Outer Banks Eats

Ocracoke Island Day Trip

2011-08-11T19:36:00.000-07:00

Love this little island....nice little teaser.

The Web Geeks go to Mulligan's

2011-08-09T07:32:00.000-07:00

From my favorite Realty Company on the Outer Banks!

Stripers Bar and Grille Lobster Bisque Outer Banks

2011-08-09T07:31:00.000-07:00

Owens Restaurant, Outer Banks Nags Head, NC

2011-08-07T21:14:00.000-07:00

We have never been here, but I have heard good things about it.

Basnights Lone Cedar Cafe

2011-07-31T20:30:00.000-07:00

Nags Head Manteo Causeway
Nags Head NC

When I asked local bartenders and wait staff about which restaurants we should try, several restaurants came up including Sugar Creek, Owens, Red Drum, Blue Moon Grill, and Basnights Lone Cedar Cafe. The Blue Moon Grill blew us away, we also liked the Red Drum, and have not tried the others at this point. We also had the chance to try Basnight's Lone Cedar on this trip, and we enjoyed the experience. We went early, as we were told that the place would fill up quickly, despite its size. There were several things we liked about the place. First off, we did love the view of the Roanoke Sound, and the Osprey nest we had from our table. We were also entertained by a kite boarder on the sound, as well as a great sunset. Those items you cannot get just anywhere! We found the food to be very good as well. We had fried green tomatoes and seared tuna for appetizers, both were fresh and excellent. In addition, the corn bread they serve with each meal is almost worth the trip. We also liked the idea that all of the fish served is caught locally, that the herbs used are grown in their own gardens, and that all of the produce, beef and poultry is all fresh and local. Their shrimp and grits dinner was very good, spicy, and as advertised the shrimp was VERY fresh. The fresh shrimp pasta was loaded with fresh local shrimp, and very good as well. If you are a wine lover this place has a wine list of more than 2000 different wines. There was a lot to like about Basnights, and it is worth the trip. Interestingly enough, despite the positives noted, and the view in particular, we did not LOVE the place. The service we had that night was okay, not great, and the place does have kind of a cafeteria like atmosphere, partially due to its size. We will have to try it again to get a better feel, and the "criticisms" noted did not outweigh the overall quality of the food and views. This place is definitely worth a visit, but for us it did not break into the MUST GO category, based on our one visit. That could change after a follow up.

POLICE: OBX Shark Identified As Sand Tiger Shark#.TjYW3KGsoGU.facebook#.TjYW3KGsoGU.facebook#.TjYW3KGsoGU.facebook#.TjYW3KGsoGU.facebook#.TjYW3KGsoGU.facebook#.TjYW3KGsoGU.facebook#.TjYW3KGsoGU.facebook

2011-07-31T20:06:00.000-07:00

POLICE: OBX Shark Identified As Sand Tiger Shark#.TjYW3KGsoGU.facebook#.TjYW3KGsoGU.facebook#.TjYW3KGsoGU.facebook#.TjYW3KGsoGU.facebook#.TjYW3KGsoGU.facebook#.TjYW3KGsoGU.facebook#.TjYW3KGsoGU.facebook

Very near the beach where we go.....actually right between the two locations we stay every year.

Shark Attack [Oregon Inlet Idiots]

2011-07-29T22:28:00.000-07:00

Great pix from OBX Fishing

2011-07-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

Outer Banks Blog: Village Realty Salutes the OUTER BANKS FISHING PIE...

2011-07-29T22:05:00.000-07:00

Outer Banks Blog: Village Realty Salutes the OUTER BANKS FISHING PIE...: "Outer Banks Fishing Pier (entrance) MP 18.5, South Nags Head For over 52 years, the historic Outer Banks Fishing Pier has offered an id..."

Kill Devils Frozen Custard and Beach Fries

2011-07-29T21:24:00.000-07:00

Milepost 8.5 158 Bypass
Nags Head NC

This roadside stand is a great place to stop any time you are hungry for a sandwich or ice cream. Kill Devil's has some of the best custard you will ever eat, with many unique flavors, and a daily flavor of the day with flavors such as Key Lime Pie, Blueberry Delight, Cotton Candy, Pumpkin Pie, Strawberry Shortcake etc. Their sundaes and banana splits are made with their signature custard, and nothing but fresh ingredients and real whipped cream. Life does not get much better than their wicked waffle sundae on a hot summer day. If you are hungry for a meal, Kill Devil's is a great place for a very casual meal in the sun. They have a great burgers, dogs, and pulled pork sandwiches. One of the best items they have is the Killer Beach fries, which are hand cut fresh idaho potatos fried in peanut oil like your favorite boardwalk fries. Add chili, cheese or malt vinegar, as an additional topping. Finally, I love the Coney Island hot dogs, and for me, adding chili and cheese tops off a day at the beach just fine. If you are coming at peak times, be ready for a line, but trust me, it is worth waiting for. A great place to relax with traditional casual beach food outside at one of their picnic tables.

Outer Banks Wild Horses - Corolla, NC

2011-07-25T20:18:00.000-07:00

A great ride we have taken many times

hatteras grand slam fishing

2011-07-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

Oregon Inlet Fishing Trip Nags Head, NC June 30, 2010.mp4

2011-07-25T18:48:00.000-07:00

Sloaner? Day One?

