Bring an empty tummy and a palate for adventure to indulge in Chamber Restaurant Week presented by the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce between Saturday, Jan. 15 and Saturday, Jan. 22, 2011. At last count, more than 50 restaurants offering value-priced menus are participating in this third annual event.

Hilton Head Chamber Restaurant Week is an ideal time to try a new restaurant for dinner or indulge in a favorite. Best of all, these prix-fixe menus mean savings on the travel budget during a vacation in Hilton Head.

Here’s a sampling of Hilton Head Island restaurants participating in this delicious restaurant week:

For $25 per person, guests of The Jazz Club (ranked by TripAdvisor as a top five restaurant in Hilton Head) can enjoy a feast of a Fried Green Tomato Salad with spinach, arugula, radicchio, applewood smoked bacon, gorgonzola cheese and creamy herb vinaigrette; Grilled Jumbo Sea Scallops & White Shrimp with taso ham, sweet onion & baby spinach cream, sweet corn and Tillamook cheddar cheese grits and shoestring sweet potatoes; and what’s hailed as the best chocolate layer cake ever. (The Village at Wexford, C-1, Hilton Head Island; Tel: (843) 842-8620)

Sea Grass Grille will prepare a divine dinner for $20.11 per person (get it, it’s the year 2011!) which can include Carolina Tomato Pie, Petite Filet Mignon with boursin butter and Fresh Fruit Cobbler. (807 William Hilton Parkway, Suite 1000, Hilton Head Island; Tel: (843)785-9990)

For some modern take on comfort food, head over to Truffles Grill for Creamy Tomato Dill Soup; Grilled Meatloaf with honey barbeque glaze, Vidalia onion and roasted red pepper chutney; Fresh Veggies; Garlic Mashed Potatoes; and Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie. Mmm. Mmm! All this for $21 per person. (Pope Ave., Hilton Head Island; Tel: (843) 785-3663)

Prices are based on per person and taxes and gratuity are extra. Advance reservations are encouraged. Menus for Hilton Head Chamber Restaurant Week are being added daily so be sure to check out the website (www.ChamberRestaurantWeek.com) for what’s new.

Now that nourishment for your January Hilton Head vacation is determined, save more on your travel budget by checking out affordable accommodations options offered by Resort Rentals International.

Summer is winding down and it’s time to gear up for fall festivities in Hilton Head. Plan a culinary Hilton Head vacation around these deliciously fabulous events.

Seafood Jazz & Brew Festival, Sept. 13 – 18, 2010
Hilton Head’s week-long Seafood Jazz & Brew Festival celebrates the world of craft brews complemented with jazz performances. Activities include beer tastings, beer and food pairings and jazz. We’re told not to miss the Men Drinking Beer (MDB) Grand Tasting or the Public Beer Tasting Sept. 18 at Shelter Cove Harbour. New to this year’s event is the Golf & Brews tournament on Sept. 17. Visit www.hiltonheadhospitalityassociation.com for additional information.

Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival, Oct. 17 – 24, 2010   
Bluffton’s historic and eclectic district serves as the backdrop for the 6th Annual Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival. Over the eight days, Low Country cuisine is front and center with locally harvested seafood showcased. Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival events include the Bluffton 5K Oyster Run, shrimp boat tours, kayaking trips, Art Around Town, live music and entertainment and an Iron Chef Challenge. This is all served up with a heaping bowl of Southern hospitality Bluffton is famed. Visit www.blufftonartsandseafoodfestival.com for additional information.

Hilton Head Oyster Festival, Nov. 14 & 14, 2010
How much could an oyster shucker shuck if …well, you get the idea and maybe you’ll find the answer during the South Carolina Bank & Trust Oyster Festival at Shelter Cove Park, Hilton Head. Savor fresh and local flavors including oysters, shrimp, chili and other dishes. Activities include music, children zone and holiday craft show and more. Find additional information at www.islandreccenter.org.

We can hear your tummy rumbling with hunger. Visit Hilton Head Island Visitor & Convention Bureau for additional information and let us help you find the perfect accommodations during your Hilton Head vacation.

Hilton Head is recognized for serving up fresh seafood dishes but here’s something different to taste during vacation to Hilton Head: a 28-inch pizza served up at Giuseppi’s Pizza & Pasta in Bluffton.

Those who finish eating the one-topping pizza (including the crust), called the Big Unit, in an hour or less will earn bragging rights, be added to the restaurant’s Wall of Fame, receive the pizza free, a $50 gift card, and a pretty nifty souvenir – a Big Unit t-shirt.

Giuseppi’s introduced its Big Unit 28-inch pizza at its Bluffton location in June and according to Lori Taylor, Managing Partner of the location, reaction has been “surprising and humorous.” The restaurant, “…had a feeling the guys would be stepping up to the plate,” she said and added, “When people order the pizza for the table, they really aren’t picturing what 28 inches of pizza looks like.  So when it is presented to the table, we have been able to get some humorous photos of people’s reactions.”

The Man vs. Big Unit Challenge was issued through the restaurant’s Facebook page in early July and there were immediately two takers.  The first challenger, Justin Lane of Bluffton, had to stop eating with a little more than half of the pizza remaining.

What advice does Lane have for Hilton Head vacationers willing to take on the Big Unit?  “The bread is what gets people,” and added, “Don’t drink a lot of your drink, soak the crust in water and eat the crust last.”

The second competitor came the closest so far to meeting the challenge, leaving only three pieces remaining.

Giuseppi’s serves up the pizza, pasta and hoagies similar to that found in a Pittsburgh neighborhood. Giuseppi’s in Bluffton is located at 25 Bluffton Road/Highway 46 in Kitties Crossing in Bluffton.  They are open from 11a.m.-10 p.m. daily and offer carryout, catering and delivery.  Contact them at 843-815-9200.

The restaurant is located less than a 15-minute drive from Hilton Head.

Now who’s hungry?

Image Source: The SERG Restaurant Group