THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 30, 1995 TAG: 9507280211
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PERRY PARKS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KILL DEVIL HILLS LENGTH: Long : 106 lines
WITH THE FIRST impression it creates, the 3rd Street Oceanfront Grille should be swimming in customers.
Patrons who wind through the Sea Ranch Quality Inn lobby and dimly lit lounge eventually ascend the short stairway to the restaurant's dining room, emerging into a view as spectacular as any on the Outer Banks.
The entire back wall of the restaurant is composed of 6-foot-tall glass windows that reveal an almost overwhelming look at the Atlantic Ocean.
And the staff at the 3rd Street Grille knows how to follow a first impression to create a lasting one. The superb food and service make the restaurant worthy of its idyllic location.
But the 3rd Street Grille, which opened in May, remains a well-kept secret among its growing list of satisfied customers. Restaurant manager Jackie Lingg hopes the base will expand.
``There's just a black cloud hanging over a restaurant that's in a hotel,'' Lingg said. ``The business that we're getting has been from local people or people who have been told by a local person.''
Tipped off by a local, we walked into a nearly empty dining room on a recent Saturday, just as the setting sun began to reflect a pink glow over the clouds in the eastern sky. Evening beachgoers continued their activities in the fading light, and pelicans drifted and darted along the water in search of their own dinner.
There was little doubt that we would accept a table by the window, and Lingg led the way with assurance.
``It's the best view on the beach,'' she said later. ``You could almost reach out and touch the ocean.''
Lingg describes the 3rd Street Grille fare as ``southern regional,'' offering appetizers such as fried green tomatoes and grilled shrimp and grits. ``We wanted to do something different,'' she said.
Our meal began with something different. We were handed a doily-covered plate of small garlic toasts called crustades, served with a seasoning of fresh herb cheese. This simple and tasty surprise was followed immediately by a basket of bread, with two warm and delicious dinner rolls and two amazing cornbread rolls - all homemade by a longtime Sea Ranch staffer named Yulee.
My wife and I both experimented with appetizers. She chose the fried green tomatoes ($2.25), which were a special at the time but will be added to the menu. The tomatoes were full of flavor and a just a little sour. It was Amy's first contact with the dish, which she decided was an ideal appetizer for a heavy meal.
The starter I chose, a barbeque chicken pizza, will be removed from the menu in favor of other types of fresh pizza. The appetizer - grilled chicken, barbeque sauce, tomatoes, red onion and three cheeses on pizza crust - was admittedly unusual, but I enjoyed it.
Our knowledgeable server, Celia, was adept enough to anticipate my wish to have part of the pizza wrapped so I wouldn't spoil my dinner.
For an entree, the waitstaff highly recommended the crabcakes ($15.95), and I couldn't turn down the offer of the sauteed concoctions with wild greens, tomato corn relish and remoulade sauce. The dish was a special at the time but has since become a part of the regular fare.
The two thick crabcakes were nearly bursting with crab meat, and the rich sauce created a marvelous taste. The dinner came with broccoli and red peppers, and with perfectly smooth mashed potatoes decked out with thinly sliced fried leeks. The plate was as artfully decorated as the meal was flavorful.
Amy's special of baked rockfish imperial ($16.95) was equally well arranged. The fish portion was so large she had to take half home, and it was topped with a crab mixture that she said made the mild fish taste like a seafood casserole.
The best measure of the food served at the 3rd Street Grille is that it satisfied the loud, demanding family at the table next to us.
We did not have to strain to overhear the nitpicky requests of this family, headed by a grandfather best described as a mixture of Jacques Cousteau, Emily Post and Adolf Hitler.
Nor did we strain to hear their complimentary reactions to their delightful meal. The staff's patience with this family was worthy of a Nobel peace prize. They will certainly treat you well.
Dessert was so thick and rich and huge that neither of us could finish our selections of flourless chocolate torte and chocolate chip pecan pie (both $3.95). Putting dessert in a doggie bag was a first for us both. We left with three separate containers of leftovers from this hearty meal.
We also left with an unforgettable image of the restaurant's deep blue decor just a windowpane away. MEMO: 3RD STREET OCEANFRONT GRILLE
Where: In the Sea Ranch Quality Inn, Milepost 7 1/2 on N.C. Route 12,
the Beach Road.
Hours: Breakfast served 7 to 11 a.m. Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m.
to noon on Sunday; dinner from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday,
5:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Phone: 441-7126.
Credit cards: American Express, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, Diners
Club.
Features: Southern regional dishes, with emphasis on seafood for the
summer. Regular prices from $12.95 to $16.95. Nightly specials.
Beverages: Soft drinks, iced tea, tea, coffee, wine, beer, liquor.
Handicapped accessible: Entrance possible through kitchen.
Reservations: Encouraged.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by PAUL AIKEN
At the 3rd Street Oceanfront Grille, the 6-foot-tall windows offer
an almost overwhelming look at the Atlantic Ocean and the staff
offers superb food and service.
by CNB