November 30
UPDATE 7:30 a.m.
FOOD RECALL
On Nov. 24 we reported that Sweetwater Valley Farms, Inc. of Philadelphia, Tenn., recalled Southern Cheddar Jack Volunteer Special Cheese because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
Now two more Sweetwater Valley Farms cheeses have been added to the recall list: Tennessee Aged Southern Mild Cheddar Cheese (yellow) and Tennessee Aged Southern Sharp Cheddar Cheese (yellow).
Click HERE for more information.
Delectable desserts
Some of the best sweets I've ever had the pleasure to put in my mouth were spread over six tables at Kelli Dixon's Fifth Annual Holiday Baking Competition held last night at Myrtle Beach Mall (formerly Colonial Mall-Myrtle Beach). I forget exactly how many desserts there were, but it was close to 30.
The other seven judges and I sampled crunchy cashew brittle, three kinds of coconut cake, several incredible chocolate confections and a couple of extra-special apple pies.
The winners are:
1st Place - Dolly-Lu Fisher for her Grandma's Cheesecake with Sauces blueberry, chocolate and bourbon butter.
This was a Perfect Cheesecake. I gave it a 10! The crust gave it sweetness, and the filling was light and creamy with a rich and savory taste. The accompanying sauces were simply incredible. The blueberry sauce burst with flavor, the chocolate was rich with cocoa and the bourbon butter was the best bourbon dessert sauce I’ve ever tasted.
2nd Place - Catherine Edes for her Cathy's Glazed Apple Pecan Pie. I wish I could make a pie so pretty and delicious! It must have taken her years to perfect this gorgeous masterpiece with its puffy top crust studded with nuts and little pastry apples.
3rd Place - Lin Kelly, for her Raspberry Chambord Cheesecake. The raspberry flavor came through clearly in the filling, and the fresh raspberries on top were at their perfect peaks of ripeness. What a treat in December!
Japanese gingerbread
You should see the incredible Japanese gingerbread house at Umi Pacific Grille! It’s actually a double house, and it’s huge.
The creation is made of 300 pounds of real gingerbread and 2,674 pieces of candy, and the staff spent a total of 60 hours putting it together.They say they’re going to do this every year.
Party possibilities
We have four new entries for the Holiday Party list if you’re still thinking about where to have your gala.
City Bar, at 7604 N. Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach, has a private room that can seat up to 50 people, and they can offer a wine dinner for up to 40 guests.
The customizable menus feature Metropolitan Cuisine, tapas, steaks and an award-winning wine list. They can handle five-course plated formal events, a 90-minute sampling menu and much more.
Find out more by calling 449-7013, or visit www.CityBarRestaurant.com.
SeaBlue needs you
Or at least SeaBlue needs you if you have bartending and serving experience. They’re looking for a cross-trained person to work behind the bar and take floor shifts. Bartending experience is a must.
Find out more HERE.
Also, every Tuesday in December will be half priced wine night at SeaBlue. Just stop in for a tapas or two and enjoy some of their great wines, including the already discounted wine of the week. This week they are featuring Domaine Du Trapadis Cotes Du Rhone.
And don’t forget about SeaBlue gift cards as a holiday gift idea. Through Dec. 24 you’ll receive a bonus $20.00 gift card for every $100.00 purchased!
SeaBlue Tapas Restaurant & Bar is located at 503 U.S. 17 in North Myrtle Beach, and the number is 249-8800.
November 29
Give and ye shall receive
The Melting Pot has a great incentive for giving the gift of fondue. For every $100 gift card purchased, the card purchaser gets four $25-gift certificates that can be redeemed in each quarter of 2008!
Also, a nifty idea to liven up your home or office holiday party is have the Melting Pot staff bring their luscious melted chocolate to you. Their Chocolate Fountain packages start at $325.
One more piece of Melting Pot news is they will start taking New Year’s Eve Celebration reservations on Dec. 1.
The Melting Pot is at 5001 N. Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach, and the number is 692-9003.
Stress-free entertaining
Or at least the stress factor will be reduced considerably if you order your party food from the special holiday menu at Crystalite Café in Surfside Beach. The goodie list includes:
9-inch Cakes for $24-37: Brown Sugar Pumpkin Walnut, Red Velvet, Pistachio, Sour Cream Coconut, German Chocolate, Chocolate Raspberry, Strawberry Shortcake, Banana Nut, and Carrot.
9-inch Pies for $15-$17: Pumpkin, Pecan, Chocolate Pecan and Apple.
Other sweets: Crumb Cake, Mega-Muffins, Cookies, Mini Fruit Pastries, Scones (blueberry, apple cinnamon, cranberry or oatmeal), and White or Dark Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries. They also have Gorilla Bread, which is like pull-apart Monkey Bread, but Gorilla Bread has cream cheese in the middle.