Ocracoke Island

2011-07-24T07:28:00.000-07:00

As noted, my family and I have stayed up and down the Outer Banks coastline from Corolla to Ocracoke. We rent Sunday to Sunday, with one week over a holiday weekend, so this leaves a few extra days to experience different parts of the OBX. This year, we spent those in Corolla, and I loved it. However, for the past three years, we started our trip with a few days on Ocracoke Island. My wife Lisa had wanted to visit Ocracoke on a couple of trips prior to the first time we tried it, but I had resisted, using the argument that driving the nearly two hours it may take from KDH to the Hatteras Ferry, and the one to two hour Ferry wait, then ditto back home was a poor use of our vacation time to visit the island for a few hours. Our compromise became making Ocracoke the prevacation vacation if you will! After spending a few days each of the past three years there, I have become a fan of the island, BUT remain less than enthusiastic about getting there. It usually takes 9 hours for us to get from our door in Pittsburgh PA until the time we cross the Wright Memorial Bridge into Kitty Hawk. To me, we have arrived on vacation! The thought of the two hour drive from there to Hatteras, THEN the wait for the ferry, which can easily add another two hours, is a daunting thought. Once I am on the ferry, it seems like a GREAT idea, but I have usually invented several new curse words, or curse word combinations long before that time arrives! That said, at some point I think every fan of the OBX needs to invest a few days on Ocracoke Island, as all of the above does seem to limit the number of people there, which does have its own benefits. Also, do not listen to those who say there is nothing to do there. First off, if you are coming to the OBX, you have to be a lover of the beach and or good food and drink, and Ocracoke can take care of both of those loves. First off, the beach. After many years of rising in the rankings, in 2007 the beach at Ocracoke made it to the title of #1 beach in America according to Dr. Beach. The beach on Ocracoke is a large beautiful beach, that as an added bonus is guarded from Memorial Day through Labor Day. It also has a great changing and showering area. If you are a beach lover, there is not a more scenic view anywhere on the OBX, and if you like water, you can stay busy body surfing, surfing, skim boarding or surf fishing. Our first year there, we thought that this was all there was to do. But over the next two years, we realized that there was PLENTY to do on Ocracoke even beyond the beach. I will be brief, as this blog is supposed to be about eating on the Outer Banks, but hey, you need to find things to do to work up an appetite right? Outside of the beach activities noted, here are some of the things we have done or thought of doing while on Ocracoke:

Offhsore fishing charter out of Anchorage Marina;
Schooner Ride on the Windfall II;
Kayak Tours;
Surf and Kiteboard lessons;
Portsmouth Island ATV and shelling trip;
Parasailing or Waverunning at Silver Lake;
Horseback riding on the beach;
Ghost Tour-great history of the island and more than a little eerie;
Bike riding-You can pretty much get anywhere on the island on a bike;
And finally, the surprise gem for us. On our last day on Ocracoke last year, the kids were a little burnt from the sun, and we had two weeks ahead of us, so we looked for something to do out of the sun. We rented a golf cart for the day at the little supermarket on Irvin Garrish Highway, and man what a fun day. We completely explored the island, and there was far more to it than the activity around Silver Lake. We discovered great little rental homes, tons of little stores selling jewelry, candy, and many nautical treasures I bought for my bar at home. We pretty much made a day of really exploring Ocracoke on this golf cart, and my wife and kids had a GREAT TIME!! Okay, now to the food. I will do a brief summary on the places we ate that left an impression on us while on Ocracoke.

Howard's Pub-The first place you see as you get to the main part of the island, and you really do need to stop here. It is kind of THE place to be. When you walk in, you definitely feel like you are at a beach bar, and my favorite fact is that Howards has nearly 200 beers available and 24 on tap, including favorites of mine such as Widmer Brothers Hefeweizen, Boddingtons Ale, Bell's Oberon, Guinness Stout, and Harps Lager. Howards also has a great raw bar, including many combo platters, great burgers, and hush puppies. My favorite two items include the fried oyster platter and the crab cake. It is a great place to catch a spectacular Ocracoke sunset with a cold beer.

Jolly Roger-This place is right next to the marina on Irvin Garrish Highway. It overlooks the marina and waterfront, making it a great place to hang out and eat. Some highlights for me at the Jolly Roger include great sweet potato fries, a tremendous oyster po boy sandwich, fried clam strips, burgers, and actually fajitas! Another place that may not look like much, but the waterfront location and solid bar food make it a memorable stop.

Flying Melon-We have only eaten breakfast here, but thanks always for introducing me to sweeet potato pancakes! Great way to start the day.

Dajio-Kind of a neat place with an indoor and outdoor eating option. We were not overwhelmed by our dinner the night we ate there, but we did love their breakfast. Breakfast was highlighted by a sweet potato biscuit and jam, creme brulee french toast, and caramalized apple pancakes. They also had a great selection of omelettes.

Thai Moon-If you are in the mood for some great takeout, and like Thai food, this is your place. Excellent Pad Thai, egg rolls, spring rolls, and many other spicy dishes.

