Family * Travel * Food

Local Food Find: Famous Toastery Columbia, SC

For several months now, I have been following a restaurant on Instagram called Famous Toastery Columbia. For some reason I assumed that it was located in downtown Columbia or even further away. Turns out that it is super close to where I lived, so the husband and I went for a breakfast date. Being newbies, we were overwhelmed by the menu. They have a lot of options for breakfast including everything from shrimp and grits, to pancakes, French toast, and omelets. Unlike most breakfast joints, Famous Toastery serves up the perfect brunch-worthy cocktails. Deciding what to order was hard. 

My husband already had the idea of pancakes stuck in his head so he went with the apple cinnamon pancakes paired with turkey sausage, and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. The word lobster caught my eye from their weekend special menu, so I went with the lobster scramble with potatoes on the side. I also splurged and got a Bloody Mary because I was feeling a little fancy. 
Isn't this cocktail so pretty? It was so delicious and full of zesty, spicy goodness. 
Our server brought over a small basket of homemade cornbread with a delicious apple compote type concoction. We decided to only take a nibble to save room for our meal. Trust me, I would have devoured all three pieces if I could! We didn't have to wait very long for our entrees to come out. Everything was presented so nicely and the server was super sweet and accommodating. 


I'm a huge potato lover so I had to take a bite of that first. Oh man, it was perfectly cooked with the right amount of seasoning. The lobster scramble was everything I hoped it would be. It had nice pieces of lobster nestled inside the soft scrambled eggs, along with some veggies. I loved this dish! The hubby was so happy with his pancakes and turkey sausage. We both were impressed with that made-from-scratch taste you normally don't get from most chain places. We were also pleased to see how many non-pork and non-meat options were available. Perfect for vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. 
We will definitely head back to Famous Toastery, northeast Columbia location to try out some of the other menu items. The food, drinks, and service were all excellent. It's a perfect spot for a girl's brunch. I know my daughters will love it! If you're ever in Columbia, SC, you should check out Famous Toastery for yourself! There are also locations in a few other states as well. 

I did not receive any incentive to post this review. We simply enjoyed our meals and wanted to share our review with you. Thanks for stopping by today. 
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Valentine's Getaway for Parents at Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts #MyMyrtleBeach

My family visits Myrtle Beach several times a year and have stayed at a couple of the Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts locations. The beach is the perfect getaway no matter what time of year it is and oceanfront accommodations makes it even better. We being able to be soothed and refreshed by the sounds of the ocean, while being able to get to restaurants and shopping nearby. With Valentine's Day coming up, Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts announces their ‘Be Mine!’ Valentine’s Day Package.

Celebrate with Oceanfront Accommodations, Romantic Dinner, Champagne and More

Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts (MBSR) – operator of the area’s premier oceanfront condo-hotel and vacation rental properties – announces the release of its “Be Mine” Valentine’s Day package.

Available at five MBSR resorts (Avista, Grande Shores, Horizon at 77th, Prince and Seaside) from Feb. 11-18, 2015, the “Be Mine” features oceanfront accommodations, champagne, chocolates, Valentine’s balloon bouquet and rose petal turndown service. Bookings at select properties also include a romantic dinner at area eateries like Just Off Main, 3500 and Shoreline Café, as well as breakfast in bed.

Rates start at $281 and are based on a two-night stay for two adults in a one-bedroom condo.

“We’re rolling out the red carpet this upcoming Valentine’s Day with one of our best holiday offers in recent memory,” says Jim Eggen, General Manager of MBSR. “Day-time highs that frequently hit the 60s and 70s are perfect for exploring the Grand Strand’s renowned sugar sand beaches, exceptional shopping, diverse dining options and other calling cards.”

Myrtle Beach is within a half-day’s drive of population centers like Washington D.C., Raleigh, Charlotte and Atlanta. Moreover, Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) is conveniently located to all MBSR properties. Serviced by Delta, Continental, Spirit Airlines and US Airways, it features daily, nonstop flights to over 25 destinations including Philadelphia, Baltimore, Newark, N.J. and Chicago.

For additional information and reservations: Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts, 888.571.4104.

About Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts

Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts is a collection of six oceanfront and ocean view condo-hotels in North Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Avista Resort, Prince Resort, Horizon at 77th, Grande Shores, Seaside and the Towers at North Myrtle Beach all provide the comforts of full-service resort hotels with the space and luxury of condominiums.

