We left Savannah bone weary and sore footed. Driving toward Myrtle Beach, I spotted this gas station/grocery store/home.
It is on a main highway, but still, out in the middle of nowhere. I wonder how they make enough to keep it going. Not a customer in site.
Being a northern transplant, this was not a sight I had ever seen.
So on to Myrtle Beach we went. Murrell's Inlet, Surfside Beach, and on we drove, passing Seafood Buffet after Seafood Buffet... $19.99 - 2 for $29.99 , etc.
Planet Hollywood - Myrtle Beach... Are they closed? Where are the cars. Ok, it is Wednesday. Maybe that's it.
Hard Rock... hmmmm... not many cars is there?
By now it was about 5pm and I was hungry. We had not had much of a lunch and I wanted seafood darn it. We put a buffet address into the Garmin and off we went...only to find it closed. And so was the next one, and the next one. Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday....This was Wednesday.My stomach was grumbling and so was I. Okay, let's just go check in to the hotel. The attendant graciously told us, go down the road, Captain George's Seafood Buffet is open. Yay!!
We found it easily enough and there were cars in the parking lot.
In we went.
This was the first of, I believe, 6 islands of food. It looked like a Vegas Buffet. OUr very nice hostess seated us and said these fateful words, " Our buffet is $31.00" each. Why Terry looked at me for direction I don't know. To me, there wads no question. I headed straight for the King Crab. He went for everything else.
I have never had blue crab. I don't know how to crack it or haow to eat it, so a very nice waiter came over with one to show me. I learned it is a lot of work for very little meat. He did say it is alot more fun with beer and friends. Okay.
I don't know what to do with these guys either. I'm not good with food that stiff has their heads attached. Cut the head off of my fish too. I don't want the whole lobster... just the tail please.
I love steamed oysters, but these were raw. I can't do raw.
Love at first sight.... Crab and shrimp, only because there was no lobster.
There was also all kinds of fish, chicken, pork and desserts. Oh, yes. My husband has a sweet tooth. I saw on his plate alone, German chocolate cake, cheesecake, baklava, banana pudding and chocolate pudding. I have that "off" button that tells my brain, you are full... stop. Terry doesn't and he admits he doesn't.
So, as we sat there, with tea and coffee, the waitress came over with our bill. Terry looked at me, took big breath and said, very quietly "I'm gonna throw up." The mother in me took over. I said, very lovingly, " Get out of here. Go outside. Go! now!" My first thought was not that he was sick. It was you are not going to do that in a dining room. Get out of here!
He slowly stood up... actually, he was afraid to move, but he said once he was moving he felt much better. So he's not allowed to go to buffets anymore.
These buildings are in Swansboro, close to Jacksonville, N.C. and we're almost home.
Whenever I see these old gas station ? store? buildings, I think of the movie " Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe." I wonder what kind of life it had.