Senior Medicare Advantage plan insurance in Charleston, SC

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Helping Seniors Make Better-Informed Medicare Decisions

Trying to pick a health insurance plan can be a chore for anyone. For many people, just mentioning the word "open enrollment" sends shivers down the spine. It seems like there's always a nagging feeling that you're wasting money, choosing a plan with poor in-network care, or both. One would think that health insurance gets easier as you approach retirement age, but the truth is that picking an initial Medicare coverage plan can be daunting.

Unfortunately, the confusing process of signing up for Medicare causes many seniors to forego healthcare coverage altogether. After all, Medicare enrollment can involve several federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration (or SSA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (or CMS).

At Senior Medicare Insurance Services, our passion is guiding seniors through the confusion of Medicare. That way, they can enjoy retirement with peace of mind knowing they are protected and ready for life after 65. We work with dozens of insurance companies, giving our clients the chance to choose a plan that best fits their lifestyle.

We choose to design our senior insurance plans with a focus on optimal benefits structure, lower costs, and personalized service. Some independent insurance agencies see their aging customers as nothing more than a financial transaction waiting to happen. In contrast, we treat each of our clients with respect and dignity as we help them navigate the confusing waters of Medicare. Combined with individualized service, we help older Americans make well-informed decisions about insurance. Whether you're in need of senior Medicare Supplement Plan insurance in Charleston or simply have questions about signing up for Medicare, our team is here to help.

Helping Seniors Make Better-Informed Medicare Decisions
What is Medicare?
The amount of money you pay for your health care depends on several factors, including
Senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Charleston
Important Information About Senior Supplement Plan Insurance
Senior Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance in Charleston, SC
How Medicare Advantage Plans Work
Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance Rules
Paying for Your Senior Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance
The Senior Medicare Insurance Services Commitment

Senior Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance Charleston, SC

Guiding You Through The Confusion of Medicare!

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What is Medicare?

If you're approaching the golden years of your life, it's important you understand what Medicare is if you don't already.

Medicare is a federal health insurance program reserved for people older than 65 who have worked full-time for at least ten years. The Medicare program is paid for by a combination of worker payroll tax, premiums paid by Medicare enrollees, and the U.S. government.

There are four parts of Medicare:

This type of Medicare is free for most U.S. citizens. Medicare Part A helps older adults pay for care in a nursing facility, hospital visits, and some forms of in-home senior care.

This tier costs around $100 per month. It covers different outpatient services like lab tests, preventative care, doctor's visits, mental health care, clinical trials, and some forms of surgery.

This type of Medicare is most often called Medicare Advantage. This tier of Medicare allows seniors to choose health plans provided by insurance companies like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. Individuals who use Medicare Advantage commonly use Medicare supplement plan insurance to help pay for health care costs that Original Medicare won't cover, like coinsurance, deductibles, and copayments.

Sometimes called "PDPs," these plans add drug coverage to standard Medicare, some Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS), some Medicare Cost Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans (MSA).

The amount of money you pay for your health care depends on several factors, including:

What kind of care you need, and how often it is needed.
The type of Medicare coverage you choose.
Whether there are alternative insurance policies that will help fill gaps in your coverage
Whether a doctor agrees to charge you the same amount that Medicare will cover for a medical service

At Senior Medicare Insurance Services, we offer a number of health insurance solutions for seniors. Two of our most used services include Medicare Advantage plan insurance and Medicare supplement plan insurance.

Senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Charleston

Sometimes called Medigap, the purpose of Medicare Supplement Insurance is to help fill in "gaps" that might not be covered by Original Medicare. You can think of a Medigap policy as a supplement for your Original Medicare benefits.

Private companies like Senior Medicare Insurance Services sell this type of insurance right here in South Carolina. While Original Medicare will pay for much of the cost associated with health care services you need, it may not cover all of your expenses. Generally, Medigap policies do not cover costs stemming from eyeglasses, private-duty nurses, dental care, hearing aids, or long-term care.

Depending on the Medicare Supplement Plan that you choose, it may cover out-of-the-country medical services when you travel abroad. Assuming you have Original Medicare coverage, your policy will cover its share of Medicare-approved health care costs. Once your Original Medicare coverage reaches its limit, your Medigap policy will pay its share of the fees.

