THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 19, 1994 TAG: 9406160189
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 20 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LANE DEGREGORY
DATELINE: 940619 LENGTH: COLINGTON ISLAND
Located on Colington Road one mile west of the Wright Brothers Memorial, Zanzibar is the Outer Banks' only fondue eatery.
{REST} The concept is old. The building is renovated. But the restaurant is completely contemporary and unique.
Owned by former Restaurant by George pastry chef Tricia Krolick, it opened this April in the former Casper's night club building. Workers added a deck overlooking Kitty Hawk Bay, lit the winding wooden walkway and gutted the interior.
Now, soft white light filters from glass-globed hanging lamps. Lush ivy drips from ceiling-level planters. Pewter, patterned carpeting covers the floors. Blue slate tiles line cook-top tables. And crisp, white linen napkins surround sets of gleaming silverware.
Three friends and I selected Zanzibar's last week because none of us had ever tried fondue. We were a little skeptical about cooking our own food at first. But once we'd finished the four-course feast, we all vowed to return.
The meal began with a friendly introduction from our black-tied waiter, Louis - also a Restaurant by George alumnus. More a master of ceremonies than a server, he enthusiastically explained that we would be sampling an array of foods and sauces at Zanzibar. Throughout the night, he helped us select and prepare the offerings.
One of the hardest tasks of the evening was choosing a beverage. Besides the usual soda, tea and coffee, Zanzibar sells five domestic microbrew beers, two international microbrew beers, champagne, sherry, cappucino, espresso and 18 types of wine. We chose the Williamsburg Acte 12 Chardonnay from Virginia ($18). A light, sweet wine, it complimented most of our entrees well. Louis tucked the bottle in a silver wine stand and sat it alongside our wooden booth.
For appetizers, we ordered Cheddar cheese fondue ($3.95 per person). It was our first chance to try the do-it-yourself process - and an excellent introduction to the art. Our waiter prepared the thick, rich sauce by whisking shredded Cheddar cheese with English mustard and beer. The ingredients melted together in a slightly simmering pot set on a burner built into the table's center. Then we got going.
Using wooden-tipped fondue forks with color-coded ends, we dipped one-inch squares of bread into the creamy concoction. Pumpernickle, rye, sourdough and egg bread chunks all worked well with the slightly spicy sauce. A small bowl of green apple cubes provided an alternative taste and crunchy delight. And although the cheese was steaming on our table, it was cool enough to eat by the time it reached our mouths.
Salads came next. Served in clear, glass bowls with a choice of three homemade dressings, they come with some entrees or can be purchased for $2.95 a la carte. Cucumber rounds, tomato wedges, red onion slices, two types of lettuce and even mandarin orange slices all were fresh and flavorful. Dressing is served on the side of this picture-perfect plate.
Entrees range from vegetarian to seafood to flank steak - and include numerous combinations. Two of us decided to share Fondue a Deux ($33.95) which came with salads and appetizers. One friend ordered the catch of the day ($14.95) and the other merely had a salad and vegetable side plate ($4.95).
While he was clearing our salads and appetizer plates, Louis set the huge amber soup pot in the table's center simmering and added fresh basil and parsley. Zanzibar offers two types of fondue cooking: oil and bouillon. The oil comes with Tempura batter for crispy fried coatings. The bouillon is lighter and flavored with fresh vegetables. Our waiter said 80 percent of his customers go for the broth, so we opted for the healthy alternative as well.
About five minutes passed as the bouillon began to boil, filling our table with a delectable aroma. Then Louis brought two large platters and the real fondue fun began.
First, we dumped vegetables into the steaming pot: carrot sticks, broccoli flowers, cauliflower heads, snap beans, mushroom caps and red, new potatoes. Then, we began arranging meat on our long, metal forks. The ``A Deux'' came with filet mignon, flank steak, boneless chicken breast and shrimp. The catch of the day was locally caught tuna. All were cut into perfect bite-sized portions and cooked within minutes.
``We pre-steam the vegetables and marinate the flank steak. But you do the rest,'' Louis said. ``That way, you can cook it any way you like it.''
Cooking was much more fun - and quick - at Zanzibar than it usually is at home. While the meat browned in the flavorful broth, the vegetables were ready for removal. One friend said he felt like he was flounder gigging as he speared the colorful chunks from the bottom of the bubbling pot and placed them on our plates. We all enjoyed the social aspect of group cooking - and consuming.
To enhance our enjoyment, Louis brought seven sauces in which we could dunk our chunks. The sauces change nightly depending on the chef's whims. We had herb sour cream sauce with taragon, which resembled a Green Goddess dressing; spicy, smoky Oriental peanut sauce; deviled butter with hot mustard and whipped mayonnaise; mock boursin cheese with herbs; teriyaki sauce with pineapple; and homemade barbecue and cocktail sauces - all of which were wonderful.
Some of the combinations didn't work, as one friend discovered when he dipped his chicken into cocktail sauce, thinking it was barbecue. But we had a great time inventing new taste sensations and sharing our samplings. Some favorites included peanut sauce on tuna, barbecue on shrimp and boursin cheese in mushroom caps.
``The possibilities are endless,'' one dinner companion exclaimed. ``In most restaurants, you only get one entree. Here, there are dozens of delicious combinations available on everyone's plate.''
Dessert was the highlight of fondue festival. Louis made us choose between dark, white and milk chocolate - then told us we could add flavorings. Raspberry, strawberry, hazelnut, Irish Cream, caramel, almond and other exotic offerings are available. We ordered milk chocolate with raspberry, and highly recommend it.
Banana slices, ripe strawberries, pineapple chunks and slices of pound cake all were outstanding alone. Surrounded with smooth, raspberry chocolate, they seemed like ambrosial offerings.
We left Zanzibar three hours after the eating event began. We all agreed it was one of the best spent evenings of the year.
by CNB