Ribs and a View
By Becky Billingsley
If you can bear to look up from your plate of ribs, the second-floor ocean view at Damon's Grill in Myrtle Beach is thrilling.
If you don't count restaurants inside hotels, the city of Myrtle Beach does not have many oceanfront dining spots. Down on the south end of Ocean Boulevard Damon's is the only independently owned restaurant offering a unique view, loads of amenities and a sweeping ocean view.
The large restaurant is on stilts because it is on the edge of the beach where high tides could easily reach if swelled by tropical storms or hurricanes. That means customers can either climb a long staircase with easy-to-navigate low steps, or go to the left of the steps and use an elevator to ride to the hostess stand.
Damon's has seating in a large dining room, a roomy bar and an expansive oceanfront deck. Every seat in the house has a terrific view, and sunrises over the ocean are particularly spectacular.
You can enjoy an invigorating (or slow and relaxing) morning stroll on the beach before choosing items from a $9 breakfast buffet that is served seven days a week starting at 7 a.m. Add a Mimosa or Bloody Mary to the scene, and you have the start of a tranquil day.
That breakfast buffet includes an egg station where you can order a custom-designed omelet.
Damon's does so much catering in the Grand Strand area, locals are thoroughly familiar with the lunch and dinner menus. Big meaty and tender pork ribs are the specialty of the house, and you can order them with a house sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, or a sauce with an extra fiery sass. They're both wonderful.
Other classic dishes that are part of the Myrtle Beach dining favorites include the Southern Barbecue Sandwich featuring slow-cooked pork and the house barbecue sauce; Prime Rib Dip Sandwich; Open Face Pot Roast Sandwich on nine-grain bread; French Onion Soup; and Sweet Crunchy Chicken with a pecan crust that's served with Sweet Potato Casserole.
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While Damon's looks big and glamorous, its menu is friendly and approachable like its "Meat-and-Three" lunch menu where you get an entree, two sides and Banana Pudding for dessert for $6.50-$8. A few of those entree choices are Fried Chicken Livers with gravy and onions; Meatloaf; Char-grilled Pork Chop; and Baby Back Ribs.
Burgers include the specialty Barbecue White Cheeseburger that's topped with barbecue sauce, onion straws and white Cheddar, and on the sandwich side the Southern Pecan Chicken Salad contains pecans, onions and celery.
If finger foods and cocktails are your dining preference, Damon's has a lot of choices. There's a full bar of course, so while you sip a Bahama Mama you can nosh on a fried Onion Loaf, Chicken and Black Bean Spring Rolls, or Angus-Kobe Mini Burgers.
Want to eat light? Then you might like to try the Garden & Grill, where a salad of mixed greens is topped with marinated artichoke hearts, mushrooms, tomatoes, scallions, cheese and grilled chicken breast. Another popular salad is one that has been run through the orchard and contains grapes, blue cheese, pears, pistachios and Craisins, and is dressed in sherry vinaigrette.
The grill is the star of the Damon's kitchen, and the cooks whip up many different entrees on it, from shrimp, chicken and pork chops to ribeye, New York strip and sirloin steaks. You can choose to have your steak topped with blue cheese, Rockefeller-style topping, mushrooms and onions, or a blend of horseradish and white Cheddar cheese.
Prime Rib is done right here, which means it is slow-roasted, cut to order and served with jus.
Whether you are a local who want an affordable and quick lunch in a restful location, a visitor who would like to linger over nibbles or you are in need of catering almost any size event, Damon's can provide the food that promotes soothing comfort.
Damon's Grill is at 2985 S. Ocean Blvd. in Myrtle Beach, and the number is 843-626-8000. It's open every day starting at 7 a.m.
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