03/31/2007
Exciting menu
As promised yesterday, I’m going to tell you some of the menu items that will be offered at Chef Bill Austin’s new restaurant, Ocean One, that will open two weeks after Easter at the Litchfield Inn.
Check out these creative appetizers:
All Natural Pulled Berkshire Pork Barbecue Confit on Pineapple Shortcake with Grilled Pineapple Barbecue Sauce.
Lobster Medallions Tempura, Charred Lemon Aioli, Ponzu & Take Out Sticky Rice Salad.
Ahi Tuna Tataki with Jicama Cucumber Slaw, Wasabi Aioli and Devils Teardrops.
Broiled Bluepoint Oysters with Bacon, Blue Crab and Spinach Parmesan Mousseline.
Prosciutto- and Basil-wrapped Jumbo Shrimp with Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Chutney and Balsamic Syrup.
Grilled Thick-sliced Canadian Bacon with Cracked Mustard Sauce, Baby Spinach and Tomato Concasse.
Check back tomorrow, and I’ll tell you about the salads Bill will serve. On Monday you’ll be treated to the entrees!
Greg’s herd
If you haven’t been to Greg Norman’s Australian Grille lately, I noticed some menu items that are new since the last time I visited:
Feta and sun-dried tomato stuffed chicken breast served over tarragon laced mashed purple potatoes with lemon-honey vinaigrette.
Seared ahi tuna with roasted mushrooms, truffle risotto and smoky bourbon bacon glaze.
Beef Osso Buco Milanese garnished with traditional gremolata.
I also see Greg Norman’s is serving kobe beef from their own Australian Signature Wagyu herd.
Greg Norman’s Australian Grille is at the back of Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach, beside the Intracoastal Waterway. The number is 843-361-0000.
Fired up
Next to Greg Norman’s is Fire Island Grille. What an exciting menu they have!
You could start your meal with Hot Shrimp and Crab Parmesan Dip or Mayan Crab Cakes served with Key Lime Remoulade. Salads include Temple Tortilla Salad, Spinach Salad with Hot Mango Bacon Dressing and Asian Shrimp Salad.
There are specialty sandwiches like Fish Tacos, several paninis, the Luau Pork Wrap and a Kyoto Beef Wrap; burgers including the Volcano Burger with mozzarella, horseradish sauce and frizzled onions; and skewers featuring beef, pork, swordfish, shrimp, chicken and vegetables that come with five sauces. The sauces are Panama Ponzu, Caribbean Mango, Cusabi, Sesame Ginger and Fire Island BBQ.
Several seafood entrees sound delicious, from Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi to the Island Seafood Platter with lobster, pecan-crusted salmon, sesame seared tuna and two shrimp skewers.
Meat lovers are not neglected with dishes such as Teriyaki Ribeye, Cuban Mojo Pork Chops and Sassafras Barbecue Ribs.
Maybe you’ll want to visit Fire Island just for the desserts: Key Lime Pie, Lava Cake, Hawaiian White Chocolate Bread Pudding, Crème Brulee and Banana Xango, which is a banana and caramel cheesecake wrapped in pastry dough, deep-fried, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and drizzled with caramel sauce.
The phone number at Fire Island Grille is 843-272-FIRE (3473).
03/30/2007
Cabana style
Executive chef/partner Bill Austin of Austin’s at Pawleys, Austin’s Cabana Café and Beach Bar at the Litchfield Inn and Periwinkles Snack Bar at the Litchfield Inn will soon have another upscale restaurant to his credit: Austin’s Ocean One, which will be upstairs from the more casual Cabana Café. Bill says the estimated time of opening is two weeks after Easter.
While I’ve eaten Bill’s food often, first when Austin’s was in Myrtle Beach and then after he moved to Pawleys Island, I had never dined at the Cabana Café. It’s a roomy and bright space with a purple and blue seaside motif, and there is a great view of the pools on both sides of glass walls and the ocean on the third side. Outdoor oceanfront seating is extremely popular.
Specials the day I went included Vegetable Lasagna, and Fried Flounder with peach slaw and fries. Menu items include Lowcountry Gumbo; Garlicky Open Faced Shrimp Ravioli; Chinese Chicken Salad; Grilled Salmon Spinach Salad; Bronzed Grouper Filet with smoky blue crab and bacon succotash and lemon, caper and dill aioli; Pan-fried Grouper Sandwich; Panko Crusted Popcorn Shrimp; and Flash Fried Oyster Po’ Boy with Cajun Remoulade.
I tried the Spicy Asian-style Wok Shrimp with sesame broccoli, sticky rice and ginger hoisin mango glaze. That was enough to convince me this is no ordinary beachside café! Bill’s training from the Culinary Institute of America and his talent and energy are evident in every dish.
Check back tomorrow, and I’ll let you know some of the items on Bill’s menu for Ocean One. It’s spectacular.
Out of the way
It is worth making the effort to find the new Café Panini in Murrells Inlet. Here are directions:
From U.S. 17 Bypass, turn onto S.C. 707 in Murrells Inlet so you’re pointed toward Socastee. You’ll only go about half a block past the CVS Pharmacy, then you’ll turn right onto Old Kings Highway, which these days is more of a frontage road than a highway. Go a couple blocks and you’ll see Café Panini on your left in a strip mall.
My baker chef friend, Joe Lipari, tells me the owner is Danielle Santopietro, and that she had a very popular restaurant of the same name in Georgetown. Before that she had a restaurant called Café Pranzo in Miami.
Café Panini serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the menu of course features a lot of paninis like Ham, Brie and Sun-dried Tomatoes; Sautéed Spinach, Feta and Grilled Eggplant; Salami, Provolone, Red Roasted Pepper and Olive Tapenade; and Grilled Chicken, Cheddar, Mushrooms and Sun-dried Tomatoes.
Pasta is also a specialty. You can mix and match your pasta shape (angel hair, penne, gnocchi, Farfalle) with your sauce (Mozzarella/eggplant, Four Cheese, Pesto Cream, Bolognese).
