THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 11, 1994 TAG: 9409080208
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Restaurant Review
SOURCE: BY JEWEL BOND, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
``I didn't realize these things were so easy to eat,'' I say to my husband as we both reach for another Snowcrab leg.
He is demonstrating to his mother and me the precise place to crack into this stored wealth of crab meat. The three trips I had made through the buffet line for crab legs finally netted enough of these delicious crustaceans to keep us entertained for a spell.
We are having dinner at the Seafare Restaurant, known on the Outer Banks for their seafood buffets. And while I am not a regular customer of ``all you can eat'' or shuffling along a buffet line, I find myself enjoying the novelty of this experience. I think a seasoned buffeteer knows the primary purpose of the buffet brigade is to get at those Snowcrab legs. But you have to put all this other stuff on your plate so you won't feel embarrassed, as I did, by layering as many crab legs on your plate as you can balance with one hand while wending your way back to your table.
Honorable mention should also go to the clams and mussels. Steamed between 6 and 7 minutes and marinated in butter and garlic for serving, they are at least two-trip items. ``About 58,000 pounds of Snowcrab legs, 8,000 pounds each of clams and mussels have been cooked so far this summer,'' says Mike Hayman, owner of the restaurant. ``We feed about 500 people each night of the summer vacation.'' Hayman says he doesn't expect to see a slowdown until the third week of September.
This 92-seat restaurant doesn't have a fast turnover. Diners can wait up to two hours before being seated and once inside can occupy a table for up to two hours. ``We take their name and the number in their party and try to give them an approximate time frame when they can be seated,'' said Hayman. He usually gets it right within a few minutes. Diners can sign in, get approximate seating time, visit the nearby outlet mall, as long as they return within a half hour of their seating time. A playground was installed last year with swings and a slide. The three forts with a firemen's pole keep the children occupied till seating time.
``We have people call and want to know the best time to come when they won't have to wait. We tell them to come when the buffet line opens at 3 p.m. I know it doesn't seem logical to have people leave the beach and come to eat that early, but they do,'' says Hayman. The food is fresh, and hot, because serving pans are small. Although that makes more work for the cook and servers, it also eliminates food remaining on the bar too long.
Other popular items on the buffet include sauteed scallops. I sampled a few and found them to be sweet and tender. Fried flounder fillets were a favorite with my dining companions. Children enjoy the lasagna, popcorn shrimp and chicken nuggets. Some fried items were not so flavorful to our group but with the variety to choose from, there is something for everyone. The vegetables and salad bar are continually replenished. For mashed potato lovers, they serve ``real'' potatoes.
Hayman makes the fresh rolls and cookies that he serves daily. They disappeared too quickly. I did not get to try them. The desserts are all homemade and delicious. Our desserts were apple cobbler and decadent chocolate cake. Ice cream is available if requested.
``I thought tonight would be a slow night,'' said Hayman. ``I prepared for 250 and we have more like 450. We ran out of a few things.''
We never would have known. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
Brenda Mikus of Stephens City, Va., works her way through the
all-you-can-eat line at the Seafare Restaurant in Nags Head.
SEAFARE RESTAURANT
Where: Hwy. 158, Nags Head
Phone: 441-5555
Hours: 3 to 9 p.m.
Prices: $19.95 per person; $11.95 senior citizens; children pay
$.55 times their age (up to 14 years old)
Smoking: None
Drinks: Full service bar; coffee, tea, milk, juices, full
selection of soft drinks
Credit cards: All major credit cards
Take Out: No
Reservations: No
Accessibility: Handicap accessible
by CNB