Spacious and Gracious at 21 Main
By Becky Billingsley
A new luxurious steak house opened in Spring 2011 in North Myrtle Beach, and diners have been thrilled with its food, decor and superior service.
21 Main is within North Beach Plantation, a luxury oceanfront resort located across U.S. 17 from Barefoot Landing. A New York-based company called Lovin' Oven owns and manages the restaurant.
The restaurant is chic and sleek with steak house flair beginning with free valet parking in the front circular drive. Dining areas are to the left and right of the hostess stand, and the space is roomy. Where many restaurants have diners seated almost elbow-to-elbow, 21 Main has allowed for spacious and gracious experiences.
Tables are cloaked in both black and white linens, and woods are imbued with warm cherry tones. Separating the dining rooms from the lounge is a sushi and raw bar. The long bar in the lounge has a transcendental view of a serene courtyard, and guests are comfortably seated at a long polished honey-colored marble bar top.
Diners dress in "resort casual" clothing, which includes shorts and collared shirts or comfortable sundresses, although many people choose to put on ties or little black dresses. Servers wear black slacks, white button-down shirts, striped ties and black-and-white striped aprons. Those servers provide seamless dining experiences, and service is a team effort where glasses are never empty, fresh cutlery is provided with each course without having to ask for it and management comes around to say hello and chat.
Many diners opt for sushi for their appetizers or their full meal. Choices are extensive and include delicacies such as the gorgeous Golden Dragon Roll filled with crispy soft shell crab and topped with mango and smoked eel. The raw bar offers classically prepared Shrimp Cocktail with spicy remoulade, Lump Crab Meat Cocktail with lemon aioli, Oysters on the Half Shell with Mignonette sauce, and Little Neck Clams on the Half Shell accompanied by wasabi cream.
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Appetizers range from familiar dishes such as Oysters Rockefeller prepared with Pernod, plump Maryland-style Crab Cake and elegant Beef Carpaccio to a creamy Risotto du Jour and Crispy Calamari with garlic, cilantro chutney and sweet cherry peppers. An innovative appetizer that has local gourmands buzzing is the visually delightful Lump Crab and Boursin Salad that's vertically presented with fried green tomatoes and colorful saffron aioli and basil oil.
Of course this steak house has Caesar and Iceberg/Tomato Wedge salads. The staff also prepares a Chopped Salad with sweet Vidalia onions, zucchini, bacon and tomatoes; while the 21 Main Steakhouse Salad features hearts of Iceberg and Romain, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, apricots, blue cheese, spiced walnuts, cracked black pepper and Cabernet vinaigrette.
Grilled steak options include U.S.D.A. Prime Porterhouse and Sirloin, while a boneless Delmonico Ribeye and Petite Filet Mignon are Black Angus cuts that are dry-aged for 28 days. Other popular grilled choices are a Bone-in Ribeye and Charleston Cut Lamb Chops. Three lavish steak sauces are available: Gorgonzola au Poivre, Béarnaise and Cabernet Demi-Glace.
Succulent entrees are accompanied by delightful side dishes.
Scottish Salmon comes with asparagus, potato rosti and apple fennel slaw; while Organic bone-in Chicken is stuffed with basil ricotta and plated with asparagus and savory/crispy panzanella bread pudding. Meaty Seared Diver Scallops are paired with an exotic mushroom risotto and fried spinach, and then finished in Thai butter sauce. A regionally local favorite is Shrimp and Grits, and while variations on the recipe are endless, at 21 Main it features shrimp in tomato butter sauce over an Adluh Mills grit cake and house-cured bacon.
Love lobster? 21 Main serves them steamed, broiled and stuffed.
Desserts include classic New York Cheesecake and a Lemon Tart topped with meringue foam.
21 Main at North Beach is at 719 North Beach Blvd. in North Myrtle Beach, and the number is 843-315-3000. It's open from 5-10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 5-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 5-9 p.m. Sundays. The lounge opens at 4 p.m.
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