On New Years Day, @Flossip_Friend and I took our children in search of a traditional New Years Day Meal.  I was not about to NOT eat collards, pork, black eyed peas, and cornbread.  I need all the luck I can get!  I also avoid walking under ladders and putting 13 gallons of gas in my car.  Anyway…

So, back to our meal.  @Flossip_Friend suggested Western Sizzlin.  Hmmm.  I said “No”.  I suggested Fatz, they had a traditional meal for $12.99.  We finally let the kids decide and Western Sizzlin won.

Y’all,  how did I not know about their Sunday Buffet?  All of this time I have been complaining that Carols is gone, and not ONE of you told me about the buffet at Western Sizzlin?  Not only was the food good, the service was excellent.  Of course, it does NOT go along with my New Years Diet, but I allowed myself one more day.

I had ham, black eyed peas, stewed tomatoes over rice, mac and cheese… and… I’m going to hush there.  No reason for you to know how much of a pig I made out of myself.

I can tell you that I wholeheartedly enjoyed the whole experience, and we will most certainly return!

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

September 26, 2011!!! I just got this email:

Thank you for your support and patronage. I am so excited to announce to you that we have set a tentative date for our opening for Monday, September 26, 2011 for lunch and dinner service. I want to encourage you to check out our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Olde-Europe/282686428412337 and click on the “Like” button so you can keep up with our progress, upcoming events and dinner specials. Please feel free to post your comments, pictures, questions or suggestions on this page and I will do my best to get back to you in a timely manner.
Again, thank you for your support and continued patronage.

(No worries about my patronage! I will be there!)

OLDE EUROPE
804-C LOOP RD. (Huntington Plaza)
FLORENCE, SC 29505

MAIN: 843-661-0707 FAX: 843-661-0708

If you are not sure where – old “Florentine Cafe” location and most recently “Fatburgers” Right next door to Moss Pharmacy!!!

Please feel free to call ahead for reservations. Lunch begins at 11:00am and dinner at 5:00pm Monday – Saturday.

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

I am almost ashamed to admit that today is the first time I have ever eaten at Mi Tierra. Almost everyone I know loves it for their Mexican food fix, and I somehow have never been. I almost always choose Corona because of location and at this point I feel like I know the people that work there. However, Mi Tierra is excellent. First of all, it is HUGE! There is room for half of Florence to eat all at the same time.

We were seated promptly, and had excellent service. They brought out both mild and hot salsa at the same time, which is nice. They didn’t give us each our own bowl for salsa– the preferred method in my world.

I had the lunch fajitas and they were very good. They didn’t skimp out on the guacamole or the beef. Everything was cooked perfectly. Mr. Flossip reported that his lunch was very good as well. best part? 2 people, plenty of food–> 17.00. Well under my $10.00 per person lunch rule.

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

I have been meaning to tell you that it appears that Dr. Fishbones has closed– at least temporarily. The sign on the door indicates that they are planning to reopen in a yet to be determined location and that they will be catering events until then. I’ll let you know if I hear anything else. I’ll also add them to my Rumors/Openings/Closings post though that makes me sad.

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

I wanted to be certain that I got your attention. For years I have lamented that Florence has a serious lack of choices for locally owned restaurants that offer good food– especially if you are budget conscious. Michael’s used to help fill that void, and when it changed ownership and ultimately closed it was a real loss for Florence.

Enter Roberto’s.  I received an email from them alerting me that they were open for business and asking me to check them out.  I am always game for good food, so Mr. Flossip and some of our friends went on Saturday night.   Roberto’s is located at 1261 Celebration Boulevard. They are open for lunch and dinner Monday- Saturday. Their hours are listed on their website.

Because we had a few people with us, I was able to try two appetizers: the bruschetta and the caprese salad. Both were absolutely delicious!

For my meal, I ordered the Spaghetti alle Vongole. (No, I have no clue how to pronounce that.) This is Spaghetti and clams sautéed in a white wine garlic sauce. I will be totally honest with you and tell you that I have actually never ordered anything with clams before. It just sounded good, and I wanted to try something different to tell you about. It was FABULOUS. The clams were cooked perfectly and added exactly the right accent to the pasta. The serving was plentiful, but I didn’t feel overfull. That was a good thing because I had the tiramisu for dessert and it was delicious.

Mr. Flossip had the Fettuccine sautéed in a creamy parmesan sauce with chicken. His was delicious as well and I kept stealing bites off his plate. (Don’t worry– I gave him a clam to try.) We had a lot of fun with our friends, laughed a lot, talked a lot. Every table was full, but we didn’t have to wait when we arrived. I have a suspicious feeling that is going to change really soon. The prices are so reasonable with entrees generally costing under $15.00. The food is really good… so I am hopeful that Roberto’s will need additional space before long!  They do not currently take reservations unless you have 6 or more people.  I am going to recommend that you call ahead on a weekend night to see if there is a wait.

