“The most innovative culinary experience I have ever had…”

-Klara Glowczewska, Executive Travel Editor, Town & Country Magazine & former Editor in Chief, Conde Naste Publishing

PRODUCT + SERVICE + EXPERIENCE = CAVIAR TRIP

Both Barrels Loaded for Bear! Photo Credit: Kevin Joseph

SERVICE & EXPERIENCE

We didn’t invent the Caviar Bump, but you are going to love what we’ve done with it.

VISIT THIS PAGE TO LEARN ABOUT THE CAVIAR TRIP @ RAW LAB

Here is little vignette too. It’s part of a longer film that covers all aspects of the RAW LAB Product, Service & Experience.

I LIKE BIG BUMPS - 42 SECONDS

We dont want to spoil the surprises so we don’t get too detailed here. Suffice it to say, you’ll get a good idea of the process.

PRODUCT: IDAHO SPRINGS CAVIAR

We serve an American Caviar, YES, AMERICAN! From Idaho. YES, IDAHO! And the best thing is that in doing so IS THAT we sacrifice NOTHING And gain some notable benefits IN QUALITY, FOOD-safety and taste OVER OTHER MANY CAVIAR BRANDS.

GREAT READ: America’s Finest Caviar - Saveur Magazine

OUR CAVIAR SERVICE becomes a great way to BUST MYTHS, TELL STORIES AND BUILD REAL VALUE in this delicate, dynamic and expensive product. OUR CAVIAR EXPERIENCE ISNT JUST A “TASTING”, IT IS AND EXPEDITION! Indeed, in as much as the group is curious and asks questions it is an exploration of the history, culture, cuisine, economy and ecology of sturgeon and caviar in IDAHO, the USA and beyond. THIS IS NOT A LECTURE, IT IS A CONVERSATION AND A JOURNEY and everyone contributes to it. IT IS A MASTER CLASS IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. Anyone who has ever attended a seminar within an elite food & wine festival / event knows thew niche category Add-on/One-off events are pricey, intimate and rewarding.

Sooo, caviar from a farmed Sturgeon in Idaho makes not sense to you? OK. Lets start there. The place, product and process is unreal!

IDAHO SPRINGS STURGEON FARM is an ABSOLUTELY singular place and operation!

THIS is ONE of the things that makes their caviar so special, unrivaled even. It is fed by water that pops out of the Snake River Aquifer 100 feet from the top of the raceways that hold the sturgeon. This water has been filtered though ancient volcano basalt rock for 250,000,000 years! It’s as pure as water gets. Thousands of springs burst out of the ridges along the river over hundreds of miles. The Snake River was once a paradise for the White Sturgeon. Indigenous and plentiful, the species was nearly wiped out for its meat and caviar. These days they are a highly protected species and the caviar they produce comes from state of the art animal husbandry and bleeding edge aquaculture developed over the past 100 years of practice.

IT STARTS HERE: After the water gushes out from the mountain ridge it is directed to the farm, just 100 feet downhill. Tens of millions of gallons of water a day sees sunlight for the first time in 250,000,000 years. This flows DIRECTLY into the farm and over the Sturgeon who swim in some of the purest water on Earth. In the raceways (built on a shallow sloping plateau) this mineral rich, alkaline water flows past the fish quickly. Like a mighty, though short, river…their natural habitat. The raceway complex is like a series of shallow rivers packed with thousands of happy and healthy female sturgeon.

Density like this would be problematic in a typical caviar farm as filtration of the water would need to be state of the art and fail-safe. That’s expensive and in the event of natural disaster, little is fail safe. But density here and unlimited, free, pure, flowing water makes filtration completely unnecessary. The fish spend no more than a half a second in the same water and waste is immediately washed away by incoming water from the aquifer. Waste gets pulled down the raceways, past the fish, by gravity.

After it exits the raceways it flows into a pond which holds large sturgeon and trout which are alphas and sometimes use as brood stock.

Then, just 150 feet from that pond it makes it’s dramatic entry into the Snake River via Lemon Falls. Lemon Falls is named after the Great, Great, Great Grandfather of Gary Lemon, owner of Idaho Springs Caviar. He settled in Idaho in 1887, 3 years before ID became a state!

