September 30
Update 6:50 a.m.
Topps Meat Company, LLC has expanded its list of recalled beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
Click HERE for a statement from the company, a list of the recalled products and a list of package Universal Product Codes. Some of the recalled items include the Sam's Choice brand.
Weekend Kitchen Warriors
Every Sunday you get a new cookbook review with a sample recipe and a local chef's recipe.
Simple suppers
This week’s cookbook has recipes that are too basic for professional cooks, but beginners might appreciate “Cooking with Flavor: Spice Up Your Everyday Favorites,” from McCormick Inc.
This week’s recipe: Apple Cardamom Cheesecake.
Last call
Today, from noon to 7 p.m., is the final day of the 2007 Myrtle Beach Greek Festival. If you’d like to keep the great Greek flavors going, this week’s recipe is for Tzatziki, which is the creamy sauce on gyros.
September 29
Restaurant Inspection Scores
Sept. 21-27, 2007
September 28
O-Pa!
The music, the dancing, the food! The 16th Annual Greek Festival started Thursday at St. John’s Greek Orthodox Church of Myrtle Beach and continues through Sunday.
After feasting on Greek entrees and pastries, you can walk off the meal by checking out the many vendors on church grounds or dancing to the accompaniment of live musicians.
Entrees include:
Dolmathes: Stuffed grape leaves.
Greek-style Roasted Lamb or Chicken
Gyro: Thin-sliced spiced lamb and beef on pita bread with onions, tomatoes and Tzatziki sauce.
Locanica: Orange-flavored Greek sausage.
Mousaka: Casserole with eggplant, ground beef, potatoes, cheese and cream sauce.
Pastichio: Baked macaroni with ground beef, cheese, nutmeg, cinnamon and cream sauce.
Souvlaki: Marinated and skewered pork tenderloin.
Spanakopita: A filo pastry with a filling of spinach, feta cheese, eggs and herbs.
Tiropita: Filo pastry like Spanakopita but without the spinach.
Tzatziki: Cucumber, garlic and yogurt sauce.
Pastries:
Baklava: Filo pastry layered with crushed walnuts, almonds, cinnamon and butter that’s topped with honey syrup.
Diples: Crispy cinnamon pastry dipped in honey.
Ergolavas: Almond crescent cookies.
Finikia: Spiced cookies topped with spicy honey syrup and walnuts.
Flogeres: Chocolate-drizzled Baklava.
Galatoboureko: Egg custard inside filo pastry and topped with honey syrup.
Karithopita: Sponge cake with walnuts that’s “iced” with honey syrup.
Kataifi: A mixture of crushed walnuts, almonds and butter inside shredded dough (that looks sort of like Shredded Wheat cereal) with honey syrup on top.
Koulourakia: Twisted Easter butter cookies.
Kourambiethes: Butter cookies coated in confectioners’ sugar.
Loukoumades: Greek donut holes with a coating of honey syrup, cinnamon and sesame.
Tsoureki: Sweet braided Easter bread.
Yogurtopeta: Yogurt cake.
Hours today and Saturday are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and from noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $1 for people ages 11 and older. Limited parking is available around the church at U.S. 17 Bypass and 33rd Avenue North. There’s also free parking and a continuous bus shuttle starting at noon daily behind Captain George’s restaurant at U.S. 17 Bypass and 29th Avenue North.
Jazzy weekend
Weekends with live jazz and blues continues at the Rosegarden Restaurant in Myrtle Beach.
From 6-9 p.m. tonight (Friday), “Jay” performs on four guitars (not all at the same time). From 6-9 p.m. Saturday, jazz and blues trumpeter Javier Vega takes the floor.
Rosegarden specializes in Italian and American cuisines. It’s on Seaboard Street across from Coastal Grand Mall (opposite Belk’s), and the number is 839-4949.
Next week
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 1, Hog Heaven on U.S. 17 in Pawleys Island is having a Barbecue Benefit For Kids. It’s sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Pawleys Island, and plates are $8. You can eat in or take out; call Mike Diem at 235-8557 for more information.
