Moondoggie's Cafe

MOODOGGIE'S

The Lowdown

Location: 10^th Street at Paris Avenue in Historic Port Royal, SC
Atmosphere: Relaxed and casual “like coming into someone’s home”
Cuisine: “Fresh local seafood & hand cut steaks”
Alcohol: Beer, wine, cocktails
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, Lunch 11:30 – 5:00, Dinner 5:00 – 9:00.
Reservations: 843-522-1222
 

Etcetera: The homey, ivy covered screened-in back porch and fenced courtyard is dog friendly with a complimentary serving of roast beef for your Scooby to snack on. Wednesday night is Prime Rib Night (two for one). Live music Friday and Saturday evenings.
Website: www.moondoggiescafe.net

Prologue

First of all, the name MoonDoggies has absolutely nothing to with Gidget’s boyfriend of the same name from the old surfer movies of the last millenium. For those of you who have no reference for this, one word: Google. However, co-owner, chef and chief guitar player, Jeff Harris does confess to growing up in northern Florida practically attached to a surfboard. And MoonDoggies’ menu does embrace a certain “surf-sational” sensibility (entrees are “Big Kahunas,” etc.). The name, though, comes courtesy of Harris’ beloved Weimaraner, Miss Tascha (registered as Tascha’s Moon Cyndre) who celebrated Super Bowl Sunday, 1994, by whelping ten pups. Whether this was a breed-specific appreciation of the NFL or just Miss Tascha’s way of rooting for the Cowboys remains a mystery. Miss Tascha lives on in the restaurant’s logo and in the main dining room’s famous mural as she watches over her daughter, Dallas Alice, from above on a Lowcountry crescent moon. Were I only as keen on symbology as Robert Langdon, I would have foreseen that we would all be over the moon by evening’s end.

 

Part I: Drinks

MoonDoggies has welcomed patrons beneath stately, moss-drenched oaks here in the heart of Port Royal’s Historic District for nearly half a decade. The homey feel to the place is no mistake – there’s a lot of family involved in MoonDoggies. The building is an old converted Lowcountry home just a good chuck of an oyster shell from the marsh and Sandy Point, a nice thing to remember on a moonlit evening if you’re in the mood for an after dinner stroll. Most of the first floor is wrapped in a rambling screened porch.  A quarter of this is completely covered in English Ivy, floor to ceiling, creating a kind of leafy green grotto. The main dining room, or Lodge Room is a vaulted chapel of wood, exposed beams and windows – rustic and airy. The richly stained flooring is tongue and groove heart pine salvaged by the original owner from old boxcars, polished by the cargo of time. Combined with the intimate lighting and the ivy draped porch the ambience is almost surreal – like a Lowcountry “Midsummer Night’s Dream” – in the waning of the day.

“Could I offer anyone a cocktail?” asks our hostess for the evening. Nancy Vista is part owner and Jeff Harris’ sister. What used to be the gift shop off the front foyer will soon become a low-key cocktail lounge where customers “can wait comfy,” says Jeff.  Don’t expect the trendy, roving bar crowd, though. The priority at MoonDoggies, says Jeff will always be about the food, always fresh and local.

“I’m making Mai Tai’s and Cosmopolitans this evening,” Nancy announces. In a sudden and disturbing move the majority of the table orders Cosmos, including one of the guys (you know who you are). The rest of us wisely elect to sample from the restaurant’s compact but well-rounded wine list with Nancy’s suggestion of two whites and a red: the Natura Sauvignon Blanc (Chile), the Little Black Dress Pinot Grigio (Italy) and the Bonterra Merlot (California).

Table Talk:

(on the Natura)

 “Unbelievably smooth, very fruity – I’m not playing with you – definite hints of apple. A bit of oak, but definitely very light the way Sauvignon Blanc should be.

 “That’s a winner. That’s a Granny Smith.”

