MyrtleBeachRestaurantNews.com

Several friends told me, “You’ve got to check out Doodles! The food is great and the building is so cool!”

Doodles?

The name may be a little goofy, but Doodles is a fantastic restaurant and catering hall that’s worth the drive. It’s about five miles northwest of Conway on Horry Road.

The building is circa 1938, and until 1996 it was the old Horry Elementary School. Owners Gene and Lora Merrit did a beautiful job refurbishing the building: It still has the original hardwood floors and beam ceilings, but most everything else is brand-new, including a vast modern kitchen.

The assistant manager and chef, Shannon Ferguson, hails from Asheville, N.C., but he is no stranger to the Grand Strand. He worked at Hard Rock Café with Doodles general manager Matthew Reynolds, and Chef Ferguson says he is glad Matthew talked him into moving back here from the mountains to run the Doodles kitchen.

You’re not going to see any fusion or Asian or any type of new-fangled cuisine on the lunch or dinner menus. What you do get is excellently prepared seafood and steaks, sandwiches and Southern standbys like meatloaf, fried chicken and fried green tomatoes. The desserts are also quite Southernly awesome; their Strawberry Cake, prepared by one of the owners’ mother, is just about the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.

You can check out the complete Doodles menu here: http://doodlesathorry.com/?page_id=12

Since this is an old school, it’s roomy. There are two dining rooms for the restaurant, plus a small video game room. None of the video games are violent in theme, assures Ferguson, a father of three. A room with a stage has plenty of seating, and local musicians interested in performing there are welcome to contact Matthew Reynolds.

The rest of the building is devoted to catering facilities. Already the Doodles calendar is filling up with wedding receptions and business seminars.

The atmosphere of the entire facility is restful and nostalgic. Furnishings are cherry wood, the dining room is dotted with old-timey ceiling fans and a few choice décor items speak of its past, like a red metal Radio Flyer scooter and a black cast iron wood stove.

It’s worth the trip, and you’ll find directions to get there here: http://doodlesathorry.com/?page_id=29

The address is 851 Horry Road, Aynor, and the number is 843-365-9041. They're closed Sundays and Mondays.

Poor Barbara Whitley. Poor Adam Whitley. They and their staff have been working so hard on their remodeling at Crady’s in Conway. One thing and another made the work take longer than they expected.

But I stopped by yesterday (Tuesday the 29^th), and they said they’re pushing to finish the job so they can open up today at 6 p.m. for dinner. To be on the safe side, if you want to go there tonight, I’d call first to make sure everything went as planned: 248-3321.

The restaurant is a little bigger now. The dining room has 12 tables, and there is a small bar behind the hostess station. The décor is sleek and has Asian flair.

The menu also has Asian flair, and they’re calling the new dinner menu Southern Asian Fusion. A few dishes include Chili Garlic Prawns; Pickled Shrimp with Cucumber Slaw; Nori-wrapped Tempura Tuna; Crab Cake with Wasabi Cream; and Grouper with Soba Noodles. Dinner entrée prices range from $17 to $25.

A few of the lunch items, which range from $8 to $11, are Black Bean Cake, Veggie Pita, and Corn and Crab Relish on Butter Lettuce.

Chef Eric Wagner volunteered to help out at a dinner to honor volunteers at the local American Red Cross, and he needs more helping hands to serve food and pull kitchen duty.

He needs his helpers to arrive at 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 7, at Horry-Georgetown Technical College’s Grand Strand Conference Center on Meyer Avenue at the former air base in Myrtle Beach.

If you can give a few hours to help put on a nice dinner for these worthy volunteers, please give Eric a call at 455-7338. I’ll be there with my apron on; hope to see you too!

Two weeks ago Joe Karapetyan, a native of Armenia, opened a European food market beside a Waves beach store at the intersection of Kings Highway and 27^th Avenue North in Myrtle Beach. The array of foods is fun to look at and even more enjoyable to taste.

He has sausages and salami from Ukraine, Russia, Bulgaria, Poland and Hungary; cheeses from France, Denmark, Finland, Georgia (the Russian Georgia), Greece, Germany and Armenia; lots of Russian caviar; herring, smoked mackerel, smoked salmon and sturgeon; candies from Belarus, Poland, Austria, and Russia; Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish cookies; beers and wines from throughout Europe; plus Plum Tomato Garlic Sauce, marinated mushrooms, grape leaves, eggplant and pepper tapenades, Israeli pickles, Aegean peas, Turkish hot pepper sauce, Greek coffee, grains, oils, seeds, beans, nuts, pitted dates, jumbo golden raisins, dried apricots, hummus, tahini, fig preserves, walnut preserves, Russian chocolates and Hungarian prune butter.

Joe asked me to try a bottle of vivid green Russian tarragon soda pop, and it was amazingly delicious and refreshing.

When asked why he decided to open a European market, Joe said he saw a need and filled it.

“The closest shops like this are in Columbia and Charlotte,” he said, “and the one in Columbia doesn’t have this much variety. There are a lot of Europeans here who want this food.”

And once they try it, a lot of South Carolinians may also want it.

With a two-for-one lunch special, a $7.95 early bird special and delicious food prepared by chef/owner Alfonso Terrana, diners leave happy when they visit La Villa Italian Cuisine in Murrells Inlet.

The lunch menu offers five salads, including Antipasto Salad and Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad; Spaghetti with meatballs or sausage; Fettucine Alfredo; Linguine with white or red clam sauce; Manicotti; and Eggplant, Chicken or Veal Parmesan.

I tried the Eggplant Parmesan, which came with a salad or pasta, and it was tender and delicious. The tomato sauce was bursting with fresh tomato flavor, and the mini loaf of Italian bread brought to the table came in handy for sopping up extra sauce that was too good to leave on the plate.

The waitress offered to give me another lunch to take home since they had a two-for-one lunch special and I was dining alone.

The dinner menu is larger and includes appetizers of Mozzarella Tutto (sliced tomatoes topped with fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, Bermuda onion, prosciutto and sun-dried tomatoes); Insalata Di Mari (with shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari and scungilli); and Eggplant Rolletine.

A few of the entrees are Fettucine Verde Michelangelo (spinach fettucine with prosciutto, peas and onions in a white cream sauce); Linguine Puttanesca (sauteed anchovies, black olives, capers, tomato sauce), Cavatelli and Broccoli; Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce; Flounder Oregatano; and Piccatas, Marsalas and Parmigianas in veal and chicken.

Desserts include Italian Cheesecake, Tartufo, Spumoni and Tiramisu.

The décor is organized and neat and has Mission-style furniture. There’s a small bar in the corner. During lunch vinyl tablecloths are used, but for dinner the tables are covered in white linens.

The early bird dinners are served from 4 to 6 p.m., and they cost $7.95. You’ll find La Villa Italian Cuisine at 804 Murrells Inlet Square Drive (in a strip mall close to U.S. 17 Business), and the number is 651-5007.

Emi Bistro and Sushi Bar in Pawleys Island has a new Web site address at www.emibistro.com. The site has been redesigned and looks much sleeker.

