By Pamela Brownstein
From downtown Beaufort, take the Sea Island Parkway out to St. Helena Island, then make a left at the light when you see the sign for Dataw Island. Go down the winding road, through the gate and past the charming houses until you reach the Dataw Island Marina. This picturesque spot is home to Sweetgrass Restaurant, which is only open for dinner, and The Outpost, which is open for breakfast and lunch. Both eateries were recently bought by owner and 
chef Penn TenEyck, and the Lunch Bunch was excited to see what was cooking.
The Outpost is decorated very cheerily, and has an old-timey theme, like a small town soda shop. It has a full coffee and espresso bar, and customers order at the counter. The menu offers a variety of salads and sandwiches, all with quality ingredients and special features.
Elizabeth ordered The Burger which comes with pimento cheese, caramelized onions and mushrooms on a Brioche bun. It was big, and she said it was very delicious.
I tried the Ham and Turkey Club, which is one of the more popular items on the menu, and for good reason. Piled with ham, turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato and red onion on toasted wheat bread, this giant sandwich also includes cranberry mayo, which only elevates its awesomeness.
On the healthier end, Nikki and Irene opted for specialty salads. Irene enjoyed her shrimp and crab salad over
mixed greens, while Nikki said her cranberry-pecan chicken salad was the best she’d ever had. The smoked chicken gave it immense flavor, and the sweetness from the cranberries and crunch from the pecans made for a winning combination.
We also shared the Barbecue Sandwich — slow-cooked pork with signature BBQ sauce and bacon coleslaw on a Brioche bun — that was really good, and the Shrimp Burger that was super tasty.
Even though we were all full, we were treated to a dessert platter that was impossible to refuse. We sampled a piece of Coconut Cake with hints of pineapple; a slice of Chocolate Mousse pie that I single-handedly devoured; and a Double Caramel Nut Chocolate Torte with Ladyfingers that was as decadent as it sounds.
The Outpost is at the Dataw Island Marina on Dataw Island. It is open for breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m., and lunch from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day of the week except Wednesday. Call 843-838-2508 or visit www.outpostdataw.com.
