Image by Trident TechImage by 20090209-palmer.jpg

If you hadn't heard, the Culinary Institute of Charleston is great place to snag a gourmet multi-course meal on the super cheap.

And, I mean cheap: It's $15 for a three-course meal including beverage.

The downtown dining room just opened back up for the spring semester (the North Charleston dining room opened last Monday). The Mikasa Dining Room in North Charleston is buffet service and $3 cheaper.

And, while the downtown dining room has one menu for the semester, the North Charleston one changes.

But, you don't have to take my word on it being a great deal-- Charleston Currents has given them a stellar (and thorough) review. Here's an excerpt:
A recent day's menu included the pot stickers as an appetizer, with the other choices being grilled wild American shrimp with cauliflower puree and caper-currant brown butter, or duck confit with brioche French toast, Camembert and poached quince. On the entrée menu along with the sliders were braised beef short ribs with a Yukon gold potato puree, roasted baby carrots and a red wine reduction; grilled mahi-mahi with Anson Mills farro (that's an heirloom grain), sautéed Swiss chard and a smoked paprika-orange butter; and lemon-thyme roasted chicken breast with Anson Mills grits, caramelized fennel and a wild mushroom broth.

The downtown dining room is in Trident Tech's Palmer Campus at 66 Columbus Street in downtown Charleston, the Mikasa Dining Room is at the North Charleston campus.

You'll need to make reservations by calling. For downtown dial (843) 820-5087, extension 2, for North Charleston dial (843) 820-5087, extension 1.

Thanks to The Charleston City Paper for reminding us.