If you’ve never been to Emi, you can take a look at their fantastic menu on the site.

Also, Emi used to be open for lunch, but now they’re just serving dinner.

Riptides at the Beach Seafood & Steaks is catering to bikers here for the Memorial Day Bikefest with a $7.99 lunch buffet and a $12.99 dinner buffet, and they’re cooking barbecue outside in the parking lot.

Partner Reggie Richardson says he has discovered the bikers also like ordering off the menu.

While at Sam’s Club Friday morning a young man in a cook’s uniform was buying hundreds of foam take-out containers. He works at Ali Baba Restaurant at 211 S. Ocean Blvd. in Myrtle Beach, and he said Memorial Day weekend is their busiest weekend of the year.

A couple new restaurants I noticed include Bari Subs and More on U.S. 17 Business near Garden City Furniture (which is at 2444 Highway 17 South); and Bonzo’s Southwest Grill, which is also on U.S. 17 Business in Garden City, near Tequila Mockingbird (which is at 3140 Unit D US 17 Business). Bonzo’s didn’t look like it is open yet.

The hills of Italy and the grape vines that grow on them will be featured at a wine dinner starting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 7 at the Carriage House Club restaurant at Litchfield Plantation. Certified Sommelier Paul Childress of Ben Arnold Beverage will do the wine-informing honors, and the menu includes:

Assorted Italian Canapés served butler-style in the Living Room

Wine:  Santa Margherita Prosecco.

Parmesan Consommé with foie gras and wild mushroom tortellini

Wine:  TBA Caparzo Sangiovese, Toscana

Vine Ripe Tomato and Mozzarella Salad with aged balsamic vinegar reduction and extra virgin olive oil

Seared Herb Crusted Tuna with saffron risotto, Cipollini onions, roasted tomato and basil broth

Wine:  TBA Principessa Perlante Gavi, Piemonte

Pomegranate Granita, to cleanse your palate

Marinated Grilled Veal Chop with Broccolini, white bean ragout and Barolo sauce

Wine:  TBA Castello Banfi Cum Laude, Toscana

Milk Chocolate Panna Cotta (or perhaps Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta)

Wine:  TBA Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui, Piemonte

The price of this amazing four-course gourmet meal is $72, and reservations may be made by calling 843-237-9322.

Women Build is a project of Habitat for Humanity that begins on Sept. 15. Area women will come together starting on that day to build a home for a family that needs one.

But the women building the home will also build up appetites, and food donations throughout the duration of the build (they hope to have the family in the home by Christmas) are needed.

Any restaurant, vendor or private person able to help feed the hungry construction women may contact Sandi Kendrick at sjk@sc.rr.com or 916-8815, Ext. 16.

You can learn more about the project at www.habitatmb.org/WB%202007.htm.

Here’s a tip for folks who want to visit a restaurant during Memorial Day weekend: head south. In years past my husband and I have had good luck heading to Murrells Inlet, Pawleys Island and Georgetown restaurants during the bikefest. This weekend, the bikers will mostly stay up toward the north end of the Grand Strand.

Ciao! Italian Restaurant & Deli at 5223 North Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach is closed for remodeling starting today (May 24) through Monday (May 28). They’ll be open again for lunch on Tuesday the 29^th.

This cozy spot features white linens, a casual friendly atmosphere and wonderful Italian lunches and dinners created by executive chef Steve Martin. A few dishes include Fried Calamari, Mozzarella Capresse, Lasagna, Spinach Ravioli, Antipasto, Spinach Salad, Veal Parmesan, Chicken Limone, Crab Cakes, Scallops Diavolo and Tiramisu.

The number is 449-5700

We locals are lucky that we have restaurants where we can often experience a vacation mindset, even if it’s only during lunch or dinner.

Crab Catchers on the Waterfront, which is waterfront in Little River, has a dining deck with a great view of the downtown marina, including the casino boats, and of Little River Inlet. The menu is mostly seafood presented in a no-nonsense casual manner. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t tasty.

At a recent lunch I had the fresh catch of the day on a sandwich, and my dining companion enjoyed Buffalo Shrimp. Other choices include Steamed Mussels, Calamari, Oysters on the Half Shell, Grouper Bites, Sea Scallops, Crabcake Sandwich, Fish Fry Dinner and a Seafood Platter.

In the non-seafood category, you can order Chicken Wings, Hushpuppies, Cheeseburger, Deep-fried Corn and Flat Iron Steak.

Crab Catchers opens daily at 11 a.m., and the number is 280-2025.

The word now on the remodeling at Crady’s, at 332 Main St. in Conway, is they will reopen on Tuesday, May 29.

It has been a pleasure to watch this intimate café evolve into the gourmet haven it is today. Whether you choose a Turkey and Brie sandwich or the Asian Shrimp and Ginger Bowl, you’ll be delighted you stopped by. This is definitely a place where you’ll want to save room for desserts like Hershey Bar Pie.

Jimmie Walters, the Cultural and Leisure Services Director for the City of Myrtle Beach, wanted to have an event that would attract more customers to the city farmer’s market called Myrtle’s Market. Jimmie also likes watching shows on the Food Network. He saw a program about a firehouse cook-off, and he was off and running with plan.

On Saturday, June 2, three-person culinary teams from the three shifts at the Myrtle Beach Fire Department will see who knows their ways best around the kitchen in a Firehouse Cook-Off Competition.

It starts at 9 a.m. at Myrtle’s Market, at the intersection of Mr. Joe White Avenue and Oak Street.

Each team will have two hours to prepare a meal with at least 100 sample-size servings. They have to incorporate into their meal one ingredient that will be revealed to them when they begin cooking, and they must use at least three items available at Myrtle’s Market that day.

“They’re excited about it,” Jimmie says, “we’re excited about it and everybody I’ve talked to about it is excited about it…We’re going to have tents to cook in, and they’re bringing cookers. We’ll have a clock from one of our athletic fields, a stadium clock that will count backwards the two hours.”

When the judging is over, the leftover food will be available for free sampling.

A friend who went to Myrtle’s Market on May 19 said she bought some excellent heads-on fresh shrimp, and that the folks from Indigo Farms told her blueberries will be available in two weeks. Tyler Produce, she said, sold out of their fruits and vegetables that day.

She added the market needs more vendors, and that any truck farmer who brought a pickup load of produce would likely sell it all.

Local restaurants, and their chefs and owners, will be featured weekly on our local FOX affiliate starting at 6 a.m. on Sunday, June 3. Each 30-minute program, called Myrtle Beach TV, will include a restaurant segment, and the interviews and commentary will be conducted by yours truly.

Myrtle Beach Inc. is producing the shows (www.MyrtleBeachInc.com), and each program will contain 10 segments about what’s fun and unique about the Grand Strand area. It definitely won’t be a typical in any way – the creators are determined it will be a reality-based program showcasing behind-the-scenes information.

Pauline LeVesque, CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association, went to Columbia on May 16 for an annual South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department event called Hospitality Day. She talked to the director, former Horry County Council Chairman Chad Prosser.

