Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011

Help is on the way...

A dozen local dishes and libations to ease your hangover pain

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The Swamp Water Smoothie may be mean and green, but it's a healthy hangover remedy. Photo by Becky Billingsley for Weekly Surge.

 

New Year’s Eve (it’s Saturday night, if you’re calendar-challenged) is quickly upon us and besides turning the page on yet another 12 months, it also means...Amateur Night.

Yes, it’s that night of nights when folks that don’t ordinarily indulge in adult beverages get caught up in the moment and drink more than they can handle - resulting in massive hangovers, headaches, horrible regrets, grumpy dispositions and revised New Year’s resolutions on Jan. 1.

Of course plenty of the hardcore, experienced imbibers suffer killer hangovers on the first day of the year, too, as the champagne flows freely and the party gets hearty long after the balloons drop at midnight

Obviously, the smart thing to do is to not drink in excess (or at all); but who said we were a smart lot? This is, after all, the drinking beach with a family problem.

Hand-in-hand with the hangover is the somewhat mythical beast known as the hangover cure. From Fruit Loops to cheeseburgers to Bloody Marys and the infamous hair of the dog, it seems everyone has a so-called hangover remedy.

But anybody can go get a Big Mac at the ubiquitous Golden Arches or load up on caffeine from that $5-a-cup coffee franchise from Seattle - this is Surge, your Bible for what’s really happening locally, down in the trenches where real people, and not corporations, live and breath.

So, with food and drink in mind, and to help the poor hangover-suffering masses sure to be wallowing on couches and scraping themselves off of bathroom floors up and down the Grand Strand on Sunday morning, Surge assembled a crack team to scour the area for a dozen locally-produced dishes and liquid concoctions that we think will do the trick when your head is pounding, your mouth is dry, your stomach’s queasy, and your irritability is at an all-time high - science and nutrition, be damned.

Even if the following items do nothing more than prevent further praying to the porcelain god, we may have turned you on to some damn fine and tasty vittles and local libations.

Consider this your Hangover Helper - no goofy, animated anthropomorphic white glove required.

THE REMEDY | Swamp Water Smoothie, Bay Naturals Healthy Market & Kitchen, 7611 N. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach; 448-0011; www.bay-naturals.com

THE PACKAGING | This cure might terrify you when you see it, because it’s a big cup of emerald-green smoothie that looks like an alligator hacked up a loogie. You have to navigate a brightly-lit health food store to get to the restaurant at the back, but wear your shades and get you a glass of goodness. Your dehydrated and aching brain will thank you for the effort.

THE INGREDIENTS | All smoothies at Bay Naturals are made with frozen organic fruit, and the Swamp Water contains apple juice, soymilk, almond or rice milk, bananas, strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, spirulina powder (“for internal toxic cleansing” according to various Web sites) and raw honey (“for a quick burst of energy” also according to the Web). It’s the spirulina powder that makes the drink such a shocking shade of green; it’s an algae rich in protein, beta-carotene and other nutrients that has given spirulina designation as a “super food.”

THE COMFORT | If your stomach can handle the greenness, you’ll be rewarded with a healthy potion to counteract the poisons you dumped into your body the night before. If you think Swamp Water would end up in the septic system, you might better be able to handle two other fruit-based Bay Naturals Smoothies that will help relieve your symptoms: The High Anxiety Stress Reducer with kava extract (the roots of the kava plant are said to have a sedating effect), liquid B-Complex and multi-minerals; or Bella’s Pain Lifter Muscle & Joint Relief with Devil’s Claw extract (an African plant used to treat rheumatoid arthritis), glucosamin, chondroitin, MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) and flax seed oil.

THE DAMAGE | The Swamp Water Special is $5.50. It makes a great lo-cal lunch even if you aren’t hung over. Becky Billingsley, for Weekly Surge

THE REMEDY | Biscuit and Gravy, Ramani’s Cafe, 2523 Forestbrook Rd., Myrtle Beach; 236-5946.

THE PACKAGING | The magnificence of Chef Ralph Stacey’s Biscuit and Gravy does not need adornment. It is a masterpiece presented on a plain white plate that is brilliant in its simplicity. Stacey has been cooking in the Grand Strand area for a long time - he formerly was the executive chef at Planet Hollywood, and has owned Ramani’s on Forestbrook Road for several years.

THE INGREDIENTS | Part of the allure is that Chef Stacey bakes incredibly tall and fluffy biscuits, so when he serves one topped with a steaming ladle of sausage gravy, you only need one biscuit.

