By Becky Billingsley

Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, Myrtle Beach - Chef Nanette Thomas has had a catering business called Sugar and Sage for a few years now on Socastee Boulevard just outside the Myrtle Beach city limits, and recently she added a public dining room called BeanTree Cafe with loads of from-scratch dishes.

Chef Thomas is joined in the BeanTree kitchen by Kelli Fellows, a baker extraordinaire who creates pastries, cookies and other sweets on a daily basis. The women, each the mother of three children, remodeled the room in front of their kitchen to create a homey bistro-style dining room with tables, couches, easy chairs, coffee tables and other colorful and eclectic furnishings. The cozy haven is strewn with magazines, books and newspapers, and free Wi-Fi is available.

Open for breakfast, lunch and early dinners Tuesdays through Sundays, days can start with a Breakfast Sandwich containing egg and cheese, plus bacon or sausage, for $2.75-$3.25. Those who enjoy pastries for breakfast will exult in fresh Crumb Cake, Danish and Muffins, while specialty coffee drinks include espresso, cappuccino, latte and macchiato. You can also get a regular cup of Joe or opt for an all-natural fruit smoothie.

For lunch their Tomato Basil Bisque is always on the menu, and there's always a soup of the day such as Lentil and Sausage for $2.25 per cup or $2.95 for a bowlful. I tried the Lentil and Sausage, and heartily enjoyed the rich thick broth, tender lentils, fresh diced tomatoes and wilted greens. It was served with two delicious fried pita wedges.

Several sandwiches are on the chalkboard menu ($4-$6) including Deviled Egg Salad; and Philly Cheese containing marinated shaved beef, provolone, bell peppers, mushrooms and onions. Vegetarians will delight in the Grilled Three Cheese with provolone, muenster and gouda on house-made roasted tomato and red onion focaccia bread; or the Grass Sandwich with leaf lettuce, tomato, alfalfa sprouts, thick slices of sharp Cheddar, herbed sea salt and sun-dried tomato vinaigrette.

The chalkboard also lists daily specials, and on the day I visited they were Meatloaf Sandwich, Chicken Pot Pie and Tilapia Po' Boy for $4.50-$6. My tilapia sandwich was served on a soft roll and, and the moist fish was topped with lettuce and tomato and dressed in Thousand Island. It came with a dill pickle spear and a delightful pasta salad with rotini and penne pastas, fresh vegetables and a balanced and creamy dressing.

For dessert the choices change. They make enormous cookies like Black and White Cookies, Snickerdoodles and soft Peanut Butter cookies that smell as great as they taste, plus treats such as Pies-for-One and Red Velvet Cupcakes.

Starting soon for Valentine's Day, Thomas said, they'll have Cupid's Coffee and Strawberries and Champagne Cupcakes.

The roomy dining area is a perfect spot for open mic nights, and right now they're scheduled for 7 p.m. the last Wednesday of every month.

The BeanTree Cafe at Sugar and Sage is at 3640 B Socastee Blvd., just west of the intersection with U.S. 17 Bypass. It's open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, and the number is (843) 293-3339.

The Sugar and Sage catering menu is lengthy and can be adapted for most any occasion with dishes from Thai Chicken Chili Satay with peanut sauce to Carved Prime Rib au Jus or Chocolate-dipped Strawberries. They can even cater an entire vegan menu with Bruschetta with Fava Beans, Marinated Greens and Blood Oranges; Deviled Mushroom Crostini; Wedge Salad with Marinated Tomatoes and Caramelized Onions; Mushroom Pecan "Meatballs" with Vegetable Spaghetti and Rice noodles; and Saffron Rice Primavera.

Got Foursquare? Check in at BeanTree Cafe, and you'll receive a 10 percent discount.