November 28
I have a hidden gem of a restaurant to tell you about!
Jenny Wong owns an incredible Japanese restaurant in Garden City. It’s not a chain, and she and her sister, Annie Wong, serve fantastic and inexpensive food in their beautifully decorated eatery.
If the name Jenny Wong sounds familiar, it’s because she owned and operated the Szechwan Restaurant in Georgetown for more than 20 years. Now she has Takara Japanese Express, which is next to Krystal Burger on U.S. 17 Business in the South Beach Exchange shopping center. The cuisine and surroundings are impeccable, but her loyal customers say it’s Jenny’s sweet personality that brings them back.
The décor is lovely. There is a goldfish pond complete with live plants and a waterfall, dozens of vibrantly lush live bamboo plants and even a full-size palm tree in there. The furniture is tasteful and chic, and the total package makes for a restful and refined ambiance.
Happily, the food matches the pleasant surroundings. There were several lunch specials when a friend and I visited, and we tried the Glazed Salmon with rice and vegetables. The salmon was cooked to a perfect moistness and the glaze coating was flavorful and generously applied.
We also tried the appetizer Sampler Platter with 1 egg roll, 2 spring rolls, 5 fried gyoza dumplings and 4 fried shrimp, which came with homemade plum dipping sauce (all the sauces are homemade). Everything delicious, but we especially liked the shrimp, which were cut butterfly-style and coated in extra-crispy Japanese panko breadcrumbs.
few other dishes include Shrimp Lo Mein, Broccoli with Filet Mignon, Ginger Garden Salad, Miso Soup, Jumbo Black Tiger Shrimp and Hibachi Crab Bowl. You can also get a salad, an entrée or a rice bowl called Seafood Fantasy. The chicken dishes, such as the Teriyaki Chicken and Hibachi Steak entrée, are extremely popular because Jenny uses only succulent fresh white breast meat.
Vegetarians love the Vegetarian Meal with tofu and the Soy Garlic Noodles, and Jenny and Annie are happy to make any Japanese or Chinese dish on request if they have the ingredients.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Take-out orders are welcome, and the number is 651-4106.
Pie in your PJs
Bryan Stoetzer, owner of the new Reha’s Beach Café in in Garden City, says he’ll be open for business just in time for Christmas. It’s beside U.S. 17 Business in The Oasis Shopping Center, where The Mac Guy and the Venetian Grille Italian Restaurant are located.
The menu is fascinating. They’ll have homemade pies: cherry, blueberry, apple, coconut cream, pumpkin, pear, lemon meringue, Key Lime, pecan, blackberry, French apple, German chocolate, Mississippi mud, Boston cream and chocolate cream. To wash it down, a bottomless cup of premium Columbian coffee is 50 cents. They also have a plate of fresh-baked cookies and milk; and a pound cake they say is, “absolutely the best pound cake you’ve ever had.”
The breakfast menu will be available all day, and it lists breakfast sandwiches like the Scrambler with Meat with a choice of bacon, sausage or pork roll. The 1-2-3 Fill Me Meal offers pancakes or French toast; a choice of bacon, sausage, pork roll or scrapple; homefries and toast; and one to three eggs. Remi’s Dots are silver dollar-size pancakes; there will be a cereal and fruit bar; and the Scrambler in a Cup “with an extra-wide spoon for eating on the go.” On weekday mornings until 9 a.m., take-out breakfast sandwiches come with a free large coffee.
The lunch menu will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and it has build-your-own burgers and steak sandwiches, grilled sandwiches, soups and daily lunch entrée specials like Tuesday’s Pork Chop with stuffing, gravy and green beans; and Wednesday’s London Broil with gravy, lima beans and potato.
There are lots of special selections for children such as Dippin’ Waffles, French Toast Sticks, Mini Burgers and Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese. There’s also a create-your-own-soda option with flavors like bubble gum and cotton candy. From 8-10 a.m. Saturdays, all children who wear their pajamas to the restaurant get their breakfasts for half-price, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays a balloon artist will be on hand.
Reha’s will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
November 27
Specials and special parties
Bummz Grille & Yacht Club, in the Mingo shopping center down in Litchfield, is proving quite the happy gathering spot with all their special dining and drink specials.
And here are a couple of such specials to report:
From 4 p.m. to close on Tuesdays, there is a special 99-cent children’s food menu with items such as mac and cheese, hot dog, ribs, shrimp, hamburger and grilled cheese.
And all day, every day they have a dozen steam oysters or clams for $5, and a half-pound of snow crab clusters for $6.
Bummz also has a special menu designed for holiday parties (or birthday parties or whatever kind of bash you want to put on without any work!). They have several menus from which to choose, whether you want hot and/or cold appetizers; an entrée with a choice of four sides with salad and bread; or two entrée choices with four sides, salad and bread.
