Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012

A ballsy new take on a Socastee original

Socastee Station

Chicken Bog Balls are a crispy new twist on a regionally traditional dish. Photo by Becky Billingsley for Weekly Surge.

 

Setting the Table

For almost 20 years Socastee Station was the unofficially official gathering spot for Socastee residents, and after a brief lull, the modest bar and restaurant is regaining its officially unofficial status.

That standing became established during the reign of former owners Gary Pagliaro and Patricia Pagliaro. Patricia Pagliaro - "Tri" - passed away in 2006, and Gary Pagliaro sold the restaurant. It became Buckeye's at Socastee Station, and eventually Gary Pagliaro went back to work there before he died in 2010. One of the interim owners tried to turn Socastee Station into more of a live music venue, but many from the old regular crowd were having none of it and mostly stayed away.

Then, in late 2011, a couple of young and energetic fellows named Ed Flambard and T.J. Allinder came down from Pittsburgh and bought the place. They did some cleaning and a bit of remodeling, but overall the old Station hasn't changed much over the decades. You enter at the large bar area, and this is where regulars shoot the shit, joke and holler, knock back inexpensive booze and smoke up a storm.

To the left is a big dining area, separated from the bar by a low wall, that's not as smoky and has a pool table.

Down the Hatch

More and more of those old regulars are returning because they heard the food is great. That's the hook the Pagliaros had beyond their friendliness - Gary Pagliaro's food rocked. He was known for wings, pot roast, lasagna, smothered steak and much more, and a brisk business was done on daily lunch and dinner specials.

Realizing Socastee residents wanted better-than-average and budget-friendly dining, Flambard and Allinder brought back wings, bruschetta, lasagna and pot roast. The men made sure the recipes would stay true to the Pagliaro legend, and then they upped the ante by adding many new and delightful dishes while improving on old ones.

An example of improvement is Beer Battered String Cheese ($6). The coating is extremely light and crunchy, and the string cheese melts to a salty and creamy lusciousness. It's handily the best fried cheese my husband and I (and a few other people at the bar) have ever tasted.

Another finger food gaining renown is Beer Battered Chicken Bog Balls, where Chicken Bog (available as an entree and served with white bread for $7) is shaped into golf ball-size spheres, dipped in beer batter, deep-fried, halved, plated and served with spicy rémoulade dipping sauce. They are quite fantastic.

I also tried and enjoyed their Pierogies ($6, comes with sour cream) topped with caramelized onions and bell peppers. A few other starters include Chicken or Veggie Quesadilla, Mushroom Bruschetta, Italian Spring Rolls and Fried Pickles served with Ranch and honey mustard.

No-nonsense sandwiches ($5-$10) are a staple at Socastee Station, where flavor is of prime consideration. The Mr. loved his Cajun Chicken Sandwich where the meat is blackened and topped with roasted red peppers and provolone. It came with house-cut French fries, and he opted to finish the fries and take half the sandwich home with him, because he couldn't finish it all.

Other sandwiches are Philly Cheese Steak, Ribeye Steak, Grilled Cheese and Meatloaf, which is topped with brown gravy and fried onions. You can also get a burger, including the Mushroom Swiss or the Pittsburgher, where the beef is topped with a fried egg, salami and Cheddar.

A Pittsburgh-style salad is also an option, topped with steak or chicken and with greens, cheese, tomatoes, croutons, onions, French fries and bacon. My Pot Roast entree came with a house salad, and the house-made croutons are crunchy, light and flavorful.

But about that Pot Roast. I can't help but think Gary Pagliaro is smiling down on this updated version of an old Station favorite, where chunky from-scratch mashed potatoes are topped with tender and moist shredded roast, mushroom gravy and fried onions, and served with al dente whole green beans. The $11 serving is enormous, and on Wednesdays it's discounted at $8.

Other entrees ($7-$19, but most are $11 or less) include Ribeye Steak, Fried Shrimp Dinner, Chicken Parmesan, Baked Fish, Meatloaf and Linguine with Alfredo sauce.

Check, please

Daily specials - you have to dine in to get them - range from all-you-care-to-eat wings for $7 on Mondays to $4 Chicken Bog on Thursdays and AYCE Fish and Chips on Fridays.

Want Happy Hour? From 4-7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, get 50 cents discount on bottled beers and liquors.

Socastee Station is at 4504 Socastee Blvd. in Myrtle Beach, and the number is 831-0527. It's open starting at 10 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

Becky Billingsley serves up fresh news daily at MyrtleBeachRestaurantNews.com.