Columbia, South Carolina
One of the things I am learning to love about South Carolina is its capital city, Columbia. I have now visited there three times and I seem to find something new to like each time. I have always stayed at the Columbia Marriott. This high-rise hotel is located on the corner of Hampton Street and Main Street in the heart of downtown. It is only a five-minute walk to the capitol.
On previous visits, I noticed that there is a street fair on Main Street every Saturday from 9:00am – 1:00pm. I asked a local and they confirmed that the fair happens every Saturday, rain or shine. On this visit, my husband promised me that we could finally buy something and not just window shop.
The rain or shine rule turned out to be beneficial because on the Saturday I chose to go, it poured all day long. This limited the number of vendors that came out, but it also cut way down on the crowds. So, I masked up and went exploring. I decided to try cuisine from El Salvador. What a good decision that was! My husband ordered a lamb burger from another vendor. This was also an excellent decision.
I ordered a pupusa for the first time. This thick griddle cake starts out as a ball of dough stuffed with meat or seafood, cheese and sometimes veggies. It was amazing!
The curtido (cabbage slaw in a vinaigrette-style dressing) was delicious on the pupusa. The lamb burger was generously slathered with feta and tzatziki sauce. My husband also couldn’t resist ordering fried mac and cheese balls because he knows I have a weakness for all things cheesy. Yum! Believe me, we made sure to work out before and after this meal.
Rock Hill, South Carolina
My readers have probably figured out by now that we like to try different BBQ restaurants as we travel. We are in the South, after all, and if you want to learn the heart and culture of a place, you’ll eat their signature food. The American South is definitely known for BBQ.
In a very small town called Rock Hill, my research turned up a local joint called The Dixie Pig. I read reviews on my favorite trip planning website and I studied their website in advance. I felt ready, so my husband and I made sure to work out that morning and then we saddled up for a five-minute drive to The Dixie Pig.
Here, unfortunately, is where the story goes temporarily off the rails. When we sat down we found a message taped to our table. It read: “A 3.5% transaction fee will be added to all credit and debit payments. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
To say that I was angry and annoyed was an understatement. As I said, I had read the website thoroughly and this policy was not mentioned. It was going to be an inconvenience because I was not paying that! If I had known, I would have brought cash with me.
I told the hostess that I was going to get cash. I left the restaurant, went to an ATM and then returned and was re-seated. Most restaurants just add the processing fees that they need to pay onto the menu prices. However, it is their prerogative to pass the fee on to the customer. It is also the customer’s prerogative NOT to pay it.
Luckily for them, the BBQ was delicious. My order of pulled pork, cole slaw and mac and cheese was huge. Yes, I got several meals out of it. My husband had a half-slab of ribs. Obviously, we shared with each other. We also tried all the sauces they offered, including: traditional, slight spicy, mustard-based and Alabama white. This is the first time that I have ever liked mustard-based BBQ sauce. It is a major goal of mine to have real Alabama white sauce when we go back to Alabama, but this introduction was a good start. The flavor has a little vinegar to it, but with the right meat, it’s deliciously different.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
If I am being honest, Myrtle Beach is not one of my favorite destinations. It is an intensely touristy area. If you are a parent looking for a Spring Break location for your family, you will love it. In addition to the seashore, there are a lot of glitzy things to do. Since, I am not in town for that type of visit, it usually doesn’t strike much of a chord with me. I love their free museum and, on this trip, I discovered a good Italian restaurant, though.
Hot Tomato Restaurant is a five-minute walk from the Sheraton. We sat out on their front deck and people-watched the evening away. The olive oil & balsamic dipping sauce for the bread was some of the best that I’ve had in a long time.
The parmesan garlic wings came out looking decadent and amazing. They were good, but I would have liked more garlic. Maybe that’s just me.
The personal pizzas were the perfect way to go for us. We were able to sample each other’s pie and, obviously, had plenty of leftovers for additional meals later. My pizza was the Napolatana (which is similar to a supreme) and my husband’s had multiple meats. The chef was generous with the toppings and the cheese. The crust was crispy, not soggy. These are the elements of a properly made pizza, after all. I look forward to returning to try their other dishes and maybe even a cocktail.
Beaufort, South Carolina
I was fortunate enough to spend half a day in Beaufort visiting a good friend of mine who is a local. The nice thing about knowing a local is that you know they will take you to the cool places. She did not disappoint.
Last time I was in town (read about that here) I had an amazing Caesar salad with local crab meat for lunch. This time, we ate at her favorite healthy spot. Herben Market and Café has a nearly all-vegetarian menu. Much of it is actually vegan too. In fact, the tuna melt that I ate was the only item on the menu with a non-vegetable protein. I don’t eat tuna often. It is not one of my favorites unless it is hot.
This tuna melt was out of this world! Yes, even with the “veganaise” on it. The bread was nice and dense and evenly toasted, so the sandwich didn’t fall apart. The chef didn’t skimp on the fillings either. I didn’t try their smoothies, but my friend did and she seemed very happy. Be forewarned: It’s not a budget place; lunch will set you back about $14-$23, depending on what you order. It was a quality meal, though.
Have you tried vegan food? How was your experience? What was your best “street food” experience?
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