
DATE: Sunday, April 20, 1997                TAG: 9704180273

SECTION: CAROLINA COAST          PAGE: 17   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: EATING OUT 

TYPE: RESTAURANT REVIEW 

SOURCE: BY SCOTT HARPER, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NAGS HEAD                         LENGTH:   69 lines

MULLIGAN'S: GOOD FOOD, INVITING ATMOSPHERE

Mulligan's Oceanfront Grille is perfectly named. Why?

Mulligan's: The word stirs images of a warm Irish pub. To wit: a polished wood bar, brick interior, beer signs, old photos and Outer Banks maps on the walls, numerous TVs tuned to sporting events, comfortable tables and booths, plenty of good beers, a friendly clientele.

Oceanfront: On the beach road, just steps from the Atlantic, the restaurant is, well, right on the ocean. Being so close, you'd expect seafood. And you'd be right.

The crabcakes at Mulligan's are big, lightly breaded with plenty of crab meat, and are fairly inexpensive for their size. Scallops, steamed oysters and clams line the menu. Daily catch specials often also are offered.

Grille: Again, the word connotes a place not too stuffy but with plenty of good, hearty food. And that is right on here.

Most main-course items at Mulligan's are indeed sizzled on a grill, with plenty of beef options on this diverse menu, including New York strip and ribeye steaks. My dad ordered New York strip, and was pleasantly surprised to get a well-proportioned, nicely spiced and cooked-to-order piece of delicate meat, comparable to that of any steak house. It was that good.

Various combinations of pasta are served with seafood, chicken or alone - vegetarian style.

Mulligan's occupies the old 1949 Miller's Pharmacy building. New owners took over in 1996. The place doesn't look like much from the outside, almost like your basic seaside tavern. But inside we were quickly welcomed by a friendly, competent staff. The mood was quiet, warm and laid-back.

Mulligan's is sort of two restaurants in one. The front half is more pubby than the back.

Toward the back, through a small partition, is a quainter dining room. Both are decorated nearly the same, though, with clean, roomy tables and thick wood chairs. We opted for the more upbeat front, wanting to catch a basketball game on TV, which luckily was already on the screen.

To get us started, a cup of hot Mulligan's stew ($2.95) as an appetizer complemented a pint of cold micro-brew on draft ($3). The clams soon arrived ($7.95 per dozen) with butter sauce, and were followed by a basic garden salad we gobbled with ease (a house vinagerette dressing was excellent.)

Our main courses (crabcakes for me $13.95, New York strip for my father $14.95) were large and hot, and we hastily dug in, our conversation ebbing in the wake of this good food before us.

A key note here: Save room for the cheesecake ($2.95). We didn't. But we still stuffed a piece of this rich, towering cake down to our bellies. We couldn't refuse, given its creaminess and blueberry topping. A hot cup of coffee ($1) helped us survive.

After a few deep breaths, we waddled out, vowing as we left that we'd definitely be back to this homey little pub on the beach. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by DREW C. WILSON

Gus Zinovis, left, David Banner, right, and Norman Taitz (not

pictured), became co-owners of Mulligan's Oceanfront Grille last

year.

Graphic

HOW TO EAT THERE

What: Mulligan's Oceanfront Grille

When: Open daily all year for lunch

and dinner

Where: Nags Head

Handicapped accessible: Ramp over doorway, no steps

Call: 480-2000