Our Medigap policies are drafted to meet your specific needs, and can help cover remaining health care costs such as:

Deductibles

Copayments

Coinsurance

Important Information About Senior Supplement Plan Insurance

To dispel some confusion, you should know that a Medigap policy is not the same as a Medicare Advantage Plan. The latter helps you receive Medicare benefits, while the former supplements the benefits you obtain through your Original Medicare plan. As you begin to explore Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans, keep the following important information in mind:

As you begin to explore Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans, keep the following important information in mind:

To qualify for a Medigap policy, you must first have Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B.
Payments on your Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan will be made to the private insurance company that you choose, like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. These payments are made every month and are paid in addition to the monthly payment you make for Medicare Part B.
If you are the holder of a Medicare Advantage Plan, it is illegal for an insurance company to sell you a senior Medicare Supplement Policy. If you plan on switching back to an Original Medicare plan, you may be able to purchase a Medigap policy.
If you have health problems as you age, your standardized Medigap policy is guaranteed to be renewable. So long as you pay your monthly premium, your insurance provider cannot cancel your policy.

Medigap policies only cover one person. If you have a spouse or family member that would like coverage, they must purchase a separate policy.
You may only buy a Senior Medicare Supplement Plan from an insurance agent that is licensed to sell them in your state. Senior Medicare Insurance Services has been licensed to sell Medigap policies in South Carolina for years. We have helped countless seniors get the Medicare coverage they need and continue to do so to this day.
In the past, Medigap policies were able to cover costs related to prescription drugs. As of January 1st, 2006, prescription drug coverage is not available on Medicare Supplement Plans. The best way to get coverage for your prescription drugs is to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, often called Part D. Contact our office today to learn more about paying premiums on Medigap and Medicare plans.

For many people, the best time to buy senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Charleston is during the 7 months Medigap Open Enrollment Period. This period starts the day you turn 65 years old, so long as you hold Medical Insurance (Medicare Part B). Generally, during the enrollment period, you get more policy choices and better pricing. Once the enrollment period is over, you may not be able to purchase a Medigap policy. Contact Senior Medicare Insurance Services today to determine if you qualify for a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan.

Senior Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance in Charleston, SC

A Medicare Advantage Plan is a kind of Medicare health coverage designed to provide seniors with all their Part A and Part B Medicare benefits. Many Medicare Advantage Plans will often include coverage of the following:

Preferred Provider Organizations
Special Needs Plans
Private Fee-for-Service
Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans
Health Maintenance Organizations

In addition, most Medicare Advantage Plans give seniors coverage for their prescription drug needs. When you enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan through Senior Medicare Insurance Services, your Medicare benefits are covered through your plan and will not be paid for by traditional Medicare.

How Medicare Advantage Plans Work

Sometimes called "MA Plans" or "Part C," Medicare Advantage Plans are considered an "all in one" solution to Original Medicare. Senior Medicare Advantage Plans are only offered by private companies that are approved, like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. Seniors who enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan are still on Medicare. However, these individuals enjoy bundled plans that give seniors the benefits of hospital insurance (Medicare Part A), medical insurance (Medicare Part B), and sometimes drug coverage (Part D).

Medicare Advantage Plans are very popular because they cover all Medicare services and make life a little easier for seniors who have trouble understanding the nuances of Medicare.

When you contact Senior Medicare Insurance Services to choose your Medicare Advantage Plan, ask your agent about Medicare prescription drug coverage. Unless you already have drug coverage (Part D), you should seriously consider Part D coverage to help reduce costs associated with prescription drugs. You may also want to consider a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan to help fill gaps in coverage that Original Medicare will not cover.

Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance Rules

Medicare works by paying a set amount of money to the companies that offer senior Medicare Advantage Plan insurance in Charleston. That money is used to pay for the care services that you need. Because Medicare Advantage Plans are different, you should expect out-of-pocket costs to vary depending on the plan you choose.

Different plans have different rules for how you receive services, such as:

If you must go to facilities, suppliers, or doctors that belong to your Advantage Plan for non-urgent and non-emergency care.
Whether you must get a referral to see a specialized doctor

Companies that offer Medicare Advantage Plans must follow strict rules, which are set by Medicare and can change every year.

Paying for Your Senior Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance

How much you pay for your Medicare Advantage Plan varies and depends on a few different factors. In most cases, if you need a kind of medical service, you will need to rely on the doctors and providers in your plan's service area and network to pay the lowest amounts. In some cases, if you choose to use a service outside of your plan's network of coverage, you may have to pay out-of-pocket.

We encourage you to contact our office today to learn more about Medicare Advantage Plans, how they work, what your options are, and how often you will have to pay out-of-pocket, if at all.

