Saveurs du Monde Café Seabrook Island — Restaurant in Seabrook Island

I’ve left my small village of Denver, North Carolina and I’m visiting the even smaller village of Seabrook Island, South Carolina.

First visit to Saveurs du Monde Cafe. The name stirs the imagination, but it is a fairly nondescript dining establishment with a walk up counter, and a display of very yummy looking pastries.

My wife ordered the Quiche Lorraine. I ordered French Onion soup and the London Style Baguette which was roast beef, shaved Parmesan Reggiano, arugula, and homemade aioli.

Our meal arrived with minimal wait. Now French Onion is served either with a nice layer of cheese or without in different establishments. I personally prefer with cheese but am fine either way.

I could have been fine with the soup but it was almost cool, just a hint of warmth. I took it back to the counter and asked for hotter bowl.

Returning back to my table, I dug into the baguette. I took a bite and knew right away I wasn’t going to finish it. I opened up the sandwich. It had a couple of small slices of the roast beef….I mean small. There was a generous portion of the Parmesan Reggiano, the arugula, and the aioli.

The aioli completely overwhelmed the sandwich. No nuanced flavors at all. Far too many garlic cloves are used in this homemade recipe. This place does not have to worry about being visited by vampires, that is for sure.

My wife said her quiche was ok. She’ll try something else if we come back.

Visitors should know that this little café features a walk up counter where you order off of the menu. The food is served to your table, but there is a sign in the restaurant that you are to bus your own table. Also, this is one of those establishments that features a credit card processing tablet where you are welcome to add a tip.

Now let me think: I walk up to the counter and give my order and take a seat. The food was brought to me, but I’m expected to bus my tables. And they think that maybe I should leave a tip? I did, but that is a habit I have to get out of doing for...

Concur with all the comments relating to the high quality of the food. It is rare that superb baking skills combine with tasty, creative French bistro fare.

The problem lies in the staffing and the workflow and rush periods where most customers will sit down at tables. The workflow is for customers to line up at the counter, place their order, sit at a table and then be served all or the remaining part of their order. The staff behind the counter (two when I was there Sunday between (9:10 and 9:30AM...the sit-down breakfast rush) do everything: take the order, fill the order, make coffee drinks and deliver to tables. This means that if you are there only to pick up a baguette or muffins from behind the counter you wait and wait and wait. They need to add a person for the rush either to prepare the coffee drinks full time (this is a full-time during rush job) or handle the tables without leaving the counter. I came in and joined a line of 15 people. Twenty minutes later I was alone at the counter and waiting to place my order while the two counter people handled the last of the sit down crowd. One person came in after me, place her order and left for a table before my counterperson re-appeared with the frozen baguette (don't be misled by the fresh, unfrozen baguette display.

So...solution for the take out customer: don't arrive at the rush period. The problem with this is already discussed in other comments: the rush consumes most if not all of the baked goods.

This would be a perfect operation if they could be a little more flexible regarding staffing and...

They have a fly problem with the uncovered pastries getting landed on by flies every few seconds. There were at least 30 flies in this place today. Total fail for me and completely unacceptable for them to be so comfortable working with them everywhere. If you ever watch a YouTube video on fly diseases you'll never be OK with them being around.

How dangerous is it for flies to touch food like croissants and pastries

Flies can pose a potential risk to food like croissants and pastries, especially if they have been in contact with unsanitary conditions. Flies are known to carry various pathogens and bacteria on their bodies and in their saliva, feces, and vomit. When they land on food, they can transfer these contaminants, potentially leading to foodborne illnesses.

Some of the bacteria that flies may carry include Salmonella, E. coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, which can cause gastrointestinal issues and other health problems if ingested. These microorganisms can multiply rapidly in food, especially in warm and humid conditions, making the food unsafe to eat.

Furthermore, flies are attracted to decaying matter, garbage, and other unsanitary environments where they may pick up additional harmful substances. When they come into contact with food, they can introduce these contaminants, making the food unfit for consumption.

To protect your food from potential contamination by flies, it's essential to keep it covered and stored properly. Additionally, maintaining good hygiene practices and promptly discarding any food that has been exposed to flies can help reduce the risk of...