By Becky Billingsley

Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012, North Myrtle Beach – Crossroads at House of Blues in North Myrtle Beach is cooking up dining and entertainment specials to reward locals for their patronage.

Every week during the off-season, Executive Chef Mark Pilip is executing four nights of two dinners for $22 featuring exquisitely delectable cuisine. Those deals include:

Mondays – Two Maine Lobster dinners that includes seasoned steamed potato wedges and a delicious vegetable combination of sweet snap peas and juicy grape tomatoes.

Tuesdays – Two Fisherman’s Platters with crispy white fish, scallops and shrimp served with spicy tartar sauce, fries and a delightful slaw with a minimal amount of dressing that keeps the veggies crunchy.

Wednesdays – Two Roasted Prime Rib dinners with garlic mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

Thursdays – Two pasta dinners, with a choice of three types: Pesto, Shrimp Scampi or Marinara with Meatball. The meatball is almost as big as a baseball, and it is extremely tender and flavorful as it’s studded with finely diced onions, bell peppers and celery. The pesto is made in-house using fresh basil.

“We’re trying to do something for the locals,” Chef Pilip said on Oct. 2. “We want to give back to them. We do appreciate locals coming out and supporting us, and this is our thank-you to show them that.”

Diners who do not live in the Grand Strand area are also welcome to take advantage of these off-season specials.

Chef Pilip graduated from Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan and worked for Chef Douglas Rodriguez, acclaimed as the “Godfather of Nuevo Latin Cuisine.” Pilip says he considers Rodriguez one of his most influential mentors.

“I learned from him how to take risks and try different things,” the chef said, “like bold flavors.”

While Pilip is not Latino, that’s his favorite type of cuisine. Although he grew up eating kielbasa and sauerkraut, today his

 favorite meal is black beans, rice and pork chops.

Other off-season specials at House of Blues include:

Blackout Blues Breakfast – From 8-11:30 a.m. Mondays through Wednesdays, there is live blues music during breakfast.

Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre – For $42 ages 13 and older, this includes a three-course dinner plus an interactive comedic murder mystery played out by live actors. The next one is scheduled for Oct. 5.

And coming soon – VooDoo Halloween Party. Tickets are $5 in advance or $10 at the door, but there is FREE admission with the purchase of the VooDoo Dinner Special on Oct. 26. The evening will include a costume contest with a grand prize of two tickets to every HOB concert in 2013, plus $300 cash.

Crossroads at House of Blues is at 4640 U.S. 17 in North Myrtle Beach, at Barefoot Landing. It’s open for breakfast from 8-11:30 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays, for a Gospel Brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays, for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and for dinner from 4-9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 4-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The number for dining reservations is (843) 913-3746.