Henry's

After a full day of co-leading a professional development workshop, I was hunkering for some good food. We headed down to Henry's. Henry's is on the corner of Independence and Shipyard. You may be tempted to drive past this place on the way to the mall only because it is hard to see from the road. But that would be a mistake.

Usually I have their prime rib sandwich. It falls under what they call a 'two fisted sandwich.' My goodness this is a great choice. To my dismay, they changed the menu and offer this treat only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday while supplies last. Whew, I thought my hunger would never be satiated....I guess it means I have to go back soon.

Nonetheless, I was in the mood for chicken wings. I ordered them from the appetizer menu thinking I would get 3-5. Oh no! They delivered about 8 really plump, moist, and tender wing. They were fantastic. It really hit the spot. On Tuesdays, they offer $2.50 pints. Not just domestics, but imports too. Another Guinness please!

FYI - these are the same owners of Bluewater, Oceanic, Eddie Romanellis, and the soon to be completed Ale House on College.

Caribbay Soul

An octet of us booked a 6pm to try the Caribbean & Southern fusion place located at 35 North Front Street in downtown Wilmington. I had a hankering for this place ever since I walked by and noticed they had fried chicken and waffles. OK, to be honest the hankering started when I watched Throw Down with Bobby Flay on the Food Network when he did a cook off of this item with an old skool cook from Harlem.

Anyway, while my group thought and pondered, I knew what I wanted. So I just took in the atmosphere. The place is pretty groovy. The musicians at the front door really add to the vibe and make me think I am am in a hipper place where street musicians are viewed as adding cultural to a town. Anyway, I digress. The place does have that laid back, island feel. Our waiter, although not exactly prompt, was good and had the accent as if he was from the Caribbean.

I was rather dissappointed with the fried chicken and waffles. On the television, this looked like an amazing treat for my uncultured palatte. I was expecting greatness...or maybe I was expecting a little wow. The dish has the Southern twist so instead of a big hank of fried chicken, the dish is served with fried chicken wings. I was OK with that part. But the wings were barely palatable. They had almost no taste and one almost tasted, dare I say, a little rank. Ouch. The waffle tasted as if it was out of a box. Nothing special there. The 'real' maple syrup did not taste real at all. Failure on all three parts did not make me a happy camper.

Now with that said, my mates loved their food. They got dishes like Jerk Chicken which were just a popping flavor. Very tasty and very flavourful. The rest of the crew just ranted about their meals.

Since it was 7 good eating experiences to my 1 bad, I will have to give this place another try. Someday.

Asian Buffet

OK, so we broke down, skipped a sit down meal, and decided to try Asian Buffet on Carolina Beach Road near the intersection of Shipyard and Carolina Beach Road. The reason being I was in the mood for a variety of food versus just one dish.

Upon entering, we were asked if we wanted the snow crab buffet or the regular buffet. The crab buffet was the same as the regular but you got all you can eat crab legs for $15 more. We passed on the crab legs.

The variety was pretty good. I was impressed with the selection of foods and the diversity that seemed to include ethic food beyond Asia. For instance there were fried bananas, crayfish, and chicken wings. The food was not hot...if fact it was barely warm. That was the worst part of the experience. I think if the food had been warm, we would have thought it dandy for a buffet.

In all, this is not a great place for Asian food, but it is a decent place to 'fill-er-up.' The prices run around $8 Monday-Thursday and $10 Friday-Sunday. If you go for lunch the prices are slightly lower.

Lynn says........
It really seemed like an Asia meets Southern with a little bit of Hispanic thrown into the mix buffet. It was a decent buffet but not great by any means. Like Jayson said the food probably would have been better had it been hot. I don't think that I was expecting a lot out of an Asian buffet and it definitely was a fine place to grab a quick sit down meal but I think thought that I will try out a few more Asian restaurants in town. I hear there is a great one in the shopping center over on 17th and College. Jayson???

Fox and Hound

Last night a bunch of us went out to MayFaire Towncenter to take in the Music on the Town and grab a bite to eat.  We decided on the Fox and the Hound. The pub is located next to the movie theatre. The theme of the restaurant is a classic British pub. On that mark, it missed by a landslide. Having lived in London for two years, I can attest that this is no British pub. Sure, I am a pub-snob, so I will let that go....In short, it is pretty spacious, many tall tables, lots of big screen TVs, and a nice outdoor eating area. 

