Daniel Island Grille Review and Playing with Food

Last week I was given the opportunity to do a review of the Daniel Island Grille. Known as "The DIG" to locals, this restaurant has a casual but exciting atmosphere. It is a great place to go for a drink after work or to meet up with friends for traditional pub fare with flair. The menu contains what you'd typically see on a bar menu but with a creative twist for a reasonable price. The DIG has somewhat of a sports theme; they have 20 high definition TVs and many menu items are named after famous athletes. 

I brought my new co-reviewer Margaret along for the fun and upon seating we were presented with a few different menus. The DIG has a regular menu with items that are available every night, and several special menus. 

• Monday, Diner Night - items include pork chops, meat loaf, mac & cheese, and banana pudding!
• Tuscany Tuesday - Italian specialties, including a pasta and homemade sauce special for only $10
• Wednesday - trivia night with seasonal specials
• Thursday - karaoke night
• Saturday & Sunday - brunch with a Bloody Mary bar

There was so much to choose from, so we started off with a glass of Freixenet, a Spanish sparkling red wine. Neither of us knew that sparkling reds existed, so we were already off to a good start.

After discussing all the menus with our server, Justin, we chose two appetizers. First, we had the Scott Hamilton Hummus and Pita Platter. The hummus was very fresh and had a coarse texture. It was garlic flavored with a hint of lemon. I loved the addition of feta, tomatoes, and kalamata olives with this platter. 

We also tried the Kerri Strug Chicken Spring rolls. These were Southwestern style with black beans, corn, red peppers, spinach, chicken and cheese. It was served with sweet chili sauce. These were stuffed with veggies and so yummy.

We had an even harder time picking out the entrees, but we knew we should try a salad, sandwich, and a special. Out of all the salads, the Bill Parcell's Tuna Salad sounded the best. I chose this entree because it was different from any seared tuna salad I have had. The tuna was placed over mixed greens with artichoke hearts, tomato, kalamata olives with a roasted tomato vinaigrette. Although I wouldn't typically put a tomato vinaigrette over tuna, it was a nice change and went well with the olives and artichokes. Chicken would be really good on this salad.

The sandwich our server recommended was a special. It was turkey, brie, cranberry relish, and spinach on a toasted pita. I liked this sandwich, but I didn't think spinach was a good idea for this salad; I think that turkey, brie, and cranberry is a fine combination in itself.

The sweet potato fries on the other hand were delicious!

For our entree special, we had hibachi chicken and veggies. This was definitely our favorite of the three. There were big chunks of chicken, tonssss of veggies, and a small side of brown rice. I was really impressed with the variety and amount of veggies in this dish. It had broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, and bell peppers.

Here's a pic of everything at once. It was a lot of food for two little girls and we ended up taking a lot home!

But not before we tried dessert, of course! Pictured here is a slice of cheesecake with blueberry topping. This piece of wonderfulness made us wish we hadn't eaten so much earlier! It was delicious. The dessert choices change often as they are made by a local bakery. I was sad that banana pudding wasn't on the menu and definitely want to go back to try it.

We didn't order the chocolate cake, but they did bring a slice out for us to see. Look at that chocolate monster! 

Overall, I was very impressed with the DIG. It's nice to know that you can go to a pub and still enjoy fresh food and have healthy options...and delicious ones. The restaurant is neat because you have the outdoor patio and bar with huge TVs, and you have the inside area for families. I will definitely be back for brunch, mimosas, and the Bloody Mary bar!

In Xtina world...

My roommate is awesome. He's always there to give me the best, honest advice and he makes me laugh constantly. One day I was going on a date and he came into my room after he got back from the gym. I was semi-freaking out (because that's what I do) and he said "I'll be right back." Thirty seconds later, he appears back in my room with two things: a Coor's Light and Scope. He tells me, "Chug this, and swish this," handing me the beer and mouthwash, respectively. It was a great idea...and yes, I did.

Who doesn't love early mornings when you wake up to a surprise? This is what I found on my kitchen counter Tuesday morning:

How awesome is that!

Wednesday morning I found another melon friend:

What a cutie!

Unfortunately melons only have so much drawing space...and they mature quickly sitting on your counter. Tonight it was time to eat him.

Boding wasn't home tonight, but I made sure to show him the massacre.

Bye bye melon...

Later gators!