tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34974919111684028442024-03-04T21:18:42.523-08:00Eating Myrtle BeachA guide to food and drink in Myrtle Beach and beyondRoger Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130873582800920846noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3497491911168402844.post-6316280104667075262013-06-21T12:08:00.000-07:002013-06-21T12:08:06.329-07:00PICK...er...Lulu's Cafe!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">...or, how I learned to keep it simple, turkey. Oh my god, guys, look at this. Just look at it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1d9xvDFvKDfXmr7gO3aa__hCDime9_5HUjAwY7cT9w1UIqPXMVRToiw2urXHs8IS_yip8N0nD52MnvjYQuexFvmbkYU7Vx_RzxLSgWKRz6iKv4zZAhSg2kcABnBHmWQSTEk_vESXoV7M/s1600/PICKLES.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1d9xvDFvKDfXmr7gO3aa__hCDime9_5HUjAwY7cT9w1UIqPXMVRToiw2urXHs8IS_yip8N0nD52MnvjYQuexFvmbkYU7Vx_RzxLSgWKRz6iKv4zZAhSg2kcABnBHmWQSTEk_vESXoV7M/s320/PICKLES.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What do you mean you don't care? Okay, whatever, maybe it doesn't look like much through the electric viewing box but if you're ever going to trust one thing I say, it is this - these are the best fried pickles there are. In Myrtle Beach? Good. Go to Lulu's Cafe on Ocean Boulevard and 19th Avenue North right now and eat these things (Warning: You will have to pay for them afterward. Don't be surprised. This ain't Star Trek.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You're not in Myrtle Beach? You're not in SOUTH CAROLINA?! What is wrong with you man? Look, there are planes, dude. There's no excuse anymore. WE HAVE AN AIRPORT.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lulu's Cafe</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1903 North Ocean Boulevard</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Myrtle Beach, SC 29577</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(843)712-1890</span>Roger Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130873582800920846noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3497491911168402844.post-5927679527523604212013-06-10T10:43:00.000-07:002013-06-12T06:35:45.073-07:00Loco Gecko!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Heed all advice given by coconut monkey cups." - a real sentence</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lunch has always been my favorite meal of the day. Bring on the fat jokes, suckers - the journey has been delicious, fun, and totally worth it. Since I started this blog which has forced me out to new places to eat, lunch is now like...approximately 25% more radical than it ever has been. THINGS ARE LOOKING UP.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The latest lunch adventure? Loco Gecko in Myrtle Beach. Baller or Not Baller? Well, I guess you'll have to read past the jump to find out, lazy-bones.</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />Loco Gecko is a bar and grill type combo located pretty much on the ocean. Don't believe me?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTacRU39IedRQK0B97Y9ZfHtAO7U7jU_kd0F907yB_zSfSsH4HuIG0i3QdiH__ebK1tsEvTKza44uIfpn7cKJJeM1rtJszMrHmQvzZVNyysYaL7fH1IeS5NpMaEb3QfBVlA7aPEybRSUM/s1600/loco+beach.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTacRU39IedRQK0B97Y9ZfHtAO7U7jU_kd0F907yB_zSfSsH4HuIG0i3QdiH__ebK1tsEvTKza44uIfpn7cKJJeM1rtJszMrHmQvzZVNyysYaL7fH1IeS5NpMaEb3QfBVlA7aPEybRSUM/s320/loco+beach.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You know I can't lie to you.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Boom, suckers. See that big thing in the background called a horizon but it looks grey instead of blue because I'm terrible at taking pictures? Totally ocean. Anyway, the above picture was the view from where we were sitting. The sun was shining and the breeze was blowing. It was a perfect day and we were in a perfect location.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our super friendly waitress took our orders and before too long, my girlfriend was the first of us to be rewarded for our lunch time decision-making prowess - with a Margolada which is what I'm calling the Margarita/Pina Colada that knocked her socks off and is pictured below.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weekday lunches gettin' done right, son.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What should come as a surprise to no one? The second item brought to the table just so happened to be our ultimate not-so-secret vice - fried pickles.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5VyWptlvI7-M1ELPNAHjAE95bSuSpBr4FJP2OoUBmOX_G3rntqgOBapB_j19fTJmh1P8ePWps8pGX7zSNDo17Zl4ZiRnkEfSOpvzh9pdqXKnP0FsW2snIZPlvDtJWwWm6dtBrpRpTDM/s1600/loco+pickles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5VyWptlvI7-M1ELPNAHjAE95bSuSpBr4FJP2OoUBmOX_G3rntqgOBapB_j19fTJmh1P8ePWps8pGX7zSNDo17Zl4ZiRnkEfSOpvzh9pdqXKnP0FsW2snIZPlvDtJWwWm6dtBrpRpTDM/s320/loco+pickles.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Americans don't eat enough fruit and veggies? MYTH BUSTED</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here's where I can get into more detail because these little darlings were extraordinary. Like, take whatever you know about the ordinary and then add EXTRA. Presumably not extra ORDINARY but extra something special ON TOP OF ordinary. You know what? Extraordinary doesn't make nearly as much sense as it should. ANYWAY - the breading on these guys was thick, but not in a way that made you feel like you were eating a greasy pickle sandwich. Subtly seasoned, the coating avoided the common pitfall of trying to overshadow the pickled goodness hidden inside and allowed the tart vinegar burst of the pickles themselves to speak for the appetizer. We got some pickle appreciatists up in here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So the apps are done...that means It's Burger Time, fool! Behold!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsWuePrkNT6C8htkPaZaTi078UULzOommG1xOREeM0VIfc8QBj7QSYiucidH3stvS22QHmTg8uv5gnW4fkpmg-yZPu2GQZ1nJm9B8wKzJyJNrjWEVDoe2ga91pEY4NqZXA1vYPyCrmYY/s1600/loco+burger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsWuePrkNT6C8htkPaZaTi078UULzOommG1xOREeM0VIfc8QBj7QSYiucidH3stvS22QHmTg8uv5gnW4fkpmg-yZPu2GQZ1nJm9B8wKzJyJNrjWEVDoe2ga91pEY4NqZXA1vYPyCrmYY/s320/loco+burger.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Alright, so this is the Holy Smokes burger and comes with a generous amount of applewood-smoked bacon happily mingling with jalapenos and cheddar jack. It's a simple thing - not too many ingredients warring over top billing and sometimes, that's for the best. Each element shines and packs a flavor punch. If I have one gripe that rears its ugly head more than most when I go out for burgers is that in the rare occasion your server actually asks how you want your burger done, it more often than not serves as a cruel trick where no matter what you say, you still get something cooked well done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In this particular case, I ordered my burger cooked medium and, wonder of wonders, I got a medium-cooked burger. Naturally, this was the best day of my life.*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My conclusion? Loco Gecko is a TOTALLY Baller Shak-by-the-sea. It's not the cheapest place around - my burger cost $8.79 - but it's not so exorbitant as to destroy your wallet. Make no mistake - the price is worth it and this is a place you should go. Stare at the address below, wait 'til you get hungry, then go to the Gecko.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*This is largely due to the fact that I lack perspective and have a short memory. Also, my burger was pretty good.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Loco Gecko Beach Shak</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">805 South Ocean Boulevard</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Myrtle Beach, SC 29577</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://locogecko.com/">locogecko.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(843)448-6800</span><br />