Starting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 2, Argentinian wines will be featured on the patio at SeaBlue in North Myrtle Beach. For $28 the event conducted by Mandie Silver will include three wines and one tasting plate. Those are:
2006 Alamos Torrontes: A bright, aromatic white with muscat-like grapey aromas alongside floral jasmine and honeysuckle. This wine is medium-bodied with good concentration of fruit, and the crisp acidity balances the lush, perfumed fruit. It’s made by third-generation wine maker Nicolas Catena.
2004 Monte Lomas Malbec: This wine boasts distinct fruit notes, intense color, ripe tannins and subtle hints of oak. Profound, though not overwhelming, fruit aromas are present, and the finish is dense with an overall roundness.
2005 Kaiken Cabernet: It starts at the nose with ripe plums mixed with spices and black olives. Oak barrels contribute vanilla and bitter chocolate notes. This wine is mouth-filling and has a long and varietal aftertaste.
Chef Bryan Bodle, pairing genius that he is, will match the Cab with Grilled Flank Steak served with a Mosaic of Roasted Pepper, Potato and Mushrooms with Savory Herbs and Gouda.
Reservations can be made by calling 249-8800, and SeaBlue is at 503 U.S. 17 North in North Myrtle Beach.
September 27
Calling all chili cooks!
Think you have the best chili in town? Whether you’re a professional chef, a line cook or a home cook, everyone is welcome to enter the 2007 Chili Challenge at Broadway at the Beach.
The competition takes place from noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 13 in Celebrity Square as part of Broadway’s 12th Annual Arts & Fall Festival.
Cash Prizes, trophies & bragging rights will be awarded for:
Peoples’ Choice 1st Place $500; 2nd Place $250; 3rd Place $125
Best Decorated Booth/Table $125
Local organizations, clubs, schools, civic groups, etc. are invited to enter the challenge as a way of raising money and awareness for their specific group or charity. The entry fee is $25, and the entry deadline is Oct. 5
Proceeds benefit local disaster relief, and live entertainment will be provided by Sawgrass.
To get an entry form contact Rebecca Feagin at (843) 913-9327 or rebecca.feagin@bccompany.com.
Fueling success
What used to be Big Johnson’s coffee shop in St. James Plaza near St. James High School has new owners and a new name.
Now Jay and Laura Martin own Ice Dreams Coffee & Creamery, and their motto is, “Providing the energy that fuels your success.” They’ve revamped the décor with gorgeous colorful murals in progress by local artist Tanya Kimber, and they’ve attracted St. James students and parents with buy-one-get-one-free specials after football games.
Many St. James students also head to Ice Dreams after school to take advantage of the free wi-fi and enjoy iced coffee, Hersheys ice cream and Monster Energy drinks. There’s also chai, frozen coffee and other gourmet coffee drinks featuring the Buffalo Spring brand.The gelato is popular, and heartier food includes bagels and muffins (baked fresh daily by Benjamin’s Bakery), breakfast sandwiches, tuna and chicken salad sandwiches, barbecue, hot dogs, grilled cheese and soup. A couple of unique treats are Cinnabon Pretzels and warm roasted nuts from The Nutty Bavarian.
Soon the cozy restaurant will offer free weekly computer diagnostic clinics performed by local business Geeks on Call.
Laura says folks are welcome to call ahead with orders at 650-5329. The address is 10799 S.C. 707, Unit 17.
September 26
Pre-fixe menu
A four-course gourmet meal for only $25 sounds like an option from a 1990 dinner menu, but at Emi Bistro and Sushi Bar in Pawleys Island a new pre-fixe (fixed price) fall menu offers this deal.
The options are:
First course
Gyoza, which is pork and ginger potstickers with sesame-soy dipping sauce
OR
Crispy Calamari with sweet chili apricot dipping sauce
OR
Spring Roll of the day
OR
Satay of Filet Mignon with sweet and spicy sauce
Second course
Mixed Organic Greens and Seasonal Vegetables with a dressing choice of creamy wasabi, spicy miso or Asian blue
OR
Demitasse of soup du jour
Third course
Grilled Café New York Strip with blue cheese potato soufflé, tempura onion rings and shiitake Madeira demi-glace
OR
Free Range Macadamia-encrusted Chicken Breast with udon noodles, roasted red pepper, coconut lemongrass broth and crispy ginger
OR
Gently-poached Norwegian Salmon with fingerling potatoes, asparagus, yuzu-truffle beurre blanc and crisp sage
Fourth course
Petit Dessert of the Day
Emi is at 47 Da Gullah Way, beside U.S. 17, in Pawleys Island. The number is 235-2313, and you can visit their Web site at www.emibistro.com.