The Senior Medicare Insurance Services Commitment

Since our company was founded, we have led the insurance industry by providing our clients with the most valuable, helpful insurance solutions available. We are fully committed to our current and prospective clients by:

Choosing to focus on personalized, one-on-one service. When you work with our team, know that we will always design your health insurance plan with your best interests in mind.
Listening to your specific needs.
Responding to all inquiries and questions promptly and with a friendly attitude.
Providing you with the best customer service in the senior health insurance industry, whether you have questions or are ready to move forward with a Medicare plan.

Our mission is to help give seniors the best Medicare assistance available so that they may understand the Medicare process and make an informed health coverage decision. We have the knowledge, skills, and experience to assist anyone interested in Medicare. Our personal goal is to become a lifetime resource for our clients and give them greater confidence in choosing their insurance plans.

We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 8 organizations which offer 82 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

South Carolina Stingrays Partner with Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston to Launch "Sprinting Forward, Winning for Stem" Initiative

November 7, 2024 - ECHL (ECHL)NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - The South Carolina Stingrays are proud to announce a new partnership with Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston for the 2024-25 hockey season. Together, they are launching the "Sprinting Forward, Winning for STEM" initiative to support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in the Lowcountry.For every Stingrays victory this season, Mercedes-Benz Vans...

November 7, 2024 - ECHL (ECHL)

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - The South Carolina Stingrays are proud to announce a new partnership with Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston for the 2024-25 hockey season. Together, they are launching the "Sprinting Forward, Winning for STEM" initiative to support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in the Lowcountry.

For every Stingrays victory this season, Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston will pledge $100 towards a scholarship fund that will be awarded to a local teacher or school. This scholarship will help provide essential equipment and materials for STEM education in the classroom, furthering the community's commitment to empowering the next generation of innovators.

The initiative will be celebrated as part of the Stingrays' annual STEM Night, which engages students and families in hands-on learning activities. This year's STEM Night will take place on March 21, 2025. By tying each Stingrays win to a positive impact on education, the "Sprinting Forward, Winning for STEM" program will bring added excitement to every game while making a lasting difference in local classrooms.

"The partnership was a natural integration for our STEM Night," said Kerri White, Stingrays Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. "The initiative provides an opportunity to further connect our fans with Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston and showcase their impact in the community."

This partnership aligns with Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston's broader corporate responsibility platform, Sprinting Forward, Giving Back, which focuses on supporting the communities in which they operate.

"At Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston, we are proud to strengthen our commitment to the communities we serve through this exciting partnership with the South Carolina Stingrays. The 'Sprinting Forward, Winning for STEM' initiative is more than just a sponsorship; it's a tangible investment in the future of our children and the industries that will shape tomorrow. By supporting STEM education in the Lowcountry, we are fostering the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders. Together with the Stingrays, we are not only cheering for victories on the ice but also empowering educators and students with the tools they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving world," said Axel Bense, President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Charleston County residents make voices heard on half-cent sales tax vote

Listen to this articleAfter months of ‘Vote Yes’ and ‘Vote No’ throughout Charleston County, residents overwhelmingly voted against passing a third transportation sales tax with about 60% voting no.As the 2004 half-cent sales tax reaches the end of its timeframe,...

Listen to this article

After months of ‘Vote Yes’ and ‘Vote No’ throughout Charleston County, residents overwhelmingly voted against passing a third transportation sales tax with about 60% voting no.

As the 2004 half-cent sales tax reaches the end of its timeframe, this tax was proposed to replace it, leaving people paying no more than they were previously. The sales tax would have generated funds for over a dozen infrastructure projects including the long-debated Interstate 526 extension — deemed a priority by the Charleston County Council and Charleston Mayor William Cogswell.

The extension, also known as the Mark Clark extension, has been in planning for nearly 40 years and was planned to receive the most funding from the tax. Other projects the tax was intended to fund included:

Hesitation for the approval of the sales tax focused primarily on environmental concerns for marine life and various bodies of water, as well as impacts on small businesses along its path. Faith River James, executive director of the Coastal Conservation League, said there are other ways to solve the traffic issues in the area.

“We are so proud of Charleston County voters standing up for the environment in our community,” James said. “One of our opportunities now is to move forward with traffic solutions that will enhance the way of life for folks who are living on Johns and James islands.”

James said that the CCL intends to focus their efforts on more small-scale solutions to better traffic flow as well as safety measures. Additionally, they plan to contribute to completing the 2016 referendum project list such as the Main Road Corridor in Johns Island.