The Back Porch-Although every place on the island makes you feel comfortable in casual wear, the Back Porch is a bit more of an upscale restaurant with an impressive wine list, and more sophisticated entrees. For me the Poke (sushi grade tuna in a sesame/ginger sauce) was a great appetizer, and their ribeye steak was done perfectly and served with fresh local vegetables. Other highlights included the crab cake, along with several scallop dishes. The also have a Back Porch Lunch Box on the Irvin Garrish Highway, a great place to stop and load your cooler with fresh sandwiches on your way to the beach.

The Slushy Stand-the focal point of the family groups, you can get great ice cream, coffee drinks, and fresh squeezed slushy drinks before or after you rent your bikes!

So, despite the fact that Ocracoke is a true getaway, without all of the go-carts, boardwalks, and night life of some other areas, you can see that there is plenty to do and eat here. The fact that you can only get here by private flight, private boat, or the ferry keeps this a nice little hideaway. Finally, for us anyway, on the way back up from Ocracoke Island to KDH, we leave early enough to get the first ferry to Hatteras and avoid the long lines. But we also get to enjoy a little gem in Buxton called the Orange Blossom bakery. Get there before 10:30 or you will likely miss out on their signature Apple Uglies. They are a fried apple turnover on steroids that you have to try to believe. Get the chocolate covered ones when available for sensory overload. If you are health conscious get the baked version, it is only 1000 calories instead of 2000! Other highlights include their home made donut holes, Dunkin donuts they ain't. Finally, their homemade biscuits are wonderful as are the number of breakfast sandwiches they put on them. If you are hungry, brave, and very heart healthy, how about trying the Buxton that adds 3 pieces of sausage, 6 pieces of bacon, 3 eggs, tomato and mayo to a large homemade biscuit. If you are going to check out, what a way to go. This place makes the trip BACK from Ocracoke to KDH a gut busting, but worthwhile journey!

Old Surf Movies: A Hatteras Odyssey, 1975

2011-07-23T12:20:00.000-07:00

Wow, I would have been 8 years old when this was filmed....great look back at a simpler time.

The Black Pelican

2011-07-23T11:39:00.000-07:00

Milepost 4 Beach Road
Kitty Hawk NC

The Black Pelican was originally a LifeSaving Station built in 1874 and was known as LifeSaving Station #6. It was also the place where the Wright Brothers sent their telegram from in 1903 after their successful First Flight. So it is an interesting setting for an OBX restaurant. In our early years of vacationing on the Outer Banks, the Black Pelican was a very regular stop. Our first year in particular, we spent one of our weeks in a condo in Duck on the soundside, and we would drive every morning to the public beach access in KittyHawk near the Black Pelican. We would have a late lunch daily alternating between the Black Pelican and Awful Arthur's. We loved it for lunch! If you wanted any one of their tremendous wood fired pizzas, you could not go wrong. We would either eat pizza or gorge ourselves on their raw bar, which had all the regular characters you would find here on the OBX, steamed shrimp, crab legs, oysters, and clams. They also add Dungeness crabs and mussles, all of which are excellent here. I also LOVE the atmosphere inside this place, a very rustic Outer Banks beach bar feel to the place. Over the years, we changed where we stayed, and started coming mostly for the dinners. After several mediocre dinners, and so so service we began to leave the Pelican behind for other places we liked better. My personal take on this place is that you should try it yourself, and in particular, if you are interested in a casual meal, either lunch or dinner, focused on raw bar or oven fired pizza you will never go wrong to eat here. In fairness, it has been a couple of years since we came for dinner, as the combination of the crowds and less than awesome dinners had us move in a different direction, so it may be different now. In either case, enjoy the atmosphere, a cold beer and some raw beer or pizza, or if you eat like us both! You will never go wrong if you do that here.

