Earlier this month Gabriele and I spent a fun week in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. This area of North Carolina is a stretch of barrier islands and coastal towns also known as the Southern Outer Banks. While there we of course sampled some of the nicer restaurants in the area.
Our first dinner out was at the Blue Moon Bistro in Beaufort – pronounced Bo-Fort if you visit. It was a beautiful night and we sat outside on the front porch, listening to jazzy covers of hits from the 1980s. Highlights from the menu were the shrimp and grits appetizer with cajun tasso sauce and the grouper entree special, with a sweet tea reduction, pesto risotto and summer squash.
With our meal we had a bottle of 2021 Browne Heritage Pinot Noir. It is the house Pinot at Blue Moon and an above-average one. From Willamette in Oregon, the wine was light with distinct cranapple and cola notes, followed by a smooth finish with some raspberry. Nice Pinot Noir at a value retail price.
Our next dinner was the universal choice of locals for the freshest seafood in the area. We heard that multiple times about Amos Mosquito’s in Atlantic Beach. Amos takes no reservations and was crowded when we got there. We had a drink in the bar and then were sat amidst a bustling and friendly atmosphere. The vibe is more fun and family than fine dining and the seafood definitely is the star attraction.
The appetizer were fantastic – pork wontons and crab cakes with roasted corn and a spicy chipotle aoili. We both went tuna for entrees. Mine was blackened southwestern, over a black bean cake with roasted corn, pico de gallo, avocado and a red pepper emulsion. Gabriele’s was seared in sesame with a sweet soy bulgogi glaze. The service was excellent as well.
At one point the manager stopped and asked how everything was. I said my meal was delicious but pointed out the tuna was more done than the rare that I ordered. When staff asks I like to give honest feedback. I made it clear it was delicious and I didn’t want anything done. He ended up comping our chocolate creme brulee dessert.
For the wine we chose a California Rhone blend we know well. It was the 2021 Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas, a mix of the classic Rhone varietals Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre with a small amount of Counoise. Local to us this wine sells for over $25 retail but it was listed at this restaurant for only $34. Sold!
The wine is a quality easy drinker with a light texture, subdued bouquet and a cherry fruit lead along with some apple. It has good acidity for a nice balance and a clean finish. Tablas Creek is a combination of two leading wine families, the Perrin family, proprietors of Château de Beaucastel, and the Haas family of Vineyard Brands.
The full-on fine dining experience was delivered by Prime Bistro and Wine Bar in Morehead. The first impression was slightly inauspicious since the restaurant shares its parking lot with a Hampton Inn. But everything beyond that made it clear this was the special dinner out place for the area.
The atmosphere was high-class steakhouse. The pacing was relaxed and the server seemed experienced. The food was excellent. We again started with seared tuna and crab cakes, the latter with seemingly only crab meet. I had the scallop Gnoccetti, gnocchi with curry-dusted scallops and lemon. Gabriele had the filet flight, three medallions each with a different sauce. A side order of broccolini was perfectly done.
When I said we liked Pinot Noir the server had an off-menu recommendation. I like when this happens because it usually indicates some wine knowledge and it puts the server’s skin in the game, since if the diner likes the recommendation they will have a better experience. There was a single vineyard Patz and Hall on the wine list, but for the same price she recommended the 2021 Our Lady of Guadalupe.
I had never heard of the maker, but it was a Sta. Rita wine and we typically like that region. The wine was very enjoyable, with a rich nose for a Pinot. There was a fleshiness to the texture, with subdued cola and a hint of plum while still being lighter on the palate. The longish finish became more tart with time in the glass. An excellent and interesting Pinot Noir.
So we ate well! A shout out to the beautiful Airbnb we stayed at and its owner Janet. A good place to consider if you come down and do some of your own Crystal Coast dining.