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Roger Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130873582800920846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3497491911168402844.post-79125475717485251572013-05-29T11:48:00.001-07:002013-05-29T11:48:59.958-07:00River City Cafe<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So River City Cafe is one of those places that inevitably gets brought up in this area whenever anyone decides to enter the minefield that is asking the question, "Who has the best burgers on the beach?" Now, the reason I happen to like when this type of question pops up is that I get to take mental notes of all the places I <strike>should</strike> need to go to...you know...to discover the TRUTH.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was with great anticipation then that my girlfriend and I decided to visit the River City Cafe located on 21st Avenue North (there are a handful of locations up and down the beach - don't be a caveman, use Google Maps or something for the others!) to get to the bottom of some burger business (and, subsequently, our plates). Read on after the jump to see what we found out, alright?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The interior is super casual. Harmless graffiti is EVERYWHERE to say nothing about the countless license plates covering the walls from every corner of the United States. Peanut shells litter the floor in copious quantities, a direct result of the free appetizer every table is given - salted peanuts!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These things. You've seen them before. NUTS.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just in case you don't immediately get the point that this place isn't exactly a haven for the uptight or anal-retentive, you'll quickly be put right when you see one of the servers gleefully sweep aside peanut shells from your table, leaving them to the mercy of the floor all in the name of creating more space for ridiculous meat sandwiches to fit in your oriFACE. That is a portmanteau, guys.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So let's jump in, shall we? The menu reads like the first time your parents left you to your own devices at home because you were a "big kid" and finally gained a level of trust enough not to burn your house down to the ground within 20 seconds of mom pulling out of the driveway. You violated that trust, didn't you? It's okay. WE ALL DID.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But where was I? Oh, the menu. Right! There are items here that rail against all measures of good sense. There is a "cheeseburger" that replaces the bun with TWO grilled cheese sandwiches. There is nothing about that sentence that isn't factual. This is dining for people not ashamed to dine, something I'm sure we can all appreciate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now I know the concept of frying two separate sandwiches in butter to use AS bread for ANOTHER sandwich made out of fat and sin MAY make some people tremble with trepidation. It's okay, skinny minnie, there're a bunch of vegetarian and more otherwise non-lethal dining options on the menu if you're into that sort of thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Me? I believe you should misbehave when you go out. That's why I ordered a cheeseburger with pork rinds on it.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come on, girl, you know I can't lie to you.</td></tr>
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<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are two rockstar baller features about River City Cafe that separate them from the hohum burger pack. First and foremost, fries are cut on the premises. Second, burgers are fresh and never frozen. If you're gonna make Valhalla burgers and fries, these are the greasy foundations upon which you must build. Don't you dare freeze a damn thing.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I would guess that it's fairly obvious from now that I enjoyed my <strike>trip</strike> trips(!) to River City Cafe. You're pretty insightful! Am I ready to say they've got the best burgers on the beach? I'll drop the hyperbole and state that I can not...with a caveat: there's a whole lot more beach for me to eat through.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That being said, I'll definitely end up coming back to River City Cafe again and again. For comparison's sake, you understand.*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*It's actually just so I can eat more of their burgers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">River City Cafe</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">404 21st Avenue North (one of a handful of locations. USE THE INTERNET)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Myrtle Beach, SC 29577</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.rivercitycafe.com/">http://www.rivercitycafe.com/</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(843)448-1990</span></div>
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Roger Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130873582800920846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3497491911168402844.post-55065510807988402112013-05-22T12:35:00.000-07:002013-05-25T08:36:38.243-07:00The Bowery<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Anti-Photographer Strikes</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Damn, alright, so my girlfriend and I spun the wheel of random today and landed on The Bowery for our lunch destination. Before I get down to grease tacks I should note that, like a bunch of other bar establishments in Myrtle Beach, The Bowery is attached to/has its food services handled by a place called Duffy's Bar & Grill.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Say hello, Duffy's!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Also, and this is less "important" and more "what is going on", but the classic-country-southern-rock band Alabama was the house band for The Bowery for something like 8 years in the '70's.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh, oh, oh! Also...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's so hard to be me.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The above photo is the view you get when facing The Bowery/Duffy's and you turn your head to the right. Sorry (I'm not sorry) if your lunch spots are way less glamorous.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Alright, now on to "THE EXPERIENCE." We walk into Duffy's and it's your standard bar setup - a long room, bar to the right, seating on the left, pool table in the back, and a WELL-STOCKED merch booth at the door. This place is serious about The Bowery brand. We were allowed to seat ourselves and so we chose a spot along the wall between the merch and the bar that gave us an unobstructed view of a Bud/Bowery/Fun-with-spelling neon sign.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's true, though. Ya can't.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The menu is classic burger fare if someone went into the nuts and bolts of the classic burger fare car and cut the brakes so it couldn't stop. We ordered the "Double D's Dill Chips" for an appetizer because if you don't like fried pickles, the pleasure centers in your brain simply don't work. My girlfriend ordered the "JP's Hillbilly Philly" which promised a cheesesteak-like experience with the addition of "secret sauce" and the non-standard SWISS cheese option. RISKY.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As for myself...well. Sometimes a menu item strikes me less like an option and more like a challenge. I found that here with the "Big Daddy Trash Truck", a burger that featured a half pound of meat piled on top with just about everything that must have been in the kitchen sink (but hopefully actually the refrigerator). Lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mayo, mustard, ketchup, banana peppers, jalapenos, mushrooms, bacon, chili, "and both white and yella cheeses."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Alright, Big Daddy. It's on.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, the domesticated pickle.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As we munched on our (excellent) Dill Chips and I started to ponder just what in the hell I had gotten myself into, I looked around the room some more. The Alabama connection is totally legit. I think I counted 8 platinum records hanging around the place and there was a guitar signed by the band hanging above the bar. Not my kinda music, but a cool thing all the same whether you're into it or not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As I gazed about, a gentleman from behind the bar probed my readiness to accept the bounty which was to be placed before me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"You ready for this?