New restaurants are popping up left and right in Charleston, and even though I have barely scratched the surface of visiting the long-established restaurants; one of the new ones usually catches my eye and I have to go check them out (for journalistic purposes). In this case, the Getaway, a Latin American-themed restaurant run by two lady bosses, peaked my interest. They’re answering the call of Charleston locals begging for a break from shrimp and grits and transporting them with bright, authentic cocktails and food from their travels to South America and beyond. I sat down with the owner Genevieve Mashburn to learn more about the inspiration behind the Getaway and their must-try bites and cocktails.
The Vibes
When you walk into the Getaway, your eyes are drawn to the bar and the shelves bursting with exotic liquors. The setting is intimate with ambient lighting and small tables fit for sharing bites with friends. Although I loved the inside of the Getaway, as the weather warms up I am more drawn toward their patio. They have a movie night out there every Monday, as well as ½ off piña coladas for fellow F&B folks. Drinking one of their refreshing cocktails while enjoying some sunshine sounds like the perfect way to spend an afternoon.
The food
Executive Chef Emily Hahn is the brains behind the operation in the back of the house, and she is given freedom to create dishes inspired by her travels on a daily basis. Genevieve explained that Chef Emily’s style of cooking was the perfect match for this concept, and she proves it with the food she’s producing.
Usually when I take my first bite of a dish, it takes a second to register the flavors. With the Chilean fish soup, I was immediately hit with the bright, acidic, broth that kept me coming back for more. From the tender shrimp to the crispy crust on the fish, each protein was cooked to perfection. It was served with Chapa bread, which was like biting into a fluffy biscuit, but that biscuit was filled with bread. It was bread-ception people. This dish encapsulated Chef Emily’s style of cooking, which is local, light, bright, and comforting.
The second dish I tried was Chef Emily’s signature empanadas. She is known as the Empanada Mama, so I knew they were going to be authentic and tasty to boot. The fillings of the day were sweet potato and goat cheese and Tamarind Barbecue chicken with saffron rice and peas. The crust on the empanadas was like biting into a flaky and buttery pie; filled with savory goodness. The sweet potato and goat cheese was my favorite of the two because the creamy filling mixed with the crispy crust was a great combination.
Authentic cocktails with a twist
The Getaway has classic cocktails that we all recognize, such as a frozen piña colada, but they also have options where you won’t even recognize the names of the liquors. For me, this is exciting because I love learning about new liquors almost as much as I love drinking them!
I decided to try the Davy’s Sail, which was a Gin-based drink with Gran Classico bitters, lime, and coconut water. Their drink menu is seasonal, and this drink was suited for winter with its warm spices from the Gran Classico bitters. Although it was crafted for winter, this drink could carry on into spring because the coconut water lightened up the warm spices, making them subtle and refreshing.
add the getaway to your list!
If you haven’t stopped by The Getaway yet, get yourself over there ASAP. Whether you’re looking for a relaxed atmosphere to get a drink or trying to shake up your usual restaurant routine, they have you covered. They’re bringing their international flavors to Upper King; nestled where you normally wouldn’t find them. Stay tuned because Genevieve and Chef Emily have plans to continue to push the boundaries and represent as lady bosses in the Charleston community.