Pauline says Chad was pleased to learn the Grand Strand area is working to form its own chapter of Dine Originals, which is a group designed to promote local independently owned restaurants. She says Chad also mentioned that he has “something in the works” toward promoting culinary tourism in this area and the rest of South Carolina.

The North Carolina Farm Bureau reports, “McCall Farms of Effingham, S.C., is voluntarily recalling more than 2,500 cases of Margaret Holmes Seasoned Turnip Greens after tests by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services confirmed trace amounts of diesel fuel in product samples, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced today.

“The recall affects 27-ounce cans of Margaret Holmes Seasoned Turnip Greens with the product code TURN3 K10GY and a best-by date of November 2009. The recalled product was distributed to retail stores in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

“State public health officials said the level of diesel fuel detected in the samples of turnip greens should not pose a health risk.

“Consumers who have this product should return it to the place of purchase for a refund,” Troxler said. “Our inspectors will be checking to be sure this product is pulled from store shelves, and will be testing additional products.”

Whooo hooooo, it’s Vidalia Onion season again! Now we can find them in grocery stores and on the menu in our favorite restaurants.

Down at Louis’s at Pawleys, a new seasonal menu item is Chilled Vidalia Onion and Curried Buttermilk Soup.

I’ve also noticed morel mushrooms on more and more local menus. If you’ve never had a morel mushroom and you have the chance to try them, I encourage you to do so.

In addition to the taste senses of sweet, salty, sour and bitter, there is a fifth taste sense called umami. Umami is the feeling of richness, fulfillment and satisfaction. Morels deliver a prime example of experiencing umami.

Pizzelli’s Italian Oven in Little River doesn’t look too special from the outside, but the inside is a welcome surprise with a tasteful décor. The menu is also a treat.

Appetizer choices include Pepperoni Bread, Mozzarella and Provolone and Grouper Bites. There are Italian Wedding Soup, Grilled Shrimp Salad, Mediterranean Greek Salad and Antipasti salad.

Several burgers and hoagies are available, including an Eggplant Parmesan Hoagie. There are also specialty pizzas, and many sandwiches like the Stacked Steak Sandwich and the Ultimate Club.

For your pasta pleasure they offer Veal Parmigiana; Hot Italian Sausage and Peppers; Meat or Cheese Ravioli; Lasagna; Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo and Shrimp Scampi.

Pizzeli’s is at 1698 U.S. 17 North in Little River, and the number is 280-8880. They’re open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays; the lounge stays open later.

Many local golf courses have great little restaurants that come with extraordinary views. True Blue near Pawleys Island is such a place; the peace and quiet is a bonus.

The view from their Southern plantation-style clubhouse is of rolling greens with a forested backdrop. While in this serene setting you can enjoy breakfast and lunch daily in the True Blue Grillroom.

For breakfast there are omelets, pancakes, quiche, fresh fruit, a breakfast wrap and Eggs Benedict or Crabcakes Benedict.

At lunchtime you can enjoy seafood dishes, burgers, barbecue and more.

True Blue is at 900 Blue Stem Drive in Pawleys Island, and the phone number is 235-0900.

You’ve been asking for it, and we are here to serve up whatever your hungry heart desires. In the menu to your left you’ll see we added a page for waterfront restaurants.

MyrtleBeachRestaurantNews.com is pleased to offer FREE restaurant-related help wanted ads. Each ad will remain posted for one week.

Send your restaurant’s help wanted ad to Becky@TheFoodSyndicate.com.

Please include the following information:

Where the job is located.

A description of the job you need filled.

Contact information for the job applicant.

A phone number where we can contact you.

And if you’re looking for a job in our local restaurant industry, we also have a page for you. Please click on the “Position Desired” button on the left side of this screen to find out how you can post your information.

…loses out on the Rice Krispy treats.

Normally I don’t get excited about Rice Krispy treats, but until a few days ago I hadn’t tried the ones they make at the Bagel Factory in Myrtle Beach. They were rich and creamy – I detected a hint of peanut butter – and studded with marshmallow pieces and mini M&Ms.

I bought them for my son, but he hesitated too long and my husband and I got to them first.

We also enjoyed Bagel Factory’s pastry called a Raspberry Cigar; they also have Chocolate Cigars, Black and White Cookies, Cheese Danish, Cherry Danish, Chocolate Horns, Poppy Danish, brownies, muffins and strudels.

Of course the Bagel Factory has a lot of different bagels, and they also serve up dishes like omelets, eggs, pancakes, wraps, sandwiches (the shrimp salad comes highly recommended), deli meats, burgers, salads and sides.

It’s a busy little place with plenty of seating and a friendly atmosphere.

Bagel Factory is at 2012 N. Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach, and the phone number is 626-6445. For a minimum $12 order, they’ll deliver.

If you like little out-of-the-way spots where you can take out-of-town visitors craving a beautiful view, Baker Street Gill & Grill in Little River fits the criteria. The eatery is on the second floor of a building at Cricket Cove Marina. It has indoor and outdoor seating, and the view from either is fabulous.

It’s open for lunch and dinner – they have daily specials during both meals – and the menu offers a variety of dishes.

Appetizers include Buffalo Shrimp, Oysters on the Half Shell, Shrimp Cocktail, Spinach Artichoke Dip and Crab Cake served with a remoulade.

The Backened Salmon Caesar Salad is great, and you can have a Top Sirloin or Ribeye steak topped with gorgonzola butter, tomato-basil butter, or lemon-herb butter.

In the seafood department there are Grilled Grouper, Tomato-basil Salmon, Tuna Steak, Mahi-Mahi, Grilled Shrimp and a Fried Shrimp Platter. If you’re in the mood for a sandwich, some of the choices are crab cake, grouper, French Dip, Chili Dogs and burgers.

To get to Baker Street Gill & Grill, turn off U.S. 17 at the stoplight that intersects with Baker Street. Go to the end of the road, and you’ll end up at the marina. The number is 249-2222.

Handy produce market reports are now available on A&A Produce’s Web site. The information provided by this local company is extremely thorough.

Here is a sample of the current info:

“Bell Pepper- The northern areas of Florida are coming on with production; supplies have been increasing, and markets relaxing. Georgia will not be in full swing until the end of the month.”

“Corn- Corn supplies are tight this week from Florida. The Georgia crop is expected to start around the first of June. Due to the weather conditions delaying production in Georgia, we are now looking at a gap in supplies for the Memorial Day holiday pull.”

“Cauliflower- There still are a few rock bottom deals out there as the abundance of product winds down. Already, FOBs are rising slightly. While nothing drastic is expected at this point in time, flower is notorious for its ability to jump over night. Buy what you need now while there is product available at cheaper costs.”

“Washington apples- There are still some grumblings of a light bloom set for next season. This would provide the 2007-2008 season with larger fruit and smaller yields. This year should be a down-year cycle. Keep in mind also that as the blooms set over the next 3 weeks we still have a risk of frost damage which would present itself in the condition of the fruit at harvest time. Gala’s are winding down, along with Braeburns. Golds remain tight and the condition is poor. Shippers are still running fruit every 5-8 days, so packing time is limited on all varieties except Red Dels.”