**IT ENDS HERE**: The farm’s water becomes Lemon Falls and runs into the Snake River.

I learned so much on this day. What an experience. What an epiphany! The people, place and process that create this product are as legitimate as it gets. The fish were so vibrant, strong and healthy. Holding them (or trying to) was like wrangling a wild critter from another age. They’re like a log or missile of muscle, so dense and strong…dinosaurs, literally 350,000,000 years evolved.

This was the Coup de Gras! Sucking eggs from a living sturgeon to evaluate her health, the quality of the eggs and determine whether or not she was ready for harvest. Ill never forget that moment. A tiny slit is made in her belly, near the ovaries, which are surrounded by eggs. A small tube is placed in that hole and gentle suction applied. You’ll see the process in the video below. Inspection of the eggs for size, colorless, texture, firmness and flavor is done.

Mother Load! 40kg of Caviar, roughly. Photo Credit: Kevin Joseph

THE CAVIAR TRIP

OUR METHODOLOGY FOR CAVIAR IS MORE OF A RITUAL, CEREMONY, TRANCE OR TRIP THAN IT IS A “SERVICE”.

We are speaking here ONLY of fine caviar. We experience this sacred food as the professionals who produce it and trade in it do. Naked! That is, “Sans Accoutrement”. Absent are the belinis, creme fraish and other items which limit it to being simply a food. Fine caviar is MUCH more than that and deserves your full attention. When given, it rewards well beyond any food ever could. Through the methodology we use, it becomes a transcendent experience, if you allow yourself to take the trip.

If caviar isn’t the most dynamic food on earth, we don’t know what is. In 60 (or more) seconds a fine caviar will go through 5 distinct phases. Not even the finest of wine can dance on your palate for that long, evolving the whole time. These are things you can taste and feel. You can easily perceive the phases starting, ending, blending, evolving, peaking, yielding and coming to a conclusion. It is like listening to a song you love.

What caviar can do is seldom realized, especially when we handicap our palate with dough, starch, salt or acid found in potatoes chips, beliefs and other accoutrement. If you wanted to experience the power of a painting, song or sculpture you’d free yourself of distractions, barriers and noise. When you allow yourself to be present with it and only it.

These tiny and powerful eggs have delicate differences from fish to fish, farm to farm, season to season…just like wine or oysters. It takes 7 years for a sturgeon to come out maturity and produce a fine caviar. It takes a lot of husbandry and expertise to shepherd a fish to that age and moment. It takes more care and expertise still to cure, age and deliver the caviar to a profession who’ll be able to guide you though what to look for and evaluate the quality of that caviar base on industry standard and metrics. To understand your preferences for caviar you’ll benefit from perspective, objectivity, expertise and experience of a professional who can point out what to look for without TELLING you what you see or how to feel about it.

THIS IS WHAT WE DO! We create a safe space for you to be open to the experience. With your trust and permission, we take you on a tour, a trip and sometimes put you in a trance. Its a kind of meditation where you can find every nook and cranny, every delicate flavor and sensation, every instrument in the song, the melody, harmony, lyrics and meaning of it too. Once given the tools to evaluate the various characteristics of caviar and the metrics of quality you’ll then have the tools and knowledge to be able to find your favorites…just like you’ve likely done with wine, and maybe oysters too. We are NOT going to tell you that you should prefer this caviar or that caviar, rather we are going to give you the tools and tactics used by professionals for eons to make up your own mind, as you experiment with caviar going forward.

We will not, in this medium, be able to duplicate the magic that occurs. And we’ve chosen to leave it to these words rather than get to detailed with photos or videos less we create spoilers. We hope, however, that you’ll come and experience fine caviar with us. You’ll find that in the presence and with the trust of the other guests there is a magical epiphany that this our techniques, rituals and ceremony creates that will change you, forever.

