Outer Banks: Eats

No trip recap for me would be complete without some info about the FOOD we ate, right?  I will say this, the Outer Banks in summertime is packed.  There are big lines and crowds at the grocery, and often a wait for restaurants at mealtime.  You can kind of circumvent this by cooking some meals and being on the early bird side of dinner.

We arrived in town at a weird time, so we went to TimBuck II, a nearby shopping and restaurant complex.  We tried to go to North Banks Restaurant and Raw Bar, but they don't serve the full menu in between lunch and dinner times.  So we ended up at Bubbie's, a little divey burger joint.  I actually got to eat two burgers, since a friend and I each gave each other half of a burger.

We ordered the Hawaiian Bubbie, with cheddar, Canadian bacon, pineapple, and BBQ sauce, and the Jalapeno Poppin' Bubs, with cream cheese, pepper jelly, and jalapenos.  (The photo below has them split!)  They were both really tasty.  Our group overall loved the jalapeno burger the most, to the point one of the girls made her own version of it when we got home!  The fries were crispy and excellent too.  Bubbie's has a really great fast food burger, kind of like Five Guys.  The prices are good, and they have milk shakes and other items too.  I grabbed a hot dog at a later occasion, and it was good too.  While the service was a bit slow/inattentive, I really couldn't complain overall.  It was someplace I'd eat every day for a cheap, dependably good bite to eat!

One thing that blew my mind was the BrewThru.  It's a drive-thru where you pull into a sort of car wash/garage type building, filled with coolers and cases of beer, wine, and liquor.  You order it from your window and they put it in your car.  I'm just not used to this sort of thing, and it's awesome!

Probably my favorite eating experience in the Outer Banks was the two trips we made to Duck Donuts.  OMG.  One of the best donut experiences I've had!  First off, the line is out the door.  You may wait an hour.  Bring some water and wear sunscreen, because you have to be dedicated!  You get a form and fill out what you want your donut order to be: Coating, Topping, and if desired, Drizzle!  Yes, every donut is custom ordered.  And the prices are really pretty reasonable too, just over a buck per donut.

Our favorite breakfast/eat-it-warm donut was maple frosting with bacon topping.  I also had strawberry with raspberry drizzle, blueberry with blackberry drizzle, peanut butter with salted caramel drizzle, and vanilla with rainbow sprinkles.  I think that the bacon donut and the fruity-frosting donuts were my favorite overall in the end, but GOSH I would eat a donut from there every day if I could!

One evening, we finally went back to North Banks Restaurant and Raw Bar to give it a fair shot during meal hours.  It's a tiny, dark place, and you have to exit the restaurant to use the public restrooms nearby.  That said, the place was crowded (usually a good sign) and we found a seat at the bar so we wouldn't have to wait.  I ordered a Pineapple Smash cocktail, which was vodka, St. Germain, fresh lime juice, and pineapple chunks.  The price was kind of like Nashville, $10 for a fruity mixed drink, but it was pretty good.  Again, I knew I was in tourist town.

I was really impressed with our bartender.  He lived full-time in the area and knew his stuff.  He helped make recommendation, even tossed an extra crab claw to my friend so she could try it, as it wasn't on the platter we ordered.  The bartenders aren't just bartenders; they really know the menu, and they steam the seafood themselves in a steamer behind the bar.  The portion sizes are large too.  I liked their hush puppies, which were served with a jalapeno butter.

I ordered a crab cake, because I like them a lot.  The remoulade was delicious too; I ate the whole thing.  Really fresh!  It came with really excellent potatoes (seriously!) and succotash.  I don't even like succotash, and this one was good.  I also took a picture of my friend's seafood platter (and she started with oysters, legit), because it's totally impressive.  While some of the reviews were mixed on this place, we felt it was one of the best meals we had in OBX.  You just have to sacrifice a little ambiance and accept that this is one of those little hidden gems.