There are also salads, antipasti, smoothies, freshly squeezed juices, coffees, chai and teas.
For breakfast choices include Ham and Cheese Panini, Brie and Fruit Platter, French Toast with Banana and Bacon and a custom-made Frittata.
The phone number is 843-357-3080.
New food recall
There has been a nationwide recall of "Cerignola Olives, Nocellara Olives and Castelvetrano Olives from distribution because they have the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that can cause a life-threatening illness or death. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled."
Read the full FDA recall report here: http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/charliebrown03_07.html
03/29/2007
Jazz update
I visited New Orleans Connection, a new Cajun and Creole restaurant in North Myrtle Beach that will feature live jazz music. It’s still going to be at least a couple more weeks before they’re ready to open.
Executive chef Jacque Davis and I got on the subject of bread pudding – Jacque has a pastry business called J.E. Sweets – and she said one of her specialties at New Orleans Connection will be bread puddings.
The restaurant will feature breads from Benjamin’s Bakery, and Jacque says, “When the bread is a day old, I will turn it into sweet or savory bread pudding, like standard chocolate with chocolate Anglaise, banana, classic with raisins and rum sauce, white chocolate. Then I will also make savory ones with fresh herbs.
“I plan to be as creative as God has given me the grace to be. That’s the beauty of this industry. It’s about the end user, not the person doing it, so I plan to satisfy as many palates as I can.
“I’ll probably do some regional stuff, like a peach bread pudding. I think one of the beautiful things about being in an independent restaurant like this is I can use regional stuff. I plan to use whatever’s fresh that day and available. I’ll probably reach out to some of the local farms.”
No word yet
I read that Darden Restaurants, which owns almost 1,400 Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Bahama Breeze, Smokey Bones Barbecue & Grill and Seasons 52 restaurants in North America, is going to convert some Smokey Bones into a new chain called Rocky River Grillhouse.
I sent an inquiry to Darden asking if the Smokey Bones at Coastal Grand Mall will be one of the restaurants slated for a changeover. Joe Chabus, Public Relations Manager for Smokey Bones, sent this e-mail reply:
“We are testing Rocky River Grillhouse restaurants in areas where Smokey Bones underperforms compared to the rest of our company. The only locations we’ve announced are in Cuyohoga Falls, Ohio (outside Akron, opened on November 13); Indianapolis, In. (opened March 19); and Fenton, Mo. (near St. Louis, opening on April 23). We have not identified future locations as of this point. Feel free to visit www.rockyrivergrillhouse.com if you’d like to learn more about the restaurant.”
03/28/2007
Big dreams
Near Briarcliff, close to the Myrtle Beach/North Myrtle Beach border, across from Fuddrucker’s, there is a restaurant that started life at Copeland’s, then became Palmetto Grille. I saw several cars there yesterday, so stopped to find out what was going on. An electrician looking at schematics said it’s going to be a California Dreaming.
California Dreaming is owned by CentraArchy, which also owns Fiesta Del Burro Loco, New York Prime, Gulfstream Café and Carolina Roadhouse.
There is another California Dreaming restaurant at 2657 Beaver Run Blvd. in Surfside Beach (off U.S. 17 just south of Wal-Mart). You can see a menu here: www.newyorkprime.com/califdreaming/cd-columbia/cdcola-menu.html.
Spreading wings
While at Barefoot Landing I saw big trash dumpsters full of wood in front of Jackalope’s Steakhouse (before it was Jackalope’s it was Mad Boar Brewery). I stopped and went in, and the entire restaurant was gutted – completely empty.
Two men were working hard and sweating over getting the last Jackalope remnants out of there, and one was the owner. He said the place will soon be a new Wild Wing Café, like the one in Garden City at 2700 U.S. 17 Business. You can check out the Wild Wing specials and menu here: www.wildwingcafe.com/gardencity.html.
On the side
I also found a new restaurant at 1000 Second Avenue South (on the west side of U.S. 17) in the North Myrtle Beach Corporate Center. It’s called Side Street Café, and the décor is spacious, sleek and restful.
Side Street serves breakfast and lunch, and both menus are tempting.
For breakfast there are Egg Tacos with scrambled eggs, potatoes and cheese; Sol Quesadilla with eggs, potatoes, bacon and cheese; and breakfast sandwiches on bagels, English muffins or panini bread. The Florentine Omelet sounds intriguing with eggs, mushrooms, onions, spinach, sausage and cheese.
For lunch you can choose from several salads like the Greek Salad with feta, tomatoes, black olives and mild peppers, or sandwiches such as a Pork Tenderloin Hoagie or a Ribeye Steak Sandwich with sautéed onions.
There are also daily lunch specials:
Monday – Meatloaf
Tuesday – Teriyaki Pineapple Chicken
Wednesday – Pulled Pork Plate
Thursday – Three Cheese Beef Lasagna
Friday – Crab Cake and Mixed Greens
Weekend – Chef’s Choice
I like that the menu lists prices as even dollar amounts, and I love their cappuccino with its thick head of foam.
The phone number is 843-280-3799.
03/27/2007
Living large in NYC
Chef/instructor/ice carver Eric Wagner is having a ball on the media trip sponsored by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. Many representatives from Grand Strand businesses are on a media blitz to spread the word that this is a fantastic place to visit.
Eric called me from New York City yesterday, and says he is working hard and having a great time. First the group went to Boston, where Eric cooked for a crowd at a sort of trade show. He said many people asked him to name the best places to eat in Myrtle Beach, and he is telling everyone that Lowcountry cuisine is symbolic of Southern hospitality.
This week Eric’s plans include being interviewed by a Staten Island journalist, going on a radio talk show and cooking at another trade show. He’s also going to dine with celebrity chef Christopher Lee at the New York City restaurant called Gilt where Lee is executive chef. Eric catered Chef Lee’s wedding here in Myrtle Beach last year.
Do you like shrimp?
If so, you’re going to love Latitude 22’s new Shrimp Night every Tuesday from 4-11 p.m.
