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Ate: February 17, 2006 Published: February 19, 2006 $ You knew this was going to happen again. It was just a matter of time before we would jump off of Highway 17 and hack our way through the underbrush, venturing into portions of the Grand Strand that most tourists don't see. Don't worry, this review is safe for the whole family, I'm talking about Highway 707, our back-road highway on the south end of the strand. Driving down a southern back road, you would probably expect to find a restaurant steeped in traditional southern roots. And that describes the Country Diner perfectly. It is what many people refer to as a "meat and three" restaurant, meaning that you order a particular cut of meat and then choose two or three of the side dishes listed. The Country Diner's roots are deep, but the restaurant itself is fairly new. This portion of Highway 707 has experienced explosive growth as the area's population has boomed. With all of the old signs and posters mounted on the walls, the Country Diner shamelessly plays on nostalgia and evokes plenty of memories from growing up in another era. For one of my side dishes, I had requested a cup of soup. The clam chowder was served as an appetizer before the main meal came out. I felt a little guilty eating my soup while my lovely wife was sitting there without. But only a little, I was hungry enough not to feel any more guilt. Thick, creamy and chock full of clams and potatoes, the clam chowder was well seasoned and combined nicely with a few drops of pepper sauce. Our main courses were big plates full of good country cooking. My wife's fried pork chops were thick and fried to a golden brown. The slab of baked macaroni and cheese was definitely home made. With a lot of small diners, their macaroni and cheese is one of the first places where you can see the quality slip, but not at the Country Diner. There is no blue-box powdered cheese packet or Velveeta sauce to be found here. The ingredients were of good quality and the dish was well baked to produce a nice crust. Her only minor complaint is that she would have liked a bit more gravy on her rice. My own country-fried steak was served up in plenty of creamy white gravy and was a great piece of southern "comfort food." Feeling very much at home, I made an effort to sop up every bit of the gravy with my biscuit. One of my requested sides turned out to be some of the largest lima beans I've ever seen. The massive limas were cooked true to southern fashion all the way down to the diced ham that was in the juice. They brought back so many memories that it almost made me homesick. The Country Diner mainly caters to locals, but tourists are welcome to stop by if they want some good authentic cooking at an excellent price. For tourists staying in Garden City or Murrells Inlet, it is closer to you than Coastal Grand Mall or Broadway At The beach and well worth the trip. |
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