I had to order the classic fish and chips. At a pub, it is only natural! The fish is fried in a Newcastle Brown Ale beer-batter. It is served with fresh cut steak fries. The serving size was huge. I could only eat 2 of the 3 fish portions. We were in a group of about 12. The waitress was fantastic. She managed to get all the orders up at once and all brought out hot! Kudos to her. As fish and chips go, I would give this one a 7 out of 10. It is the best I had in town thus far, but not the best I have had in my life. The meal ran about $10.00. 

I am off to London in a few weeks. I am eager to see if my memory of pub-grub accurately reflects reality. Stay tuned!.

Surfs Bar and Grille

On a whim, and because we had a buy one get one for a penny coupon, we headed to Surfs Bar and Grille. It is located at 5550 Market Street. From the outside, you would not expect too much. But once you walk in the front doors, you are greeting with a really cool atmosphere. The decor makes you feel as if the beach is outside the door - lots of wood and lots of metal. It is really fun and relaxing. To add to the fun, there are lots of 'Surf's Facts' posted throughout the restaurant which makes going out an educational experience! ;)

We ordered the 12 oz New York Strip and the Teriyaki salmon served on steamed spinach. 

They started off bringing us a basket of sweet cornbread. It was baked to perfection. It was moist and tender. It was a really nice starter. The salmon was so fresh and sweet tasting. I could have eaten two of them. The portion size was great. I would definitely eat this one again. 

The New York strip was nothing special. In fact, it was tough, dry, loads of fat, and did not taste too fresh. I guess they do not sell enough of these to keep them fresh...who knows. It was not horrid, but I would have been really upset if we did not get that meal for a penny. It is normally around $19.00.

They had a wonderful selection of cheap sandwiches (around $7-$9) on the menu too. I think I might go back and try some of those. 

Los Portales - Mexican night!

On Friday night, prior to heading for a movie on the deck of the Battleship North Carolina (which is a fantastic event by the way) we had a hunkering to find some authentic Mexican food. I heard we should try Los Portales for 'real' Mexican food. Los Portales is located at 1207 South Kerr Avenue #B. It is just a hop and jump away from the UNCW campus.

Walking in, we knew we hit a local hot spot. The place is smallish but nice. In true Mexico form, music videos were playing on a television. It adds to the atmosphere. When we walked in, we noticed the menu is above the counter. So we figured out you had to order right there. The only issue is the entire menu is in Spanish. Good thing I can hold my own. ;)

We ordered two fish tacos and a chorizo taco to start. Wow...they were delicious. The tacos are much like you get in Mexico; small, fresh corn with only the meat on a soft shell. We had to go to the condiment bar to add a selection of fresh vegetables and salsas. The salsas were out of this world yummy. Of course since the tacos were tiny (only $1.75 each) we ordered a chicken burrito too. It was huge. It alone would have fed us both. We washed it down with a bottle of Jarritos. Jarritos is a mandarin orange soda that is just soothing on the taste buds. For three tacos, a drink, and a huge burrito our total bill was around $16.00.

You know this place is authentic when two vacationers came in, looked around, seemed confused, and walked out. I guess they thought it would be a more casual dining place. Here, you order at the counter, they yell, you pick up, you bus your own tables. For non-Spanish speakers, the staff speaks enough English to help out. 

For desert, we headed down to La Imperial. This is a Mexican bakery we heard about in the local paper. La Imperial is located at 4330 Market Street (in a shopping center at the corner of Kerr and Market). Walking in you are surrounded with the scent of flour and sweets. This experience too is a little out of our norm. You pick up a tray, some wax paper, and a pair of tongs. From there you search through tiers of trays filled with all sorts of sweets. There  are no names or prices, just sweets galore. We got  a strawberry jam thingy that looked like a baseball covered in coconut shavings and a pineapple sweet bread coverd in coconut shavings (notice my technical terms). Both were lovely. The sweet bread is not overpowering and not too sweet. A very nice taste. It would have been awesome with a cup of coffee! For two huge sweets we spent only $1.75. We packed the sweets and ate them while we watched Father Goose (an old Cary Grant movie) on the decks of the ship while overlooking the Cape Fear! 

