
DATE: Sunday, November 2, 1997              TAG: 9710300265

SECTION: CAROLINA COAST          PAGE: 08   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: EATING OUT 

TYPE: RESTAURANT REVIER 

SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   98 lines

SEAFOOD BUFFET LIVES UP TO SHOWY EXTERIOR

``M MMMM . . . buffet''

Let's be honest. There's a little bit of Homer Simpson in all of us. And once in a while, it's fun to indulge in excess.

And it's perhaps appropriate that one place on the Outer Banks affording that dining opportunity year round has the appearance of architectural excess.

George's Junction, at milepost 11 on the beach road in Nags Head, is found under white and gold domes with a giant windmill, giving it the appearance of a mosque in Holland. Some liken it to the Taj Mahal.

The decor inside the Junction, which opened in June of 1995, is simple, perhaps owing to the basic chore at hand: eating. The large lounge is comfortable and inviting as a waiting area and offers a full bar. There are two large dining rooms with a separate room housing the buffet.

I visited on a Monday evening and was seated fairly quickly. There was a country atmosphere, although nothing caught my eye and made me want to wander about and check out the decor.

There is a limited menu if you are so inclined to forsake the buffet ($17.95, $21.95 with crab legs) and avoid self-service.

I made one big mistake on my visit, which only served to reinforce my view on the strategy for a successful buffet indulgence.

Sometimes, when dining out, one hopes to avoid the early evening crush and the competition for the server's attention by dining late.

Wrong move with a buffet.

Come early. As business slacks at a buffet, cooks cut down on the amounts they make and the frequency with which they restock. Steam tables and heat lamps can take their toll.

That said, if you do arrive late - as I did, alone, just a half-hour before closing - be aggressive. Spoon into the tray to find the bigger shrimp; dig out the freshest of the seafood au gratin; stir up that soup; and point out what piece of the roast beef you want carved off.

The staff was marvelous. I had decided to forsake crab legs, one of my favorites, so I could try a wider array of items. But the waiter and one of the cooks made a point of stopping by to make certain I did not want some fresh ones brought out.

I started with the she-crab soup. Hot and creamy, with a goodly amount of crab, although not as spicy as I might have liked. The salad bar was basic but offered a fair selection and everything was fresh and crisp.

Then I hit the main courses. The clams casino were moderate-sized with a zesty taste of garlic, bacon, pepper and onion. All of the fried offerings - shrimp, scallops and oysters - offered good flavor not overwhelmed by breading.

The steamed, spiced shrimp were moderate-sized and spiced just right for my taste.

The seafood au gratin was delicious, filled with scallops and shrimp in a rich sauce. I would have gone for seconds if not for the salmon.

This was the big and pleasant surprise. The pink fish was prepared as well as any that I have had as a feature menu entree at any other restaurant. It was flaky and moist with plenty of flavor and the lemon dill butter accented it wonderfully. Seconds were unavoidable.

The Hatteras-style crabcakes were thick and flavorful.

All the veggies were good, if not notable. The potatoes were they notable exception. Both the roasted new spuds, with a woodsy flavor, and the mashed, which were lightly spiced, were nice accompaniments.

On the non-seafood side, the rotisserie chicken was meaty and juicy while the roast beef was, well, roast beef. A generous slice was hot and tender.

While it seems some buffet restaurants count salt and pepper as two menu items in order to boost their tally, the Junction has about three dozen, real hot choices. That is supplemented by the salad bar, a dessert bar and fresh-made breads and rolls.

Buffets - those featuring seafood in particular - rarely invest much energy in their desserts. But the Junction has one outstanding item that may surprise: the cookies.

They were thick and chewy and full of flavor in all their assorted offerings. Even if you haven't even the room for a mint after stuffing yourself, stick a cookie in your pocket for later. As I drove home, I was wishing I had.

The Junction is open all year, although its schedule is curtailed somewhat in the offseason. It offers banquet and meeting rooms that can handle from 50 to 500 people. And it has become a popular choice for special events and holiday gatherings.

I understand why. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW WILSON

The white and gold domes and huge windmill make George's Junction a

landmark along the Outer Banks.

Graphic

HOW TO EAT THERE

What: George's Junction

Where: Milepost 11 on the beach road

When: Open 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday; closed Monday

and Tuesday in the off-season.

Reservations: Required for parties of 12 or more.

Payment: MasterCard, Visa, personal checks.

Handicapped accessible