NC - Outer Banks Area eateries?

[mudbug]

We are going again this year - leaving next weekend, to be exact. We are staying in Duck.

Wondering if any of you newer members have any good suggestions for eating out. We will mostly be cooking our own stuff, but will enjoy going out for the odd breakfast, lunch, or dinner during the week.

We hit several of the touristy joints last year, which were fine for what they are, but would love to know about some unknown hole-in-the-wall within a reasonable driving distance that we should try - if such exists.

 

[Steve A]

Mudbug,

I live a couple hours west of OBX. One thing I can tell you is all those restaurants change from season to season depending on the skill level and quality of cooks, sous' and chefs they acquire and those who return.

Right now the season's still VERY young and early. I haven't heard any good or bads one way or another. (Also, the weather sucks now too. LOTS of SERIOUS T-storms and potential flooding.)

There was a small little hole-in-the-wall that served quite decent Cuban sammies (paninnis), I THINK in the Food Lion plaza on hwy 12. I don't know what mile marker that's at, but it's south of Duck around Kitty Hawk.

If you like microbrew beer, Weeping Radish in Manteo's pretty good. The food, I'm sorry to say, had really gone downhill last year. That isn't to say it wouldn't be great this month!

Virginia Beach, a much bigger city is about 2 hrs from Duck, depending on traffic. There's a lot to offer. Tattrat lives and works there. Perhaps he will see this and offer some advice. If not, PM him.

Ciao,

 

[marmalady]

If you're going to be doing some of your own meals, be sure to search out the local seafood mongers - shrimp season is IN!!! Also in Charleston, right down the road - er, water - they're catching lots of snapper, grouper and flounder. Yum!

Oh - and hit the veggie markets too - corn should be in, as are peaches and blackberries!

 

[mudbug]

I hear you, Steve. We've got that sucky weather up here in NoVa and I'm praying it all blows out to sea by the weekend. You are kind of confirming my idea about the quality of the restaurants - as seasonal as the tourists. Will see if we can find the place with the Cuban sandwiches.

Won't be making a side trip to VA Beach now, but my sister lives there too, so I will ask Tattrat before we go down there to visit next time.

ty for your insight!

marm - ty. good point about the local mongers, if we can find some. I'm already hoping I can get peaches at the roadside stand as fantabulous as last year's!

 

[Steve A]

'Bug,

The Food Lion I mentioned carries some of the best, freshest and certainly local, fish I found in that area. I am by no means promoting them, just offering a comment.

Otherwise, you can find shrimpers all over the place.

Ciao,

 

[marmalady]

Mudbug, I think NC may be a week or two behind us; our peaches are just coming in now and they're wonderful - a good year!

 

[Steve A]

Peaches; haven't seen the county's roadside stall set up for them yet.

I had worked for a sous chef in VB many moons ago who left that restaurant to go to duck. I can only remember his first name was "Mike." He had LONG sandy blond hair. Of course, by now he could be bald. I wish I knew or remember which establishment he went to.

DO report your findings. You know the entire OBX area is loaded and littered with restaurants up and down 12. One of the best indicators is the parking lot method. Lots of cars=probably a good spot. Another, and this is a little more specific is the license plate method. The Outer Banks has their own coded license plate - many start with OBX and four digits. You'll notice that right away.

Ciao,

 

[Steve A]

Duuuuhhh... Sometimes I don't think about thinking! I just remembered one of the guys I went to culinary school lives in Manteo. I just sent him an email asking for recommendations.

He's no longer in the business, but it's always good to keep up with folks, eh?

Ciao,

 

[Steve A]

Okay. 'Bug. This just in from my friend in Manteo. These are his picks and I cannot vouch for them, only that he's been around the block a BUNCH of times and I'd go with 'em:

BLUE POINT, SANDERLING, LEFT BANK AND ROADSIDE RAWBAR ARE ALL IN DUCK, OCEAN BOULEVARD AND CHILI PEPPER'S ON THE BEACH.

Take it for what it's worth.

Ciao,

 

[mudbug]

Wow, Steve - thanks for going the extra mile for me! Only one quibble with the parking lot method of analysis - do the natives really hang around once the tourists start swarming??

Will try to check out at least one or two of those places while we're there. We DID eat at the Sunset Grille last year (on the Sound side) and it was pretty good.

Marm, come to think of it - I believe the peaches I bought last year were from either SC or GA.

I will report back.

 

[Steve A]

No problemo, 'Bug.... That's what this is all about, right? Sharing info?

Ciao,

 

[RedBedHead]

I'm from the Outer Banks area. Just wanted to let you know that you HAVE to go to Basnight's Lone Cedar! It's on the causeway between Nags Head and Manteo. If you're coming from Duck it will be just before the bridge on 12 on the left. Tale of the Whale is right there too. They have the best crab imperial. EVERYTHING is going to be touristy right now for the most part.
Lone Cedar generally has a live music on weekends. Great views of the sound at both places.
I hope you have a wonderful vacation!