While I have not eaten lunch there, the lunch menu satisfies my belief that lunch should be $10.00 or under, so I know that I will be trying it very soon. I am especially thrilled to see that they are open on Monday. (For some reason, I used to try to go to Cafe Florentine EVERY Monday. I had some strange mental block about that.)

Roberto’s is off and running with their online marketing. In addition to their webpage, they also have a facebook page that you can like that has a lot of useful information. Help them get well over a hundred likes today!   Please let me know if you go and you enjoy it! Also– always remember to tell people that you saw it on the Flossip!

You can also read a review on the Pee Dee Foodie blog.

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

I am going to update this post as places open, places close and rumors bounce around and I will update when they become reality (if they become reality). By reality I don’t mean that your mama’s cousin works for the XYZ Company and they know for a FACT that it is a Buffalo Wild Wings. I mean, there is actually a sign on the door, wait staff is hired and I can go in and order a meal. Or buy something. Please comment about any rumors of new businesses you have heard or openings or closings. Don’t just comment about any rumors you have heard– this isn’t that type of website!

OPENINGS

PLANNED OPENINGS

RUMORS

CLOSINGS

(I need your help to keep this post going! Comment away! I will put a permanent link in the sidebar.)

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

This post is written in its entirety by Mr. Flossip. We don’t agree on everything, especially the part about Clemson. Divided house!

Before I begin my foray into the Sim-City on Crack world of digital expression let me first introduce myself to all of you.

Yes it is true – Mr. Flossip does exist.

In a nutshell, I am an average Southern male who loves anything that feeds my ADHD, believes that wetting yourself while laughing is better than any medicine you will ever take, and that emoticons & internet slangs (lol, rofl, omg) are the work of the devil. (By the way, yes it is required to capitalize Southern.)

Formal introductions complete, let us begin to discuss something of regional, if not national, importance – a topic that has been a Pandora’s Box to some civilizations, and guiding light to others…the neighborhood bar.

According to my good friends at the Cambridge University Press, a bar is defined thusly:

- bar, noun (DRINKING PLACE) a place where especially alcoholic drinks are sold and drunk, or the area in such a place where the person serving the drinks stands.

I always laugh when people say they went to Broadway at the Beach and ‘hit all the bars’. Those aren’t bars. They are Jersey Shore knock-offs where people go to begin their eventual walks of shame.

In college we were surrounded by bars. As in any college town, most of them were similar to those described above. Others were that rare Cheers-type bar.

Then, in the late 1990′s a hybrid bar was born – the micro brew. The beer is produced, consumed and celebrated all in one place. And now it has come to Florence.
Recently Southern Hops opened in Florence.

This is not a chain, so the owners do not have the benefit of corporate training, corporate finances or corporate advice. These guys are learning as they go, which is why they are going through some start-up pains.

The wait staff is slow at times and needs to have more confidence in dealing with the world of micro-brewing. It takes more than just knowing what beer is on the menu – people want to know what it tastes like, what dark versus light stout means, and why someone would name a beer Dogfish Head. You don’t have to be an expert, but you should at least know what you are selling. And speaking of selling, an empty glass is an empty register. Wait staff should be very mindful of that fact.

The staff should also realize that your bar exists in a blue collar town. We work hard for our paychecks which means a Friday night date-night often involves kids (going out is expensive enough without having to pay a babysitter). Kids need food fast – have food that can be prepared quickly and brought to the table with little fuss. Happy kids make for happy parents…happy parents will soon return without the kids to consume more than just chicken strips.

Enough with the negative – here is the positive.

Southern Hops is a perfect addition to Florence. It is a true neighborhood bar run by local guys who went to school to learn how to make beer. (Dear high schools guidance counselor, thanks for not telling me that I could go to school to make beer…)

What truly makes South Hops a great addition to Florence is its uniqueness.

To begin with, the location is marked by what I can only describe as a large 20′ tall still proudly watching cars drive down Hwy. 76. Now this is not meant as humor, this is meant to describe a landmark. Ask anyone where to get BBQ in the city and they will reply, “under the brown/white pig on 2nd Loop”. After parking my gas guzzling vehicle in the gravel parking lot I stepped onto a small porch that seemed to beg for warmer nights. I have to tell you, any place that has a front porch is tops in my book.

