Beautiful South: Familiar Dishes, Serious Flavor

Beautiful South did not disappoint.

I already love Kwei Fe, the gloriously spicy James Island restaurant owned by the same good humans. I had not made it to Beautiful South sooner because I assumed the downtown parking situation would be trash. Objection withdrawn. There are not one but two paid lots adjacent to the restaurant, along with ample street parking.

The restaurant itself is lovely. While Kwei Fe revels in heat, Beautiful South offers an approachable Cantonese-inspired menu that is decidedly less spicy, with a few hotter options for those who want them. The flavors remain bold, but you do not need a heroic tolerance for chili peppers to enjoy the experience.

Service is warm and the pacing is relaxed. The bar offers a creative selection of Asian-inspired cocktails, Asian beers, sake, and soju. I was personally thrilled to discover that I could order either green or black unsweetened iced tea. That may not inspire universal excitement, but those of us who do not drink alcohol and do not want dessert masquerading as a beverage know what a rare and welcome development this is.

Now for the food. Oh, man. It is every bit as good as the food at its sister restaurant.

The dumplings at Kwei Fe are exceptional, and the handmade pork dumplings at Beautiful South are every bit as good. Without intense heat competing for attention, the bold, savory flavors had room to shine. My only regret was ordering just one variety. The menu also includes beef dumplings and Shanghai-style shumai, which means I now have unfinished business requiring an almost immediate return visit.

The house-smoked char siu was tender, deeply flavorful, and excellent entirely on its own. Dipped into the accompanying Chinese spicy mustard, it went completely off the chain. It was one of those dishes where everyone keeps reaching for another piece despite allegedly sharing.

The steak chow fun delivered exactly what the dish promises but so rarely achieves: wide, satisfyingly chewy rice noodles and remarkably tender, flavorful beef. The noodles were substantial enough to carry the sauce without becoming soft or gummy, and the beef was good enough to make us wonder what precise act of sorcery had occurred in that wok.

My less adventurous dining companion ordered the General Tso’s chicken. I was fully prepared to make fun of him. Turns out, this was not the usual pile of heavily battered chicken smothered in sticky, aggressively sweet sauce. The chicken was not battered. Instead it was tender and perfectly cooked. The sauce was flavorful rather than cloying, and a slight chili heat kept the whole thing lively. I was forced to withdraw my anticipated objection and acknowledge that he had made an excellent decision. I hate it when that happens.

Beautiful South takes familiar Chinese-American dishes seriously without making them precious or unrecognizable. The kitchen understands that approachable food does not have to be predictable and that bold flavor does not require overwhelming heat. Everything we tried was thoughtfully prepared, confidently seasoned, and genuinely delicious.

Between the unexpectedly easy parking, warm hospitality, outstanding dumplings, and a menu I now need to explore much more thoroughly, Beautiful South has earned an immediate return visit. Expect far more details in the near future!