Oregon Inlet Fishing

2011-07-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

Outer Banks Taste Of The Beach 2011 - by OBXNightLife.com

2011-07-22T15:47:00.000-07:00

Nags Head Sunrise Time Lapse

2011-07-22T13:25:00.000-07:00

Fishbones Sunset Grille & Watersports Ad

2011-07-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

shark dive Cape Hatteras

2011-07-21T22:20:00.000-07:00

Tomato Patch

2011-07-21T21:23:00.000-07:00

803 Albacore Street
Monteray Shores Plaza
Corolla

The Tomato Patch is another one of the places in the Outer Banks that is very special to our family. When the kids were little, we stayed on the northern beaches more often, and Tim Buck II was a big attraction at night. After our shopping night, the kids ALWAYS wanted to go to the Tomato Patch. Years later as our drive up to the northern beaches was more for a drive on the beach to see the horses, the request is the same, the Tomato Patch. At any rate, we make sure we get there at least twice on our trips to the Outer Banks, because we love the relaxed, kid friendly atmosphere, and good food. There are plenty of great items on the menu, but we seem to have hit a routine after our beach drives when it is just the four of us. It starts with the salads. The Tomato Patch has great salads, and we usually get a couple of Greek Salads and or a Spring Salad, which is essentially a Caprese Salad on top of greens. Both are excellent, and if you don't eat like death row prisoners like we do, they can be split if you are ordering pizza or sandwiches too. After the salads, there is some combination of Margherita Pizza, and their Zorba the Greek, self explanatory, but a paricularly good Greek Pizza. Washed down with a couple of Bell's Oberons and life is pretty good at the Patch! On the nights with the extended family, the appetizer list will include Shrimp Santorini, which is fresh shrimp sauteed in garlic, herbs, then baked in a tomato sauce and feta cheese, and items such as the calamari and baskets of fries. We will usually add some of the pizzas piled high with various meats as well. One pizza we have not tried, but that sounds and looks delicious is the Wright Choice, stacked with gyro meat, tomatos, onions and feta. That will make the list next time. If you are not in the mood for pizza, the Tomato Patch has a nice menu of sandwiches, pastas, and gyros to choose from. For us, if you are up north, and want to very casual dinner, or later bite to eat, hit the Tomato Patch for a salad and some pizza. Four and a half stars out of Five for us!

Mike Diannas Grill Room

2011-07-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

Tim Buck II Corolla

Mike Dianna's restaurant in Corolla was a pleasant find for us on this past trip. We walked up to the front deck to find a band playing live music, soundfront. There were plenty of people sitting at the bar drinking and singing along with the band. It was a very pleasant way to wait for our table in a very casual atmosphere. The place was packed, but the wait was not very long. When you go inside, it feels a little more upscale. We had a great little table in the back room, with a view of the sound and the setting sun. The drink menu had a pretty extensive list of unique martinis, and that caught my wife's eye. As far as entrees, their crabcake was excellent, as was the New York Strip that I chose. One of my daughters chose from their list of sushi options, and it was excellent as well. Krista chose a pasta dish with shrimp. The shrimp was very fresh, the sauce was great, and we were all very happy with our dinner. There is also an impressive list of daily specials. Even better than dinner was desert. They had some excellent choices but we had bread pudding, key lime pie, and the peanut butter pie. All three were excellent ways to finish off a very pleasant evening at Mike Dianna's. If you are staying on the northern Outer Banks, this is a great stop. I find the northern Outer Banks lacking a bit in quality dining, so this place with its combination of a little upscale dining, good food, and waterfront deck party atmosphere is well worth the stop. Four out of Five stars.

Patricia Mazefsky

2011-07-21T18:15:00.000-07:00

I am not sure if I am putting up too much content too quickly on the blog, but I cannot get the beach out of my head this summer. I have wanted to do this blog for over a year now, and finally I have gotten it together so that it can happen. As noted in the introduction, I have been a beach lover all of my life. I cannot remember a summer as a child that did not include 10 days at my family's vacation spot, Wildwood Crest, NJ. Both of my parents LOVED the beach, so I guess I come by it naturally. Many of my best childhood memories center around our trips to the beach. Many of my favorite memories with my family include OUR trips to the beach, and for the past ten years, the Outer Banks in particular. We always came for about 10 days as a family, and about a week with our mothers and extended family. My wife and I both lost our fathers at a young age, so they never were able to do these trips with us. Unfortunately, the past few years have not allowed us to inlcude our mothers either, as mine passed away, and Lisa's is unable to travel anymore. Both of them loved the trip to the Outer Banks, and in particular our week long eating spree! I can picture them both eating the raw bar at Awful Arthurs and enjoying one of the few times in a year when EVERYONE in the family could be in the same place laughing. It felt good for us to be able to give them those moments, as they had given us many when we were kids. In the process of looking up some of my materials for the blog, I stumbled across the notes for the eulogy I gave at my mother's funeral. After some debate as to the appropriateness of putting this out there, I decided that given my mother's love of the Outer Banks, it might be a good tribute to her.

IF YOU KNEW MY MOTHER YOU KNEW:

That she loved horses, owning several before passing that love on to my children;
That she loved the beach, taking us to the Jersey shore every year of my youth, through our most recent treks to the Outer Banks, she never could get enough....a trait she also passed down to us;
That the beach chairs and umbrellas had to be planted before 8 am;
That she loved the fried clam basket and dirty banana at Awful Arthurs;

IF YOU KNEW MY MOTHER YOU KNEW:

That to her, Pepsi was the fifth food group! Add a lemon and it was like fruit salad;
That like the US ARMY commercial she did more before 9 am than most did all day, using Pepsi and Virginia Slims to fuel her routine by 4 am daily;
That she had a good sense of humor, as she managed to raise my brother and I without killing either one of us. If you knew us back then you would realize what an accomplishment that was, especially if you knew my brother;
That she could lack patience at times.....I am not sure if that trait was passed on or not.......we even saw some evidence that she might be stubborn;

IF YOU KNEW MY MOTHER YOU KNEW:

That roadside stands and farmers markets were like magnets adding hours to any trip....The 9 hour trip to the Outer Banks was 12 for mom;
That her four grandchildren Alison, Krista, Jaiden, and Jamie adored her and called her Grammy....you also knew that Christmas Eve at her home was one of the highlights of the year;
That her grandchildren loved walking on the beach with her, and that her backyard held many of the treasures they found together on the beach;

IF YOU KNEW MY MOTHER YOU KNEW:

That she had more food in her house than most grocery stores...
If you ever ate at my house you also knew that she knew what to do with it...she made a spaghetti sauce that no Irish girl should ever have been able to make and if you were lucky enough to be on her annual holiday cookie and candy tray list you know what I mean!

