Holiday weekend in Charleston/Savannah

With having four days off, it was only natural that I would want to go somewhere.  I originally had a reservation to visit San Diego, but cancelled.  At 2:30 this morning, I started looking again and found a cheap flight to Charleston, SC.
 
Thursday January 1, 2009
 
My flight didn't leave until 1:30PM, so I decided to have lunch near the airport.  My usual place, Wings, Suds & Spuds was closed for the holiday.  No matter, there is a Primanti Brothers

right across the street.  Other than once getting a to go order for the nearby drive-in movie, I haven't eaten at this location since I met wanderingjew here in 2007.
 
For those who are unfamiliar, Primanti's is a local institution here in Pittsburgh.  The novelty is that they put the cole slaw and fries right on the sandwich.  This seems to be one of those places that you either love or hate and I am a big fan.
 
I parked myself in front of a tv with the Iowa-South Carolina game on (congrats to blizzardstormus, sorry to Nancypalooza).  Many people order the cheesesteak sandwich here, but they have much better choices than that.  I typically go for the capicola with cheese and here it is.

What makes this sandwich so good for me is the way the spicy ham contrasts so well with the sweet, tangy cole slaw.  It did seem to have more cole slaw than usual and less meat.
 
Primanti's seems to be one of the rare chains where the food is just as good at the satellite locations.  This was a delicious sandwich.  But, if you are in Pittsburgh and want to try a Primanti's, please go to the original Strip District location.  The atmosphere there is unmatched in the city.
 
The waitress asked if I wanted to try a slice of pizza for a buck.  Having never tried the pizza here, I said why not.

Although I did enjoy the crispiness of the crust, this was an ordinary slice of pizza.  I will stick with the sandwiches.
 
http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Writeup.aspx?ReviewID=398&RefID=398
 
Can you believe that my flight into Charleston arrived 40 minutes early!  How often does that happen?
 
Since I didn't have much time to prepare, once I settled into my car rental, I started calling restaurants to see who was open on the holiday.  Pleasantly surprised to find 82 Queen open and not busy, it was an easy decision.  Especially since this is a personal favorite of wanderingjew.  The only problem was changing into nicer clothes in the car.  I can only imagine what people walking past thought was going on in there. 
 
After a short drive from the airport, I arrived outside the restaurant.

Charleston can be a very difficult city to park, but there conveniently was a parking garage directly across the street, which ended up being only $3.00.  Before going in, I checked out the specials board.

 
The hostess led me through a lovely courtyard,

which would probably be a great place to dine in warmer weather (it is only in the 40s down here).  We headed up the stairs and settled into a corner table.  82 Queen is a much nicer restaurant than the typical Roadfood place.  There are white table clothes and a long wine list.  The prices are also much higher than many associate with Roadfood.
 
Without even looking at the menu or reading the Michael Stern review, I knew the she crab soup was a given.

As you can see, it comes served with a small bottle of sherry.  I did put a dash of the liquor in, but this smooth, luxurious soup is so good, it was completely unnecessary.
 
Next, my waiter brought a basket of four garlic cheddar biscuits. 

I usually don't pay much attention to the bread, but these soft, crumbly biscuits were wonderful and disappeared in no time.  The only way they could have been better was if they had been delivered to my table warm.
 
For an appetizer, it was Rock Shrimp Mac 'n Cheese.

Honestly, I barely even noticed the shrimp in this dish.  That was because the tasso ham in it was so good.  Cut up into long, slender pieces, the sweetness of the ham worked so well with the cheddar sauce. 
 
The entree was the Southern Barbecued Shrimp and Creamy Grits.
 
This was a great dish both to eat and to look at.  These grits were indeed creamy to the max.  The barbecue sauce used on the shrimp was very sweet, which my waiter told me was because they use Southern Comfort bourbon reduction, instead of vinegar.  The apple smoked bacon and melted cheddar cheese completed this amazing combination of flavors.
 
My waiter Andrew took great care of me and even provided updates on the Rose Bowl from the tv in the bar.  Including tip, my meal (no liquor) was $62.00.  Definitely more than most would think a Roadfood meal should cost, but I have no doubt that 82 Queen is pure Roadfood.  Needless to say, this place gets a big thumbs up and not just because I was told the owner is from Pittsbugh!
 
http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Writeup.aspx?ReviewID=6193&RefID=6086
 
I settled into my hotel room in Mt. Pleasant for the night.
 
Much more to come..... 

BB, Whenever I go to Primanti's I always get my sandwich minus the slaw.  The reason is I detest mayo.  The last show I watched on the Travel Channel said Primanti's used oil and vinegar only.
 
Is this true?  No Mayo?  Slaw like my Mother used to make?  Can I truly enjoy the WHOLE Primanti experience?
 
 

We used to hit the raw bar, at the back or the courtyard, three or four nights a week when I worked in Charleston....oh the fresh shrimp and oysters (and scotch) were outstanding.  One of my favorite places.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

Joerogo-
The cole slaw at Primanti's is very vinegary, which is just how I like it!  Can't say for 100% sure, but I don't think there is mayo in there.

