Quick Bites: Fare Well Done

Vicky Moore’s Mediterranean-inflected recipes already have a passionate following of devoted foodies—folks who regularly visit her downtown restaurant, The Lazy Goat, to satisfy their hankerings for tapas-style fare in a sleek, contemporary dining room.

Now, the Esquire-reading world—which means pretty much the whole world—is privy to the secret that Greenville gourmands have enjoyed almost exclusively.

Featured in Esquire’s 2009 “Best New Restaurants” issue, Moore is one of four “Breakout Chefs to Watch,” an honor she shares with counterparts in Philadelphia, New Orleans, and New York City. After dining at the downtown eatery, John Mariani, the magazine’s food critic, gave props to Moore in his online column, “Mariani’s Virtual Gourmet,” writing: “Don’t be fooled—this may be gutsy, down-home global fare, but it takes a sophisticated and deft hand to carry it all off … ”

And, when it came time to consider who should get kudos in Esquire’s annual restaurants issue, Mariani remembered Greenville and his meal at The Lazy Goat.

“We are an unexpected find—for John Mariani and for diners here in Greenville,” says Moore. “The name alone inspires curiosity. When you come inside, this kind of restaurant and our kind of cuisine is a pleasant surprise.”

Moore’s love of cooking was born in her grandmother’s kitchen and eventually led her to Johnson and Wales in North Miami where she graduated among the top of her class. After several corporate cooking stints, she landed at The Lazy Goat where she now considers it her calling to give diners a global culinary tour.

Indeed, with menu items like Mediterranean Branzini, Trout Spanakopita, and Papas Bravas, the only thing missing from this cosmopolitan adventure de cuisine are the frequent flyer miles. Because while the inspirations for Moore’s eclectic fare may be far flung, she’s still dishing it out close to home.