Italian again
Diners at Caruso’s are ever so grateful that Salvatore Dispensa sold his sub shop on S.C. 544 to become executive chef at Caruso’s. He has worked in Italian restaurants all his life, and it shows.
In recent years the restaurant, which is located on the frontage road across U.S. 17 from the back gate of the former U.S. Air Force base, was Mancuso’s, Pastaria 811 and Rossini’s. Owner Debbie Caruso continues the Italian tradition with her relaxed fine dining restaurant.
Value is definitely the rule here. Chef Dispensa bakes his own bread, which is brought to the table with olive oil by an attentive and professional server along with a sample of sweet bread reminiscent of sugar-coated fried donut holes.
Appetizers include an excellent version of Bruchetta, Seafood-stuffed Mushroom Caps, Caprese, Clams Oreganato and Egglplant Rollatini. Salads include a house or Italian salad, or Caesar Salad prepared tableside by well-known and long-time local professional server Renzi Emiroglu.
There are pasta dishes such as Baked Ziti, Lasagna, Cavatelli and Broccoli, Fettuccine Alfredo and Penne a la Vodka Sauce. A few entrée choices are Chicken and Sausage Giambotta, Veal Milanese, Grouper a la Soreno, Frutte di Mare, Shrimp Scampi and New York Strip Steak Tuscana. A house specialty is Shrimp and Pasta a la Michela, which has shrimp sautéed with garlic, onions, Roma tomatoes, feta cheese and essence of ouzo that’s served over angel hair pasta.
Nightly specials are extraordinary with choices like Crab-stuffed Portabello Mushroom or Osso Buco. The portions are so large my family took home enough food for another meal.
Renzi Emiroglu will come to your table to prepare the flaming desserts Cherries Jubilee or Bananas Foster; also available are cannoli, tiramisu, cheesecake and Vesuvian Chocolate Cake.
The leisurely dining experience is enhanced by live music performed on a baby grand piano. Caruso’s is at 4700 U.S. 17 Bypass in Myrtle Beach, and the number is 293-8682.
September 25
Unusually outstanding
A three-month-old restaurant near Coastal Carolina University and Horry-Georgetown Technical College has the kind of sandwiches you concentrate on and savor. They’re not just another sandwich. New York Deli & Café also has soups, salads and wraps; breakfasts; great coffees and desserts; and an extremely appealing layout.
Joe and Laurie Lucent are the owners, but they live out of state. Their daughter, Rachael Lucent, is the on-site general manager. She says the shop’s beer and wine license has been approved, so they should be able to begin selling those beverages within a month.
There’s an attractive stage near the front of the eatery where live acts recently began performing. On Sept. 21 it was Marshall’s One Band with Dr. Marshall Woodard, and Rachael says different types of music will be featured.
But back to the food.
Breakfasts are served until 10 a.m., and choices are Biscuit and Sausage Gravy, Breakfast Sandwiches, Bagels, Danishes, Muffins and Yogurt Parfait.
Sandwiches feature fresh-baked bread from our local Benjamin’s Bakery. There are Paninis like Chicken Cordon Bleu and Tuscan Chicken; Gourmet Sandwiches like Turkey Breast and Havarti or Almond Chicken Salad; and “All Time New York Favorites” such as Pastrami on Rye and Open Face Corned Beef Reuben.
Salads are full of delicious ingredients, and you can order them half- or full-size. The Sesame Ginger Chicken Salad has mixed greens, grilled chicken, almonds, Mandarin oranges, cucumbers, sesame seed, crunchy Asian noodles and sesame ginger dressing. The Madison Square Garden Salad contains fresh mozzarella, imported pepperoni, prosciutto di Parma, Kalamata olives, marinated mushrooms and balsamic vinaigrette.