Absolutely LOVE She Crab Soup.  It's lucious!

BB, you have NO idea how jealous I am.... ohmigawd!!!!!!!!! You rock.

My suggestion is to skip Jestine's (sorry y'all but my meal was avg and service worse), and don't miss the Crab Shack (or is it seasonal?!). What a GREAT choice of places to go.

I must've had a 6th sense about you being there because out of the blue today I said something to my dad about how much I love Charleston & he agreed it's a great place, and then we added Savannah... sigh.

Glad this was still on the current topics list... I'd have hated to miss it!  Have fun!!!!!

That slice of Primantis pizza did look ordinary.  When I'm in Fort Lauderdale though, I always stop at the Primantis there for a couple of much better looking and great tasting slices.

Hope you hit Hominy Grill in Charleston.

cecif-
I have been thinking about you, since unless I get Travelin Manned, I will be having lunch at The Crab Shack today.  What is funny is that Charleston wasn't even in my radar as a destination this weekend.  But, that just happened to be where the cheap flight was going, so here I am.  I do agree with you and your dad, this is a wonderful city.
 
BTW, after leaving 82 Queen, I drove past Jestine's Kitchen and it was packed.  But I wasn't overly impressed with my one meal there, either.
 
signman-
I have had other people tell me about Primanti's pizza, so I had been curious.  Glad I tried it, although it has occurred to me that maybe I should give it another shot at the original location.  It must be fairly good if you always get a slice while in Florida. 
 
A big fan of Hominy Grill here.  But there are so many places around here I want to try, that might not be possible on this trip.  There is just an embarrassment of riches of good restaurants in this town.
 
mar52-
Agreed on she crab soup.  I am a big soup lover and she crab is right near the top of my favorites. 

BB, I didn't get your message until this morning.
I can tell you that you definetely ordered the right things- The She Crab Soup and Shrimp n' Grits. Not only am I Jealous, I'm extremely jealous, I was only given a plain biscuit when I was there last.  Perhaps they do differently for dinner. I should mention that the meal is somewhat cheaper if you go for lunch. But I'm glad you agree that this is truly ROADFOOD!
 
 

<<That slice of Primantis pizza did look ordinary>>

I'm  thinking the fact that it's ordinary is beside the point in this case. A dollar for an edible slice of pizza is not a bad deal at all.

There's a couple of places that have popped up recently in NY City that sell 99 cent slices (and that's all, no other food items). It's not destination pizza, but it's OK, certainly not worse than many other "by the slice" joints in the city, and a bargain besides.

joerogo


BB, Whenever I go to Primanti's I always get my sandwich minus the slaw.  The reason is I detest mayo.  The last show I watched on the Travel Channel said Primanti's used oil and vinegar only.
 
Is this true?  No Mayo?  Slaw like my Mother used to make?  Can I truly enjoy the WHOLE Primanti experience?
 
 

 
Joe,
 
I can assure you there is no Mayo in Primanti's slaw.

Cannot think of any better cities to go for really great food.  I would like to reccommend  "Sweet Potato" in Savannah.  The food is just terrific.  The prices are dirt cheap.  If you decide to go,  you must try the lemon collard greens as one of your vegetables........fantastic!

http://www.toucancafe.com/sweetP.html

wanderingjew

joerogo


BB, Whenever I go to Primanti's I always get my sandwich minus the slaw.  The reason is I detest mayo.  The last show I watched on the Travel Channel said Primanti's used oil and vinegar only.
 
Is this true?  No Mayo?  Slaw like my Mother used to make?  Can I truly enjoy the WHOLE Primanti experience?
 
 

 
Joe,
 
I can assure you there is no Mayo in Primanti's slaw.

 
Thanks WJ,
 
Now I have to get my butt back to Pitt to enjoy the sandwich the right way.

BB almost forgot, if you haven't made it to Lady and Son's, then definetely go, I enjoyed their buffet more  than Blue Willow's. Keep in mind I did go a little over three years ago, around noonish on a Sunday and didn't have to wait on line, I sat right at the bar.

buffetbuster

As you can see, it comes served with a small bottle of sherry.  I did put a dash of the liquor in, but this smooth, luxurious soup is so good, it was completely unnecessary.

Is the sherry more of the cooking variety or is it legitimately drinkable?
 
I've never had crab soup but I'm sure I'd like it!
 
Brad

BB -
 
You could stop right now and the trip would be successful...you ordered all my favorites in one sitting!  How I wish I was there...
 
Happy New Year!  Have fun and keep the reports coming!

buffetbuster

BTW, after leaving 82 Queen, I drove past Jestine's Kitchen and it was packed.  But I wasn't overly impressed with my one meal there, either.

