Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 2810 11 www.htcinc.net | Winter 2017 Winter 2017 | www.htcinc.net serving coffee and pastries there. It wasn’t long before the diners began begging for more, so the menu was expanded to include lunch sandwiches and quiches. Still, patrons couldn’t get enough, so the establishment opened for seasonal dinners, catering, special events, “Gourmet-to-Go” and private parties. For Barbara, proficiency with a whisk was mapped out in her DNA. Her dedication to her kitchen — as well as to the name “Crady” — serve as homage to the finest chef she ever knew: her mother, Najgy Crady. “My mother was an excellent cook, and I suppose she passed that down to me,” says Barbara. The comfort of Najgy’s cooking lives on through many dishes at the restaurant, from the mac & cheese to the strawberry rhubarb pie. As for the Crady’s menu, Barbara is confident that the restaurant’s mastery of both sweet and savory sets it apart. “When we say made from scratch, we mean it,” she says. “That means no microwaving, no store-bought mixes and certainly no bottled icing,” chimes in Heather. “Made-to-order isn’t just a catchy phrase to us — it’s how we function.” The authenticity is evidenced in every dish — you can’t mistake that taste. Start your Crady’s experience with a glass of specialty tea du jour, made fresh daily with ingredients that range from blueberry to hibiscus. Next, you can choose from any number of “staples” on the menu, or inquire about daily specials. You might select the signature Tuscan panini, starring a crisp olive bread oozing with mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes; or maybe you’ll choose the bleu cheese burger — topped with homemade “tobacco” onion crisps and tomato jam, it’s arguably the best burger this side of the Mississippi. If you’re in the mood for something with a touch of ethnic flair, go for the ginger shrimp rice bowl, which features a lime coconut broth on purple sticky rice. Other favorites include a crab and Brie quiche and the chicken and asparagus quiche. There is simply no bad choice. Perhaps the day calls for coffee and a “Grown-up S’more,” for which everything from the graham cracker to the ganache and marshmallow are — you guessed it — made from scratch. The worst thing about Crady’s is having to select from the extensive dessert tower teeming with a variety of mouthwatering treats. What exactly is on the tower depends on what strikes Barbara as she starts baking every morning before dawn. She doesn’t mind the early alarm — it’s a labor of love for her craft and her community. “I’m never happier than when I’m baking, ” she says with a cheeky glance toward Heather, “except when I’m spending time with my daughter.” Beyond the flavor fusions, sinfully tasteful treats and classic comfort foods, Crady’s fills you with an undeniable sense of warmth and hospitality. “It’s important to us that we welcome everyone who walks through those doors and serve them as if they were guests in our home,” says Heather. “Because in a way, this is our home.” Perhaps it’s the cozy atmosphere or knowing the story of how the restaurant came to be, but you’ll leave Crady’s with your heart as full as your stomach. And that’s only one way this family serves Horry County — another, the Adam Lee Whitley Memorial Scholarship, benefits one HGTC culinary arts student annually. To love what you do is a rare and special blessing, and it’s one not taken for granted under this tin-trimmed roof. For Barbara, the delayed gratification of satisfying a decades-old dream makes success even sweeter. As it enters its 15th anniversary season, Crady’s endures as a living memorial to Najgy and Adam, growing in menu variety and fan base every day. The Whitley family is grateful Barbara never gave up on her dream — and from your first taste, you will be, too. Promise. Visit Crady’s at 332 Main Street in Conway, and learn all about their catering capabilities by calling 843-248-3321 or visiting www.cradys.com. Come learn to bake like Barbara — see the full cooking class schedule on the Crady’s website! www.Facebook.com/Cradys www.instagram.com/cradysconway Images provided by Crady's.