You can read the entire report by clicking on the A&A Produce banner below, and then clicking on “market report.” It contains valuable information for chefs, food and beverage directors, restaurant owners and grocery store customers.

While looking at a youtube.com video I posted (of my dog catching a Frisbee), another video caught my attention:

It’s about SeaBlue, a great restaurant in North Myrtle Beach specializing in small plates (or should I say “reasonable portions”) and fine wines.

Then I saw this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPqa_OO-eQY&mode=related&search=

which is about the Giant Crab. The video was produced by Myrtle Beach Inc. (http://www.myrtlebeachinc.com/), which also owns and maintains a nifty website at http://www.myrtlebeachscrestaurants.com. Diners can post their own restaurant reviews there.

I started looking around youtube a little more and found this video about Perrone’s in Pawleys Island:

And another about SeaBlue:

Wow, our restaurants are entering the high tech information age!

Having lunch at Ocean Fish Market in Conway is a Southern coastal experience like no other. You get the freshest seafood you could possibly have outside of catching it yourself, it is cooked up as you order and served piping hot, and you can eat your meal at one of seven picnic tables outside under the branches of an enormous live oak tree.

It’s heavenly.

Proprietor Ray Hardee says Ocean Fish Market has been in his wife’s family for about the past 60 years at 302 Kingston Street (a block north of Main Street), alongside the Waccamaw River. My husband and I, and about 200 of our closest friends, can vouch for the high quality of their Beaufort oysters we enjoy at a backyard oyster roast every November. Ray figures he sells around 7,000 bushels between September and April, and the oysters are washed before you take them home.

The dining area by the picnic tables is bordered by an old brick wall with iron rings set in them. They were once used to tether the horses of  hungry folks arriving on horseback and by cart to get fresh seafood.

But change is coming to Ocean Fish Market. A week from Thursday, (May 24), Ray is going before the Conway Appearance Board to seek approval for a double-tier deck he wants to build behind the oyster-washing shed beside the river. It will be a combination dining area and bar.

“I got the idea out of West Palm Beach, Fla.,” he says. “Down there the decks are hanging over the water. Ours will have great scenery, and shade, and docks for water access.”

The way his plans are now, the deck will have 2,200 square feet on two levels. The top A-frame level will be open-air, have 1,200 square feet, and a bar serving beer and wine in the center.

About the food at Ocean Fish Market:

Sandwiches include fillets of whiting, croaker, spot and catfish, and barbecue, soft shell crab and crab cake. My fried flounder sandwich came on white bread, and I had a choice of tartar sauce or hot sauce.

You can also get seafood dinners, including a flounder-shrimp combo, plus hot dogs, corn dogs, onion petals, sweet potato fries, cole slaw and hush puppies.

This is a fish market, so of course you can also get fresh seafood to take home and cook. The number is 248-4334.

From September through May, Frank’s Outback in Pawleys Island has Family Night Tuesdays when their gourmet pizzas are 20 percent off. The end of May is fast approaching, and there are only two more Tuesdays to take advantage of this offer before it’s gone for another summer.

Frank’s Outback is behind Frank’s Restaurant, at 10434 Ocean Highway in Pawleys Island. The number is 237-3030.

The atmosphere at Frank’s Outback is perfect for children. It’s a cozy and beautiful oasis with fine dining amenities to please Mom and Dad, and an open-air setting to please the young ones. Live oaks provide a canopy, there are many gorgeous plants and a water garden provides a soothing background burble.

While in Conway on Tuesday, I saw that Crady’s on Main Street is still closed. Artistic renderings on the glass windows showed tables topped with wine glasses and the message, “Picture yourself here.”

When Crady’s does reopen, dinners will be served in addition to lunches. We can’t wait to “picture ourselves there.”

The other day Kelly Graham at SeaBlue told me she has been driving to Leland, N.C., to buy fresh herbs at Shelton Herb Farm. The chef also mentioned if several restaurants are interested in buying herbs from the Sheltons, they might start weekly deliveries to the Grand Strand area.

I contacted Margaret Shelton, and she said if at least ten restaurants bought their herbs, she would start weekly deliveries here.

The Sheltons grow more than 600 varieties of herbs, plus edible flowers.

The farm is located at 340 Goodman Road near Leland; a map is below. The phone number is 910-253-5964.

Executive Chef Sean Christenson at City Bar in Myrtle Beach is taking diners on a culinary tour of the American Northwest starting at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Tuesday, May 15). For $50 the special meal includes Northwest wines matched with:

A sampling of Geoduck Clams featuring Sashimi with ponzu and wasabi toniko, Tenderized Clam Francese and Creamed Chowder with fresh herbs.

A tasting of Columbia River King Salmon showcasing Citrus and Pernod Cured White Salmon with collected wild salad greens and Orange Supremes; and Pan-seared Chinook Salmon with Fiddlehead Ferns, Wild Asparagus and Salmon Skin Sauce.

Washington State Roast Lamb Rack with fresh morels, ramps, sauteed wild watercress and a Walla Walla Cabernet demi-glaze.

Espresso- and Chartreuse-infused Chocolate Fondue with biscotti, ladyfingers and fresh fruit.

You can check to see if any spots are still open for this spectacular meal by calling 449-7013.

Umberto’s at Coquina Harbor in Little River is a fine place to have dinner due to the gorgeous view of Coquina Harbor, which is the largest harbor in the Mid-Atlantic. The food is pretty incredible too.

Italian dishes are featured, and around these parts they are legendary.

Dinner may start with Stuffed Banana Peppers (stuffed with Italian sausage), Fried Calamari and Umberto’s famous Garlic Bread Pizziola.

Pasta dishes include Seafood Alfredo, Zuppa di Mare with white or red sauce, Shrimp Scampi and Vodka Rigatoni. From the sea there are Maryland Crab Cakes, Grouper Piccata, Grouper Umberta, Scallops, a Seafood Platter and Alaskan Salmon. Traditional Italian dishes include Veal Marsala, Eggplant Parmigiana, Chicken Piccata and Osso Bucco Milanese.

The Double-cut Pork Chops, Lamb Chops and Veal Chops are enormous and cooked to juicy perfection, while the steak topped with jumbo Shrimp Scampi is deliciously memorable.

Umberto’s also has a market and deli next door that sells cheeses, hand-cut chops and steaks, sandwiches, seafood, olive oils, vinegars and gift items.

The restaurant is next to the Holiday Inn in Little River, at 720 U.S. 17. The number is 249-5513.

The staff at Emi and Tiffany Folk of National Distributing have come up with a unique wine tasting called “Drink Yourself Blind.”

They’re not advocating drinking yourself senseless; it’s going to be an evening of fun and games starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22.

The five wines o’ the night will be concealed in brown paper bags, and prizes will be awarded for correct quiz answers. And of course each wine will be paired with a succulent dish from the famed Emi kitchen.

Reservations are required, and you can make them by calling 235-2313. Emi is at 47 Da Gullah Way, off U.S. 17, in Pawleys Island.