That was an illusion! When I went to Jestine's, the line was out the door & around the corner.  When I went inside to see if I could get take-out, the place was easily half-empty! And a grumpy hostess didn't help me, and worse she was making everyone wait for nothing.  Admittedly, I suspected that they were trying to look like a hot spot by leaving everyone outside... Unimpressive, at best. 

Now I can finish reading this great report (or the latest)... btw this is my first post with quote in the new format & it's quite disconcerting!  

BB, I can't tell you how much I always enjoy your trip reports. I am anxiously awaiting the next  chapter. In the Shrimp and grits dish, was there cheese in the grits? Just curious.

wanderingjew


BB, I didn't get your message until this morning.

I assumed you weren't calling me back because you were upset that I went to one of your favorite places without you!

cecif

buffetbuster

BTW, after leaving 82 Queen, I drove past Jestine's Kitchen and it was packed.  But I wasn't overly impressed with my one meal there, either.

That was an illusion! When I went to Jestine's, the line was out the door & around the corner.  When I went inside to see if I could get take-out, the place was easily half-empty! And a grumpy hostess didn't help me, and worse she was making everyone wait for nothing.  Admittedly, I suspected that they were trying to look like a hot spot by leaving everyone outside... Unimpressive, at best. 

Now I can finish reading this great report (or the latest)... btw this is my first post with quote in the new format & it's quite disconcerting!  

 
What happened to that India report.
 
Nice ta have ya back.

Brad Olsen-
I'm thinking the sherry was more of the cooking variety.  But as the waiter updated me on the Penn State score, I was considering chugging it!

cecif-
That story from Jestine's Kitchen is a horrible way to treat customers.  Surprised they could get away with something like that.

Greymo-
Thanks for the recommendation and the link.  I won't be able to try Sweet Potato on this trip, but after looking over the menu, I want to eat there on a future visit.  The idea of lemon collard greens sounds amazing!

agnesrob-
I am very appreciative of what you said.  There was melted cheddar in the dish, but it was with the shrimp and bacon, not in the grits.

ChiTownDiner called to wish me Happy New Year earlier today.  But this was obviously a thinly veiled ruse because he quickly turned the conversation to dessert at 82 Queen.  Can you believe that I forgot to talk about desserts?  Thanks for the reminder CTD and Happy New year to you, my friend! 
 
The two desserts that intrigued me were the Key Lime pie or the peach praline cobbler.  But, I ended up passing on both, because of how full and tired I was.  Has anyone had that cobbler before?  I am curious to know what I missed.

Friday January 2, 2009 
 
A little more than a hour after checking out of my hotel, I pulled up at my breakfast destination, Blackstone's Cafe in Beaufort.

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was this University of South Carolina print. 

Being a Clemson guy, I felt like I was in enemy territory.  Luckily, I was undercover, wearing my Ole Miss sweatshirt!
 
Blackstone's Cafe is a two story restaurant, decorated top to bottom in US Marine Corp and other military banners, flags, etc. 

With Parris Island so close by, this certainly made sense.  Michael Stern recommended the corned beef hash in the review and that sounded good to me.
 
That is a big portion, but it is mostly hidden by the eggs.  The full-flavored hash had big pieces of potatoes and was unmistakably homemade.  Excellent!  The eggs and hash browns were fine, but nothing special.  The biscuit was warm, but way too hard.  Two bites and I gave up.
 
BTW, Beaufort is a beautiful little town and deserves more exploring on a future trip.
 
http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Writeup.aspx?ReviewID=1416&RefID=1416
 
Next stop was a place I passed on the way into Beaufort, Carolina Cider Company.

I had originally arrived before they were open, but they had a clever way of insuring that I would doubleback.  They put this sign out front.

How did they know I was coming?
 
Despite the sign, the focus is on other things, like the ciders

and the different types of nuts for sale.  I tried samples of the peach and cherry cider and thoroughly enjoyed them both.  The woman working there told me that there is no sugar added to the drinks and you can really taste the fruit.  Delicious!  I ended up buying large bottles of the peach, blackberry and cherry and a small muscadine grape to drink on the road.

 
Pie wise, I was very happy to see they sold smaller pies, too.  They had pecan, sweet potato and apple crisp ready and I settled on the latter two.


How were they?  Not sure yet.  As soon as I get done typing this, I am going to dig in!
 
http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Writeup.aspx?ReviewID=1870&RefID=1795
 
Once I crossed into Georgia, my first stop was to find Don's BBQ in Pooler.  Conveniently close to I-95, I was excited when I saw this sign.

What is a Lexington-style bbq place doing in Georgia?  And more importantly, where is everyone?

Guess who I plan on blaming for this revolting development?
 
Much more to come.....

Cliff I'm so glad you hit the 82 Queen finally, and sorry I wasn't around to meet you at Blackstone's--I've been to Blackstone's quite a few times.  I sub out the pecan sticky buns for my bread usually--it's extra but they're too good to miss.  I do love Beaufort, almost more than Charleston.

