Talk about your farm to table experience. Wedgefield Country Club Executive Chef Danny Smith did just that Saturday, November 14, 2020. 

Chef Smith walked the market area and gathered produce from farmers in attendance. all while folks were buying produce for themselves. The market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

He visited with Third Day Farms, from Loris, South Carolina, for some radishes, eggplants and microgreens. Stopped by to see Tim with Fox Farm, also from Loris, and got some chicken breast. Then, he gathered from Millgrove Farms tables, picking up fennel, white carrots, red skin potatoes, parsley and rosemary. 

The end result? See the below picture and video! Links to the businesses are in the video description.

Chef Danny Smith describes the dish at the end of the day. 

Folks who #EatItUpGeorgetown look forward to Wednesdays at a particular restaurant. Why, you may ask? 

It's because of their half-off sushi offerings. But, they also have other dishes people look forward to as well. 

Rollin Local, located at 732 Front Street, caters to "Hump Day" with its own menu.

Let's show you a few items we had. 

And, of course, the sushi!

Plan your "Hump Day" accordingly. 

​Let's take a look at what's cooking at Root these days, located at 919 Front Street.

Last, but not least, the famous Porkbelly Sliders. Available at the bar. 

We've also created two videos to showcase the filet and scallops. Enjoy, friends, and share!

Chef Greg Metcalfe faced a huge challenge in the beginning of the pandemic. He recently closed his Southern Comforts, Southern Dining and Seafood Shack in the Hammock Shops Village and opened SoCo Grille on Front Street. He kept employees working during the transition and worked on remodeling the building at 619 Front Street for a grand opening. 

Metcalfe and his entire staff were successful in early May with that opening and have seen a large amount of business, with repeat customers. 

Instead of sitting still, Metcalfe jumped at an opportunity to bring a grill back to life after about three years of dormancy.

That grill is located in the Belle Isle Villas at their marina. 

You may remember it when it was Jamie Finley's Belle Isle Marina Bar and Grill, before she went on to open Rollin Local on Front Street. Then came David Milligan with Milligan's at Belle Isle. Both served great food, but eventually they ran their course and paths led elsewhere.

​Now, new life is in the marina and SoCo Marina Grille completed a two-night soft opening with a limited menu to huge fanfare. 

The eatery's hours 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. with the official opening starting August 26, 2020. They are located at 1228 Belle Isle Road and can be reached at 843-904-5149.

When you arrive to the gate at the villas, just use the call box to reach the restaurant and they'll let you in. It's open to the public. 

The pandemic has forced many restaurants to close across the nation and world. It says quite a bit for Metcalfe and his whole staff to open two during it. We wish them well with their second location. 

(SoCo Grille -the first location - is located at 619 Front Street in Georgetown)

You've been asking for it, friends. 

Brunch is back at Root, located at 919 Front Street. This Sunday was the kick-off and yes, it kicked off superbly. 

New owner Jimmy Hildebrandt and chef Jesse Goguen have developed a menu that features light servings with simplicity, but retains the flare the eatery is known for. What's not kept is high prices of the past. This menus is meant to welcome and build a community through food and fellowship around great ingredients. 

Let's talk about the two dishes above. To the left is Chilled Israeli Couscous. It's served with Greek yogurt, saffron, pickled onion, cucumbers, feta and tree nuts. For $15, you get a hearty helping of fresh produce while being light on the stomach. Flavors were outstanding.

The dish on your right is Fruit and Granola. Again, simple, but packs a flavorful brunch punch to the taste buds. The Greek yogurt with fresh citrus zest and honey drizzle makes it pop.

The Wake Up Burger is a different blend than the regular Root Burger. It's packed with flavors, but is light enough to enjoy the rest of the day without a feeling of bloat. And, please, use the knife and slice it. Let that egg drool over the meat. Trust me. 

We had to capture that moment where the steaming Gorgonzola dressing was poured over the Black and Bleu Salad. The cook on the New York Strip was perfect. Fresh avocado and the hard-boiled egg made it superb. 

Root's Sunday brunch happens every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call ahead for seating or take-out options. 843-461-9344

Let's define the word root. 

New owner Jimmy Hildebrandt is in a familiar role. He's accustom to greeting people as they walk in, talking to people as they dine at one of the booths or tables, or striking up a conversation with a regular at the bar.

This time, he gets to drive the concept of the restaurant and the impact it'll have on the community.

He and his chef, Jesse Goguen, opened Wednesday with a "Taste & Takeout" menu selection featuring appetizers and a few main courses. They will be doing this same menu next week, too. After that, they plan to roll out entrees. 

Both Jimmy and Jesse has one message for the Georgetown County residents. Root is all about community. Everyone is welcome at the table. 

Jimmy realized the price points of the past menu could not sustain viability or bring in a more well-rounded audience. There had to be dishes for everyone. Sure, there's still the dishes you'd expect a fine dining restaurant, but Root is more than that.