THE COMFORT | When your stomach is queasy, fill it with greasy foods. And carbs, lots of carbs, help soak up the all that acid. The portion is plenty to calm your tummy without giving you so much to eat you might need to hug the porcelain god again to get rid of the excess. If the thought of sausage gravy is too much for your churning stomach to handle, a plain biscuit and jelly might be a better choice.

THE DAMAGE | At $2.75, this is a hangover breakfast bargain. For a small delivery fee if you live in the Socastee area, Stacey will even deliver breakfast to you, if your blood/alcohol level is still over the legal limit.

Becky Billingsley, for Weekly Surge

THE REMEDY | Vietnamese Noodle Soup, E-Noodles & Co, 400 20th Avenue S., Myrtle Beach; 916-8808; www.enoodlseco.com. (There’s another location at 110 U.S. 17 South in North Myrtle Beach)

THE PACKAGING | This nectar of the Hangover Gods is served steaming hot in an Asian-style flower-adorned bowl that resembles a colander – without the holes of course – but not quite as big. Still, it’s a big-ass bowl of noodle soup. But not your grandma’s noodle soup. Your grandma’s noodle soup doesn’t come with chopsticks, does it? Well, we suppose it could if your dad met your mom while he was on active duty in Saigon. Anyhow, you get a spoon, too, if you can’t handle chopsticks, but we think you’re going to need the chopsticks as well, because, to paraphrase that old Chunky Soup tagline, it’s the soup you can eat with a fork – or chopsticks. If offered, accept the chopsticks, because it will give your alcohol-addled brain something to focus on instead of the throbbing of your noggin. You really will need something besides a spoon, because…well read on, soldier.

THE INGREDIENTS | This soup, which is also known as Pho Nam (in ‘Nam), is big on flavor, which is derived from a melting pot of textures, tastes and contrasts. It includes slices of beef tenderloin, red onion, cilantro, scallions, bean sprouts, fried garlic, served on top of pho-style noodles swimming in clear/yellowish broth (we assume it is chicken, but don’t know for sure). It is a meal unto itself – not a side dish.

THE COMFORT | Soup seems to have inherent restorative powers, and this meal-in-a-bowl lives up to that reputation. But if you’re ready to exorcise those hangover demons into oblivion, up the ante by adding chile sauce and/or Sriracha hot sauce (the one in the iconic bottle with the green cap and rooster on the label).

THE DAMAGE | At $7.95 it’s on the pricey side of lunch budgets when you add a house garden salad ($3.75) and non-alcoholic drink ($1.95), but quite reasonable for dinner – if you’re still hung-over by nightfall. Kent Kimes, Editor

THE REMEDY | Limoncello and a beer, Bourbon Street Bar & Grill, 5307 N. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach; 712-1083

THE PACKAGING | This traditional, Italian lemon liqueur and digestive is served in a small 1-1/4-oz. shot glass. It’s plain and simple and easy for your hung-over, shaky hands to manage. The beer, cold and carbonated, is also easy to handle.

THE INGREDIENTS | As you may suspect from its name, Limóncello is a not-too-strong lemony nectar, the color of the midday sun, first created in the citrus growing regions of Southern Italy at least 100 years ago. The drink has long been a staple of the Italian dinner table, but is growing in popularity around the world. Of special interest here is that Bourbon Street owner (and connoisseur of all things Italian), Giuseppe Chillico, makes his own Limóncello through a secret (and legal) process in the back room of his establishment. That “it involves lemons and liquor,” is all he’s willing to say of his recipe. Online recipes for do-it-yourselfers mix vodka, fresh lemons, sugar and water and recommend a two-week gestation. Chillico, a jeweler by trade, is hyper critical of his own creations, watching over each jug like a mad chemist. Each batch takes on its own characteristics – no two are identical. Each has varying degrees of sweetness, tartness, clarity and bite – but all are good for what ails you.

THE COMFORT | It’s a fragrant, sweet, tangy and mellow shot, which gets rid of the fuzz on the roof of your mouth, and reminds you that while you still may feel like shit, there’s a soothing, citrus-y world out there encouraging you to recover.

THE DAMAGE | This may be the best part - $1.50 per shot, so two (the recommended quantity) puts you back just $3 bucks, and a beer a few bucks more.

Paul Grimshaw, for Weekly Surge

THE REMEDY | Hot Double-shot Latte, Croissants Bistro & Bakery, 3751 Grissom Parkway, Myrtle Beach; 448-2253; www.croissants.net.

THE PACKAGING | A Latte, of Italian origin, is always best served in a large ceramic mug or tall coffee glass, but paper cups to-go will work if you can’t stick around. Select something from the dessert case to accompany your Latte and you’ll be feeling better in no time.

