Martin’s Restaurant: Old World Ambiance, Fresh Flavors
By Becky Billingsley
Chef Martin Dobr’s name has been known to Grand Strand food lovers for 20 years, but you have to add another 20 years to his culinary experience before you get to the source of his talents.
As the middle of three brothers growing up in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, Dobr had to make a decision at the end of ninth grade. Would the 14-year-old continue to higher education or take up a trade? He followed his older brother’s example.
“My brother went to cooking school, so I was following in his steps,” the chef says.
From ages 14-17 Dobr attended and graduated from a culinary school in Prague, then was a cook in the Czechoslovakian Air Force. While the older brother got out of the cooking business to become a famed tenor who performed opera, Martin Dobr moved in 1968 with a Czech friend to Vienna.
Once out of the CSSR, the young chef and his friend moved around the world. It was easy, he says, since he was a chef, because could move to a new town and have a job the next day. From Vienna Dobr went to Canada, then Hawaii, California, Alaska, and back to California.
In California Dobr was a sous-chef at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, and then became partners with his Czech friend to open Rene’s Catering. They did a lot of work for film crews and fed stars such as Roger Vadim, Jane Fonda and Lauren Bacall.
Eventually the chef moved to the East coast, bought the restaurant in Long Bay Resort at 72nd Avenue North in Myrtle Beach, and Martin’s Restaurant was launched.
That was 17 years ago, and now the 175-seat Martin’s Restaurant is a dining destination. Martin’s nephew, Jan Dobr, is the manager and together they serve breakfasts and dinners.
The Martin's breakfast buffet is well-known as a wonderful way to start the day with a filling and tasty meal. The omelet station is hugely popular, and the a la carte menu is also memorable with Steak and Eggs, Country Ham and a Fresh Fruit Platter.
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But if you want to talk legendary dining, the conversation must revolve around the dinners. Classic European cuisine and creative coastal dishes are served.
It says on the menu the Wiener Schnitzel is "the best in 1,000 miles," but Dobr might want to expand that geography. The dish is delightful with veal pounded almost unimaginably thin and flash-fried. The result is moist and tender meat you can cut with a fork that has a delicately crispy and light exterior. Rich dark brown mushroom sauce is on the side in a gravy boat, and side dishes on the plate are warm and tangy cooked red cabbage and fried potatoes.
If you want an incredible bargain, the Wiener Schnitzel is available for $10.75 if your order is placed before 6:30 p.m. Other early dining specials include Petit Filet Mignon with Béarnaise, Beef Burgundy, Veal Marsala, Shrimp Scampi, Chicken Piccata, Chicken Provencal and the Catch of the Day.
The Scallop Cake appetizer is a local favorite with its luxurious watercress rouille sauce. Watercress is implemented again with the house salad dressing, which is extremely similar to creamy Green Goddess dressing.
In an elegantly appointed and roomy dining room, vegetarian patrons enjoy a fresh Vegetable Platter, Fettuccine Primavera, or the incredible Ravioli Rapeli with spinach, walnuts, red peppers, olives, onions and tomatoes.
Other luxurious entrees include Veal Cromley where a scaloppini of veal is wrapped in salty prosciutto, and then the roulade is dipped in egg wash and Romano cheese before being sautéed with capers, tomatoes and cream. Roast Duckling comes with apples cooked in Madeira demi-glace, while Tournedos Neptune features twin filets topped with asparagus, jumbo shrimp and Béarnaise.
Garlic lovers come back for the Garlic Steak, which has a 14-ounce New York Strip foundation, while the seafood offerings are enhanced by Lobster Fra Diavolo in a lively shallot/marinara/hot pepper/brandy sauce, and the classic coastal treat of Soft Shell Crabs. Martin's also has Salmon Farci, and in this case the farci (stuffing) is crab meat.
Special house-made desserts include creamy Crème Brulee, which is torched tableside, and Bananas Foster, which is also flambéed in the dining room.
Martin's Restaurant is at 7200 N. Ocean Blvd. in Myrtle Beach, inside the Long Bay Resort next to Starbuck's. Reservations may be made online at MartinsRestaurantMB.com, and the number is 843-449-1368. It's open daily from 6:30-10:30 a.m. and 5-10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
It is an outstanding restaurant. We go there with my wife and her son quite often. I have never seen more affordable fine dining with such an excellent service.
Have been dining at Martin’s for almost 10 years. I consider it the best kept secret in Myrtle Beach. Not too much ambience but service is outstanding. Eat there around once or twice a week. Never a bad meal. Outstanding house dressing and ginger dressing.