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Yep!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"No, I'm serious. You ordered the Trash Truck?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Sure did!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"You eat breakfast?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Nope!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I received a thumbs-up in response. I chose wisely. Shortly thereafter, the beast was delivered to the table.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It came with a fork. Now...at first glance, this looks like a pretty solidly built construct so I initially didn't understand WHY exactly I was brought a fork. Until I picked the burger up and LAYERS of its contents threatened (and succeeded) to emancipate themselves from the whole and take up residence on my plate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Hillbilly Philly brought to my girlfriend wasn't quite as intimidating or terrifying but was still generously portioned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Alright...the taste. I'll start with the Dill Chips. Most places you grab fried pickles from won't do too much with the breading. They know how powerful pickle vinegar is and that can more or less carry the dish. The Bowery/Duffy's isn't nearly as shy when it comes to seasoning...something that carried through to all the dishes we tried. A good saltiness accompanied the vinegar bite. The breading was laid on a little thick for my tastes, but that only made the pickles "Incredibly Great" as opposed to "Transcending Reality."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm a Philly-area guy, and I'm naturally skeptical (though almost always naively hopeful) about cheesesteaks from outside the northeast. Indeed, the Hillbilly Philly wasn't entirely faithful to the base dish with the use of Swiss cheese and the addition of secret sauce. That's also not necessarily a bad thing. The sandwich managed to capture a unique identity of its own - a good, southern cheesesteak, again well-spiced (something even mid-atlantic cheesesteak crafters could take a lesson in).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That leaves only the one-on-one battle that was my wonderful self vs. the Big Daddy Trash Truck burger. I was initially at a loss. The first bite surprised me with an explosion of flavor. As I chewed and pondered what it truly means to be a man, I looked down at my plate and tried to figure out what to do. A full quarter of a pound of material had fallen out of my burger. Do I sloppily pick up the pieces and try to recreate the whole? Do I call 9-1-1? Do I look for an adult?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I wiped my hands with a napkin. I wiped my face with another napkin. I took a deep breath. The plan formulated and it was a simple one. Shove the burger in my face as best I can and use that fork for the job that I had just come to realize the noble instrument was truly invented for: inserting BALLER sloppy burger seconds into my face hole.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It wasn't easy. The Trash Truck did NOT go quietly. Bite after bite I soldiered on until I was left with the food orphans. They might have been able to escape the burger, but it couldn't run from the fork. I had claimed victory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As we were leaving, the gentleman behind the bar from before asked if I had even finished the "salad" that must inevitably fall from EVERYONE'S Trash Truck. Here I was worrying I had done something wrong...worried that my review might cast some negative light on what I deep down felt was an awesome gastronomical experience. The twist is that all along, everything was working like intended like some kind of episode of Chopped mixed with an M. Night Shyamalan movie that doesn't suck.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm so sorry I ran out of pictures. But, hey. Go to The Bowery.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Bowery</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">110 9th Avenue North</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Myrtle Beach, SC 29577</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thebowery.com/">www.TheBowery.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(843)626-3445</span></div>
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Roger Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130873582800920846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3497491911168402844.post-63051494600938606942013-05-20T11:58:00.001-07:002013-05-20T12:21:31.824-07:00Jimmyz Original Hibachi...PLUS BONUS STAR TREK DESSERT, DUDES<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Guys, remember the Habibi's review where I neglected to get photos because I'm bad at this? I still don't have an excuse for the same thing happening AGAIN this time other than to say:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. I had the most unfortunate hangover during my dining experience</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. I just watched the new Star Trek movie and I'm a big dork and kept talking about that</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. I am still a terrible food and restaurant critic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Bonus Reason: It's Bike Week in Myrtle Beach and motorcycles are like, loud and distracting or something.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anyway, coming home from the movies Friday, my girlfriend and I decided to stop at Jimmyz Original Hibachi to treat our tastebuds to a style that hasn't been featured yet on Eating Myrtle Beach: Asian(ish) food! It will be the first of many, I assure you. Personally, I can't wait to gag on some too-hot curry in the name of culinary exploration.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But Jimmyz first! My initial impression was that this is not a particularly large establishment. The restaurant makes up for this fact by offering a totally radical outside seating area that easily doubles their capacity and this is very cool, even if you're only nestled a bit close to a highway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">At the counter, the menu is written on a chalkboard above the register. They keep things pretty simple and offer most of everything in two sizes - a lunch size and a dinner size. The lunch size is the smaller of the two, in theory. We ordered the same dish - Teriyaki Chicken - one in each size, but for the life of us, we weren't able to conclusively determine which of the resulting plates contained more food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As long as we're on the vaguely negative, I'll also report that the bathroom was in an "unfortunate" state that I am content is best left to the undoubtedly vivid imagination of the reader.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">With that out of the way, I will comment on the decidedly good. The aforementioned Teriyaki Chicken bowls of inscrutable size? I loved mine. Flavor was great. Rice was good. Chicken was spot-on. The not-white-but-really-not-pink sauce in the huge squeeze bottle was the best. I don't know if it was the hangover or the post-Trek glow or what, but I was pleased. My girlfriend thinks there's better Hibachi places elsewhere (and rattled off some names I would type here but feel like I should wait until I get around to reviewing them properly). She's PROBABLY right.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That said, if you're in the middle of Myrtle Beach and have a taste for hibachi, you could do way worse than Jimmyz.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Jimmyz Original Hibachi</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6108 North Kings Highway</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Myrtle Beach, SC 29572</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.jimmyzhibachi.com/">www.jimmyzhibachi.com</a></span><br />
