COMMUNITY SUPPORTED FISHERY

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— COMING SOON TO CHARLESTON —

A CSF is a way to get the freshest and highest quality seafood with ZERO fraud, quicker and with it passing though fewer hands on its way to you. It can be local or from far away. It can be common or rare & exotic.

HOW WE WILL DO IT

This is a members-only service. Product will be provided by home delivery and or pick up. Details coming soon.

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 TOWN & COUNTRY MAGAZINE - Dec 22 / Jan 23

MISSION, MANTRA & METHOD

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RAW LAB & LTLE FISH haVE a clear set of goals and a clear culinary ethic. you might recognize them as novel. IT MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU THINK IT IS. theSE LANES, GUIDELINES OR PHILOSOPHIES may be a fit for you or your circumstances ON ANY GIVEN EVENING. OR they may not be. To be clear on what we are trying to do (and not do) we submit the following.

MISSION

We seek to #RaiseTheRawBar such that all might #SeasTheBay.

We seek to provide a product, service and experience that serves as a RISING TIDE for consumers, producers, distributors and suppliers. Our methodologies for this are illustrated below.

Y.J. Cousteau famously wrote: “We protect what we love.” He was right. Like him, we love the ocean, bay, marsh, river…all aquatic and marine habitats and creatures. We LOVE them, in a religious, fanatical and passionate way. We also love how these habitats have nurtured humanity in every way. Our history, culture, cuisine and economy has been NURTURED through these ecological zones since Homo Sapiens first saw the tide go out.

So, we have dedicated our lives to the protection, preservation and restoration of these habitats through extraordinary culinary / hospitality experiences that build value in the bounty of these foods, habitats and the people that work on/in them to produce and support them, without limits.

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MANTRA

“DISCOVERY, FUN & LEARNING is the DELTA between EATING and DINING”.

- Kevin Joseph, Owner & Founder @ RAW LAB

We all “eat” at the $50 or 100 price point. Seldom is there a real WOW at that price point in either food, service, atmosphere or experience. And that’s ok. Not every meal should be a dining experience. But when that’s that you want, it has to deliver some WOW moments…or its simply not worth it.

To make money in the restaurant game at $100 a head it MUST be high volume and turning those tables is of utmost importance. We’re not into that. So we created an immersive experience that is worth A LOT more than $100 to some people.

You can get wonderful, amazing, great moments at $100 a head from RAW BARS in seafood restaurants. Sure. But how many WOW moments can you recall? We mean, life changing “never seen that before” kinds of moments. Real epiphanies…etc.

For 1000 reasons, we haven’t! And we’ve been looking high and low for 14 years! Truth is, Raw Bar service and fare has not changed much over the past 150 years. Generally, this is because the physical set up of a raw bar in a restaurant does deliver on the value that Raw Bar food & experiences CAN BE! You are almost always separated from the Chef / Shucker who knows about the food and a waiter is your intermediary. Is that not inferior to seeing it all happening in front of you, getting great answers to your questions, seeing things you’ve never seen before?

So we removed the RAW BAR from the seafood, restaurant…and eliminated the restaurant. We need 1/100th of the staff do do 100x more with RAW BAR because we are focused on it exclusively. We have removed the barriers to discovery and created pathways to epiphanies.

We’ve honed operations and improved the experience. The owner/operator IS the waitstaff, kitchen crew, bar team and management. And DJ! The most important benefit of all of this is an extraordinary authenticity and authority on hospitality & raw bar product, service & experience.

This ultra-focused approach to hospitality, expensive and delicate foods allows and social experiment has distinguished us as we’ve proven the model.

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METHOD

MARINE CUSINE & DELICASEAS + WHOLE, LIVE, RAW & BIOAVAILABLE

We have these two culinary ethics or philosophies. They are primarily driven by these 4 factors:

1. Our values, how we eat and what we love

2. Our relentless study / exploration of seafood, marine biology and nutrition over the past 15 years

3. 50 years of hospitality experience and a deep dive into how seafood is sourced, served and understood

4. Our space, 242 sf of dining / prep / plating space serving up to 12 guests 12 courses.

TWO CULINARY ETHICS

#1: MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS.