As soon as I walked into Southern Hops I felt right at home. Although the inside is very spacious, it has this small town feel to it. In the pre-fab environment of commercial construction it was refreshing to be surrounded by, dare I say, actual wood. It’s as if South Hops has always been there – we just couldn’t see it.

Despite the openness, the layout allows for areas to be ‘claimed’ as your own. If you and a friend want to focus on a game, you can sit at the bar. (As an avid Clemson Tiger fan, sitting at the bar seemed the best place to help wash away my tears.) If you would rather play a game, you may sit in another area. If you and a date want to eat and occasionally check the score, you can sit at a smaller table. If you want to celebrate with friends, the staff will quickly pull a few larger tables together.

The bottom line is that no matter where you sit, you can carry on a conversation and enjoy the company of your entourage.

Although the food service was slow – the food was very good. The pepper Buffalo wings were very tasty, as were the varied styles of pizzas. Of course, had I not been busy trying beverages I’m sure I could have found room for more food.

Southern Hops is not quite ‘there’ yet. They still have some kinks to iron out. But considering the tough environment that exists for people who have never operated a restaurant/micro brewery trying to open one in today’s economy and in the snowiest winter on record, they are doing very well.

March Madness is right around the corner, warmer nights are visible on the distant horizon and college football will be here before we know it. You can not deny that these events will be made better with beer names like ‘Goldilocks’ or ‘Leroy Brown’.

Next time I will have to try something called a Sweet Tea martini. I’m not sure I am ready to jump into this metro-sexual identity but I am a sucker for good drinks.

If you are going:
911 S. Sunset Acres Drive,
Florence SC
(Off Palmetto Street near Celebration)
(843) 667-1900

(Flossip notes: a) Mr. Flossip is alone in his love of Clemson. b) I’m withholding my thoughts until I go back for the second time. c) We certainly had a designated driver, you should too.

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

I received an email over the weekend from the lovely Cookie Cawthon about Smackin Daddys Ribs and Wings.  (For some reason I keep saying “Wibs and Rings” and can not seem to stop.)  I had never even heard of Smackin Daddys, but based on a positive review I decided to check them out.
Y’all know I love good ribs.  I am not sure anyone will beat Mr. John’s ribs at the Piggly Wiggly, but these ribs are very good!  Not only are they good– they are always available, which is nice.  Mr. John isn’t always cooking at Piggly Wiggly.  That is a special occasion lunch.  What?  It is!

Smackin Daddys is over on Cashua next to Stitch It.  The young man working was as nice as he could be and told me to call him back if there was any problem.  I also tried the wings.  I liked the wings, but they were sweet and I like hot and spicy wings.   If you like sweet wings, they will be right up your alley. I’m told the potato salad is really good as well, but I don’t eat potato salad (And yes I am a bona fide Southerner!).

This place is definately worth a try– the carry out was super easy and efficient.  I spent 21.00 on 10 wings and a full rack of ribs and that fed my whole family lunch.

Check out their website for the menu and more information.

(812 S Cashua Drive, Suite AFlorence, SC 29501-6370 US)

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

I went to the Peddler for lunch the other day for the first time. I can’t tell you WHO I went with but hopefully she will become a part of theFlossip.com team at some point in the future. (*smile*)

I previously ate at the Peddler in August and you can read that review here, if you are so inclined. I have had dinner there on at least one other occasion. I like the Peddler, but it is a little out of my price range. Lunch is a better option for me. I had the hamburger steak and it was very good (though a little more gravy would not have hurt). I also really liked the crowd that was there for lunch. It was very busy, a lot of animated conversation. I saw people I have not seen in a while, and I got to reconnect with them.

There is definitely a “who’s who” factor to dining there. If you like to see and be seen– this is a place to go. If you don’t want to see anyone you know and have on your sweatpants and no makeup you may want to pass. The pricing is fair– my hamburger steak was under $10.00 as I believe all lunch should be. However, the things that I REALLY wanted (salmon) were a couple of dollars over $10.00. I just can’t spend over $10.00 on my lunch entree– even if I can write it off.

All in all– it was a good lunch. We were able to have a good conversation, the service was good, the food was tasty.

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

Primo Pizza at Magnolia Mall wants to celebrate “National Pizza Month” with you!

October is National Pizza Month and Primo Pizza is celebrating 15 years at Magnolia Mall.
Offer #1 – FREE order of Breadsticks when you spend $5 or more!
Offer #2 – FREE slice of Cheese or Pepperoni with the purchase of One Slice and a Medium Drink.
Offers expire 10/31/10.

You may know that Primo Pizza is a Flossip Flo-town Fave. I can assure you that I will be taking advantage of Offer #2 a few times this month!

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.