Café M is a pretty little sage green and honey wood bistro and bakery at 514 8^th Avenue North in Myrtle Beach that has Kosher Cholov Yisroel items. For you non-Jewish folks, that means all their dairy production from the time of milking was under constant supervision by a Jew, and the milk comes from kosher animals (cows are kosher).

Everything they sell is kosher, from the vegetarian and fish entrees to the baked goods and desserts like Dulce de Leche, Chocolate Mousse and Blueberry Mousse.

Café M is a cool retreat from the summer heat and a nice place to dine-in, but they also deliver. The number is 946-7060.

Who needs to go to New York when we have Nick’s New York Pub right here in North Myrtle Beach? The menu is varied and outstanding – definitely not your normal bar food.

Appetizers include Central Park Pretzels, Little Italy Calamari, Brooklyn Ribs, Staten Island Mini Burgers and Park Avenue Tuna. There are half-pound burgers with a choice of interesting toppings, French onion soup, a Metropolitan Spring Salad and the Empire Chef Salad.

A long list of sandwiches includes the Lou Gehrig Grilled Cheese with ham or bacon and sliced tomatoes; Babe Ruth BBQ; Willie Mays Club; The Godfather Steak; and a Coney Island Dog. For dinner you can get a New York Strip, Steak au Poivre, a Big Apple Pork Chop and Red Hook Shrimp.

For dessert, of course there is New York Cheesecake.

New York Pub is at 113 U.S. 17 North at Second Avenue North, and the phone number is 249-7600. It is open starting at 11:30 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

Don’t you just love small business success stories? There is just such a tale behind Pizza Mambo, which is located at 306 Broadway in Myrtle Beach. It involves a couple of college friends with pizza parlor jobs who thought they could do it better themselves.

You can read the whole story here: http://pizzamambo.com/about.html.

And you can check out their menu here: http://pizzamambo.com/menu.html.

They have sandwiches and salads, but what grabs my attention are the specialty pizzas such as Dixie Chicken with grilled chicken, Wisconsin Cheddar, sweet onions and barbecue sauce; or the Pesto Mambo with broccoli, feta cheese, black olives, artichokes and pesto.

Pizza Mambo is open 4 p.m. to midnight Sundays through Thursdays and from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. They deliver, and the number is 626-6655.

Friends who live up near Little River give high recommendations to Casa Villa, which is In Little River at 1535 U.S. 17.

The menu is extensive and includes:

Appetizers:

Quesadilla, Guacamole, Bean Dip, Nachos.

Chicken Dishes:

Godornis – Deep-fried Cornish hen

Choripollo – Grilled chicken breast covered with Mexican sausage and cheese

Lunch dishes:

Diabolo Shrimp, Mexican Eggs, Taco Salad, Enchilada Supreme, Carnitas, Green Enchiladas, Chimichanga, Taquitos, Quesadillas.

Dinners:

Quesadilla Rellena, Carne Asada, Mexican Beefsteak, Seafood Chipotle, Mojo Shrimp, Texan Fajitas.

The menu lists many more dishes, but that gives you an idea of their unique offerings. Casa Villa’s phone number is 249-7746.

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), is now open after being closed several weeks for renovations.

An added service the classic Italian restaurant now provides is tableside cooking, including special appetizers, Caesar salad and desserts such as Bananas Foster. The menu still offers 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.

Just kidding. It would be a cold day in Sumter before the wine stops flowing at SeaBlue in North Myrtle Beach. However, the evening of Tuesday, May 23 will be SeaBlue’s final wine tasting of the season before the dining hordes arrive for the warm months.

The theme is California wines, and Matt Maksimowitz will be the tour guide. The meal, including wines, costs $55 and you can make reservations by calling 249-8800.

Steamed Crab Claws with basil, Iraeli couscous and citrus nage (nage is a vegetable-based broth or sauce)

Foxglove Chardonnay

Cocoa-rubbed Flat Iron Steak with fried onion rings and classic Béarnaise

Trentadue Merlot

Yesterday, May 9, there were three meetings at area restaurants when Don Luria, president of Dine Originals of Tucson, Ariz., spoke about his organization. Don is working with Pauline Levesque, CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association, and local restaurateurs like Kelly and Michael Graham of SeaBlue and Louis Osteen of Louis’s at Pawleys to create a local chapter of Dine Originals.

Here is how it works:

Members of the local Dine Originals chapter do not have to write a check to join. Instead, they agree to honor up to 13 $50 Dine Originals gift certificates per quarter (or 26 $25 certificates). That works out to one or two gift certificate per week.

The gift certificates are sold quarterly by a company that totally handles the sales. Participating restaurants may put caveats on the certificates like they can only be used during certain hours, such as before 7 p.m. When the certificates are sold, diners get them at a discounted price; usually about 30 to 35 percent off retail.

The funds generated from the sales are split between the company that sells them, Dine Originals and the local chapter. The local chapter ends up with 55 percent of the gift certificate revenue to use toward local group advertising campaigns.

“Local chapters end up with several tens of thousands of dollars to use to advertise themselves,” Don says. “Usually when the gift certificates go on sale, they sell out in about 90 minutes.”

Another benefit to being a member of Dine Originals is their Group Purchasing Organization. Members can buy brand-name products at a discount through the GPO because they’ll have the same advantage chain restaurants have in buying supplies in bulk. They can still also make purchases from local vendors.

Don says the average savings a restaurant owner sees from the GPO is an additional $35,000 profit for every $1 million in sales, or about a 4 percent food cost savings.

And there are several other benefits, such as discount prescription drug cards that can be given to employees.

Six ladies, members of the Green Thumb Garden Club in Florence, were having a fine Wednesday morning at La Belle Amie Vineyard near North Myrtle Beach. On their way to lunch at Sea Captain’s House, they stopped by La Belle Amie to line up at the tasting bar. Wine tastings are $5 for five wines, and you get a coupon good for $2 off the purchase of a bottle of wine.

La Belle Amie partner/operator, Vicki Weigle, had exciting news to share: they bought a vineyard in Elizabethtown, N.C.

“Ten former tobacco farmers planted 120 acres of grapes three years ago there,” Vicki says, “so they’ll bear grapes this year. The problem is, this year there was an early bud break and a late freeze. They will produce this year, but we’re not sure how much.”

The grapes are muscadine, and Vicki says they’ll also be blending grapes from other locations.

In other La Belle Amie news, on Saturday, June 9 at one of Vicki’s wine festivals, trick horse riders from Wampee Stables will perform.

La Belle Amie is off S.C. 90 just west of Little River and North Myrtle Beach, and just past North Myrtle Beach Middle School. They have a Web site at www.labelleamie.com, and the phone number is 399-WINE (9463).

Crady’s, at 332 Main St. in Conway, has been closed for renovations. Adam Whitley says they hope to be open again next week.

Soul Food Express, which was at 819 Main St. in Myrtle Beach, has closed, and the space is for lease. The restaurant has 2,400 square feet and 90 seats, and has street level and underground areas. The phone number for inquiries is 997-7997.

Thanks to a friend who loves having meals delivered to his office who asked me to do so, I’ve been working on a list of area restaurants that deliver. Look for that to come on-line later this week!