Appetizer choices include: Bacon-wrapped Scallops, Chicken Fingers, Oyster Shooters, Crab-stuffed Mushroom Caps, Chicken Satay Skewers, Thai Rib Fingers, Veggie Tray with Dip, Pumpernickel Bread Bowl with dip, Shrimp Cocktail, Steamed Shrimp, Cheese and Cracker tray, Relish Tray and Meat Tray.
Entrée choices are: Baked Maple Pineapple Ham, Baked or Fried Chicken, Roast Beef and Broiled Grouper.
The side choices are: Green Beans Almondine, Roasted Sweet Corn with Bell Pepper, Country-style Baked Beans, Southern Potato Salad, Baked Ziti with Mushrooms, Cole Slaw, Cucumber Salad (it’s famous!) and Candied Yams.
You can make a party reservation by calling 237-7214.
Moving up
Local chefs who have participated in the American Culinary Federation culinary competition that takes place every January at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center will likely remember Chef Chris Doggett. He earned a silver medal at the 2007 event and has competed for several years.
Chris was executive chef at the Green Tree Country Club in Midland, Texas, but he took a new position in Alabama to be closer to home and family.
Chris’ former boss at Green Tree, General Manager Ron Dunn, is looking for a new chef. The job pays $70 to $90k plus bonuses for the right person and you can find out more by clicking HERE.
If you’re wondering what Chris cooked to earn a silver medal, it was Dover Sole with Herbed Bread Crumbs and Mustard Sauce, and Sautéed Leeks, Haricot Verts, and Glazed Carrots.
Foodie Gift Guide
Today I have a couple of gifts for you that you can purchase on-line and at Kudzu at the Beach in Litchfield.
The first item is a Microplane grater. These were developed by a homemaker who discovered her husband’s woodworking tools worked better as zesters and graters than her kitchen tools. Now the company has a line of skinny and extra-sharp little graters that are made especially to do specific jobs.
My favorites are the stainless steel 38000 Professional Series, which include an extra coarse grater, small shaver, large shaver, fine grater, medium ribbon and coarse grater. They each cost $17, and you can check them out HERE.
At Kudzu at the Beach, they have a non-professional series of Microplane graters that go for $13 each.
Kudzu also has, for $7, the OXO Good Grips 2-cup measuring cup with lines on the inside at an angle, so you can see how much is in there from overhead while the cup is sitting on your work surface. How handy! No more holding the cup up to the light to see the lines!
The Kudzu price on the measuring cup is a bargain, because it costs $8 on the OXO Web site (plus shipping).
You can check out more OXO Good Grips products HERE.
Kudzu at the Beach is at 221 Willbrook Blvd., in the Mingo shopping center, Litchfield, and the number is 235-8560. If you go by there, I highly recommend picking up some of their cheese biscuits and a jar of cherry preserves.
Kudzu also has a line of pine needle baskets that remind me of sweetgrass baskets in design, but they cost about a fifth as much. You can get a really nice oval one for about $20.
November 26
Artistic food
The Studio Café in the Litchfield Exchange is near Art Works, which has art from some 100 local artists on display and available for purchase. The food at The Studio Café is also artistic and tastes even better.
The chef/proprietor is Charlie Ghannam, a graduate of the Johnson & Wales culinary arts program. He is open for lunch Mondays through Saturdays, and for dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays.
The bright and tastefully decorated space is an extremely popular local lunch spot. The lunch menu offers hot sandwiches like a Chili Jalapeno Burger, Philly Cheese Steak and Crab Cake; and Chef Charlie’s specialty sandwiches including a Hot Reuben, Tuna Melt, French Dip, Ham or Turkey Club Croissant and the All-American Club.
There are also wraps and hoagies, soups of the day, chili and several salads from a simple Tossed Salad to one called the Lee’s Salad with Mandarin oranges, pecans, tomatoes and cucumbers.
The dinner menu lists dishes such as Charlie’s Marinated Chicken Breast that’s grilled and serve in a Marsala sauce; Roast Beef that’s thinly sliced and served open-face on bread with gravy; Grilled Boneless Pork Loin Chop; Barbecued Pork Rib Racks; Crab Cake; and Grilled Tilapia.
The Litchfield Exchange is beside U.S. 17 in Litchfield, behind Applewood Pancake House and beside the Bi-Lo shopping center. The number at Studio Café is 237-2073.
Nick’s new specials
Nick’s New York Pub has some new food specials for the holiday season, including:
4-7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, free appetizers.
4-7 p.m. Mondays through Sundays, 40-cent wings.
Mondays, all-you-care-to-eat wings, fries and cole slaw for $10.