(843)839-8008<br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What? Wait, are you guys still here? Okay, check it - I'm a massive dork. As soon as we stepped out of the car in the Jimmyz parking lot, I looked across the street and saw this:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'd do some sort of stereotypical halting Kirk-speak here but then I would literally kill myself.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I should clearly state that I do not put any stock in fate...unless it helps enable me to make loose connections with iconic Sci-Fi franchises and EAT ICE CREAM. I also normally don't eat dessert. EXCEPTION TIME, BABY.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">ULTIMATE NO-DOUBT BALLER ALERT: This ice cream. Man, oh man. I love me some cookies n' cream, okay? Now...you know how when you get cookies n' cream ice cream it's usually just vanilla ice cream and the CRAPPIEST PART of Oreo cookies? The dumb, boring sorta chocolate cookie part? You also know how you don't care and still eat it because hey, it's still ice cream AND that stuff so that's pretty excellent and stop complaining, man.(?) Well, Kirk's was like eff that and totally left the awesome cream filling inside the broken pieces of Oreo granting a rare look at the Dodo Bird of the food world - a true cookies n' cream ice cream.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I ate it. Totally baller. My girlfriend got the Birthday Cake variety seen here:</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5HzAxSzVUCrMi5-IC3KZgW7c363NnbVgQqPjqoPq1kWitTjaAqS_bs66adBvrw2e9uHNWQvOrvW64UfLExKred-c7DBl5p5WuCVcKbUSBl3IGv7Cv5WEuLDIop1lCRR5x5022-OGxRA/s1600/ICECREAM.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5HzAxSzVUCrMi5-IC3KZgW7c363NnbVgQqPjqoPq1kWitTjaAqS_bs66adBvrw2e9uHNWQvOrvW64UfLExKred-c7DBl5p5WuCVcKbUSBl3IGv7Cv5WEuLDIop1lCRR5x5022-OGxRA/s320/ICECREAM.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also seen: reminders of mortality, 'scream melt, and unfortunate lighting conditions.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you love Star Trek or ice cream you should definitely check out Kirk's. You can even go there if you don't like Star Trek, but I'm having a hard time identifying or connecting with you as a human being in that case. If you like both, it's the best combo ever and you should thank your parents for doing a good job on you or whatever. Dessert of the Week winner right here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Kirk's Ice Cream Parlor</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6101 N Kings Highway</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Myrtle Beach, SC 29577</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(843)449-0606</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">-AND-</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2500 N Kings Highway</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Myrtle Beach, SC 29577</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(843)626-3422</span><br />
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Roger Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130873582800920846noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3497491911168402844.post-58305635976463096222013-05-17T11:30:00.000-07:002013-05-17T11:30:11.372-07:00Habibi's Cafe & Market<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's kind of easy to get tired of routine, even something as intensely comforting as a lunch routine. I've probably spent too much of my time scouring the internet for local lunch choices that don't immediately make themselves obvious as an option when you're plucking things off the top of your head that you might want to eat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Enter Habibi's Cafe & Market. Habibi's is a Lebanese joint right around the corner from where I work and I figured something with a Mediterranean/Middle-Eastern flavor would be a welcome departure from the norm. A departure it totally was.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let's jump into some Falafel and Gyros, shall we?</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Upon entering the Cafe, it's evident Habibi's is not a very large place. A long counter separating the kitchen from the dining area dominates the room, but they make good use of the remainder of their space, somehow managing to fit plenty of spacious tables that can seat more than you'd expect from a restaurant of this size.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Orders are placed at the counter from a very small and simple menu, after which diners may seat themselves and have their food brought to them when it's ready. The small menu is a smart choice - the average American diner probably "don't know from" Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern cuisine. Fewer options means less scared diners. Courageous diners don't wind up with option paralysis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At any rate, I ordered the Falafel plate while my girlfriend ordered the Gyro. We also decided on a hummus appetizer. Soft drink and juice options come in bottles. Ice fans out there will be sorely disappointed, I guess. But also, why are you an ice fan? I mean I get that it makes drinks colder, but having a level of devotion to really cold water to the point of being a fan is...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm getting sidetracked almost as bad as I got distracted by the rotating spit of lamb meat visible behind the counter. I started to regret my decision to not get the gyro, but I was on a mission where obtaining chickpea foodstuffs was of the utmost importance. The hummus and falafel would do nicely.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All of our food arrived at the same time instead of the appetizer coming out first. This seems to bother a bunch of people in general, but I really couldn't care less. I'm a simple beast and when it looks like there's more food on the table, the reptile part of my brain gets stroked in a way that satisfies at least 60% of all cave-man based urges.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm a total amateur and WAS totally hungry so I forgot to take pictures. TAKE IT EASY, MAN. I'll make up for it someday. In the meantime, use google or something, it's great.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The hummus came in copious supply and was accompanied by two large pitas. The tahini component of the dish stole the show in contrast to most of the hummus I've had in the Myrtle Beach area which instead tends toward the tart and acidic. I don't necessarily prefer one style over the other, but I REALLY enjoyed this hummus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The falafel MAY have been a touch overpriced, but it was still delicious and the tahini dipping sauce was awesome - very crisp and bright. Despite being a fried foodstuff, I didn't feel too full or bloated. Girlfriend said her gyro was pretty great, though if she had to nitpick (which is sort of encouraged), she thought the distribution of the contents of her gyro was unbalanced leading to a sub-optimal eating experience. A minor quibble, and one that in no way represents an overall negative opinion of the food here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So! That pretty much covers the Cafe side of things, but what's with the Market bit in Habibi's name? Well, the kitchen and dining room are quite literally half of a whole. Attached is a market of identical size that stocks a massive variety and selection of ingredients and foods from the Mediterranean region.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now I'm pretty sure I haven't used the word baller yet. Don't think I forgot. If you only make the trip to Habibi's for ONE THING, come over to the Market side of the Cafe/Market. The Market is usually staffed by an awesome older gentleman who will try to sell you and sell you hard on a dessert in <strike>a</strike> several glass cases called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halva" target="_blank">Halva.</a> Absolutely give in and purchase some.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For the uninitiated, Halva, as described by Habibi's Master of the Halva, is like a Middle-Eastern version of fudge that is no where near as universally awful for you as fudge is. It's an airy, solid, crumbly dessert made from tahini paste - an incredibly versatile substance - and oftentimes festooned with nuts like pistachios. There's also a plain variety on tap here as well as a chocolate swirl. Totally. Baller.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So there you have it. Habibi's Cafe, Market, and Halva Emporium is pretty much a must visit - particularly if you're looking for something different in your dining experience. I know that at the very least, you'll never look at sesame seeds the same way ever again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Habibi's Cafe & Market</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3310 Waccamaw Boulevard</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Myrtle Beach, SC 29579</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(843)236-0150</span><br />