THE INGREDIENTS | Once only sold in high-end restaurants, and stand-alone coffee houses, the Latte became part of our American lexicon about the same time Starbucks rose to rule the coffee world, and that’s no coincidence. To make a Latte, you start with espresso, a very dark roasted powdery grind of coffee with its goodness extracted under pressure from steam and water. The same machine also heats milk via a steam nozzle, then the espresso and hot milk are combined, with a little milk foam on top. We’re recommending a double-shot version of the drink because the rich, smoky coffee flavor cuts through the milk better with two shots of espresso, as opposed to the standard single shot. Tastes vary with some patrons preferring no sugar to those who ask for so much sweet syrup pumped into the cup, they risk diabetic coma. Try it with one pump (not the usual two or three) of Toffee Nut syrup – it creates just enough nutty sweetness to compliment the drink, not overpower it.

THE COMFORT | It’s hot, homemade with coffee and milk, and it’s a treat - hangover or not.

THE DAMAGE | A small double-shot latte is $3.50, a large $4.50. Individual desserts, large enough to share, are mostly around $4.95

Paul Grimshaw, for Weekly Surge

THE REMEDY | The Mad Viking, The Short Bar, 4078 U.S. 17 Business, Murrells Inlet; 357-4100; http://facebook.com/short.bar.

THE PACKAGING | The trick is figuring out how to eat this monster burger. It’s a finger-stretching bun. Menacing is an odd way to describe food but it feels like it’s daring you to take the first bite. A mountainous island of meat and bun, surrounded by an ocean of tater tots or chips – the whole thing is served on a huge platter and they call it “So Gangsta” that they throw a beer of choice in just to try and wash it down. The Short Bar has a viking motif – viking helmets line the bar. Artwork hangs from the walls, created by employees. It’s a really cool little local joint. And if you eat every bite of this flagship sandwich and the tots and the pickle – they’ll take your picture with the Mad Viking helmet on and display that bloated look on the Wall of Fame.

THE INGREDIENTS | They start with a two whopping hand-patted burgers, seasoned with chili. But that’s not enough, it’s the New Year so you need Corn Beef – throw it on. Not enough? Take some fried jalapenos and pepper jack cheese – throw it on. Not enough? Take some dill pickles with sriracha and yellow mustard – throw it on. Now eat, you hung-over, son-of-a-bitch!

THE COMFORT | All that protein will have your eyes rolling around in your head and the grease will lubricate the ache. After your last bite, rest assured, the sweet comfort of a coma is not far behind. Plus, all the jalapenos and pepper jack will burn out any infections in your mouth you may have picked up during the course of a night you can’t remember.

THE DAMAGE | The price tag is as hefty as the burger at $13. But, when you factor in that the burger is enough to feed a small African village and is garnished with a Tonka dump truck full of tots and includes the beer of your choosing, it’s quite a bargain. It’s worth it and if you don’t try to go for the helmet snapshot – it’s really two meals in one.

Derrick Bracey, for Weekly Surge

THE REMEDY | Banana Crepes, Applewood House of Pancakes, 14361 Ocean Highway (U.S. 17), Litchfield Beach, at the Common Exchange Center; 979-1022; www.applewoodhouseofpancakes.com.

THE PACKAGING | Located way down in Litchfield, if you don’t live near the South-end, it’s still worth the drive. Open from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m., this eatery specializes in breakfast and brunch. And when we say specialize – it’s been around for about six years and has cultivated very distinct menu items. Applewood is a member of the Seacoast Artist Guild and the walls are lined with local art and photography from local artists. It’s fitting because the food that comes to the table looks like art. That’s especially true of the crepes which are popular because they’ll rock that gut.

THE INGREDIENTS | This is a little bit of the hair-of-the-dog that bit you. There’s sherry, brandy and orange liqueur splashed into the cream sauce. Add sliced bananas and you have the fillings of these beautiful wraps. Now, top with some more bananas, powdered sugar and freshly whipped cream.

THE COMFORT | The booze in the recipe will temper your mood. The potassium-rich bananas will chase away the muscle cramps and stomach nausea. The sugar will give you a kick. And it’s hard to be in a haze with all of the creative stimuli and welcoming environment.

THE DAMAGE | Not bad on the wallet – $6.45 – I don’t know why they couldn’t round it to $6.50 but whatever. Save the nickel and allow the French delicacy to ease your pain, my friend.

Derrick Bracey, for Weekly Surge

THE REMEDY | Breakfast Bowl, The Golden Egg, 415 U.S. 17 North, Surfside Beach; 238-4923; www.goldeneggonline.com.