Latitude is no longer open for lunch, but on Tuesday nights for $13.95 you get a pound of Atlantic shrimp prepared sautéed, grilled, fried, barbecued, boiled, Caribbean, Buffalo, blackened, sweet Thai or tropical.
Latitude 22 has a breathtaking view of the ocean from the third floor at 11 N. Seaside Drive in Surfside Beach. The phone number is 843-232-9796.
The beer is back
Josh Quigley, the former brewmaster at Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery at Broadway at the Beach, has opened his own brew pub/restaurant in Litchfield called Quigley’s Pint and Plate. Josh is sending me the menu, so I’ll have more details soon.
Quigley’s is in the Mingo shopping center off Willbrook Road in Litchfield Beach, and the number is 843-237-7010.
Bartender swap
The ABC television show Wife Swap wants to feature moms and dads who are bartenders. Hey, we have lots of bartenders in the Grand Strand!
To fill out a Wife Swap application, visit www.abc.go.com/primetime/wifeswap/casting.html.
03/26/2007
Zenderful
The Melting Pot in Myrtle Beach just underwent a $250,000 remodeling. I haven’t yet seen it but my son is taking his prom date there for dinner, so in a few days he can fill us in on how it looks.
This spring The Melting Pot also has a new Asian-inspired menu offering called the Zen Big Night Out. When my family visits The Melting Pot, we always opt for the Big Night Out. It includes a cheese fondue appetizer, salad, fondue entrée and chocolate fondue dessert for a fixed price. So much food comes with the Big Night Out we order it for two people and get an extra side order of filet mignon; that’s plenty for the four of us.
The new Zen Big Night Out offers:
Feng Shui Cheese Fondue: Fontina and Butterkase cheese with rice wine, sake, minced shallots, garlic and scallions.
Mandarin and Almond Oriental Salad: The salads at The Melting Pot are always deliciously incredible.
Zen Cooking Style: The entrée, which includes choices of lobster, Vannamei white shrimp, Panang chicken, ahi tuna, teriyaki sirloin, filet mignon and Potstickers, can be cooked in a vegetable bouillon base seasoned with ginger and fresh lemongrass.
Yin & Yang Chocolate Fondue: We’ve had this before, and the swirl of dark and white chocolates is yummy.
Wine world
Perhaps you’re a diner who wants to know more about the wines you drink, or you’re a chef who wants to learn about the wines you serve.
Horry-Georgetown Technical College does a great job advancing culinary knowledge through offering studies in the culinary arts such as two-year degrees, wine sommelier training and stand-alone cooking classes. Now they also have a series of three-hour wine classes at the Myrtle Beach campus on the former air base.
The schedule includes:
April 4 – Australia and New Zealand
May 30: What Am I Tasting?
June 13: California wines
June 27: France and Italy
July 11: North America
July 25: South America
Each session costs $50, and class spots must be reserved by April 30. Call 843-349-5363 to enroll.
03/25/2007
Lexington barbecue
I made it over to the new North Carolina BBQ Company at 6108 N. Kings Highway for lunch. A lot of people were hungry for Lexington Style Barbecue, because the place was packed. I saw someone I knew in line ahead of me: Deane Morris, owner of Rossi’s Italian Restaurant, who was there with his lovely wife, Jean. Deane grew up in Winston-Salem, which isn’t too far from Lexington.
I had a chopped barbecue tray with slaw and hush puppies. You get to pick another side dish, and I chose baked beans. There were also two little plastic containers of sauce. One was marked “H,” and one was marked “B.”
Figuring H stood for Hot, I tried B first. B stands for Barbecue, and this thin reddish-brown sauce was tangy with cider vinegar and sweet with sugar. The H container surely was hot – a little too hot for me – so I went back and finished my B.
The cabbage is chopped fine for what they call the barbecue slaw, and it has a tangy vinegar-based dressing rather than mayonnaise. It was tasty. The hush puppies were just all right, nothing real special. I didn’t finish the baked beans. They were thick and sticky, and I like my beans runnier than that.
The menu also lists barbecue sandwiches, burgers, chicken fingers, fried pork tenderloin sandwich, a garden salad and chicken salad sandwich. The house special is a thick-cut fried bologna sandwich with slaw, chili and fries. You can also get barbecue rotisserie chicken, chicken wings (medium, hot, teriyaki, barbecue, spicy vinegar and honey mustard) and hand-dipped ice cream and milk shakes.
North Carolina Barbecue Company offers catering, and the number is 843-497-0600.
Close finish
Chris Emerling, a line cook at WaterScapes restaurant at the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes, recently went to the Charlotte Institute of Art to compete in a young chefs competition sponsored by the Chaine des Rotisseurs. (www.chaineus.org/)
Local Chaine director Tony Hirsh says Chris competed against seven other chefs from the South Central region, “and he was among the top three finalists who were separated by 1.5 points in the final judging. Chris represented the Chaine, WaterScapes and the Myrtle Beach area very well, and I expect that he can be a No. 1 winner in future competitions. Other competitors were from Johnson and Wales, The Biltmore Hotel and Atlanta.”
Tony added the local Chaine group is exploring having a Young Chefs competition here in Myrtle Beach in 2008 or 2009.
03/24/2007
Your opinion matters
A few days ago I asked readers’ opinions about the calorie contents of restaurant meals. Caroline McKee, a local registered dietician, had this to say:
“One high calorie dish is OK occasionally, especially if you have a friend to share or take home a doggie bag. Knowing ahead of time what the ingredients are helps. Sometimes you really don’t want to know the calorie level. Occasionally I know that there is nothing in a restaurant I’m frequenting that I would consider the perfect heart-healthy food, but I go along with the person choosing the restaurant and eat in moderation. I with more places had a broiler instead of a deep-fryer. Convection ovens do speed up cooking, and a hot oven can occasionally do the job of a fry pot. The customer needs to make the request frequently for heart-healthy foods.”
Thanks Caroline!
Healthy dining
A new Web site designed to help diners find healthy dining options launched last week at http://www.healthydiningfinder.com/site/.