Not sushi or sashimi. Not “Seafood”. This culinary ethic is informed by a host of values, science and preferences. It is the result of decades of trial & error, research, travel and more. It excludes some very popular fish species which we feel are not safe or healthy to eat anymore due to high levels of heavy metals and the toxins that micro-plastic decomposition creates in the largest concentrations in the largest fish. This isnt opinion, this has been measured and demonstrated to be true. Its materially true that a 50 or 500 pound fish (particularly apex predators like Tuna, Mahi, Swordfish…etc) contain many magnitudes more of these toxins than oysters, shrimp, crab, lobster or small fin fish. That’s an issue that can affect your health. Many fisheries for large fin fish are filthy in other ways too (as are some, but not all aquaculture practices). Most pelagic apex predators are being fished to the brink of collapse. And the industrial fishing methods employed are subjecting humans to a kind of slave labor.

THIS ISNT THEORY, THIS IS FACT! We hate that the facts are habitats that produce seafood and the creatures in them ar being destroyed by toxins and mismanagement. While it is the fact, we can work to change these things. As we do, its good to keep some toxins our of our bodies. So, here’s some science to help you understand the issue. Tip of the iceberg. To learn more Google some of these terms:

• Biological Magnification in Fish

• Microplastics in Fish

• Tuna Fishing Practices

That’s the bad news. The good news is that MARINE CUISINE offers your best choices in safer, healthier. more responsible, more sustainable fish through well managed fisheries and best practices in aquaculture.

#2: WHOLE, RAW & LIVE / BIO-AVAILABLE

We want to feed you like we eat. Nothing processed. Nothing fake. No additives, preservatives. LOADS of the good bacteria our bodies evolved to need, want, use and thrive with. Thats what this ethic means:

WHOLE: Eating the entire animal, as much as possible. Oysters, clams, mussles are a good example of this.

RAW: Not cooked or heated. Like a salad, ceviche, crudo, caviar, oyster on the half-shell…etc.

LIVE / BIO-AVAILABLE: Contains living organism (bacteria) that are beneficial or even essential to our digestion, nutrient absorption, immune system, metabolic function and/or metabolism. This does NOT mean we serve things still flapping around on the plate. It means we handle food in a way that has allowed homo-sapiens to survive and thrive on this planet while other species of the homo-genus are extinct. Learn more about that story here

STYLE

Much of what we do and how we do it is driven by the two lanes explored above. But also, there are service styles we employ (Omakase, for example) and there are ways this all works that are really the result of our space: 242 square feet without an oven, fryer or grill.

Theater and education are cornerstones of the value proposition and our guests find value in our way of busting myths and becoming more informed without being made to feel like they are uninformed. They like hearing answers to the many questions posed to the chef who is present throughout. The result is a kind of Edu-Tainment that commonly surpases the value proposition of traditional dining experiences as our guests learn much about oysters, caviar and other seafoods. They'll garner a greater appreciation of the metrics of quality for each and be more able to understand and order them to suit their preferences as they dine elsewhere or source product for enjoyment at home. Through our intimate, detailed and meticulous model we are able to #RaiseTheRawBar which allows our guests to #SeasTheBay.

Often our guests are as interested in WHY we are serving what we do as what we are serving. They notice, ask about and are interested in our unique set of culinary ethics. There are two lanes we operate in and they are different from the typical "Farm to Table" or "local" or "French". Our structure is built around new culinary ethics that curious consumers are interested to learn more about. The first is Marine Cuisine. The second is Whole, Live, Raw & Bioavailable (WLRB). Marine Cuisine limits us to using species / product that is "vanguard best practices in aquaculture or fishing" which results in the safest, healthiest, most sustainable and most responsible ("smartest") choices.  WLRB means we strive to keep everything as full of beneficial bacteria as possible for maximum benefits from pro-biotics, anit-oxidants and optimal nutritional value and uptake. Many of our guests are well versed in wellness and bleeding edge nutritional principles. Others are keenly interested in learning more.

Our strongest advocates have always been those who easily spot and navigate around gimmicks. Our guests know that the opposite of gimmick is authenticity. Understanding how rare that is, they are keen to express their appreciation of the purpose and passion of the Chef, Owner & Master Mermmelier, Kevin Joseph. In the end our guests can see that descriptive terms like "world-class" and "top-shelf" can be applied to much more than just food, service and atmosphere and that RAW LAB's shine comes not from glitter but from gold.