Each property features modern décor that reflects a coastal lifestyle and breathtaking views of the pristine northern region of the world-famous Grand Strand. Elegant yet affordable, units are spacious one to three bedrooms with fully-equipped kitchens, washer / dryer, and private balconies. Most hotels have fitness centers, an array of indoor and outdoor pools, on-site dining and access to world-class beaches.
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Family Tailgating with Bojangles' (Reveiw & Giveaway) #TailgateEverythingPromo

Fall is all about football and tailgating. Whether you attend games in person or watch it on TV, food is a big part of it. We catch most games at home and I do my best to have good game food prepared. Sometimes I just don’t feel like cooking or even cleaning for that matter. Good thing there’s the Bojangles’ family meal that is perfect for our at-home tailgating. You can choose the 8 or 12 piece depending on the size of your party and it comes with everything you need to make your tailgate gathering easier and tastier. You can choose from their classic fixin's as they call them here in the south. They even include your choice of their Legendary Iced Tea or Lemonade as well as cups, plates and napkins.

I say YES to not messing up pots, pans, dishes or standing in front of a hot grill. For a limited time, you can order their yummy football shaped BoBerry biscuits. It works as the perfect dessert! I can see ordering a couple dozen to take into the workplace or school to share with friends. I was able to add a 6-pack of them onto my 8-piece box for an additional $1.99.
My family LOVES Bojangles' chicken and biscuits. On occasion when I take a break from cooking, it's not unusual for us to grab a family meal from there. It is also our road trip stop for breakfast.

Here are a few facts you might not know about Bojangles' chicken, biscuits or tea:
  • Bojangles’ biscuits are made from scratch using fat-free buttermilk and always served warm and fresh, no more than 20 minutes after coming out of the oven. Bojangles’-certified biscuit-makers use the same recipe today that was perfected by Bojangles’ founders in 1977.
  • Bojangles’ delicious bone-in fried chicken is shipped fresh daily, marinated for 12 hours, then hand-dipped and breaded.
  • Bojangles’ Legendary Iced Tea is made the old-fashioned way – it’s freshly steeped tea that’s brewed every day.  
Bojangles’ is also holding an Instagram contest offering the chance to win a Bojangles’ Tailgate Prize Pack every week, which includes a set of cornhole boards, $100 Bojangles’ gift card and two Bojangles’ tailgating chairs. Details are on www.TailgateEverything.com – simply share a photo of friends or family tailgating with Bojangles’ on Instagram using #TailgateEverythingPromo for a chance to win!

Giveaway: I have $20 in Bojangles' gift cards to give away to one lucky Mom Files reader. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 30, 2014. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Mom files is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes.

Disclosure: I received gift cards from Bojangles' to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own as always.
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Easy Shrimp & Grits {Recipe}

I made this yummy shrimp and grits dish for dinner last night and it was so good, I thought I would share my recipe. It was very easy and doesn't require a lot of ingredients or time. This was my first time cooking this particular dish and I honestly didn't know what to put in it. We were in Whole Foods (my new favorite store) and picked up a 2-pound bag of peeled and deveined Key West shrimp. I came up with the rest of the ingredients off the top of my head.
What you need:
1-2 pounds of peeled, deveined shrimp rinsed and dried (I used 2 lbs)
1 lemon (I used organic Meyer)
Your favorite dried seasonings (you can see my usual ones here)
Sriracha hot sauce (optional but recommended)
3-4 tbsp pure butter
1 small chopped onion
couple cloves finely minced garlic
fresh, chopped Italian parsley
chopped roma tomatoes
Your favorite brand of grits cooked the way you like it.

What you do:
I like to get my grits started first since they take longer to cook than the shrimp. I cook mine for a minimum of 20 minutes and add some sea salt and a couple tablespoons of pure butter.

Next step is to season your shrimp with what you like. Avoid salt because some seasonings have enough salt in them already.

Heat a large skillet on high heat and add 2 tbsp of your butter. Add your chopped onion and saute for a couple minutes. Now add your shrimp and garlic and cook them for a few minutes. Squeeze in a little sriracha to taste and some lemon juice. Now add the rest of your butter (this helps make a sauce). Last, toss in your Italian parsley and chopped roma tomatoes. Take your shrimp off the stove so your tomatoes don't cook. Serve your shrimp over the grits and enjoy!

This meal took me about 25 minutes to make and my family LOVED it. It cost us about $20 for our family of 5. Not bad considering what a restaurant would charge for this! I think next time I will add some fancy cheese to the grits and maybe even some fresh chopped chives or scallions at the end of cooking.

Let me know if you try this recipe!
Shelly, Mom Files
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