In checking it out I plugged in my zip code and was surprised to see the first result listed was…Burger King!
However, the site did not list a double cheeseburger as one of Burger King’s healthy menu items. It suggested a Tendergrill Chicken Garden Salad; BK Veggie Burger; Tendergrill Chicken Sandwich; Side Garden Salad; Ken’s Light Italian Dressing; and Mott’s Strawberry Flavored Applesauce. It also recommended a Whopper Jr. with no mayo.
Six other restaurants were recommended for my area: Arby’s, QDoba Mexican Grill, Hooter’s, Cracker Barrel, Tropical Café Smoothie and Chili’s.
Restaurants have to pay a fee and submit nutritional data to be included on the site.
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03/23/2007
Not just yet
The new location of Croissants, on 38th Avenue North in the Beach First building, was supposed to open yesterday. However, there were a few snags and it will be Monday, March 26 before we can go get our fixes of Chicken Salad Croissants and slices of Peanut Butter Cup Cake.
I did get to look around, and the new décor is beautiful. Instead of the former location’s black-and-white-and red French country theme, the new digs are a restful muted turquoise with many shades of browns and beiges.
The menu hasn’t changed much, but there have been additions such as Shrimp & Grits for breakfast, a Fruit & Cheese Plate and an Antipasto Plate, and Homemade Pizza. Also, now there is a liquor license so you can have a mimosa with your Country Grits & Egg Soufflé, or a glass of Wyndam Pinot Noir with your Ham, Apple and Brie Melt on seven-grain bread.
Croissants Bakery & Café is at 3751 Robert M. Grissom Parkway, and the number is 843-448-BAKE.
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Signs of success
I know it’s spring break time, and I know it’s Can-Am time, and I know it’s golf season, but even taking that into consideration the packed restaurant parking lots I’ve been seeing this week point to a very good year for Grand Strand restaurants.
Even at 2 in the afternoon many staffs are hustling to keep up with the customers flooding in.
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Fluffy pile
The Seafare Restaurant in Murrells Inlet is being torn down. When I drove by this week it was a huge pile of rubble with a lot of fluffy pink insulation sticking out the top.
Farther south on U.S. 17 Business in Murrells Inlet, across from the Dead Dog Saloon and next to what will be the new Chadwick’s restaurant, that choice corner lot is due to be auctioned off. An elderly building that used to be a seafood restaurant is on the property. It’s a large lot, so it will be interesting to see what happens to that corner.
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Savoring Spain
Next Tuesday, March 27, Emi Bistro and Sushi Bar in Pawleys Island is exploring Spanish wines and serving tapas for its Savoring Spain wine dinner. Henri Gabriel of Advintage Distributing will be the guide through five courses.
Each wine will be “paired with a fusion of ingredients from their native land, including some innovative dishes characteristic of the chefs at Emi, and as always followed by something delectable from the pastry chef.”
Wines representative of five different Spanish regions and accompanying dishes will be:
Avinyo Cava NV, Catalonia
Cod Brandade over Tomato Tartare with a sip of Andalusian Gaspacho
Valminor Albarino, Rias Baixas 2005
Deconstructed Paella: Saffron Risotto Croqueta, Poached Shellfish, Chorizo, Saffron Vinaigrette
Arbanta, Rioja 2005
Seared Sea Scallop over Braised White Beans, Red Wine Vinaigrette and Crispy Leeks
Olivares Alto de la Horya, 2005
Prociutto-wrapped Pork Tenderloin over Spring Vegtable Ragout and Marcona Almond Romesco Sauce
Palacios “Les Terrasses” Alvaro, Priorat 2004
Grill-Roasted Leg of Lamb over Chickpea Puree, Wild Mushrooms, and Red Wine-Olive Sauce
The dinner’s price is $48, and it begins at 7 p.m. You can call Emi to make a reservation at 843-235-2313. Emi is at 47 Da Gullah Way, beside U.S. 17 Bypass in Pawleys Island.
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03/22/2007
Wow!
Today myrtlebeachrestaurantnews.com is the featured South Carolina Web site of the day at http://www.sciway.net/.
SCIway, which stands for South Carolina Information Highway, is the largest and most informational South Carolina Web site in existence.
Grand Strand culinary arts are gaining notice!
***
Another week or so
Caruso’s, located across U.S. 17 Bypass from the back gate of the former air base (about a mile or so south of the airport), will re-open in a week or two after being closed for renovations.
When it does open, partner Debbie Caruso will be the sole owner. Her former partner, Gus Binos, says she bought him out. Gus is going to go into the mortgage refinancing business.
Gus was the nephew of the late Ross Kouzis, who founded the Italian restaurant as Rossini’s about eight years ago. After Ross died, Gus and Debbie bought the restaurant and named it Caruso’s.
Gus says Debbie plans to keep the Caruso’s menu largely the same as it was before she closed for renovations, with appetizers like Eggplant Rollatini and Clams Oreganato; Pasta such as Cavatelli and Broccoli and Homemade Lasagna; Entrees like Veal Sorrentino and Chicken and Sausage Giambotta; and chef specialties including Zuppa di Pesce, Frutte di Mare and Grouper a la Soreno.
Caruso’s address is 4700 U.S. 17 Bypass S., and the number is 843-293-8682.
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Not yet
I stopped by the Rosegarden Restaurant this week to see how work is going on getting it ready to open. Greg and Diane Rose, experienced restaurateurs, are opening it across Seaboard Street from Coastal Grand Mall.
It looks like there are at least a couple weeks to go before they will be ready to start serving Italian and American specialties. I got a peek at their menu, and a few items include Calamari Pepperocini with olives, roasted peppers and scallions; Fried Zucchini; Linguini with Clam Sauce; and Chicken Betty, which is “Tender pieces of chicken cooked to perfection in a honey mustard sauce.”
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Treasure inlet
A crew was installing a new sign at Drunken Jack’s in Murrells Inlet this week. It’s a really nice sign – a three-dimensional wooden treasure chest.