<br />Roger Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130873582800920846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3497491911168402844.post-88206872762201569612013-05-15T08:21:00.000-07:002013-05-15T08:30:45.831-07:00Nacho Hippo<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_bIPA2xSIxNuMcxIBczbWNJ89ay8X2bYHbNUGvypz08VNVEfZ3rEK8RMYZkkqRCtSCCimC4RbX6hKCuA8uUrHenfVPZiTrPDO3nyTpqdEWlcqE0KNdFbEbRDUFLpeBQY9XLIVR7OFrzw/s1600/nacho_hippo_ext.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_bIPA2xSIxNuMcxIBczbWNJ89ay8X2bYHbNUGvypz08VNVEfZ3rEK8RMYZkkqRCtSCCimC4RbX6hKCuA8uUrHenfVPZiTrPDO3nyTpqdEWlcqE0KNdFbEbRDUFLpeBQY9XLIVR7OFrzw/s320/nacho_hippo_ext.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valhalla</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"High-class nachos" seems like a phrase one might come up with lying in a stupor on the floor of a dirty dorm room floor as they steel themselves to "enjoy" the results of throwing a bunch of stale corn chips on a plate and microwaving it with a few slices of american cheese on top.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Speaking of inscrutable phrases associated with the word "nacho", I haven't yet taken the time to find an explicit explanation of where, why, and how Nacho Hippo, a wonder of an establishment nestled within the Market Common "upscale urban center", got its name. After sampling the fruits within, I came to the almost too obvious conclusion that it has to do with serving sizes. We'll get to that.</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />My girlfriend and I arrived at The Hippo around dinner time Saturday night. Place was pretty jumpin' - the modestly sized patio along the sidewalk was full on a decadently pleasant evening weather-wise and what seemed to be the main dining area was full as well. A good sign! Thankfully, the interior is bigger on the inside than it looks from without and there was sort of another half-full dining room away from the bar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As far as beverages go, my girlfriend opted for a margarita of gigantic proportions and I decided on a much tamer Diet Coke. Fun Fact: Sodas come in souvenir cups. FREE CUPS. As we got our drinks we ordered the Grilled Corn on the Cob for an appetizer, more out of curiosity than anything else. Outside of corn as a side dish or worked into a salsa or the baby stuff you'll find in Chinese dishes, neither of us have had much experience with Corn on the Cob as a centerpiece of any one particular dish at a sit-down, dine-in establishment.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBA_0zGvUJBF3GV_efAYmqS6skzXpOFRy6X_i7Xp9dvWETmW-vOPKXV_-0CtzIADEdLN5SeiHMC0ZvWiON0a2dfhDd_sxXwyV0CPggtnXs-5ViyIm6J2Hm417rU6HGsJWeUR2ptfYnpK0/s1600/nacho_hippo_corn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBA_0zGvUJBF3GV_efAYmqS6skzXpOFRy6X_i7Xp9dvWETmW-vOPKXV_-0CtzIADEdLN5SeiHMC0ZvWiON0a2dfhDd_sxXwyV0CPggtnXs-5ViyIm6J2Hm417rU6HGsJWeUR2ptfYnpK0/s320/nacho_hippo_corn.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some corn. A knife. A margarita bigger than a purse.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The husk was left on the ear of corn and served nicely as an organic handle for the proceedings that followed. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There was a knife. Our first thought was, of course, "Well, yeah, we'll share. We'll use the knife to cut this thing in half." I think it was actually just a joke being played on us and the Hippo staff and patrons were all pointing and laughing as we fruitlessly attempted to cut through this thing. Finally, we just took it and broke it in half with our hands.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After that minor embarrassment, we got to eating. An awesome blend of spices and queso fresco covered this thing and helped make this some next-level corn. I can honestly say this was the best corn on the cob I've ever had and at $3.95, it was more than worth the price point. This is a theme that will recur throughout anyone's visit to Nacho Hippo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For entrees, my girlfriend decided on getting three tacos - the Bangin' Shrimp which I can confirm comes with shrimp one could describe as "bangin'", the Tijuana featuring chorizo and crema, and the Carolina Kid festooned with pulled pork, slaw, and sweet and sour sauce.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Being that the word "nacho" is part of the name of the establishment, I zeroed in on Nachos as a main course. I like spicy stuff so the enticingly named Fire in the Hole! nachos sounded like the way I wanted to go. Dressed with lettuce, pico, pepperjack, chili, jalapenos, and mango habanero sauce, I was hopeful the name of the dish wasn't just bravado.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ae_8pGf4i5IMYxS-wzFHqtQVtmxKxw6RYBDCxrKZgwicTWCcoa7P4kWILWG3v3yQYLGYeXlLiKtooNXxkVSK0E7hYmKjg2QWK-Gtb3s5johrPnNPSyZb7QStmmJoEsscQeSzDYd_XRY/s1600/nacho_hippo_NACHOS.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ae_8pGf4i5IMYxS-wzFHqtQVtmxKxw6RYBDCxrKZgwicTWCcoa7P4kWILWG3v3yQYLGYeXlLiKtooNXxkVSK0E7hYmKjg2QWK-Gtb3s5johrPnNPSyZb7QStmmJoEsscQeSzDYd_XRY/s320/nacho_hippo_NACHOS.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I already used "Valhalla" for a caption and this fact saddens me.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It wasn't. A little context here because it might be hard to tell just from glancing at the image - those tacos you see up top are the real deal and generously sized. There is no trick of perspective. When you get nachos here, know that you're getting nachos in a quantity that would satisfy at least 4 people. So now we've got THAT out of the way. As for the taste, it was all I could hope for and more. A lot of places that are capable of wowing a diner with food are able to do it one of two ways - either from the sheer quantity of food, or the artistry and flavor present within the meal itself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nacho Hippo does both of these things and they do it really well. Someone behind the curtain not only knows what they're doing but really LOVES to do it. There was passion in every bite. It makes me excited and inspired just to write about it and we're only talking about nachos here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ultimately, I think that's Nacho Hippo's crowning achievement. They take a dish as simple and relatively mundane as nachos and they make it a life affirming experience. When I walked out of Nacho Hippo it was with a feeling of euphoria and satisfaction that I haven't experienced dining out in too long a time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Is that overly dramatic? Probably. At any rate, let me get back to the task at hand. My girlfriend's three tacos ranged in price from $2.95 for the Tijuana to $3.95 for the Bangin' Shrimp. My two-syllable blessed nachos - the nachos that could feed an army - came to a less-than whopping $8.95. I over-achieved in making it halfway through the plate, leaving plenty to take home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've probably missed a lot of description here. The experience was so disproportionately GOOD relative to the low cost incurred that thinking about the whole affair is dizzying. Go to Nacho Hippo. If you're not in Myrtle Beach, get in a plane or a car or ride a horse or whatever and do this important service for yourself.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> You're worth it, I promise you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nacho Hippo Cantina Maximo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Market Common</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1160 Farrow Parkway</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Myrtle Beach, SC 29577</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.nachohippo.com/">http://www.nachohippo.com/</a></div>
