THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Rainwater

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Rainwater Restaurant Review:

Part restaurant, part lounge and part private event space, Rainwater is in high demand for special events and weddings. A cobalt-hued raindrop chandelier suspended from a blue dome repeats the rainwater theme in the reception area. This huge (22,000-square-foot) building was designed to reflect the ample architecture of a vineyard estate. Executive chef Boyd Rose comes from Charleston where he worked under Robert Carter, brother to Rainwater's general manager Jim Carter. Some of the better small plates also grace the lounge menu, such as a rich crab soup generously laced with sherry, a taste of the low country in the Upland South. Fish and seafood dominate the main dishes, with an interesting rock shrimp risotto embellishing the nicely cooked grouper. But meat and poultry have a presence as well. Contemporary touches with a local note appear in dishes such as peanut-crusted rack of lamb. For dessert consider the apple beignet, more like a fritter, served with caramel sauce and oatmeal-raisin crunch ice cream, a page out of high-end nineteenth-century Southern cooking. Lunch adds a couple of sandwiches and a pasta dish to the line-up. The wine list is extensive, and offers selections from both recognized names and small-production operations, with plenty of choices by the glass. Business groups, families and couples bent on romance all find a comfort zone at Rainwater.