VALUE PROPOSITIONS OF LTLE FISH

• A MASTER CLASS IN TINNED FISH & CONSERVAS This ancient tradition is as broad, deep, complex and storied as wine, oysters or caviar.

• A MASTER CLASS IN OYSTERS Here we experiment with various treatments, toppings and dressings on a single oyster variety. The oyster is the “control”. The experiment is “which accoutrement do you prefer”. We explore classic wine pairings with oysters and we discuss the proper way to eat ultra-premium oysters, elegantly dressed. Its a fun and unpretentious presentation and exploration of oysters not unlike what you’d experience and learn about wine from a Sommelier in an professional wine tasting experience.

• A MASTER CLASS IN CAVIAR We present a unique caviar service where we compare and contrast ROE (fish eggs) with CAVIAR (Sturgeon eggs). We do this in a host of ways but with caviar we do it in the way that professionals in the field have for 1000 years…with caviar bumps…that is, consumed off the back of your hand with ZERO accoutrement, EVER! We feature STERLING CAVIAR, farmed and crafted in California and this ultra-premiuim American Caviar is best enjoyed this way (like all fine caviar). You will be transformed and learn something you’ll benefit from forever. Our process is called “The Ride” and it allows us to take you on a guided 45 - 120 second roller-coaster ride of flavor and sensation that will transform how you think and feel about caviar forever. As an appreciation for fine caviar is similar to that of oysters or fine wine, similar processes are used. The result is often “mind-blowing”.

• PRIVATE CHEF’S TABLE / TEST KITCHEN “DINNER”. The chef is as close to you as he/she would be if you were at his home, eating around a kitchen island as you are watching all the dishes be created.

• AN EXTRAORDINARY WINE PAIRING OPPORTUNITY. We pair each course with a different wine.

• EXPERIENCE 10 - 15 POINTS OF DISCOVERY. Discovery is the quintessence of value in fine dining. You’ll see, feel, smell, taste and enjoy at least 15 products, processes, accoutrements and tools you never have before. Enchantment is guaranteed. You will NOT be lectured, you will be edu-tained. The service is a performance executed in a custom designed and built space and guests are encouraged to ask questions or make comments for the benefit of all present. You will experience Oysters & Caviar as you never have before, guaranteed, as the experience begins with a Masterclass in both. There are at least 10 points of discovery in that part of the event for most diners. We can honestly say now, after 2 years of operations, that the first 90 minutes of your time at RAW LAB will change your life for the better, forever.

• SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, adventurous, exciting, sexy, smart & cool. Dining here is dining at the bleeding edge of sustainable, healthy, responsible, creative and quality.

• A ELITE & EPIC RAW BAR OFFERING not (just) an oyster bar. There simply is NOTHING like it on Earth. Nor has there ever been. We feature a lot more than just typical raw bar fare. We use rare & exotic products prepared and presented in inventive ways. Things like top quality caviar, crab, shrimp, salmon, scallops, lobster and more in fun, creative, colorful, delicious and healthy ways.

• An EXPERIMENT IN MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS. A healthy, delicious, colorful meal, that is safer, healthier and SMARTER than “Seafood”.

• AN INCREDIBLE COLLECTION OF MEZCAL, TEQUILA & JAPANESE WHISKY. Perhaps the finest in Charleston.

• A SALON / COMMUNITY TABLE / BAR / CHEF’S TABLE where all guests sit together at one large U shaped bar. It creates a salon like atmosphere where interesting and interested foodies, gourmands and epicureans share with and learn from one another. In fact, we consider it to be a “Salon de Marine Cuisine” In fact, we are presenting a Salon in the oldest, truest sense of the term: SALON ON WIKIPEDIA

• AN EXPERIENCE, where whole, live, raw and bioavailable dishes are served, explained, enjoyed and discussed.

• AN ESCAPE! The food, music, decor, lighting and service are all, purposely, “unfamiliar”, safe, comfortable and interesting.