As for the bowl game results, if we'd won it just wouldn't be us.  :)  Have a wonderful rest of your trip.

Thanks for the prod, Joerogo, I will eventually post but I have not even finished editing my 1,000 photos! Yikes!

Cliff I swear I keep thinking about whether I was exaggerating about the half-empty, but actually it might have been more than half empty... as a former waitress I was seriously appalled (and would've been mad about losing the money on empty tables!).

I'm looking forward to hearing about the Crab Shack and danged if I wasn't online at lunchtime in Tybee Island... if only I hadn't lost your cell number when my phone died, I would have called and told you to go get on their web cam by the alligators and wave at me!!!!  Hope you had a great day! (I think I have the number on email somewhere... only where is the question!)

p.s. Be careful about mentioning (or hinting) the Universities of South Carolina and Southern California in one place... or I will bust out my off-color joke about them! ...apologies for 3 edits!

Oh that corned beef hash breakfast is looking good!!!!! ...those ciders look great too! Thanks.

BB, outstanding once again, good sir!!  I always look forward to your reports and no matter if I just just ate, I am always hungry after reading about your most delicious sojourns (especially in the South)!
 
What exactly is IN She-Crab soup?  That Mac-n-Cheese and those grits look amazing!  Ditto for the hash.

You appear to have left Charleston already, yes?  Are you heading back before a flight out, perhaps?

I ate what may be my favorite breakfast of all-time (technically, I should probably call it brunch, as I ate it late, and it filled me fine until dinner) at Diana's.  Perhaps you need some evidence?



They call this "Low Country Surf and Turf."  I just call it "yummy."  I subbed the poached eggs for scrambled, but you will also find a small rib-eye steak in there, topping an English Muffin.  Atop the eggs are some small shrimp and grilled onions.  Breakfast potatoes are on the side.  It's quite a meal, and would even pass wanderingjew's smell test for "regionally appropriate."

BB, I have stopped at Carolina Cider several times over the years.  I worked in Savannah for a few months and on weekends, I would travel and I passed the place and it always intrigued me.  Great Stop.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

BB -

The hash looked great!  Do you think the biscuits were leftovers from the day before?

We always enjoyed the cider run when living in San Diego and visiting Juliene.  Great stuff! 

My favorite at the cider mills was homemade apple boysenberry crumb pie with cinnamon ice cream and cheddar cheese.  WOW!

Oh man......that looks soooooooooooooo good!

And a tip o'the hat to Travelin Man for that Diana's breakfast!  That might have to be my New Years resolution.......to get something that good at every brunch!

Friday January 2, 2009 cont.
 
In a perfect world, where no one ever gets TravelingManned, I would have been having lunch at Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House in Savannah.  But, I called and they were closed.....until February!  Don's BBQ was strike two, so I changed The Crab Shack from dinner plans to lunch.
 
Since both cecif and TTM have touted this place in the past, I was really looking forward to it.  While I was driving around Savannah in the morning, I heard them say that the cops were out in force catching speeders on the way to Tybee Island.  Sure enough, I saw quite a few people pulled over and if not for the warning, I may very well have been one.
 
The Crab Shack was easy to find and they have a huge parking lot.  Once you get out of your car, you are greeted by quite a few goofy signs.
 
How is that for a house motto?  In the interest of public safety, there was never any question that I was going to keep my shoes on. 
 
Feed the gators?

No, thanks.  If anything is going to be fed around here, it is going to be me!  I find this particular sign

disturbing on so many levels.
 
Ladies and gentlemen, THAT is a big crab!

 
The hostess was originally going to seat me outside on the deck, which would have given me this view.

But it was still a little cool out, so we went inside.  This place is casual to the max.  Here is the bar area.

 
My table had a big hole in the middle with a garbage can underneath for easy convenience.

The only problem is that somone as long legged as me must have kicked it at least 20 times.  The fact that paper towels are waiting on the table tells you that eating with your hands is to expected aound here.
 
I was given the animated laminated plastic menu to peruse, but I preferred the big one hanging by the door.

 
Some interesting soups and stews here to try, so I ordered two.  First is what they call the crab stew.

Does this look like a stew to you?  To me, it looks more like a chowder.  Anyway, the waitress told me this soup had a cream of celery base, lots of blue crab, plus some hot sauce.  Very simple and very good.
 
I can't come to Georgia with out trying Brunswick stew, so that was next.

Highlighted by a pleasant tomatoey tang and lots of pork, this was another winner.
 
For my main course, it was a 1/2lb. of the boiled shrimp.

Covered in seasonings, this was another yummy, simple dish.
 
Since I passed on dessert the night before, I went for the key lime pie.

I loved the graham cracker crust, but the taste of the lime was too subtle for me.  The iced tea was super, super sweet and when I commented on this, my waitress laughed and said she knows who must have made it.   
 
On the way out, it had warmed up considerably and the outside deck was really hopping!

You can see they had barrels with fire to keep people warm.
 
Before I left, I walked by to take a look at the alligators.