Soups change; the day I went there was Baked Potato and Mexican Tortilla. The Mexican Tortilla is fantastic; it’s creamy and spicy and contains shredded chicken breast.
Many people say the wraps are incredible, and some of those choices are The Big Apple Turkey with bacon, apple butter, red onion, shredded lettuce and cream cheese; and Santa Fe Chicken with lettuce, sun-dried tomatoes, creamy white Mexican cheese, chipotle lime mayonnaise and jalapenos. Luscious desserts are mostly provided by local pastry makers Bake & Cake, except for the New York Style Cheesecake that comes from New York.
You can get all the normal coffees and sodas you’d imagine, plus chocolate milk, Chocolate Egg Cream and Seattle’s Best Coffee in a handy to-go box that contains eight 12-ounce servings.
Although New York Deli & Café is convenient to our local colleges – it’s just east of the schools on 501 in the Food Lion shopping center – you won’t see just students there. People of all ages stop by to take advantage of the wireless internet and relax in the bright, airy and comfortable space. There’s a cozy nook where you can play checkers or relax while waiting for a take-out order, and the walls are decorated with murals by local artist Ruth Cox.
If you pick up the Palmetto Pigskin Preview to stay current on football news or you read Weekly Surge, both publications have coupons you can use at New York Deli & Café. The Pigskin has one for 10 percent off your order, and the Weekly Surge coupon lets you buy a coffee drink for $2. CCU and HGTC students always get 10 percent off with their college IDs.
The address at New York Deli and Café is 2246 Highway 501 East, Conway, and the number is 349-6300. New fall hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 7 p.m. Sundays.
September 24
Collectible cookery
I have several vintage cooking utensils. Most are used; a few are kept around just to look at. Lots of my friends have the same passion, although other people have more focused collections than my mishmash of Fire King bake ware, wire hand utensils and silver demitasse spoons.
Some folks have hundreds of old cookbooks, others collect antique nut crackers or aprons.
And a good number of the items are worth a decent amount of money.
If you like vintage kitchen items and would enjoy knowing more about how to select the choicest examples, check out this article in Freep, which is published by the Detroit Free Press.
Tasty drawing
The 24th annual Taste of the Town is from 4-10 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16 this year, and we have six entry tickets to give away. Three winners will each get a pair.
To enter the drawing, fill out the form below and submit it. Each person can enter once per day through Oct. 7, and the three winners will be announced on Monday, Oct. 8.
If you’ve never been to Taste of the Town, here’s the deal: It’s a fund-raiser for the St. Andrew Catholic School in Myrtle Beach that’s held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Many area restaurants set up booths (this year there’s a record number of 50 participating restaurants!) where hungry people can get small portions of a few of their signature dishes.
Advance entry tickets cost $4 (available at all HTC locations and at St. Andrew Catholic School, 3601 N. Kings Highway), or $5 at the door. Food and beverage tickets cost $1, and food and drink samples cost 1 to 3 tickets apiece. People older than 21 may choose to also spend tickets at the beer and wine booths.
Thousands of locals and not a few out-of-towners attend this event. Locals always see many people they know, and it's like a big party. The food and booths are judged, and the trophies are highly coveted among area restaurants.
September 23
Weekend Kitchen Warriors
Every Sunday you get a new cookbook review with a sample recipe and a local chef's recipe.
American-tested
This week we review a fantastic new cookbook that brings back old cooking memories. For the first time we have The Good Home Cookbook, a collection of “more than 1,000 classic American recipes.”
Wholesome harvest
Some people bake bread year-round, but fall and winter is when the ovens fire up more often and houses fill with that irresistible aroma of yeasty fresh-baked warmth. Since bread is a staple of almost all Earthling humans, there is a wealth of international recipes. Lucero Beckwith, owner of Cakes By Design bakery in Murrells Inlet, shares one of her Latin bread recipes today.
September 22
Restaurant Inspection Scores
Sept. 14-20, 2007
September 21
Village pub
Borgata means “little village” in Italian, so it’s a fitting name for the newest pub and grill in the small town of Surfside Beach. It’s on the corner beside the Charleston Café (which is pink) on Surfside Drive.
