Exotic flavors at a hidden eatery

Yum! I enjoyed vegetables, shrimp, sausage and chicken cooked to perfection on the traditional Mongolian grill. 

This fast food can’t be ordered from a drive-through window, and it’s certainly much healthier than the grease-covered, salty fare you’d get from most national chain restaurants.

Tucked away in a strip mall near Bi-Lo off Highway U.S. 17 in North Myrtle Beach is Empire Fire Mongolian Grill. It may be an unassuming location, but the décor and flavors will transport you to another part of the world.

This exotic, buffet-style eatery was the site of my latest culinary adventure. Even though a tornado watch was in effect and the sky looked as if it could open up at any moment, I went to dinner at Empire Fire on Monday night after a long day of work. The food was just what the doctor ordered. 

At Empire Fire, you get quick service and a custom-made meal. The buffet-style set up is personal and customizable, as a chef cooks up the meat, seafood and vegetables you select on a large stone grill and delivers your dish to you with a blend of traditional sauces you choose as well.

The Mongolian grilling tradition dates back to ancient times, when Genghis Khan was expanding his empire. After a long day of battle, he and his warriors set up tents and then built a campfire on which they prepared dinner. Because they did not have cooking utensils, the men used their weapons, like swords, to thinly slice meat. The food was then grilled on the warrior’s upturned shields, which were placed over the campfire.

During my visit, I combined all my favorite from the cold bar: chicken breast meat, sausage, beef, shrimp, broccoli, pineapple, yellow squash, carrots and onions. It may sound like an odd blend of ingredients, but paired with a traditional mix of sauces and cooked to perfection on the grill, it was a delicious mix of flavors. 

In addition to dishes cooked on the Mongolian grill, Empire Fire offers a salad bar, pizza and appetizer bar, sushi bar, steak and rib bar, and desserts, including ice cream. It’s all included in the lunch or dinner meal price, and you can try as much as you like (or that your stomach can handle).

I love sushi, so the opportunity to try as many varieties as I pleased was wonderful and a great value, considering you’d pay around $6 for one roll at a sushi restaurant. From crunchy crab to the classic California roll, Empire Fire has all your favorites made fresh.

No dinner is complete without something sweet, so I sampled a few desserts from the buffet, too. A tiramisu square, a light cream puff and a morsel of chocolate cake graced my plate and served as a delicious close to a satisfying meal. 

Photos by Kristyn Winch

Read my full story about Empire Fire Mongolian Grill in the July issue of Visit! Head over to mbvisit.com to see what's happening on the Grand Strand now.

Carolina baseball and a pineapple martini

A great place to grab a drink and watch some baseball. Photos by Kristyn Winch

Like pretty much every living, breathing human being, I love food. Being able to write about where and what I eat for Visit! is definitely one of the best parts of my job.

For my first food assignment, I went to Greg Norman's Australian Grille at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach. It's a swanky, fine dining restaurant owned by...a pro golfer? 

That's right. The owner and namesake has been golfing professionally since 1976, with 89 professional wins under his belt. He’s earned the nickname The Great White Shark, and his signature four-color shark logo can be seen on gear in his sportswear collection as well as throughout the design concept for the restaurant.

Greg Norman has his own line of fine wines, and the restaurant specializes in upscale cuisine like salmon and steak. My post-grad budget couldn't handle dinner here on a regular basis, but an affordable lunch menu and great happy hour deals are delightful and certainly something I'd come back for again.

I stopped by Greg Norman's during a Sunday afternoon stroll through Barefoot Landing, a shopping, dining and entertainment hot spot in North Myrtle Beach. As my beloved Gamecocks were playing an afternoon game, I took the opportunity to catch the action while sipping on a pineapple martini and enjoying the delectable fried cheese ravioli (a gooey, creamy mozzarella stick-like appetizer). 

During commercial breaks, I admired the restaurant's decor: bright red walls, a mural of an Australian outback scene and gorgeous framed Aboriginal artwork. The large metal panels hanging from the bar, depicting fish and plant life, are stunning, too. 

I finished the last sip of my tropical beverage as the ninth inning came to a close (what a game! Too bad we didn't pull out a win like that on Tuesday) and went on with my day with a brighter spirit and plans to return soon.

For my full story on Greg Norman's Australian Grille, pick up our July issue of Visit! at the end of this month. In the meantime, check out some stories from our current issue over at mbvisit.com now. 

Photos by Kristyn Winch