We did drive further south to Bodie Island, and on the way back we stopped for lunch at Miller's Waterfront Restaurant.  Because of the dunes, I didn't see a ton of waterfront restaurants, so we chose this one to take in the view.  I started with a beachy blackberry lemonade cocktail, which earned me a souvenir plastic cup.  Woohoo!

We had hush puppies and hot crab dip to start.  These hush puppies were even better than the other ones we'd had before.  Wow.  And the crab dip was delicious and cheesy too.

I wasn't that hungry after that, so I decided to get a popcorn shrimp basket.  I'm used to these "basket" type meals being on the smaller size.  HOLY COW.  This basket was enormous!  I could not physically finish it.  But it was delicious, and everything was perfectly, well, fried.  Tiny little shrimps looking so cute too.  NOMS.

As you can see, my bikini bod was well fed during my time in the Outer Banks.

Have you been to the Outer Banks?

What's your favorite vacation food?

Outer Banks: Beach Wedding Vacay

I had a quick getaway to the Outer Banks recently for my friend's wedding.  Since Dan couldn't go with me, I traveled with a couple of friends of the bride!  We stayed in a condo in Corolla, North Carolina... what a cute place!  I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a beach bum... sand isn't my fav.  But the sunsets on these beaches were amazing, and we made good use of the pool at the bride's vacation home!

There was a good deal of pool time... but I avoided sunburn by staying in the shade and wearing sunscreen!  The bride, my friend V, had the genius idea of renting a big vacation home for the wedding, but staying in it all week and having friends over to hang out and party.  Unlike most weddings, where you barely get to spend time with the happy couple, this one was one long pre-party leading up to the big night!

Since one of V's friends was an OBX aficionado, we also did a drive of the coast down to Nagshead.  We saw dunes, and even a lighthouse.  We also ate seafood and shopped at beachy boutiques.

As for the wedding itself?  Perfection.  Sunset on the beach, barefoot, then a big party!  So much fun, and so laid back too.  Everyone had so much fun that half the guests ended up in the pool, no joke.  Tons of dancing too, all in celebration of two really great people and families coming together.

My roomies, a.k.a. new friends!

First dance, the groom had already changed back into shorts! OBX style

For someone who isn't into beaches, I sure had a lot of fun for the three short days I spend in OBX.  I told Dan I'd love to go back... maybe someday!

My thoughts on an OBX vacation...

• Nagshead/Duck/Kitty Hawk/Corolla are only about a 2 hour drive form Norfolk Airport, so I was able to fly Southwest (with a connection) for a decent price.  Woohoo!
• Rental cars seem to be a must, and the grocery stores are ALWAYS packed.  So if you're road-tripping, pack some food to bring with you!
• Most people rent beautiful houses (some with pools and private beach access) for a week, so you can relax and do activities at your leisure.  And having a tent to put over part of the pool for some shade?  Money.
• The ocean is cold.  I've been spoiled by my relatives in Hawaii into thinking that ocean water can/should be clear and warmer.  But that doesn't mean it isn't worth getting your feet wet!
• Things I wish I could have done: Wild horse tour/viewing, paddleboarding on the Sound side (fewer waves), seeing the Dunes park, more beach time, more Duck Donuts!  (Don't worry... I'll be covering the food later!)

What's your favorite beach?

Biltmore Candlelight Christmas

For the second time this year, Duke and I made a little getaway to Asheville, North Carolina.

The impetus for the trip was mainly my own selfish desire to attend Biltmore's Candlelight Christmas Evenings.  We are Biltmore passholders, so we were able to buy discounted tickets in advance.  We also get free rein to run around the estate (we hope to do some horseback riding and biking there in the spring for Biltmore Blooms) and of course the free tastings at the winery.

But first, priorities.  Before we even checked in at the Aloft, we hit up Bruisin' Ales for some craft brews to drive home across the border.  Tennessee has weird alcohol laws, so we always try to stock up on beer that isn't in distribution in our state to bring home.  Once we filled half the trunk with brews, we made our way to the hotel and grabbed lunch at Wicked Weed Brewing.