All three wines represent something terrific. Each is made with organic grapes and is a phenomenal value by the glass or by the bottle. The word “value” tends to crop up a lot these days and often has little or no application when searching a wine list for something that is both drinkable and decently priced. Moodoggies offers both and more so. The Bonterra Merlot (which our end of the table labeled “exquisite”) took “Best of Show” at the 2008 Hilton Head Wine Festival. At $8/$29 it’s the priciest thing on the menu. There are plenty of bottles under $20 and everything’s available by the glass, most starting at around $5.

 

Part II: Before the Breakers (appetizers)

Fried Pickle Chips with Horseradish Sauce & Ranch Dressing

Roasted Red Pepper & Artichoke Bake

Shrimp on a Stick with Remoulade

Coconut Shrimp with Orange Marmalade Horseradish Sauce

 

Table Talk:

“I’ve never been a fan of fried pickles, but I think they may be on to something here.”

“It’s just the right blend of salty, crunchy and juicy. And the horseradish, that’ll open your sinuses.”

Fried pickles. Yeah, I know a lot of people love them, but until now I’ve never had one worth recalling. Whole fried pickles are always hot grease torpedoes and fried pickle spears are usually no better. Apparently the path to fried pickle perfections lies through yonder kitchen door and involves good, garlicky Boars Head dill pickle chips, a lighter-than-air house batter and a secret seasoning that sounds like a World War II film, “Red Sand.” Trust me, this is an insidiously addictive thing to put on a table at the very beginning of a long night.

“This is our Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke-Leek Bake.” Nancy sets down a platter large enough to accommodate a medium-sized goat. Okay, so I’m beginning to sense a trend. The table is momentarily speechless at the sight and scent of the bubbly, cheesy dish surrounded by wedges of toasted focaccia bread. And it only gets better. “Y’all aren’t going to believe this,” she says, “but I’ve had this recipe for twenty years – it is actually low in calories.” There is much rejoicing (particularly among the Cosmo set). The leeks and the parmesan cheese work nicely with the peppers and sharpness of the artichokes in a rich, indulgent sort of way (which, of course, we now know it isn’t). This is a perfect snack to share on a crisp fall afternoon.

The Shrimp on a Stick is actually simplicity on a skewer – fresh large local shrimp, peeled and de-veined and grilled with house spices. “The nice thing about these is that they’re not over-cooked,” someone observes. “They’re still nice and succulent. Very nice.” The remoulade is laced with capers, adding a unique texture and tang to the sauce.

 

Table Talk (The Coconut Shrimp with Orange Marmalade Horseradish Sauce):

   “Take a bite without the sauce – it’s very sweet and good and crispy. It’s not over-battered at all and most importantly it’s not too coconutty.”
   “Coconut Shrimp is a big menu item throughout the Lowcountry and this one is completely set apart by how light it is. It’s almost always over done. Not here.” 

Part III: On the Ocean’s Edge (sandwiches, etc.)

Boomer’s Beef on Weck
Buellah’s Bodacious Reuben
Pan-fried Lump Crab Cakes

The bread and butter, so to speak, of the MoonDoggies lunch menu are their sandwiches and the undisputed number one bestseller practically since the doors first opened is the Reuben. “It’s about 30 percent of our lunch business,” says Nancy. Indeed, she tells us, there are regulars who have never ordered anything else in nearly five years of lunches, one of our own among them. The consensus opinion among the devout “Reubenites” around the table is that this is an exceptional sandwich.

 

Table talk:

  “This is one crisp Reuben.”
  “We’re all saying the same thing.”
    “The sauerkraut’s not soggy, the bread’s not falling apart and the beef’s not runny goo. It’s just perfect.”

The Reuben may be the big seller, but according to Nancy the Beef on Weck (short for the Kummelweck roll) is the sandwich that put MoonDoggies on the map. “It’s Steamship Round prime roast beef, shaved and cooked in its own juice,” she explains. “Because of the salt and caraway seed the rolls have to be made-to-order.” The result speaks for itself. In the midst of the passing of the plates, a conversion of sorts occurs. After five years of nothing but MoonDoggies’ Reubens, one bite of the Beef on Weck is all it takes. The sandwich is an exercise in simple layers of savory flavor. The caraway and Kosher salt make the roll and add a little extra punch to the beef. It comes with both au jus and horseradish sauce for dipping.  