But like ME, you might NOT have known the depth of her courage, strength and selflessness;

Mom was diagnosed with lung cancer on a friday afternoon the first of December after a series of tests. Despite knowing, she did not tell us, as we were leaving for a surprise party for my sister in law in Virginia Beach. She told us when we got back so we did not miss the trip;
Even with the knowledge of her illness, she had her annual Christmas Eve dinner, although with a little more help from the rest of us and it was a memory we all cherish;
It was two days after Christmas that I watched as her oncologist told her that she had Stage 4 lung cancer that had spread to her brain, spine, ribs and legs..she made no expression, though you could see her shoulders sag.......after absorbing THAT blow she asked ME if I was alright.........

After several more hospital stays, and much more personal trauma inflicted by her husband, she went to have Gamma knife surgery on the two tumors in her brain, only to find out that there were now 8. After a brief show of emotion, she asked again if I was okay and sent me to a deli to bring her a brisket sandwich and soup;
The remainder of her short battle was even tougher than the beginning, but even one week before her death during the first week of February, she was planning our annual beach trip to the Outer Banks with us. Her condition suddenly worsened, but even as she faced what she KNEW she was facing, she had a kind word for all that she dealt with. It struck me that throughout her ordeal, even as the news got worse and worse she remained kind and gentle to all that she dealt with. I will always remember her brave smile and one finger wave she gave her friends and family as we came to and from her room on what would be her last evening of life. I know now that my mother was one of the most courageous and strongest people I will ever know, and we miss her always, but just a bit more in June and December. Thank you for everything you did for us and for giving us the passion for the ocean and beach.

FISHING THE OBX

2011-07-21T18:00:00.001-07:00

For when you want to catch your own eats!

Offshore Fishing in the Outer Banks

2011-07-21T15:42:00.000-07:00

Outer Banks Angler - Blue Fin Tuna - New Season Teaser

2011-07-21T15:35:00.000-07:00

Great White Shark off the Outer Banks of North Carolina

2011-07-21T15:23:00.000-07:00

Croatan Surf Club

2011-07-20T21:50:00.000-07:00

I know, this blog is called Outer Banks eats, but come on, there are other things that help to make the Outer Banks the great vacation spot that it is, and if you wait for it, you will see that even this post reverts back to eating in a way. As I noted in my introduction to this blog, my family began coming to the Outer Banks in November of 2000, with a day trip to Kill Devil Hills and Awful Arthurs on Black Friday. We came down after a great Thanksgiving meal at my sister inlaws

in Virginia Beach, and the rest as they say is history. Since that time we have spent at least two weeks per year in the Outer Banks as a family, usually more like 2 to 3 weeks, and I spend a few extra days with clients fishing offshore. During those trips we have stayed in just about every part of the Outer Banks including Corolla, Duck, Pine Island, Southern Shores, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, Manteo, Avon, and Ocracoke. We have been in everything from hotel rooms to one bedrooom condiminiums to lavishly appointed Lane homes. Over the past few years though, we have settled in to Kill Devil Hills as our prime location, and the Croatan Surf Club as our favorite spot to stay for our immediate family. When the extended family arrives, our needs change to a larger home, but for the four of us, we love the condiminiums at the Croatan Surf Club. First off, the location is great! You may have noted the love of food that prompted this blog, and the location of CSC puts us right in the middle of our cluster of restaurants such as Awful Arthurs, Tortuga's Lie, Mama Kwan's, Blue Moon Grille, and Pierhouse(I told you eating was a factor). It is also in the middle of the island, allowing me to get to Manteo for fishing in under 15 minutes, and Corolla in about half an hour for our drives on the beach, kid's trip to TimBuck II, and dinner at Mike Dianne's or annual visit to the Tomato Patch! The central location makes everything we want to do easy. This year we did everything from a jeep ride on the beach at Corolla, to a horseback ride in Hatteras, to an offshore fishing trip out of Manteo, to waverunning in Kitty Hawk and Nags Head from this unit. Add to that the shopping on the bypass and the beach road, and access to the great restaurants, and it is easy to see why we have chosen to settle here.

Second, the units themselves are wonderful. We stay in a 3 bedroom oceanfront condominium that is very well appointed, has a great view of the beach and all of the modern amenities. It is one of the nicest condominiums we have stayed in. In addition, the unit has a hot tub on the deck, and the facility has a great pool, that is not only fun to swim in, but the lighting at night adds to the ambience. The grills in the front of the yard are also a nice touch, and many of the units are pet friendly. For the rainy days, there is an indoor pool and a light workout facility. The beach in front of the facility is not at all overcrowded, and the gazebo overlooking the beach is a great place to people watch.

Finally, the people at Village Realty have been great to work with, from the ease of reservations, to the keyless entry check-in, to the courtesy of delivering packages mailed to their office to our unit. My family has enjoyed staying here so much, that we are now interested in exploring ownership of one of these great units in the not too distant future. CSC and Village Realty, thank you for contributing to another great OBX vacation!

