creek project ready for business The batter is airy and flaky from the carbonation, and the bitterness of the beer brings out both the sweetness of the tomatoes and the smokiness of the bacon. The bar recommends you try these loaded bites while sipping their Fool's Gold cocktail, which features bourbon, house made honey syrup and lemon. Just make sure to eat them quickly, before the pimento cheese stops you from getting that satisfying crunch in every bite.
Ratatouille at Gregory's Restuarant at Solina. Available for dinner, Gibson's ratatouille ($20) boasts thinly sliced and sautéed yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant and red bell pepper. The dish then gets doused in olive oil and placed atop a heaping ladle of Gibson's mother's tomato ragout.
"I take pride in using my family's recipes," he said. "I can honor them by using what they have brought with them from Italy and give other folks a chance to enjoy the things I enjoy growing up." This starter is one that could easily serve as an entrée, with delicate and slightly caramelized vegetables punctuated with a garlicky sauce.
Finished with oregano and microgreens, the dish is as fresh as it is it is warm and luxurious. Chicken Parmesan at Gregory's Restaurant on Solina. For carnivores looking to get a taste of Gibson's mother's ragout recipe, look no further than the Gregory's dinner-only chicken parmesan ($26), which features a thick slab of chicken breast coated in parmesan-herb-crusted panko breadcrumbs, garlic toast points, a lightly dressed frisée salad and a bed of fresh bucatini crafted by Columbia-based artisan Bryan Pierce Bowers of Dorsia Pasta Co .
On serving the massive portion of chicken, Gibson said, "You go to any Italian family's house and they're going to load your plate up." Mom's ragout gives this dish a degree of cohesion. If you order this, make sure you come hungry — or bring a friend to share.
Charleston-based chip company bags Clemson and USC deal for football season The club sandwich at Gregory's Restaurant at Solina. If you stop by Gregory's during lunchtime, you're bound to see the club sandwich ($18) on someone's table. Gibson's spin on the quintessential dish includes thick-cut turkey, deli ham, bacon, Swiss and cheddar cheeses, lettuce, tomato mayonnaise and mustard.
The triple-decker sandwich also features slices of buttered toast between meats. One thing you can be sure of at Gregory's is that they don't skimp on portions, and this sandwich is no exception. The bar recommends complementing the dish with a German pilsner, which provides a satisfying contrast to the crunchy herbed fries.
The Cajun Shrimp & Grits at Gregory's Restaurant at Solina. Made simply and flavorfully with blackened shrimp, local Adluh Brothers Milling Co. grits and Creole sauce, Gregory Restaurant's shrimp and grits ($18) are a vestige of Southern comfort in an Italian-influenced restaurant.
Gibson refused to give away the secret to his rich grits, which are only finished — not cooked — with cream. "Shrimp and grits is a home-inspired dish, but made using local ingredients," said Gibson about his version. The Gregory's bar recommends trying it with their French 75, which has enough tartness and bubbles to cut through the richness of the grits.
Be prepared for a nap after you take this dish down. The Fish & Chips at Gregory's Restaurant at Solina. One of Gibson's points of pride is his dinner-only Fish & Chips ($20), which consists of a plateful of haddock fillet cradled in a thicker version of the beer batter from the fried green tomatoes, more herb fries and a house-made tartar sauce.
The beer-flavored fried fish and heaping portion of fries are complementary without being redundant. Gibson's tartar sauce is packed with fresh herbs and reads like a ranch hybrid, especially when poured liberally over the crispy entrée items. The Gregory's bar recommends paring the dish with a glass of Peak Drift Brewing Company 's golden ale.
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