Friday, Jan. 27, 2012

Pastaria 811 readies to make its move

For 17 years, David Demer was hidden from view.

His business, Pastaria 811 Italian Restaurant, was in the rear of Litchfield Exchange, a mini-mini mall, sort of, where cafes have come and gone, but where artists and other creative folks maintain a presence.

Still, folks, 85 percent locals, found Demer in Pawleys Island.

“This place is like a miracle because we are in the back of nowhere,” he told me Thursday while we sat together at a booth.

Life was good, but then Demer had a thought.

“If we are doing this kind of business of the highway and we are hidden, we will double this business if we move on the highway,” he said to himself.

On Jan. 21, he closed his Italian eatery with its impressive pizza oven and began preparation to move himself and his employees to the building that formerly housed a restaurant and bar called Bove at 11359 Ocean Highway (U.S. 17) in Pawleys Island.

He will miss the memories related to the spot at 111 Litchfield Exchange, but he is pumped about making fresh ones starting Friday, Feb. 3 when he opens the new location.

There, he will relish having more than 175 seats in a 4,000-square foot eatery, which will feature a private dining room.

“We are going to have steaks on the menu, but the price structure will be the same,” he said. “We will also have some different veal items on there, and the pizza will stay. People love our pizza.”

Paul and Sheila Winter, from Murrells Inlet, have been customers of Demer since the beginning.

I met them Thursday, too, and they gushed over the food and Demer – he prepares the food fresh daily, and bakes his own bread. He also makes some of his pasta, including the lasagna.

“We love everything here, especially David,” Sheila Winter said. “My husband lives off of the pizza.”

Demer’s food is seriously good. He makes the absolutely best marinara sauce I’ve tried on the Grand Strand. It is besieged by sweet tomatoes, fresh garlic, secret herbs and a hint of butter. The sauce is ecstasy when hobnobbing with jumbo shrimp and angel hair pasta.

I also absolutely love his emulsified balsamic vinaigrette that accompanies the house salad with olives and salsa-like tomatoes.

The price for all of his entrees are under $20. The costliest meal is the veal at $19.95 plus tax.

Please keep reading Eateries for opening details.

More frozen yogurt coming

The Grand Strand is quickly becoming the land of frozen yogurt.

We have Froyoz at Broadway at the Beach. We have Yogurt Mountain at Myrtle Mall. We have Sweet Frog locations in Carolina Forest and North Myrtle Beach. Smaller businesses sell it here and there.

Now, a new frozen yogurt is about to get its freeze on.

Island Reefs Frozen Yogurt, in the Roses shopping center at 3500 U.S. 17 S. in North Myrtle Beach, is set to open in the spring.

I am waiting to hear back from the owner for more details.

Stay tuned.

Market’s specialties now at butcher shop

He’s back.

Gary Consalvi, who, along with his wife Lisa, owned Consalvi’s Italian Market & Deli in Murrells Inlet, is now working at J&J’s Butcher Shop in Murrells Inlet.

The business, at 830 Inlet Square Dr., is also the new home of customer favorites sold at Consalvi’s, which closed Nov. 30. Consalvi’s, which was at 3852 U.S. 17 Bypass, opened in May 2009.

Consalvi and the butcher shop’s owner, Al Henrikson, decided to partner their powers.

He and Consalvi became friends in October 2010 when they were both trying a purveyor of Dietz & Watson meats.

“We would shoot the breeze, talk about business and life in general,” Henrikson said.

Their venture together thrills them both.

“I’m so excited about this,” said Gary Consalvi. “I am working for Al, bringing in the Italian expertise and helping his business grow in these tough economic times.”

Consalvi’s Homemade Pasta Sauce ($4.29 for a pint and $8.49 a quart) and meatballs ($4.99 for 8) are among the former market and deli items being sold at the butcher shop.

Other food products at J&J’s are Italian bread from New Jersey (another popular Consalvi’s item), a variety of Italian cold cuts (featured at Consalvi’s) and an array of free-range, all-natural poultry, including chicken, pheasant and guinea fowl, with prices starting at $4.89 per pound.

“We are probably going to phase in some of Consalvi’s sandwiches and salads in February or March,” Henrikson said.

Gary Consalvi said they sent out emails to about 600 of their former customers and told them the good news.

Henrikson said business does seem a little better since he began working for him.

“We both like food,” Henrikson said. “We like to eat.”

J&J’s Butcher Shop is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Call 357-7407.

Contact JOHANNA D. WILSON at 626-0324.

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