Now for those of you who recall our visit to Asheville last time, you are starting to sense a pattern.  Biltmore, Aloft, Bruisin' Ales, Wicked Weed... yeah.  Every single place we visited this short trip was a favorite from the last time.  Since we were only there for a quick overnight, we really stuck to what we know.  When we return in the spring, we plan to branch out a bit and make some new favorites!

Yeah, I know I kind of skipped over Thanksgiving and all, but I don't care!

After our late lunch, we made our way to Biltmore Estate.  Knowing we didn't have a ton of time, we went straight to the winery for tastings!  The place was absolutely packed; given that it's one of the few venues on the estate that is open past 5pm/dusk, evenings at the winery are hectic.  We did our tastings (and a few premium tastings at the wine bar), marked our selection, then had the wonderful Kitty assist us in putting together our case of wine.

Yes, a case.  You see, we had a number of bottles promised to bring back to TN, specifically the Christmas wine, for friends.  So we took advantage of their case discount and picked of a cool dozen.  There are helpers in the shop that will grab a trolley (oh my, I'm so Southern now) and take your list to fill the case.  Then they will have the case waiting at a special register for you, so you can pull up your car after you pay to load!

Between the beer and the wine, we looked like bootleggers or something bringing this haul back over the state line.

So beautiful!!!

After the winery, we headed to the house for our candlelight tour.  We got there early knowing that parking+shuttle take a little while.  Once at the house, we realized that each group of visitors (assigned by time based on your ticket) could only go in at or after their appointed time.  So we headed to the stables to grab a chai latte, a gingerbread man, and to peruse the stores.

Once it was our time to enter the house, we lined up at the door.  They usually have the door open during the day, but for that evening it was a slightly more intimate group (they purposely sell limited tickets) and stage a great door opening to start the night.  We were immediately hearing the sounds of the live music inside; during our visit, we heard the organ, a bell choir, a chorus, and a solo cellist.  The first floor's decoration (and crackling fireplaces) were stunning.  Given the different lighting, we noticed so many things we'd missed in March during our house tour.

Upstairs and downstairs there were fewer changes/decorations (there was a gingerbread replica of the house in the kitchen though!) so we breezed past some of the other visitors.  They say the tour takes 2 hours, but since it was my 3rd time and Duke's 2nd in the home, we made our way through at our own pace based on our interest in the rooms.  There are a few choke points where you feel like cattle being herded through old hallways (typical Biltmore) but less so than a normal visit given the numbers of people.

Afterwards, we went to go check out our souvenir photo, but it had been skipped by the computer.  They wanted us to wait 15 minutes in the dark and cold to get a print.  Well, Duke was a trooper and we stuck around... and we were NOT disappointed!  I used my passholder discount to get a large photo of us and the house, plus two small photos to go into frames they provided.  We don't get great photos of us as a couple often, so we are happy we got one!

We hadn't eaten a real dinner since lunch was so late, so once we got back to the hotel we walked over to Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria, just like last trip.  Great slices, and I had a craft hard cider that was so light and refreshing.

In the morning, we met up with friends at our favorite Early Girl Eatery for brunch before heading home.  Yes, everything on this trip was a repeat... but when you have only a bit of time, and you're seeing everything in a different season/light, sometimes that makes for the best time.

We were grinning the entire trip, and we can't wait to head back to Asheville in the spring.

Asheville, Day 5: Sunny Point Cafe

Okay, so there really wasn't an "Asheville, Day 5"... because we knew we'd be checking out in the morning and hitting the road!

But before we left, we wanted to hit up one more Asheville breakfast spot.  My friend CB recommended we head to West Asheville to Sunny Point Cafe, since we'd already checked out Early Girl Eatery, Over Easy Cafe, and Tupelo Honey Cafe.  (Can you tell I love breakfast?)