In July, the CCL filed a lawsuit with the Southern Environmental Law Center against the county regarding the language of the options on the ballots about the tax. The lawsuit was dismissed after the election and James said the legal team will look back into it soon.

“It was definitely a team effort, it was a successful grassroots campaign, and I think the people of Charleston spoke very loudly,” James said. “We hope council will hear their concerns and give us an opportunity to come back to the table to work on traffic and safety solutions.”

Charleston County Councilwoman Jenny Honeycutt said that since the tax wasn’t approved, the projects it was intended to fund will not go through at this time. She said Charleston does have a contract with the state to complete the Mark Clark extension so how to do it will be further discussed.

Honeycutt said the state views Charleston as self-sustaining, so it doesn’t typically send as much funding for projects such as these.

“This does not mean that the problems we were trying to solve don’t exist anymore,” Honeycutt said. “We will continue to look for solutions to solving those problems, mainly the impact that rapid growth has had on our region and keeping pace with infrastructure to address those needs.”

This story has been updated.

5 foods we tried at the Coastal Carolina Fair, including Hot Cheetos funnel cake and a pickle sandwich

Some come for the rides. Others, the animals. A few, the sideshows. Almost everyone, the food. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) The ...

Some come for the rides. Others, the animals. A few, the sideshows. Almost everyone, the food.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by The Post and Courier (@postandcourier)

The Coastal Carolina Fair brings hundreds of thousands to Ladson each year for more than a week of fun and thrills. And each year there are new attractions popping up to entice returnees, from this year's daring Fearless Flores Family to the Taylor Swift tribute concert taking over a local stage.

Among new offerings at this year's fair are some bizarre food experiments. That's part of what keeps it fun, right?

"These vendors are professionals," shared Coastal Carolina Fair Director of Public Relations Jay Wallace. "They do this all over the country, and they are always innovating and trying different things. ... The scorpion pizza was a big one years back, but it didn't seem to have the staying power that pickle pizza has. I'm excited to see what happens with some of this year's new foods."

Well, speaking of pickle pizza, pickles are certainly big on the agenda this year. New to the vinegar-soaked world are a gator and fried pickle mac and cheese, sweet-and-spicy cheese puff fried pickles and pickle funnel cake.

I tried two different pickle offerings, however, which you can see among my fair food tour below. Save some room!

Pickle Dr. Pepper

The Dr. Vegetable stand is making veggies cool at the fair by offering them up in fried and other bad-for-you ways. It wouldn't be the fair if not, am I right? This year, they're also offering pickle Dr. Pepper and pickle lemonade, two options that come with a stack of pickles and a little pickle juice in the bottom of a fillable cup. You take that to the soda fountain and add your choice on top. I went with Dr. Pepper, and this pickle lover approved. It's certainly not as refreshing as your typical bubbly soda, so I'd say follow this up with a big old slushie or a soda sans the pickles.

"It's like one of those things you'll try when you're at the fair, but if they made a 12-pack of pickle Dr. Pepper, I mean that would be wild," said Dr. Vegetable stand employee Cyle Hargrove. "The pickle craze is wild."

My Charleston Weekend: Surfing, BBQ and Lowcountry Nosh

Bring out the whole family this weekend for some Lowcountry fun, seasonal activities and music madness.Try out more than a dozen craft meads at the Mead-ival Festival this weekend, and then catch some radical surfing videos and support a good cause at the Carolina Surf Film Fest. Or, if you're hungering for Carolina barbecue, head out to the Holy Smokes BBQ Fest to sample from various Lowcountry pitmasters.Then park your classic car or motorcycle at the Rockabillaque Charleston Festival and marvel at vintage vehicles, enjoy tas...

Bring out the whole family this weekend for some Lowcountry fun, seasonal activities and music madness.

Try out more than a dozen craft meads at the Mead-ival Festival this weekend, and then catch some radical surfing videos and support a good cause at the Carolina Surf Film Fest. Or, if you're hungering for Carolina barbecue, head out to the Holy Smokes BBQ Fest to sample from various Lowcountry pitmasters.

Then park your classic car or motorcycle at the Rockabillaque Charleston Festival and marvel at vintage vehicles, enjoy tasty local foods, browse dozens of artisan vendors and more. Or finish out your weekend by trying some authentic Jewish cuisine and celebrating Jewish heritage at the annual Lowcountry Nosh event.