The space there used to be a parking lot, so Borgata occupies a brand-new building. Downstairs is longer than it is wide, and as you enter there’s a roomy bar to your right and a pool table, a few video games and a Touch Tone juke box on the left.
Upstairs the atmosphere is more of an upscale martini bar, but in a comfy and cozy way. There’s another smaller bar, another pool table and several cushy leather furniture pieces.
Borgata’s owner is Kyle Copenhaver, and the general manager/chef is Ryan Williams. Ryan has much restaurant experience starting in his mother’s small restaurant, working with a chef who was formerly a sous-chef for Wolfgang Puck and general manager of an upscale sports bar.
The menu is simple and features the fresh-baked breads of Benjamin’s Bakery, which is only a half-block away from Borgata.
Sandwiches include Shrimp Po’ Boy, Grouper Po’ Boy, Philly Steak, Chicken Philly, Big Blue (grilled chicken with Swiss and ham), Club Sandwich and more. You can get a Chicken Tender, Shrimp or Grouper Basket, Wings (mild, medium, hot, honey barbecue), Burgers and finger foods like Buffalo Fingers, Onion Rings and Fried Mushrooms.
The doors open at 1 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, which makes this a fantastic place for a quiet late lunch. Later in the day the atmosphere changes to more of a bar, but it’s nice to know you can order decent food if you get hungry while you’re shooting pool.
The address is 813 Surfside Drive, and the number is 839-9595.
Great GIG
I stopped in at Goat Island Grill on Front Street in Georgetown, which is where the Pink Magnolia used to be. Chef Tom Sullivan says things are going well, and after looking at his menu the success is easy to understand.
Appetizers include Crab and Shrimp Bisque, Grilled Andouille Sausage with homemade Pimento Cheese, Hushpuppy Fried Shrimp and “Creek Eats” like Crab Balls and Blackened Shrimp.
Sandwiches include a Barbecue Pork Po’ Boy topped with slaw and red onions and served with sweet potato chips; Blackened Flounder Hoagie; Blue Claw Crab Cake and a Crab and Shrimp Salad Pita. The three salads are Classic Caesar, Burger Salad and Goat Cheese Salad with peach vinaigrette dressing.
As for the entrees, Chef Sullivan’s Shrimp and Grits are smothered in spicy garlic gravy; his Grilled Andouille Sausage is served over red beans and rice and accompanied by collards; the Flounder Francaise features a lemon beurre blanc; and the Onion Crusted Salmon comes with Lowcountry white rice and grilled zucchini.
The address is 719 Front St., and the number is 527-3500. They’re open daily for lunch and dinner.
September 20
Blackwater Brews News
Blackwater Brews, a fine little shop that sold organic sandwiches, hand-crafted beers and excellent coffees, closed last week. It was located in the Swamp Fox Peddler’s Market off U.S. 17 Bypass in Murrells Inlet.
Nick was picked
Many local diners will remember Nick’s at Sixty-First, a fine dining restaurant owned by Randi Rimedio and co-managed by her son, Nick Rimedio. Nick was only about 21 years old at the time.
The restaurant at 61st Avenue North in Myrtle Beach was sold – it has been several different restaurants since then – and now it is Luigi’s Trattoria.
And now Nick Rimedio is 26 years old, and he works for the company owned by celebrity chef Charlie Trotter. His mom, Randi, is a sommelier and a partner with Chef Tom Mullally in A Difference in Dining personal chef service. She also conducts wine classes at Horry-Georgetown Technical College.
Randi says Nick has lived a whirlwind life during the past year.
“He was running a hotel in Cleveland,” Randi said, “and he finished his degree in international business at Akron University. By chance last August he had people in who were Trotter’s PR people. He had the opportunity to meet them, and they invited him to be their guest in Chicago (where Charlie Trotter has his flagship restaurant). He stayed four days, and at the end the chef came in and said, ‘We would like you to join the staff.’ He left Oct. 12 [for Chicago].”
Nick was assistant general manager at the 120-seat restaurant that has a three-month waiting list. He has learned patience from dealing with artistic chefs who, Randi says, “don’t march to the same drummer the rest of us do.”