You can get an Italian dinner at Bada Bing! Italian Ristorante, at 3001 N. Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach, and if your order is more than $10 and you live in their delivery area, it can be brought to your door.

The menu offers Bruschetta, Stuffed Cherry Peppers, salads, pizzas, soups and subs. They have spaghetti, cheese ravioli and meat ravioli that can come with marina, meatballs or sausage; and manicotti and seafood pasta.

Bada Bing! also has sautéed cod on pasta, and eggplant or chicken Parmesan. Desserts include cannoli and cheesecake.

The number is 946-9800, and hours are 4 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. daily. Their Web site is at www.Bada-Bing.Biz.

The word is around town the old Bullwinkle’s restaurant, which was sort of an upscale Chuckie Cheese, is going to be the home of Smokestack Lightning, a pit-cooked barbecue restaurant owned in small part by local chef Louis Osteen. 

The pit will be located in the middle of the restaurant. Yes! A real pit-cooked barbecue joint!

Bullwinkle’s was designed by local architect Derek Mozingo, and the interior was a playground of lighting and electronic special effects. It will be interesting to see the transformation.

The restaurant is off 29^th Avenue North in Myrtle Beach, behind Planet Hollywood and across the street from Broadway at the Beach.

A free wine tasting and dessert sampling takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight (Tuesday, May 8) at Croissants Bakery and Café. During the event there will be special prices on boutique wines, and patrons may sign up for Croissants’ wine club that will provide discounts for members and information about future wine events.

I recently stopped by Croissants for breakfast and tried their Shrimp and Grits, which was excellent. Many of owner/chef Heidi Vukov’s cakes are on display, and her cake that looks like a sand castle is gorgeous.

Croissants is at 3751 Robert M. Grissom Parkway at 38^th Avenue North in the Beach First Bank Center. The number is 448-2253.

My lunch companion and I give four sauce-slathered thumbs way up for Pig Out Bar-B-Que’s barbecue, white and red cole slaws, sweet and fluffy cornbread, excellent fried green tomatoes and a moist and delicious barbecue pork chop. We wanted to try the ribs, but at 12:30 p.m. their lunch rib supply was already sold out. I guess that means they’re good.

The hush puppies were a bit overdone, and the pecan pie and red velvet cake I took home weren’t anything I’ll buy again. However, those details won’t keep me from going back for more barbecue.

The regular barbecue plate, which includes two sides, costs $5.49, and the large plate is $8.49. A barbecue sandwich is $3.49. Other menu items include chicken, sausage dogs, hot dogs, burgers and salad, such as the Bar-b-cue Chef’s Salad. Side dishes are Carolina Red Slaw, Traditional White Slaw, Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Hush Puppies, Fried Corn on the Cob, Sweet Cornbread, Home Fries, Onion Rings, Fried Green Tomatoes and Fried Pickles.

05/07/2007

Entire chain to go

The Smokey Bones Barbecue & Grill restaurant at Coastal Grand Mall in Myrtle Beach has closed. It is one of 56 Smokey Bones restaurants the company closed across the country on Saturday. Seventy-three other Smokey Bones restaurants that the parent company, Darden Restaurants, owns will be sold.

Darden also owns the Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurant chains.

For several weeks there had been speculation about the future of Smokey Bones. Company officials were saying that the concept was not catching on with diners, and as an experiment two Smokey Bones were changed over to a new concept restaurant called Rocky River Grill. According to a report today in the Orlando Sentinel, the two Rocky River Grills were also closed.

You can see a list of all the closed Smokey Bones here:

http://www.smokeybones.com/closed_restaurants.asp

A new Asian restaurant with much creative flair scheduled to open in June is Buddha Lounge. It will be located near Kings Highway between 17^th and 18^th avenues north in Myrtle Beach.

Mother’s Day is May 13, and I have a suggestion for a terrific new restaurant where you can really impress your mom.

3500 North Ocean Grill is the name of the restaurant in the new Prince Resort, which is by the Cherry Grove Pier in North Myrtle Beach at 35^th Avenue North. The restaurant’s second floor location offers a splendid view of the ocean, and the décor is rich with glowing pastels that reminds me of Florida’s South Beach.

While diners can visit the restaurant every day for delicious breakfasts and dinners from Executive Chef Randy Herndon (I heartily recommend his Steak Prince with shrimp, scallops and a luscious white wine cream sauce), on Mother’s Day there will be a special lunch.

Chef Herndon is a master dessert maker, so I urge you to save room for something sweet. His brownies are some of the best I’ve ever tasted.

The number at 3500 North Ocean Grill is 417-1300.

Another Mother’s Day possibility is the special lunch and dinner dishes Chef Louis Osteen will serve that day at Louis’s at Pawleys, which is located in the Pawleys Island Hammock Shops.

The special menu includes Chilled Vidalia and Cucumber Soup; Stone-ground Grits Souffle with Spring Morels; Warm Salad of Grilled Shrimp and Asparagus tossed lightly with Old Sherry Vinaigrette; Veal Medallions with Country Ham Ravioli; and Brioche French Toast with Strawberries and Sour Cream Ice Cream.

Reservations can be made by calling 237-8757.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a recall for Archer Farms Four Cheese Risotto sold nationwide at Target stores. The six-ounce packages have a best used by date of 16JUL2008AA and have a mustard yellow banner on the boxes.

The reason for the recall is, “because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.”

No illnesses associated with this product have been reported. The FDA press release says, “The Salmonella contamination was noted after random testing by the US Food and Drug Administration.”

When I read an article about how the price of grouper in Florida is causing grouper sandwiches to cost up to $13, it made me wonder about our local grouper prices.

So I called Harrelson’s Seafood Market in Murrells Inlet, where you can get a fantastic fresh local grouper sandwich for $8.95, and talked to Mike McKendree.

Mike says they sell grouper filets for $14.99 per pound, and whole grouper is $7.50 per pound. The grouper sandwich they serve at lunch contains a half-pound filet.

“We don’t make any money on our grouper sandwich,” Mike says, “but we wanted to serve the best grouper sandwich in town.”

Up in Little River, Capt. Juel’s Hurricane Restaurant sells their grouper sandwich for $10.95. That restaurant opened in 1945, and it still serves fresh and delicious seafood, and it still has a great view of the Little River Inlet.

One of the lunch specials a few days ago was Fried Grouper with grits and sun-dried tomato sauce, and the menu has Barbecue Shrimp, Key West Coconut Shrimp, Crab Cakes, Blackened Mahi with grits, Mahi Rockefeller, Seafood Au Gratin and Capt. Juel’s famous seafood stew.

You can also order Greek Salad, Caesar Salad, Blackened Chicken, Bourbon Street Steak and a Cheeseburger. For dessert there are Coconut Cake (“Grandmom Bernice’s old recipe”), Banana Bread Pudding, Derby Pie and Key Lime Pie. They also have desserts of the day like Red Velvet Cake or Coconut Pineapple Cake.

Capt. Juel’s is on the waterfront at 4499 Mineola Ave., and the number is 249-2211.

Last year when I was looking through old issues of the Tabor City Tribune, I came across the following article that ran on May 23, 1951.