There were at least 30 alligators in the penned in area.  I did notice the camera showing live shots, but thought there was no way anyone I know would be watching.  Little did I know, cecif!
 
The Crab Shack was a real fun experience!
 
http://www.thecrabshack.com/
 
Much more to come.....

Those gators are amazing!

I'd have such a difficult time trying to decide what to order.  I love that you order two soups.  Well chowders....

Gotta love those tables.  What a great idea!

BB, You just go with the flow and end up with some of the best food. 
 
The South isn't a popular destination for me.  I need to change that and your reports are extremely helpful.

BB -

Surpised you didn't double the dessert order with a Turtle Cheesecake....

The Crab Shack reminds me of many of the quaint sea food shops around the Jersey shore...oh and that food looks great!!!!!

Buffetbuster,
 
Next time you're in Beaufort, check out Sgt. White's Diner and LT's Diner. If you like vegetarian food, there's a health market on Lady's Island. Since you're from PA, I'd like your honest opinion of a place on Lady's Island called "It's a Philly Thing." The owner is from Philadelphia, and I've eaten there, but never having been to Philadelphia, I can't say how authentic her cheesesteak is. Bateaux in Port Royal specializes in South Carolina produce and meat, but is rather expensive. There's also a good Thai place in Port Royal, up the road from Bateaux, called Suwan Thai Cuisine. If you want any other pointers about our beautiful Beafuort by the Bay, just give me a shout!
 
Cheryl

Hi, buffetbuster. I'm a long-time "lurker", but I've finally decided to get off my lazy posterior and start posting ( sure hope I'm doing this right - my computer skills / knowledge are pretty sad! ) I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your various roadfood adventures. Your photos and descriptions are really great; they always make me want to jump in the car and hit the road looking for dynamite meals. If all goes as planned, I'll be joining you and the others at Doe's in Greenville next month ( all the Memphis stops too. ) Never been part of a RF gathering before, and I'm REALLY looking forward to it. Barbeque is one of my passions, and Gridley's is the only Memphis BBQ I've had so far, so a visit to Leonard's or one of the others sounds great.        Bob

nocarolina-
Welcome to Roadfood!  Glad to see that you quit lurking and jumped right in.  We hope to hear lots more from you.  And I very much appreciate the kind comments.
 
You have a great passion there in barbeque.  And if you join us in Memphis, you will be eating more great bbq than you will know what to do with.  I did try and stop at Gridley's during a Memphis trip last year, but that location (along with some others) seems to have disappeared.  If I remember correctly, they are down to one location and it is out in the suburbs.
 
leethebard-
Do they have lots of gators at the seaside shacks in New Jersey, too?  Thank you very much for all the nice comments you make in my trip reports.
 
CTD-
Since I had more eats planned, I just went for the one dessert.  Besides, I don't really care for cheesecake.  If I eat at The Cheesecake Factory (and I was recently dragged to one while Christmas shopping), I get a hot fudge sundae for dessert.
 
Homemade apple boysenberry crumb pie?  Now we are talking my language!
 
joerogo-
I'm sure it is becoming apparent that the South is my favorite part of the country to explore for Roadfood.  And it sure helps that I won't have to deal with weather issues, while it is freezing back home.  I have no doubt that you would love the Roadfood down here, too.  And they are generally very friendly to us Yankees!
 
alfredo-
I did drive by Sgt. White's Diner, but it was too early for them to open.  I did take a few photos of their pig sign and it ended up in my Feeling Piggy thread here:
 
http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/Feeling-piggy-Southern-BBQ-parlors-m472452.aspx
 
I very much appreciate the suggestions, but they will have to wait until a future trip.  And being from the other end of Pennsylvania, I am no more qualified as a cheesesteak expert as you are. 

Sorry, no gators up here...had it once in your neck of the woods,though, not bad!

BB

You did right by going to the Crab Shack. It was in my top 10 for 2005.
I had the shellfish feast-- it was freakin' huge and had a "beachload" of shellfish including shrimp. stone crab, mussels, crab legs and crawfish!
I look forward to visiting again when I somehow find my way back to Savannah.

Friday January 2, 2009 cont.
 
After leaving The Crab Shack, I stopped at Fort Pulaski,

a National Historical Monument on Tybee Island.  Looking around the fort was interesting, but the highlight of my time spent here was a rifle shooting demonstration.  Strangely enough, the young lady started off by showing us how they danced during the Civil War. 

Apparently, the hokey pokey was very big back then.  Curiously, she also flashed us each sides gang signs.

The things you learn on vacation!  Actually, the young lady did a fine job during the demonstration.

 
Back in Savannah, I wanted to find Lady & Sons restaurant.  BTW, if you think parking in Charleston can be tough, Savannah was even worse!  Both my mother and my secretary are big Paula Deen fans, so I went and grabbed some brochures and menus.  While I was there, I took a quick look at the lunch time buffet and it looked outstanding, especially the fried chicken.  Thinking I still had some room left in my stomach, I went over to the hostess stand.