Thursdays, all-you-care-to-eat shrimp, corn and cole slaw for $10.
Saturdays, $1 miniburgers.
Sundays, 79-cent tacos.
Nick’s is at 113 U.S. 17 North at Second Avenue North in North Myrtle Beach, and the number is 249-7600.
Best Value
Okay, so a toaster isn’t an especially sexy gift. But if someone needs a toaster, Consumer Reports says the Proctor Silex Cool-Touch 22450 is a Best Buy at only $15!
The magazine staff says it, “offers fine performance without the frills.”
We're adding it to our Foodie Gift Guide, and you can buy one on-line HERE.
November 25
More meatloaf, please
Chef Shari Rawlins of Chelsea Jo’s in Murrells Inlet makes a mean open-face meatloaf sandwich, and today she shares her meatloaf recipe. Click HERE to get it.
Chef success
Today instead of a cookbook review and a recipe, you get a culinary book review and a recipe for career success. Click HERE to read our review of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Success as a Chef.”
Another oyster roast!
The crew at Bummz Grille & Yacht Club in Litchfield says, “The oyster roast on the 4th was so good we’re keeping it going for the rest of the football season! That’s right, every Sunday ‘til football is over. Starting at 2 p.m. and going ‘til 5 p.m. we’ll have free buckets of fresh oysters paired with a $1.50 draft. Happy Hour also starts at 4 p.m. ‘til 7 p.m. with discounted appetizers.”
Bummz is at 251 Willbrook Blvd., in the Mingo shopping center, and the number is 237-7214.
November 24
Food Recall
Sweetwater Valley Farms, Inc. of Philadelphia, Tenn., is recalling Southern Cheddar Jack Volunteer Special Cheese because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
Click HERE for more information.
DHEC Restaurant Inspection Scores Nov. 16-20
November 23
Twofer showcase
The friendly folks at Old World Italian, which is at 3850 U.S. 17 Bypass in Murrells Inlet, have an incredible “Early Dining Special for Two.”
Owner George Hayek says from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, he showcases Spaghetti with Meatballs and Meat Sauce; Eggplant Rollacini; Chicken Parmigiana; Baked Ziti; and Linguini with Clam Sauce. Two of those dinners may be purchased for $14.95, or one for $7.95. The meals include salad and bread.
The number is 357-3494.
Speaking of specials…
Chelsea Jo’s, which a little south of Old World Italian, has specials almost every night of the week.
Tonight and every Friday night you can get a pound of steamed shrimp for $9.99.
Tuesdays are Mexican day, when a platter featuring three Mexican dishes is $8.95
On Thursdays it’s all-you-care-to-eat Spaghetti, which comes with salad bar and garlic bread, for $8.95.
And Chef Shari Rawlins says Wednesdays are their most popular days for specials, when their 8-ounce hand-patted hamburger plates are half-price. For $3 you get a big juicy burger and fries!
“The line goes out the door on Wednesdays,” Chef Shari says.
Most of the gang at Chelsea Jo’s hails from Virginia – they all moved down here together to open this restaurant – and they are die-hard Redskins fans. On Sundays they make Kielbasa Subs and Redskin Potato Salad to enjoy while cheering on their favorite team.
Chelsea Jo’s is at 4660 U.S. 17 Bypass in Murrells Inlet, and the number is 357-2433. Come back to MyrtleBeachRestaurantNews.com on Sunday, and you’ll get Chef Shari’s meatloaf recipe.
Say it isn’t so!
A new friend told me the other day that J.D.’s Pig and Chicken in Garden City closed. I couldn’t believe it! They have been a hugely popular family-style barbecue restaurant for at least 10 years or so.
But it’s true. I called the number, and it has been disconnected. It was at 3010 U.S. 17 Business S.
My friend said a pizza restaurant is going in there.
Newest Lowe’s Foods
The Lowe’s Foods being built at the Shoppes at Tournament Boulevard, which is off S.C. 707 near the Prince Creek developments, is coming along. The building is done, and crews are working on the interior. The parking lot isn’t yet paved.
Caught on film
In the giving spirit of this weekend, I’d like to give a tip of the hat to Angelo Antonucci, owner of Angelo’s Steak & Pasta in Myrtle Beach. He gives much to the community, and most recently I caught him in action helping to raise money for one of the local churches by donating food and physical assistance at a food booth at the Dickens Festival.
Holiday Festival
The final wine festival of the season takes place from noon to 5 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday the 24th, at La Belle Amie Vineyard. The Holiday Spirits Festival will include food by Smokin' Pitt Barbecue and The Vineyard Cafe and of course the fine La Belle Amie wines. Music will be provided by the Andrew Thielen Big Band, which is always an exciting experience!