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(843)839-9770</div>
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Roger Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130873582800920846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3497491911168402844.post-15491450956741606152013-05-13T08:17:00.000-07:002013-05-13T08:17:50.729-07:00The Shack<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DaoH3AfJoCnCW00HVXhekSqRuR5nCw_OH2xS0aCZcYu6tw7NIwP3KULc9H5AC5xufgHeuiGcIIdY6V7YHe9ZS2F3Ovc-bwAs-cmI5NMbwOU1M7B_yaEQ7Ub_y2YCVw8VRK9WGHDu5w0/s1600/_wsb_528x472_shack+hours+6-5-12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DaoH3AfJoCnCW00HVXhekSqRuR5nCw_OH2xS0aCZcYu6tw7NIwP3KULc9H5AC5xufgHeuiGcIIdY6V7YHe9ZS2F3Ovc-bwAs-cmI5NMbwOU1M7B_yaEQ7Ub_y2YCVw8VRK9WGHDu5w0/s320/_wsb_528x472_shack+hours+6-5-12.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SKIM LIZARD (?)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have a love-hate relationship with breakfast. On the one hand, traditional breakfast food as a concept is pretty out of this world. Waffles, pancakes, biscuits, bacon, sausage, bagels, scrapple*, pork roll*, french toast, eggs, syrup, AAAAGGGGGHHHHH!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*New Jersey roots, represent!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Okay, okay. We're alright now. Where was I? Oh right, love-hate. Here's the thing - during the work week I normally skip breakfast and it's a rare thing on the weekend where I'm up early enough to go a place with strict breakfast menu times IN time to actually break my fast properly. There is little else worse in this world than getting up early if you don't specifically have to. This is a real opinion you (I) have that can be filed away under First World Problems.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On my way to Basil's Pizza for my first review, I passed The Shack. It looked like a funky little place to get some food and the parking lot was slammed. A lighted sign out front heartily demanded I EAT HERE so I made a mental note to do just that as soon as I could. Such wanton brazenness should be applauded and rewarded. How did that work out? Sadly, the experience was hit or miss.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At first, things were promising. The parking lot was slammed so I knew SOMEONE liked what was going on inside. Upon entering, a sign instructed us to seat ourselves so we got to the business of...well...seating ourselves. The interior was spacious, comfortable and, as my girlfriend remarked, "cute."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Browsing through the menu, I found that the pricing was plenty affordable. I selected a fried bologna sandwich with egg and cheese on wheat. As I side, I ordered a menu item appetizingly titled "Trash" which the menu further instructed I ask my server if I was curious about. Not being one to follow the rules and having a bit of a dangerous streak*, I decided to not only neglect to "ask my server" about it, but I UPGRADED my order of TRASH to LOADED TRASH.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*I do not have a dangerous streak</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our server was pleasant and our food came out speedily at which time I discovered what Trash or, rather, what it's Loaded version consisted of: grits, cheese, bacon, sausage, and a fried egg. Totally down with that. The fried bologna sandwich featured a slice of bologna generously sliced to about a quarter-inch width. Baller. My sandwich was pretty decent, though not world rocking. I actually liked the Loaded Trash more and thought it was super flavorful. My Girlfriend Raised In The South (or GRITS as you will see plastered all over vehicles here when you visit) considered the grits featured in the trash to be a bit bland and "not as good as momma's." I blame my northern heritage on "not knowing from grits."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My girlfriend got The Shack Omelet which consisted of a three-egg omelet stuffed with shrimp, crab, cheese, peppers, onion, and tomato. For a side, she got home fries. She found the omelet itself to be underwhelming and the home fries appeared to be a pre-fab, frozen-then-reheated affair.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My roommate, his girlfriend, and her young daughter accompanied us on this trip as well, a recurring theme that will help stop me from ordering everything on the menu for review purposes. Roommate got pancakes and greatly enjoyed them. His girlfriend encountered much greater difficulties. She ordered biscuits and gravy and remarked that the gravy itself was bland AND cold. She ordered the chocolate chip pancake for her daughter. The pancake was somehow hardened into a brick and all the chocolate seemed to have oozed out and congealed into a solid slab on the underside of the pancake. I can in all honesty state that this poor pancake was so tough that a fork could not pierce its supernatural defenses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">How does a pancake get in this state? My only guess is that some pancakes, or perhaps just those of the chocolate chip variety, are actually a frozen and then microwaved affair which someone somehow got wrong here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have to be honest - on the whole, there are better breakfast joints in the Myrtle Beach area. On the main drag, you really can't go a quartermile without running into a pancake house. That being said, if you're in the North Myrtle Area and are looking for super <strike>cheap </strike>inexpensive, serviceable breakfast items, The Shack might be just the thing. Just be aware that menu quality is uneven. When The Shack hits, the food is suitably solid. When it misses, it can miss badly. Eater beware.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Shack</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1128 Sea Mountain Highway</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582</span><br />
<a href="http://shackdaddy.org/"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">http://shackdaddy.org/</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(843)663-3636</span><br />
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<br />Roger Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130873582800920846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3497491911168402844.post-77155778697153262682013-05-08T11:50:00.002-07:002013-05-08T11:56:30.073-07:00Guest Post! Founders Dinner Beer Review!<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Roommate Joe - neat freak, aspiring (and excellent) home brewer, INCREDIBLY accommodating. Joe got pretty excited about the opportunity to review some beers to the point where he took things way more professionally than I did and actually took tasting notes all night. What a guy! What follows is his review in order of consumption and course-pairing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"The Founders Dinner beerlist turned out to be a (almost) vertical tasting, and while I wholly believe this was unintentional, I enjoyed the experience more than I thought I would given that I've had 3 out of 4 of them individually in the past.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Unfortunately the representative they sent worked for a distributor -not the brewery- so we were very limited on the amount and kinds of information we were able to get from him."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1199/4073">Founders Pale Ale</a> - Score: 5/10<br /><br />"Served from a keg into a 8 oz rock glass. Little-to-no hop aroma, which was disappointing seeing as how it's a 100% Cascade beer. High carbonation which worked well with the light malt presence, but overall it was completely unremarkable. The rep presenting the beer said they consider this their “entry/gateway” offering, and I can totally see that, but what I can't see is anyone buying this beer on purpose more than once."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1199/58914">Founders All Day IPA</a> - Score: 6/10</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Served from a keg into a 8 oz rock glass. Medium-high hop aroma, medium carbonation, very drinkable malt backbone. Amarillo hops are the centerpiece of this offering, being very much forward on the nose and tongue. Normally I'd be delighted about that, but in my opinion Amarillo needs support from other hops to make it shine, given its very assertive character. This felt very 1-note with a bitterness/aroma that doesn't seem to be in harmony. At least it was more interesting than the regular Pale Ale.