MURRELLS INLET— Lisa Blackwell started her career as a wedding planner and caterer.

These days, she runs a steak and seafood restaurant in Murrells Inlet that is partly a tribute to a racecar driver and partly an homage to Key West.

Palm 33 opened along U.S. Highway 17 Business this month. When Blackwell and her husband bought the property, the former owner told them there were 33 palm trees located on the grounds.

"The next morning, when I woke up, I decided, 'Hey, Palm 33,' and my whole family liked it, so that's what we named it,” Blackwell said.

Blackwell co-owns the restaurant with her husband, Benny. Her son and daughter-in-law are managers.

The restaurant has three bars, including a sports bar decorated with Dale Earnhardt paraphernalia. Blackwell said her husband closely resembles the NASCAR driver and appears at charity events as a lookalike. The items decorating the bar are from his personal collection.

The rest of the restaurant has a beachy feel inspired by Key West. Literary icon Ernest Hemingway lived there in the 1930s, and some of the decor is a nod to his life in the city.

A bar at the back of the restaurant offers a more relaxed feel suitable for special occasions, Blackwell said. Guests can also enjoy an outdoor bar with a firepit and a fountain.

The vibe is different from Blackwell’s previous venture, a steak and seafood restaurant inside a historic log cabin in North Carolina.

Although the atmosphere has gone from rustic to beachy, the menu hasn’t changed. Palm 33 serves seafood staples such as shrimp, crab cakes, fried oysters and salmon as well as prime rib, burgers and ribeye steaks.

An onsite bakery features cakes, pies and cheesecakes which Blackwell makes herself. The food is cooked on live charcoal and sauces are made fresh at the restaurant.