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We were a bit intimidated by the packed parking lot and long line when we arrived, but as a party of two we were quickly seated.  I noticed signs that the place mostly ran on solar power, which I thought was appropriate given the name!

I decided on the MGB (Mighty Good Breakfast) and a tall glass of orange juice.  I think I got spoiled on all of the fresh-squeezed OJ in Asheville; how will I ever go back to grocery juice?  The meal was good too, with great portions, and the service was pretty spot-on.

Duke ordered the Organic Carrot Hot Cakes, and in retrospect should have ordered a short stack... the portions were HUGE!  Topped with cardamom cream cheese, even I couldn't resist veggie-filled pancakes.  I may have to attempt something similar at home.

If I were to come back, I think I might try the Huevos Rancheros, to do something a bit different; a few people near us ordered that, and I had total plate envy!

Oh, and did I mention they even have a breakfast salad?  And tons of vegetarian/vegan options?  Asheville loves breakfast!

Asheville, Day 4: Beer!

Our last full day in Asheville was all about beer.  Really!

While we kicked off our late start at the Tupelo Honey Cafe (review here), we spent just as much time in local store Bruisin' Ales, so we could take home some of the more rare brews that aren't dstributed in Tennessee.  At first Duke was hesitant to go; beer stores are kid-in-candy-store to him.  But in the end, he knew he'd regret not going!  So we picked up some great stuff... including the new Game of Thrones beer to drink during the show's upcoming season premiere.

We also hit up Wedge Brewing, at a friend's reco, a local brewery in a quirky, artistic setting.  It was eclectic and fun; there was cornhole set up outside, a mix of so many different people stopping in...  just a unique brewery with some great beer.

To wind down our day of beer, we sampled a ton of beer at Wicked Weed Brewing, as well as dinner.  It was perfection.  (Check out my review here.)

We now know why Asheville is a Beer City USA.  Everywhere we went, local brews were available, and there are a dozen other breweries we didn't get to see.  There's more for us to come back and experience for sure.

Wicked Weed Brewing

My friend CB works at Wicked Weed Brewing, so when she recommended we stop by we couldn't wait to check it out.  After all, Duke loves beer even more than his beard.

When we arrived, we were more than impressed.  The brewery has two floors, with the bottom floor open in the late afternoon as a tasting room/brewery experience.  You can get some of the smaller batch beers in the tasting room, and enjoy the brewery and outdoor space.

Upstairs, there is a full bar and large dining area.  The place was packed for dinner, so I assumed this place was a well-established local joint.  Turns out, it had only been open for about three months!  Incredible!

Not only was there a fantastic selection of beer (you can order a flight, small 10oz glasses, or a pint) but ambience was perfect.  From exposed brick walls to wood/metal furniture and fixtures, I could have stayed there all day and night and camped out, people-watching.

As for the food, Duke and I both ordered their burger with braised short ribs.  Yup, the short rib meat was piled onto the burger!  That, combined with a slice of cheddar and a side of flawless fries, became one of the best burgers I've ever had.  And if you read this blog, you know that's saying something!  I had to asked the server about the bun specifically.  This bun was so good, I could have eaten it plain.  So soft!  He said it came from an Asheville bakery... of course.

Once again, the combo of a seasonal menu and local ingredients really created a winning dining experience in Asheville.  We also tasted at least a dozen of their beers; good thing we were only a block's walk from our hotel!  We will definitely be back here, because it was just that good.

Tupelo Honey Cafe

Tupelo Honey Cafe stood out to me when I was researching restaurants in Asheville.  I heard that it was a great Southern food experience!

Duke and I slept in on our last full day in Asheville, so we thought we'd end up there for brunch.  Instead we chose to have "lunch" instead!

The place was definitely busy.  We had a short wait, but it seemed like they moved pretty fast.  I think we had good timing for the restaurants in Asheville, because it seemed like every time we were seated a big line suddenly formed behind us!