I’m on record in this very publication as an admitted crab cake addict, and good ones can be remarkably hard to find. Too often there’s more “cake” than crab. Not here. This is as pure a crab cake as you’re likely to find. There’s a very good reason for that. This isn’t just a menu item, it’s a mouth-watering bit of the Moodoggies’ philosophy. “We’ve all lived on the coast our entire lives and seafood’s always been a big staple with us – just good Southern cooking,” says Jeff. “We thought we’d like to provide the kind of place, service and atmosphere that we’d enjoy. I’ve never been the type who feels I have to go to someplace to be seen. When I go out to eat I want to have a good meal, enjoy myself and relax. And that’s what we try to do here.” This is evident all around but most importantly on the plate where the absence of pretense is practically a secret seasoning.

 

Table talk:

   “I don’t think there’s any filler at all. Just pure crab.”
   “It’s so fresh, I can taste the lady’s nail polish who picked them.”
   “She would have been wearing gloves, you know. But that’s still funny.”

Our suspicions are later confirmed: there is no filler. “The Crab Cakes really are our pride and joy,” says Nancy. Again, as is so often the case with really good food this is a remarkably simple thing done really well. Select lump crabmeat is seasoned with a blend of thirteen herbs and spices (including a hint of mint), sautéed in the butter Nature intended and served with perfectly grilled, fresh baby asparagus and house made hushpuppies. As for the latter, few things aside from religion and politics are capable of inspiring such heated debate as hushpuppies in Southern Coastal climes. MoonDoggies’ are dense, sweet and peppery. Discuss. 

Part IV: The Big Kahunas (entrees)

Pete’s Petite Filet with Garlic Smashed Potatoes
Almond Crusted Pan Sauteed Flounder with Rosemary Potatoes

 

Table talk:

   “You know what’s nice about the food here? Everything that’s breaded or crusted is really light. It’s all been like that.”
   “I’ve had almond crusted fish elsewhere, only I couldn’t find the fish. Not like this.”
   “Next time, no eating for three days before.”

The Flounder gets high marks for flavor and texture. The crust is golden brown and perfectly crunchy without overpowering the delicate flavor of the fish, a crime too-often committed. Like everything here at MoonDoggies, the portions are (appropriately) doggy bag big.  This piece of flounder is not only fresh and right out of these waters, but would more than likely count as a double portion in many restaurants. The mountain of buttery, herbed potatoes offer a nice compliment to the slight peppery finish on the fish. Again, the fresh asparagus is a highlight.

“Here comes the fillet,” someone says. Or was it more like “for the love of all that is holy, why did I eat those hushpuppies?” (Wait, that was me.) There’s nothing “petite” about the so-called Petite Filet. This is the 10-ounce Big Dog Cut (there is also a 6 ounce Puppy Cut). “This most definitely is not tiny, pretty food,” someone finally observes. Okay, it’s definitely not tiny – nothing’s been tiny, but this is a thing of beauty. This steak is right to my carnivorous liking: big, bloody and satisfying, yet somehow not quite what I expected – a lot like a Quentin Tarantino movie. “We get all of our meat from Islands Meat Market,” says Jeff. “And we make a lot of trips to Lady’s Island.” 

The fillet is perfectly crusted and rare (as ordered) yet incredibly fork tender backing up the menu’s claim that “we’ll bring you a steak knife, but you won’t need it.” The garlic smashed potatoes live up to their billing, as well, the perfect way to sop up the beef’s rich juices and enough garlic to warm Emeril Lagasse’s heart. Is it just me or is the room beginning to tilt?

Epilogue: Sin-Sational Sunsets (Dessert)

Moonslide
Key Lime Pie
Caramel Walnut Cheesecake
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Dessert? Really? After all this? No, I couldn’t possibly. Oh, all right...