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03/21/2007
Lexington barbecue
I noticed a new restaurant at the intersection of 62nd Avenue North and Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach (where there used to be a Dairy Queen) that is selling Lexington barbecue. Classic Lexington, N.C., barbecue is cooked over a hickory wood fire while basted with a mixture of vinegar, ketchup, water, salt and pepper. I’ll check it out first chance I get.
***
New seafood spot
In Murrells Inlet, across from the Dead Dog Saloon, is an old beach house that was moved from Myrtle Beach several years ago. It was renovated to become Hana’s Restaurant, which enjoyed a stellar reputation for upscale Lowcountry dining with continental flair. Most recently it was Petit Vine, a wonderful French restaurant.
Now the building is undergoing more renovations, including changing the outside color from dark green to gray, and in about two months it will open as Chadwick’s and specialize in grilled seafood.
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Comfortable dining
I’ve long been a fan of the Hamburger Joe’s in North Myrtle Beach across the street from Barefoot Landing, but hadn’t yet made it to the new one in Surfside Beach until recently. It was like coming across an old friend.
The new location has the same casual rough-hewn wood Lowcountry décor and porch. After settling comfortably at the counter and returning friendly greetings from my server and a manager, I was delighted to see the same easy-going menu.
I ordered a hamburger all the way, which means it comes with slaw, chili and chopped onions. Hey, don’t stick that nose up in the air if you’ve never tried it. It’s a wonderful combination. The onions rings were great too – they’re the real deal with true rings of onions in them, not batter rings filled with tiny pieces of something that are vaguely onion-flavored.
The menu is not huge at Joe’s. Other choices include wings (medium, hot or sweet’n hot), hot dogs, fried bologna sandwich, hickory smoked barbecue on a bun, grilled chicken sandwich, fries, a couple salads and ice cream bars. Joe’s also has a full liquor license.
The Surfside Beach location is at 1410 U.S. 17 Business S., and the phone number is 215-9052.
In North Myrtle Beach the address is 809 Conway Street, and the number is 272-6834.
***
03/20/2007
Southern fare with a view
I hate giving away great little spots that no one else would likely ever hear about unless they’re told about them. The kind of places where you sit smugly and think to yourself, “Ha ha! The tourists don’t know about this one! All this great food is my secret!”
But if I kept those secrets I’d be doing a disservice to the folks who own those restaurants and to other food lovers. Please keep in mind the eatery I’m about to divulge has only a dozen tables inside and a handful outside, so if there are no seats available when you visit, yeah, you can blame me, and the great food and friendly service.
Sea Oats Café is inside the Blockade Runner Motor Inn, oceanfront at 1910 N. Ocean Blvd. in North Myrtle Beach. Owners William Neville and his mother, Carolyne Adams, have served breakfast and lunch for a while, and they recently added dinner service.
I had lunch there recently, and was delighted to devour a cup of their She-crab Soup. It arrived piping hot with a small pool of ruby red sherry swirled on top. The texture was velvety, and the flavor subtly rich. It’s the first time I’ve had She-crab Soup when I wasn’t sure if there was more crab than soup; it contained a gracious plenty of choice lump meat.
Spicy Scallops were coated with a peppery rub and grilled, and the succulent plump morsels were served with a blue cheese dill sauce. The Shrimp Spread served with crackers was a wonderful concoction of small shrimp, celery and a few other tasty items in a light mayonnaise-based blend.
It was my luck that Carolyne made her Chocolate Chess Pie that day, and I savored the custard-like texture and rich cocoa flavor.
There are daily lunch specials – the day I went it was Chicken Bog – and the lunch menu also offers sandwiches, salads and entrees such as a Seafood Platter, Filet of Flounder and a couple of steaks.
Breakfasts here are something special, like the Steak and Cheese Omelet, or the Lowcountry Biscuit and Gravy with Eggs featuring fresh sausage that William drives a long way to buy.
A few items on the new dinner menu are Grilled Chicken Oscar (with asparagus, crab meat and Hollandaise on top), Crab Cakes, an Oyster Platter with local inlet oysters, Crab Cocktail and Stuffed Flounder.
The restaurant’s décor is bright and light, with white linens under glass table tops and wide white blinds on windows looking out upon a small lawn and lots of sea oats, with the ocean glinting behind. The dining room’s cleanliness is almost bordering on hospital sterility; I’ve never before seen a restaurant so immaculate and spotless.
My server was friendly and efficient, just like the people she works for.
The phone number at Sea Oats Café is 843-249-3561, Ext. 222.
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03/19/2007
Calorie police
Chain restaurants don’t have a monopoly on serving high-calorie food (I don’t even want to know how much fat is in a Calabash-style fried seafood platter from a locally owned restaurant), but chain restaurants were recently targeted for high-calorie food by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
In an article published Feb. 26, charges are leveled that “customers don’t have a clue that they might be getting a whole day’s worth of calories in a single dish, or several days’ worth in the whole meal.”
Examples given include the Ruby Tuesday Colossal Burger with 1,940 calories and 141 grams of fat; and Uno Chicago Grill’s appetizer called Pizza Skins that has 2,050 calories, 48 grams of fat and 3,140 milligrams of sodium.
You can read the full article here: www.cspinet.org/new/200702262.html
The National Restaurant Association issued a statement in response to the article saying, “Pointing to a select few menu items at a select few restaurants as being high in calories and generalizing that to all restaurant fare is misleading, inaccurate, and does the public a grave disservice.”
I tend to agree with that. Don’t we know we’re treading into high-calorie territory if we order anything fried? Aren’t we all aware that most restaurant burgers have a ton of calories?
The thing is, sometimes we don’t care. We just want our comfort food.
Granted, some people overdo it with the milk shakes and French fries, and they suffer the consequences whether they’re fat or have unhealthy hearts or bad cases of acne. Should we stop them? Should diners have calorie allowances?
Personally, I think we should have choices. Most of the time I eat a balanced diet, but sometimes I want to splurge. And that’s my right.