He is also learning the corporate side of being a celebrity chef. There are VIP private parties, book signings, a “spectacular” wine cellar to learn about and cross-training sessions to attend. The restaurant even has a 20-seat television studio.
And now Nick is on the move within the Trotter corporation. Until Oct. 1 he is in the Trotter restaurant in Los Cabos, Mexico, and then he is going back to Chicago through mid-November. The next adventure puts Nick in Las Vegas to be the general manager at Charlie Trotter’s new restaurant at The Venetian Resort, Hotel and Casino, which opens in mid-December.
“He’s excited for the Vegas end of it,” Randi said. “He loved Chicago, but it was lonely. He spent a couple holidays by himself. But he has learned a tremendous amount, and the opportunity to work with Charlie Trotter, be involved with this organization, is amazing.”
Another Nick
I recently learned that Greg Rose, chef/proprietor at the Rosegarden Restaurant in Myrtle Beach, is a partner with Nick Johnson in Big Nick’s Wings & Things, which is at 3401 N. Kings Highway, in Myrtle Beach.
It’s easy to pick out Greg’s influence in the menu with dishes like Fettucine Alfredo and Chicken Parmesan, and there are many finger foods, subs, sandwiches, salads and burgers.
Wing flavors are: hot, mild, teriyaki, spicy teriyaki, teriyaki Parmesan, honey teriyaki, garlic teriyaki, garlic Parmesan, lemon pepper, spicy barbecue, barbecue, honey barbecue, honey, honey mustard, peanut butter, honey peanut butter, sticky and Nick’s Way.
Big Nick’s is open from 11 a.m. to close, Mondays through Saturdays, and they deliver. The number is 443-WING (9464).
September 19
Still seeing sea oats
William Neville, formerly a chef proprietor at Sea Oats Café, which was in the Blockade Runner in North Myrtle Beach, is now running the kitchens at the Ashworth and Ocean Drive Hotels in North Myrtle Beach.
Chef Neville started there on Saturday, Sept. 15. He serves breakfast upstairs at the beautiful Ocean Drive Café, and lunch downstairs for the Ocean Drive Tiki Bar Grill. Dinner service will be added upstairs in a few weeks.
The chef’s signature dishes, such as She-Crab Soup and Seafood Omelets, will slowly be incorporated into the menus.
Both the O.D. Café and the O.D. Grill have gorgeous oceanfront views and have dance floors for all the shaggers who frequent North Myrtle Beach. The hotels are located waterfront at the end of Main Street, and photos of the Shaggers’ Hall of Fame line the walls. The hotels also house the popular dance club called the Spanish Galleon.
Noshing around
A business called Nunie's Nosh is requesting from the Myrtle Beach Community Appearance Board a conceptual/final review for a facade color change, concrete patio and landscaping. The site is 1144 Shine Avenue, which is one block away from the Market Commons shopping/dining development being built on the former U.S. Air Force Base in Myrtle Beach.
The property sold the week of July 29 for $1,007,500.
Burning desire
Can you think of anyone about who you’ve thought, “They ought to have their own TV cooking show.”? If so, you can let them know The Food Network is looking for its newest chef star!
They want people who can teach about food, who know how to cook themselves and have appealing personalities.
And if you have your own secret desire to cook on TV, here’s your chance! The winner will get his or her own six-episode show.
Applications and contest rules can be downloaded from www.FoodNetwork.com. Send by e-mail your name, age, phone number, e-mail address, city, a brief summary of why you want to be on the show, occupation (if not cooking professionally how do you continue to keep your passion for cooking alive) and a picture of yourself to: CastingNFNS4@yahoo.com.
September 18
Update 7:58 a.m.
DOLE FRESH VEGETABLES ANNOUNCES VOLUNTARY RECALL OF “DOLE HEARTS DELIGHT” PACKAGED SALADS
Dole Fresh Vegetables is recalling “Dole Hearts Delight” salad mix. This product was sold in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime Provinces in Canada and in Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and neighboring states in the U.S.
Gourmet Gator
Socastee is blessed once again with an exciting new dining option.
