Woodberry Kitchen knocked Charleston off its "Most Popular" perch in the Zagat guide released Wednesday.
But did Woodberry really pull off that coup in the past year, as one would surmise from comparing the 2009 and 2010 guides?
Or in the past two?
There's no telling, I learned from talking with Tim Zagat.
The publisher and founder of the dining guide explained that every edition of the guide does not represent a completely new survey of an area's restaurant scene.
That's done about every other year. In the off years, the guide is merely "updated," with a staff of editors checking to see if restaurants listed the year before are still open, have the same address, phone number, that sort of thing.
The rankings don't get rejiggered much, if at all, in the off years.
"In the in-between years, there will be a lot that looks the same," Zagat said. "This year is a completely new year."
The Cider-Brined Pork Chop at Woodberry Kitchen. Sun photo by Kenneth K. Lam