Jimmy met with chef Jesse and planned a menu that included tastings under $15 with plentiful portions. Their intention is to have dishes like the Crab Pretzel, the famous Brussels (new flavor twist), and Cheesesteak Egg Rolls plant themselves as customer favorites.

As of today, all three have been top-selling items and the talk of the town. In other words, sprouting out. 

One customer who saw me said he wanted people to know this place was for a wallet of every size. Thick and thin. And, it's for every person.

To further the point of growing roots, the eatery has and will use local produce and products.

​They've already used blueberries from Winyah Blueberry Farm in Georgetown and the pretzel is from ElJay Pretzels in Litchfield. The seafood is also brought in locally, some sourced from Wicked Inlet Seafood in Murrells Inlet. 

Their main items of focus, the microgreens, are from Raising Greens Farm. 

Building connections with local purveyors not only solidifies the "local roots" part of their tagline, but provides the distinct flavor and freshness you'd expect from a farm-to-table atmosphere. 

The end goals are to be a mainstay on Front Street, a gathering point for people of kind, and a key player in community involvement. Given the situation with the pandemic, the last goal is a tough one, but the eatery can do a lot from inside their walls by building a great rapport with customers who, in return, spread the word through the town and outward. 

The food is beginning of that embedding. And from what has been served so far, Root has a great chance to establish its on origin and grow beautifully inside our city, attracting people from the county, state and elsewhere.

And that, friends, is a preview of an excellent culinary harvest. 

We recently had the opportunity to visit the International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach, part of Horry Georgetown Technical College, and enjoyed their inside farmers market and in-house bakery, Layers Bakery.

Students, along with chef instructors, also prepare various types of barbeque for each Thursday's event. 

Layers Bakery has student-made bread and sweet goods. They are famously known for selling out quickly. 

During Thanksgiving, the ICI's Executive Director and chef Joseph Bonaparte, along with other chef instructors and students, cooked a holiday meal with Southern roots at the famous James Beard House in New York.

Enjoy the photos and videos below. One video is from my experience that day and the other is all about what the farmers market and Layers Bakery offer to visitors. 

We want to thank Millgrove Farms, Hyman Vineyards, WK Price Farms, Blue Pearl Farms and Worley Lane Farms for being part of this.  

 
There's a restaurant on the culinary adventure of Georgetown County that has Santa Claus by the heart... and stomach. 

Big Bill's Lowcountry Barbeque has been an annual stop before Christmas for 10 years now. Each visit sees an increase in the amount of children, with their starry eyes and cemented smiles awaiting the jolly one.

Owners Bill and Sandra Blake always enjoy this time of year. 

Sure, it helps when Santa wants to hold a supper at your restaurant and visit with all the children. But, they love the family atmosphere. They love seeing the children smile. They love building relationships, like seeing the same child from 10 years ago still visiting. 

It's about the true meaning of Christmas. 

For 15 years, the Blakes, and their wonderful staff, have consistently served great barbeque with all the fixings. And that consistency has produced a loyal base.

Which is why Santa holds his suppers here in December. He knows the Blakes will have his tummy filled, but provide a relaxed atmosphere for children to see him in.

It's all about tradition.

When you walk into the restaurant, you're either greeted by Bill, Sandra or one of their staff.
And, that's still important. They remember your table, your drink of choice, whether you want the large cup (yes, they have a large cup) and your face and name. 

You become family.

So, why wouldn't Santa want to have supper here.

Remember, this is the time of year where we all slow down a bit, take it all in and count the blessings while recognizing who this is for. Jesus.

Merry Christmas to you all, and to all a good journey on the culinary adventure of Georgetown County, South Carolina. 

Today was Thanksgiving. Well, at Wedgefield Country Club's Manor House Restaurant it was. And the buffet was one to rival or surpass what could be offered on the official holiday.

Chef Matthew Branham and his staff surely outdid themselves today. 

There was an awesome salad spread for starters. The buffet included beef stew, fried chicken. fried turkey, rice and gravy, stuffing, mac & cheese, fried shrimp, squash casserole and biscuits. Loved that fried turkey with gravy. The fried shrimp was out of this world. 

The dessert table was so divine. Pecan pie, chocolate delight, cheesecake and Boston creme pie were some of the choices. We tasted each and they were all so great.

Wedgefield’s General Manager and Superintendent Mitch Thompkins and his wife Jamie have a lot to be thankful this holiday season. A great restaurant, awesome chef and staff and amazing food are a few of them.

Come visit The Manor House Restaurant in Wedgefield. It's open to the public. Follow them on Facebook by clicking the button below (it will direct you to their page) as they post their menu often, with days and times they are open.

December 13th falls on a Friday. But instead of bad omens, the Georgetown Business Association will merge the day with their annual Kringle Krawl to provide a thirsty "nightmare" for attendees.

