THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 2, 1996 TAG: 9605300201
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 11 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Restaurant Review
SOURCE: BY JEWEL BOND
STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KITTY HAWK LENGTH: 114 lines
THERE'S A certain warm, comforting feeling you get when you arrive at a friend's home for dinner.
The hosts greet you with a nice little hug and tell you how wonderful it is to see you - even if you just dined together the week before. It makes you feel you're the special guest.
Hugs are optional, but you get that same cozy reception when you dine at the Ocean Boulevard restaurant in Kitty Hawk.
The friendly efficiency of the staff is immediately noticable.
My husband, Bill, and I were greeted like old friends when we dined there recently, and seated within minutes of our reservation time.
Aromatic blends of fresh herbs and seafood embrace you upon entering this upscale eatery and prime you for a surprising culinary delight.
The 60-seat dining area is small compared to most eating establishments on the Outer Banks, giving it an intimate atmosphere. The most obvious thing to catch your eye is the open chef's station in the rear of the restaurant, where diners can watch their food being prepared.
White butcher-paper stamped with the restaurant's logo covers colorful tablecloths in what seems to be a new decorative trend. Patrons can entertain themselves by doodling on the decor as they await their meal, or finish their after-dinner coffee with a game of tic-tac-toe.
Our evening meal began with an order from the drink menu, a glass of Columbia Crest merlot ($6). This smooth, mellow red wine is one of a dozen vintage wines served by the glass. The wine list contains more than 100 selections of red and white bottled wines.
For appetizers, Bill chose the evening special, potato and leek soup ($4). This ample serving of small chunks of potatoes and leek also included bite-sized pieces of a spicy Surry County, Va., sausage with fresh parsley. The blend was smooth, creamy and spicy. With a piece of the savory bread offered, smaller appetites can stop here.
I chose the appetizer listed on the menu as Portobello & Fresh Mozzarella Napolean ($5.25). Thin strips of bell pepper, mixed leafy greens, a touch of garlic and anchovy vinaigrette make this appetizer one to try. I am not a fan of anchovies, but you cannot deny the appealing flavor of this dish. And, for economy-minded patrons, it could serve as an entree.
After we ordered our entrees, curiosity drew us back to the chef's station.
Watching chef Chuck Arnold is impressive. He does more with a mushroom than I can with a potato. And each entree is a masterpiece. While enjoying the chef's preparation of menu entrees, we engaged in conversation with a gentleman who drives from Manteo every week to dine here. He was sitting, by choice, at the bar that separates the main dining area from the kitchen, where there is seating for six.
Restaurant co-owner John Power said that at first diners voice some objection to being seated in this area. But they later request the location on return visits.
``It's the ideal seating for someone who is eating alone,'' he says. Plus, the show is free.
Additional seating is available at the full-service bar that joins the dining area, and customers can enjoy a drink or any of the selections from the dinner menu.
Our meal was served when we returned to our table. The waitress had waited until we were seated again to serve our entrees at the proper temperature.
Bill had chosen the chef's special for the evening, pasta rollatini ($21). The fresh pasta, kneaded and rolled flat, was stuffed with a puree of wild mushrooms, cheeses and fresh herbs and served on a bed of fresh organic Wanchese greens. He proclaimed it an excellent choice.
Pan roast of large gulf shrimp and portobellos ($17.95), a menu item, proved a good choice for me.
An enormous portobello mushroom took center stage in the middle of my plate. Slivers of smoked salmon, bite-sized asparagus and bits of tomato artistically displayed around tiny roasted fingerling potatoes was as pleasing to the eye as to the palate.
The entire dining experience is so relaxing, you don't want to call it a night. And you can't. Not without trying at least one dessert.
Pastry chef Rich Mogus offers six of the most delectable-looking pastries every night. He changes his menu often, so there is always a new one to try.
A shared chocolate bread pudding with a liquid chocolate center ($4), brought sighs of contentment from us both. This dessert is a soothing way to top off a truly gourmet evening.
With all the luscious desserts available, choosing just one was difficult. So I ordered one to go. When I opened the styrofoam box later, I was amused to see the artistry of the pastry chef: The bottom of the box was decorated with chocolate swirls and strawberries as though being served on the finest china.
Power said that to get great food, you hire great chefs. To get great service and a pleasing atmosphere, you hire a great staff.
``We were lucky to have had the reputation of the Blue Point Restaurant in Duck when we opened this restaurant,'' said Power, who co-owns the Duck restaurant as well. ``We had good people with experience who wanted to work here.''
And, he said, he gives staff some autonomy to hold their own meetings and to solve their own problems, which leads to a better working environment.
The attention given to every detail and the friendliness of the entire staff makes your dining experience at this restaurant a memorable one. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
Ocean Boulevard features an open air kitchen where customers can
watch chefs Chris Beerman, left, and John Howard at work.
OCEAN BOULEVARD
Where: Milepost 2 on the Beach Road, Kitty Hawk.
Phone: 261-2546.
Features: Gourmet seafood, beef, chicken.
Prices: Appetizers, $3.95-$6.95, salads and soups, $3.95-$5.95,
entrees, $13.95-$19.95. Some specials are priced higher.
Drinks: Full-service bar, micro-brewed beer, specialty coffees,
herbal teas.
Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express.
Hours: Dinner 5 to 10 p.m. Kitchen open until 11 p.m. Fridays and
Saturdays through August.
Reservations: Strongly recommended.
Smoking: At bar only.
Handicapped accessible: Yes. by CNB