28 Oct Top 8 places to enjoy delicious She Crab Soup on the Hammock Coast One of my first memories of feeling decadent was, as a boy, trying a deliciously rich cup of She Crab Soup while on a South Carolina beach trip nearly 50 years ago. My mountain born-and-raised family all adored seafood, but, when I was young, I wasn’t sure about things like oysters, clams and other slimy things from the sea. OK, for me, the jury is still out on a lot of seafood, but my palate took a liking to flounder, shrimp and, especially, crab. But, of all things, it all started out with a cup of She Crab Soup, rich, creamy and delicious. My father, with a love of all things seafood (yes, even the “slimy” ones), had ordered a bowl of She Crab Soup. The Lowcountry favorite was new to him, and he was always ready to try something different. Luckily, I had a sample of his soup. I was enthralled. For the little mountain boy from Tennessee, I had been transported to a new and glorious place. Recognizing my pure excitement, my mother ordered me a cup of the soup – what mother doesn’t find joy in watching her son enjoy a hearty soup? I devoured that cup of She Crab Soup, delivered with flourish from a waitress who warned, “You be careful, honey. It’s hot!” From then on, any restaurant that has She Crab Soup on the menu, it’s always a starter for me. Precisely, I’ve always ordered just a cup, when available, despite my fondness. A cup of the scrumptious, yet heavy, soup always seems just right in that portion. In South Carolina and enjoying She Crab Soup When I moved to South Carolina’s Hammock Coast in 2013, there were plenty of options for getting my fix of She Crab Soup, and I can honestly say I’ve never been disappointed. Legend has it that She Crab Soup was created in Charleston, South Carolina, for a dinner in honor of President Willam Howard Taft. Mayor R. Goodwin Rhett asked his chef, Williams Deas, to create something special for the president. Deas added female crab roe to his traditional cream bisque, and the tradition was born. The soup, with a heavy cream base, is – if done the proper way – finished with splash of sherry in the center, but I’ve found that’s not always the case today. (But it’s a delight when the sherry shines!) Lee’s Inlet Kitchen in Murrells Inlet serves its popular She Crab Soup with a side of hushpuppies and honey butter. (Photo by Adrian Dorman) The popularity of the soup quickly spread from Charleston to Savannah, Georgia, and up the Carolina coast. Restaurants on the Hammock Coast have served it for generations. Chefs prepare the soup in a variety of ways today and experiment with fish stock, seasonings and sometimes even adding cheese. In her 1997 cookbook, “The Lady & Sons,” Paula Deen called the soup “a traditional favorite,” and also noted, “We try to use female crabs, but you can use either male or female.” I recall that James Villa, in his cookbook, “My Southern Mother’s Kitchen,” fondly remembered discovering an indulgent She Crab Soup in Murrells Inlet. She Crab Soup stars on Hammock Coast menus It’s not a surprise, then, that She Crab Soup remains a mainstay at many Hammock Coast restaurants today – from Murrells Inlet down to the waterfront restaurants in historic Georgetown. To that end, I’ll highlight eight restaurants (all members of the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce) on the Hammock Coast where you, too, can get your fix of the Lowcountry’s signature soup. Cups of She Crab Soup along the Hammock Coast range from $6.99 to $9.99, while bowls fetch from $9.99 all the way up to $15. Indulge in She Crab Soup at any of the following locations, presented in alphabetical order: AUSTIN’S HARVEST RESTAURANT Chef Bill Austin brought his flair for great food from Ocean One, once the signature restaurant at the Oceanfront Litchfield Inn, to renowned Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet. At Austin’s Harvest Restaurant inside Brookgreen Gardens, the chef and his staff serve up fresh and homemade food for lunch daily and for dinner on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Inspiration often comes from Bethea’s Garden, an organic garden grown and harvested by Brookgreen Gardens’ horticulture department and a key supplier of fresh home-grown produce for Harvest. Styled as “Lowcountry She Crab Soup,” diners can order it by the cup, bowl, or paired with the House Salad, which is made up of mixed greens, cucumber, tomato, carrot, and Kalamata olives. A ticket or membership to Brookgreen Gardens is required to access Austin’s. Cup: $8. Bowl: $10. With House Salad, $16. DRUNKEN JACK’S Drunken Jack’s has been, without a doubt, the defining restaurant along Murrells Inlet’s famous MarshWalk. In business since 1979, Drunken Jack’s offers a plethora of fresh seafood options, prepared to every liking. Executive Chef Casey Blake, named the a South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association Chef of the Year in 2015, puts his fine touch to all that’s served up at Drunken Jack’s. And he doesn’t