The event always has a great turnout and there is plenty of fun at each location. More, it's an exciting way to ring in the holiday with festive drink creations.

Come out and support these locations and the Georgetown Business Association. 

Click the button below to purchase lanyards. 

Front Street Georgetown is alive and well. There's a robust feel in the Fall air and it's not seasonal. This trend is here to stay.

With the official grand opening of Indigo Mercantile, depth has been added to the already vibrant city culinary atmosphere.

Now, folks have a place to stop in and quickly get some basic necessities to hold them off from a big shopping trip. Plus, customers also have the opportunity to check out some in-house prepared food items, like the already famous chicken salad.

There's specialty gourmet goods, too. 

The purpose of this mercantile store is to offer something to anyone that stops in. It's an all-around general purpose store. Not just specialty, not just basics.

Indigo Mercantile is located at 724 Front Street in Georgetown, South Carolina. More information can be found by clicking the button below to visit their Facebook page. 

Do you like sushi? We do. And we have a few spots in Georgetown County you'll be wanting to dine in at for the artfully-created, delicious dish.

There's a great spot in Murrells Inlet that not only has great sushi, but prides themselves on using fresh fish for the dish. It's Wicked Tuna and you'll have a great view of the marsh as you enjoy sushi dishes like Cherry Blossom (soy paper wrap, spicy tuna, avocado, shrimp tempura, spicy mayo, sweet glaze), Tsunami (spicy tuna, cucumber, shrimp tempura, lobster salad, seared yellowtail, spicy mayo, sweet glaze, scallions, masago) or the famous Rainbow (kani, avocado, cucumber, ahi tuna, salmon, yellowtail, shrimp). Bring some friends as these dishes are portioned well and you'll want more than just one sushi selection. 

A husband-and-wife team have been steadily making a name for themselves at their comfy and simplistic location with beautifully-created edible sushi dishes. Hayashi Sushi only serves sushi, but it's some of the best on the coast. The sushi is fresh and portioned well. They have great lunch specials and 
large specialty roll selection.

New to Pawleys Island, but not the sushi game, is Yagi Sushi and Hibachi. They have a few months under their belt, and a sushi crowd to boot. The one word that describes them is consistency. Their specialty rolls are beyond flavor town. You must try the Krak Roll, named after one of the owners, Angry Apple Roll and 911 Roll (for the spicy-inclined).

If you find yourself in the City of Georgetown and you crave sushi, have no fear. There's a great spot on Front Street that's popular amongst the locals and tourists alike. It's Rollin Local and it has great sushi offerings. The specialty roll offerings are superb. You'll love rolls like the Competition, Caribbean, Firecracker and SC Crunch. They also serve hibachi and seafood, so you can try a roll or two and get something along side. 

It's been a while since we've been to Root at 919 Front Street in Georgetown. Matter of fact, the last time we were here was when we awarded the Beef Short Ribs the Simply Amazing Dish of the Month in December 2018. 

The wait was well worth it, though. Such an awesome lunch. Our server Chris was very dutiful and pleasant. We know him from one of the sister restaurants, Caffe Piccolo. 

Our go-to dishes are the tomato basil soup and the shrimp bisque. The Mussels and Frites are superb. The sauce those mussels bath in is divine. 

​Speaking of sauce, the chicken wings had an awesome one on them. 

You'll love the shrimp and grits, too. Nice size shrimp and creamy grits, but not heavy. You can eat the whole dish and still enjoy the day.

And the crème brûlée cheesecake for dessert was a superb way to end the meal. 

Take a look at the menu below and plan your next lunch soon. 

A surreal night indeed. 

It was the last dinner service at Atlantic House Restaurant, located at 109 Screven Street and owned by Roz Wyndham. 

We crafted a letter of appreciation for her and the entire staff and presented it to her before service. I read it aloud so all could hear.

Below are photos of dishes personally prepared by Wyndham. 

The restaurant is open next week for lunch and closes permanently May 16th. 

Owners Michael Caldwell and Melanie Blackwell have been stirring up some ingredients in a frenzy motion and baking serious sweet treats the past two months. 

And the taste is reaching farther than expected.

Folks from Mount Pleasant and Charleston have taken a liking to the baked goodies offered at Indigo Bakery, located at 701 Front Street, next to the historic clock tower. 

What we like about coming in here is its welcoming atmosphere. The colors and design just relax you as soon as you walk in. Once you order a brownie or "Dad's Favorite Cookie" and go to leave, you do a double-take and realize there's time to sit right here and enjoy these treats inside the bakery.

More, both Michael and Melanie come from behind the counter and interact with their guests. It really feels like being inside the kitchen of a long-lost family member and taking in the great hospitality offered through conversation and food. 

Go by and visit with them. Grab a brownie or a cookie. Inquire about the cakes. You'll love just being here.