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Seafood Feast in Hilton Head, South Carolina Don and I learned from a local, that this was the best place to go for seafood when visiting Hilton Head.  "It's kind of stinky sometimes, but don't let that bother you." Checking It Out Don and I are amused and tempted when we hear things like that. But we had friends coming to meet us in Hilton Head.
Not everyone likes a smelly dining adventure. The 2 of us drove over one afternoon and checked on the place. There were lots of cars and that was a good sign. On the Docks I told Don to wait in the car and I'd run in to check on the smell.  I passed the sign saying, "Yes, Our Oyster Bar is Open. Entrance at the Docks." I loved it already. Built on Oysters! I peeked around the other side and saw more boats and tons of oyster shells. This property originally opened in the 1920's, for seafood processing. Thousands of oysters were brought in daily, by oar-powered boats.  They were shucked inside and sent north on barges. Discarded shells piled up outside, eventually creating the peninsula, where the current restaurant sits! Friendly Greeting So I stepped inside and was immediately greeted by cheery staff. I said I was just checking the place out for later.  I discreetly inhaled and wasn't blown over by fishy smells. "Look around!" A young woman encouraged. Oyster Bar The oyster bar was pretty lively. I didn't get a photo of the crowd around the actual bar. That felt sort of intrusive.
So I looked at all the photos displayed on the cinderblock walls. I checked out the cute little tables. I liked the place. Shucking Tools and a Window I tried to photograph a display of oyster shucking tools. The glare was bad, but I could read some of the different names... like Stabber Pattern!
A woman cleaning up, noticed my interest and pointed through the wall's window to another room. Oyster Factory Room? She seemed delighted that I was interested in the history. She took me into the large room, which I believe was called the Oyster Factory Dining Room.  She said it was the original space where oysters were once shucked. Shucking Oysters She pulled me over to a painting on the wall.  "This shows what it used to look like in here." The image showed about 10 men shucking at long tables. Evidently Hudson's today, serves over 3,000 gallons of oysters annually. A Good Report When I finally made it back to the car, I told Don we just had to come back when our friends arrived.  A few days later we headed over with Dan and Kim. It was a lovely evening, when we approached from the east, as the sun was lowering. Boats We paused to check out the boats from across the water.  Hudson's is the only restaurant on the island that has a working fleet of shrimp boats. Dockside Dining It was tempting to eat on the deck, near the boats.  We might have seen Jeff and Skip Toomer arrive. They are third generation shrimpers. Sunset But we opted for inside dining...  ...after watching a dolphin, playing during sunset. Kim and Don We didn't get a table right at the window, but there were plenty of windows surrounding us.
Kim and Don posed for me. We've had a few memorable meals and photo posing times, in our 25+ years of friendship. Starters Our waiter Todd was on top of things. We told him how hungry we were and he brought us their famous hushpuppies first. My photo is blurred, but the flavor was perfection.
Light brown with onions and crispy, sweet cornbread! No sauce was needed! There's a long story about how the Hudsons purchased this recipe with bottles of whiskey. The crab cakes were just heavenly! Don's Fried Shrimp with Slaw Don just had to have fried shrimp.  100,000 pounds of shrimp are consumed here annually. My Sampler Knowing about the oyster history, I made sure to have some. Todd explained that it was a good oyster day because of the low tide.  My Oysters Rockefeller and Bacon Wrapped Oysters were very yummy. The Stuffed Mushrooms, Mini Crab Cakes and Scallops were also good. The Gang So we got to enjoy a dining adventure with our good friends...  ...at an iconic, family owned seafood business in South Carolina! Smell Test Thanks Hudson's!  You passed the food and smell test!
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Lunch at the Cranky Diner Don and I were excited when we read some reviews for Harold's Diner.
Road Side Diner  I liked the looks of the place when we pulled up. It shared a parking lot with the gas station next door. It had a big old shade tree. It also had a welcoming OPEN sign. Just above the 4, orange letters, I read the words, Sorry We're, in small print. So sassy. Like a Train Car We made sure to arrive early, while things were still calm. We entered one of the 2 doors and found ourselves in a space, that felt like a cozy train car. There were 13 counter stools and 4 tiny tables beneath the windows. Later when it got crowded, there wasn't much room to walk between.  Behind the counter there were 3 people, swiftly gearing up for the expected lunch crowd. The woman with the ponytail, greeted us. She was all business, but she wasn't scary. Stools and Rules We bravely chose 2 stools at the counter, instead of a "safer" window-facing table. As soon as we were seated, the woman reminded Don to grab two order forms from the holder, near the door.
Don grabbed 2 sheets and I hopped up to take a couple quick cell phone pics... while the place was mostly empty. I made sure to photograph the Diner Rules, but didn't study them until later. The rules reminded us, that No Sissies were allowed... and to Leave when we were done! Order Sheet It was very clear that Harold's had a system for everything. I felt like I was taking a test when I checked the box for Grilled Cheese.