There was a sign saying that they were already booked for lunch, so I moved on.
 
On my way back to my hotel, I passed through a predominantly black area.  In a shopping center, I passed a little place called Renee's Southern Restaurant, with a glowing green open sign.  My radar went off and I decided to check the place out later.  Just a very short distance further down the road, I saw Randy's BBQ in an old gas station, with several cars in front.  Interesting!  I checked into my hotel, near I-95 (the highway, not the hilarious Roadfood poster).
 
I was in my room for about an hour before leaving to check out these new places.  While on the elevator going down to my car, a black hotel maid got on.  Thinking she might know these places, I asked her if she was familiar with the restaurants in the area.  Mindlessly, she immediately replied, "There is an Applebee's next door....."  I interrupted her before she got any further and told her I was interested in a place I saw called Renee's Southern Restaurant.  She looked at me and smiled, because she realized why I was asking her.  She told me she has never eaten there, but she heard really good things about it.  And Randy's BBQ?  She was a big fan of their ribs and bbq beans.  That is what I wanted to hear!
 
When I pulled into the shopping center, the open sign was off.  They closed at 3:00, while I was at the hotel.  Damn!  There were three REALLY  big men hanging outside chatting, so I pulled next to them and asked how good the food was.  All three raved about the food, especially the vegetables and the desserts.  Double damn!  The lesson:, He who hesitates gets TravelinManned!  Wasn't that Aesop?  At least I still had Randy's  BBQ.  Uh, no, they were also closed.  Just one of those days.
 
I went back to the hotel and changed into nicer clothes.  My destination for dinner was Love's Seafood,

along the beautiful Ogeechee River.  I checked out the specials on the way in

and got seated at a table with this view.

 
To start, I went with the seafood gumbo.

While it did have plenty of shrimp, crab and other seafood, it wasn't as flavorful as a gumbo should be.  If I had it to do over, I would have gone with the crab stew.  For an appetizer, I ordered the crab balls, but never received them.  Once I looked at how big my dinner was, the last thing I needed was more food, so I didn't say anything.
 
They have all you can eat catfish, but it has bones in it and I wasn't overly hungry, so I passed.  Instead, I went for the catfish fillets.

Sorry about the dark photo.  I usually prefer a lighter breading on my catfish,

but even this heavy breading was quite good.  The catfish still did tear apart with an audible crunch. 
 
The fries were okay at best, but I loved the Savannah rice as a side.

With a sweet tomatoey tang, plus big chunks of sausage, this was my favorite thing here.  Something else they do here that always earns bonus points with me is they gave me a whole carafe of their very good sweet tea.  

 
A manager walked by and I had him take my photo.

Man, I need a shave!  The service here was very good and my waitress had that typical Southern Belle name, Svetlana.
 
http://www.savannahga.net/dining/lovesseafood.html
 
I went back to my hotel and watched college football the rest of the night.
 
Much more to come.....

Hi Buffetbuster....once again another great report!  I sure do enjoy reading your posts and seeing all your pictures.  I have never been to Charleston and have always wanted to go, now I look forward to going with my husband even more. That mac and shrimp, tasso ham & cheese looks amazing.

Did you say your favorite Primanti sandwich is the capicola and cheese??  Because that is my husbands favorite but he likes the fried egg added on top of the slaw and fries.

Looking forward to more reports from you!

Lori

BB, looks like you were doing some good reading between courses.

The Travelin Man


You appear to have left Charleston already, yes?  Are you heading back before a flight out, perhaps?

I ate what may be my favorite breakfast of all-time (technically, I should probably call it brunch, as I ate it late, and it filled me fine until dinner) at Diana's.  Perhaps you need some evidence?



They call this "Low Country Surf and Turf."  I just call it "yummy."  I subbed the poached eggs for scrambled, but you will also find a small rib-eye steak in there, topping an English Muffin.  Atop the eggs are some small shrimp and grilled onions.  Breakfast potatoes are on the side.  It's quite a meal, and would even pass wanderingjew's smell test for "regionally appropriate."

 
TTM, I would say you are in the #1 slot for "The 2009 Breakfast of the Year award"

joerogo


BB, looks like you were doing some good reading between courses.

Only the best, Joe!!!

BB...you should have asked Svetlana if she wanted to learn the finer points of American Football!.....LOL!

buffetbuster


Man, I need a shave!  The service here was very good and my waitress had that typical Southern name, Svetlana.

You???  Some ding-dong snapped this picture of me.



They confiscated my shaving gel when I went through the airport.  ^ Dummy.  Usually I end up checking the bag that has my toiletries in it, so I absolutely didn't think about it.

I really enjoyed my visit to Fort Pulaski.  Sumter is pretty cool, too, as are the lighthouses in both those areas.

