My biggest surprise meal of our recent trip to Hilton Head Island came from an unplanned visit to the Reilley’s Grill & Bar. My family’s plan was to grab dinner at The Lodge, which is in the same plaza, but we moved on after a beer as we didn’t think The Lodge was very family friendly. The menu posted outside of Reilley’s looked good so we decided to give it a try.

Outside Patio

There was a very minimal wait for our table of eight and we were seated out on their awesome patio. From the front of the building it is hard to tell that this outdoor oasis is just around the corner. The outside bar area has plenty of TV’s and during our visit a two-man band was entertaining the crowd.

Roasted Garlic Chicken & Italian Sausage Pasta

For dinner I had the roasted garlic chicken and Italian sausage pasta, which is tossed with mushrooms in a roasted garlic cream sauce and served over penne ($15.99). The sauce was excellent and the pasta was filled with big chunks of both meat and mushrooms.

Broiled Seafood Platter

Another  in our group had the broiled seafood platter with shrimp, scallops, and tilapia in a white win butter sauce served with rice and sautéed vegetables ($16.99) and she was very happy with this choice. Two others split the seafood trio of crab cake over fried green tomato topped with Cajun mayo, bacon wrapped shrimp over red pepper risotto, and ahi sashimi served on a seaweed salad with sautéed spinach ($18.99), which also received high marks.

Seafood Trio

Despite the location of Reilley’s, which is a bit out-of-the-way for most staying on the beach, the food, atmosphere, and service were all excellent. I’m glad we accidentally ended up here and would gladly go back again in the future.

I think my favorite meal of our recent trip to Hilton Head Island came courtesy of The Porch – Southern Kitchen & Bar. This relatively new restaurant sits ocean front as part of the Beach House  complex, next to  the Tiki Hut Barefoot Beach Bar. There are a couple of  large tables inside as well as a handful of smaller ones, and large garage doors open to the spacious patio. Out on the patio, which sits next to a swimming pool, tables can be grouped together to accommodate parties of any size.

Inside

To start the evening our large group split a couple orders of fried green tomatoes, which were just about the best I’ve had.

Fried Green Tomato

For dinner I thoroughly enjoyed the red brick chicken with black-eyed pea and house sausage ragu, grit fries, charred broccolini, and pan gravy ($20). The flavor combination of this dish was amazing and the chicken was cooked perfectly. I also really enjoyed the grit fries on the side, which were like nothing I’ve ever had before, and something I wish I could eat regularly.

Red Brick Chicken

The Porch specializes in wholesome comfort food and  this shows even on the kids menu. The spaghetti and meatballs ($8) appeared to be prepared from scratch and was presented in a cast iron serving dish. This also included a choice of sliced apples, green beans, or french fries.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Others in our group enjoyed the corn bread encrusted flounder ($26), the shrimp and grits ($24), St. Louis hog ribs ($16), and backyard burger ($14), just to name a few. The menu offers three choices each of chicken, beef, pork, and seafood, as well as a handful of salads. Breakfast and lunch are also offered and drink specials can be had all day long.

Corn Bread Encrusted Flounder

The food I tasted at The Porch was all outstanding and it is served in one of the best atmospheres I have seen on the island. I look forward to making a return visit on our next trip to Hilton Head.

My wife and I were glad to leave the kids with their grandparents for lunch one day during our recent vacation on Hilton Head Island. We rode our rented bikes from our condo near Coligny Circle toward The Lodge Beer & Burger Bar but soon realized they were not open for lunch. We spotted the nearby Hilton Head Brewing Company and decided to give it a try instead.

Inside

I was surprised to have never heard  anything about this place before, especially after realizing that they have been making beer for twenty years. On tap was a double IPA in celebration of their 20th anniversary,  which I ordered, along with three other of their own brews and a handful from other breweries. The double IPA was actually pretty  good, not one of my favorites, but it was definitely good  enough to drink another glass.

20th Anniversary Double IPA

My wife enjoyed their  Burning Man Red Ale, which  was much darker than expected and seemed to be more of a porter. It was actually pretty good but not true to style at all. The beers rotate seasonally but at best I think a half-dozen are offered at a time.

Blackened Grouper Sandwich

My wife ordered the blackened grouper sandwich, which surprisingly came with no toppings, but was served with hand cut fries ($10). The fish was cooked well but the sandwich overall felt too dry in the mouth and needed something extra added to it, such as tartar sauce that my wife requested.

Brew Pub BLT

I went with the brew pub BLT with fried green tomatoes, applewood smoked bacon, and crisp romaine leaves, also served with fries ($8.50). I remembered a similar sandwich that I had last year at the nearby  A  Lowcountry Backyard, but unfortunately this was nowhere close to being as good. Like my wife’s grouper, this  sandwich was served dry, but even a little added mayonnaise couldn’t have helped with the stale and over-toasted bread. The tomatoes themselves were pretty good, but that alone could not save the sandwich.

