Before The Darling’s The Captain Bloody Mary hits the table, it’s gone through four stations, getting accessorized with a hushpuppy, a king crab claw, a lobster claw, and two pickled shrimp. A seafood tower—minus the, well, tower—it’s a conversation starter, to say the least. “It’s been a huge success,” says bar manager Dan Williams, who agrees that The Captain’s audacity speaks to the seriousness with which Charlestonians approach their Bloody Marys. It’s just not brunch without a bevy of bloodies. Local iterations vary, from a country ham-garnished version at Husk to a golden yellow tomato drink topped with grilled baby corn at Millers All Day. In fact, Charleston loves Bloody Marys so much, the city has spawned at least four local Bloody Mary mix purveyors. That said, Zing Zang fans can still get their favorite mix, and a great brunch, at places like Marina Variety Store.
Watch him make one:
(from our Charleston Cocktails A to Z feature (opens in a new tab), February 2019)