Award-Winning Charleston Restaurant and Hotel Mark 2010 with Cocktail Contest, Anniversary Menu

Jan. 4, 2010 - PRLog -- An anniversary celebration, Christmas cocktails in July and a chance to become a “true Charlestonian” are just some of the special events on the calendar for Charleston’s AAA Five Diamond Wentworth Mansion® and its AAA Four Diamond, Mobil Four Star on-site restaurant Circa 1886. Below is a list of events and packages on tap for the coming year:

January


To celebrate the new decade starting with 2010, Circa 1886 will be offering any appetizer from its seasonal menu with two glasses of wine for $20.10 during the month of January.

Circa 1886 is also one of several restaurants around the state participating in Restaurant Week, Jan. 11-17, 2010. An initiative of the Hospitality Association of South Carolina, which is taking a nod from New York’s successful Restaurant Week, the goal is to showcase the culinary scene in the Palmetto state. Diners will have the chance to sample special discounted menus from area restaurants. Throughout the week, Circa 1886 will offer three signature courses for $30.

For the remainder of the month, the restaurant will offer four courses for $42.

Also, Circa 1886 Executive Chef Marc Collins will be at Coastal Cupboards in Mt. Pleasant on Jan. 19.

Please note, Circa 1886 will be closed Jan. 3-8.

February
Valentine's Day Dinner
February 14, 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Lovebirds can enjoy a special five-course dinner at Circa 1886 on Valentine's Day for $100 per person. The dinner is available during two seatings, 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., and excludes beverages, tax and gratuity.



Sweetheart Package
February 1-28
The romantic Wentworth Mansion® hotel, where guests frequently get engaged, married and honeymoon, will offer a special romance package for two throughout the month of February. The package includes a one-night stay, a dozen red roses delivered to your room, a candlelight turndown and three-course dinner for two at Circa 1886. The cost is $495, which includes tax and gratuity for dinner, but excludes beverages and room tax. Minimum night stay may apply.

On Valentine’s Day weekend, Feb. 13-15, the same package is available for $1,075 (including tax and gratuity at dinner but excluding beverages and room tax) and requires a two-night minimum stay. It also includes dinner for two at Circa 1886 on Valentine's Day instead of the gift certificate.


Date ‘Over’ Night
February 1-28
During the month of February, locals have a chance to celebrate romance all month. Residents of Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties can take advantage of this special date “over” night package at the Wentworth Mansion®. The package includes a three-course dinner for two at Circa 1886, a AAA Four-Diamond, Mobil Four Star restaurant on the grounds of the Wentworth Mansion®, as well as one night in a mansion room with a candlelight turndown. The cost of the package is $299. Dinner is not available on Sundays, as the restaurant is closed, and the package is not available Feb. 12-15 due to Valentine’s Day specials.

March
BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival
March 4-7
Executive Chef Marc Collins and Circa 1886 will take center stage during the fifth annual BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival, a four-day celebration of food, wine and all things Charleston. Chef Collins, who co-founded the festival, will be part of a chef cooking competition during the event, as well as hosting Kyle Ketchum, executive chef of The Chanler at Cliff Walk in Newport, R.I., during a special dinner on March 5. Additionally, Phillip Lolonis of Lolonis Winery in Redwood Valley, Calif., will be on hand to share his wine expertise. For more information and tickets, visit www.charlestonwineandfood.com.

Circa 1886 is also hosting the festival’s Founders Day Celebration at 5:30 p.m. March 2 on the lawn of the Wentworth Mansion. This invitation-only party will celebrate and recognize board members, staff, key volunteers and founders who were instrumental in planning the Charleston Wine + Food Festival from its inception. It will also serve as a celebration of the festival’s fifth anniversary.

April
10th Anniversary
Circa 1886 is turning 10! Celebrate 10 years of delicious dining all month as the restaurant brings back menu favorites from the past 10 years like spicy grilled shrimp over fried green tomatoes and crab cake soufflé.


Sixth Annual Historic Charleston Foundation Wine Tastings
April 5 and 9, 5 p.m.
During the Historic Charleston Foundation’s popular Festival of Houses and Gardens March 18 through April 17, where guests can tour many of city’s historic private homes and gardens, Circa 1886 will host two wine and hors d’oeuvres events to benefit the organization. Tickets, available for $45 per person, per event, are available through the Historic Charleston Foundation at 843-723-1623 or www.historiccharleston.org.

Spoleto Festival USA Pre-and Post-Theater Dinners
May 28 – June 13, 5-10 p.m.
Spoleto Festival USA is one of the world’s most recognized and acclaimed art festivals drawing thousands of visitors to Charleston each spring. The festival supports new and innovative works while enhancing public appreciation of the arts – from dance and music to theater and jazz. To accommodate those attending Spoleto Festival USA, Circa 1886 will open a half-hour earlier at 5 p.m. and close a half hour later with the last seating at 10 p.m.

About Wentworth Mansion®
Located in the heart of historic downtown Charleston, S.C., the Wentworth Mansion® is a 21-room, AAA Five Diamond luxury hotel that offers guests a taste of southern hospitality in an intimate setting. Elegant rooms and expansive suites feature gas-lit fireplaces with their original marble mantels, king-size sleigh beds with European linens, inlaid design floors, whirlpool tubs and double, glass-walled, walk-in showers. Guests can relax at the Spa at the Wentworth Mansion®, a full-service on-site day spa, enjoy a 360-degree view of the city from the hotel's rooftop cupola or dine on sophisticated southern cuisine with a twist at Circa 1886 restaurant located on the hotel grounds. For more information and reservations, please call 1-888-466-1886 or visit www.wentworthmansion.com.

About Circa 1886
Set inside the historic carriage house for the award-winning Wentworth Mansion® hotel at 149 Wentworth St. in Charleston, S.C., Circa 1886 is a AAA Four-Diamond, Mobil Four Star restaurant offering traditional southern cuisine with a modern twist in a sophisticated, historic setting. Executive Chef Marc Collins, co-founder of the successful BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival, presents innovative southern dishes, which draw on the rich culinary history of Charleston during the time period when the Mansion was originally constructed. Collins also brings a French influence and a touch of 21st century culinary artistry to his creations. Circa 1886 has received numerous accolades, including the DiRoNA award for fine dining in North America, as well as the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.

About Charming Inns
Charming Inns® is a family of four elegant and historic bed and breakfast inns all located within the heart of downtown Charleston. The properties, which include the AAA Five Diamond Wentworth Mansion®, the AAA Four Diamond John Rutledge House Inn, the Kings Courtyard Inn and the Fulton Lane Inn, have received numerous national accolades, including three as members of Historic Hotels of America and one as a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. In addition, Charming Inns owns and operates Mobil Four Star, AAA Four Diamond Circa 1886 restaurant located on the grounds of the Wentworth Mansion. For more information, visit CharmingInns.com.

Editor’s Note: High-res images of some events are available upon request.

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