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LOCATION

HOME LTLE FISH VS RAW LAB POLICIES RESERVE MENU LOCATION ATMOSPHERE TEAM CSF MISSION

LOCATION

99 South Market Street, Charleston, SC 29401

ATMOSPHERE

HOME LTLE FISH VS RAW LAB POLICIES RESERVE MENU LOCATION ATMOSPHERE TEAM CSF MISSION

LTLE FISH IS LOCATED IN THE SAME SPACE AS RAW LAB AND OPERATES THERE ON TUES & WED FROM 5pm - 9pm

HOME LTLE FISH VS RAW LAB POLICIES RESERVE MENU LOCATION ATMOSPHERE TEAM CSF MISSION

HOME LTLE FISH VS RAW LAB POLICIES RESERVE MENU LOCATION ATMOSPHERE TEAM CSF MISSION

BOOK THE ROOM PRIVATELY

This can be done two ways: Book all 12 seats for $150 x 12 + tax & tip or Book the Room for 14 and we’ll add 2 extra seats. Price per person will depend on the menu agreed upon. Call with inquiries.

LOCATION

99 South Market Street, Charleston, SC 29401

TEAM

HOURS - Tues & Wed 5 - 9pm

LOCATION - 99 S. Market Street @ Raw Lab @ Port of Call

PHONE - 843 580 7729

CONTACT US

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LTLE FISH TEAM

• KEVIN JOSEPH: Owner & Founder. Kevin created LTLE FISH as a means to activate the RAW LAB space on off nights and as a means to develop new talent. LTLE FISH will also allow for guests to enjoy RAW LAB’s most loved dishes, but to do so in whatever time frame they like. Finally, LTLE FISH will offer the broadest & Deepest collection of Tinned Fish & Conservas in Charleston, if not the United States.

• SANDY OCHOA: Chef Sandy join the team to bring LTLE FISH back after its initial 12 week run in the summer of 2024. She’s had some great experience with vegan and vegetarian cuisine in HI as well as having had a focus on Zero Waste practices, which we love.

• SIMON ADAMS: Chef de Cuisine. Simon has been working with Empire Oyster since he moved to SC to attend College of Charleston. He worked as a prep chef for RAW LAB and still works as a shucker at Empire Oyster @ Holy City Brewing. He’s studying Hotel & Restaurant Management & Business Administration at CofC.

• ZEB DAVIS: Chef’s Assistant. Zeb is also a CofC student, studying Finance & Accounting. He was also Leon’s Oyster & Fried Chicken’s Employee of the Year in 2023.

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HOME LTLE FISH VS RAW LAB POLICIES RESERVE MENU LOCATION ATMOSPHERE TEAM CSF MISSION

LTLE FISH IS NOT…

• JUST AN OYSTER BAR…its a RAW BAR, re-imagined. Here we have removed the Raw Bar from the Seafood Restaurant (the only model that’s really ever existed) and eliminated the seafood restaurant so we could focus on ways to #RaiseTheRawBar. We serve hot and cold dishes, lobster, shrimp, crab, oysters, caviar and salmon (mostly). Ceviche. Crudo. Salads. Soups/Bisques…etc.

• A “SUSHI” EXPERIENCE. Repeat: THIS IS NOT A SUSHI Experience.

• AN ENTIRELY RAW MENU…we serve a meal what is made up of raw, cured, pickled, fermented and cooked dishes. Some are served cold, others at room temp, warm or even hot. Some things are cooked but served chilled. Its NOT JUST an oyster bar. It is an experience with a host of species and products of the ultra-premium quality level.

• AN OMAKASE STYLE OF SERVICE Like RAW LAB. It is, however, delivered in the same room as RAW LAB is, but on Tues & Wed nights.

• A “RESTAURANT”. It is a next-generation raw bar. We have removed the raw bar from the restaurant in our model. And we turned it into a meal. We also improved it in every possible way. So now, instead of going to seafood restaurants that ALSO have a raw bar, and do an OK job with it, you can go to the best RAW BAR in the world.

• A TRADITIONAL RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE…raw bar or oyster bar. There is no waiter, bartender server. The chef assumes all these roles as The Host and guides the group through the experience.

• SUPER FANCY OR FORMAL Though it is an elegant room and service, casual dress if fine. DRESS CODE: Be Yourself!

