#11 Boardwalk
Carolina Beach, NC
I guess it can't really be considered a restaurant, as it specializes in only one thing, but OMG it does it to perfection. This amazing little place is known as Britt's Donut Shop.
Britt's serves a raised, glazed donut so magical, my children will mind their manners and go to bed without arguing for days for a promise of a visit to Britt's. When eaten warm, these donuts simply melt in your mouth so fast, you find yourself reaching for another one without even considering what it will do to your diet. Ok, I'll have to admit, even when a day old (it is very rare to have them last that long at our house), I still find myself licking my fingers and debating a road trip for another batch. And it's oh-so-convenient to blame it on the kids!
Britt's is well-known with the Carolina and Kure Beach crowds, as it is right on the boardwalk at Carolina Beach. It's open only in the "season", 8:30am - 11pm through Labor Day, then weekends-only until Oct. 1.
I'll make you a deal - if you go to Britt's and don't like your donut - bring the rest of your dozen (or two) to me and I'll gladly take them off your hands!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Brasserie du Soleil
Brasserie du Soleil
http://www.brasseriedusoleil.com/
908 Eastwood Rd.
Lumina Station
Wilmington, NC
910.256.22261
I wonder how long I can blog about the pommes frites at Brasserie and still hold anyone's attention? Man, those things rock. Best fries in town, hands-down. Crisp on the outside, fluffy tender on the inside, just salty enough - now I probably sound like Florence Henderson doing a Wesson Oil commercial. Anyway, they're perfect, and I love me some. They serve them with aioli and ketchup, both good.
About the restaurant - it's bustling, kind of loud, boisterous, and fun. If you're looking for a silent dinner, don't go here. I think it's great. They have seating outside (which right now I can't bear to think about since the heat index is around a hundred). It overlooks the fountain and courtyard at Lumina Station and in better weather, is very pleasant.
The wine list is tops, without being ridiculous. I love a place that offers a sane number of wines by the glass. You are more assured of getting a fresh serving, just for starters, and it's not overwhelming. The house wines are good quality.
The Brasserie Salad allows you to build your favorite from a large list of fresh ingredients. And they are all fresh - at least the ones I've used on the salads I've built. They've got some stuff on that list, too -- everything from bacon (yay!) to beets (boo!). (I know. It's a limitation of mine. But I'm willing to live with it.)
The onion soup is the way it should be - brothy, not too heavy, full of smoky, caramelized onion flavor. For lunch, that and a salad are perfect (well, perfect if I get to split an order of pommes frites with someone).But if you want something a little heavier, their Kobe Pastrami sandwich (with pommes frites) or their Croque Monsieur (with pommes frites) or one of their burgers (with pommes frites) are all delicious.
Dinners - I love the duck and the steak au poivre. On one occasion when we went with a large group, my dinner companions gave thumbs up to the fettucine, the filet, and the chicken. And the pommes frites. By dessert, my memory gets fuzzy - I remember it vaguely, but not well enough to assess it accurately. (Did I mention the wine list?)
It's not cheap, but it's not obscenely expensive either. Nice for a fun night out with friends where conversation, wine and fries flow freely.
http://www.brasseriedusoleil.com/
908 Eastwood Rd.
Lumina Station
Wilmington, NC
910.256.22261
I wonder how long I can blog about the pommes frites at Brasserie and still hold anyone's attention? Man, those things rock. Best fries in town, hands-down. Crisp on the outside, fluffy tender on the inside, just salty enough - now I probably sound like Florence Henderson doing a Wesson Oil commercial. Anyway, they're perfect, and I love me some. They serve them with aioli and ketchup, both good.
About the restaurant - it's bustling, kind of loud, boisterous, and fun. If you're looking for a silent dinner, don't go here. I think it's great. They have seating outside (which right now I can't bear to think about since the heat index is around a hundred). It overlooks the fountain and courtyard at Lumina Station and in better weather, is very pleasant.
The wine list is tops, without being ridiculous. I love a place that offers a sane number of wines by the glass. You are more assured of getting a fresh serving, just for starters, and it's not overwhelming. The house wines are good quality.
The Brasserie Salad allows you to build your favorite from a large list of fresh ingredients. And they are all fresh - at least the ones I've used on the salads I've built. They've got some stuff on that list, too -- everything from bacon (yay!) to beets (boo!). (I know. It's a limitation of mine. But I'm willing to live with it.)
The onion soup is the way it should be - brothy, not too heavy, full of smoky, caramelized onion flavor. For lunch, that and a salad are perfect (well, perfect if I get to split an order of pommes frites with someone).But if you want something a little heavier, their Kobe Pastrami sandwich (with pommes frites) or their Croque Monsieur (with pommes frites) or one of their burgers (with pommes frites) are all delicious.
Dinners - I love the duck and the steak au poivre. On one occasion when we went with a large group, my dinner companions gave thumbs up to the fettucine, the filet, and the chicken. And the pommes frites. By dessert, my memory gets fuzzy - I remember it vaguely, but not well enough to assess it accurately. (Did I mention the wine list?)
It's not cheap, but it's not obscenely expensive either. Nice for a fun night out with friends where conversation, wine and fries flow freely.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
South Beach Grill
South Beach Grill
http://southbeachgrillwb.com/
100 S. Lumina Ave.
Wrightsville Beach, NC
28480(910) 256-4646
South Beach Grill is on the sound side of Wrightsville Beach, overlooking mostly Lumina Ave., but you can also see Banks Channel. The lack of a pristine beach view doesn't detract from the experience, though. I have to say here that yes, I have eaten at most of the restaurants in Wrightsville Beach and I have been consistently disappointed. I'm not naming names, but there's a reason I haven't mentioned other places on Wrightsville Beach or near there. Not the case with South Beach Grill. I'm always pleased with dinner or lunch there.