 

[mudbug]

thanks, Jen! appreciate another tip!

 

[RedBedHead]

Hey Mud,
I'm assuming you're still there but wanted to know where you've been so far. We went down for the day today and had lunch at Awful Arthur's. It was good as always. Just another one for you to add to the bunch if you haven't been yet. I want to say it's around MP 6 on the beach road.
Hope you're having a good trip.

 

[mudbug]

Hi everybody. We're back and I don't have a lot to tell, darn it. We brought waaaay too much food with us and ended up eating in most nights.

First thing I did was buy some peaches from the roadside guy (yep, marm, they were from SC) to make cobbler. I made two of them during the week. Also got blackberries and blueberries and made a third and fourth dessert with those (including texasgirl's contribution of the blueberry cheesecake bars, which received rave reviews).

Tried Blue Point on Thursday but they were already booked up thru Sunday, the day after we had to leave.

Ate at Dirty Dick's because of daughter's request to photograph the sign and regretted it. Terrible mix-out-of-the-can margaritas and dry overcooked shrimp. Bathrooms were filthy.

Handy Husband cooked ribs one night on the gas grill (sacrilege! but they were pretty good) and ribeyes another night.

The best meal we had was one our friends provided - boiling pots. You buy these from some place up in Currituck. Ours contained mussels, clams, and crab legs, plus a bunch of corn, potatoes, and onions. (You can also get them with lobster.) Each pot contains taters/onions on the bottom, followed by a mesh bag with the seafood, topped by the corn, and some ice. You add a cup of water or wine and let the thing boil/steam for 20 minutes.

We also had a couple of large styrofoam containers full of steamed shrimp to nibble on while the pots boiled.

Our rented house was perfect, with a pool and hot tub, so we have pre-registered for the same house at the same time next year. Note to self - make reservations the day we get there for some of these restaurants so kindly recommended by my friends here.

p.s. to RedBedHead - we ate at Awful Arthur's last year. It was waaay good, but the crowd to get in was so large we didn't get to eat until 10 p.m. Not the best thing when you've been driving all day.

 

[rede2learn]

You have to go to Tortuga's Lie. It is around mile post 11.5. Excellent food. We eat there multiple times when we visit. Small place, neat atmosphere. Last meal I had was blackened tuna, on a bed of baby spinach with strawberries marinated in balsamic vinagrette sprinkled all around.

 

[mudbug]

thanks, rede. Don't you love how all the directions for places in OBX are by the mileposts? I'll return to this thread when it comes time to start making the serious plans for our next trip (Plan 1 - buy peaches).

 

[FraidKnot]

Roadside Stands

thanks, rede. Don't you love how all the directions for places in OBX are by the mileposts? I'll return to this thread when it comes time to start making the serious plans for our next trip (Plan 1 - buy peaches).

On the way north from Beaufort, SC up to Waltersboro, SC they have peach and pecan stands. You can also buy those wonderful boiled green peanuts. Some are hotly spiced, others are just brined. It's a strange, southern U.S. thing and absolutely delicious.

Fraidy

 

[jabbur]

I'm going to Duck this weekend. One of the places we like to go is the Black Pelican. It's in the old coast guard station where the Wright Brothers sent their famous telegram to their father about their successful flight. Their claim to fame is oven fired pizza. They have unusual toppings and the crust is really crispy with the woody flavor of the fire. Another place is the Jolly Roger. Decor tacky but interesting. Food good! They make a great steak salad! Hugh with big chunks of grilled steak on a bed of lettuce with tomatoes eggs and all sorts of other stuff. Their seafood is good too. They have pasta but I don't think anyone tried it since we do pasta at home alot.

 

[Steve A]

OBX Before the Summer Crowd

I just spent the weekend at my bud's beach house (MP12) on the beach road. We ate at a decent lunch at Tortuga's Lie. Somewhere I've got their menu, but can't seem to locate it right now. Also, my bud - with whom I went to culinary school - has a niece who worked at Tortuga's during the summer when she was attending ECU.

Anyway, I digress, we also ate at Lone Cedar near the causeway to Manteo on Saturday evening. VERY nice! Even though it wasn't in-season there was a wait. Since my bud is a smoker (much to my disdain), we were easily sat.

Physically the place has had some recent renovation. In fact, the dining room still smelled like 'new carpet.'

One of the year round restaurants I remember taking my dad to some years ago had a marquee up saying "Opening March 7." I noticed several other signs stating the same thing.

We had breakfast on Sunday morning at Grits Grill. It's a coffee shop/Krispi Kreme shop. Yeah, all the cops and sheriffs were there too. Anyway, our breakfast was less than spectacular. Her "over easy" egg had seen WAY too much griddle time. One was medium, at best, the other straight out H-A-R-D. However, the pancakes were H-U-G-E. So, at least on MY plate, I was satisified.

Anyway, for those looking for where to eat. If you see license plates starting with OBX, they are locals!

Ciao,