A First Look at Cane Pazzo | Listen

In the up-and-coming neighborhood of Hanahan, South Carolina, around 15 to 30 minutes north of downtown Charleston, Cane Pazzo is setting the table for Lowcountry-inspired Italian eats. Chef and owner Mark Bolchoz has a rooted history in the Lowcountry, cutting his teeth in Charleston namesakes like Peninsula Grill, The Grocery, Indaco Charleston, and, most recently, acting as culinary director for the Indigo Road Hospitality Group. With the launch of Cane Pazzo, Bolchoz not only reconvenes with his Charlestonian past, but honors his grandfather, a fellow entrepreneur in Hanahan and the inspiration behind the restaurant. Cane Pazzo translates to “mad dog,” a fond nickname given to Bolchoz by his grandfather that represents their shared service in the Marine Corps and their determined, resolute natures. Bolchoz recalls breezy Charleston summers out shrimping and fishing by the water, then gathering with his tight-knit family for a bait-shrimp cookout. This laidback, simplistic way of leaning into the land’s resources and using them as a basis for gathering folks together kindled the ethos behind Cane Pazzo: a community-driven osteria with an intimate reliance on Lowcountry lands. 

For Bolchoz, sustainability isn’t a mere feature of his restaurant, but a pillar. “Our biggest guiding principle is no imports. Mount Pleasant was built on the backs of shrimpers and our harbor is full of flounder, why then would I put something like dover sole on my menu?” says Bolchoz. Cane Pazzo will fuel its hyper-local menu by partnering with farmers, fisheries, and purveyors from surrounding areas like Storey Farms, Keegan-Filion Farms, Crosby’s Seafood, Lowland Farms, Marsh Hen Mill, Kindlewood Farms, and Brandon’s Bread, to name a few. While many restaurants boast local influence but only purchase a few pounds of produce to feature in a single dish, for Cane Pazzo, it’s a dependency, not a gesture. “A fun litmus test for a legitimate seasonal menu: check when they start featuring butternut squash. While butternut squash is typically featured across raviolis and risottos in the winter, its peak season begins in July. You find a restaurant featuring butternut squash in the summer, they’re a real one,” says Bolchoz. 

Cane Pazzo will harness the energy of an old school osteria, transforming Lowcountry ingredients by way of Italian techniques, but still keeping a little bit of that red sauce joint nostalgia for the sake of familiarity. Bolchoz first visited Italy in 2014 with the Culinary Institute of America and participated in an immersive program in food, wine, and agriculture. From pasta makers to olive oil presses, he spent three weeks in the southern parts of Italy. He returned in 2023 with his wife to explore the north and gather inspiration from menus, practices, and partnerships. Similar to Charleston, Italy harbors both coastal regions and mountainous ranges that dictate the types of produce and farming that flourish in the region. Influenced by the cultures in Rome, Florence, Bologna, and others, Cane Pazzo will not align fully with one particular style of Italian cuisine, but instead seeks to adopt the Italian mentality of full reliance on seasonality and sustainable partnerships.

Patrons can expect fresh-made pastas with heirloom grains, a bread service of thin focaccia, and a lot of seasonal takes on seafood and produce. One dish that traveled back from Rome is a braised fennel Italian sausage in tomato sauce, a simplistic dish that totally blew away both Bolchoz and his chef de cuisine when they tried it. Another standout is the she crab raviolo, a nod to Charleston’s beloved she crab soup featuring a fluffy raviolo drenched in a sherry cream sauce and topped with crab roe, tarragon, and chive. Patron favorites from Cane Pazzo pop-ups will also make appearances on the menu like grilled oysters, head-on shrimp, and arrosticini. Small, shareable plates will be a good approach whether you’re stopping by for aperitivo hour or enjoying a late evening meal. The crispy mozzarella will bring stringy, crunchy nostalgia, and will always be a source of amusement for Bolchoz. “Throughout my professional culinary career, whenever my mom visited my workplace, she would ask for mozzarella sticks, a childhood favorite of mine. This time, they’ll actually be on the menu,” says Bolchoz. While the menu will be decidedly seasonal, Bolchoz plans to keep a few baseline favorites that newcomers can anticipate. This said, regulars will know to check the ever-changing chalkboard for hyper-seasonal features like local duck or fresh stone crab claws.

On the precipice of launching his first solo restaurant endeavor, Bolchoz continues to prioritize his own growing family: a wife, two kids, a recently-adopted Anatolian Shepherd, and another baby on the way. With family at the heart of Cane Pazzo, Bolchoz maintains a mindset of commitment: to his family, his community, his purveyors, and to the cuisine that ties it all together.

Cane Pazzo opens Saturday, June 14. Starting hours will be Tuesday to Thursday from 5-9pm and Fridays & Saturdays from 5-10pm.

Reservations available via Resy.

The Opening Menu at Cane Pazzo

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