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Strangely this IPA clocked in at a lower ABV than the (previous) regular pale ale, which nicely illustrates how the initials “IPA” have warped into more of a marketing term than an actual classification of beer. But that's a conversation (more likely an argument) for another day."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1199/34146">Founders Double Trouble Imperial IPA</a> – Score: 7/10</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Served from a bottle into a tulip glass. This beer was basically All Day IPA but “more”. More aroma, more flavor, more mouthfeel, more … everything. And it pretty much worked, thanks to the slick, syrupy malt bill which kept both the huge ABV and aggressive Amarillo hops in check. A Simcoe-like hop was also present, which provided the support I previously mentioned was lacking in All Day IPA, giving it a well-rounded, citrusy profile.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Easily my favorite beer of the night, and I would definitely recommend grabbing this if you are into big American Double IPAs."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1199/19960">Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) Imperial Stout</a> - Score: 6/10<br /><br />"Served from a bottle into a tulip glass. Finally, we're in beer nerd territory! KBS is famous for a couple reasons, one of which is because of its limited production and distribution making it rare, and the other is the unapologetic way it crams more coffee and chocolate and alcohol into your glass than almost any other commercial beer out there. It's not balanced - and it's not trying to be, but I think that's half the draw for some people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For me, it's too boozy and too over the top. When you're going to go off the deep end and make an “extreme beer” you need to do it with some sort of finesse if you want the end result to be anything more than just a gimmick. To me, that's exactly what this stout is."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Big ups to Joe for the review. I don't think it's going to be too hard to convince him to do more. craft beer is like this guy's bat symbol only way drunker.<br /><br />For more information on Founders Brewing and what they've literally got on tap, check out their <a href="http://foundersbrewing.com/">website</a> and their brewer profile on <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1199">BeerAdvocate</a>!</span></div>
Roger Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130873582800920846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3497491911168402844.post-72062033559904998612013-05-08T11:26:00.001-07:002013-05-08T11:57:03.310-07:00Mellow Mushroom's Founders Brewery Beer Dinner<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fun fact: Mellow Mushroom is basically my favorite place in the world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With over 120 locations nationwide, it's a bit more chainy than I'd like to make a habit of getting into on this site, but each singular visit tends to be so remarkable that I can't help but talk about the place as a public service to any tourists in the area who have no idea what's going on at this place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On the surface, the Myrtle Beach Mellow Mushroom is a pizza place. Digging a little deeper reveals it's so much more. Since opening in 2008, this Mellocation (oh my god did you just see what I did?) has been a huge regional proponent of furthering the craft beer cause. With over 40 taps and countless more varieties in bottles, there's something for every taste here from the mundane (Miller, Bud, Coors) to the eclectic and electric (Dogfish Head, Westbrook, Lagunitas).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What's this got to do with food? I'm thrilled you asked! Let me help you with that!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Last night, Mellow Mushroom and Founders Brewery teamed up to deliver the Mellow Mushroom Founders Brewery Beer Dinner. The latest in a series of beer dinners hosted by Mellow Mushroom, chefs from the Myrtle Beach and nearby Florence locations put their heads together to come up with a menu of four courses, each course paired with a different beer presented for the occasion by Founders Brewery out of Detroit, MI.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My roommate Joe is a big homebrewer and was at the dinner as well last night. He's gamely agreed to write up a review of the beers enjoyed throughout the evening and I'll be getting that up on the site a little later today. As you might expect, I'm here right now to talk about the food. Let's get on with it, shall we?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1st Course - Spring Mix Salad with shrimp, mushrooms, cucumber, tomato, mango, raspberries, and pecans drizzled over with a raspberry vinaigrette</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Fun Fact: I don't generally like salads. I am literally the worst food reviewer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That being said, this salad was pretty great. The leafy offerings were more hearty and bitter than your standard fare and this earthiness was further enhanced by the pecans. Plump shrimp provided a nice, savory presence. The tomato, mango, and raspberries brought a great combination of tart and sweet brightness to the dish and the vinaigrette wrapped everything up in its loving pink arms nicely to say nothing about the colorful presentation. They managed to make a salad for people who don't like salad without turning things into a heart attacked dressed in greens for Halloween. Excellently done.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2nd Course - Grilled Salmon Taco topped with lime claw and mango salsa</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Look at that. Seriously, just stop what you're doing right now and gaze in awe-struck wonder at the majesty of that plate. So this Salmon Taco...actually, that reminds me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fun Fact: I am incredibly wary of seafood. Worst yet, it's not something where it's like "Oh gosh, I'm not sure I trust how this was prepared and am I going to get sick?" but more of a "Oh my god this tastes like FISH get it away from me, it's gross." Remember the part earlier where I told you how I'm the worst food reviewer? Anyway...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This was brain-crushingly delicious. Everything about this dish was perfect. This is fresh dining. Soft corn tortillas provided the base for a particularly-inspired, lime citrusy claw while mangoes and tomatoes danced the Dance of Secret Flavors o'er top a veritable heap of appealing pink fish. I swear to god nothing in that previous sentence was a euphemism. After enjoying these tacos, I already had it in my mind that nothing I could eat afterward during this dinner could possibly compare much less best this experience. SPOILER ALERT: IT GOT BETTER.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3rd Course - Chicken Marsala, Portobello and button mushrooms, and redskin mashed potatoes</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Girrrrrl, get on that. A peril of dinners of this nature is that in a rush to serve upward of 40 people simultaneously, corners tend to be cut. Telltale signs like food that's too cool (and not in a good way), meat that should be moist but isn't, or general blandness can often creep up and mar what would be an otherwise extraordinary event.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That didn't happen here. The chicken was moist and flavorful. The breading - and this is important now in a dish like this - was barely there. It accentuated and added texture appropriately instead of taking over. The mashed potatoes were good in their own right. Marsala flavor came through without the plate tasting boozy. Nothing here starred because each unit worked equally toward a whole, quality dish. TEAMWORK, MAN. Get the fever.