"Simple food at simple prices” is the theme at Midtown Bistro, a North Myrtle Beach casual dining restaurant and the newest offering from Chef Jeff Martini. Though the food may be simple, the array of choices is anything but. Midtown Bistro has a varied menu with appetizers, salads, pizza, burgers, pasta, fish and steaks.

Chef Martini is best known for Martini’s Continental Cuisine and Piano Bar. In contrast, Midtown is a quaint, family-friendly restaurant where you can enjoy a great meal at reasonable prices. Dishes range from $3.99 to $23.99, with most of the entrees less than $15. He describes the influence as Italian, but there is a wide range of choices served in many different styles. The menu includes a selection of salads and other staples, as well as items that aren’t found elsewhere on the Grand Strand, such as the Eggplant Flat Bread and the Stuffed Banana Peppers.

One of my favorite things about Midtown’s menu is the opportunity to customize your order. If you love pasta Alfredo, you can have it with beef, seafood or both. Like your pizza a certain way? You can choose a sauce base and add the toppings you love. If you like surf and turf, add shrimp or scallops to your steak.

Another menu favorite is the hard-to-find-but-easy-to-love Montecristo sandwich. It consists of honey ham, smoked turkey breast and American cheese on egg-battered and pan-fried white bread, which is like eating a sandwich on French toast.

Midtown Bistro’s catch of the day is always special. Local fish, pan-seared or blackened, is topped with one of the chef’s savory sauces.

My favorite thing about Midtown Bistro is that the owner oversees all of the cooking and greets his guests to make sure they feel special. Simple food, simple prices and great customer service equal simply special dining.