I agree with wanderingjew that you should have gone for the seafood feast (for one).  I am not a fan of crawfish, and I can take or leave mussels, but the snow crab, shrimp, stone crab, potatoes, corn, sausage - and pretty much whatever else they seem to throw into the boiling pot on any given day - make for a nice combo.  It looked like they also offered just shrimp with the low country boil option on your visit.  That may have been a winner, too.  I will never forget the look on my buddy's face when they brought out this food on what looked like a garbage can lid and set it atop the hole in the table.  Good stuff.

TTM-
Taking pictures of your food in a restaurant?  What a loser!!!

 

FriedClamFanatic


BB...you should have asked Svetlana if she wanted to learn the finer points of American Football!.....LOL!

Her husband was military.  No thanks!!!

Saturday January 2, 2009
 
I was rewarded for getting up early for my drive to Tybee Island with some beautiful views of the sun coming up through the fog and mist.


 
Breakfast was to be at a place that hasn't appeared in a Roadfood book for many years, The Breakfast Club.

Located on an island popular with tourists, just one block from the beach, this is a classic small town cafe/diner that could be in anytown, USA.  I knew I liked this place as soon as I sat down and saw this bumper sticker.

I took a prime seat at the counter, where I had an excellent view of the cooks working their magic.

Lots of action going on back there.
 
I saw the specials walking in and something called a PMS omelet caught my eye.  That is PMS, as in parmesan, mushroom and spinach.


Fresh ingredients, perfectly cooked, this was an excellent omelet.  There were a ton of mushrooms in there.  The creamy grits, with just the right amount of butter, were also a treat.  Wheat toast and a single slice of bacon completed the entree.
 
But my favorite item was the homemade Italian sausage.

The wonderful piece of pigmeat was slightly greasy and full flavored.
 
Sitting at the counter and talking to the staff here was a real hoot.  One guy, who was wearing a paper hat, that said, "Let the Juice go" and had a picture of OJ Simpson, was especially fun.  He is a big Blackhawks fan and because I was wearing a Penguins shirt, started talking hockey.  A couple at a table near me, called me over and it turns out she is from a town 10 minutes from my hometown.  The staff here genuinely like each other and much good natured ribbing went back and forth.  Everyone seemed to know each other.
 
At one point, OJ guy started staring outside and talked about how one car came flying into a parking spot and almost hit another vehicle.  I turned around and saw a woman getting out of the car and he said, "I should have known" and frowned!  When that woman got to the front door, another waitress yelled, "Here comes the princess of Tybee Island"!  I'm thinking this woman must be Cruella de Ville.  And despite open seats all over the place, she sat down right next to me.  Great!  And the three of us quickly got into a discussion of the Whiskey Rebellion.  I'm not sure what caused this woman to be so disliked, since she was well behaved while I was there.
 
After paying, I walked down to the beach to take a look.  Still very foggy out.

 
Back in Savannah, I parked and walked around the city.  Since I haven't been here since 2000, I had forgotten just how pretty Savannah was.




 
I got back in the car and crossed back into South Carolina.
 
Much more to come.....

joerogo

The Travelin Man


You appear to have left Charleston already, yes?  Are you heading back before a flight out, perhaps?

I ate what may be my favorite breakfast of all-time (technically, I should probably call it brunch, as I ate it late, and it filled me fine until dinner) at Diana's.  Perhaps you need some evidence?



They call this "Low Country Surf and Turf."  I just call it "yummy."  I subbed the poached eggs for scrambled, but you will also find a small rib-eye steak in there, topping an English Muffin.  Atop the eggs are some small shrimp and grilled onions.  Breakfast potatoes are on the side.  It's quite a meal, and would even pass wanderingjew's smell test for "regionally appropriate."

 
TTM, I would say you are in the #1 slot for "The 2009 Breakfast of the Year award"

'Twas actually from a meal consumed just after the calendar turned from 2007 to 2008.  I would guess it was nearly 365 days to the spot from when I posted in this thread.

It was, without a doubt, the single best breakfast food I consumed during 2008.  My morning at Niecie's in Kansas City with buffetbuster could have rivaled for all-around breakfast (food, service, ambiance, etc.).

buffetbuster


I saw the specials walking in and something called a PMS omelet caught my eye. 

 
I hear that this is their special every 28 days.

Woh-wah!

So ceci, Cliff or whomever, is the Crab Shack the place that maybe inspired the Joe's Crab Shack chain, or it's completely not affiliated?

Beautiful, absolutey beautiful report. And you are cute,too!

Saturday January 3, 2009 cont.
 
While driving through the back roads, I came across this wonderful looking little place.

It had bright pink pigs painted all over the building, including these.

Unfortunately, it didn't open for another couple hours and I didn't have the time to wait around.  Next time in the Low Country, I have to stop in and check this place out!  Has anyone ever eaten here?
 
My next destination was Hilton Head Island.  I had been talking on the phone with my mother and she told me she had always wanted to come here.  Since I was close by, I drove over and took a look.  Lots of traffic and the place was not nearly as touristy as I imagined it.  While I was here, I stopped by a bakery reviewed here on Roadfood, called Signe's Heaven Bound Bakery & Cafe.