Admission is $8 ages 18 to 80, and don't forget to bring your lawn chair. If you are already a member of La Belle Amie's Festival Club, this is the festival when you get two free glasses of wine.
To find out more and to get directions to La Belle Amie, which is near Little River, visit www.labelleamie.com.
November 22
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 21
On the 1/2 Shell
I met an extremely friendly and high-energy young man named Mickey Calderiso yesterday. He is remodeling the former C.B.’s Beach Club off U.S. 17 Bypass in Murrells Inlet, and on Nov. 30 he will open it as a restaurant called On the 1/2 Shell.
Mickey is a bartender by trade, and among his positions he worked with T.G.I. Friday’s in various locations, including in Las Vegas. The bartenders at Friday’s are known for their impressive bottle flipping and other smooth bartending moves, and Mickey says he knows a trick or three. He has hired eight or nine other bartenders who are similarly talented, so look for this spot to become a popular and fun watering hole.
But wait! They’re also going to have great food!
I also met the affable chef, Laurie Livingston of Charleston. He’s a graduate of the culinary program at Trident Tech, and some of his kitchen credits include Langdon’s Bar & Grill, and he opened a couple locations of Art’s Bar & Grill.
The menu looks interestingly delicious with appetizers like Coventry Calamari, Crab Dip, Coolen’s Clam Strips and Kathie’s Clam Cakes.
There’ll be Clam Chowder and Shrimp Salad, and of course oysters and clams on the half shell. You’ll also be able to get a bucket of steamed oysters or a mess of steamed crab legs or mussels.
The entrée list is long and varied, from burgers, sandwiches, pizza and Po’ Boys to Filet Mignon, Pesto Rubbed Filet Oscar, Blackened Ribeye, Seafood Pasta, Chicken Parmesan, JB’s Crab-stuffed Flounder, Shrimp and Grits, Grilled Mahi-Mahi with the salsa of the day and the ever-popular Surf and Turf.
Pawleys Thanksgiving
From noon to 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving, Louis’s at Pawleys is taking reservations for their Thanksgiving dinner.
The menu is:
First Courses:
Roasted Squash Soup with a Garlic Custard, $7
She-Crab Soup, $8
Pear Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad, $9
Wild Mushroom Strudel, $11
Crab and Lobster Cakes, $13
The Lambert Family Oyster Pie, $11
Main Courses:
Fresh Amish Turkey with Cornbread Dressing, Giblet Gravy, Roasted Acorn Squash and Slow Cooked Green Beans, $24
Pork Rib Chop with Braised Cabbage and Maple Apples, $25
Slow Roasted Prime Rib, $29.50
A Brace of Quail Stuffed with Raisins and Chestnuts, $23
Pecan Crusted Rainbow Trout with Wild Rice, Stir Fried Leek and Fennel, $22
Louis’s at Pawleys is in the Hammock Shops off Ocean Highway (U.S. 17) in Pawleys Island. For reservations call 237-8757.
In the Litchfield Exchange, Chef Charlie Ghannam of The Studio Café is going to have a Thanksgiving Buffet with seatings at 1 and 3:30 p.m. For $16.95 diners may choose from Oven-roasted Turkey, Top Beef Sirloin, Pork Loin, Virginia Baked Ham, Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Carrots and Turnips, Corn Niblets, Green Beans, Charlie’s Stuffing, Giblet Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, Salads, Rolls and Breads, Apple Pie, Pumpkin Pie and Pecan Pie.
The number is 237-2073.
Out at the front of the Litchfield Exchange is Applewood House of Pancakes. Chef Lou D’Amato says they’ll be open until noon on Thanksgiving Day serving their regular breakfast menu, and then they’ll close so the staff can enjoy dinner with their families.
Chelsea Jo’s on U.S. 17 in Murrells Inlet will be closed all day on Thanksgiving.
Seasonal Beer
Capt. John’s Seafood Grill in Litchfield has a new beer: Sam Adams Winter Lager.
Just in case you missed it
Yesterday we made an update to the initial day’s news to report that for the fifth year in a row, Myrtle Beach is ranked No. 1 in the nation on the Restaurant Growth Index.
If you missed that story, click HERE, and you can read all about it.
November 20
UPDATE 7:20 a.m.
We did it again!
For the fifth year in a row, Myrtle Beach is ranked No. 1 in the nation on the Restaurant Growth Index.
What does that mean? Simply, it means our area has a high level of restaurant sales per capita.
It’s due to our huge influx of visitors of course, but do we care why we have a booming restaurant business? It’s just wonderful news that we’re doing so well!
You can read the full article HERE as reported in Restaurant Business magazine.