Little River – Passengers aboard Capt. Fran Juel’s fishing yacht “Hurricane” Saturday morning were treated to an unexpected drama in the waters of Little River Inlet as the Hurricane plowed toward the open ocean on a routine deep-sea fishing trip.

As the craft rounded the point at Tilghman Neck, Captain Juel noticed a swirling commotion in the waters ahead. He stopped the boat just before the bow reached the spot and discovered the commotion was caused by a huge porpoise and a shove-mouth shark, traditional enemies of the sea, engaged in mortal combat.

As the passengers crowded to the rail to witness the deadly battle, salt water sprayed the deck from the lashing tail fins of the ocean monsters. The slicing teeth of the shark proved unequal to the pile-driving “bumps” of the porpoise. When the fight was over, the shark floated, broken and ripped, in the blood-stained water, while the porpoise moved leisurely out to open sea.

Captain Juel stated it was the second such fight he had seen during his many years as a sea-going skipper and that in each case the porpoise – legendary friend of man –was the winner.

We are pleased to begin offering free local restaurant industry Help Wanted and Position Desired ads. Please see the menu options on the left side of this page to locate these lists.

Kelly Graham, chef proprietor at SeaBlue in North Myrtle Beach, told me about a great Web site at http://dining.discoversouthcarolina.com/. There is a big push to promote culinary tourism throughout South Carolina, and this site is a great example of that.

On the topic of promoting our local restaurants, Pauline Levesque, CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association, is working to start a local chapter of Dine Originals, which promotes local independently owned restaurants. There are three meetings coming up next week to explain this organization to area restaurant owners. They are at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, May 9 at Thoroughbreds Restaurant in Myrtle Beach; 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 9, at SeaBlue in Myrtle Beach; and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9, at the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes.

Call Pauline at 626-9668, or e-mail her at plevesque@mbhospitality.org if you are a restaurant owner and you plan to attend one of those meetings.

To find out more about Dine Originals, you can visit their Web site at www.dineoriginals.com.

A new restaurant is at 1208 N. Kings Highway; it used to be a Mexican restaurant, and before that a Hawaiian barbecue place, and before that a lot of other restaurants.

This time it is Boston Pizza-Plus.

The pizza part includes The Boston Special (pepperoni, meatball, sausage, mushrooms, onions, green peppers); Brazilian pizza (sausage, green olives, onions, eggs); Shrimp Scampi pizza, White Garlic pizza, Mexican pizza (beans, chorizo, ham, onions, jalapenos, bacon); Hearts of Palm pizza; and Portuguese pizza (mozzarella, ham, corn, olives, sweet peas, onions, boiled eggs).

The Plus part of the menu offers sandwiches like Philly Steak, Tuna, Pastrami, Homemade Meatball and Cracked Pepper Turkey; and salads from antipasto to chicken Caesar and macaroni. You can also get Fish and Chips, Rigatoni, Cavatelli, Hot Wings, Chili Cheese Fries, Egg Rolls, Sausage Cheese Ravioli, Gyros and Burgers.

Sweets include pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Passionfruit Mousse, Tiramisu, Cheesecake with Strawberries, Smoothies and Milk Shakes.

Boston Pizza-Plus delivers, and the phone number is 448-1177.

Another Myrtle Beach restaurant that delivers is Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches at 21^st Avenue North and Kings Highway. They offer 8-inch French bread subs for $4, Giant Club Sandwiches for $5, Plain Slims (without veggies and sauce) for $3 and The J.J. Gargantuan for $7. The Gargantuan has Genoa salami, sliced smoked ham, capicola, roast beef, turkey and provolone with onions, mayo, lettuce, tomato and their own Italian dressing.

For dessert you can choose either a giant chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin cookie.

You can also dine in and get take-out at Jimmy John’s. The phone number is 448-0909, and they have a Web site at www.JimmyJohns.com.

Recent local media reports implying that much local seafood is unsafe for human consumption is misleading, according to South Carolina and North Carolina state authorities.

“If the public listened to all the reports in the news about what not to eat, you’d starve to death,” says Butch Younginer, the fish consumption advisor for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). “If you look through the medical journals, there is a lot of advice coming out now, scientific information from medical people, about the benefits of eating fish. Even if there is low levels of mercury, the benefits outweigh the risks to human health. There are many heart-healthy reasons to eat fish, like they’re low in fat, high in triglycerides and Omega 3s. They’re a good source of protein and they do contain a lot of things good for your body and are good for your heart.”

Part of the local misconception about seafood safety stems from information printed on page 1A of The Sun News on May 3 that implies a long list of ocean and freshwater fish listed on the North Carolina Division of Public Health Web site should be avoided. However, that list (which may be viewed below this article) refers to fish that should be avoided by pregnant women, women of childbearing age who might become pregnant, and children ages 15 and younger.

Furthermore, some of the fish on the list are not local. For example, orange roughy is harvested off the shores of New Zealand.

“Our main emphasis is women of childbearing age and children,” says Dr. Luanne Williams, a state toxicologist with the N.C. Division of Public Health that created the list. “All others can safely eat those fish [on the printed list] for one meal a week.”

In fact, Dr. Williams urges the general population to eat seafood four times a week, and women of childbearing age are encouraged to eat seafood twice a week.

“I think people should know there are good healthy choices of seafood out there that people can eat even if they are pregnant, nursing or if they’re children at least age 15. I want to encourage people to eat seafood, and eat a variety of seafood.

“There are several good choices low in mercury like bluegill, farm-raised tilapia, trout, cod, croaker, flounder, pollock, ocean perch, shrimp, crab, mahi-mahi, spot, scallops and even fresh or frozen salmon…Because of the health benefits, and Omega 3 oils is just one of them, you certainly wouldn’t want to discourage people from eating fresh seafood.”

“We don’t want to scare people away from eating fish,” Butch Younginer says. “Just don’t eat all your fish from one place. Move around, vary your diet. If the public listens to the news…there’s always some horror story about spinach, next week it’s lettuce, next week it’s fish and chicken and you name it. I think you should do everything and eat everything in moderation.”

This information comes from the North Carolina Division of Public Health Web site at http://www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/fish/safefish.html.

Women of childbearing age, pregnant women, nursing mothers and children younger than age 15 may eat up to two meals per week of fish low in mercury. This group should not eat any fish with high mercury levels.

All other people may eat up to four meals per week of fish low in mercury. This group may also eat up to one meal per week of fish considered to have high mercury levels.