• CHEAP. It IS a great value, however. Ultra-premium product of any kind is pricey, period. Rare and exotic Conservas can be EXTREMELY expensive, but, they’re fun to explore. Order as per you budget and come and go as you wish. It is worth is as we add value in so many ways.

• A GOOD IDEA FOR THOSE WITH SEAFOOD OR SHELLFISH ALLERGIES. Duh.

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BOOK THE ROOM PRIVATELY

This can be done two ways: Book all 12 seats for $$150 x 12 + tax & tip or Book the Room for 14 and we’ll add 2 extra seats. Price per person will depend on the menu agreed upon. Call with inquiries.

LOCATION

99 South Market Street, Charleston, SC 29401

POLICIES

2024 POLICIES, PRICES & GUIDELINES

WE HAVE A UNIQUE BUSINESS MODEL THAT REQUIRES RATHER A-TYPICAL POLICIES. HOPEFULLY THEY’LL MAKE SENSE. PLEASE READ & SHARE WITH YOUR GROUP.

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BOOKING SEATS

SMALL GROUPS (4 or less)

MAKE RESERVATIONS HERE ON RESY

LARGE GROUPS (5 or more)

Large Groups are defined as groups of 5 or more. NOTE: Large groups are NOT CONFIRMED by RESY!

EMAIL US HERE TO LOOK AT DATES & SET SOMETHING UP

LATE CANCEL & NO SHOW POLICIES

UPDATE AS OF MAY 2024: If you have to cancel late, DONT PANIC! Cancel on RESY to open the seats and, likely, they’ll fill.

LATE-CANCELLATION: Defined as cancellations within 9 days of reservation. Yes, NINE FULL DAYS! Sounds outrageous! We know. It is, for a restaurant. Keep in mind, however, WE ARE NOT A RESTAURANT. More on that below.

LATE CANCELLATION FEE: Up to $50 per seat (but that is only IF, IF, IF we CANNOT fill the seats). Please see options below for how we can work together to fill seats that were cancelled late. And other options to avoid any charges. There are many.

ABANDONED SEAT / NO SHOW FEE: $50 per seat, absolutely no exceptions! Cancellations of seats on the day of a reservation is considered a no-show. If you don’t show up, we don’t have time to fill your seats and the same is true if you cancel on the day of your reservation.

WHY WE MUST HAVE THESE POLICIES IN PLACE

We are to dining out what flying private is to flying on a standard airline. Please do not misread that as some kind of a proclamation of superiority to other dining experiences. Our model is built around our space which informes our offering. We are just a different product, service and experience (and business model) which costs more and for some is, from time to time, a great way to spend an evening.

LTLE FISH seats only 24 people, 3-4 times a week. That’s only about 100 seats a week. We are a semi-private dining experience for only 12 people at a time, 3-4 days a week. This business model does not allow us to sustain ourselves with walk-ups and the business model cannot survive if it tolerates even a low percentage of empty seats (for any reason). If that does not make sense, nothing we can say in support of it will make any difference. So, if this is something you cannot agree with, understand and accept, we respectfully request that you do not make a reservation. We do hope that at some time in the future our policies CAN work for you, however. Some world-class experiences charge in advance. We do not.

For the purposes of being clear, thorough and transparent the detailed reasons for this policy will be laid out and explained below.

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HOW TO AVOID LATE CANCEL FEELS

We aim to NEVER charge late-cancel fees and we’ve only done it a few times in nearly years of operations. Many consumers have misunderstood our policies such that the perception is that we ALWAYS charge for late-cancellations. That is NOT the case. Others have misrepresented our policies or our discussions on the subject.

So, here are the facts, stated as plainly as possible. Our goal is to have 10 -12 people in the room for each service. This is where LTLE FISH is most fun and fulfilling for all. A late-cancel is any cancellation within 5 days of the reservation. A cancel “day of” is the same as a no-show and subject to full cancel / no show fees of $50 per seat, unless the seats fill though the notify list on RESY. Or, we may have people waiting off-line for seats. But we may not have time to help you much on days when we have service. Anyway, with 5 days advance notice we have a good chance to fill your seats and therefore, not charge anything for those abandoned seats.

