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Fried Seafood

Wade Spees
The Post and Courier

Hot, fresh fried seafood is the main attraction at SeeWee Restaurant in Awendaw, supported by exceptional sides.

Frying is an art and a science. There's artistry in balancing breadings, batters and seasonings in such a way that the succulent shrimp, sea-salty oyster or delicate flounder fillet aren't overwhelmed. And there's science in the cooking process, at least when it's done right — and when it isn't, there's grease in the food.

We found several Lowcountry restaurants that have mastered the art and science, producing top-notch fried seafood. All serve other preparations of seafood (grilled, broiled, etc.) and 'landlubber' fare as well, but fried is our mission here.

If you want to make out-of-town company jealous of how lucky you are to live by the coast, these are the places to take them.

Gilligan's Steamer & Raw Bar

Goose Creek, Johns Island, Moncks Corner, Mount Pleasant, Summerville

www.gilligans.net

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With five locations in the tri-county area, Gilligan's brings fried seafood home to the entire Lowcountry. The family-friendly atmosphere, casual decor and large menu make it a something-for- everyone kind of place.

Platters are the way to go if you can't make up your mind what to order. The fried seafood combos offer a choice of two or three items — shrimp, flounder, oysters, scallops or mahi-mahi 'fingers.' Of all the items we tried, the mahi-mahi was our favorite — it's a grown-up, sophisticated version of the fish sticks from our childhood, steaming hot, tender and deliciously moist. The shrimp came in a close second.

Three sides come with dinner entrees, and almost all the choices are starchy (baked or mashed potatoes, red rice, french fries and corn on the cob among them). Some nonstarchy options would be nice; those currently available include coleslaw, which could have used a little pick-me-up seasoning, and a green salad.

Among the appetizers, our favorite is the Buffalo Shrimp with Blue Cheese Sauce. The shrimp are fried, then tossed in a spicy sauce with good, true Buffalo flavor. An innovative touch we like at Gilligan's is the plastic bucket that rests in a hollow in the center of each table. It's a neat, easy way to dispose of all the crumpled paper napkins, cracker wrappers, shrimp tails and other dinner table debris that tends to pile up quickly at a fried-seafood place, especially if you've got kids.

The Wreck

106 Haddrell St., Mount Pleasant

884-0052

www.wreckrc.com

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You used to have to be a local to know about The Wreck. Insiders knew that you'd get a free bowl of boiled peanuts to munch on before dinner, that you marked your menu choices with a felt-tip pen on a photocopied paper menu, that the food was served no-frills fashion on paper plates, with paper napkins.

But with The Wreck, as with a number of other restaurants in the Lowcountry, word started to get out in the late 1990s. Now people from all over the country and around the world know about the place, which gets its formal name, 'The Wreck of the Richard and Charlene,' from a shrimp trawler that wrecked on the site of the restaurant, on Shem Creek, during Hurricane Hugo.

Despite all the media attention, The Wreck has stayed true to itself and its down-to-earth roots. For fans of laidback, no-fuss fried seafood, that's delicious news indeed.

Seafood portions at The Wreck generally come in two sizes, 'Richard's' (1/2 pound of shrimp, oysters, scallops, etc.) or 'Charlene's' (1/4 pound). Fried fish on the menu includes grouper, mahi mahi, flounder and other market selections. Dinners come with red rice, slaw, hush puppies and a fried hominy square.

The shrimp are a perpetual winner at The Wreck, always crispy and perfectly seasoned. We'd put the fish in the No. 2 spot for our favorites here, followed by the oysters. The slaw is lightly dressed, always bright in color and flavor, and the fried hominy square is a Wreck trademark. In fact, we'd be glad to trade our hushpuppies and red rice for the option of having a few more of those creamy/crispy, jalapeno-spiked squares on our paper plate.

SeeWee Restaurant

4808 U.S. Highway 17, Awendaw

928-3609

www.seeweerestaurant.com

$-$$

We knew it the moment we broke open a hushpuppy and a puff of steam came out: This is gonna begood.

The SeeWee Restaurant has been doing fried food right for 15 years. That says a lot, considering the competitiveness of the restaurant industry and the tremendous growth of options for eating out in nearby Mount Pleasant during that time. It says even more considering SeeWee's rather out-of-the-way location. But one piping-hot hushpuppy, one crisply fried shrimp, a single crunchy fried oyster and you'll know it's worth the drive.

It's easy to get carried away with the hushpuppies — they put a big basket of them on your table, free, after they take your order — but save room for the main course. We like the two-way combination (choose two: shrimp, oysters, scallops or flounder), but if you can't decide, you can get all four on a platter for just $1 more than the combo price.

All are served hot, at maximum crunchiness, with just the right amount of artfully seasoned breading to let the seafood still shine through.

SeeWee's side dishes are standouts, too, and you'll get your choice of three with most entrees. If you want to go fried all the way, we recommend the fried onion rings, fried eggplant and fried okra. For more variety on the plate, our list of favorites includes SeeWee's butter beans, coleslaw, green beans, and macaroni and cheese.

Just as winning as the food at SeeWee is the service. The staff is charming with kids, relaxed but professional and efficient with grown-ups, and an all-around pleasure to deal with.

Never has, 'Y'all want some dessert, hon?' sounded so sweet.