192: Alex Lira, Bar George & Estadio Charleston (Charleston, SC)

The creativity of cooking goes beyond what we place on the plate. I don't know about you, but the main thing I miss about eating out right now is the full experience of it that I remember. I love to watch the movement behind the bar, see chefs wiping plates at the pass, hear the cocktail shaker shake and listen to the general sounds of a restaurant. And I miss being transported for a moment away from my daily life. Alex Lira's restaurants and cooking have always done that for me. It's obvious with one look at his plates that his execution and skill is on point, and that's even before I take a bite of shaved short rib at Estadio Charleston. But it's his mindfulness of the experience of dining out that I think makes him very unique as a chef, and while he's waiting to re-debut Bar George in all of its fun and funky glory, he's found a creative way to bring the party this summer.