I Love NY Pizza

Located at 28 North Front Street in historic downtown Wilmington is a small pizza place called I Love NY Pizza. They sell pizza by the slice or by the pie. 

With Lynn's family in town (they are displaced New Yorkers at heart) we had to try the New York style pizza. We ordered a 1/2 cheese and 1/2 Greek pizza to go. The pie was huge! Normally I am a gourmet style pizza guy and do not really dig on 'regular' pizza. But this was no regular pizza. It was fresh, tasty, and pretty cheap. For a large (which fed four and then some) we paid only $16. 

To top it off, when we called in the order they said park out front and they would run us out the pie. This was in the pouring rain! Now that is service. 

If you are in downtown and want only a nibble to curb anappetite or if you want to fill up, this is a good, inexpensive option. The inside atmosphere is not really sit-down-and-relax. It is intended to grab a quick nibble. So I suggest you get a slice and enjoy a walk downtown- with slice in hand of course.

Bon Appetit

Yesterday we (re) visited Bon Appetit. This is a small restaurant run by Gene Costa from Long Island, New York. He does catering for the stars but also manages to run this little restaurant located at 3704 Carolina Beach Road. Lynn and I found this place when we first moved to Wilmington. It is located in a pretty nondescript location. Unless you were looking for a place to eat, you might miss it. But that would be a mistake.

On this trip, we had company in town. I ordered the shrimp and grits. I had this treat many, many times here and absolutely love it. Many of my Northern friends think it sounds gross, but I am absolutely smitten with this one. The grits are stone ground, not instant. The shrimp are so plump and luscious, they just pop when you bite into them. Gene makes a wonderful lobster sauce where the shrimp and grits happily swim together. The meal is topped off with tomatoes, bacon bits (real bacon of course), and cheese. It is out of this world. 

I have had many of their breakfast specials including their triple berry malted waffles and poor man's egg Benedict. On the weekend they cook up something special. I usually have to try what is on the menu just for that day. Oh yeah, they just started selling baked goods. I have not tried them....yet. 

Bon Appetit also serves lunch. I had their chicken Philly a few months past and it was fantastic. Up until the economy hit hard, they served dinner and pizza. Their New York style pizza was scrumptious. I am waiting for the dinner / pizza to return. For now, I will be content with breakfast / lunches.  

Ezzell's Breakfast House

On this chilly (48 degree, brrr) morning, we ventured to Ezzell's Breakfast House near downtown on Carolina Beach Road. The diner has a old skool feel where you choose between booths or counter seating. Walking in you feel like this is home. 

The menu has only the regular fare, nothing more and nothing less. But that is what one expects going into these old skool places. I went for the 2-2-2 (2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon, 2 pancakes). Lynn went for the bacon and cheese omelet. The order was served up quick and with a smile. Looking around the place, you see why this becomes folks' regular stomping ground. It is very working class but very friendly. The total bill with coffee was only $10.

The food was swell, nothing earth shattering. Then again, that is the point: to get consistent, cheap chow quickly. It is open 24 hours so if I am hunkering for a BLT at 2am, I would swing by for sure!

Yo Sake

Last night we ventured downtown to try a taste of Yo Sake. It is located at 33 S. Front street just one block off of the river. With all the college students heading home for the summer, the atmosphere downtown was rather subdued and relaxed.

Yo Sake is located on the 2nd floor. It is an awesome atmosphere. The lighting, Japanese artwork, exposed brick, and tall windows make for a great place for a romantic outing or a relaxed place to go with friends. 

Having already ate, Lynn and I shared an appetizer. We got a sashimi platter which came with tuna, salmon, white fish, and crab. Oh goodness, this stuff was so fresh and light. It was a wonderful way to top off a night. The presentation was beautiful and the waitress was very attentive. 

I will definitely try this place out for a meal (or another late night treat).

Kefi's

Friday night, we headed out to Kefi's. This place is located just before you go over the liftbridge crossing over to Wrightsville Beach. We were going out with a group of 8 so I thought we better call and get a reservation. When we arrived, there were barely 20 folks so seating was not an issue. Kefi's has a wonderful deck - that's where we sat. On a warm Wilmington night, an outdoor deck is a splendorous thing! We arrived around 8pm to find a lovely acoustical duo stringing some songs. It was a very welcoming environment. 