I’d like to know your opinion on the matter. You can tell me at becky@thefoodsyndicate.com.
***
03/18/2007
Jazz and jambalaya
North Myrtle Beach will get a big dose of the Big Easy when a new restaurant called New Orleans Connection begins operations. It is almost ready to open at 1021 Second Avenue North, and it will feature live jazz music and Cajun and Creole cuisine.
The award-winning chef is Jacqueline Davis, who has worked locally at Thoroughbreds, Bovine’s and Tidewater Golf Club and Plantation. She also has her own dessert company called JE Sweets.
The menu looks authentically Cajun and Creole from beginning to end. I’m going to start with a few of the desserts, because they sound incredible: Praline Sweet Potato Cheesecake, Sweet Potato Cobbler, Pear Cobbler, Creamy Pralines, Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce, Bourbon Street Pecan Pie and Italian Cream Cake.
The area’s famous muffuletta sandwiches, made with crusty Italian bread, are derived from Italians living in New Orleans. At this restaurant they’re served traditionally with Italian meats, cheeses and olive tapenade.
Salads all feature seafood, like the Seafood Caesar Salad that can come with crawfish, alligator, shrimp or oysters. There are Po-Boys (including deep-fried Cajun turkey), red beans and rice, dirty rice, etouffe, jambalaya, catfish and barbecue shrimp.
Side dishes match the rest of the menu with choices such as Boudin Balls (boudin is rice and spicy pork), Cajun Fried Corn on the Cob, Sweet Potato Fries, Cajun Fried Cornbread and Cajun Meat Pies.
The chef tells me the grand opening will take place very soon, so when I see the inside I’ll be sure to pass along what it’s like. In the meantime, if you know a jazz musician who’d like to perform at New Orleans Connection, the number is 843-663-1255. They’re scheduling auditions now. Chef Jacque is also looking for line cooks, and she can be reached at 843-280-6245.
New Orleans Connection will be open for lunch Mondays through Saturdays, and for dinner daily.
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03/17/2007
Varied menu
A local in the construction industry says work will soon start on a Max & Erma’s restaurant at Carolina Forest near the Piggly Wiggly shopping center. The headquarters of this casual restaurant is in Ohio, and it has locations in about 15 states, mostly around Ohio.
The menu features appetizers such as wings, black bean roll-ups, quesadillas, pot stickers and lasagna rolls. There are several salads; the Shrimp Stack Salad sounds great with greens, shrimp, crunchy noodles, pineapple and sweet/sour vinaigrette.
Entrees include standards like chicken fingers, steaks and ribs, but also more exotic fare such as Portabella and Wild Mushroom Ravioli, Jerk Pork Chops and Tuscan Chicken with capellini pasta, artichokes, onions, Roma tomatoes and mushrooms in a garlic-herb wine sauce.
There are also burgers (Tomato Mozzarella, Bacon Bleu) and sandwiches (Roast Beef and Brie, Grilled Vegetable, Tomato Mozzarella on ciabatta).
A few stand-alone desserts are offered, but the restaurant also has an all-you-care-to-eat ice cream sundae bar featuring a bathtub filled with toppings. Beverages called the Pomegranate Fizz and Watermelon Lemonade sound interesting.
You can check out the company at www.maxandermas.com.
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03/16/2007
In proportion
I love the concept behind new menu items T.G.I. Friday’s is offering. They’re called Right Portion, Right Price entrees.
The dishes are smaller-portioned than other entrees on the menu, and they’re priced lower at $6.99 to $8.99. The new choices include Asian Glazed Chicken with Field Greens; Cedar-Seared Salmon on Field Greens; Cedar-Seared Salmon with Pasta; Bistro Sirloin Salad; Jack Daniel’s Chicken Alfredo; and Dragonfire Chicken.
You can also choose to have four regular menu items served in smaller portions: Bruschetta Chicken Parmesan; Cajun Shrimp & Pasta; Half-Rack Baby Back Ribs; and Shrimp Key West.
Two of the smaller portioned dishes – Dragonfire Chicken and Shrimp Key West – have 500 calories or less and 10 grams of fat or less.
Local T.G.I. Friday’s locations are at 7515 N. Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach; 3202 U.S. 17 Business S. in Murrells Inlet; and 500 U.S. 17 N. in North Myrtle Beach.
***
Gourmet dogs
Trifecta Restaurant & Sports Lounge in Los Angeles selling hot dogs with fries for $15 apiece. It’s a foot-long all-beef dog, but gee whiz, for that much money I’d expect about five side dishes with it.
I hope the new hot dog spot coming soon to a strip mall off S.C. 544, about halfway between Socastee and Conway, has more reasonable prices. It certainly has a more reasonable name for a hot dog joint: Frank’s Place.
03/15/2007
The Fabulous Mrs. Fish
For a couple of years my neighbor has been telling me, “You’ve got to try Mrs. Fish!” Since he has his own boat and often heads out to the Gulf Stream to catch his own supper, I know this guy knows his fish.
“They serve everything on paper plates and you get plastic forks and plastic cups, but never mind that,” he said. “The fish is great.”
Finally I made it over there – it’s at 919 Broadway in downtown Myrtle Beach – and am kicking myself for not going sooner. The place isn’t fancy; there are a dozen tables and a counter where you can sit and watch owner Andrew Chu cook up a storm, and the décor is what you’d expect in a no-nonsense beach diner: nothing special.
But what is special is their fish, and I had one of the several lunch specials: grilled grouper with a spicy Asian sauce. Oh. My. Goodness. It was incredibly delicious. The fish was moist and flavorful, and the sauce had just the right amount of kick to let me know I was alive and lovin’ my lunch. The meal comes with crunchy cole slaw with a minimum of sweet/tangy dressing and hand-cut French fries.
A few other lunch offerings include fried seafood, barbecue shrimp, crab Rangoon with gumbo and an incredible-looking tuna filet sandwich.
For dinner the menu gets longer with choices like tempura calamari, black bean cakes, Alaskan snow crab legs, Atlantic mussels, butterfly shrimp and coconut shrimp. Side dish choices also expand to include gumbo and rice, hush puppies, green beans and white rice.