Sunset Grill

2011-07-20T20:51:00.000-07:00

1264 Duck Road
Duck NC

This place is an interesting spot for me. In our early years of coming to the Outer Banks, this was our meeting spot for the family on check in day. We would connect here for lunch and a few drinks and await the word that we could check into our home. As far as lunch goes, it was not bad. I personally had the fried oyster sandwich and fries or a sandwich, and truthfully nothing ever stood out about the lunch food one way or the other. We also had a few dinners here, and I can say the same thing. Nothing was exceptionally good or exceptionally bad any time we came here. When I see reviews of this place on other sites, they are generally very bad, attacking the quality of the food and service in particular. From my perch, I have to say that you have to come here with the right frame of mind. I have been here several times and have never had a meal that I would consider to be bad, nor have I had an experience that stood out as extremely bad examples of service at the bar or in the dining area. That said, I have also never eaten anything here that I was overly impressed with, nor have I ever had a server that stood out to me as better than average. BUT, if you come here in the evening to eat, you also have an outdoor party atmosphere right on the water that is tough to duplicate. Their advertisements touting it as Key West but closer are not far off if you have ever been here to enjoy a sunset. So my take is that you need to be realistic. The place DOES NOT have standout food or service, but it is also NOT AS BAD as many of the reviews I have seen either. Go to this spot expecting average food, average service and GREAT atmosphere and you will not be disappointed. There are far WORSE places to be on a warm summer evening than outside at the Sunset Grill enjoying a cocktail, eating an oyster sandwich, and soaking in a beautiful sunset before some night time entertainment. You can now also have breakfast here starting at 8 am, and after having it twice this past year, I can say the same thing. The food was fine, the service was okay, but I enjoyed the hell out of starting my day with an omelette, looking out at the sound. Take it for what it is, ejoy the great outdoor beach atmosphere, and you will find it a worthwhile stop all in all. I give it 3 of 5 stars based on the location, location, location.

Goombays Grille and Rawbar

2011-07-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

Milepost 7 Beach Road
Kill Devil Hills NC

For me Goombays is not as good as our FAB FOUR, but it is still a very good spot to visit. Goombay's has a great beach atmosphere, and has painted and decorated the main dining room to replicate being underwater. Their bar is great, with a good selection of beers, and the Goombay Smash! It is also a good mix of locals and tourists. Goombay's has several good dishes to eat, starting with a very good raw bar. Their steamed combos are excellent for either lunch or dinner. In addition to the raw bar, there are several solid menu items to pick from. The Caribbean Creole Pasta is an excellent choice that includes Gulf Shrimp, Andouille Sausage and Crawfish tails in a spicy tomato broth and vegetables, all served over pasta. The fish tacos are very good as well, and they start with tuna instead of the mahi mahi used in some of the other local establishments. Goombays also has excellent nightly specials using fresh local seafood, and often prepped Jamaican style. There are also very good appetizer and sandwich selections including their Award winning Caribbean wings, and jalapeno cheeseburger. One can even extract their revenge on a maneater, by having AL-E-GATOR, a deep fried plate of alligator nuggets. Finally, Goombay's has a great list of deserts, highlighted by some excellent key lime pie. I find Goombay's to be a solid choice in the Kill Devil Hills area, especially if you want some raw bar, or sandwiches and bar food in a nice laid back beach atmosphere. We would give it 4 of 5 stars if you are visiting the Kill Devil Hills area, it is worth a try one night.

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2011-07-20T08:21:00.001-07:00

OBX

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Tortugas Lie

2011-07-19T21:55:00.000-07:00

Milepost 11 Beach Road
Nags Head NC

Tortugas Lie is simply fantastic. Coastal Living named Tortuga's Lie North Carolina's favorite seafood dive in its June 2011 issue, and that is tough to argue. One of my favorite things about Tortuga's is the versatility. The raw bar is very good, so it fits the bill for me as far as that goes. The atmosphere is a very beachy surfer vibe, with a bi

g local prescence. Also important to me. What sets it apart to me is that in addition to the great raw bar, and beach atmosphere, there are plenty of other great options. The daily specials are always great dishes that focus on locally caught fish and shellfish prepared with Caribbean flair. You could never go wrong working off of the Specials board here. But you can also do VERY well hitting their sandwiches. I am a definite carnivore that NEVER saw myself craving a veggie burger......EVER. Yet, when we go to Tortuga's I very often will order their Garden Burger, a veggie patty covered in their home made Habanero Barbeque Sauce, and served on home made whole grain bread with lettuce and tomato and a side of chips and salsa. I CRAVE it. The sauce, and the great bread turn this sandwich into a meal I have to have several times during our two week stay. Their sauce also highlights the Bajan Burger, which is a large burger covered in this BBQ sauce, bacon and cheddar. For starters, their Hatteras style clam chowder is tough to beat as is their Creole Crawdads dish. The Island fries or the homemade chips and salsa will be a great compliment to any meal you may order here. If that were not enough, every Wednesday is Sushi night and people line up to get a taste of their fresh sushi. Tortugas is another spot that we hit repeatedly during our two week stretch and for me it NEVER gets old. There are too many great options for that. Five Stars out of Five!

