Hanahan has a fresh heartbeat, which shines through the warmth of a wood-fired oven. Cane Pazzo, a neighborhood osteria that Charleston native Mark Bolchoz opened in June, exudes “downtown” energy from the moment you walk in: a red La Marzocco espresso machine gleams at the bar, Italian spirits are stacked high, and the flame-kissed kitchen is visible from the chef’s counter seats.
Bolchoz, whose previous restaurants include Peninsula Grill, The Grocery, and Indaco, bases his menu on a simple philosophy: cook seasonally, buy locally, and let Lowcountry ingredients tell Italian stories. That attitude comes over well on dishes designed for sharing. A wood-fired sourdough boule arrives blistered and steaming, ready to dip into Calabrian honey butter. Risotto is laced with spicy nduja and silky stracciatella, and buttery meatballs melt into a creamy bed of polenta with the first touch of a fork.
The menu’s spirit lies in its inventive, house-made pastas. Bucatini swirls over a saline sauté of dayboat shrimp in garlicky lemon-chili butter. A “creamed corn” agnolotti exudes a summer sweetness that is well tempered by the acidity of local heirloom tomatoes and a sprinkle of Parmigiano. Bolchoz’s first menus included a “she-crab raviolo”—a distinctive, delicious pillow packed with blue crab and soaked in sherry cream and crab roe—an Italian take on the Lowcountry’s famous soup. It then vanished when local food journalists began praising its brilliance, which I interpret as a message that this kitchen has no intention of resting on its laurels.
Those in the know arrive early to get a roasted pork chop before the kitchen runs out. It’s served with a sweet pepper relish and works well with one of the fizzy red Lambruscos on the intelligent, value-driven wine menu. One could go on about Wicked Weed’s bespoke pilsner on tap, classic cocktails, and creative “punch bowls” that serve a crowd, sweet affogato and tiramisu, or the deliciously gooey mortadella croquettes that headline a slate of inexpensive bar nibbles.
Perhaps the ultimate accolade? The venue resembles FIG from 20 years ago, when it merely intended to be “a humble corner bistro,” providing refined fine dining service in a town that had yet to win its first culinary accolades. Cane Pazzo is both personal and grounded in its new surroundings, a vibrant reminder that Italian history and Southern roots share a common flame.
