By Becky Billingsley

Monday, Oct. 1, 2012, North Myrtle Beach – Curtis Brown has purchased the restaurant known as Dino’s at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach, and he plans many changes.

Brown, who has 30 years’ experience in the hospitality industry at Hilton Hotels and Waterpark Resort Hotels, spent the last several months looking at area restaurant properties with his wife, Darleen. When they saw the large space at Dino’s they knew it would work for the Italian steakhouse they envision.

They are changing the venue to Castano’s Italian Steakhouse (Castano means “brown” in Italian), and Brown said on Sept. 27 he thinks, “…it is going to be a real happening place.”

“In New York they call what we’re planning to do ‘dinnertainment’,” he said. “We’re going to create a real dining experience. When you walk in there will be a big projection screen showing concerts, like Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., or we’ll adjust them to the crowd. I am going to create another dimension beyond just listening to music.”

Lighting will be changed in the large lounge area to create an “exciting environment,” but Brown said his main priority is to provide “quality and consistent food,” excellent service and a welcoming atmosphere.

To achieve his goals, Brown plans to be on-site to welcome diners and get to know locals and their dining desires. He is interviewing the existing staff from Dino’s, and those he hires will undergo training to learn about wines, the menus, how to handle special requests and “the needs of our clientele.”

The menu will have a price point of about $30 for steak dinners, and it also features much seafood and many traditional and creative Italian dishes.

Appetizers will include De Niro’s Mussels steamed in white wine and sautéed in compound garlic butter; Neptune’s Crab Cake served with remoulade; The Bruschettas; Wrap Me Up in Prosciutto that’s a sautéed version of Caprese; and Deano’s Crispy Shrimp with sweet chili pepper sauce.

Soups include The Onion Field and Ms. Crab Soup, while salad choices will be Classic Caesar, Traditional Wedge, The Ultimate Chop Salad and The Stack, which is traditional Caprese Salad.

Entrees feature many pasta dishes like Albert’s Alfredo, Mama’s Lasagna, That’s Amore Ravioli and Pennies alla Vodka. The Godfather is a 12-ounce dry-aged New York strip served with sautéed mushroom caps; Ole Blue Eye is a 14-ounce Ribeye; and Sammy Sliced Steak will be served over center cut toast with “a delicate onion butter sauce.”

Pork chops are going to be served with Cabernet demi-glace, while veal dishes include a veal chop and two featuring medallions. Scallops will be seared and served with remoulade and lemon aioli, while Atlantic salmon gets paired with beurre blanc.

Chicken Marsala is on the menu along with Pollo Parmigiano, and a vegetarian selection is Veggiestyle where thick eggplant slices are crusted with panko and baked with tomato sauce and Parmesan.

Side dishes, portioned large enough to share, include Au Gratin Creamy Potatoes, Loaded Baked Potato, Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Creamed Spinach, Creamed Corn and Asparagus with Hollandaise. For dessert there are New York Style Cheesecake, Turtle Cheesecake, Bread Pudding, Mousses, house-made Snickers Ice Cream Pie, Chocolate Chip Cannoli prepared to order and Gelatos.

Children have a special menu with six choices ranging from Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo to Cheeseburger with Fries.

Castano’s will also have an extensive bar menu with choices such as Inside Out Cheeseburger (the cheese is inside), Meatball Sliders, Steak Sandwich, Shrimp and Grits, Beef Tips and Salmon Sandwich.

A soft opening is planned for Nov. 4. At first only dinner will be served, starting at 4 p.m. Curtis Brown can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .