What the Cheat!

Continuing with my personal health coach’s Fit Girl’s Guide to Cheat Eating, this week’s cheat was phenomenal. I mean unreal, delicious and worth every single calorie ever!

I’ve been making my way around the Myrtle Beach food scene and found an Italian restaurant that rivals some of those up North (New Jersey and New York). This little gem is Sole. It’s nothing to really look at on the outside. It is part of a strip mall and one of the stores is vacant so again, you may not think to go in. Take my word, you don’t want to pass this place up.

If you are like me, when you walk into a restaurant you are instantly ravenous. TIP: make a reservation here, you will wait an hour or more if you do not – especially during tourist season (May – September). The place is owned by family from Miami (opening their first restaurant there 27 years ago. Carlos Ribera (Dad) cooks while Mom, Patricia, and Frankie (son) work the floor. Patricia is a cancer survivor, but you’d never know. She works her tail off every time we are there. Frankie is the nicest guy and best waiter I ever had. The way he describes the food, your mouth is watering and you want what he recommends.

The food…OMG. Every dish is made fresh to order and you can taste it.

This trip (yes, we have been there more than once), we knew right away we were getting their famous appetizer, now I don’t know if Sole is really famous for the Fiocchi, but anyone who has been there, these little pasta purses (filled with three cheeses and pear in a white cream sauce) are all you can talk about. That said, we started with them and the antipasti (both below). You don’t need that many appetizers because the portions are of decent size, but as they say, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs.

My husband had Fettucine Carbonara. It was creamy and wonderful. Yes, I tried it. I, on the other hand, had their masterpiece. If they are not famous for the Fiocchi, they are certainly (or at least should be) famous for their Pork Osso Bucco. This chop marinates in a Jack Daniels glaze for 48 hours and the meat falls right off the bone. It is tender and juicy with wonderful flavors that make you think you died and went to heaven. It is paired with marinated green beans and risotto. Although I attempted it, I did not finish the meal. I guess it was the appetizers or maybe the complimentary bruschetta with that spice infused oil mixture they give you.

I walked out of there feeling like if I got hit by a bus, that would be the perfect last meal. I was stuffed like a Thanksgiving Turkey.

In fact, my body knew something was up. Your body certainly knows when it’s getting something out of the ordinary. After this meal, I was so tired that I could not move a muscle. My stomach was bloated and I felt like I overdid it…I did overdo it! So, what do you do in those situations? Here are three quick tips to help you after your next cheat meal splurging.

• Drink some tea. I went for peppermint, which felt like an instant dessert that helped soothe my digestive system with it’s warm temperature.
• Next, I grabbed my dogs and went for a long walk. Being upright (even if just sitting upright), doesn’t put pressure on your stomach like sitting down. The worst thing to do is move to the couch. The sitting position can cause stomach acid to creep up into your esophagus and trigger uncomfortable heartburn.
• Post walk, it was time to relax. Not necessarily go right to the couch, but relax mentally. Do something like read a book to get your mind off feeling so full. The more you relax the more your GI system will relax and not stress from working so hard.

I would not take this meal back – even after some bloat issues. Sole certainly hits all things that are right when it comes to a personal health coach with my Fit Girl’s Guide to Cheat Eating.