THREE WAYS TO UNDERSTAND RAW LAB: 3 FILMS BELOW

RAW LAB IS A CULINARY ADVENTURE, not just a “dinner”. As such, it requires and delivers a lot more from and to the guest. Here’s an analogy: If you drive 60 miles to the beach for a weekend get away there are not that many things to consider, do, plan, bring or prepare for. But when you fly to Colorado to go skiing for a week you’ll need plan, prepare, do and bring a lot more. RAW LAB is much more like a ski trip to CO than a weekend at a nearby beach.

MISSION WHAT IS IS / ISNT IS IT FOR YOU A-TYPICAL POLICIES VALUE PROPOSITION PRICING DISCOVERY

RESERVATIONS ONLY

ONLY ON RESY & FOR SMALL GROUPS ONLY (UP TO 4 GUESTS)

FOR LARGE GROUPS (5 OR MORE) - TEXT OR CALL US @ 843 580 7729

! PLEASE NOTE !

RAW LAB is NOT a “traditional restaurant” or A “TRADITIONAL SUSHI OMAKASE”

RAW LAB is not a typical dining experience or culinary offering AND WE DO NOT MAKE OR SERVE SUSHI!

RAW LAB is not A FIT FOR EVERY PERSON OR EVERY OCCASION. The experience is not always a good fit for every circumstance, individual or group as it is not a typical “restaurant” product, service or experience. Please make sure it is a fit for you, your group and your circumstances before you book.

RAW LAB IS **a next generation “Raw Bar” (NOT A SUSHI BAR) featuring MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS presented via an Omakase STYLE of service IN a semi-private oR private dining ENVIRONMENT.**

RAW LAB has SEVERAL RATHER A-TYPICAL POLICIES that may or may not be agreeable to you. We strongly recommend you make yourself familiar with them.

4.9 - 5 STAR RATED ACROSS THE MAJOR / RELEVANT RESERVATION PLATFORMS

READ REVIEWS HERE || RESERVATIONS ONLY @ RESY

BOOK THE WHOLE ROOM - GROUPS OF 12 - 20

We will send the limo for ya if all start and end in one spot, basically.

Routes include Daniel Island, Kiawah and IOP.

RAW LAB LIMO

WORTH THE TIME & MONEY?

THAT DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ARE, HOW YOU EXPLORE FOOD & WINE, HOW YOU SOCIALIZE, WHAT YOU DO & DO NOT DRINK, AND WHAT YOUR VALUES ARE FOR MUSIC, ATMOSPHERE, PRIVACY & ENTERTAINMENT. For some people, RAW LAB is a nightmare. For most, however, it is AMAZING!

RAW LAB has proven itself to be a truly world-class CULINARY EXPERIENCE by the very simple fact that after 2.5 years of operations we have maintained a 4.9 STAR rating on RESY. That’s just a fact which reveals a truth - RAW LAB is a world-class dining experience.

THE 10-12 course EXPERIENCE STARTS WITH a 90 minute introduction that consists of a MASTER CLASS for OYSTERS followed by another MASTER CLASS in CAVIAR. Our OYSTER SERVICE and our CAVIAR SERVICE are singular.

This is followed by another 7 - 9 COURSES of MARINE CUSINE & DELICASEAS. ITS A FULL MEAL, NOT AN APPETIZER. And it is NOT SUSHI or FORMAL like every other “omakase-style” dining experience has always been.

The entire experience is accompanied by a rather unique if not SINGULAR WINE SERVICE. WHITE, ROSE & ORANGE & RED WINE PAIRINGS take our guests to 6 continents. Wines from 13-15 wine producing regions and 8-10 countries are featured. This is a GLOBAL WINE TOUR WHERE WE FEATURE up to 15 different wines, many of which are rather unusual or uncommon. Ask yourself: Where can I taste 12 - 15 different wines from 10 countries and 6 continents in a single meal without ordering 12 - 15 glasses of wine?

FINALLY, THERE ARE AT LEAST 30 POINTS OF DISCOVERY IN THE EXPERIENCE WHERE THE INTERESTING & INTERESTED EPICUREAN OR GOURMAND WILL SEE, TOUCH or EAT SOMETHING THEY never have BEFORE. THIS IS WHY VERY WELL FED, VERY WELL TRAVELED CONSUMERS LOVE RAW LAB. FROM THEIR EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH FINE DINING THEY KNOW RAW LAB IS TRULY UNIQUE & WORLD-CLASS.

