Favorite places to eat at HHI?

[stacy6552]

Ok my dear dis friends have I got a place for you! I haven't seen it on any of the threads, but O-M-G!!!!! Ready?

Flamingo Doughnuts! OMG! The are made to order. They have that almost uncooked richness. You pick the glaze you want like honey dip, chocolate, lemon, almond......then you pick a topping like coconut, peanut butter chips, or poppyseeds.......Or you can order a special like Snickers, or peaches-n-creme. To die for!

Ok here's where it is. You head out like you're going to Sea Pines. Go around the circle, half way, go straightlike youre heading for the gate, and then turn left into that last shopping center before the gate. Flamingo Doughnuts is in a little building way in the back facing the street you came in from.

No don't tell anyone!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Ok my dear dis friends have I got a place for you! I haven't seen it on any of the threads, but O-M-G!!!!! Ready?

Flamingo Doughnuts! OMG! The are made to order. They have that almost uncooked richness. You pick the glaze you want like honey dip, chocolate, lemon, almond......then you pick a topping like coconut, peanut butter chips, or poppyseeds.......Or you can order a special like Snickers, or peaches-n-creme. To die for!

Ok here's where it is. You head out like you're going to Sea Pines. Go around the circle, half way, go straightlike youre heading for the gate, and then turn left into that last shopping center before the gate. Flamingo Doughnuts is in a little building way in the back facing the street you came in from.

No don't tell anyone!

Is it in the same little plaza as the New Orleans-type resturaunt,Kenny????(I can't remember the exact name)? I LOVE donuts-we'll definitely check this out in November...but I won't tell.

 

[cgcw]

Our favorite last week was a little place in Coligny Plaza called Just Pasta. It's small - I counted seating for 40 in there. The food is really good. They open for lunch at 11 during the week.

We also ate at San Miquels. It's convenient and a quick walk around Shelter Cove to get there.

 

[Doctor P]

On our last trip we ate at Little Venice in Shelter Cove. It was a really good Italian restaurant. Very best tiramisu I had ever had (among probably 80 restaurants at which I have eaten that dessert).

 

[RumpleMom]

We like Mellow Mushroom for pizza.

 

[SusieBea]

We like Mellow Mushroom for pizza.

We also like Mellow Mushroom for pizza, and for Greek salad and for their sandwiches. - much better than Giuseppi's (sp).

 

[stacy6552]

Is it in the same little plaza as the New Orleans-type resturaunt,Kenny????(I can't remember the exact name)? I LOVE donuts-we'll definitely check this out in November...but I won't tell.

Simba, I didn't notice. But there was a movie theater in the corner. The center was called Park Plaza and I just found their phone number: 843.686.4606

 

[DisneyMomOfThree]

Has anyone tried One Hot Mamma American Grill? I like ribs and wings and they seemed interesting. So what is the scoop on this place?

 

[Simba's Mom]

Has anyone tried One Hot Mamma American Grill? I like ribs and wings and they seemed interesting. So what is the scoop on this place?

I've never heard of this one. Interesting name! Where is it? Is it new? I'd also love to know more.

 

[Let'sGoAgain!]

I just looked it up in the summer edition of the restaurant guide. Here's the write-up:

"Good-looking mama's serves meats smoked "low and slow" that are sure to please. Or enjoy their steaks, hand-cut daily. sides are "homemade" in small batches. Other specialties include "baby back ribs, pork brisket, and chicken." Dine indoors or outside. Pleasant, casual, open atmosphere. Family-friendly. Children's menu. Large parties easily accommodated. Catering, take-out, available. Lunch, Sunday brunch, dinner, late night."

They list a web site as www.OneHotMamas.com but it doesn't look like it's up at the moment.

It's located near Sea Pines Circle. The menu looks pretty good and I'll ask around for anyone who has tried it.

 

[goofysully]

the sea shack is the best get their by 4:30 to get in line, do not go to steamers, the food on HHI is not very good overall so good luck.

 

[Let'sGoAgain!]

... the food on HHI is not very good overall so good luck.

You must not be going to the right places -- or maybe your experience has only been during the busiest times of the year. With about 300 restaurants on HHI, there are going to be some that don't stand up well, but there are also some excellent restaurants.

 

[SusieBea]

You must not be going to the right places -- or maybe your experience has only been during the busiest times of the year. With about 300 restaurants on HHI, there are going to be some that don't stand up well, but there are also some excellent restaurants.

I agree, and there are excellent restaurants at a variety of price points as well.

 

[DisneyNutMary]

Last summer we ate at Fuddrucker's (for the kids), San Miguel's, the Salty Dog and Aunt Chilada's.

Our favorite's were San Miguel and Aunt Chilada, in fact we were talking a few days ago about going back to Aunt Chilada's, we had a good meal there, loads of fun and plenty of decor to look at. My son Bobby had a Spaghetti and Meatball Burrito that he loved do much he is looking forward to having it again.
Aunt Chilada's was a challenge to find, but worth it when we got there.

