The Village Pasta Shoppe in Bluffton Village is under new ownership. Leslie Rohland, owner of the Juice Hive in the next building, as well as other culinary enterprises, added the store to her portfolio recently. LYNNE COPE HUMMELL
From old businesses with new owners to new businesses in new places, we have much to discuss.
Rohland takes over Village Pasta Shoppe: There are changes afoot just down the sidewalk from our office on Johnston Way in Bluffton Village. Leslie Rohland, owner of The Cottage Café and the Juice Hive, has taken over ownership of The Village Pasta Shoppe. The Bluffton pasta pavilion and Italian gourmet food market celebrated its grand re-opening Nov. 1.
“We are so excited to be continuing the tradition of bringing the taste of Italy to the Lowcountry through our fresh gourmet pasta, artisanal ingredients and take-home ‘heat-n-serve’ pasta dishes that have long been loved by so many in the community,” said Rohland, who is also the founder of May River Coffee Roasters and owner of The Emporium and Sidecar Catering – which features personal catering services featuring her award-winning cuisine.
“I am thrilled to be the new owner of this beloved gourmet pasta shop,and am excited to not only be continuing the tradition of the highest quality pastas, ingredients and food items, but bringing some new and unique menu items, products and programs like our PASTAport to the Bluffton community.”
Their fresh cut pastas and homemade “heat-n-serve” pastas are all made fresh daily with their homemade marinara sauce and available in various sizes. The shop also offers a large selection of artisan breads, antipasti, cheese, cured Italian meats, desserts and wine. And customers have long lauded the selection of Italian gourmet food products not found on local supermarket shelves.
For more information and to view the takeout menu, visit villagepastashoppe.com.
New boutique indoor playspace opens: We told you about a trampoline park coming to the area in the coming months, but there is a new option for parents of young ones open at Tanger Outlets 1. Jumpin’ Jellybeans (1256 Fording Island Road, Suite 175, Bluffton, 843-929-0231, jumpinjellybeanshiltonhead.com) is all about the ball bit. No bounce houses, no trampolines, just one of the largest ball pits in South Carolina, a designated toddler area and fun obstacles for kids up to 10 years old. The family-owned business is focused on parent satisfaction and the cleanest and most state-of-the-art fun for your kids. Plus, there is a CoolBeans Café for the parents to sip on hot and free coffee while the kids get their ball pit time.
The CAVA transformation is complete: A few buildings down at the front of Tanger 1, Cava Grill officially opened its doors Oct. 14. GM Jay Isakson is excited to welcome former Zoe’s Kitchen diners and newcomers to sample the new Mediterranean-focused chef-casual restaurant. Area foodies know the Cava brand from their line of dips and spreads sold in area specialty food stores and at Whole Food Market. The growing eatery chain started among three friends from three loud Greek families in Maryland and has expanded nationwide to more than 80 locations. This is the first lower Lowcountry location and the chain’s third in South Carolina. The concept is simple eating, a you-build-your-meal eatery where you choose your ingredients from a base (salad greens, a pita, rice or a grain bowl), choose your dips and spreads (six different choices, including the spicy tomato and pepper harissa spread, our fave), pick a protein (falafel, lamb meatballs, honey chicken, grilled chicken or meatballs, or braised lamb) and then complete with toppings and dressings. For more information, visit cava.com.
High-end steakhouse opens on island: Bowdie’s Chophouse, a high-end steakhouse, has opened in Island Crossing at 11 Palmetto Bay Road. Bowdie’s earned a reputation for elegance and epic steaks at its three locations in Michigan. While the eatery has a selection of starters and a trio of fish and chicken options and add-ons such as lobster tail, the star of the show is the steak. They offer six choices – the 18-ounce Kansas City, bone-in 14-ounce filet, a 10-ounce filet mignon, a 26-ounce Cowboy ribeye, a 36-ounce Tomahawk for two, and a gargantuan 40-ounce, bone-in tenderloin and strip steak in one. For more information and to make reservations, visit bowdiechophouse.com.
Soules expands to Bar 19: Underground Burritos owner James Soules was golfing at the newly opened Island West one afternoon when he noticed the 40 Island West Drive clubhouse restaurant space was still vacant. That changed very quickly. Soules talked to course management and quickly struck a deal to take over the space. Within weeks, he transformed the clubhouse into Bar 19 at Island West.
“Getting the course back open, it’s huge for the community. So I talked with Joe Walters and we made this happen. These folks, they fought hard for this and they deserve a place all their own,” Soules said. “We’re open to the public, but first and foremost, we’re here to honor the blood, sweat and tears that went into bringing Island West back to life.”
The idea was to bring a bit of Underground Burritos along with unique items from Soules’ culinary Rolodex culled from decades of opening eateries across the Lowcountry.
Bar 19 features a lunch menu with golfers’ favorites like the pimento cheese sandwich and grilled chicken Caesar wrap, sandwiches (the French dip is spectacular) and a selection of UG’s award-winning quesadillas. The dinner menu features a lump crab cake starter, featured dinners like penne vodka, shrimp and rice, and blackened chicken and pasta.
The eatery has already built a following with their Taco Tuesday menu and their Wing Wednesday specials. For more information, visit bar19bluffton.com
Tim Wood is a veteran journalist based in Bluffton. Contact him at timwood@blufftonsun.com.
