Thursday, Jun. 25, 2009
cosmo meets country in longs
bistro 90
Fried Shrimp basket at Bistro 90 in Longs. - photo by Ashley Morris for Weekly Surge.
SETTING THE TABLE
There’s a hotspot for travelers along the long, dry stretch of S.C. 90 in Longs – and I’m not talking about embers from the destructive wildfires that torched the area.
Bistro 90, just north of S.C. 22, is that spark of cosmo in the country. The brick and stone-stacked building is attractive. A side patio strip reveals a handful of wrought-iron tables covered in white linen. Inside, the large one-room dining area is bathed in a shade of burgundy from walls to carpet. Contemporary wall plaques and handsome four-tops each set with a wine bottle centerpiece accessorize this restaurant that feeds off the atmospheric aroma of Italian-American cuisine. Behind the dining room alcove is an L-shaped bar trimmed in a veil of yellow-speckled hanging lights.
Mom, son and I were seated for lunch in a corner table by the row of picture windows overlooking S.C. 90.
DOWN THE HATCH
We immediately warmed up to server Betty from Long Island, who took to my 2-year-old’s toothy, flirty grin. “Aw, so cute!” she said. (I think the continuous flow of compliments every time she dropped by pressured him to impress and behave through the end of our visit.)
Lunchtime liquids consisted of two glasses of Pepsi for the adults and a lidded Styrofoam cup of lemonade ($1.95 each) for my son (no milk in the house at the time of our visit), which was completed by a smiley face drawn by Betty in blue ink – a big hit with my son.
Betty next came bearing a basket of warm, sliced bread and a cup of whipped butter – a delicious appetizer. My half house salad ($3.25) arrived soon after. (Yes, pregnant women eat healthy salads, too.) The mix was a fresh balance of greens, carrots, cubed tomatoes and sliced cucumbers dressed in the tasty, tart house balsamic vinaigrette, which is secretly what I think my body was craving.
Mom chose one of the chalkboard lunch specials, the fried shrimp basket with seasoned fries ($7.95). The shrimp size and quantity were quite generous and breading was light and flavorful.
My selection was one of the 12-inch brick oven pizza specialties ($8.95): The Italian (pepperoni, artichokes, garlic and marinated mushrooms – hold the “sawsage,” confirmed Long Island Betty). Before I ordered, now that we had established a rapport, I leaned forward to double-check with buddy Betty that the pizzas really were fired in a brick oven. She assured me they were. My son and I thought it was mozzarella-melt-in-your-mouth delicious from fresh ingredients to homemade crust. I could have easily ordered one more of any of the dozen pie varieties – from The Gardener to the Long Island – to take home, but I resisted.
Rounding out the Italian lunch offerings were calzones, strombolis and hot subs. Dinner selections foray into the more American side of the menu with steaks, chops and seafood (even Southern Shrimp and Grits, with grilled shrimp wrapped in basil and prosciutto) in addition to more standard Italian pasta and chicken entrees.
CHECK, PLEASE
Bistro 90 is a class act, yet unpretentious. It’s an upstanding, presentable dinner date, but not too stuffy for kids. And for me, what is just as important as scoring high on the scale of food quality and the presentation of what’s on your plate is the service quality of the person who brings you the plate and the overall restaurant surroundings. Bistro 90 is to be commended on all three aspects of dining.
Bistro 90 is at 7209 S.C. 90, Longs. Hours are noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For additional info, call 390-5151.
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