The data for Myrtle Beach/Conway/North Myrtle Beach includes:
RGI Rank: 1
Population: 237,612
Income per capita: $23,731
Restaurant sales: $950,171,999
Sales per capita: $3,999
Sales as percent of income: 16.85%
Total Restaurants: 1,104
Sales per Restaurant: $860,663
Wine online
Ronnie Simpson, owner of Atlantic Discount Spirits in Garden City, is now offering a wine of the month on his Web site at AtlanticDiscountSpirits.com.
He says, “This wine will be a hand-selected wine that is rated 88 points or above by one of the recognized publications (Wine Spectator or Wine Advocate) and will retail for $25 or less.
“Currently my wine of the month is the Spanish red, Carro Tinto ’05. The wine was rated 90 by Wine Advocate and retails for only $7.99 a bottle. The other feature will be wines I have bought at a special price and I will be offering to my customers at anywhere from 20 to 50 percent off suggested retail. Currently, I have three such featured wines.”
Those wines are:
1999 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve for $65; rated 94 by Wine Spectator.
2003 Possums Shiraz for $19.99; rated 89 by Wine Spectator.
2005 Covenant Cabernet Sauvignon for $32.99; rated 92-94 by Wine Advocate.
If you’d like to visit Ronnie in person, Atlantic Discount Spirits is at 2901 A U.S. 17 Business S. in Garden City, and the number is 357-6232.
Even better, you can meet Ronnie at a free holiday wine tasting!
Atlantic Discount Spirits & Oliver's Lodge are having their Sixth Annual Holiday Wine Tasting from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9 at Oliver’s Lodge. There will be five to six vendors pouring more than 25 wines and pairing them with food.
At the tasting you’ll be able to order wine at special prices which can be picked up at Atlantic Discount Spirits within 7-10 business days of the tasting.
Anyone older than age 21 is invited to attend for a fun evening of free food and wine.
Oliver’s Lodge is at 4204 U.S. 17 Business in Murrells Inlet, and the number is 651-9523.
Trio of choices
Bill and Annette Austin, owners of three fine Pawleys Island/Litchfield restaurants, have a trio of holiday party options.
Austin’s at Pawleys can host holiday luncheons for groups of 50 to 120. In the evenings, there’s a private dining room where up to 45 guests can enjoy cocktail parties and/or dinners. It’s at 11359 Ocean Highway in Pawleys Island, and the number is 235-3800.
The Cabana Café at the Litchfield Inn is oceanfront and can seat up to 100 guests. Weather permitting, there are also heaters to warm an outdoor poolside area. Cabana Café can handle luncheons, dinners, cocktail parties or whatever is needed. The entire space is available for large parties. The Litchfield Inn is at 1 Norris Drive in Litchfield Beach, and the restaurant’s number is 235-8700.
Ocean One is a fine dining restaurant upstairs at the Litchfield Inn. The view is spectacular! There is an intimate private room for 16 diners, but the entire space, which can comfortably accommodate more than 125 people, is available for large parties. The number at Ocean One is 235-8700.
Annette Austin adds that The Spirit Room at the Litchfield Inn is also available for parties of up to 100 guests.
You can see all the holiday party options we’ve reported so far by clicking HERE. If you’d like to send us your restaurant’s holiday party information, please do so! It’s free! Just send your information to Becky@TheFoodSyndicate.com.
Harvested gifts
I came across some excellent food gift ideas by accident when a friend sent me a link to get some free wildflower seeds from Burt’s Bees. You can get some too by clicking HERE.
After signing up for the seeds I took a look at the rest of the Web site and found lots of great edible gifts, like a Texas Pecan Pie for $23.75; a half-gallon of Blood Orange Juice for $12.50; Organic Raspberry Amaretto Dessert Topping for $6.95; a golf-theme Honey Gift Basket for $20; and a pound of Organic Lamont Cheddar Cheese for $9.80.
November 19
Fondue it up with style
The Myrtle Beach Melting Pot is starting their Monday Night Ladies Nights again for football widows (or any lady) who’d like to enjoy great food and fun. There’ll be three-course dinners for $30 plus $5 martinis.
The Melting Pot is also booking holiday parties for groups who like to fondue it up right!
The restaurant is at 5001 N. Kings Highway, and the number is 692-9003.
Best cocoa
The December issue of Consumer Reports says Ghirardelli makes the best cocoa, so I found out where you can buy it on-line and am adding it to our Foodie Gift Guide.
You can buy a 1-pound can of the cocoa for $5 at: http://seriouschai.stores.yahoo.net/ghi6200.html.
Also receiving an excellent rating from Consumer Reports is Hershey’s Cacao Reserve Mayan Blend cocoa, and it has only 140 calories versus the Ghirardelli’s 262, and only 2 grams of fat per serving compared to Ghirardelli’s 6.3 grams.
