Then: We say soul food. You picture Styrofoam boxes and fried chicken.

Now: We say coastal soul food. You picture Asante, a bi-level restaurant that smells like the Low Country, tastes like better fried chicken and looks like your new power-lunching stomping grounds, now taking reservations for next Monday’s opening Downtown.

Lot going on in here. Focal points everywhere. Take, for example...

The 10-seat bar.
It’s on the first floor. You’ll recognize it by being made of bubinga wood from Cameroon. And by your Downtown Sour with rye, amaro and a merlot drizzle sitting on top of it.

The transparent wine room.
It’s just to the right there. Look inside the glass. Consider the ’96 Barolo from Piedmont if it’s that kind of day. Then take a step back and look directly above it at...

The entrance-making stairway.
That leads to white brick columns, white tablecloths and blown-glass light fixtures casting shadows everywhere. (Experience the slideshow here.)

Your plate.
More specifically, whatever coastal soul food goodness is on it. Bahamian conch fritters. Gulf Coast shrimp and grits. Chicken-sausage-stuffed wild boar.

The turducken might have to work a bit harder this year.