An unassuming place, located on a side street, the word was out about this place, because they were quite busy.
 
Since I was nowhere near hungry from my big breakfast, I just grabbed some bakery items to go.  First, was a very dense chocolate sour cream pound cake.

Very rich!  I also grabbed a slice of ginger pound cake, which I never did eat, but my secretary enjoyed a few minutes ago.
 
Some great looking cookies, including a chocolate peanut butter,

an excellent chocolate chip ginger cookie

and a disappointing butterscotch blondie.

  
 http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Writeup.aspx?ReviewID=5201&RefID=5145
 
Once I was back in my car, heading north through the back roads, I got a call from wanderingjew.  The reason he called was to congratulate me on finally coming to my senses and dining at 82 Queen!  While we were talking, I passed a sign that pointed to a left turn and said Walterboro 14 miles.  Both of us knew what that meant..... Dukes BBQ!  I got off the phone with WJ, called Dukes to see if they were open.  They were and I was on my way.
 
I know that there are Duke's all over this area of South Carolina, but the one in Walterboro is still the only one I have tried and I haven't been here in almost a decade.  Hopefully, they were still as good.  The fact that I remembered Nancypalooza was a fan was encouraging.
 
Once in the town, I pulled over to take a photo of this most excellent billboard.

Then following the GPS, I couldn't find the place.  I drove around for a few minutes, with no luck.  Then I realized, I took a photo of the billboard, maybe that would help.  Yup, the GPS had me take a left instead of a right.  I am now so programmed to rely on the GPS to do my work for me, I did not pay any attention to the directions on the billboard.  Blame it on being distracted by the pig!  As you can see by the outside of Duke's, they have giant billboards leading you in. 

Unfortunately, this wasn't even the dumbest thing I would do in the next few minutes.....
 
Once inside, I paid my $9.00

for the buffet.

Most of my favorites were there.  You had hash,

which you put over top of rice.  Next, a big tray of wonderful looking pigmeat, chopped in large pieces.

Plenty of vegetables and sides, too.
 
Since my plate was already full and I wasn't even halfway through the line, I started looking for the bbq sauce.  Yet, all I saw were these red and vinegar sauces on top of the counter.

Okay, I'm confused.  This is yellow mustard sauce territory, but where is it?  Unable to find it, I went ahead and put some of the red sauce and some of the vinegar sauce on my pork.  I picked up a cup of super sweet tea and found a seat.  Here is what my first plate looked like.

 
The pork was very tender and flavorful, even with the wrong sauces on them.  Of the sides, the very cheesey macaroni and cheese

was the standout.  On my table waiting for me were a roll of paper towels and a loaf of white bread.

As I sat there, I was thinking, I know I had the mustard bbq sauce here before.  I'm just going to ask.
 
Once in line for plate number two, I got more of the pork and this time tried some of the fried chicken.

I did enjoy the salty taste of the skin, but it was otherwise limp, not crunchy how I like it.  The bird meat itself was nothing special.  In the background you can see the cole slaw and the potato salad.  Neither tasted homemade to me, but I enjoyed both nonetheless.
 
As I moved further down the buffet line, I was confronted by this:

How did I miss not one, but two big containers of the yellow sauce?  I am just SO glad that I didn't ask.  The people there already thought I was a bit off with all the photos I was taking.  I just tried the mild sauce and it was every bit as good as I remember.  It is both thicker and darker than most yellow sauces I have seen, but it is fantastic on top of pork.  I was officially a happy boy!
 
Things couldn't get better, right?  Wrong!  Peach cobbler AND banana pudding for dessert. 

The peach cobbler didn't look very good, but the baby food soft banana pudding was excellent.
 
 
The setting at Duke's BBQ is classic Southern bbq parlor.  There are pig figurines

all over the place and country style gospel music plays softly in the background.  As I was leaving, I noticed that they also have a drive-thru,

which seemed odd for a buffet place.
 
Needless to say, Duke's BBQ gets a big thumbs up from me.
 
More to come.....

BB

I last visited Duke's in December 2002. I'm glad to hear that it's as good as ever. I recall the banana pudding being very good.

The first time I ever went to Duke's, I asked if they sold their sauce and the lady working the counter said yes, took a pint-sized bowl container off the stack, ladled in sauce from the buffet line, put on a lid, and sold it to me for like $1.50.  Growing up with the ubiquitous Maurice bottles everywhere it just never occurred to me they'd do it that way.  I'm glad you got to hit up the Duke's Cliff!
 
edited to add: I bet they sell a fair number of pork sandwiches and pounds of pork through the drive-through.  I've bought just a sandwich when I wasn't hungry enough for the buffet.

BB -

Those baked goods really, really looked good!

In looking at the buffet, I had a difficult time reconizing why it would be so good.  Was it really flavorful?  Is it the atmosphere?