You’ve got to try Mrs. Fish. Dress casual, and don’t expect upscale ambiance. It’s all about the food.
It’s open from 11 a.m. to close Mondays through Saturdays, and the number is 843-946-6869.
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03/14/2007
Pitch it all
Last week the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the peanut butter recall to include all Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter produced since October 2004. So, if anyone happens to have 3-year-old peanut butter in the cupboard, pitch it.
You can read the entire FDA press release here: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01583.html
Having a three-year-old jar of peanut butter isn’t as weird as you might think, especially here in our coastal community. Lots of people stockpile emergency food supplies for hurricanes, so it’s not outside the realm of possibilities to imagine peanut butter that old sitting on someone’s shelf.
What I’m wondering about this whole deal is if Peter Pan peanut butter is the same as Great Value peanut butter? And if it is, why is Peter Pan more expensive?
***
Arsenic water
I have never noticed the Jermuk brand of bottled water around here – it’s Armenian – but just in case it is distributed around here, or if you’re traveling, stay away from it. It was distributed nationwide.
The FDA issued a recall on it “due to the risk of exposure to arsenic, a toxic substance and known cause of cancer in humans. While arsenic is a well known human poison there is little chance that someone would become gravely ill if they consumed this product over a brief period of time (days to weeks). However, it is likely that they would experience nausea, abdominal pain and possibly vomiting which are clear indicators of arsenic toxicity, and therefore consumers should avoid ingestion of this bottled mineral water.”
You can read the full recall here: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01581.html.
***
Down in the valley
Columbia Valley, that is, in Washington State, produces some of the wines that will be featured at SeaBlue’s wine dinner at 6:30 p.m. on March 21. Matt Maksimowitz will lead the discussions.
The menu includes:
Thai-style Dungeness Crab with fragrant herbs, cellophane noodles and carrot sambal
2005 DiStefano Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley
Grilled Lemon Fish, Indian Corn Fritters, Ginger Coconut Sauce and Avocado
2005 L’ecole No. 41 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley
Melange of Exotic Mushrooms
2003 DiStefano Meritage, Columbia Valley
Venison and Berries
2003 L’ecole No. 41 Syrah, Columbia Valley
Chocolate Torte
2001 Power Cabernet “Reserve,” Champoux Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills
The meal costs $70, and you can make reservations at this chic, cozy and romantic North Myrtle Beach restaurant by calling 843-249-8800.
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03/13/2007
Change is good
Exciting changes are planned for the 2007 American Culinary Federation Souper Supper.
When the event started a dozen years ago it was held at the now-closed Waccamaw Pottery stores. Then it moved west on U.S. 501 to the Myrtle Beach Factory Stores, which is now the Tanger Factory Outlet. The Souper Supper was always held in October, but that is also changing this year.
Now the Souper Supper will be on Veterans Day, which is Sunday, Nov. 11, at Coastal Grand Mall. The ACF’s goal is to have 40 participating restaurants.
There will be representation from local military groups in honor of Veterans Day, live marching music and Santa Claus will make his grand entrance for the holiday season.
If you’ve never attended a Souper Supper, here is how it works: People pay $10 to enter ($5 ages 4-12; free ages 3 and younger), and they get to sample as many soups as they want. Some of the area’s best chefs always participate, and the entries are most definitely not your regular chicken noodle or vegetable soups. In 2006 some of the soups were Roast Duck White Bean Escarole; Smoked Mussel and Tomato Bisque; and She-Crab. Attendees receive booklets containing recipes for every participating chef’s soup.
The Souper Supper is so popular, many out-of-town visitors plan vacations around the event.
The money raised this year will go to the local ACF chapter’s culinary scholarship fund, which provides assistance for students and established chefs to further their culinary education and certification.
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03/12/2007
Lowcountry cuisine in high places
The food we love will be celebrated in The Big Apple, thanks to local chef Eric Wagner. The Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce selected the owner of Ice Sensations and chef/instructor at Horry-Georgetown Technical College to represent our restaurant industry in a press trip to New York City at the end of March.
Representatives from many different businesses in this area are going to tell members of New York’s media about how wonderful it is to visit the Grand Stand.
Eric says he plans to show how South Carolina food products make for extra-fine cuisine. He is going to use ingredients such as Carolina Plantation Rice and local shrimp to demonstrate the delicious choices available to dining visitors.
***
Premium steak
We’re lucky to have many restaurants in the Grand Strand area where you can enjoy a premium steak, and Umi Pacific Grille is offering an ultra-premium Kobe Beef steak.
Kobe is well marbled and extraordinarily tender beef that’s lower in saturated fat than other types of beef. It comes from a special breed of Japanese cattle called Wagyu, although the cows do not have to actually live in Japan for the beef from them to be Kobe beef. The meat just has to come from that breed; there are cattle ranches in the U.S. that have Wagyu herds.
Divine Dining Director of Cuisine Kurt D’Aurizio says recently Umi started offering Kobe Steaks as part of an entrée for $60, and they’re selling way beyond expectations.
Umi Pacific Grille is in the Galleria Shopping Center at the intersection of U.S. 17 and Lake Arrowhead Road in Myrtle Beach. The number is 497-6016.
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03/11/2007
On tap and on top
I told a friend I was having lunch at Liberty Taproom, and she thought I was talking about Liberty Steakhouse at Broadway at the Beach. They’re owned by the same company, but the Taproom is a little different and is in Northwood Shopping Plaza at 76th Avenue North.
I like the décor at the Taproom; it’s like a modern version of American Colonial with dark wood in a Shaker style, with little stars carved out of the backs of the chairs. There are booths and tables, and there are understated splashes of color in a contemporary American flag mural and rustic-looking colored glass panes with air bubbles in them.
As at Liberty Steakhouse there are lots of beers on tap, including many of the favorites brewed over at Broadway such as Raspberry Wheat and Pale Ale. You can enjoy them in the dining room, the roomy bar or the spacious beer garden.