SATURDAY (NOV. 9)

Mead-ival Festival

This annual mead festival starts at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9 at Deepwater Vineyard, 6775 Bears Bluff Road, Wadmalaw Island and features a full day of "mead-ival" fun with live music throughout the day from Dallas Baker & Friends and bites from local food trucks like Fed Up!, Foxes Fried, Sticky Fingers and A Boy and His Dogs. There will also be a host of local artisan vendors selling unique crafts. Mead tastings will be available every 45 minutes starting at 10 a.m. with various beverages available in the barn including wine, wine slushies and over a dozen draft meads. Challenge your friends to free inflatable jousting and enter a fun costume contest. Tickets are $20 per car in advance and $30 on the day of the festival. You can also purchase your own horn drinking glass for $15 to truly immerse yourself in the experience. For more info on the event, visit tinyurl.com/yyj769rn.

UNTIL SUNDAY (NOV. 8-10)

Rockabillaque Charleston Festival

Rev your engines for the 11th annual Rockabillaque Festival in Park Circle, North Charleston. This free event will start with a kickoff party on Friday, Nov. 8 where attendees can get started on all the fun. The main event is on Saturday, Nov. 9 and will feature one of the largest classic car and vintage bike shows in the whole state as well as pinup, tattoo and beard and moustache contests for all of Charleston's rockabillies to take part in. There will also be live music from national and regional bands across four separate outdoor stages as well as a packed local vendors market to comb through with the family. Then, the festival will finish up on Sunday, Nov. 10, with an atomic splash pool party which will benefit Hurricane Helene relief efforts. For more information on the event, check out tinyurl.com/4axf643c.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY (NOV. 8-9)

Carolina Surf Film Fest

Celebrate the Carolina Surf Film Fest's 10th anniversary at Mex 1 Coastal Cantina, 817 Saint Andrews Blvd., for this two-night event. This small festival will feature an awesome local video lineup highlighting the Carolina Surf brand and talented individuals shredding up waves at Lowcountry beaches. There will also be a slew of Charleston vendors and a special raffle. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the films are scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Tickets for this event are $10 for a single night or $15 for both nights. This event also supports autism awareness and a portion of sales go to the Surfer's Healing Foundation in Charleston and Wrightsville. For more information on the event and to check out what films are scheduled, visit tinyurl.com/4mymbrk3.

SATURDAY (NOV. 9)

Holy Smokes BBQ Fest

Bringing the heat this weekend is the Holy Smokes BBQ Fest at Riverfront Park, 1061 Everglades Ave., North Charleston from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9. Sample from 50 of the Lowcountry's greatest pitmasters and learn about the cultural history and traditions of American grilling. Lighting up the stage will be The Delta Circus and Last Waltz Ensemble to fuel the noise for a memorable weekend. The event is also raising awareness and funds for families affected by brain cancer through donations to Hogs for the Cause as well as the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston. General admission is $95, while the all-inclusive VIP tickets are $250 and provide access to exclusive viewing areas and special tastings. For more information on the event, contact info@holysmokeschs.com or visit tinyurl.com/fefzevjx.

SUNDAY (NOV. 10)

Lowcountry Nosh

Make sure you visit the annual Lowcountry Nosh event to sample authentic Jewish dishes and browse dozens of local artisan vendors. The event will close down a length of Hasell Street in downtown Charleston from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 10. This 10th anniversary event also coincides with the Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim's 275th anniversary, which will make an appearance to promote Jewish heritage and KKBE's history. Along with vendors and special booths, there will be a kids zone for fun activities. The event is free to enter. For more information on the vendors and past celebrations, visit tinyurl.com/bdhw2vby.

New Charleston restaurant hits the bullseye with eclectic style and lots of unexpected flavors

I suspected I was going to like The Archer as soon as I peeked at the beverage menu.There’s at least one unusual element in each of the cocktails (all $14), and often it’s vegetal. There’s roasted bell pepper in the Remember Sarah Marshall, tomato alongside basil and peach in the Talking in Cursive, and charred corn in the See You on the Other Size.If you’re going to put weird stuff like that in cocktails, they had better ...

I suspected I was going to like The Archer as soon as I peeked at the beverage menu.

There’s at least one unusual element in each of the cocktails (all $14), and often it’s vegetal. There’s roasted bell pepper in the Remember Sarah Marshall, tomato alongside basil and peach in the Talking in Cursive, and charred corn in the See You on the Other Size.

If you’re going to put weird stuff like that in cocktails, they had better be really good cocktails. And The Archer’s are.

