Beach Trip #2 – Hilton Head Island Eats

I know I’ve been neglectful of the blog, so sorry I haven’t posted in a few weeks.  This time of year is brutal at our house what with end-of-summer beach trips, soccer season gearing back up (actually it never ended) and the kids getting back to school.  Is it nap time yet?

Hurricane Fay was a total wench and really put a damper on our beach week festivities.  But that didn’t stop us from eating – no way, no how!  I made our traditional Southern Barbecue Shrimp w/ those gorgeous fresh Carolina shrimp from the island’s Piggly Wiggly.  I am still dreaming about those bad boys.  We also did freshly made tomato & basil sauce and pasta one night for a quick and easy dinner.  London broil marinated in balsamic, olive oil and lots of fresh garlic grilled medium-rare.  Why is it that the simplest food tastes so much better when you are with friends at the beach? 

I’ve read and posted a lot on Chowhound about Hilton Head Island restaurants, markets, etc.  I had gotten some good recommendations on some places we wanted to try.  Top of my list was The Sea Shack.  This is a no frills, locals place w/ fresh seafood and low country fare.  The restaurant is located in an unassuming building with a storefront that looks more like an old, brown insurance office than a restaurant.  I’m convinced that Chef David Vincent Young does this on purpose to scare away the annoying tourist types(ahem, not me of course).  They are open for lunch then close for a couple hours before re-opening for dinner at 5pm.  We arrived at about 6pm and there was a long line snaked from the door down the sidewalk with folks huddled along the wall to keep dry from the rain.  We got in line and waited, not knowing what we were waiting for or what we were supposed to do.  Other folks in line chatted with one another asking where they were from and how they had heard about The Sea Shack.  

 

          

 

 

A few mintutes later a young woman in a tie-dyed shirt emerged from the door and yelled to those of us in line to be sure and know what we were ordering when we got inside.  She explained that there are specials on the chalkboard and she handed out a few paper menus as well.  What they do is have you order before you are seated.  You promptly pay (our bill for dinner for four was $50 bucks!) and then you are seated and you await your food.  I found the folks there friendly and interesting and rushed.  It’s a very busy place!  We had a group of eight and we realized that would pose a massive problem so we just agreed ahead of time to split up into two parties of four.  We probably waited about 45 minutes before we were called inside to place our order.  I walked up to the counter and it was a tiny space with a low ceiling, a cash register and soda fountains.  Behind the counter person was Chef David workin’ hard on his line in a tie-dyed t-shirt and a large bundle of dreadlocks tucked away in his rastafarian hat. 

The menu is simple, basic and heavy on seafood (shocking, I know.  They do have a chicken sandwich though).  I ordered the shrimp and fish with hushpuppies, ranch au gratin potatoes and cole slaw.  Kevin had the shark attack platter which was fish, shrimp, clams and crab cakes with all the trimmings.  You have a choice of fried, broiled or blackened.  We both decided to go whole hog… errrr fish… and went with fried.  Kevin also got a side of their famous sweet potato corn bread.  In all the excitement we forgot to order she-crab soup.  I could’ve cried.  The dining area is cramped with tables of four.  We grabbed a table and waited maybe 15 minutes for our food to arrive.   We ate voraciously, I am telling you.  All you could hear was crunching, slurping and “mmmmm’s” from the four of us.  When we finally pushed our plates away I think all of us each had half of a plate of food remaining (we got doggie boxes).  The portions were huge.  The fried flounder breaded in cornmeal was soooo good.  The hushpuppies had the required crunch on the outside and onion-y cornmeal goodness on the inside.  But that sweet potato corn bread was the piece de resistance.  My husband tried to smack off our forks but it was a lost cause.   We came at his corn bread like a pack of hungry hyenas on a gazelle.  There was no hope for the corn bread or my husband.  Ha!  The best part of the evening was as we were leaving.  I spotted a cook book on the counter and quickly grabbed it.  Burnin’ Down South by Chef David Vincent Young is an insiteful read and chockful of his low country recipes.  What’s amazing is his love for his food really shines though in his words.  I bought the book and was surprised when the cashier asked if I wanted the chef to sign it.  I said of course, if he has a quick moment.  She took down my name and gave the book to Chef David on the line.  He finished up what he was doing and then broke away to come over to meet me.  He wrote the loveliest note in the book and I think I actually skipped out the door and back to my car.  I considered posting the sweet potato corn bread recipe here but I’ve decided that if you want some, you need to go and get you some at The Sea Shack and buy a cook book while you are there.  Tell Chef I said “Hey”. 

 

Shrimp and fish platter at The Sea Shack, Hilton Head, SC

The Sea Shack

6 Executive Park Road

Hilton Head, South Carolina

(843)785-2464

 

 

My other fun island food find this trip was Flamingo House of Doughnuts near the Harris Teeter at the Sea Pines gate.  Again, this was a Chowhound recommendation and I knew it sounded like something my kids would love.  Who wouldn’t love custom, made-to-order doughnuts, fresh and hot served up in yet another unassuming place?  I’m told they have delicious greek specialties for lunch & dinner too.  

We arrived at 9:30 a.m. and there was only a couple of other folks in the place at the time.  You stand in line and there is a chalkboard listing the special doughnuts of the day in addition to a list of toppings you can mix and match. Special doughnut choices included; sticky bun, snickers and smores.  I ordered a plain cake doughnut topped with peanut butter (I realized afterwards had I been smart I would’ve added toasted coconut to it too).  My daughter had two, one topped with chocolate sauce and the other was a snickers.  My son ordered two honey-dipped doughnuts (I loved these too).  Kevin got a bacon, egg & cheese bagel sandwich (I know, he’s a weirdo).  After we ordered, a flood of folks came in and the gentleman running the register was completely weeded.  Apparently, they had no change in the register and his co-worker had to run to the bank so he and a cook in the back were the only employees manning the place.  Everyone waited patiently, as if sensing we would be rewarded with glorious doughnuts and we were.  They were amazingly good.  Next time I go, I plan on getting a plain one because the toppings are not as fabulous as the doughnut itself.  Here is a pic of the snickers doughnuts.  Yes, that’s a bite out of it.  I couldn’t get my picture before my daughter dug in. 

 

The snickers doughnut at Flamino House of Doughnuts, Hilton Head, SC

Flamingo House Of Doughnuts

33 Office Park Rd. #A

Hilton Head, South Carolina

(843)686-4606

 

We also ate at a place called Frankie Bones.  It’s an Italian-American steak and pasta place.  We had a good dinner, but the place lacked the charm and character of the places mentioned above (particularly The Sea Shack).  I had a coffee-rubbed rib-eye, medium-rare and it was cooked perfectly.  Kevin had leg of lamb with an orange gremolata.  Again, cooked beautifully.  No wow factor though.  I would return, though, if I had a hankerin’ for a steak.  Interestingly, they have a s’mores dessert that involves a pot of melted chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows and fondue forks.  The kids had high hopes but were to stuffed to pursue it in the end.  C’est la vie!

 

It was a good food week, if not a sunny beach week.  We ended up leaving a day early because Hurricane Fay decided to park her fat badunkadunk right on top of us and rain relentlessly.  Hilton Head, Sea Shack & Flamingo we’ll miss you but we’ll be back next summer!