My favorite meals

I got a couple of comments today asking for recommendations on local restaurants and favorite dishes. Well, there are few things I enjoy more than food, so I thought a whole blog on the topic would be fun!

I like and frequent nearly all of the restaurants on the island. Here are some thoughts about each, including my personal favorite menu items.

Cafe Atlantic - anything they put on a plate is terrific! I love everything they do, including the bread (warm and crusty but not overly hard) and salads (with delicious dressings like cucumber dill and sweet poppyseed). The appetizer I order on almost every trip to the Cafe is the herbed chevre cheese with fig preserves; I know it sounds like an odd combination, but trust me and give it a try - it's delicious. It is difficult to select the "best" entree, because they are all superb, but two I enjoy frequently are the lemon pasta and pesto scallops. Mmmm...if I hadn't just eaten dinner, I would be hungry now. Finally, definitely save room for dessert (or, if you didn't save room, get one anyway and take it home or to your hotel/B&B/rental cottage with you to eat later)...their desserts are homemade and decadent. In fact, the dessert course is so popular at the Cafe that if you see one you like in the case near the front door on your way in, it's not a bad idea to request your server save a portion for you...they sometimes run out of the really good ones. The dessert menu varies, with different choices every day, but my favorite is Toll House Pie. I've also heard wonderful things about their banana cream pie - a friend of mine likes it so well that she is on a "call list" to be notified when they are serving it!

(Yikes - if I write that much about every place, this is going to be a LOOOONG blog...)

Flying Melon - the menu here has a somewhat Cajun inspiration (the chef, Michael, used to have a restaurant in New Orleans), but the dishes are not overwhelmingly spicy (unless you like your food with authentic Cajun heat, in which case just ask...) Another thing I appreciate about the Melon is the fact that their fried seafood items are not overly breaded - I can't stand it when places serve items which are more-batter-than-fish/shrimp/oyster/whatever. Favorite items - crabcakes (the remoulade sauce is lick your plate good), crab and corn chowder, and any of the special omelettes at brunch. The Melon also serves a great burger, includes vegetarian and vegan choices, and offers delectable homemade desserts, including a fantastic tiramisu.

The Back Porch - I love the quiet ambiance here, with candles on the tables making for a romantic meal setting. The best appetizer in my opinion is the crab beignets, and a favorite entree is the filet of fish with Vietnamese lime sauce (another plate-licking-good one). And yes, these guys also have lovely desserts. Are you beginning to notice a theme here? :)

Jason's - excellent food in a casual atmosphere. To start, I like the spinach and artichoke dip, although the chicken wings are good too. Or sushi (served Tuesday nights only) is always a great starter if you want something different. The Sayrah Safari sandwich (on a wrap rather than a roll) is what I order almost every time I eat at Jason's, and I like to finish up with one of their (you guessed it) yummy desserts, which change daily.

Those are my four personal favorites, but here are some other places I enjoy:
- Thai Moon - be aware that this is a takeout only, cash only place, and there's sometimes a bit of a wait to get your food, but it's well worth it! I love the Tom Yum Goong soup and Moon's Special crabmeat fried rice (which is served with either 2 spring rolls, or 2 skewers of satay...I usually have trouble deciding between them!)

- Ocracoke Coffee Company - I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but they have terrific smoothies (I adore the Strawberries and Cream with Chocolate, but the Skinny Monkey is also good if you want or need to be less decadent), and if I'm in the mood for a snack when I'm there, the bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon is marvelous.

- Howard's Pub - not my favorite for atmosphere (a bit "pubby" for my taste), but it's fun and open late. If you like beer (which I don't particularly), it's not to be missed, as they have around 200 kinds to choose from, including microbrews and imports. I like the grilled teriyaki tuna sandwich, which comes with a unique key lime mustard sauce, and pub fries are excellent.

- Pony Island - great for down to earth, good food, simply prepared and presented. The fish is fresh caught, or they will prepare and cook your own catch if you would like. Their hush puppies are sweet and wonderful, and I would eat "pony potatoes" (hash browns with cheese, salsa and sour cream) at any time of day if they would let me (unfortunately, they only serve them at breakfast).

- Jolly Roger - super for outside dining on warm days, and offers the best sunset view of all the eateries, as it is right on the harbor. I love their french fries, and the Mexican options are tasty, too. If you go on the right nights, you can enjoy live music by talented local musicians along with your meal.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the restaurants on the island, but it does cover my most frequently visited locations. Hope you find something you like. Here's to good eatin'!