Out and About with Pink at Daniels Restaurant & Lounge
It is easy to immediately get lost in the atmosphere at Daniels Restaurant & Lounge, located in Beach Market off North Forest Beach Drive. Within the first few steps guests are propelled from a quiet beach town in South Carolina to an edgy night club in Las Vegas or an upscale bar in the heart of Miami. With the recent redesign of the restaurant, it is obvious that owner Aviv Ben-Yair took great care in the unique details that would make his lounge stand out. From the mesmerizing grand entrance tunnel, to the modern rectangular dishware, to the chic dim lighting, this place screams contemporary sophistication.
But what would a stunning atmosphere be without an extraordinary product to back it up? Daniels boasts a menu with Eastern, Mediterranean and Caribbean inspiration, along with a bar that offers the largest selection of spirits in South Carolina. The unique menu offers both lunch and dinner, along with "Big small plates" which serve as oversized tapas. Each dish has been hand-crafted and perfected by Executive Chef Nuriel "Dan" Dori (Israel). The area also includes both indoor and outdoor seating, as well as the presence of live music to create a relaxed yet lively mood.
The Experience
When some of the staff at Pink Magazine decided to venture to Daniels, I admit I was a little skeptical at first. Let me first preface this by saying I am not an adventurous eater. I am one of those people who tend to go to the same few restaurants and order the same comfortable dishes and drinks. I always look at the ingredients, and if there is one I have never tried, I steer clear of the dish as a whole. If you are one of these people too- keep your mind open for the next few moments, because the food at Daniels is an adventure worth taking.
The group included Elizabeth and Dana Millen, Candy Eazor, Lindsay Gifford, my husband Luke and I. As I sat down I scanned the menu and found the safest thing to order, a house salad. However, before I had a chance, Aviv approached the table and told us not to worry about ordering, as he would take the liberty of providing some tapas for us to "sample."
The Food
For the next hour, we were showered with plate after endless plate of the most delicious and artistically creative:
From the Mediterranean inspirations we tasted the Capri- a tower of fresh mozzarella, basil, tomato and roasted eggplant, and the Cinnamon Lamb Kebab- ground lamb mixed with garlic, onion and cilantro, then skewered on cinnamon bark and topped with black honey and raw tehini.
From the Caribbean inspirations we sampled the Dates and Bacon Skewers- dates filled with brie cheese and almonds wrapped with bacon and the Grilled Sea Scallops- sea scallops with fried mozzarella served in lettuce cups.
From the Eastern inspirations we tried Chicken Skewers- chicken, pineapple, bell peppers and red onion in a sweet chili glaze and the Spicy Shrimp and Calamari- fried shrimp and calamari in sweet and spicy sauce on a layer of chopped romaine and wontons.
From the Ocean inspirations we sampled the Tuna Ceviche- blue fin tuna ceviche mixed with fresh avocado and wrapped in lettuce cups and the Stuffed Calamari- whole calamari tubes stuffed with a mix of ricotta, crËme cheese, mozzarella, walnuts and herbs in a spicy tomato sauce on garlic bruschetta.
One of our group members had been to Daniels previously, so we each also had a bite of her favorite dish, the Pantzanella & Artichokes Salad- fresh mozzarella chunks, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, ciabatta bread, fresh basil and black sesame seeds in a garlic infused olive oil dressing.
The six of us devoured each plate that was set in front of us, and I no longer cared about the ingredients in the dish. Although we all had our favorites, there was not one dish that I did not like. With a flare of absolutely delicious desserts at the end of the evening, we all left full and completely satisfied.
The Presentation
As if the taste of the food isn't enough to keep anyone coming back, the poise of the staff and the presentation of the dishes only added to the ambiance of the experience. Each plate was truly a work of art; an edible masterpiece. I can honestly say my dining experience at Daniels was one of the best I've ever had.
For you skeptics out there- still not convinced? Don't take my word for it. On Tripadvisor.com Daniels has received 100% recommendation rate with all excellent scores from reviewers. One visitor called the restaurant "an impressive treat hidden in amongst t-shirt shops." Try it for yourself, I promise you will not be disappointed.
If You Go
Daniels Restaurant & Lounge is located at 2 North Forest Beach Drive #107, in Beach City Market, HHI. They are open for lunch and tapas dinner daily from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m, with happy hour from 4-7 p.m. For more information or to make a reservation, call 843-341-9379.