We started off with drinks... I had the house special Rosemary Peach Lemonade.  It was heavenly, like ambrosia.  Duke had the "Ode to Muddy Pond", a Maker’s Mark bourbon, Tennessee’s Muddy Pond sorghum, muddled basil and Blenheim ginger ale.  It got his bartender approval!

They immediately brought us two of the biggest, most delicious biscuits I've ever had in my life, even after years in Savannah, the land of Paula Deen!  The blueberry jam was so good, I tried to buy a jar to take home.  Sadly, they were sold out, so I had to settle for strawberry.  But the blueberry was so unique!

We kicked off our meal with the Appalachian Egg Rolls, which were basically pulled pork egg rolls with greens and fixins inside.  Delicious, though between those and the biscuits we were getting pretty full.  The appetizers were definitely made for a larger group.

Duke and I both love grilled cheese and tomato soup.  So we each chose a variation.  I chose a sandwich with Havarti and pimento on Texas toast to dip into my mug of soup.  Duke chose the house special, entitled the "Shoo Grilled Cheese, Have Mercy"!  It had Havarti, pimento, caramelized onions, maple peppered bacon, friend green tomatoes and basil on sourdough wheat bread.  It came with ham, but Duke doesn't eat ham; even without it, the sandwich was a monster!  A delicious monster.

I was hoping that Tupelo Honey Cafe was worth the hype.  Well, it definitely was!  I think we'll end up here again when we return to Asheville.

Asheville, Day 3: Flurries and Friends

The cold weather in Asheville put a bit of a damper on my vacation; I caught a bit of a bug that wasn't the most fun to deal with.  But I was determined that we would enjoy ourselves, so I loaded up on cold meds and pushed on.

We started our third day with brunch at the Over Easy Cafe. (Check out my review here.)  We just loved how there was so much within walking distance of our hotel, especially good places to eat.

After brunch, we walked around downtown to check out some of the boutiques and shops.  I really liked the walk from Biltmore/Broadway towards the Grove Arcade.  The Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar was definitely a favorite, with its maze of used books.  It was a real gathering place.

We enjoyed our exploration, but the cold weather drove us indoors.  We decided to grab a late afternoon dinner of some warm noodles at Doc Chey's.  (Review here.)  I really liked my noodle dish, though I wished they had some steamed dim sum dumplings.

Since we were meeting up with friends later, we hid out in the hotel for a while so I could try to rest up from my cold.  I think napping became a theme during the trip, but why not take advantage of that on vacation?  We got the munchies later that night, so we grabbed a beer and a slice at Barley's Taproom and Pizzeria across the street.  That held us over before we met up with my friends BU and CB at French Broad Chocolate Lounge.

Chocolate Lounge was hopping!  There was a line to the door for the delectable desserts and more.  Duke got a chocolate stout and chocolate creme brulee, while I got a hot chocolate and lavender creme brulee.  It was such a great place to get comfy and talk to my old high school chums.  It was fun to talk into the night and catch up; how funny to have two girls I ran with in high school in this same town, hours from Indiana!  It was a happy night.

Doc Chey's Noodle House

Doc Chey's Noodle House was near our hotel in Asheville, and walking by it multiple times had me intrigued.   It was cold, so I was in the mood for something warm.  Since it was too late for lunch and too early for dinner, we were able to get a seat right away.

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Once we got in, the place really started to get busy!  There was a line of people waiting for seats, so we felt lucky to be seated.  The menu was full of Chinese/Thai fusion dishes, from small plates/soups to noodle bowls to rice plates.  Sadly, there was no steamed dumpling dim sum on the menu, which I'd been looking forward to.

Happily, they had delicious udon to enjoy!  I chose the Japanese Yakiudon: carrot, onion and greens with udon noodles in sweet, tangy tonkatsu sauce.  Yum!  I gobbled it up.  Duke enjoyed his Tomato Ginger noodle bowl, which I likened to an Italian spin on udon noodles.

If you're in Asheville, it might be worth checking out this restaurant, at least just to try it once.  It was the ideal warm meal on a frigid day.