Eddie’s Italian Cafe: Long Simmering Affair
By Becky Billingsley
Imagine a little neighborhood Italian restaurant with a fun local bar crowd, a hefty serving of golfers and a devoted foodie fan base, and you've got a handle on the ambiance at Eddie's Italian Cafe in Longs.
Eddie and his wife, Renee Sprouse, established the first Eddie's Cafe in 1996 off S.C. 9 west of Little River where there are several golf clubs. They sold that restaurant four years ago, but now they're back in the game just a short distance west of the original location.
Customers of the previous Eddie's are vastly relieved and flocking back for the couple's family recipes. Black linens under glass tops and a golf decor combine to create a nice-but-casual neighborhood restaurant.
Much of the menu is American, such as Wings (mild, medium, teriyaki, garlic Parmesan, spicy garlic, teri-hot, hot and fire-hot), Crab-stuffed Mushrooms topped with provolone, Beer-Battered Onion Rings, Bacon Cheeseburger, Grilled Ham and Cheese, Clam Chowder and Chef Salad.
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There's also an Antipasta Salad for $7 that features ham, pepperoni, salami, provolone and mozzarella pinwheels on a bed of lettuce. A specialty of the house is French Onion Soup that Sprouse makes from scratch and serves in a cheese-crusted crock for $4.50.
Hoagies are served on fresh Italian rolls baked by another Italian who grew up in the same West Virginia neighborhood as Sprouse: Steve D'Annunzio. The D'Annunzio Bakery is just a short walk away from the front door of Eddie's Cafe.
There are Steak and Chicken Hoagies with sautéed mushrooms, peppers and provolone cheese; Meatball and Sausage Hoagies; a Hot Italian Hoagie with ham, salami, pepperoni, crushed red pepper and more; and the Veggie Hoagie with grilled mushrooms, onions, peppers, provolone and tomatoes. The Stacked Steak sandwich is piled with onions, mushrooms, peppers, American cheese, provolone and tomatoes; while the Giovanni features ground beef, onions, peppers and provolone.
As for Italian dinners, the chef is keeping it simple with five choices: Spaghetti (extra thick noodles) with two handball-size meatballs, Chicken or Eggplant Parmesan, Chicken Alfredo, or Sausage with Peppers. Dinners are also available at lunch and come with salad and bread.
Delivery is offered from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. by calling (843) 399-6564. Eddie's Italian Cafe is at 82 Cloverleaf Dr., in the Bingo Plaza shopping center off S.C. 9 in Longs. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
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