
DATE: Sunday, November 9, 1997              TAG: 9711070294

SECTION: CAROLINA COAST          PAGE: 08   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: EATING OUT 

TYPE: RESTAURANT REVIEW 

SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NAGS HEAD                         LENGTH:   89 lines

RELAX IN A BRITISH PUB ON THE OUTER BANKS

A touch of Great Britain has come to the Outer Banks.

Opened earlier this year, The Sticky Wicket has quickly established a reputation as one of the best small eateries on the Outer Banks. Among local restaurant and club employees, the Wicket is a favorite stopping place after work because of its late closing time.

The reputation is well-deserved. The Sticky Wicket is a smashing place to go for both lunch and dinner.

The name was cooked up by the Bancroft family, a clan of New Englanders who decided to start their own neighborhood restaurant and pub.

``This is a family business,'' said Kevin Bancroft, who along with parents Dan and Carol Bancroft and Uncle Glen Braley opened The Sticky Wicket in May. ``We didn't feel that there was a neighborhood bar here that didn't have a Caribbean feel. A Sticky Wicket is another phrase for a tough spot. That's what we found when we started.''

Most of the family offerings at The Sticky Wicket are homemade, from the salad dressings to the seasonings for tasty blackened tuna, haddock and steak.

``When we opened, one of the things we wanted to do was create a place for the restaurant crowd to go after work. The kitchen stays open until 1 a.m., and last call for the bar is about 1:45,'' Bancroft said.

On a recent Monday, a colleague and I stopped at the Wicket for lunch.

We started the meal with soup. I had a bowl of clam chowder, while she ordered chicken and rice as part of a soup and sandwich combination ($3.95). Both soups were first-rate.

The chowder was New England style, in a creamy stock chock full of tender clams and potatoes. Brought steaming hot to the table, the soup was the best we've had this side of the Kennedy compound.

The chicken and rice soup was stuffed with tender chunks of white meat, rice and vegetables. This concoction is the perfect remedy for the early fall sniffles. Like the chowder, the chicken and rice soup was plenty hot and flavorful.

As for the rest of the soup and sandwich plate, we dined on a toasted ham and cheese sandwich. While full of tender ham and tasty cheddar, the bread could have been toasted just a tad more.

My sandwich pick was the blackened tuna. Though well-seasoned in Cajun spice, the tuna wasn't overpowered by the marinade. The bun was fresh and warm, and the lettuce and tomato were fresh and tasty.

As for side orders, both sandwiches came with French fries and slaw. The fries rank with those at Tortuga's Lie as among the best on the beach.

The slaw, like all of the vegetables at the Wicket, was fresh and tasty, a nice mixture of cabbage, onions and a Bancroft family secret.

``The dressing is actually my grandmother's recipe,'' Kevin Bancroft said. ``We do almost everything here homemade. I think it makes our food special.''

For dessert, we split a piece of gingerbread cake. It was moist and flavorful, with a cool whipped-cream topping. Bread pudding was another option. Dessert and soup offerings, as well as the lunch specials, change daily. The total tab, including tip, was $27.64.

The service was outstanding. One thing you can count on, sure as the Red Sox folding in August, is a friendly welcome and an attentive wait staff.

Another plus is that The Sticky Wicket serves arguably the coldest beer on the beach. They have Guiness, Killian's Red and Bass Ale on tap, as well as the locally crafted Weeping Radish brew.

The Bancrofts and Braleys hail from Massachusetts and southern Maine. Most come from Hopkinton, Mass., starting point for the Boston Marathon.

Like the storied race, working in a family business can have its joys and its pains.

``The best thing about it is that we don't ever have to worry about help,'' Bancroft said. ``Everyone's going to show up, and everyone's going to do the little things that matter, because we're working for ourselves.''

No matter who they do it for, a night out or a quick lunch at The Sticky Wicket will be among your finest dining hours. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW WILSON

Kevin Bancroft, who co-owns The Sticky Wicket with his parents and

an uncle, serves up good food in a relaxed, neighborhood pub that

reflects the family's New England roots.

HOW TO EAT THERE

What: The Sticky Wicket

Where: The North Wing, Outer Banks Mall

When: 11:30 a.m. until 2 a.m.

Beverages: Full bar with a variety of domestic and imported beer

and wine

Credit cards: Visa, Mastercard and Discover

Children's menu: Yes. Entrees from $1.95 to $3.95

Entree price range: $3.95 to $13.95