The Lazy Gator Island Grill & Sports Pub opened where The Grumpy Grouper was located for years, in Socastee Plaza on Socastee Boulevard.
But that’s not the best news.
My jaw dropped open when the chef came out of the kitchen to say hello, because it is Randy Herndon, formerly executive chef at Prince Resort in North Myrtle Beach. Wow! Socastee is getting the real deal this time.
But that’s not the best news.
The BEST news is, Socastee residents are getting food from a high-caliber chef at Socastee prices!
The signature dish is The Lazy Gator, which has alligator fillets pounded thin – Chef Randy says he treats it like veal – and coated in seasoned breading. The cooked cutlets are topped with a roasted red pepper cream sauce studded with crawfish, and the plate presentation is lovely. The dish is also delicious – the gator is incredibly tender, and the flavorful sauce was created with a deft hand.
The entree is $12.50, and comes with fresh French bread and a house salad.
Or you can go all out and spend $18.95 on The Gator Surf & Turf. It’s the most expensive meal on the menu, and you get filet mignon with shrimp and scallops sautéed in white wine cream sauce. Bread and salad also comes with this choice.
Not quite that hungry? There’s Seafood Pasta for $14.95; a Fried Seafood Platter for $13.95 (shrimp, scallops, crab cake, oysters, fresh fish, salad and a side); Sabin’s Fish and Chip for $8.95; Oyster or Shrimp Po’ Boy for $6.95; Shrimp Cocktail, Roasted Oysters, Oysters Rockefeller, burgers, Bacon-Wrapped Scallops, Seared Tuna, Gator Tail, Cuban Pork Spring Rolls, and Fried Crab Ravioli.
Diners will see that Brownie with Ice Cream is one of the dessert choices. Chef Randy is known for his awesome brownies.
The decor has been spruced up with lots of vivid green and other primary colors to give the restaurant a Caribbean feeling, but the layout hasn’t changed. The upper level is dominated by a huge bar where locals love to gather, and downstairs there are plenty of tables for hungry diners. Many flat-screen televisions are throughout both levels, so you’ll never miss an important sporting event if you take the family out for lunch or dinner.
Thanks for bringing Chef Randy Herndon to Socastee goes to Lazy Gator owner, Cliff Ward. If his name sounds familiar, it’s because he also owns All About Gutters.
You can see Lazy Gator from Socastee Boulevard in Socastee Plaza, about an eighth of a mile east of Socastee High School. The number is 294-2178.
Webby Awards
Does your restaurant have an exciting and innovative Web site? Starting today and through Dec. 14, The Twelfth Annual Webby Awards is accepting entries for the Best Restaurant Site of the year award.
You can enter at www.webbyawards.com; the early entry deadline is Oct. 26.
September 17
Big award for Umi…and for Myrtle Beach culinary tourism
Sante magazine is written by restaurant professionals for restaurant and hospitality professionals, and its articles span culinary arts, personnel issues, credit card theft and everything between that people in the restaurant industry care about.
Each year Sante gives peer-reviewed awards, and at the 2007 awards ceremony to be held in November at the Silverado Resort in California’s Napa Valley, a Myrtle Beach restaurant will be recognized.
Umi Pacific Grille, one of Divine Dining Group’s fine dining concepts, has been named the southeast regional pick out of nine national winners of the award given to the country’s most innovative restaurants. No other South Carolina restaurants were recognized in any of the other awards categories.
You can see the compete list of winners HERE.
Umi’s executive chef is Brad Walton, and Divine Dining Group’s Director of Cuisine is Kurt D’Aurizio.
Market report
From the market report posted at the A&A Produce Web site:
Possible deals
Nectarines are hot! The quality is reported to be excellent, and they’re available through September.
Washington Golden Delicious and Granny Smith apple supplies are increasing.
Green bell peppers are in steady supply, and quality is excellent for red and yellow bell peppers.
The supply of small cantaloupes is steady, and while demand is high for larger melons, quality is excellent.
Stocks are ample for jumbo onions.
Prices and supplies of potatoes and pears are steady.
Cauliflower prices are coming down.
Higher prices
Due to a recent earthquake in Peru, asparagus prices are “skyrocketing.”