The only place I could find the Hershey’s Cacao Reserve cocoa on-line was at www.hersheygifts.com, and you have to buy it in a $35 gift basket.
Menu Memories
We’re on the H file this week, and what jumps out at me is one of my all-time favorite restaurants. I bid a fond and regretful farewell to:
Hana’s: This was a wonderful restaurant from top to bottom, beginning to end. Two couples founded it at the end of 2000 in a beach house that was moved from Myrtle Beach to Murrells Inlet. The beach house was, according to the Sakatas, the “second oldest house of Myrtle Beach.”
One couple was Shozo and Keiko Sakata. Shozo ran the sushi bar, while Keiko pulled manager/hostess/service duties. The other duo was Bruce and Virginia Rowland. Bruce was a Culinary Institute of America graduate who presided over the restaurant’s exposition kitchen, while Virginia made wonderful desserts and waited tables.
The result was a “Fusing of Japanese cuisine, French and a touch of The South that keeps our menu interesting & diversified.” And that they did, with dishes such as Pan-seared Japanese Sweet Scallops with Corn Pudding and Leek Butter; Veal Osso Bucco with Fig Gnocchi; Crispy Duckling with Sweet Potato Ravioli, Berries and Sage Sauce; and fresh Raspberry Tart.
It has been about three years now since Hana’s was no more. The Rowlands moved away, but we are fortunate to still have the Sakatas, with their son-in-law, Ben Cachila, at Emi Bistro and Sushi Bar in Pawleys Island. For a time the Sakatas and Ben turned Hana’s into a French restaurant called Petit Vine, but they sold it and earlier this year it became Chadwick’s Beach House Grill and Seafood.
Hawaiian Bar-B-Q Asian Pacific Cuisine: George and Andie Wester didn’t have this restaurant at 1210 N. Kings Highway very long, but the couple of times I went there the food was excellent. They had sakes, green teas, the Hawaiian tuna salad called Ahi Poke, Asian dishes like Bulgogi and Katsu, their Hawaiian-style barbecue called Kalua Pig and even curry dishes. They had great side dishes, like the spicy cabbage dish called Kimchee. Boston Pizza-Plus is in the building now.
The Hook Restaurant & Bar: This was where the hugely popular Bistro 217 is now located in Pawleys Island. The Hook had a diverse menu with appetizers from Chili Cheese Fries to Crab Fritters, and entrees from Grilled Sesame Tuna Salad to Chicken Cordon Bleu. I liked their “Build Your Own Burger” where you could pick from several toppings like melted blue cheese and homemade chili.
November 18
Weekend Kitchen Warriors
Every Sunday you get a local chef’s recipe and a new cookbook review with a recipe.
People’s Choice
If you didn’t make it to the American Culinary Federation Souper Supper on Nov. 11, then you didn’t get the recipe booklet containing all the participating chefs’ recipes. Today you get the recipe for the People’s Choice winner, Chef Ernest Bledsoe of Pawleys Plantation’s Roasted Corn and Crab Chowder.
Click HERE to see the recipe.
Capitalization
I have to hand it to Rocco DiSpirito, whose reality show “The Restaurant” fizzled in 2004 after he had a disagreement with his partner and the restaurant, called Rocco’s, closed. The man has worked hard since then to write cookbooks, host radio shows and appear on other television shows.
Now his fourth cookbook, “Rocco’s Real Life Recipes: Fast Flavor for Every Day,” is out. Click HERE to find out if they’re really every day recipes.
November 17
Restaurant Health Inspections
November 16
Chowing down for charity
What a great time was had by all at the Taste of Restaurant Row on Wednesday night. It was a relaxed party atmosphere with lots of great tunes setting a cheerful mood. Coastal Advertising and Marketing Professionals and 2001 Nightclub put the party on to raise money for the Grand Strand Humane Society.
My plan was to arrive early, sample several dishes – I came hungry – and get back home by 7 p.m. or so. However, the organizers had a need for another food judge, so of course I had my fork ready to chow down for charity. My fellow judges, Darren Stack and Lauren Lowrey of WPDE-TV and I sampled every single dish, and there were 35 of them from 12 restaurants.
I already told you about the winners yesterday (scroll down to yesterday’s news for that info), but making those three decisions for the best of entrees, appetizers and desserts was incredibly hard. I’ve judged a lot of food competitions, and making the choice has never been so difficult.
So today I’m giving my own honorable mentions to:
Islamorada Fish Company Restaurant for their Herb Crusted Stuffed Grouper with Portofino Pernod Sauce and their wonderful Key Lime Pie. The sauce on the fish was just delightful, and general manager Dave Alderman said it’s the same sauce used on their Grouper Portofino. Their Key Lime Pie had the hands-down best presentation with a little beach umbrella and a white chocolate shell.