Anyway, Lynn ordered a basket of fried pickles. I thought this would be totally yucky, but oh no....they are delicious. The crunch has a very nice combination of a light breading with the sour pickle. The dipping sauce really adds to the flavor. 

I ordered a chicken Philly with mixed vegetables. The serving size was good (not huge). The sandwich was nothing to make me yearning for more, but the price, taste, and atmosphere combined made it worth it. We decided it was a great place to go for a break from the beach.

The only off putting experience we had was related to the band that started at 10pm. A chap came up to our group around 9pm and asked if we would be there after 10pm. Upon telling him 'maybe' he said we had to pay $7 each to cover the band! When we did a double take, he kindly said he would give us a discount and charge us each $3 since we were already there. What?! There was another group sitting next to us who were also in disbelief. 

Although the food and atmosphere would make me come back for more, I would think twice about being there when a band was on the docket. 

Pine Valley Market

Not exactly a restaurant, but Pine Valley Market deserves special mention. It is located at 3520 S. College in Wilmington, just north of 17th Street. Lynn and I have been there a few times, so I thought I would put it up here. 

This shop has been voted best gourmet market by Encore Magazine audiences in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. The store is a great collection of nice wines, a butcher shop, and gourmet foods. What I like is to stop in and get a frozen diner. Last night I picked up a three cheese lasagna. It was fantastic. Simply remove the cardboard top, put on some foil, and back it for about 60-90 minutes. For just around $10.00 it was enough to feed two. The meal always tastes fresh and healthy. I have also tried the egg plant Parmesan and eggplant rollitini. Both were fresh and wonderful. Unlike grocery store frozen foods, this tastes like homemade food. Very good. I find it an easy and cheap option to 'going out' while I stay home.  

Thai Spices

This place is super new. I think it opened in the past week. Since we love Thai food, we had to try it. Thai Spice is located at Monkey Junction across from Home Depot at 5552 Carolina Beach Road. Since I was not in the mood to sit and eat, I ordered a tofu pad Thai and a chicken green curry to go. The interior is rather empty with only a few wall hangings, but clean. The brightly painted walls give the place a nice feel however. I was glad to see there were about 6 couples eating here on a Thursday.

It turned out they gave me chicken pad Thai rather than tofu. There were pieces of tofu in the meal, but the chicken was obviously there too. No worries though, I am willing to give places a break on this mix-up. But if I were a vegetarian, it might be an issue. Nonetheless, the pad Thai was a little sticky but the taste was still good. I would have liked a little more fish sauce and bean sprouts just to give it that street food taste one can find in Bangkok. The pad Thai was not 'wow' but it was still good. I found the serving to be slightly smallish.

The green chicken curry was however 'wow.' It had a great spicy taste that left my mouth wanting more. It had a little zing which is a good thing for a green curry. I was very pleased with this meal. The vegetables were really fresh and crisp. This meal tasted like food you get in Thailand. Very nice. The serving size here was quite large.

The lunch prices were around $8 a meal where as most diner prices were $10-$12 a meal. Our total bill came up to $24.53 for two meals.

I will definitely be back to Thai Spice. I am not sure I care to eat in, but for pick up, count me in!

Lynn says................

I really enjoyed this meal both for dinner and for lunch the next day. Thai food for me is very much a comfort food and Thai Spice hit the spot. I would have preferred larger squares of tofu and no chicken in my pad thai and the noodles were a little dry. In the future I will be sure to ask for a little extra fish sauce and bean sprouts but overall the flavor was good and well worth it.

The green curry - YUM!! I love green curry and this dish was flavorful, spicy and fresh.

I am aware when I eat Thai food I am comparing it to my first experience with Thai food ever - a little place in Minneapolis call Tru Thai. Never did I try a dish there that I wasn't surprised at the depth of flavor and freshness of ingredients. Thai Spice didn't bring me back to Minneapolis but it is definately a retaurant I will be sure to come back to soon to try a few other dishes.

