This is an occasional column in which I recommend restaurants in a particular location or of a particular type. For this column, I visited the North Carolina coast.
Port Land Grille, 1908 Eastwood Road, Lumina Station, Wilmington, (910) 256-6056. Owners Shawn Wellersdick, a Johnson and Wales graduate, and Anne Steketee moved to Wilmington from Greensboro. He was the chef of the Greensboro Noble's, and she was manager of Southern Lights.
I rank the fare here among the best in North Carolina.
Start with Cocktail Combo ($14), chilled jumbo shrimp and Blue Crab claws. Also, consider Pate of Chicken, Duck and Rabbit ($9), prepared with cognac and pistachio nuts, served with quince preserves and whole-grain mustard.
Wood Fired Yellow Fin Tuna ($30) is sauced with a blend of coconut, kaffir lime, cardamom and peanuts, joined by local pea-shoot salad, roasted mashed sweet potatoes, seaweed salad and toasted garlic green beans. Flounder ($25) is fried, accented with ancho chili remoulade and green Tabasco gravy, served with grits, plus ale and malt vinegar braised collard greens.
The culinary training and experience of Thierry Moity, chef-proprietor of Caprice French Bistro, 10 Market Street, Wilmington, (910) 815-0810, www.capricebistro.com, includes France as well as his native Belgium. He and wife, Patricia, are the former owners of Café de Bruxelles in Greenwich Village, where their work was favorably reviewed by The New York Times.
Don't miss Pommes Frites ($2.95) with homemade mayonnaise. Saucisse du Jour ($7.95) is homemade sausage. Smoked Seafoods ($8.95) are served with horseradish, capers, cucumber coulis and a potato cake.
Personal favorites: Mussels Provencal ($8.95) simmered in white wine, tomatoes, garlic, basil and herbs; Waterzooi ($17.95) is a seafood stew. Rabbit a la Moutarde ($18.95) is the Wednesday special; Coq au Vin ($14.95) is scheduled for Thursdays.
From picture windows at Front Street Grill, 300 Front St., Beaufort, (252) 728-4956, www.frontstreetgrillatstillwater.com, you can view Taylor's Creek, whose lazy motion generates the "At Stillwater" subtitle. The cuisine blends North Carolina traditions with Asian and Caribbean influences.
Jerk Spiced Fried Plantains ($6) with curry lime aioli grew out of family vacations in the islands. Crispy Calamari ($11) with Creole mayonnaise and Crab Spring Rolls ($12) with orange sweet chili exhibit unique flavors.
Bryan Carithers, the chef-proprietor, has a special talent for tuna; consider Pepper Seared Tuna Sashimi ($12) with lemon dressing, seaweed salad and sriracha; Blackened Tuna Tacos ($18) with guacamole, fried plantains, black beans and rice; or Grilled Cajun Spiced Yellow Fin Tuna ($25) joined by cucumber-tomato salad, jasmine rice and Creole vinaigrette.
I especially like Beaufort Grocery Company, 117 Queen, Beaufort (252) 728-3899, www.beaufortgrocery.com, for Sunday brunch. I get Benedict Arnold ($13.50), crab cakes with poached eggs, asparagus, sweet potato threads and hollandaise.
Start dinner with Crab Cakes ($9.95) with remouladé, lemon and lime; or Ahi Tuna Napoleon ($10.95), framed between crisp wontons, joined by wasabi cole slaw, pickled ginger, cilantro, sesame and sweet garlic sauce. Harker's Island Fisherman's Soup ($7.95) simmers shrimp, scallops, clams and fish with julienned vegetables.
Entrees: Tortilla Encrusted Yellowfin Tuna ($25.99) with wasabi mashed potatoes, guacamole, and hoisin sauce; Double Cut Pork Chop ($26.99) stuffed with fresh mozzarella cheese, roasted tomatoes and pesto; or Chicken Boucouse ($20.99), two free-range chicken breasts grilled and served over stewed leeks and cream.
Chef-proprietor Charles Park, a Culinary Institute of America graduate and James Beard Foundation guest chef, also owns and operates Shephard's Point, 913 Arendell Street, Morehead City, (252) 727-0815, www.shephardspointrestaurant.com), also recommended.
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