Black drum
Canned light tuna
Cod
Crab
Croaker
Flounder
Haddock
Halibut
Herring
Jacksmelt
Lobster
Mahi-mahi
Ocean perch
Oysters
Pollock
Pompano
Red drum
Salmon (canned, fresh or frozen)
Scallops
Sheepshead
Shrimp
Skate
Southern kingfish (sea mullet)
Spot
Speckled trout (spotted sea trout)
Tripletail
Whitefish
White grunt

Bluegill Sunfish
Farm-raised catfish
Farm-raised trout
Farm-raised crayfish
Tilapia
Trout

Almaco jack
Banded rudderfish
Canned white tuna (albacore tuna)
Cobia
Crevalle jack
Greater amberjack
South Atlantic grouper (gag, scamp, red and snowy)
King Mackerel
Ladyfish
Little tunny
Marlin
Orange roughy
Shark
Spanish mackerel
Swordfish
Tilefish
Tuna (fresh or frozen)**

Blackfish (bowfin)*
Catfish (caught wild)*
Jack fish (chain pickerel)*
Largemouth bass (statewide)
Warmouth*

*High mercury levels have been found in blackfish (bowfin), catfish, jack fish (chain pickerel), and warmouth caught south and east of Interstate 85.

**Different species from canned light tuna

Advisories from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, which can be seen at http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/water/fish/Advisories/atlantic.htm, say the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Drug Administration advises women who are or may become pregnant, nursing mothers and children younger than 14 to not eat any king mackerel, shark, swordfish or tilefish caught off the South Carolina coast.

It further states that no one of any age or gender should eat king mackerel longer than 39 inches, shark or tilefish.

People older than age 15 who are not pregnant, nursing or at risk of becoming pregnant may eat one meal per month of swordfish, and one meal per week of king mackerel between 33 and 39 inches. This group does not have restrictions on king mackerel less than 33 inches long.

Steve Martin lives a full life – full of his family, full of golf, full of music, full of community service and full of lots of great food.

Steve, the Executive Chef at Ciao! Italian Restaurant in Myrtle Beach and President of the Myrtle Beach chapter of the American Culinary Federation, was born into a restaurant family, and started his culinary career at a tender age.

“My father owned and managed restaurants,” Steve says, “and I started doing dishes and salads at 6 years old. I started cooking at age 11, and by the time I was 13 I cooked at a local restaurant, a breakfast and lunch place.

“It was in Cape May, N.J., and within six months I was running the line. Guys 40 years old were working under me, and we’d knock out 600 to 1,000 breakfasts. It wasn’t any kind of pressure to me. Since my father was a U.S. Marine Corps Drill Sergeant, he taught me to read the checks, 70 seats at a time, and I’d have to turn and burn them. It just came to me, something I was good at, a good memory.”

When Steve was 16, a friend of his father’s who was a member of the Philadelphia Restaurant Association asked the teen if he’d like to be on a team in the Pennsylvania Culinary Olympics. He did, and his team won. The prize was a scholarship to either the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., or at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris.

“I picked Cordon Bleu,” Steve says. “I wanted to go to Paris, and I [attended the school] for two summers. It was from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., six days a week.”

But when he was 18, Steve chose a path other than cooking. He became a Sooner and played football at Oklahoma University. However, he was injured and fractured a vertebra, so he switched schools and went to St. Joseph’s College in Philadelphia on a golf scholarship. He graduated with a business administration degree.

“The day I graduated my father wanted to turn three restaurants over to me [because] I had worked for him my whole life and he hadn’t paid me. I told him, ‘Dad, I’m never going to be in the restaurant business again.’”

For the next year and a half Steve worked for an advertising company, but one morning he woke up and decided he wasn’t happy. He and a partner opened a hardwood grill restaurant in Pittsburgh called Tessaro’s.

And Steve was happy. He has worked for the Marriot Corp., was a food and beverage director for seven years, owned his own restaurant consulting business and had a hand in starting up dozens of restaurants. About 17 years ago he and his wife, Renee, ended up in Folly Beach, S.C. at a restaurant called Café Suzanne’s. A few years later he got an offer to move to Murrells Inlet to open a restaurant called Bogey’s, and he has been in the Grand Strand area ever since.

However, Steve had a problem after graduating college: he started gaining weight as a result of steroid abuse while playing football. Although he no longer used steroids, no matter how much he ate or how much he exercised, he continued to gain weight.

He is a tall man at 6’3”, and big-boned, but Steve was carrying around so much weight that when the calendar clicked to the new millennium, he could hardly walk. The former athlete hated that his weight, which topped out at 571 pounds, was keeping him from enjoying a full life – which for him includes golfing regularly and going to music concerts.

He had gastric bypass surgery, and within a year Steve was back to his old feisty self at 250 pounds. Today Steve is happy as Executive Chef at Ciao! Italian Restaurant.

He is also happy with his family. He and Renee have been married 20 years, and he is proud of his three children: Lawrence, 24; Margot, 21; and Steven, 6.

Steve also serves the local culinary community as president of the Myrtle Beach chapter of the American Culinary Federation. In that role he has switched the location of the group’s annual Souper Supper from Tanger Outlet on U.S. 501 to Coastal Grand Mall, and he changed the date from October to Veteran’s Day in November. He is also planning, for 2008, the first of what he hopes will be an annual gourmet fund-raising golf tournament where players can enjoy gourmet cuisine and wine at every other hole. His goal is to provide scholarships for aspiring chefs and continuing education for working chefs.

Steve still plays golf about three times a week at True Blue, Caledonia, Pawleys Plantation, or “anywhere I’m invited,” and his handicap is 11.

And he and Renee still go to concerts. Steve’s Grateful Dead concert count is around 250.

Crady’s on Main Street in Conway is closed for renovations. I’ll keep tabs and let you know when it reopens and we can enjoy Barbara and Adam’s fine cuisine again.

Instead of the usual wine tasting; SeaBlue in North Myrtle Beach is having a tequila tasting starting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9. Five tequilas will be offered and discussed by Clay Garrett of Brown-Forman Corp.

The menu includes:

“Sangrita” Gazpacho

Don Eduardo Silver Tequila

Ceviche with Calamari, Lime, Grilled Orange, Chilies, Jicama and Cilantro

Herradura Reposado Tequila

Jack Cheese “Taquito” with Apple Chipotle Guacamole

Don Eduardo Reposado Tequila

Poblano Chile “Relleno” with Plantain Bean Stuffing and Red Mole

Herradura Anejo Tequila

Caramelized Banana Vanilla Bread Pudding and Anejo Espresso Caramel Crème Brulee

Don Eduardo Anejo Tequila

The meal’s price is $50, and you can make reservations by calling 249-8800.

And here are a few taxi and limousine companies:

North Myrtle Beach Taxi: 272-0009

Barefoot Taxi: 251-3668

Anchor Taxi: 444-0101 

Executive Limousine Service: 663-5466

Myrtle Beach Limousine Service: 293-4800

The winner of our monthly T-shirt contest, for restaurant-related news tips passed on to me during April, is Reese Wesner, general manager at City Bar in Myrtle Beach. Thanks to everyone who sent in news.

The contest starts over this month, and at the end of May a new winner of a Food Syndicate T-shirt will be selected.

A new Damon’s restaurant is being built near Eighth Avenue South and U.S. 17 in North Myrtle Beach.

A friend tells me a new Japanese restaurant will open this month in Surfside Beach where Yokoso was at 670 U.S. 17 Business South. Before it was Yokoso, it was another Asian restaurant called Ichiban. This time around it will be called Sake.

Kevin and Jackie DeMarco sold their Little River café called DeMarco’s Café so they could move to California and pursue their dream of