Awful Arthurs Oyster Bar

2011-07-19T21:14:00.000-07:00

Milepost 6 Beach Road
Kill Devil Hills NC

Awful Arthur's was our first stop in the Outer Banks in November of 2000. I fell in love instantly with the atmosphere inside this place. Straight up beach bar with simple but fresh food and a premium raw bar. If you don't like raw bar, the tuna, mahi mahi or wahoo sandwiches are the best fish sandwiches I have ever eaten. Fresh, and lightly marinated, could not be any simpler, but could not be any better. Folks, all I can say about Awful Arthur's is that the current manager, Lisa, was our server for many years and she has watched my children grow up over a decade of eating there. It was amazing to me that not only has she given us great service over the years, but she actually would remember the drink and food preferences of our entire party EACH year without prompting. She has given us advice about food, real estate, fireworks spots, and even where to have my car serviced. Awful Arthur's and Lisa became such a part of our OBX vacation, that we began renting the house across the street and next to the Avalon Pier(Tanarama II) for one of our weeks simply because of its proximity to Awful Arthurs! Whether it was just the four of us, or our extended family of 14 we would go to AA and order dozens of Crab Legs, Oysters, Clams, Shrimp, and Clam Strips to share amongst us and chase with Widmer Brothers Hefeweizen,(ShockTop now), Malibu and Coke, or the house drink, the Awesome Arthur, a great mix of seven liquors. We would follow that up with one of the fresh fish sandwiches, for me tuna or wahoo, but many prefer the mahi mahi. I would get the Oyster PoBoy when I was not in the mood for tuna. It simply gets no better than this for me. A large table of family members hammering fresh shell fish, drinking and laughing.

Awful Arthurs to me IS summer for us at the beach, and the memories we have created there over the years are priceless. The beauty of Awful Arthur's is the simplicity and freshness of the seafood, combined with a real beach ambience and local flair. I can think of few things that make me happier than sitting at the bar here, drinking a beer, eating oysters and shrimp while watching the steam pour out of steamers. Great place to just hang out. For the landlubbers, their hamburgers, deep fried hot dogs, and turkey sandwiches are all very good as well. For me though, it is RAW BAR, BEER and BEACH. Five out of Five stars!

AA

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Blue Moon Beach Grille

2011-07-19T20:17:00.000-07:00

MP 13 Surfside Plaza
Beach Road
Nags Head NC

Blue Moon Grille is the newest addition to our "Must Visit" restaurants, and was good enough to go to for dinner two nights in a row, and another night in about a week. This place was recommended by local bartenders and wait staff, and man were they spot on. My first impression of a little restaurant in a strip mall at the beach was a little underwhelming, as again, I am always seeking that old style OBX beach bar ambience. It is a very nice and new interior, with great nautical decor, but I was a bit thrown by the strip mall location. That concern QUICKLY changed once we got seated and had the chance to experience the great food and service at this little gem. Michelle, our server made us feel at home from the beginning. We started with appetizers including Jamaican Jerk chicken wings that were different than any wings I had ever eaten. They had a slow burn that was unique and tasty. We also had their basket of fries, advertised as boardwalk fries. These fries would give Thrashers in Ocean City a run for its money, no doubt. Finally, I got to taste Fried Green Tomatoes, and they were EXCELLENT. As good as the appetizers were, the main dishes were out of this world. The first night I had Angel's Delight, which is a dish that combines fresh local shrimp and blue crab in a lite white wine sauce, fresh tomatos, scallions, roasted red peppers, garlic and basil over angel hair. It was even better than it sounds. We also tried the Veggie Voodoo Pasta which is fresh vegetables sauteed in a spicy marinara sauce with Cavatappi pasta and shaved parmesan. My wife had the Bouillebasse which was fresh local fish and shellfish simmered in a lightly spiced, saffron scented white wine tomato broth and topped with 3 huge garlic toast points. The best Bouillebasse I have ever eaten. For me though, the second night was highlighted by the Truckstop, which is a tender pork loin pan fried and placed over a generous portion of skillet potatos in a homemade pan gravy. Then, I got it topped with a fried egg. I get a little weepy when I think of it. A totally unreal dish, that never made me regret missing a night of seafood, which is NO SMALL accomplishment. Finally, if that were not enough, their homemade deserts are killer highlighted by the absolute best bread pudding and carrot cake I have ever eaten in my life. I cannot say enough about how much my family enjoyed this stop, and I will find a way to get back there this fall even though I live in Pittsburgh! An absolute 5 out of 5 stars and a can't miss stop in the Outer Banks! Click on the header to visit their website.