Chestnut Hill for their Oysters Rockefeller. Mmm, mmm, mmm, I love oysters, and I love Oysters Rockefeller even more. This version was creamy and delicious. And if you’ve never tried their Stuffed Shrimp, where a large Carolina Shrimp is stuffed with crab and wrapped in hickory-smoked bacon before it’s deep-fried, then you’re missing a treat.
Thoroughbreds for their Pumpkin Ice Cream Waffle Sundae with a Vermont Maple Glaze and Cinnamon Whipped Cream. What a creative and timely idea! Folks were also raving about Executive Chef Buddy Noble’s Baby Back Lamb Ribs with Blackberry Barbecue Sauce that was served with Honey Corn Bread.
Giant Crab for everything they made: Crab Imperial, Mediterranean Salmon, Kataifi and Cherry Cake. The Crab Imperial was incredibly fluffy and filled with large crab chunks (wish I had a plateful right now!). The Mediterranean Salmon had a pastry crust and was served with a flavorful dill sauce. Both desserts were wonderful, but the Kataifi dessert was excellent. It’s a traditional Greek pastry made with a special type of phyllo dough that looks like shredded wheat. I hate to ever be a food snob, but it’s easy to forget about the talent of some buffet restaurant chefs. This team deserves a great big pat on the back for their exceptional dishes.
Baron’s Steaks and Spirits for their wonderful Crème Brulee. This was a big contender for the Best Dessert Award. I also met the restaurant’s owner, Jeff Shorthouse, who bought the restaurant a little more than a year ago and changed the name from Baron’s Steaks and Veggies He told me his Executive Chef, Peter Irving, used to be the sous-chef for Chef Eric Wagner at the original Baron’s Steaks, and that the restaurant has returned to its steak-infused roots. They also served delicious crab dip, and Fulton Mountain Steak, which was seasoned with cracked black pepper, cocoa powder, ground espresso beans, garlic, onion and chives atop a whiskey bordelaise sauce.
The Office for their Chicken Coreleone. All their dishes were the usual luscious fare from Executive Chef Mike Barone, but the Chicken Coreleone was especially delicious. If you haven’t yet tried it, next time you visit them I highly recommend it.
November 15
Taste of Restaurant Row winners
The Taste of Restaurant Row at 2001 Nightclub last night was a blast! Participating restaurants were scattered throughout the sprawling building, and there was an intimate and festive feel to the event. The classic rock was great!
If you've lived in Myrtle Beach very long you were sure to run into lots of friends.
Check back on Friday for more photos of the chefs and what they prepared, but for now I'll tell you the winners:
Best Appetizer: Bimini's Oyster Bar & Seafood Cafe for Seafood Chowder.
Best Entree: Umi Pacific Grille for Seared Beef Tenderloin with Shiitake Potato Hash and Red Dragon Cheese Butter.
Best Dessert: Goober's 52 for Peanut Butter Pie.
Delivered gifts
Fruit and nuts are wonderful traditional holiday gifts, and A&A Produce in Myrtle Beach has gift baskets perfect for customers and employees. Delivery is available for at least 10 baskets to one location.
A few of the choices include:
Lovers’ Basket: Perfect for two people, this includes 2 grapefruits, 1 pod white grapes, 1 pod red grapes, 2 lemons, 2 oranges, 2 bananas and 1 pound mixed nuts for $19.95.
Working Man’s Family Basket: This best-seller starts at $29.95, and discounts are available for large business orders. It includes 1 bunch bananas, 5 grapefruits, 6 limes, 4 red apples, 4 Granny Smith apples, 1 pod grapes, 6 lemons, 8 tangerines, 8 oranges and 1 pound mixed nuts.
Executive Basket: Selling for $44.95, it includes 2 bunches bananas, 1 pod white grapes, 10 oranges, 6 lemons, 4 Red Delicious apples, 4 Ruby Red grapefruits, 1 pound mixed nuts, 1 Golden pineapple, 1 pod red grapes, 10 tangerines, 6 limes, 4 Fuji apples, 4 Bartlett pears and assorted candies.
Buyer and General Manager Andy Kemp says everything, from the prices to what the baskets contain, is negotiable. He can be reached at (843) 294-3600 or 450-6144.
Orders will be delivered between Dec. 15 and Dec. 22, and there’s a 10 percent discount for orders placed before Thanksgiving.
Comfortably elegant party
Angela and Joe Sutherland of Aspen Grille, at 5101 N. Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach, say they would love to host your holiday parties. Gatherings can be held in their private dining room or the main dining room with room for up to 60 guests.
The menu can be planned for any size group with a cocktail party, hors d’oeuvres or a formal sit-down meal.
Reservations can be made by calling 449-9191. You can check out the restaurant’s Web site at |