Main Street restaurant takes risks with varied menu
Strolling down Main Street, visitors are certain to take in a unique blend of sights, smells and sounds that are capped off with Columbia’s Capitol building towering directly ahead. Storefront windows peddle everything from designer fabrics to Palmetto tree stamped souvenirs and heady aromas linger just outside the doors of several sidewalk cafes.
Nestled tightly between this cornucopia of commerce sits Taqueria Fever, a restaurant that’s giving new meaning to the notion of “fork-free” dining.
Opened by Charlotte native Ellyn Season in mid-2011, the restaurant touts the hands-on dining experience, encouraging patrons to “put down the fork” when dining on almost any item ordered from Fever’s eclectic menu.
The dining establishment has become well known for its reasonable lunch specials as well as its convenient location to a number of downtown businesses. Now nearing their one-year anniversary, Taqueria Fever finally opened its doors for the dinner crowd earlier this year, a move that public relations spokesman Aaron Johnson said is gradually growing Fever’s local fan base.
“We’re really starting to gain a loyal customer following,” Johnson said. “However, we’ve also been able to maintain a fairly quiet, intimate atmosphere that’s perfect for date nights or group dinners.”
Variety certain is the spice of life for the restaurant’s menu selections. Fever’s diverse menu offers lush salads mixed with fresh spring greens like the Southern BLT seasoned with bacon and white balsamic vinaigrette, topped with fried or grilled chicken at $8. Other light-eating options include the smoked salmon salad, featuring cucumbers, red onion and house-smoked salmon with pickled lime dressing for $9. Appetizer choices are also widely-varied, with patrons selecting from $6 Contest-Recipe or Southwest chili served with homemade cornbread.
Creamy spinach and artichoke dip is also served hot in a large portion with accompanying tri-color chips at $5, not to mention piping hot chili –cheese fries topped with red onion, smoked cheddar and thick Contest-Recipe chili for $7. It is this type of diverse dining, plus fair pricing and quality ingredients, that has made Fever a novel night-out for visitors of any appetite says Johnson.
“The variety here is just really awesome,” Johnson said. “It’s a restaurant where you can take a large group where somebody wants a burger and someone else wants a taco, but no one has to argue about it because it’s all on one menu.”
Fever’s menu also hosts a wide variety of taco choices, but these are not the type you order off the dollar menu at Taco Bell. These specialty taco options take risks with your taste buds, pairing up unusual combinations that produce explosive flavor. Taco specialties are divided into four categories: the Open Ocean which features the Shrimp and Scallop Tango that comes with a spicy kick of jalapeno slaw, Land Rover with Carolina Pulled Pork tacos topped with a vinegar-mustard combination BBQ sauce, Fine Feathered Friends featuring the Crispy Chili Chicken with grilled pineapple and a tangy chili sauce, and the vegetarian Garden Grown mushroom and poblano pepper tacos. Taco specialties can be ordered a la carte for $2.50 to $3 each, or as meals with three tacos and a beverage for $8.50 or two tacos, a beverage and side item for $7.50.
Two-dollar side items consist of a few signature southern favorites, many of which are added to with a Fever-ish twist. Homestyle mac and cheese can be amped up a spicy notch to Fever’s Southwest mac and cheese with peppers.
Southern-style collard greens, classic refried beans or Fever’s pinto beans are also offered amongst the 10-plus side item menu.
Almost no menu would be complete without a few burger options to choose from, and Fever certainly fills the gap for the red-meat eater. The Pimento Cheese burger is served slathered with melted pimento cheese for $9, while the Portabella burger is capped off with grilled mushrooms, red onion and Swiss cheese for $9. There’s even a choice for the plain Jane burger lover; the classic burger is served with lettuce, tomato and onion on a grilled bun for $7.
All burger dishes come with a pickle spear, side of pomme frites and a beverage. Signature hot dogs are also on deck, ranging from the bacon-wrapped, egg-topped “Late Breakfast” dog for $7 or the Classic NYC dog with Sauerkraut, onions and mustard for $6.
There are some finer dining selections as well, under the “Latin Fever” section. The Rumba dish serves up chicken and shrimp skewers grilled with a medley of red onion, pineapple, and cherry tomatoes with the spicy but sweet chili sauce and confetti rice on the side for $13. The restaurant’s Chicken Madrid is also a sumptuous but reasonably priced dish, with pan-seared chicken breast paired up with spicy ham and peppers, served with Spanish rice and avocado-mango relish for $12.
The interior of the restaurant is set up simple but with a cinch of style. Albeit a small space, Fever makes the most of it, adorning the walls with modern art pieces and dangling light fixtures. Vista businessmen with after-work beers in hand mingle with an assortment of USC students, many of were simply passing by before they decided to make a stop into Taqueria Fever. Bartender Chad Hastings says that the restaurant’s MainStreet location makes it ideal for downtown visitors and foot traffic.
“It’s a really great atmosphere in here, with great drink and food prices,” said Hastings. “We have a really strong lunch crowd right now, but we’re slowly filtering in more night traffic just from people walking through the Vista.”
Taqueria Fever is located at 1202 Main Street. For more information and a full menu, visit the restaurant’s web site at www.taqueriafever.com.
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