Taste the Lowcountry

RLB Distillery will open this spring in a 5,000-square-foot space on Boundary Street. The business will produce rum, vodka, moonshine and bourbon on site at the former K-Mart site in Beaufort Town Center. Visitors will be able to sample the spirits from a room overlooking stills and towers where the process will unfold. The business will include retail sales of merchandise such as shirts and shot glasses and the bottled products. Owners are Lady’s Island residents Brigid and Brian Fackrell. Grain will come from Orangeburg and sugar cane from Hampton.

Sigler’s Rotisserie and Seafood is now under the ownership of Chef Anthony Alessi, in partnership with Frank and Laura Gibson. Chef Alessi’s wife and daughter will also oversee restaurant operations. Chef Alessi brings over 40 years of culinary experience to the table. The new menu will include the same items, plus tasty new dishes like Veal Cordon Bleu. 

Old Town Bluffton’s newest ice cream shop has traditional flavors and ice cream flavored with wine. Joe’s Ice Cream and Beverage Co., located at 15 Bruin Road in Old Town, is offering four wine-based ice cream flavors: Cherry Merlot; Peach White Zinfandel; Chocolate Cabernet; and Spice, a red mulled wine with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Patrons must be 21 to enjoy these flavors, which are up to 5% alcohol by volume. The new ice cream shop has an outdoor seating area and is pet-friendly. 

Chef Geist Ussery is now collaborating with SERG Restaurant Group to bring his unique and creative culinary talent to the organization. Chef Ussery is an exclusive private chef, event organizer and caterer. He is a native of Bluffton with a Latin and Caribbean background, which he has embraced and extended within his profession. Chef Ussery will specialize in social and private events for the SERG Group. 

The Mansion on Forsyth Park is now offering cooking classes. Participants will learn new techniques, knife skills and time saving tips in the kitchen. It’s an interactive and entertaining experience, followed by a shared meal at the conclusion of each class. New chef Jason Winn teaches the classes. For more information: www.mansion.classesbykessler.com. 

CATCH 22 CAPTURES THE TRUE ESSENCE OF LAND, SEA AND SERVICE

The doomsday phrase “catch-22” doesn’t apply to the Hilton Head Island restaurant of the same name. The mission of restaurant Catch 22 is pretty straightforward: To serve the best seafood, chops and USDA prime steaks to its loyal band of customers, just as it’s been doing since 2001. Always fresh, nothing frozen.

Penny and Gary Duren, owners since the beginning, have created a comfortable culture for their customers and staff. The staff stays on for years and the patrons — locals and repeat tourists — keep coming back. Catch 22 exceeds expectations for its excellent service, delicious food, innovative menu, eclectic ambiance and superb dining experience.

The Bluffton Taco Bell will reopen in November after undergoing renovations. Meanwhile, construction is underway on a new Taco Bell location in Hardeeville; that construction is also expected to be completed in November. The Hardeeville location will feature the company’s modern explorer design, including warm gray tones, wood veneers and an open-kitchen concept. 

CHARLIE’S L’ETOILE VERTE IS COOKING UP SOME CHANGES AS IT LOOKS TO THE NEXT GENERATION

When Charlie Golson opened the current Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte 17 years ago, Hilton Head Island was a much different place — especially for a restaurant. With fewer restau-rants around him, the Green Star had less competition for the attention and affections of area diners.

Golson won people over quickly with his signa-ture seafood creations — dishes that masterfully tread the line between French high cuisine and approachable Lowcountry flavor. And for 17 years, even as Charlie has stepped away from the business, that same culinary brilliance has kept his restaurant top of mind among the island’s foodies.

Chicken Salad Chick is opening a store in front of the Kroger on Buckwalter Parkway. The Chicken Salad Chick menu features multiple styles of chicken salad, as well as soups and other sandwiches. Currently, the closest location is in Pooler.