MISSION WHAT IS IS / ISNT IS IT FOR YOU A-TYPICAL POLICIES VALUE PROPOSITION PRICING DISCOVERY

WINNER OF OPEN TABLE’S 2022 DINER’S CHOICE AWARD

A Singular Semi-Private or Private Dining, Test Kitchen, Chef’s Table Experience for up to 12 guests

ONE OF THE TOP RATED CULINARY OPPORTUNITIES IN CHARESTON. SEE THE LIST OF TOP RATED RESTAURANTS HERE

RAW LAB MENU

@ 99 S. MARKET STREET, CHS, SC (843) 580 7729

LOCATION & DIRECTIONS

RECENT PRESS BELOW

FOOD & WINE MAGAZINE || TOWN & COUNTRY MAGAZINE || PASTE MAGAZINE || SC LIVING MAGAZINE

FOX 24 CHS || CITY PAPER CHS || CHARLESTON LIVING MAGAZINE || THE LOCAL PALATE || LUX LIVING MAGAZINE

WE #RaiseTheRaw Bar. YOU #SeasTheBay!

$200 -$250 per person ++ (PLUS tax & tip)

**INCLUDED: 9-12 Rounds oF Marine Cuisine & DelicaSEAS + 12 - 14 PREMIUM Wine Pairings**

SERVICE WED - SAT || ONE SEATING || 6:30pm - 10PM

RESERVATIONS ONLY - RESERVE SEATS HERE

21+

843 580 7729

READ REVIEWS ON YELP & OPEN TABLE

BROWSE RECENT PRESS HERE

15 GREAT REASONS WHY THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY VALUE & EXPERIENCE

WHAT IT IS / ISNT || LOCATION & DIRECTIONS || VIEW PRIX FIXE OMAKASE MENU HERE

RESERVE THE ROOM || CANCELLATION & NO SHOW POLICY || MEET OWNER & MASTER MERMMELIER KEVIN JOSEPH

#RaiseTheRawBar

Empire Oyster created this concept in 2017 and have been perfecting it ever since. This is a vanguard Chef’s Table / Test Kitchen experience for up to 12 seated guests at a time, where the focus is on rare, exotic and luxury seafood from the bottom of the seafood chain. Part of our offering is an exploration of the most sustainable, responsible and healthy seafood choices. We call it MARINE CUISINE and describe it as Seafood v. 3.0. Here we #MakeUglyFishesDelicious in a smart, fun and sexy way.

Our model is the magic. Instead of being ANOTHER seafood restaurant that ALSO offers a raw bar, we have removed the raw bar from the restaurant and eliminated the restaurant. We are focused on being the finest raw bar in the history of the world because we are ONLY a Raw Bar! We #RaiseTheRawBar so you can #SeasTheBay. This is not an appetizer or tasting menu, its a meal…a food & wine experience and, for many, an epiphany in both seafood and fine dining.

We feature a host of marine species and dishes informed by an elegant culinary ethic which is designed around eating “Whole, Live, Raw & BioAvailabe”. These days, we guarantee our guests at least 15 “Points of Discovery”. These are things we deliver in our service that even the most sophisticated foodie, gourmand or epicurean is likely to have never seen before. It delights and enchants, while, at times confusing and challenging your senses in an exciting way. The entire time, you are only inches away from the chef who prepares everything in front of the guests. Every dish is enjoyed by all of the guests at the same time. The process and the chef de-mystify seafood and seafood wine pairings in an un-pretentious presentation that empowers our guests to experiment at home or to feel more comfortable ordering seafood and pairing wine to it elsewhere. Its also FUN! This is not a formal or “stuffy” omakase experience.

Raw Lab also delivers an elevated wine experience. Each course is paired with a great seafood wine and any of the wines could be paired with any of the dishes. Guest’s commonly discover new varieties and styles of wines they love. The focus is on obscure or lesser known varieties of dry white, rose and orange wines. A luxury back bar offers a very high end collection of sake & spirits and some nice red wines, by the bottle.