When we can, we also help in a lot of ways. More on that below. Its very, very rare that we can’t / don’t have a solution that absolves people from getting charged full price for all of the seats they had to abandon. Like, one in 200 reservations. As we aim to attract more customers from out of town (visitors to CHS) we know they’ll book more last minute. We’re getting there. As we become even more effective with this, we will relax our late-cancel time frame down to 24 hours. Anyway, for now, we are doing our best. Here’s some advise on how to navigate a late-cancel:

WHAT YOU CAN DO….

1. FIRST, as soon as you know you cant make it or your group has shrunk from 4 to 2, cancel the unwanted seats RESY to open up those seats for others to take. If they’re not open, they can’t be filled.

2. THEN, call us and speak with us. Understand our model and why we must have our policies. Calling and yelling at us will not help. In the booking and confirmation process there are 10-13 prompts to read and understand the late-cancel and no-show policy. If those cannot be understood and accepted as a potential outcome for a late-cancel or a no-show, please do not make a reservation.

3. Transfer your seats to friend, clients or family. Happens all the time.

4. Sell the seats to whomever you like. Maybe at a discount. Perhaps at a premium. Both have been done.

5. Re-book it for a later date. This will be set in stone, however and cannot be re-booked. Commonly done now that this is a new policy.

6. Post the open seats to your social media to offer them to whomever may be interested.

7. Post a positive review about us on Google speaking to how we did / tried to help.

BOTTOM LINE: Be cool about it and make an effort to work with us and all is groovy. Calling to yell and scream will get you charged and then banned from RAW LAB forever. We are NOT getting rich from this business, we are making a living and attempting to hone the business model for CHS and beyond. We are not trying to charge for empty seats and making massive efforts to help you to NOT be charged.

WHAT WE DO / ARE DOING TO NEVER HAVE TO CHARGE LATE-CANCEL FEELS (OR EVEN DISCUSS IT).

1. Allow people to re-book for a date within the next 30 days with no charge. This new reservation is set in stone, however. If the new reservation is not honored, there will be some kind of a charge. It may not be $50 per seat, however.

2. Email / Text our network of High-End Hotel Concierges in Charleston who have guests looking for last minute reservations. We do this once weekly on Tues or Wed.

3. Post to our social media when we have open seats. We generally do this more than once weekly.

4. Ping our Notify List. We have people looking for seats on RESY. We let them know some have opened up. We do this daily via the RESY app.

5. Our marketing is now geared towards visitors to CHS who need a last minute reservation. Working hard on this with time, energy and money.

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EXPLAINING OUR POLICIES

We only seat 12 people at a time (up to 24 guests per day), 3 times a week. That’s roughly a week in revenue. We have to fill those seats to maintain operations, period. So, we have a-typical cancellation and large group reservation policies. They can be hard to swallow. We understand that. If they dont work for you, that is fine. Just please understand that these policies are in place as a means by which we can stay in business.

1. Our LATE CANCELLATION window is 5 days. Seats generally DO NOT get filled within 5 days because this very high ticket item is something most people plan on many weeks or months out. There are very few people booking seats at LTLE FISH last minute. Sometimes they do, however. Usually these are visitors who find open seats last minute on RESY. So, we need what seems like an outrageously long window for a late-cancellation policy. This would be outrageous if we were had a standard restaurant business model where people could / would walk up and ask for a table. WE DO NOT HAVE THAT MODEL. We go to great lengths (every possible tool there is with RESY and our web site) to inform guests of this policy but we are not obligate to fill your abandoned seats. Having polled our guests on the subject, the consensus is that it is understandable, clear, transparent and reasonable given our unique business model.

2. Large groups are defined as 5 or more guests and must pre-pay to confirm the reservation. We cannot have 5, 7 or 9 people no-show or cancel 1 or 2 weeks out. We would charge the card on file (you cannot make a reservation without a card on file with RESY) and they would likely contest or dispute those charges (if the card on file goes through). Our business model cannot be exposed to this kind of risk so, we have this policy in place. Call to give a credit card to our Chef/Owner and he will run the card to secure your reservation.

3. This is SEMI-PRIVATE dining. We do not and cannot take walk ups. Therefore, we cannot fill you abandoned seats day of.

4. We do not welcome anyone under 21 for a host of reasons, first among them is the legal drinking age. Also, this is a room for adults who want to behave like adults (and sometimes like children) and we want to maintain that vibe because we love it.