I was afraid I might get reprimanded for ordering less than $5. worth of food. So I added bacon for $2.25. Don whispered to me. "Don't forget to write your name at the bottom." Whew. I almost missed that. I am not the best test taker. Guy at the Grill
The youngish guy at the griddle seemed focused on his cooking. Surely he wasn't one of the rude people mentioned in reviews. I liked his efficient technique, tossing the round balls of beef onto the griddle and flattening them. But when he suddenly turned and faced me spoke, I gulped. Was he the mean guy? He spoke fast and I couldn't hear over all the sizzling. I didn't want to risk it by asking, "What did you say?" So I just said, "I'll have some water please." He said nothing, but promptly brought me my drink. "Eat Here or We Both Starve"  It was clear very quickly, which of the 3 was the grumpy owner that I'd read about. I didn't get a photo of him, because his constant frown was intimidating. However, he probably saw me in the mirror when I took this photo of the important words, "Eat Here or we both starve." Luckily I think he was in an extra bad mood and couldn't be bothered by acknowledging diners. We had read that "hurling insults" is his claim to fame... but he wasn't in a good enough mood for that. Harold ... Chuck Harold Smalls opened the diner in 1974. I have no idea a bout his character or how he ran the place, but Chuck is the owner, now. Chuck is the one with the reputation. He wasn't exactly pleasant during our visit, but at least he had a efficient system.  The 3 seemed to have their moves choreographed behind the counter. There was a lot of tossing, reaching, lifting, bending and dodging going on back there. At one moment Chuck darted over and dropped the cage of raw potatoes into the bubbling vat. Suddenly the diner was filled with smoke and sizzle and a high pitched sound came from somewhere. Don and I looked at each other, but everyone else ignored the screeching alarm. The sound disappeared, after the air cleared. "Beth!" Since I was seated right next to the line up of baskets, I should have been prepared to have my name shouted. But I was caught off guard and about fell off my stool when my name was hollered. I raised my hand like I was in school and I remembered to say thank you.
My grilled cheese with bacon was decent, but it did have the taste of a million foods cooked on the griddle. Don's burger was good, but the fries looked like they'd been heavily peppered. Maybe it was time for some fresh oil in the vat. Lots to Read
Don and I ate our meal quietly. That seemed to be what everyone else was doing, since most were single workmen eating lunch. Chuck and his workers didn't converse either. It was odd. But there was lots to read. The snarky bumper stickers plastered all over the mirror, were pretty lame and dated. I didn't dare roll my eyes. Cheap Fun
I'm sure I could provoke a reaction, though. "Hey Chuck, would you mind posing in a photo with me?" Yikes. That's a scary thought.
Saint Helena Island This was the dining adventure I wanted to have, on our recent visit to South Carolina.
After reading about Gullah Grub Cafe, I gave a call. A child's voice answered politely. He answered my questions, with the help of a nearby adult. A few days later, Don and I headed for Saint Helena Island, but the sweet little building was dark. I moped like a child and then we headed to nearby Beaufort, in search of lunch. Beaufort I grumbled during the 15-minute drive to Beaufort. I was so psyched for some unique southern food, on the historic island.  Then we were suddenly in Beaufort and I was blown away by the charm. The neighborhoods were filled with antebellum homes, all sharing yards with giant live oaks. I was a little torn to find myself drawn to the town. Its southern history was the opposite of Saint Helena's. Low Country Produce Market and Cafe  By the time we parked and found our way to Lowcountry Produce Market and Cafe, my mood had lifted. The beautiful brick building had originally housed Beaufort's Post Office. Until 2010, it was the Old City Hall. Which Entrance?
There was an entrance from a small lot in back, but we stepped through the doors near the street. We found ourselves in a white and green space that reminded me of a gigantic version, of my grandmother's kitchen. Around to the Rear
The place was hopping on that Sunday at 1:45! We were confused at first, then realized we needed to make our way around the counters and cases, to the other side. We passed a curious stairway, that made me want to explore. We passed a cozy eating nook, that made me eager to stay... even if there was a wait. Samples While We Wait There was a wait, but we put our names on the list and got busy looking at the counter.  There were free samples of sauces and dips, spreads and baked goods. This was clearly more than a restaurant. We met one of the 3 owners and he filled us in. Kitchen and Shop Campbell was behind the counter, happily greeting customers in his pink shirt. (Which looked very good with the cafe's green paint!)
He told us that Lowcountry had been selling products for 20 years and the restaurant had been open for 8. He laughed about his role in the business. "I'm the one who does the talking." He pointed out the kitchen behind and the cases and shelves, scattered about. They sold everything from fresh foods to canned pickles to guest towels. Colorful Plates of Food
I went for a fun food choice and ordered Frank's Furter. It was a quarter pound, all-beef dog with grilled onions and LCP's (LowCountry Produce) artichoke relish and strawberry pepper preserves... plus broccoli-raisin salad! Decadent! Really. Don was impressed with his Mahi Mahi sandwich and lentil salad. I liked mine better and hardly shared! Shopping Too?
We were so tempted to do a little shopping on our way out. There were cases of fresh fruits, pies and salads. What fun to live nearby and shop for dinner, now and then. Out the Back We knew the ropes by the time we finished. We headed out the back, just like most of the locals.  Even though I missed out on my Gullah food experience, we ended up with a unique little dining adventure. We ate a yummy, fresh meal in an Old City Hall! The large, sun-lit space felt upbeat and modern. Best of all, the spotless white tile and pastel woodwork really did remind made me of Grandma-Daw's, happy-sunny kitchen. Cheers to a new, fun place and reminders of Daw!
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The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
February 2025
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