That charred corn plus a dose of coconut cream give the bourbon-based Other Side a rich, sweet body and a mild chili bite. The Freezer Door Martini finishes with a pleasant slickness thanks to a dose of olive oil, and brown butter has a similar effect in the Accidental Daiquiri, which is made from tequila instead of the usual rum.

Similar bold twists are found on the nine small plates that open the menu. Tender cubes of steak tartare ($17) are pressed into a baseball-sized mound then blanketed with what appears to be Parmesan but proves to be shaved horseradish. Those wispy shreds impart a strong, spicy zip, and the tender beef underneath is enrobed in creamy peppercorn aioli with a bright citrusy finish.

Food

Cocktails and appetizers converge in the G&T salmon crudo ($16). The G is for gin-cured salmon, and the T is for lemon-pepper tonic from local “sodary” Sweatman’s Garden. I suppose the tonic functions as a sort of dressing, but its flavor lurks subtly in the background. Out front is the clean, soft salmon and the crisp bite of cucumber. Both are diced into precise half-inch cubes and blended in roughly equal proportions, creating an orange and green assemblage that’s as lovely in flavor as it is in color.

The Archer is the second restaurant from Marc and Liz Hudacsko, the couple behind Berkeley’s in Wagner Terrace. It opened in August in the ground-floor space in the Meeting Street Lofts building that formerly housed Gale.

The new décor is striking but a little hard to characterize. The front window is adorned with a white and orange art deco logo that seems straight off a pulp novel cover. Red leather-capped barstools and U-shaped counter seats continue the retro Edward Hopper vibe.

The wallpaper above the bar, though, is adorned with frolicking rabbits and squirrels straight from a woodlands fable. Other walls are packed all the way to the high ceiling with framed paintings, posters and clocks — a throwback vibe of a different sort, more to the Victorian era.

Against all that, aggressive hip-hop thumps down from the speakers. The overall effect is a room that’s detached from any specific time and place but has plenty of mood and energy.

It’s also hard to buttonhole a single culinary style for The Archer. There are upscale comfort dishes — a braised short rib ($32), roasted half chicken ($28), a big burger draped in gooey Parmesan cream ($18). They’re balanced by preparations that seem more in the farm-to-table mode, like crisp fried eggplant with whipped buttermilk ($13) and charred cabbage fried schnitzel style ($24).

A big pizza oven is front and center in the kitchen, inherited from the previous tenant, but there’s no pizza on the menu. It’s used instead for roasting fish and charring florets of broccoli and cauliflower. Classic sauces like bearnaise and au poivre are joined by more contemporary finishes, like Thai chili garlic butter on the baked oysters ($20) and red daubs of cumin-laced harissa supporting the lamb and potato croquettes ($5 each.)

Those croquettes, by the way, are a delight. Inside the thick, golden brown crust, creamy mashed potatoes are dotted with bits of savory lamb. Each is topped with a scoop of pickled mustard and bright yellow turmeric-pickled scallions, which are brilliantly bright in flavor, too.

The larger plates aren’t always so consistently brilliant. Beneath a spray of microgreens, a filet of oven-roasted grouper ($32) hits with a big blast of butter and salt. It gets some much needed support, though, from florets of lightly charred cauliflower and a thick, flavorful celery root puree.

There’s nothing really wrong with the roasted half chicken ($28), which is layered over a mound of mashed potatoes and finished with dark brown jus. The white meat of the breast is a touch dry, but the leg has a pleasant dark flavor. The plate just doesn’t soar, and once the palate is primed by the big wows of the small plates, it wants everything to soar.

The seared duck frites ($31) comes to the rescue. It somehow manages to be simple, elegant, comforting and exciting all at the same time. Eight slices of rosy duck breast are fanned out around one side of the plate then smothered in a dark brown sauce. It’s billed as “citrus jus” but seems more a thick, starchy gravy. Either way, it’s perfect against the tender richness of the duck.

There’s nothing particularly special about the long, skinny fries that come alongside — until you start dipping them into the little ramekin of yellow béarnaise sauce, which has a wonderful surge of tarragon and sparkling kiss of acid.

There’s lots more duck to be had on the duck confit salad ($16), and it really shines there, too. The silky shreds are tucked inside a pile of chopped bitter lettuces that are slick with duck fat vinaigrette. Perched on top is a single poached duck egg, which upon slicing sends a gush of yellow yolk that adds even more richness to the bowl. As if that weren’t enough, there are also Hawaiian roll croutons — crisp but still soft in texture, dark and sweet in flavor — and wonderfully tart pickled shallots. It’s a fantastic salad.

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