5. Tipping in many elite fine-dining restaurants is included at 20% these days. We do not do that. We take a hybrid approach. We have a 20% minimum tipping policy. Guests are given the opportunity to tip whatever they like but if it is below 20% we will round it up to 20%. We do this because we price this experience well below what it is worth and we count on the gratuities to make the business model work. Guests generally tip between 20 and 30%.

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GUIDELINES

best practices for all of our guests to get the most out of the experience.

PLEASE DO NOT DRINK BEFORE LTLE FISH.

PLEASE! And most certainly, DO NOT ARRIVE INTOXICATED. We reserve the right to deny anyone a seat AND charge you full price for abandoning it in the 11th hour. This is important to us, the other guests and you! Though EXTREMELY RARE, when guests come drunk or too high to function it infringes on EVERYONE ELSE’S good time. We have a very low tolerance for this and it is our duty to look after ALL GUESTS such that they all get the most out of the experience.

DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF BEFORE LTLE FISH

Eat as you normally would throughout the day.

FOOD SUBSTITUTIONS

Generally NOT possible due to space and time constraints but we can try to accommodate.

SEAFOOD ALLERGIES

Those with allergies to shellfish should NOT dine at LTLE FISH This is a fin fish, crustacean & shellfish driven menu.

INTROVERTS BEWARE

Guests SHARE the room, attention for the Chef and engage with other guests.

WINES ARE MOSTLY WHITE, ROSE & ORANGE

A red usually accompanies the final course (Dolce). Reds (and all other wines) are available a la carte.

BE PRESENT & ENGAGED WITH THE CHEF AND WITH OTHERS IN THE ROOM

Our model and style sometimes requires us to ask you to do things other fine-dining options do not. Guest participation is important at times.

BE PREPARED TO PARTICIPATE

You may be asked to grab a plate from the chef, for example. This is NOT the standard fine-dining service style. Please be willing to roll with that.

COME WILLING TO BE TAKEN OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

You will be encouraged to do things at RAW LAB that you’ve not been asked to do elsewhere. You can pass if you like, however.

CERTAIN FINE-DINING SERVICE ELEMENTS ARE NOT POSSIBLE IN THIS MODEL

Do not expect Le Bernardin or Per Se service style. We love a beautiful “white linen” kind of service, but this is more casual than that.

EXPECT DISCOVERY & FUN

We say The Delta between eating and fine dining is fun and discovery. LTLE FISH is jam packed with both. Its more FUN dining than FINE dining, really but the menu is driven by ultra-premium quality, freshness, local sourcing (where possible) and a culinary ethic that is fun and engaging to explore: Marine Cuisine & DelicaSEAS means to use products that are that the highest order of quality, safe, healthy, sustainable & responsible. We believe this to be “SMART SEAFOOD”. As part of this, we stay in a lane where all dishes are served “Whole, Live, Raw and/or Bio-available”. We feed your microbiome this way as we feed your eyes with colorful presentations.

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GOLDEN RULES

RESPECT OTHERS

Some people came to ask 100 questions and learn all about MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS such that it might inform their ordering in other fine-dining establishments or how they buy seafood for consumption at home. Give them the space to do so. DO NOT HOG THE OXYGEN IN THE ROOM or all of the chefs attention. Please SHARE IT!

BE ENGAGED. BE PRESENT

If you’d like to stare at social media or respond to work emails while dining, please dine elsewhere.

YOU SNOOZE YOU LOSE

PART ONE: Anyone who dozes off in their seat during the service will be asked to step outside for some fresh air and the show will go on. If they can return and engage without dozing off again, they are welcome to stay, of course. If they cannot, they will be excluded from the remainder of the service. If this means a check must be presented and paid, so be it. We are NEVER going to allow ANYONE to doze off or sleep in RAW LAB, for any reason. Its a TOTAL BUZZ KILL for everyone else.

PART TWO: If you go to the bathroom or go to take a call and you miss the explanation of a dish, well, you missed it. Due to time constraints the chef cannot explain every element of every dish more than once or twice.

