Lombardo’s is a hidden jewel, and it has all the right facets for a date night, family dinner, or drinks with friends. Owner John Lombardo has paid attention to every detail of the dining experience, from the restaurant’s warm, romantic ambience—white linen tablecloths, soft lighting, walls adorned with local photography—to his showcasing of an experienced and extremely talented chef, Buddy Noble.

Most dishes at Lombardo’s stand out, a combination of old-school Continental (escargot a la Provençal) to Lowcountry staples (barbecued shrimp and grits). In a town filled with crab cakes, Lombardo’s are excellent, meaty and sweet, served with crispy pancetta, sautéed corn, and a roasted remoulade sauce. Warm, house-made baguettes with sweet butter tempered our appetites, while salads were leafy and fresh, served with our choice of scratch-made dressings.

It was challenging selecting entrées. Veal and baby portabellos (fork-tender and layered with basil, homemade marinara, and pillowy mozzarella) and the maple-glazed salmon with a Jim Beam and brown-sugar peach sauce were seductive, but we ultimately selected the roasted pork, encrusted in rosemary and Dijon, and the cashew-encrusted salmon, pan sautéed with a fresh mango salsa.

Though undeniably satisfied at this point, we still had enough room to sample a house-made dessert. We opted for Lombardo’s tiramisu, luxurious and light, with smoky undertones of espresso and dark cocoa. Molto buono!

Lombardo’s American Bistro
Location: 411 79th Ave. N., Myrtle Beach, (843) 497-6699, http://lombardosbistro.com
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 4pm-until
Average price of entrées: $18