Lunch: Phillip likes to have lunch there before kayaking in the channel. They serve a good rueben (my personal favorite) and their homemade chips are good. Phillip likes their burgers, including the Cuban buger, which he had the other day. The BLT is also good, with thick tasty bacon and good tomato. I can't say that eating outside this time of year is terribly pleasant, given the August heat, but if you're damp and sandy, it's just fine.
Dinner: The boursin chicken rocks. It's one of my favorites. The shrimp and grits are also good, with plump, fresh shrimp and grits prepared RIGHT (meaning not runny - yuck). I do always wonder why shrimp and grits seems to mostly appear on the Starters list, though. It's a heavy dish to me and it always seems it should be a main course. But I digress. Phillip has sampled most of their fish dishes and pronounces all of the ones he's eaten as fresh and clean. It's not a fish shack, where you can order it broiled or fried. They prepare it elegantly and creatively, but don't smother the fish flavor out of the food.
The atmosphere is pretty casual, especially for lunch, given that there are a lot of folks taking a break from kayaking or beach-going. But you can also be comfortable dressing a little for dinner and enjoying a nice evening out.
http://southbeachgrillwb.com/
100 S. Lumina Ave.
Wrightsville Beach, NC
28480(910) 256-4646
South Beach Grill is on the sound side of Wrightsville Beach, overlooking mostly Lumina Ave., but you can also see Banks Channel. The lack of a pristine beach view doesn't detract from the experience, though. I have to say here that yes, I have eaten at most of the restaurants in Wrightsville Beach and I have been consistently disappointed. I'm not naming names, but there's a reason I haven't mentioned other places on Wrightsville Beach or near there. Not the case with South Beach Grill. I'm always pleased with dinner or lunch there.
Lunch: Phillip likes to have lunch there before kayaking in the channel. They serve a good rueben (my personal favorite) and their homemade chips are good. Phillip likes their burgers, including the Cuban buger, which he had the other day. The BLT is also good, with thick tasty bacon and good tomato. I can't say that eating outside this time of year is terribly pleasant, given the August heat, but if you're damp and sandy, it's just fine.
Dinner: The boursin chicken rocks. It's one of my favorites. The shrimp and grits are also good, with plump, fresh shrimp and grits prepared RIGHT (meaning not runny - yuck). I do always wonder why shrimp and grits seems to mostly appear on the Starters list, though. It's a heavy dish to me and it always seems it should be a main course. But I digress. Phillip has sampled most of their fish dishes and pronounces all of the ones he's eaten as fresh and clean. It's not a fish shack, where you can order it broiled or fried. They prepare it elegantly and creatively, but don't smother the fish flavor out of the food.
The atmosphere is pretty casual, especially for lunch, given that there are a lot of folks taking a break from kayaking or beach-going. But you can also be comfortable dressing a little for dinner and enjoying a nice evening out.
Indochine
Indochine
http://www.indochinewilmington.com/
3007 Market St
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 251-9229
Indochine isn't exactly a big secret, and probably doesn't even need a mention here, since I'd guess that everyone local has been there at one time or another. Or are regulars, as we might be classified. It's convenient for us, being just around the corner and down the street, the food is good, the ambience better (it's really a cool space - check out the website - the outdoor seating, the indoor decor, and the martini lounge are all great for gawking), and the bar offerings tops (the Cocopolatin! oo!). I haven't ventured into their martini lounge yet, but I'm sure we'll make it in there at some point.
I do think Jessamine and Big Thai have slightly better food, but Indochine still has some real winners, among them the Beef with Basil, which is one of my favorites. Phillip loves their sushi, especially the dragon tail. The oriental slaw, with a fish sauce dressing and crumbled peanuts is always a welcome starter. The curries are all good, with the right amount of heat - not dull but not so hot that you can't taste anything. Our friend Jack likes the pad thai (again, I'm not a fan of the dish in general, but the couple of bites I've shared are good - it's not obnoxiously sweet). Dinner servings are big enough to make at least one lunch of the next day.
It's a popular local place, almost always hopping with folks, whether you're there for lunch or dinner, and we frequently bump into friends there. (We saw Liza Minelli there once! No, we're not friends with her, but it was still cool. We did try not to stare.) It's also convenient for us for takeout. A quick phone call, and in 30 minutes we can swing around and go pick up our order.
http://www.indochinewilmington.com/
3007 Market St
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 251-9229
Indochine isn't exactly a big secret, and probably doesn't even need a mention here, since I'd guess that everyone local has been there at one time or another. Or are regulars, as we might be classified. It's convenient for us, being just around the corner and down the street, the food is good, the ambience better (it's really a cool space - check out the website - the outdoor seating, the indoor decor, and the martini lounge are all great for gawking), and the bar offerings tops (the Cocopolatin! oo!). I haven't ventured into their martini lounge yet, but I'm sure we'll make it in there at some point.
I do think Jessamine and Big Thai have slightly better food, but Indochine still has some real winners, among them the Beef with Basil, which is one of my favorites. Phillip loves their sushi, especially the dragon tail. The oriental slaw, with a fish sauce dressing and crumbled peanuts is always a welcome starter. The curries are all good, with the right amount of heat - not dull but not so hot that you can't taste anything. Our friend Jack likes the pad thai (again, I'm not a fan of the dish in general, but the couple of bites I've shared are good - it's not obnoxiously sweet). Dinner servings are big enough to make at least one lunch of the next day.
It's a popular local place, almost always hopping with folks, whether you're there for lunch or dinner, and we frequently bump into friends there. (We saw Liza Minelli there once! No, we're not friends with her, but it was still cool. We did try not to stare.) It's also convenient for us for takeout. A quick phone call, and in 30 minutes we can swing around and go pick up our order.
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