 

[goofysully]

what difference should a restraunt's quality be if its the busy time of year, the restraunts at HHI are average at best, they cannot compare to Savannah or Charleston. You are on an island, what pushes the quality,peolpe are going to have to eat somewhere, the locally owned places are best on HHI, I doubt the majority of folks who own the restraunts on HHI are local.

 

[Let'sGoAgain!]

what difference should a restraunt's quality be if its the busy time of year, the restraunts at HHI are average at best, they cannot compare to Savannah or Charleston. You are on an island, what pushes the quality,peolpe are going to have to eat somewhere, the locally owned places are best on HHI, I doubt the majority of folks who own the restraunts on HHI are local.

At busier times of the year, customer service (and in the restaurant business, sometimes food quality) can easily suffer. For example, when extremely busy, the restaurant may not have enough deep fryer capacity for the demand. The oil doesn't heat up to the proper temperature between uses because they're trying to get the food moved out more quickly, which results in greasier fried food. I've worked in restaurants and have seen this from both sides.

Competition is what drives quality; there are about 300 restaurants on Hilton Head Island. Each year there are some that close and new ones that open.

Most of the Hilton Head restaurants mentioned frequently on this board are locally owned, BTW. You can go in and talk to the owner(s) at almost any time the restaurant is open; they put in l--o--n--g hours. It's only been in the past few years that the chains have started appearing -- Longhorn, Outback, Carrabba's, etc.

I still think you haven't been trying the right places in Hilton Head.

 

[podsnel]

On our recent vacation we ate at Scott's, Hudson's, and Tapas. My favorite of the three was by far Tapas- the food was FABULOUS and our bottle of wine reasonable ($27) and delicious. While out on the kayak tour, our guide told us that most of the restaurants on HHI don't use local seafood- the Sysco truck pulls up, and drops off alot of frozen fish. He also said Old Oyster Factory prepares their meals early in the day, then nukes the food when you order it. Another comment he had about the restaurants on the island was that the reason something could be good one year and just average the next is because it is a very transient population, and turnover of owners and chefs is high. I thought the food on HHI was very good, and I'm looking forward to going back for more- I can PROMISE you that the very first place I will try will be the Sea Shack, that was VERY high on my list this time but we just couldn't make it happen. Also Signe's - God forgive me, I never made it there, what WAS I doing with myself? Also interested in Ocean Grille, Vassilli's, and Kwizen (Camellia Grill) looks like it has a REALLY interesting menu- has anyone gone there? And, if I were to go off Island, Claude & Uli's looks great from the earlier post on this thread. (Geez- that's alot of restaurants- looks like I better go back more than once, LOL!!)

I am a MAJOR foodie- nothing but bad or just average food in any location is a deal breaker for me- I won't return somewhere because of it, and I don't feel that way about HHI at all- I can't WAIT to return to try more!!

Here's DH with our SECOND order of blackened scallops at Tapas-

You just can't believe how good they are!! YUM!!!

 

[Doctor P]

At busier times of the year, customer service (and in the restaurant business, sometimes food quality) can easily suffer. For example, when extremely busy, the restaurant may not have enough deep fryer capacity for the demand. The oil doesn't heat up to the proper temperature between uses because they're trying to get the food moved out more quickly, which results in greasier fried food. I've worked in restaurants and have seen this from both sides.

Competition is what drives quality; there are about 300 restaurants on Hilton Head Island. Each year there are some that close and new ones that open.

Most of the Hilton Head restaurants mentioned frequently on this board are locally owned, BTW. You can go in and talk to the owner(s) at almost any time the restaurant is open; they put in l--o--n--g hours. It's only been in the past few years that the chains have started appearing -- Longhorn, Outback, Carrabba's, etc.

I still think you haven't been trying the right places in Hilton Head.

I agree wholeheartedly. In addition, the population of Savannah and of Charleston is between three and four times the population of Hilton Head. To put it into perspective, I could offer that the dining choices in Savannah are not very good compared to Boston and be making the same relative comparison as was being made between HH and Savannah. In addition, HH is a different type of community than Charleston or Savannah.

 

[dis-happy]

Don't discount the fact that Charleston lost Johnson and Wales a couple years ago (they moved it to Charlotte). A lot of people in the industry, as well as some locals in general, have felt that this has made an impact on the restaurant quality of Chas; ie. it is steadily declining.


Also, all of my FAVORITE restaurants in HH are locally owned, and some have been in business for many years (Truffles comes to mind). If anything, the chain places have a harder time making it. While HH is busy, busy, busy during the summer, it's the much smaller year-round population that keeps things going through the winter and once a restuarant gets a bad reputation among that group it doesn't stay in business long. Overall, bad restuarants and bad food aren't sustainable. There are a few average restuarants that continue on, mainly due to name or location, and a tourist population that carries them through.....Salty Dog Cafe and Crazy Crab in HT would fit this category. The secret to good dining in HH is to do a little research and stay away from the tourist traps, but you could say that about almost any city.