We interrupt your regularly scheduled Places to Be to bring you this special issue.
I know that in the last issue I told you about my plans to present you with some tourist oriented places that you might want to check out before the summer crowds arrive. However, two things happened over the last week: First, I had a terrible cold that put me out of the mood for visiting tourist spots, and second, I enjoyed a spectacular lunch from The Original Mr. Fish.
Fish is a trick food for me. I love it, but my desire to order it rarely comes up. I don’t know what it is exactly, but sometimes I will see a restaurant that specializes in fish and, blam, that is what I want. That is how I came across Mr. Fish.
I was heading toward the office after a morning meeting and I came across The Original Mr. Fish, located at 3401 N. Kings Highway. Right then, I knew it was lunchtime.
Mr. Fish is an intimate place. It is brightly colored and a friendly environment. There were maybe a half-dozen tables for seating, with a few tables outside on the sidewalk. It was lunchtime and the place was full. I was happy that I was getting take out and didn’t have to wait for a seat.
On the other hand, I was kind of jealous of the people eating in. While I waited, I watched some truly excellent customer service going on in the midst of the crazy lunchtime rush. The waiter was on the ball, and Ted Hammerman, the owner, seemed to make time to stop and talk to everyone.
It seems that Ted really knows his fish. Apparently, Ted is a well-respected consultant to the international fishing industry and has an impressive resume. He also offers catering in addition to the restaurant, consulting, seafood supply, bait and … well, just about every service you can think of that involves fish.
I ordered a fish sandwich and she-crab soup from the menu, which I almost regretted. The specials board listed a lot of tasty sounding meals, including seafood lasagna.
However, I had made my choice, and would have to live with it.
When I got to the office and finally got to dig into my meal, I had no regrets.
The sandwich had a perfectly cooked piece of fish.
There was a generous side of fries, and more importantly, a very generous supply of tartar sauce.
The she crab soup was something different. To be honest, I wasn’t impressed with my first taste of it, but with every spoonful, it got better and better. By the time I reached the bottom of the bowl, I found myself wanting more.
The Original Mr. Fish is a great place to be for lunch, but I suggest you plan ahead. It gets crowded, and even with the great customer service, it may take awhile. If you can, call ahead for take out orders (843.839.FISH), Mr. Fish is well worth the extra effort.
(Originally Published in the Myrtle Beach Herald)