Mama Kwans

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Mama Kwan's Tiki Bar and Grill
Mile Post 10 on the 158 Bypass

As noted in my introductory post, Mama Kwan's is one of our "Must Visit" stops that either opens or closes EVERY trip to the OBX, and includes several visits in between. Mama's broke a lot of "rules" that I had as a beach bum with a rabid appetite. First, let me step back and give some history. In November of 2001, my Niece

Angie Belcher and her husband Shane took our family to Awful Arthur's in Kill Devil Hills

the Friday after Thanksgiving. At the risk of sounding stranger than I normally do, it is not out of line to say that the visit to AA changed our vacation plans for the next decade, and defined for ME anyway the ideal combination of locals, beach bar atmosphere, and awesome raw bar. I really thought that no other place would call me like AA, ever, when we were at the beach. Until we found Tortugas Lie. Different atmosphere, more surfer like, but, again unreal raw bar and sushi drives the show at Tortugas. That is right up our alley as a family. So when my nephew tried to get us to divert from our favorite spots to try this place on the Bypass (not even on the beach road)because they had great fish tacos, I was less than excited. In fact, I had no interest in going because they were a Tiki Bar on the beach without a raw bar. Almost like rooting for the Capitals in my book to have a beach bar/restaurant without raw bar. Further, I love tacos and I love fish, but to me the thought of a fish taco was kind of nauseating. Shane and his wife are family, and part of our annual trek, and they had introduced us to one of our other favorite spots on earth, so we gave it a shot. And I went from hating the idea of fish tacos, to thinking of Mama's fish tacos for weeks after we leave the Outer Banks, and during the coldest part of winter, and during the weeks leading up to our annual trip. Mama's is the opening shot of our annual fishing trip, and when I walk in the doors, my troubles seem a lot less daunting from moment one. It doesn't hurt that the staff remembers us and treats us like locals. Kimmie is stuck with us most often, sorry for that. Some of the highlights include, as noted their blackened fish tacos. They start with mahi mahi that was likely swimming the day before and a dynamite blackening spice. From there, you get scallions, sticky jasmine rice, sliced crispy cabbage, cheddar, and sriracha sauce. You just have to try it yourself, because I cannot adequately describe how good and how fresh these tacos are. If you don't want to go that route, they have a garbage plate that consists of vegetables, jasmine rice, an asian cucumber salad, and either a FRESH tuna steak or chicken breast. To me, Tuna is the only choice, but either way, again the freshness of the ingredients and the Pacific Rim preparation method makes the Garbage plate with Tuna another incredible meal that will not only leave you full and happy, but feeling good about your choice from a health perspective. Other dinner highlights include a Marinated Pork Plate that starts with a lean pork tenderloin marinated for two full days in a tasty asian sauce, then pan seared and served over jasmine rice with an Asian Cucumber salad. A tasty alternative for the land lubber. In addition, they serve a great Pad Thai, and every evening there are 3 or 4 specials that include the freshest local catch, prepared in the "Mamas" Pacific Rim style. All of the above referenced meals are worth the drive from Pittsburgh to Nags Head in my opinion. For starters, there are also great choices starting home made chips and salsa, and including a dynamite pepper seared tuna, and Thai Money Bags, which resemble Potstickers. Apart from a great menu, the other part of Mama's that is tough to beat is the Tiki Bar atmosphere, and great service from both the bartenders and wait staff. Nothing better than coming in from the beach to an ice cold "Diamond Dave" which is a shot of Tuaca(a vanilla liquer) and Blackberry Schnapps fresh from the freezer in a frozen shot glass, chased by a Kalik (Bahamian Beer) and some chips and salsa. After that, you cannot go wrong with any of the delicious entrees, but trust me, you want to try the Fish Tacos. We have introduced many friends to Mama's Fish Tacos, and trust me, they're money! The general atmosphere is fun and relaxing, full of both tourists and locals. Kwan's converted a hard core raw bar freak, who thought that draft beer and oysters, shrimp, clams and crab legs were the only fare worthy of time on a beach trip into a Mama's freak who actually named the act of eating there as getting Kwantified! Do not go to the Kill Devil Hills area without trying Mama Kwan's. Five out of Five stars! click on the link to visit their website.

Introduction

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My family has been going to the O

uter Banks for at least two weeks per year since the summer of 2001. We have also gone in the offseason for several days most years, and I go offshore fishing with friends at least one time each season. We eat two meals per day out on most days, so we have definitely sampled the best and the worst that the Outer Banks has to offer. I think I have spent the equivalent of about 28 weeks time in the OBX over the past ten years, or more than six months. We have also been fortunate enough to stay in most every part of the Outer Banks from Corolla to Ocracoke, before settling for most of our time in either Kill Devil Hills or Nags Head due to the proximity of many great local bars and restaurants. Over the years we have eaten at many great places, with Sam and Omie's, and the Pier House Restaurant topping our breakfast list, and until this year Awful Arthur's, Tortuga's Lie and Mama Kwan's topping our lunch and or dinner list. This year, the big three became the big four after several great meals at the Blue Moon Grille in Nags Head. There are several other places that get an honorable mention, but we really love those four restaurants. We have also had very good meals at Mike Diannes in Corolla, the Kill Devil Grill in Kill Devil Hills, and the Lone Cedar in Manteo. For just atmosphere, the Sunset Grille in Duck is hard to top, but the food in our opinion is average. With a view like theirs, that is still not a bad place to be! I will do my best to put our spin on the great restaurants as we see them in the Outer Banks, and I welcome any feedback or suggestions from anyone who stumbles across this blog. I will also post some great photos from our time at the Outer Banks, a place where I have watched my children grow up from Elementary School kids to great young adults. My family is my passion and many of my fondest memories include moments spent in the Outer Banks. I hope you enjoy some of the photos and information about the local eateries!