Good eats within walking distance of University of South Carolina?

[ipsedixit]

Any recs for good eats within walking distance of the University?

I'll take anything, diners, BBQ, high-end, Japanese, Mexican, Chinese, etc.

Thanks very much.

[SweetPea]

Don't know if this is to late. - Nice & Natural on College Street. Around the corner from Immaculate consumption. Only lunch

[ipsedixit]

Yeah, we saw that place today, but it closes at around 3 p.m. I think,right?

[BlueHerons]

Walking distance Goat Feathers for desert and Yesterdays.

A bit of a walk but Devine Foods up Devine.

[north2south]

For lunch:
- Immaculate Consumption (they have an apple blt as a special addition to their extensive sandwich menu every once in a while that is quite nice, and I like their roast beef and cuke sandwich)
- The Gourmet Shop (if you like rich and creamy chicken salad, their's is quite good)
- DiPratos (decent meatball sub, and a good variety of other sandwiches, panini, and salds, including vegetarian options)
- Blue Cactus (featuring Korean and Southwestern food, this place is a mixed bag, but the Bee Bim Bop with spicy pork is pretty good)

[ipsedixit]

We stopped in at the Immaculate Consumption. Great, great (and really big) peanut butter cookies. And with the weather in the 80s today, their frozen mocha was the perfect thing to wash down that cookie with.

[booberdu]

Depends on how far you consider walking distance, but here goes: The Blue Marlin in the Vista (excellent She-Crab soup, steaks, and Shrimp and Grits along with homemade bread); Villa Tronco on Blanding St. downtown for Italian; Miyo's for chinese; The McCutchen House (run by USC School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management) on the Horseshoe has a good lunch buffet when school is in session; and, if you want to walk to the other end of Main St. the City Cafe in the Bank of America building has an excellent lunch and great homemade desserts.

[SweetPea]

As always, I second cpt. wafer's recs. I will add The Gorumet Shop (Saluda Ave. 5points) for lunch.

[Cpt Wafer]

The Gourmet Shop. Absolutely! Plum slipped my mind.

[Cpt Wafer]

Based on the request for places within walking distance I'd say for a nice dinner try Garibaldi's, 2013 Greene St [phone]. For lunch Mr. Friendly's, 2001-A Greene St. would be good. For a change of pace try Hunter-Gatherer, 900 Main St. (right on campus).

[ipsedixit]

We tried Garibaldi's at Five Points last night and it was not very good, unfortunately.

The linguini with meatballs was about as ordinary as something out of a box. The veal would've taken a back seat to most better renditions of chicken fried steak. And the dinner special of salmon was dry and very very oversalted.

Maybe Greene St. tonight, or Villa Tronco ...

[north2south]

Mr. Friendly's (on Greene), despite having a cheesy name, is actually a good place for new American with a Southern accent. Same goes for Motor Supply Company (on Gervais). Neither of these places will blow your mind, but they are good for a nice night out. If you have a car you can add Terra (State St., in West Columbia, just over the river) to the list of these kinds of restaurants.

[Cpt Wafer]

Sorry to give you a bum steer on Garibaldi's. Doubt Villa Tronco will be any better.

[ipsedixit]

Should I try Friendly's?

There was a new place -- Mexican maybe? -- that just opened up behind Garibaldi's. Can't remember the name. Ever been?

[Cpt Wafer]

I'm not familiar with it. And I'd hesitate to recommend any local Mexican to someone from Los Angeles. If you're up for a walk down to the Vista, just past the Capitol building on Gervais St., you might give Motor Supply Bistro a shot.

http://www.motorsupplycobistro.com/in...

[ipsedixit]

Thanks for the heads up on Motor Supply Bistro. We tried Friendly's last night, and enjoyed the fried oysters.

By the way, I hear that there's supposed to be a place that makes a great "Rocky Mountain Oyster" here in Columbia. True?

[Cpt Wafer]

Lookin' for mountain oysters, eh? I've not seen them on any menu in town that I can recall. The Seaboard Diner served eggs and brains back when I was a kid. Alas, the Seaboard is as long gone as my childhood.

[ipsedixit]

Ah, yes, eggs and brain. I guess when I'm down south I should be asking for that dish instead of Rocky Mountain Oysters.

But I could've sworn someone mentioned to me that there was a place in Columbia to get RMO.

[Cpt Wafer]

Please post back if you get a line on the RMOs. I'd have to check that place out!

[Suzy Q]

Yesterday's, Andy's Deli, and Groucho's are all in Five Points and all "classic Columbia" cuisine. :-)

[ipsedixit]

Thanks Suzy Q.

Any recs fore those places?

[Suzy Q]

The R2D2 sandwich at Andy's is great (don't forget the side of Thousand Island), and my fave at Yesterday's is the Arkansas Traveler (roast beef and gravy, spooned over cornbread). Everything at Groucho's is good as well - it's typical deli fare.

[ipsedixit]

We walked by Groucho's yesterday during the middle of the day and it was empty. It also smelled like sour milk inside. Perused the menu but didn't see anything worth getting.

Maybe I'm not "getting" Groucho's, but what in the world makes it, as you say, "classic Columia" cuisine?

[north2south]

And, unless you have some nostalgic attachment to them, none of them is worth eating at.

[Suzy Q]

Opinions always vary. Some actual feedback would probably serve the OP much better - but once again, just my opinion.