NO FLASH PHOTOS OR VIDEOS

Light is perfectly balanced for modern smart phone photo and video. It ruins other peoples photos and videos. By design, the lighting is PERFECT for photos and videos, we promise.

CELL PHONE USAGE

No cell phone calls may be made or taken during service. Guests must step outside to make or take calls. And please do not be on your phone more than 10% of the time. We request that all phone be put on “silent” at all times.

USE IT OR LOSE IT

If something is passed to you (as some things are) use it, or pass it on.

LISTEN TWICE AS MUCH AS YOU SPEAK

You’ll learn more and enjoy it all more. God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for this very reason. You have the chef in your lap for 4 hours. There is a lot you can learn.

HOME LTLE FISH VS RAW LAB POLICIES RESERVE MENU LOCATION ATMOSPHERE TEAM CSF MISSION

MENU

HOME LTLE FISH VS RAW LAB POLICIES RESERVE MENU LOCATION ATMOSPHERE TEAM CSF MISSION

TINNED FISH / CONSERVAS

From $10 - $50 each, depending on the product.

Artisan Crackers & Pickled Veg $15

OYSTERS

Offered with 6 treatments, topping or dressings. $4 each

Cold Smoke Treatment for 6 or 12 for $10 / $15

Fresh Grated Japanese Wasabi $4 each / minimum 3

CAVIAR BUMPS

IDAHO SPRINGS CAVIAR - $180 / 60g / 2 oz

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EXTRAORDINARY AMERICAN PRODUCT WE FEATURE EXCLUSIVELY: www.empireoyster.com/caviartrip

TARVIN’S SHRIMP CEVICHE

Tarvin’s Shrimp cured in Lime juice with red, green and gold peppers, jalapeno, red onion, pink peppercorns, sweet corn & sea beans. Topped with Cilantro & Asin Tabouk Sea Salt. Side of Prawn Crackers. $25

SOUP DU JOUR

Chef Sandy’s Finest $MKT

MAINE LOBSTER CAESAR

1/2 Maine Lobster Tail & 1 Claw with romaine wedge, classic Caesar dressing, lemon & Parmesan Regiano. $25

UNAGI IN A BLANKET

American Unagi with basil & leek wrapped in Prosciutto and topped with balsamic glaze, micro greens & cracked green peppercorns. $16

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EXTRAORDINARY AMERICAN PRODUCT WE FEATURE EXCLUSIVELY: www.americanunagi.com

SEA SCALLOP CRUDO

Fresh / Dry Massachusetts Sea Scallops served raw in a shallow pool of orange & lemon juice, soy sauce, aged sherry vinegar, avocado oil with grated ginger root, fresno pepper, mint and topped with a red Hawaiian clay salt & diced chives $28

60 SOUTH SALMON UMAMI BOMBS

Thinly sliced salmon soaked in beat juice topped with Fresh Furikake (Sesame Seeds & Sea Beans), basil & black tobiko. Served with Lemon infused avocado oil & a shitake soy reduction. $19

60 SOUTH SALMON POKE TOWER

Cubed Salmon Belly served over black rice with Black & White Sesame Seeds, Sliced Avocado, Pickled Jalepeno & Shiso Fumi Furikake with $29

HOME LTLE FISH VS RAW LAB POLICIES RESERVE MENU LOCATION ATMOSPHERE TEAM CSF MISSION

DRINK

DOMAINE ST PIERRE CREMANT DU ALSACE (France) $15 / $54

2022 CARBONISTE - ALBARINO (California) $15 / $45

2023 SOUTHERN WRIGHT SAUVIGNON BLANC (South Africa) $11/ $42

RAW BAR VINHO VERDE (Portugal) $10 / $27

2022 OYSTERMAN MUSCADET (France) $11 / $33

2022 ALICE VERDECA (Italy) $11 /$42

2022 SEA SALT ROSE (New Zealand) $11 / $33

2021 TARPON CELLARS ORANGE (California) $19 / $60

PERFECT SHOW EXTRA UNFILTERED SAKE (Japan) $27

DRUNKEN WHALE FILTERED SAKE (Japan) $27

HOME LTLE FISH VS RAW LAB POLICIES RESERVE MENU LOCATION ATMOSPHERE TEAM CSF MISSION

LOCATION

99 South Market Street, Charleston, SC 29401