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dessert - French Toast stuffed with banana and chocolate cream cheese with maple bourbon infused ice cream</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ballgame, suckers. Remember the part where I was lost in Fish Taco Heaven and swearing things couldn't get any better but then I promised things got better? This is what I'm talking about. I don't even have much of a sweet tooth, yet this obnoxiously divine creation had me wrapped around its little finger. Explanation will probably be an insult to what was consumed, but I'll give it my best shot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This was probably the most perfectly prepared french toast I've ever had. So it's got that going for it. Impossibly thick hunks of bread struck that expert balance between moist and yielding on the inside and nicely toasted on the outside. Banana and chocolate are your perfect party bro's and they were having a good ol' time chilling out inside this thing. The fact that the chocolate came in the form of cream cheese makes this whole affair borderline in regards to the legality of the thing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Also, yeah. You read that right. This wasn't just ice cream. It was ice cream that HAPPENED TO ALSO BE infused with maple syrup and bourbon. To top it off - literally, as you'll read - this was served alongside Founders' mighty Kentucky Bourbon Stout. I say alongside when what I more accurately mean is I poured the stout all over this thing like it was the most devilish chocolate and coffee syrup topping ever conceived. Historically baller.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In closing, the whole thing was great. Mellow Mushroom was great. Founders was great. If you've never been to a Mellow Mushroom (or even if you have), you owe it to yourself to visit anytime you're in Myrtle Beach or, of course, any city that made the rockingly good choice to host a location. As a warning, the food served at this dinner is NOT indicative of the norm - this is a pizza franchise, after all. The QUALITY is still the same though - so if you're on the lookout for some next-level gourmet pizza and sandwiches, it doesn't tend to get any better than Mellow Mushroom.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1571 21st Avenue North</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Myrtle Beach, SC 29577</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">mellowmushroom.com</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(843)444-1122</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Roger Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130873582800920846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3497491911168402844.post-78636303402046780102013-05-07T09:20:00.002-07:002013-05-07T09:48:05.403-07:00Basil's Pizza<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Okay, admittedly, Basil's Pizza is NOT in Myrtle Beach but instead resides in its northern neighbor North Myrtle Beach. I don't want to say this will be a trend, but if I'm out of town and have an opportunity to dig into something I can write about, I'm not going to look that gift horse in the mouth. More likely, I'll just end up shoveling a calzone into my OWN mouth which is what happened in this particular case.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Full disclosure - I actually live closer to North Myrtle Beach than I do Myrtle Beach. That being said, I didn't have any earthly clue Basil's existed until feeling hungry and adventurous at work, I did a simple search for pizza and lo and behold one of the highest rated pizza joints in the area is one that hadn't even been on my radar - Basil's. At the time, this simply wouldn't do: Basil's Pizza is located a good 30 minutes from where I work. Never one to forget a potentially pretty slice, I stowed my find away in the dark recesses of my brain until I could get a better opportunity to pounce.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I didn't have to wait long. Over the weekend I convinced my girlfriend, roommate, and my roommate's girlfriend to journey with me to Basil's to see (eat) what we could see (eat). The location is great - smack dab at the end of Sea Mountain Highway, Basil's first noticeable feature is an outdoor roofed-over patio with a view of the ocean. For ambiance, you can do worse in a pizza joint.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We'll eat after the jump, I promise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The weather wasn't great, so we headed inside. Basil's isn't big inside, but it's far from cramped. Someone's a sports fan. University of South Carolina paraphernalia festoon the walls as you might expect. Perhaps the most dominant allegiance on display was in the form of Washington Redskins merch including a signed Art Monk piece.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Basil's clientele, at least at noon on a Sunday outside of tourist season, seems to run the gamut. Older teenagers abounded but there were also a couple families I observed purchasing merch who were probably of the tourist persuasion. The place was steadily busy, but not overworked.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As for the staff, they were friendly and attentive, and I never wanted for a refill or had any doubt about whether I'd be getting served anytime soon. Basil's devotes a lot of signage to hyping the fact that they make their dough fresh daily...a good sign in a region not typically known for pumping out high-quality pizza. My companions ordered garlic cheese bread for an appetizer, a medium pie with pineapple, bacon, and pepperoni, and a large pie with pepperoni and heaps of mushrooms. For myself, I ordered a calzone with onions, spinach, and broccoli.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The garlic cheese bread came out first served with Basil's Sauce with a capital BS. That's not a dig at the quality - it's another item Basil's hyped, capitalizing it for branding purposes I assume. The bread itself is exactly what it said on the tin - garlic bread with melted cheese on top that tasted far better than it looked. The Basil's Sauce itself was on the saltier side and not very complex - a simple marinara with what looked like spices thrown in to taste. That sounds harsher than is intended - combined, the cheesy garlic bread and sauce played well-together and was the perfect portion to share amongst four (five, including the roommate's girlfriend's little one)...no one got too full and it only primed us for the main event.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The pizza came out piping hot and looked appetizing. My fellow gustatory adventurers confirmed that it tasted as good as it looked and all were in agreement that, as the aforementioned signage implied, the crust was the star. It managed all at once to be light and supremely thin while the edges maintained a heft strong enough to support each slice. My calzone was great. The dough was stretched around it thin enough that it was transparent in places yet there was no unintentional tearing to be seen. These guys know their dough. The toppings were bodaciously fresh and rounded things out nicely.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Basil's offers up beer of the utterly domestic variety. Not to get all beer snobby up in here (though I will in future offerings, I promise), but Bud-Miller-Coors is not our cup of tea. The soda fountain selection is standard fare but Basil's keeps a great mix of glass-bottled soda on hand including Stewart's and Sun Drop that I found as surprising and awesome as everyone should.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Menu prices are affordable and in line with most pizza joints.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All in all, it was just about as good an experience as I was expecting and hoping and I was expecting and hoping for a lot. Whether a local or a visitor to the area, I wholeheartedly endorse a trip out to Basil's Pizza.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Basil's Pizza</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">219 Sea Mountain Highway</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://basilspizzacherrygrove.com/">basilspizzacherrygrove.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(843)249-0748</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Review Score on this issue's super arbitrary 10-point scale: 8 out of 10 totally radical pizza slices - cowabunga, you know?</span>Roger Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06130873582800920846noreply@blogger.com0