THE PACKAGING | The Golden Egg is old-school. A restaurant that’s survived for 20 years in Surfside Beach, it’s one of those Mom-and-Pop places that have become a standard of a resort town. They even have a mascot – a golden egg with arms, legs and a big cheesy smile – and his name…you guessed it, Goldie. The menu is pretty straight-forward breakfast and lunch fare with a few slants. The largest alternative is the bowl mentality. You can get a bowl of pecans. You can get a bowl of Chipped Beef. But how do you feel about a bowl of slop? Because that’s what you get with the Breakfast Bowl.

THE INGREDIENTS | They take a couple of fried eggs and sling in some home fries and some sausage. Then slather in some cheese. Finally, let the bucket dump and watch the sausage gravy pour until it drips in chunky globs and covers the whole beautiful mess up.

THE COMFORT | Nothing sticks to your ribs and makes you feel as whole as a sopping mess. Eggs erase leftover toxins from alcohol residue and give you energy. When we were kids and we used to make it at home, we called it “catastrophe.” Only instead of gravy it was grits that unified the chaos like concrete. Maybe, you can ask them to lob some grits in there, too. A breakfast that mirrors the way you feel as your head throbs and your body is melting into a puddle. This’ll put you back together like Humpty Dumpty or Goldie. As you reach the bottom of the bowl – your soul will feel as clean as your plate.

THE DAMAGE | At $5.59, it’s economical and worth every penny – because some form of this recipe has been curing hangovers since before the chicken or the egg.

Derrick Bracey, for Weekly Surge

THE REMEDY | The Elvis Cupcake, Ndulge Cupcakery, 3574 U.S. 17 Business, Murrells Inlet; 651-9525; https://sites.google.com/site/ndulgecupcakery.

THE PACKAGING | You don’t have to stay with The Elvis Cupcake, the choices are endless with this bakery/boutique down in Murrells Inlet. There are no miniatures here, they are brimming over the wrapper. And the flavors range from fruity to rich in chocolate to red velvet to The Jolt – which is a coffee cupcake. You can get ones with filling or without. This list goes on and on. These bakers are cupcake curators, baking fresh and rotating flavors. Relatively new to the area, Ndulge has only been making the batter rise since 2010 but the cakey craze is spreading.

THE INGREDIENTS | The Elvis Cupcake is comprised of a peanut butter and banana topping. Bananas have been known to cure what ails you when it comes to hangovers. They’re potassium producers and also feed you with lost electrolytes. Peanut Butter is an old African remedy. Before you go out drinking, you eat a mass of peanut butter to soak up the booze. So, why can’t it do the soaking after the drinks are sloshing around in your gullet? Toss it all in there together and let nature take its course.

THE COMFORT | Screw doughnuts…what is more misleading than those doughy, lifesaver-shaped, manufactured heart attack missiles? But cupcakes, they’re comforting. They’re a mom’s hug. They’re a whisper in your ear, telling you everything will be alright. Don’t remember what happened after 10 p.m.? Don’t worry. A cupcake can be there for you. Not only to comfort you but give you hope for a better tomorrow.

THE DAMAGE | They’re pricey but they’re worth it - $2.75 a piece or $15.95 for a half dozen and $29.95 for a dozen. It’s not open Sunday but you can get the goods on New Year’s Eve from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Doctor Surge says: eat one before you indulge and three the next day to save yourself from the horrors of the hangover.

Derrick Bracey, for Weekly Surge

THE REMEDY | Burritos Deluxe, La Hacienda, 2132 Oak Heart Road, Carolina Forest (Myrtle Beach); 903-3399.

THE PACKAGING | Your south-of-the-border savior is served on a piping hot ceramic plate to keep things warm while you try to reestablish your lost motor skills. The other option is a foil “to-go” box if you’re not feeling up to dining in. Just remember, no matter how bad you feel, try to focus enough to remember not to put it in the microwave later. Trust us.

THE INGREDIENTS | Burritos Deluxe is a staple on almost every Mexican menu I’ve seen, but not all burritos are created equal. They do everything just right at La Hacienda. You have two burritos, one chicken and beans and one beef and beans, hiding under a bed of fresh lettuce and tomato, cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. Just what the doctor ordered to cool those angry insides. The fresh tomato and lettuce are light and a great starting point if you’re at that plateau of deciding if you can or cannot eat. The burritos are a little heavier and just what you need to soak up that leftover booze. You also get your choice of rice or beans with the combo. If fork and knife are a little too advanced at your current state of recovery, maybe hone your skills with the complementary chips and fresh salsa. Anything out of a garden has got to work in your favor at this point, right?