Celery prices continue to rise.
Cucumbers will see higher prices until the Mexican crops start coming in at the end of the month.
Many California lemon growers say, “this will be the smallest crop in history.”
September 16
Teacher tested
Mushrooms were the topic this week at the regular Wednesday night culinary class at the Grand Strand Campus of Horry-Georgetown Technical College, and we have Chef Instructor Tom Mullally’s recipe for Mushroom-Risotto Cakes Topped with Sautéed Crab Meat in Sherry Sauce.
More than Gravlax
Quick…name some Scandinavian foods.
Let’s see, there’s Gravlax, otherwise known as smoked salmon.
And they eat cod, right? And lingonberries?
While those are examples of Scandinavian foods, there’s a lot more cooking in the land of long dark winters and short light summers. In “Kitchen of Light,” author Andreas Viestad shares the joys of Scandinavian home, hearth and countryside.
September 15
Restaurant Inspections
September 14
Update 9:30 a.m.
Murray Bros. Caddy Shack at 10131 N. Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach, near Colonial Mall, closed about 10 days ago according to Caddy Shack General Manager Lance Trent. That was the second Caddy Shack location to open and close in Myrtle Beach; the first was at Broadway at the Beach. However, Trent says the hunt is on for another Myrtle Beach location.
Exciting food
Do your plate presentations lack pizzazz? Check out this graphic at washingtonpost.com, and see how plain plates can easily change to impressive displays.
Classy cooking
This week I attended a Wednesday night culinary class on the Grand Strand campus of Horry-Georgetown Technical College, and it was so much fun! The topic was Mushrooms for Mushroom Lovers only, and seven other food fanatics were there to learn from Chef Instructor Tom Mullally.
Students are pampered – this is like sitting at the chef’s table at a fine restaurant. Places are set with linen napkins, silverware, glasses and step-by-step recipes. Chef Tom prepares the recipes, explaining as he goes along what he is doing, why he is doing it and the attributes of the ingredients.
Of course we learned about different types of mushrooms – shiitake, morel, oyster, lobster, portabello, button, porcini, enoki – but we also got great tips about cooking utensils and terminology. For example, students learned a duxelle is made of finely chopped mushrooms and shallots that are sautéed in white wine. The mixture can then be used as a filling, topping, flavoring or sauce addition.
Other students included friends Roe Farace and Maureen Giaramita of North Myrtle Beach; husband and wife Tom and Shirley Craddock of Conway; friends Ashley Veach and Jolene Lemke of Myrtle Beach; and Phil Bobbins of Surfside Beach. This was the first HGTC culinary class for some; others had attended a few times. Phil Bobbins likes the classes so much he has come to all of them for four years!
Upcoming classes include salsas, lunch dishes, entertaining, low-calorie, fish, cheeses, wines and holiday cooking. You can get a class list HERE.
The three-hour sessions cost $45 each, and a friend can come with you for half-price. People are welcome to take just one class or several, and you can call 477-0808 to register. Class size is limited to 15 students.
Check back here Sunday to get a recipe from the class.
Falling back
SeaBlue in North Myrtle Beach will revert to fall hours in October, which means they’re closed Sundays and Mondays. But for the remaining weeks in September, they still open starting at 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
A few spots are left for SeaBlue’s New Zealand wine tasting, which starts at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 18, on the new SeaBlue patio. You get three wines, three dishes and educational commentary by Casey Stephenson of National Distributing for $28. Reservations can be made by calling (843) 249-8800.
September 13
A first for Front Street
I don’t remember an Italian restaurant ever being on Front Street in Georgetown, but there is one now. La Rocca Authentic Italian Cuisine opened Aug. 20, and proprietor Charles Lalomia is eager to jump into the Grand Strand dining community.
Lalomia’s partner is Paul Melone, who is also his brother-in-law.
“We’ve always wanted to work together,” Charles says. “We’ve been best friends for over 30 years. [Paul] comes on weekends from New Jersey to help out, and he takes care of all the paperwork.”
Charles says that after vacationing in this area for several years, it became harder and harder to go home to Jersey. A year ago, he and his w |