There are both lunch and dinner menus, but almost all the dishes on both menus are available all day. On Friday and Saturday nights you can get prime rib.
The menu carries a fun mix of old stand-bys (chicken tenders, burgers, Southern fried chicken, French dip) and innovation (Clemson blue cheese chips, sashimi tuna salad with mango vinaigrette). They also take hearty fare and give it upscale twists, like Angus meatloaf with port wine mushroom gravy, or the old South cheeseburger with smoked pimento cheese.
They have a Web site at www.tbonz.com/Ltap.asp?catID=1870, and the phone number is 843-839-4677.
***
Grape test
I scored seven out of 10 on the wine knowledge quiz at www.fineliving.com. However, I didn’t fare so well with the site’s cocktail quiz with a miserable four out of 10. Guess I won’t be applying for a bartender job anytime soon.
The quizzes were amusing – I did know that Triple Sec is not “The bartending trophy for winning the three biggest mix-offs in a season.” But I had no clue which cocktail Franklin Delano Roosevelt made famous.
If you like wining, dining and travel you’ll enjoy fineliving.com. You can also sign up for them to send you e-newsletters.
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03/09/2007
Strip search
Several new food-related businesses are getting ready to open at St. James Plaza, which is a new strip mall off S.C. 707 just north of St. James High School. They are:
Ponza Italian Market
Driftwood Seafood & Steaks
Breakfast Klub
Dough Boys Pizza
A bakery thrift shop is already open in the shopping center, as is Big Johnson’s coffee shop with the Buffalo & Spring coffee brand. Big Johnson’s also sells sandwiches, bagels, hot dogs, ice cream and gelato.
I’ll keep you posted about when the eateries-in-progress are open for business.
***
Nice rice
Recently Campbell and Meredith Coxe, owners of Plumfield Plantation, came to Myrtle Beach to give a presentation to members of the Myrtle Beach chapter of the American Culinary Federation.
In 1996 the Coxes started growing rice at Plumfield, which is on the banks of the Great Pee Dee River near Darlington. This is the first time in more than 100 years that rice has been grown for commercial sale in South Carolina. Before the Civil War, South Carolina was No. 1 in the world for rice production.
Back in Antebellum days, Carolina Gold rice was prized for its high-quality plump grains. The Coxes have brought back Carolina Gold Rice. They also grow, harvest, package and sell, under the brand name Carolina Plantation, a delicious Aromatic Rice that tastes wonderful and smells even better; Brown Rice; Grits; and Cowpeas.
Their products are packaged in distinctive cotton bags that are hand-sewn on premises. I buy my Carolina Plantation Rice at Kitchen Capers at 5001 N. Kings Hwy. in Myrtle Beach. It’s in the same shopping center as The Melting Pot restaurant, and Kitchen Caper’s phone number is 843-449-4221.
Other Grand Strand locations that sell the rice include The Rice Museum in Georgetown; Brookgreen Gardens; Bodega in Conway; and Perrone’s, Pawleys Pantry, Chocolate and Coffee House, McElveen Designs and Carolina Gourmet at Pawleys, all in Pawleys Island. You can also order the rice directly from Carolina Plantation on-line at www.carolinaplantationrice.com.
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03/08/2007
Sean is back
About seven or so years ago Sean Christenson was one of the top dogs in the Myrtle Beach culinary world. He was executive chef at Thoroughbreds, and he made quite a name for himself in area culinary competitions.
Then for a period of several years Sean worked in a completely different line of work, and his expertise in the kitchen was missed.
But now he’s back and started with Divine Dining Group about six months ago. First he was at Divine Fish House in Murrells Inlet, but now he is executive chef at City Bar.
Welcome back Sean! I can’t wait to see his spring menu. City Bar is at 7604 N. Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach, and the number is 449-7013. Its Web site is at www.citybarrestaurant.com.
***
A night in Argentina
City Bar has wine dinners the third Tuesday of every month, and this month, starting at 7:30 p.m. on the 20th, wines of Argentina will be featured. I will be there, and am looking forward to a menu of:
Provoletta con chiles dulces: Aged provolone cheese caramelized and paired with marinated sweet red and yellow peppers; paired with Colome Torrontes.
Empanadas de camarones con acelgas en crema: Shrimp turnovers served with creamed Swiss chard; paired with Pascual Toso Sauvignon Blanc.
Pollitos rellena a la criolla: Young hens roasted with Creole stuffing and natural jus; paired with Trivento Select Syrah.
Carne asada con salsa chimichurri: Wood-fired grilled meat assortment with garlic, herb and olive oil dipping sauce; paired with Aleph Malbec.
Tickets are $50, and reservations are recommended. Make them by calling 449-7013.
***
03/07/2007
Spring sweets
Easter is April 8 this year, and if you want special desserts to make your Easter dinner guests hop with joy I have a tip for you.
There is a wholesale bakery called Bake & Cake that makes extraordinary desserts. The sweets are delivered to more than 250 Grand Strand locations such as restaurants and specialty shops for resale.
However, their products may also be ordered by regular folks like you and me at Café Old Vienna in the Village Square Shopping Center at 39th Avenue North and Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach. The phone number is 843-946-6252.
Bake & Cake’s Easter specials include:
Individual Chocolate Bunny Heads with brownie bottoms and raspberry mousse covered in chocolate.
Triple Chocolate Cake and Strawberry Cheesecake.
Lemon Curd Cheesecake with jelly bean decorations.
Coconut Cream Pie and Chocolate Pecan Pie.
Pink Cloud Cake that’s filled with raspberry jam, raspberry mousse and whipped cream (I tried this and it’s divine!).
Lemon Cake and Chocolate Fudge Mousse Cake.
And, of course, Carrot Cake!
For you restaurateurs, owners Michael and Petra Jerabek have an additional Easter special for you: Five percent off orders of $1,000 or more. You volume buyers can place your orders directly with Bake and Cake at 916-2253.
You can see photos of some of the luscious creations at www.bakeandcake.c |