THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 6, 1995 TAG: 9508040172
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH
DATELINE: COROLLA LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
A restaurant called the Four Seasons anywhere outside of New York would seem doomed to failure.
After all, the title conjures up the dining delights served at New York's fabled bistro of the same name.
Music lovers will no doubt think of Antonio Vivaldi's marvelous, albeit overplayed, work. Those with more modern tastes will remember Frankie Valli and his Four Seasons, the masters of mid-'60s rock 'n' roll harmony.
But despite the long shadow cast by the name, chef/owner Ron Nicoletta has scored a major culinary triumph at his marvelous restaurant tucked away in a corner of Monteray Plaza Shopping Center.
The Four Seasons immediately grants relief to diners seeking refuge from the summer heat, with a welcoming atmosphere that gives the feeling of stepping into a shady grove of greenery. The soft music of Frank Sinatra plays in the background, and tiny white candles gently light each table.
``I wanted people to have the feel of dining in a major metropolitan area here at the beach,'' Nicoletta said, taking a break from preparations for a huge party later in the evening. ``We wanted a truly unique dining experience.''
Many Outer Banks restaurants toss the word unique around like a ball of pizza dough. But Nicoletta's latest effort is truly special in every sense. Even with its big-city style, The Four Seasons never loses the best of the casual elegance and charm of the Outer Banks.
We began our meal with selections from The Four Seasons' wine list. Both of us selected a California chardonnay, which was crisp and chilled to perfection.
My lovely companion opted to skip the appetizers, but I chose the sherry shrimp bisque ($3.25). A light but hearty soup, the bisque was rich with flavor. A cornucopia of spices complemented a marvelous shrimp taste.
The Four Seasons offers a variety of appetizers, including She-Crab Soup ($3.50), Seafood Ravioli in a Pistachio Pesto sauce and Gamberi Capesanti, a concoction of sauteed shrimp and wild mushrooms. The restaurant also offers a shrimp cocktail and backfin crabmeat cocktail.
For the salad course, we had the Caesar Salad Au Crouton ($3.75) and the Seasonal Leaf Salad with herbed vinaigrette ($2.75). The salads were cool and fresh. The Caesar and herbed vinaigrette dressings were homemade and tasty.
For the main course, we chose two of the daily specials. I had the Four Seasons' version of surf and turf. Tenderloin medallions were served with lump crabmeat, angel hair pasta and steamed mussels in a wonderful sauce and mixed peppers and vegetables ($22.00). The entree was cooked to perfection.
My companion chose another special, a cheese ravioli and seafood mix in a butter and garlic sauce ($22.00). Pesto - a mix of pine nuts and basil - was set in the center of the plate, and provided a feast for the eye and the palate. The seafood included six huge shrimp, crawfish and scallops.
The pesto and garlic were not too heavy and did not drown the taste of the fresh seafood. Combined with the ravioli and butter sauce, the dish was satisfying.
``The sauce is the important thing,'' Nicoletta said. ``You can do anything with a piece of veal or seafood, but it's the sauce that makes the difference.''
We chose Tiramisu and chocolate mousse for desserts. The Tiramisu was a symphony of chocolate and kahlua, and the chocolate mousse was velvety rich and smooth. Nicoletta also let us in on a little secret.
``All of our desserts are low-fat,'' he said. ``I would say 90 percent of the dishes we serve are extremely healthy. People are extremely health conscious now, and we want to give them an opportunity to eat that way here.''
The restaurant recently got a rave review in Men's Fitness Magazine, a testament to the health-conscious menu.
The total bill, including tip, was $90. But the experience was well worth it.
The Four Seasons opened in March, but Nicoletta hinted that a companion restaurant will be opening later this year.
``We're going to open a genuine European bistro down on the beach,'' said Nicoletta. ``It's going to be like the Italian bistros you find in New York.''
If The Four Seasons is any clue as to what his bistro will be like, the Atlantic coast is in for a real treat. The Four Seasons is excellence personified. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by VICKI CRONIS
Chef and owner Ron Nicoletta grants relief to diners seeking refuge
from the summer heat with the feeling of stepping into a shady grove
of greenery.
FOUR SEASONS
Where: Monteray Plaza Shopping Center. N.C. 12 and Albacore
Street, Corolla.
Hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Reservations
accepted.
Phone: 453-8833.
Credit Cards: MasterCard, Visa.
Beverages: Coffee, tea, soft drinks, cappucino, espresso, a
variety of beers and a complete wine list.
Handicapped accessible: Yes.
by CNB