 

What can I tell you? We are all lightheaded after the steak and I for one am certain that all I need to re-enact Monty Python’s infamous “Mr. Creosote” scene is one “wafer thin mint.” Nevertheless, we press on against the odds, our judgment obviously impaired by the lack of blood circulating in our brains.  As all of these in-house, scratch made confections are rich beyond belief, I shall hereby spare you the repetition of that descriptive. The Key Lime pie is a tart delight (my personal favorite), the cheesecake qualifies as an act of the purest decadence (cover your eyes, kids!), and the Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie is surefire indication of the fall of western civilization as we know it. But the Moonslide is perhaps the most devious of all: an unholy sundae of vanilla ice cream, Bailey’s and Godiva Chocolate, in this case the dessert equivalent of a coup de grace. We are done.

Sometimes the simplest benediction provides the best summation for an evening such as this. As the last of us struggle to our feet one of our number sighs heavily, his gastronomic marathon finally run, the odds beaten. “Man oh man, was that good,” he says. Amen, brother.

Emily's Redux

Emily's Restaurant & Tapas Bar

Story & photos by Mark Shaffer

(Originally published in The Lowcountry Weekly, July 8 2009)

Mark Shaffer & the Moveable Feasters take on Emily's... with pleasure! In the bar: Patron1 (to me): That was my favorite lens when I was in the business. Patron2: What business was that? Patron1: The photography business. Patron2 (incredulous): The photography business? The photography business? When were you in the photography business? Patron1: Hell, I used to do work for you! Prologue (the set-up) In the interest of full disclosure I have a confession to make: I am an Emily’s regular. So are my wife and a whole lot of other people with whom I associate often and in this very establishment. This makes me nervous – not because I don’t feel up to the task, but because I just don’t have enough space to tell all the stories I want to tell, to convey the absolute essence of a place I consider The Real Deal – and it’s my job to find these places. I also have mixed feelings about giving up what so many of us who hang out in the bar might consider to be “secret locals information,” that we’ll suddenly be overwhelmed by invading hordes of tourists in Bermuda shorts and black socks, or worse, packs of pierced, disaffected youth baring fresh tribal tattoos, knocking back Jaeger Bombs as if the Apocalypse were imminent.      And then again, I have to remember that about a year and a half ago we were the outsiders who stumbled off the well-trod path of Bay Street, up West Street, onto Port Republic and into Emily’s. In short order new friendships were forged, connections were made and a real sense of community was established. We felt at home. We still do.      In the Sandlapper Magazine’s book on their favorite South Carolina restaurants, Stop Where The Parking Lot’s Full, Tim Driggers quotes me as saying that “Emily’s is Beaufort’s living room.” While he was obviously desperate for a quote, I think now that I should have chosen a different analogy. What owners Tommy and Mary Winburn have forged on this corner of Port Republic is more like Beaufort’s kitchen, a place where good food, good drink and good friends converge without pretense or affectation. Emily’s is the kind of place where you can tailor your evening to suit your fancy, your wallet or both. Good Eats We convene this edition of the Moveable Feast in the large oval booth in the front of the dining room. Chef Mike Long is hard at work in the kitchen and in a first for the Feast, the owners join us at the table, and it doesn’t take for the conversation to take off. On Tape: Feaster3: Okay, no more talk about politics, this is supposed to be about the food. Feaster2: No more Mark Sanford? Feaster3: Not unless he’s joining us for dinner. Soup Course • She Crab • Spicy Gumbo • French Onion • Cold Cucumber • Gin Tomato On Tape: Tommy: This is the Lowcountry Tomato, but when we redo the menu we’re going to go back to the traditional name, which is Gin Tomato. Feaster1: “Gin” tomato? Tommy: G-I-N, gin tomato soup. We were hesitant to call it that because a lot of people don’t like gin. Feaster3: It doesn’t taste at all like gin. But I get a real brightness of flavor. It’s more intense than a basic tomato soup. Excellent. I’m a believer that the essence of a restaurant can be found in a bowl of soup. Show me a kitchen that consistently turns out great soups and I’ll show you a kitchen that rarely screws up an entrée. The Spicy Gumbo lives up to it’s promise, but not overwhelmingly so, and it’s brimming with the good stuff. The She Crab is exactly as it should be: creamy and rich with the essence of the crab and brought to life with just the right amount of sherry – the key to unlocking the true flavor of the dish.      “We have wonderful French Onion,” says Mary. The melted Swiss cheese tops the bowl and the croutons ooze volcanically over the rim. “Our French Onion is the best,” Tommy offers. It’s not a boast. As far as Tommy’s concerned this is a simple fact. A lot of long time patrons will back him up. On Tape: Feaster4: What’s in the stock of the French Onion? Tommy: I’d have to kill you if I told you. Feaster4: So something really good, then. Tommy: Well, it’s simple. All of our soups are simple. We have people who rave about the French Onion. They rave. Feaster3: All of these soups are really distinctive in character. Feaster1: They’ve got a lot going on. The soup du jour is the last to sample and a complete departure from the others. Chef Mike’s Chilled Cucumber Soup is served “up” in a martini glass and garnished with a delicate yellow dill flower. Somehow he’s managed to find an appealing balance of flavor and texture that is at once cool, savory, and light as sea foam. Someone simply sums it up as “awesome.” With the mercury pushing triple digits, this is a great choice as a starter. Tapas Course • Tuna Tartar • Crab Cakes • Fried Oysters • French Cut Lamb Chops • Grilled Quail • Smoked Salmon • Oyster Sampler (Morgan, Rockefeller & Casino) • Peppered Emu Steak  Emily’s is serious about Tapas. Two full pages of the menu list 45 of what the Spanish call “small plates” (we won’t bore you with the etymology). Suffice it to say that these little dishes are meant to be sampled, shared – passed around the table, usually over drinks or as appetizers. On Tapas Tuesdays at Emily’s the tapas menu is discounted. Chef Mike prepares a few specials, encouraging customer feedback – something that Mary Winburn says is essential to the restaurant. “We really value our customers and what they have to say,” she says. “We’re always looking for ways to improve, to find out what’s working and what’s not.” On Tape: Feaster5: The Emu’s very good. It’s usually a dry bird – got no fat, but whatever they do to it with the spices, the marinade – it’s juicy. Tommy: I love the Emu. Feaster3: It’s not really like a bird at all but more like beef. Feaster5: Like flank steak. Hard to believe it’s a bird. Since an emu tastes like, well, an emu, I will simply report that it does in no way taste like chicken. On Tape: Feaster1: This has always been the place for crab. Softshell season here is nuts. Feaster4: It’s simple. There aren’t a lot of fillers – it’s pretty much all crab and the remoulade has a tantalizing spice to it. The rest of the seafood tapas all garner raves for both taste and presentation. The sashimi grade Tuna Tartar is deep red, diced with finely chopped onion, served in a martini glass and garnished with a green sail of avacado. The fish melts in the mouth like butter. The Smoked salmon is sliced thin, rolled into “blossoms” and plated with diced red onion, capers, cream cheese and wafers. The broiled oysters – prepared in several different ways – are scarfed in a kind of frenzy. I’m told they were very good. The fried oysters are, as Mary aptly sums up, “to die for.”      The rest of the chef’s choices come highly recommended. The quail are butterflied, lightly seasoned and grilled. The birds fall off the tiny bones, juicy and full of delicate flavor – an ironic culinary answer to the emu. The French Cut Lamb Chops are entrée-sized, like miniature bone-in ribeyes, flame-kissed, rare (as God intended), beautifully tender, and an instant favorite for this dedicated carnivore. Entrees • Steak Au Poivre • Shrimp and Grits • Shrimp and Scallops Curry As our server, Jeff (who somehow managed this chaos with skill and finesse), sets down the entrees, seven adults, including the Winburns, all nearly simultaneously utter the same three words, “Oh my God.” This continues to echo around the table for several seconds.       Shrimp and grits, the ultimate Lowcountry comfort food and something which, at it’s mere mention to visitors from cultures ignorant of such basic delights, is often greeted with a resounding, “huh?” Emily’s award-winning version represents what this humble writer feels just may be the epitome of the indigenous dish. This is a big bowl of southern self-indulgence. The grits are smooth, rich and creamy and so is the sauce, yet somehow the true sweetness of the fresh local shrimp never is ever lost.      “This is one of my favorites,” says Tommy, “Shrimp and Scallops Curry. I love curry. We always had shrimp curry at home.” Unlike some Indian and Asian variations, this curry bears a subtle heat with undertones of smoky sweetness that works amazingly well with the still succulent shrimp and scallops served over rice. This might be the surprise of the night.  On Tape: Feaster1: That’s a thick steak. 2 inches, at least. Tommy: That’s the 12 ounce. Feaster3: It’s beautifully cooked and sauce absolutely makes it. These potatoes, though, are really incredible. Feaster4: One of my favorite things here, the potatoes. It’s a well-known fact that I am a big fan of the Steak Au Poivre here, and tonight it’s particularly excellent. This is the restaurant’s signature dish and the best selling item on the menu by a long, long ways. The fillet really does melt in your mouth. A friend and fellow regular recently told me that he’d ordered nothing but the Weiner Schnitzel for years until one evening he made the leap of faith and decided to go for the Au Poivre. “Now that’s all I get when I come here,” he says. There are worse ruts in which to be stuck.     And then there are the potatoes. Chef, travel writer and infamous carnivore Anthony Bourdain has proclaimed that where the consumption of good meat is concerned all else is simply filler, especially potatoes. I’m willing to bet these babies might just bring him to his knees. Another closely guarded secret of the kitchen, they’re the potato equivalent to heroin. Enjoy the addiction.     The evening approaches its zenith. Plates have been passed, picked clean and removed. Stories, smiles, laughter and opinions have all been shared and shared well. The familiar sounds of gustatory delight taper off. Bread has been broken in the best sense of the phrase.      “Affordable elegance,” is how Mary Winburn describes Emily’s. “We’re not trying to compete with fancy places,” says Tommy. He’s still busy on the Steak Au Poivre, as enthusiastic about his own food as any customer. I like that. I also like the idea that time seems to move a little slower back here on Port Republic Street. Perhaps this is part of the reason Emily’s has been a local fixture for nearly 20 years. The intimate mahogany paneled dining room is much the same as it was before the Winburns bought the place about a decade ago. Back then competition was fierce for a seat at the small bar up front. Regulars still reminisce about that in the “new” space next door, around the 30-foot antique mahogany bar Tommy found on Ebay in Appleton, Wisconsin. As the story goes he strikes a deal, buys a one-way plane ticket and rents a truck to haul his prize back to Beaufort. {mosimage} On Tape: Feaster1: Was it a pretty place? Tommy (deadpan): I didn’t see much of the town. (Laughter all around) Tommy: So the guy picks me up at the airport and says ‘lets go see the bar.’ Great. We get further and further out of town – really, really out of town. Finally, we drive up to a farm with a barn and I go ‘what are doing here?’ And he opens the barn up and there’s the bar in about a hundred different pieces. I thought it was intact. I was devastated. I almost hyperventilated on the spot. The Bottom Line The kitchen (still in the original space) may very well be the smallest in town, but the quality of what’s coming through the doors is definitely big. Chef Mike Long is a man of few words, but his food practically speaks in tongues. “You come in here and you leave the world behind,” observes one of the group who’s been coming to Emily’s for longer than the Winburn’s have owned it. “It’s just a magical place, a special place.” The Lowdown Location: 906 Port Republic St., Downtown Beaufort Atmosphere: “Affordable elegance” Cuisine: “Magnificent seafood, steaks and tapas” Alcohol: Full bar, eclectic wine list, good prices Hours: Monday through Saturday, 5pm – 10pm, Bar open 4pm – 2am Reservations: 843-522-1866 and via the website Etcetera: Included in Sandlapper Magazine’s book, Stop Where The Parking Lot’s Full as a South Carolina favorite. Website: www.emilysrestaurant.com Mark Shaffer can be found in the bar at Emily’s most Mondays (and on various other days of the week). His email address is backyardtourist@gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Monty Python (Ultra Rare) Cheese Shop Sketch

In celebration of National Cheese Day 2011. Classic Python.
(Poor Mr. Wensleydale."