THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 3, 1994 TAG: 9407010243
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 20 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Restaurant Review
SOURCE: BY LOU R. ELLIOTT
LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
DOCK OF THE BAY Cafe is the sort of place you want to meet friends if you're planning an afternoon or evening of just sitting, talking, eating and drinking . . . and more talking and eating
This eatery sports a casual atmosphere, but it's the view that makes this place special. The deck overlooks a canal that is home to a couple of pleasure boats and several commercial fishing boats.
The indoors dining room is bright and airy and offers a view of the waterway.
The menu here has an emphasis on ``hand-on'' food - appetizers, steamed seafood, sandwiches and burgers. There's also a choice of salads and a soup of the day. When it comes to drinks, there's an emphasis on variety in the drinks offered by the bar. The cafe specializes in obtaining beers from around the world for tasting by its customers. There's a dinner menu, but with only six entrees, it's obvious this is a place where casual food rules.
The appetizers - potato skins, fried cheese sticks, barbecued shrimp, hot wings, fried jalapenos, chicken tenders and an appetizer of the day - ranged in price from $3.95 to $5.95. Of course, the appetizer of the day is an exception, as it carries a market price.
Crabs (market price), spicy shrimp ($5.95 per half-pound, $10.95 a pound), clams ($3.95 per half-dozen, $6.95 per dozen), oysters (market price) and a variety of vegetables ($5.95) are available from the steamer and are served with drawn butter.
The sandwiches include grilled marinated tuna ($5.50), crab cake ($5.50), club ($4.50), grilled chicken ($5.25), ham ($4.25), smoked turkey breast ($4.25), fresh tuna salad ($4.95), cheesesteak ($5.75) and broiled veggie ($4.25).
The burgers include the usual at $4.25 and ``The Ultimate Onion'' with a slice of red onion cooked into the patty at $4.75. Extras that can be ordered - at an extra cost - include sauteed mushrooms, grilled onions or peppers, cheese and bacon.
The dinner menu, served after 5 p.m., has only six entrees - a grilled New York strip ($12.95), tuna steak ($9.95), grilled marinated chicken breast ($8.95), crab cakes ($10.95), prime rib ($11.95) and barbecued pork ribs ($9.95).
A friend who dined there recently raved about the steamed crabs. They were big and fat and perfectly seasoned, he said. And he enjoyed the casual atmosphere that so impressed me - especially the company of local residents who frequent the cafe and its small bar.
When I visited the cafe with a companion recently we ordered the fried jalapenos and the barbecued shrimp for appetizers. We were a bit early for dinner, but our congenial waiter said we could order from the dinner menu. However, they would not be able to provide the vegetable of the day or baked potatoes.
I settled on the crab cakes, my companion on the ribs. But, the ribs were still frozen, our waiter sadly informed us. My companion instead chose the half-pound of steamed shrimp and ``The Ultimate Onion Burger'' with cheese and bacon.
The fried jalapenos which had a cream cheese filling were excellent, my companion allowed.
As for my appetizer, there were six of the bacon-wrapped, sauce-basted shrimp presented on a bed of lettuce with extra sauce for dipping. I found them to be good and the sauce piquant.
My companion moved on to his steamed shrimp and burger. The shrimp were adequate, but he had a hard time separating some of the shrimp from their tail shells, indicating a certain toughness. His burger was a disappointment as the bacon was fried beyond crisp to hard and the outside of his burger was black.
I thoroughly enjoyed my crab cakes. I got two sizable crabcakes fried to a light, golden brown, served with a pile of fries and coleslaw. All was perfectly prepared and tasty. I plowed through like a hungry sailor.
After dinner, I chose Key lime pie from the two desserts offered. The other was Black Forest cake. But, unfortunately, neither was available. I instead took the offered Lemon Luscious cake and it was good. Just the type of cool dessert for a day after the beach. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by Drew C. Wilson
Hostess Jennifer Wisniewski holds an order of freshly steamed blue
crabs, a specialty of Dock of the Bay on Roanoke Island.
DOCK OF THE BAY CAFE
Where: Highway 64, nest to Crockett's Seafood
Phone: 919-473-6845
Hours: Lunch, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Dinner, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.,
Sunday-Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday
Prices: Dinner entrees $8.95 to $12.95
Children's Menu: Four items, ranging from $1.75 to $4.95
Reservations: Not required
Smoking: Available
Drinks: Soft drinks, coffee, tea; imported and domestic beers;
wines
Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard
Take-Out: Available
Accessibility: Handicap accessible.
by CNB