Local chefs love Christmas almost as much as children. Inspired by the flavors of the season, chefs stock their kitchens with holiday-themed ingredients and create masterpiece meals to please their customers. Some Myrtle Beach area restaurants are even open for Christmas Eve and Day so you can celebrate the holiday with a wonderful feast. Here are five of the top places for Compass Cove guests to enjoy top chef specials this holiday season:
- 21 Main Steakhouse and Sushi: This North Myrtle Beach restaurant is a multi-year AAA Four Diamond Award winner for its incredible cuisine and impeccable service. Located on the exclusive North Beach Plantation property, outside guests are welcome to enjoy a holiday feast of surf and turf. 21 Main offers USDA steaks that are dry-aged in-house for 21 days, and creative sushi rolls, but the best holiday dish is the Butcher's Block Pork Chop – a one-pound whopper grilled to perfection and topped with Fig, Sweet Onion and Rosemary Jam. Served with Southern sides like Macaroni and Cheese Au Gratin and Collard Greens with Smoked Ham Hocks make an ideal holiday meal in an upscale yet festive atmosphere.
- Bistro 90: Tucked away in the rural community of Longs, this hidden gem serves some of the best cuisine on the Grand Strand. The menu revolves around locally grown and harvested ingredients prepared with a creative flair. Fresh local seafood and prime cuts of beer are staples, but Chef Bradley Boandl's daily dinner specials are designed with the season in mind. Try the Grilled Rack of Lamb with a Blackberry Mission Fig Sauce, served with garlic mashed potatoes and port wine mushrooms, or the Bronzed Black Grouper in an Orange Spiced Rum Glaze. If this is a family feast, the kids will love the wood-fired pizzas.
- Crady's Eclectic Cuisine on Main: Located in historic downtown Conway, this unique bistro is well worth the 15-mile trip to taste its creative concoctions. Traditional Southern dishes with a Lowcountry twist is the best way to describe the menu, which features a holiday favorite Mustard Rubbed Pork Tenderloin fried and smothered with black pepper gravy over stone-ground grits. If you are looking to have a Christmas feast in your room at Compass Cove, Crady's is preparing whole turkey, smoked hams and prime rib for carry out, along with all their famous side dishes. Orders must be placed in advance and picked up by Christmas Eve.
- Greg Norman's Australian Grille: The world famous golfer is also gaining attention for his restaurant venture at Barefoot Landing. Bringing the flavors of his native Australia to American taste buds, Norman's offers a diverse menu of seafood dishes and cuts of meat. Two holiday favorites are the Grilled Swordfish in an Apple Cider Glaze and the Baked Goose Breast in an Apricot-Glaze. Save room for the Red Velvet White Chocolate Cheesecake. Like its namesake, Norman's wine list is well-traveled.
- Thoroughbred's Chop House: Open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Thoroughbred's puts out a holiday spread like few others on Restaurant Row. Specializing in prime cuts of steak and chops and fresh local seafood, Thoroughbred's is a bit of an institution in Myrtle Beach for its award-winning food, service and atmosphere. Holiday specials include the Slow-Roasted Prime Rib, perfectly seasoned and marinated and cooked over an open flame. Christmas desserts are available but few can match the house favorite Kentucky Derby Pie.
Regardless of where you decide to have your family holiday dinner, be sure to come back and relax at your oceanfront room at Compass Cove Resort, Myrtle Beach. You can take a long recovery nap or hit the indoor hot tub and pool for the perfect nightcap to a Christmas feast.