Tuscan Grill

Last evening we took two friends down to Carolina Beach to check out a few options. First, we tried Tangerine Caribbean Grill. Having read all the wonderful reviews, we were certainly in for a nice treat. Checking in, we were told there would be a 20 minute wait. No problem. We warmed up the to bar and ordered $2 Longboard beers. Not a bad price for a Saturday night. The atmosphere is super cute. It looks and feels like a Caribbean place. We were seated outside on the deck that overlooks to harbor. The deck even has a pool table. How cool is that? Anyway, as we sat there for about 10 minutes without any server coming to us, I glanced over at the manager was talking to the table next to us. The 2 couples looked miserable. I asked how long they have been sitting there....45 minutes! Ouch. We figured we better try this place on a different night.

Anyway, we called Tuscan Grill which sits down the road on the main strip. The owner told us there was no wait and we could sit outside. We hurried down and were indeed quickly ushered to a lovely patio. The server was awesome. He was so attentive and down to earth. When we looked at the prices we were worried we were out of our element. But the server really made us feel welcomed telling us he lobbied hard to get the owners to offer $1.50 PBRs!

We ordered a starter of artichoke dip. This was a huge order - I was glad there were four of us. The dip was tasty and well prepared. I like mine a little more zingy, but this was definitely good. We ordered halibut with asparagus and a spinach salad. The halibut was very well prepared with a lovely creamy sauce. The serving size was quite large. Lynn and I split the order. The side of pasta with alfredo sauce was huge! Oh goodness, it hit the spot.

In all, the dining experience was great. The only complaint was the price. Our bill came to around $48 for 2. That included a starter, one entree, and a starter salad. But the taste, the atmosphere, and the service made up for the sticker shock! We will definitely be back.

Lynn says...  I thought it was a wonderful experience. As soon as we walked in the door we were asked if we were the party of four that had just called and were quickly whisked off to the back patio. The atmosphere was simple elegance with just the perfect lighting for an evening dinner. I agree with Jayson our waiter was very friendly and attentive throughout the meal. The Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip - $9.95 that was served with ciabatta toast points was unique. I found it to be very tasty and enjoyed the subtle flavor of pine nuts that were blended it. It added a little bit of extra crunch that mixed well with the creaminess of the dip and ciabatta toast. The Fresh Halibut Oscar style (crab and Bernaise sauce with asparagus spears) and served with one side choice - $23.95 was fantastic - light and flaky. As a side we choose the pasta with alfredo sauce. I am not usually a fan of alfredo sauce but appreciated the delicate dressing of sauce they coated the pasta noodles in. The Tuscan Greens - $6.45 had fresh baby spinach, toasted pine nuts, goat cheese, roasted red peppers, and was finished with a balsamic raspberry vinaigrette. It was very flavorful and all of the different textures and tastes went very well together. Overall I really enjoyed this meal, the staff, atmosphere. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for a casual night out with friends or a romantic dinner with your partner. Don't forget to take a walk on the boardwalk and a stroll on the beach after the meal.

Big Thai

For an early Sunday night meal, we headed to the Brooklyn Arts district to try Big Thai located at 1001 North 4th Street.  After its sister restaurant closed up shop in downtown Wilmington, I expected much the same. Having ate at the sister restaurant, I expected the same quality and the same great taste. 

Big Thai's orange building  screams"Hey you, check me out!" or "Attention, good stuff inside!" The interior atmosphere is a little odd and does not give that Thai feeling. It has high ceilings that make it look as if it belongs in a strip mall. I tried the restroom and thought I was actually in Bangkok. Let's just say it was in bad shape. But hey, it did have running water so I knew I was in the States.  

Looks aside, I was ready to have some great Thai food. We shared a few meals: Chicken Pad Thai, tofu green curry, and a vegetable mix with chicken. Now I have had many plates of Pad Thai in my time including eating it from many street vendors in Bangkok. This version simply did not do it for me. It was a little bland for my taste and the noodles were sticky and mushy. I barely tasted any fish sauce. The taste was fine for an everyday plate of Pad Thai, but it was not what I expected. The curry was only so so too. It was spicy which was a good thing. But it was served on a plate where there was very little sauce. Being spread on a large plate made the meal cold to the touch when it arrived. It seems as if serving curry in a bowl would be a better option. The third meal was only OK. OK enough to say I cannot remember it the next morning. 

I have had their coconut cake on at least three occasions. Each time the slice was huge! So, three of us decided to share. To our dismay,  there must have been a shortage of cake. The slice was tiny at best. The taste rocked as always, but the portion size was very disappointing. 