Enjoy private dining in a salon like atmosphere with other interesting & Interested guests who have the opportunity to ask dozens of questions about oysters, seafood and the wine pairings. No other oyster or seafood experience is designed around a 12 seat u-shaped bar where all of the dishes are presented to the world’s only “Ice Moat”, at the same time. Everyone in the room is on the same page and in proximity to everyone else. It creates a unique opportunity for Edu-Tainment and connecting to others which rewards much more than your palate.

Also, the space itself is designed and managed to deliver a strong sense of ESCAPE! If you are visiting, you won’t feel like you are a tourist, you’ll feel like a traveler. If you are local, you’ll feel transported to another time, place and dimension. You wont feel like you are in a restaurant, because, well, YOU ARE NOT! The decor, the music, the light…it all transports our guests and time flies.

Finally, this room is very private. You can’t see anyone walking by and nobody walking by can see you! Our guests enjoy total discretion, always. This very discreet room is also available for private events.

MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS

Learn more about this culinary ethic HERE and check out some pictures at that link or in the gallery below.

HOW IT WORKS

Enjoy 9 - 12 rounds of WHOLE, LIVE, RAW AND/OR BIO-AVAIALBE DISHES & UP TO 14 WINE PAIRINGS

It’s all VERY VERY VERY different @Raw.Lab.CHS. On many levels, this is an entirely new value proposition and Food & Wine experience, It is impossible to explain in writing or in words but it will make perfect sense once you’ve experienced it personally.

Omakase is an ancient Japanese service style typically applied to sushi service. The word means “to entrust” or “I leave it to you”. In this style of service guests do not order anything, they simply “entrust” the chef to deliver his or her best product, service and experience based on seasonal access to the finest and freshest product. We’ve applied it to oysters & MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS, a collection of dishes created by Master Mermmelier Kevin Joseph. Our OMAKASE STYLE service is not a SUSHI Omakase which many gourmands, foodies and epicureans are familiar with. No, this is an RAW BAR OMAKASE, something different, entirely.

For starters, our oyster service launches the experience and features our Accoutrmement Premier, which is a proprietary collection of toppings, dressings and treatments for oysters available absolutely nowhere else on earth. All of the dishes are constructed right in front of you, and just for you. This is “seafood porn” and “food theater”, presented, in your lap, almost literally. But you’re not just watching it, you are a part of it as you interact with the chef and other guests. Also, this is not a little “tasting menu”. You will leave FULL. View the MENU HERE but dont expect exactly that menu as it is evolving fast and changes every night. LEARN MORE HERE

READ REVIEWS ON YELP & OPEN TABLE

RESERVATIONS VIA RESY || LOCATION & DIRECTIONS || CANCELLATION & NO SHOW POLICY

843 580 7729

RESERVATIONS FOR PRIX FIXE OMAKASE & SEMI-PRIVATE DINING

LOCATION & DIRECTIONS || CANCELLATION & NO SHOW POLICY

843 580 7729

THIS IS A FIT FOR THOSE WHO…

…seek the unprecedented, unique and original.
…have been to all the great CHS restaurants 10 times each and seek something completely different.
…value elite food & wine experiences and have 3-4 hours available to do enjoy our service.
…are NOT allergic to shellfish, mollusks or crustaceans. Fin fish allergies can be worked around by skipping a course or two.
…are comfortable with or seek a community table type of setting and a salon like atmosphere.
…appreciate elite food, wine and service without any pretension.

PRIVATE DINING

Book the room privately and we’ll serve you anything we can make.

When you book the room privately for your group it is yours, privately. We’ll play whatever music you would like and even allow you to bring in your own DJ. Bring your favorite wines or spirits from your private collection. The room is your oyster and your guests are the pearls!

2 - 12 guests for $4,500 ++ (Food, Beverage & Service Included, Taxes & 20% Gratuity NOT included)

13 - 14 guests for $5,500 ++ (Food, Beverage & Service Included, Taxes & 20% Gratuity NOT included)