By André Baskin
Laury’s Restaurant was opened in 1979 by Otis Laury and purchased by the Mirzahkani brothers in 1993, who then moved the restaurant in 1995 to its current location in the C&O Railroad Depot on MacCorkle Avenue in Charleston.
Chef Ramin Mirzahkani, who has been in charge of daily kitchen operations and menu creation for the last 10 years, got his start working as a server at Berry Hill County Club, followed by a stint at Tri-State Racetrack & Gaming Center. Inspired by the joy that good food brings to those who eat it, Ramin decided to go in a different direction and began taking part in the food preparation. It was during this time that the brothers—Ramin, Sadegh and Fazi—bought Laury’s and Ramin began helping with salads and appetizers. From there, he started working under the head chef, Ratsmay Thongdara. With Thongdara’s guidance and his new carefully crafted culinary skills, Ramin took over the reins as head chef 10 years ago.
Sadegh is a self-taught Sous Chef who works along side his brothers at Laury’s. He, along with his brother Fazi, also handles the day-to-day operations of the restaurant. Fazi began working at Laury’s in 1988 as a busboy and worked his way up to managing the dining room. Fazi enjoys being involved with the restaurant, which has been a great addition to the Charleston area for 15 years.
The cuisine at Laury’s is contemporary American cuisine with French infusion. The wine list is an extensive collection that represents many regions of the world. The hours of operation are Monday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Laury’s may be contacted at (304) 343-0055.