THE COMFORT | After a night of ravaging your insides, this is a nice, fresh, clean meal to start your digestive tract back in the right direction. The balance of cool, light ingredients coupled with satisfying heavy ingredients are what makes the meal really work.

THE DAMAGE | The Burritos Deluxe plate is $9.29, but it is all about the quality, quantity, and the extras with this one. The burritos and rice rank in the one-and-a-half to two serving range, depending on how hungry you are. You can also get some of those chips and salsa to go. Finally, if you’re looking for a little hair-of-the-dog, margaritas are $2.99 all day, every day.

Lee Newman, for Weekly Surge

THE REMEDY | Fried Pickles and Teriyaki Wings, Handley’s Pub & Grub, 3873 Renee Drive , Myrtle Beach; 903-4904; www.handleyspub.com.

THE PACKAGING | It’s pub food. Sometimes there’s a bit of lettuce for garnish. Everything doesn’t have to have a radish rosette on the side. The important thing is it’s finger food, it’s delicious, and you don’t have to worry about a knife and fork. Just dig in and ask for extra napkins. Handley’s was voted “Place with the best hangover-curing food” by Surge readers, and you’re about to find out why.

THE INGREDIENTS | Made to order fried pickles and wings with a wide selection of sauces to choose from, if teriyaki isn’t your thing. Other available wing soakings include Handley’s own hot, medium and mild sauces, hot teriyaki, parmesan, honey bbq, or bbq. Both dishes are served with a side of either ranch or bleu cheese for cool down if you go hot on the wings. Also, you’ve got celery on the side with the wings, the friendly, bland, gateway food to more exciting things, if you’re still feeling queasy.

THE COMFORT | The age old combination of sweet and salty is what makes this pairing work, along with the assumption that fried food is the way to go to stop the terror in your tummy. The lack of having to do anything other than just pick the food up and put it in your mouth is handy if your motor skills are still a little on the shaky side.

THE DAMAGE | Wings are $6.50 for a ten-piece, $10.50 for a 16-piece, and $12.50 for a 20-piece. An order or fried pickles will run you $5.99. Sound like more than you want to spend? Spend most of your money drinking last night? Good news: you probably didn’t roll out of bed until around 3 p.m. anyway, which gives you enough time to pull on some sweats and get down to Handley’s for happy hour between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., seven days a week, and you’ll find wings are down to $4.50 for 10, $7.25 for 16, and $9 for 20. Fried pickles are slashed to $3.50.

Lee Newman, for Weekly Surge

THE REMEDY | Traditional Irish Stew & Fully Loaded Chips, The Old Bull and Bush Pub, 4700 U.S. 17 Bypass, Myrtle Beach; 831-0505

THE PACKAGING | These are two separate dishes and come from this fairly traditional U.K.-style pub’s appetizer menu – but are anything but light, and make the salads listed beside them look like wee lads. The chips are not what Ugly Americans call chips – i.e. it’s not a plate of Lay’s or stack of Pringles – rather, these are fresh-cut, thick French fries cooked until golden brown. And we ordered ‘em loaded (we’ll get to that in a minute) and they’re served on the same type of platter that Fish and Chips are served, with the faux newspaper wax paper underneath. Since we didn’t get the chips’ maritime mate, we paired it with the piping hot, huge cup of thick hearty beefy stew from the Emerald Isle. Erin go broth!

THE INGREDIENTS | We’ve already discussed that chips are thick-cut fries; but we didn’t address the fully-loaded concept. In this case, it means smothered in melted cheese, generous portions of crumble bacon, sprinkled with chives and a cup of creamy ranch dressing for dipping. The stew, in a thick brown gravy, has as a slight sweet taste countered by pepper flecks, and features large chunks of beef, chopped potatoes, onion, cubed carrots and green peas. Simple, yet flavorfully complex – and oh so soothing…like your Irish granny telling you it’s gonna be OK, pick yourself up by your bootstraps and get back on the Guinness horse.

THE COMFORT | With each bite of these decadently rich dishes, you could almost feel a nap coming on – so it’s probably best to consume when you’ve got some time on your hands and you’re not expected to be productive (i.e. go back to work). The cheese and the warm, soft potato of the chips gets down in that spot in your gut that’s aching, the craw, if you will, and seals it up like caulking around your window frame.

THE DAMAGE | The stew will set you back $6.99; the loaded chips go for $5.50. And there’s $3 pints of Guinness - a virtual meal in a glass - if you’re feeling brave.

Kent Kimes, Editor