The Hilton Head Brewing Company is not a bad place for a beer or two, but the food was below average. With so many other great places to eat,  I doubt I will be back unless it is for a quick afternoon drink.

After a long day lounging at the pool of our condo complex, we decided to have dinner delivered rather than driving to a restaurant. A quick online search led me to Dough Boys Pizza. A few online reviews highly recommended their pizzas with ricotta cheese on top, and I was hooked on that right away, and fortunately so was  the rest of my family.

Local Legends

We ordered from the “local legends” menu and tried RD’s delight ($19 for 16″) which came topped with chicken, sausage, mushroom, garlic, ricotta, and house cheese blend. We also ordered a half cheese and half Doug’s big Elvis ($20 for 16″) with sweet onion, green pepper, mushroom, bacon, pepperoni, and house cheese blend. RD’s delight was definitely the highlight of our meal, and the ricotta was an awesome addition to the pizza. Doug’s big Elvis was also very good and the toppings  were piled high.

Dough Boys serves up excellent pizza and has some very creative specialty topping combinations. Give them a try and don’t forget to take advantage of having their pizza delivered after a day full of poolside cocktails.

While vacationing in Hilton Head a couple of weeks ago, we visited the Wild Wing Cafe for lunch on a Monday. This location is one of around a dozen in South Carolina and they also have another couple dozen restaurants in six other southern states. We joined some friends of ours who always stop here at least once on their trips to Hilton Head.

Boneless Wings

I knew right away that I was going to get boneless wings ($9.99 for a dozen) but the list of 33 made from scratch sauces was a little intimidating. Eventually I went with fireball (a flavorful and fiery mix of sweet ‘n spicy) and ragin’ cajun. I like my wings wet, in fact the more sauce the better for me. So I definitely enjoyed the fireball more than the ragin’ cajun, which seemed to more of a spice rub than a sauce. The fireball was a great sauce and it definitely had plenty of heat in the mix.

House Chips

I also had a side of house chips ($1.99) which are a lightly seasoned homemade potato chip. These were fairly standard but exactly what I needed to accompany the spicy wings. I washed it all down with a couple of SweatWater beers from the pretty decent draft lineup. Overall Wild Wing Cafe provides a solid lunch option especially after you’ve had your fill of seafood.

On the backside of Coligny Plaza, just around the corner from the Piggly Wiggly, sits a wonderful little sub shop called Stu’s Surfside Subs. This tiny shop only has seating for about a dozen people on the inside, and there are also a few tables outside  if the steamy weather doesn’t get to you.

Inside

I walked over to Stu’s from our condo just south of Coligny Circle on our first day in town. I placed a carry out order for three sandwiches and waited ten or fifteen minutes for them to be prepared.  Next time I think I’ll order a beer to enjoy during the wait or call my order in ahead of time.

Chicken Salad

I had a chicken salad sub with provolone, lettuce, and tomato ($6.50). Stu’s bread is fresh-baked in the store and it shows, as the bread is soft, fluffy, and delicious! The chicken salad was good, but I was immediately jealous of my wife’s beach club with peppered turkey, avocado, and cheese. We both liked the subs so much we returned on our final day at the beach and this time I went with the Calibogue (ham, turkey, bacon, and cheese with veggies) and it was easily the best of the bunch ($6.95). The Local with turkey, cheese, homemade honey mustard, and granny smith apples was also top-notch!

Stu’s is an amazing sub shop and I can’t believe that a Subway remains in business in the same shopping center. I will definitely be back for more delicious subs in the future.

After driving through the night from Cincinnati to Hilton Head Island, SC we arrived just before 8 AM ready for breakfast. After a quick search I quickly decided on the Palmetto Bay Sunrise Cafe, which is located just off the southern end of the Cross Island Parkway, making it a great spot to stop on your way to the beach.

Inside

There are both tables inside and tables outside, as well as a high-top bar inside adjacent to the kitchen.  The restaurant never filled to capacity throughout our visit, so perhaps this is a somewhat hidden spot away from the lengthy waits for a table at restaurants near the beach.

Biscuits & Gravy

I had a full order of the homemade biscuits and  sausage gravy ($6.99). Though very standard in appearance, the biscuits were flaky and the gravy was peppered and tasty. I added a little Cholula to spice it up but this was definitely a solid dish. I also stole a few bites of my sons pancake from the kid’s menu, which was gigantic and delicious!

Kid’s Pancake

My wife had the eggs all ways early bird special which included two eggs, thick sausage links, hash browns, and toast ($5.99), which is a ton of food for a great price. The sausage was especially tasty.

