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Libby Wiersema lived in California and Alabama before settling in South Carolina 38 years ago,
where she's covered the state's best culinary offerings and tells the stories behind the food.
Shuai Wang infuses Japanese-inspired dishes with Lowcountry ingredients to create a cuisine that is unique and delicious.
China meets Japan meets the Lowcountry might sound like an odd mash-up, but in the kitchen of Chef Shuai Wang, it’s a full-blown triple threat of taste sensations. The Beijing-born Wang masterfully strikes a balance between these cuisines to create dishes that are both surprising and familiar.
The culinary world first took notice when he operated Charleston-based food truck, Short Grain, with wife, Corrie. In 2017, Wang was named a Rising Star Chef by the James Beard Foundation, a signal to foodies everywhere that this South Carolina chef is one to watch. Read more here about South Carolina award-winning chefs and restaurants.
Now, his brick-and-mortar enterprise, Jackrabbit Filly, has made the Park Circle neighborhood of North Charleston a hot destination for novel Chinese American cuisine that honors Wang's heritage and showcases his penchant for creative, flavorful dishes. The dim sum Sunday brunch is particularly popular and offers diners diverse options for sharing.
Karaage, Japanese-style fried chicken, is a fan favorite at Jackrabbit Filly.
Approach
Heritage, which is highly prized in both Asian and Lowcountry cooking, is a major influence when it comes to Wang’s approach in the kitchen. His roots are Chinese, but his culinary training is Japanese.
When that training teams up with the bounty of the Lowcountry—locally grown vegetables, fresh South Carolina seafood, heirloom grains, and locally raised pork and poultry—the results are inspired, flavorful, fresh and decidedly “untraditional” Japanese.
Embracing Southern influences and ingredients are a surprising touch. Chef Wang even sports a tattoo of South Carolina favorite, Duke's mayonnaise - a sure sign of his appreciation for local flavor.
Okonomiyaki, a cabbage pancake with bacon and egg, is perfect for sharing at Jackrabbit Filly.
Backstory
Born in China and raised in New York, Wang studied at the Art Institute of New York City. He worked in restaurants throughout Manhattan, sharpening his cooking chops in some of the city’s busiest kitchens.
Drawn to Charleston by its rich food culture and close culinary community, the Wangs established Short Grain in 2015. Diners and food critics couldn't get enough of his noodle bowls, ramen, dumplings and other global dishes in which he routinely relied upon locally sourced ingredients.
By 2016, praise for Short Grain began pouring in, with the operation being named by Bon Appetit as one of America’s 50 Best New Restaurants. Wang was also named an Eater “Young Gun” that same year.
The jackrabbit and the filly represent the zodiac signs of Chef Wang and his wife, Corrie.
His next venture, King BBQ, is set to debut Spring 2023 and will feature dishes inspired by both Chinese and Lexington, North Carolina barbecue traditions.
Libby Wiersema lived in California and Alabama before settling in South Carolina 38 years ago,
where she's covered the state's best culinary offerings and tells the stories behind the food.