I hate to say it, but our experience was only mediocre. I love Thai food and really wanted to find a favorite place where I would pick up carry out to take home or a place that could be my Asian get away. I wish I could say it were so, but this was not the place. 

I will try Big Thai again....but sadly, very sadly I must say I was not wowed this time. 

Pilot House

For lunch, we headed to downtown Wilmington to take in the colonial feel of the city. We chose the Pilot House. The location is superb - it is located on the river walk overlooking the Cape Fear River with the lift bridge as the back drop. They have indoor and outdoor seating. Since the weather was so nice, we decided to sit on the patio and bask in the sun.

I tried the BBQ, smoked bacon wrapped salmon. Now that was a party in my mouth. The crispy bacon was smokey and flavorful. The BBQ sauce was not too overpowering where I could not taste the salmon. It all worked together quite nicely. It was presented over a bed of grilled vegtables which was a nice addition to the sweet and tangy sauce. The price of this treat was around $10.

If you are looking for a good place to check out the city, watch the river, feel the downtown culture, and enjoy a tasty treat, the Pilot House is a good option. 

Sweet and Savory

Last evening, Lynn's mother and grandmother came into town on their way from Florida to Michigan. Waking up we had a real hankering for a good breakfast. We took them to Sweet and Savory. If you have not been there yet, you are missing out. It is tucked into a side street on the way to Wrightsville Beach right before your cross the bridge. We have been there on at least six occasions and have been pleased with each visit. Today, I had the Sunrise Garden breakfast sandwich.

Stacked between two pieces of homemade bread were scrambled eggs topped with melted Havarti cheese. The sandwich was then filled with lettuce, tomatoes, cubed cucumbers, thin sliced onions, fresh sprouts, and mushroom. The sandwich is served with a wonderful garlic mayonnaise. The sandwich felt light but was very filling: a great morning combination. Of course there are lots of options for a sweet tooth....I held back (if only this time).

If you are at the and are looking for a close place to grab a quality meal, this is your spot. I have had their diner too and was just as happy. Oh yeah, worry not...there is a small bar inside too.

Lynn says....
Sweet and Savory never disappoints. Their menus are printed on one double sided sheet of paper folded into three. There is a separate menu for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. I have only had the breakfast but each time I look at the other menu's and report that I am definitely coming back for lunch the sandwich options look fantastic.

With a never ending cup of coffee and a fresh, quick, light meal it was a perfect place to take my mom and grandma before an early morning walk on the beach.

Casey's BBQ Buffet

This week, we have a visitor in from Minnesota. We thought we should treat her to some southern food. A joint we have visited many times is Casey's BBQ Buffet. Now normally I am not much of a buffet style eating guy. The first time we went here was by mistake. Coming from the North, I thought BBQ would be lip-smacking ribs. So when we walked into this place, we were a little taken aback. However, once we tasted the food, we understood why folks call this comfort food.

The BBQ is vinegar based. It is a pulled pork that is cooked so well that it almost melts in your mouth. I love it! They have all the southern favorites too including mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, turnip greens, rice and gravy, hush puppies, chitlins, fried chicken, baked chicken, and loads of deserts. Their banana pudding is just yummy.

The only drawback with going here is the pain I feel walking out. I simply cannot stop myself from returning to get more goodies. I guess things could be worse....

There are a few other BBQ joints in town that we will eventually try out. For now, my southern food fix gets met at Casey's!

Lynn says.......
When are we going back? I LOVE this place. Jayson swears every time that he is going to limit himself and eat less. But I truly believe once he gets in the door he just can't stop himself. All willpower is left at the door. I never expected to enjoy this restaurant as much as I do. It is one of only a few places that I crave and anticipate going back to.

The tables are all covered in plastic picnic tablecloths, clean and simple. Even when there appears to be a long line that you will never get through it moves very quickly. All of the servers and staff are so nice and helpful my ice tea is never empty. Sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, hush puppies, coleslaw, pulled pork, fried chicken, fish, fried mussels, the food never ends and hits the spot every time we go in.

Jayson and I have taken most of our out of town guests to Casey's to give them a taste of the local cuisine and every person has left with a full belly and a smile on their face.

