THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 28, 1994 TAG: 9408250191
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARGARET TALEV, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NAGS HEAD LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
ONE MORNING last week I found that summer was slipping away and there was nothing I could do about it. Alas! Soon sunny skies will give way to clouds, tan to pallor, mild breeze to harsh winds, bikini tops to sweaters.
When this seasonal nostalgia creeps up on you, don't bemoan nature's habits over lunch in an air-conditioned restaurant. Get outside and savor these fleeting days.
If you don't have the time or the means to pack a picnic, stop by the Dairy Mart on the beach road in Nags Head.
In its 20th year of operation, this roadside food stand owned by Ron and Carol Rodrigues offers a low-priced menu of tasty sandwiches, cold beverages and extravagant desserts that can be eaten at one of six on-site picnic tables, or ordered to go and taken on the beach.
Each picnic table is large enough for six adults, and half of the tables have umbrellas, for diners who prefer shade.
The half-pound Big Daddy ($3.85) is a delicious burger and big enough for two, topped with a full array of condiments and fresh, crisp lettuce and tomato.
The other sandwiches and lunch dishes are nothing spectacular, but they don't disappoint. The shrimp boat ($3.89) is served with popcorn rather than regular-sized shrimp. They are hot and light, not weighed down with batter. The pork barbecue sandwich ($2.50) left something to be , smaller burgers, pizza burgers, chicken, fish and veggie sandwiches are also available.
Save room for dessert, though - the concoctions have kept Dairy Mart open so long. The Rodrigueses make their own ice creams, and offer frozen yogurt as well.
Dairy Mart serves about 20 creations.
Each of these is decadent, fattening, gooey, ice cold, creamy and bad for you, so bring an accomplice. This isn't guilt you'll want to bear alone.
My friends tried the newest addition, the ``Big Bad Wolf,'' for $3.95, made from homemade chocolate cake, vanilla soft serve ice cream, strawberries, chocolate coating, hot fudge, whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles and cherries.
They also sampled the Tangy Tiger ($3.05), a mound of soft vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, crushed pineapple and walnuts; whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles and a cherry.
``We hire a lot of kids with some initiative'' every summer, said Ron Rodrigues. ``They just put sundaes together and we try it. If it tastes pretty good, we put a name to it.''
Tamer dessert lovers can stick with the more traditional:
Floats: root beer, Coke, Dr Pepper and Sprite ($1.80 and $2.15)
Ice cream sodas: vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, cherry and pineapple ($1.80 and $2.15)
Shakes: vanilla, chocolate, mocha, coffee, root beer, caramel, banana, cherry, pineapple, strawberry and pineapple ($1.89)
Malts ($2.25)
Sundaes, with caramel, hot fudge, chocolate, pineapple, strawberries, marshmallows and maple walnut
Lime freezes - shakes made with lime sherbet ($2.50)
Dining at Dairy Mart isn't gourmet, but that's the beauty of it. It isn't low-fat, and that's another beauty of it. You don't have to take a shower or wear shoes or comb your hair or make reservations.
Just show up. It's cheap, tasty and fun. And it's outdoors - the best place to spend summer's final weeks. MEMO: DAIRY MART
Where: Outdoors at milepost 13.5 on the Beach Road in Nags Head
Phone: 441-6730
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Closed Wednesdays.
Prices: Under $5
Children's menu: Some junior sandwich/ice cream available
Juices and sodas: root beer, iced tea, lemonade, fruit punch, Coke,
Diet Coke, Sprite, diet Sprite, Dr Pepper
Payment: Cash or local checks only
Accessibility: Handicapped accessible ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
The Dairy Mart, celebrating its 20th year of operation, is a popular
stop along N.C. Route 12.
by CNB