disappoint with his “Lowcountry She Crab Soup.” Blake, who represented Drunken Jack’s at James Beard event in New York City and has also been featured on the TV show “Chef Swap,” has kept the She Crab Soup as a staple on his menu for years. Diners refer to it as “simply divine” and “delicious.” Cup: $7.75. Bowl: $9.85. HANSER HOUSE It’s not just She Crab Soup at Hanser House, the longtime North Litchfield Beach restaurant owned and operated by Juanita Hanser and her family. No, the soup gets an eponymous title: “Hanser Family She Crab Soup,” and a declaration on the menu: “Award-winning Hanser House recipe that has been around for generations.” One wouldn’t expect anything less from “Granny” Hanser, as Juanita, or “Nita,” is often called by those who frequent the restaurant. If you ask on social media, you’ll get plenty of emphatic assurances that the best She Crab Soup is found at Hanser House. Cup: $6.99. Bowl: $9.99. ——— THE INDEPENDENT Chef Dylan Shook oversees a delightful menu at The Independent, the signature restaurant at The George Hotel in historic Georgetown. Shook’s She Crab Soup has an intriguing descriptor: “Lump crab, herb oil.” Let’s go! Bowl: $12. ——— The She Crab Soup is so popular at Lee’s Inlet Kitchen, patrons can get it go by the pint or quart. (Photo by Adrian Dorman) LEE’S INLET KITCHEN Icon gets thrown around a lot, but Lee’s Inlet Kitchen has definitely earned the title. Still owned and operated by the same family since 1948, the Murrells Inlet restaurant has been named the Best Seafood Restaurant in South Carolina by Southern Living. Best of all, all its soups are homemade, and the menu notes that the She Crab Soup is a “seven-time winner of the Murrells Inlet Chowder Contest.” And it’s won more accolades, too. Served with hushpuppies and honey butter, the soup is beloved by diners and gets lots of love on social media. Reviewers often note the soup is “chockful of fresh Carolina crab” and praise it for a smooth, yet hearty, consistency. Lee’s co-owner Adrian Dorman said the restaurant’s recipe was perfected in 1983 by Clay Williams, Lee’s kitchen manager for more than 30 years. “If someone who’s never been here before asks what to order,” Dorman said, “the She Crab Soup is the first thing we recommend! It’s one of our most popular items! We always use a ton of crabmeat. We’ve had lots of folks tell us ours has more crabmeat than any other She Crab they’ve had!” Cup: $9.95. Bowl: $11.95. Also to-go by pint for $14.95, or a quart for $30. ——— At Russell’s Seafood Grill in Murrells Inlet, diners can ask for an extra dash of sherry on top of their She Crab Soup. RUSSELL’S SEAFOOD GRILL The folks at Russell’s Seafood Grill say you can call the Murrells Inlet restaurant an “institution” or even “a museum.” Or, if you’re really old school, you can call it a “fish house,” and, in a village that’s proudly known as the Seafood Capital of South Carolina, “fish house” is a real badge of honor. The She Crab Soup earns plenty of bragging rights for Russell’s and many called it “legendary.” A golden-orange soup topped with fresh crab meat, it’s cooked with sherry as a main ingredient, but you can ask the wait staff to add a dash of sherry to the top, as well, for a very special treat. Great reviews are aplenty for Russell’s She Crab Soup, but it doesn’t get much better than this from Family Destinations Guide: “This unassuming eatery has perfected the art of She Crab Soup so divine that locals have been known to develop a weekly habit that borders on devotion.” The guide went on to say “this Carolina classic reaches its pinnacle at Russell’s – a velvety, rich concoction that strikes the perfect balance between creamy decadence and the sweet delicacy of fresh crab.” Cup: $9.99. Bowl: $11.99. Quart to-go: $35.99. A “buttery, thick” She Crab Soup is served up at Wahoo’s Fish House in Murrells Inlet. WAHOO’S FISH HOUSE Another member restaurant along the acclaimed MarshWalk in Murrells Inlet, Wahoo’s Fish House is another stop in trying all the best She Crab Soup along the Hammock Coast. The menu notes that Wahoo’s She Crab Soup “is made fresh with local ingredients.” Pair that with the stunning views from Wahoo’s perch above the Inlet, and you’ve got a perfect lunch or dinner. One reviewer simply referred to the soup as “Stellar.” Says it all, really. At $15 for a bowl, it’s the highest-priced among the restaurants included here, but reviewers have noted that it’s worth the price for the “buttery, thick” and ample portion with just the perfect dollop of sherry, adding to its authentic taste. Bowl: $15. ——— WICKED TUNA At Wicked Tuna, another of the MarshWalk stars, there are two soup options: Soup of the Day and, a testament to its popularity, She Crab Soup. Offered in an generous bowl, diners praise the always-on-the-menu soup as “creamy,” “comforting,” and a “must-try.” Bowl: $12. By Mark A. Stevens / director of tourism development for South Carolina’s Hammock Coast® 0 Hammock-All, Georgetown, Litchfield, Murrells Inlet, Pawleys Island