The  Palmetto Bay Sunrise Cafe provided  a great family friendly start to our vacation on Hilton Head  Island  and we would not hesitate to visit again.

I recently had the opportunity to sample a few free meals from food delivery service Blue Apron. For roughly $60 per week this service delivers all the ingredients and a recipe to prepare three meals for two people.  Blue Apron delivers original, step-by-step recipes and fresh ingredients to customers nationwide. The  menus change every week, so with each delivery you learn to cook inventive new dishes with seasonal ingredients.

Ingredient List

Cooking Instructions

The dish I liked the best of the three I tried was lemon and  pea tendril risotto. The portion was about 550 calories per serving and was more than I could eat in one sitting.

Cooking Risotto

Finished Risotto

We also enjoyed the Mexican-style chopped salad. The roasted poblano peppers were a nice touch to compliment the corn and tortilla strips. This meal was not nearly as filling though and could have definitely used a protein source.

Chopped Ingredients

Mexican-Style Chopped Salad

I though the price was pretty fair, though maybe just a touch on the high side. I used to cook meals from scratch often, but times have changed and we mostly eat  prepared meals  at home now. The majority of these meals come from Dream Dinners, a monthly service that we use for prepared meals. Once per month I visit the local store and assemble meals using already prepped ingredients and include the appropriate cooking instructions. On average, the cost of these meals are roughly half of what Blue Apron charges per serving size.

However the biggest issue I had with Blue Apron is that I set my dietary preferences to only receive poultry and pork products, leaving out beef, lamb, fish, and shellfish. I also specified that I was not a vegetarian, but I was given three vegetarian meals. It really would have been nice to receive some recipes revolving around white meat, but I guess that is reserved for people with larger dietary preferences. Unless this restriction is removed and more variety is offered, I don’t see myself using Blue Apron again in the future.

I reviewed another Mellow Mushroom location before, but decided to write-up another review  after trying additional menu items at the newly opened Hyde Park location. The pizza chain opened in the space recently abandoned by City Barbeque  in the Hyde Park Plaza.

Inside

The inside wasn’t as large as other locations I’ve visited in the past. As with all of their restaurants the decor is simple and the walls are covered with interesting paintings and decor representing various local attractions. There are a handful of televisions at the high top bar, and some neighboring tables have a good view, but for the most part this is more restaurant than sports bar.

Enlightened Spinach Salad

My wife and I started with the Enlightened Spinach Salad ($5.95 for the lil’ size). The combination of fresh spinach, dried cherries, apples, homemade candied pecans, and feta cheese is similar to many spinach salads I’ve had before. However the cherries were are nice replacement to the more common cranberries. The flavors were good and this is a nice way to start a meal.

Maui Wowie / Thai Dye Pizza

As far as pizza goes my wife and I split an order as well. Since we couldn’t decide on one pizza we did half Maui Wowie and half Thai Dye (just over $20 for the 14″). The Maui Wowie was my favorite of the two with a very interesting  but delicious  combination of pesto, ham, pineapple, jerk chicken, banana peppers, Applewood smoked bacon & mozzarella cheese. The jerk chicken was especially well-flavored.

The Thai Dye is no slouch either with olive oil and garlic base topped with curry chicken, mozzarella cheese, Roma tomatoes, onions, fresh basic, cucumbers, and a sweet Thai chili sauce. I think both pizzas are some of the more unique offerings on the menu and are both worth a try.

To wash it all down there is a really good craft beer selection. The prices at Mellow Mushroom are a bit high, but the quality and creativity are there to help justify the cost.

I’ve always heard a lot about Ingredients from my wife but I never got around to trying it for myself until a couple of weeks ago. This salad, sandwich, panini, and pizza quick service restaurant is located in the atrium lobby of the Westin Cincinnati, just across the street from Fountain Square.

Atrium Lobby

The primary draw is definitely the salad station where the customer can choose from a wide variety of ingredients to create a personalized salad or select from one of their signature combinations. The line was very long for this station, while the sandwich and other station was not nearly as crowded. But as this was my first time I figured I better try one of the salads.

Inside

I went with the southwest chicken salad with black beans, corn, tomatoes, tortilla strips, avocado, scallions, cilantro, cheddar cheese,  and  jalapeno ($7.95). The employees at the salad station quickly threw the ingredients together, tossed it all together with ranch dressing and put it in a super sized to go container.

Southwest Chicken Salad

As the weather was nice I decided to take my lunch over to Fountain Square to enjoy in the sunshine. The salad was very large and I could have easily been split with another for a light lunch. The ingredients were all very fresh and the combination was great! I noticed that these signature salads are also available in a prepared cooler, but I think it’s worth the ten minute wait to get it assembled fresh and tossed together even if you aren’t making any modifications. Ingredients  is a great spot for a somewhat healthy lunch downtown.