Pop's Diner and Last Resort

Last night we went down to Carolina Beach to grab a donut at Brits on the boardwalk, but found it was closed. So, since we had a hankering for something sweet, we went to Pop's Diner at 104 North Lake Park Blvd for a funnel cake. All I can say is mmmmm. The flavor was even better than I remember from my many ventures to the Minnesota State Fair - that is saying something! The cake was hot, crispy and covered with fresh sprinkled powdered sugar. Scrumptious! Price: $5

If you are on Carolina Beach hunkering for a sweet, check out this place.

After we got our sweet tooth on, we headed back north and stopped into the Last Resort for a drink. This is a little pub smack in the middle of the street located at 600 North Lake Park Blvd. The atmosphere is very beachy and extremely cute. Inside is tiny, but the place makes up for it with ample deck space that really makes you realize you are at the beach. It is a great little place to just kick back and take in the local flavor.

Lynn says.............
I am by far not a funnel cake connoisseur but this funnel cake definitely hit the spot. When it was able to curb Jayson's disappointment over Brit's donuts being closed I knew we had found a new little place to come for comfort food. It really was fresh hot and crispy. Truly melt in your mouth good. My friend Jaime was in visiting from Minnesota and it was not quite as warm as she had hoped - the funnel cake seemed to put everyone in more of a summery mood. At pop's they have a fairly large assortment of treats including ice cream and hawaiian ice. And the best part - it is just a quick walk from the beach.

And then over to the Last Resort to continue with our summer dreaming. It is a small building with hardly any room to turn around it but having the outside seating was fantastic. I am a huge fan of sitting under the stars with friends and a drink. It was a perfect place as we headed out of Carolina Beach on our way home.

Mason's Haunt

Jayson said...

Mason's Haunt is located in a cute, off-the-beaten path of Masonboro Loop Road. It is located in a strip mall, albeit a very upscale strip mall. There are plenty of windows to gaze out at the small pond in the back. So all in all the views are good. The inside is a little sterilized for my taste. But for many, this is a good thing.

Walking in, we were greeted with the sounds of a lovely female acoustic guitar player who focused on playing songs from from the likes of Lisa Loeb and Jewel. She sounded wonderful and really added to the atmosphere. The waiter brought out little cornbread rolls and wonderfully warm biscuits. The cornbread rolls were just OK, but the biscuits were grand. They were served with regular butter. I would have preferred a nice honey butter though.

We started off with an appetizer of beef and mushroom strudel. The presentation was wonderful and the taste good. Nonetheless I was not 'wowed' with this particular starter.

I was torn between the roasted chicken and Korean style braised short ribs. The ribs won...much to my palette's pleasure. This boneless treat was melt-in-your-mouth tender. It was pipping hot and very good. The soy and sesame glaze left a great taste in my mouth even hours afterwords. It was served over a bed of soba noodles. This sounded a little odd, but it added a good texture to the moist dish.

We ended up the meal with a chocolate mouse cake. The mouse was very nice, but it left me wondering what the carrot cake tasted like.

Very nice ending. The dishes are around $15-$20 a plate. Our total bill was around $47 which included the appetizer, two entrees, and one dessert.

In all, Mason's Haunt is a good place to go for an quiet meal at a reasonable price. The food and staff are both upscale.

Lynn said......
I really enjoyed Mason's Haunt. It was a quiet and warm atmosphere. The live music was perfect for dinner. The girl's voice was gentle and the acoustics for the restaurant were good, we could actually hear and understand the soft background music. After our drink order was taken we were quickly brought a basket of warm cornbread and biscuits. The biscuits were mini versions of a homemade biscuit warm and flaky. I thought the beef and mushroom strudel appetizer was very flavorful and light. It was good but too strong for my taste. For dinner I ordered scallops over linguine and it was fantastic. Again very light and flavorful. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the scallops, tomatoes and olives were tossed in a light cream garlic sauce. The chocolate mousse cake was wonderful. Too often chocolate cake is dry and chalky. This cake was moist and very chocolaty. There was a strawberry garnish that added a perfect touch.

Overall this was a very pleasant meal, great dinner music, light, flavorful food and our waiter was very attentive but not over bearing. Our water glasses were always full.

Introduction

Hello readers. We will use this blog to detail our travels in eating around Wilmington and Southeast North Carolina! We will try to add pics and comments by both Lynn and Jayson to give you balance. Suggestions for places to try out are always welcomed!