SHRIMP AND SCALLOPS WITH CHEESY GRITS

I love shrimp and grits.  Really.  Never heard of it till we moved to New Bern.  Okay, so I've led a sheltered life.   But I've been redeemed, and now I can't get enough of this Southern specialty.  When we went to Boston at the Bend recently, it was what I ordered, and what disappointed me.  So I dug up a recipe from Southern Living's May 2009 magazine and tweaked it to make it my own.  Southern Living printed three recipes for shrimp and grits from three different restaurants.  I chose the one from Hominy Grill and added scallops, tomatoes and white wine.  The article included a recipe  for Creamy Cheddar Cheese Grits, inspired by Emeril Lagasse.  Instead of milk, I used chicken broth.  I used Monterey Jack cheese with jalapenos for some of the cheddar.  Finally, I got my shrimp and grits, and loved every delicious morsel.  This recipe has wonderful complex flavors.  The grits are super creamy and the shrimp and scallops are in a flavorful sauce.  I had grits left over, so I spooned them into a small baking dish and let them set up in the fridge.  Once they gelled, I cut them into portion-size servings and froze them for future use.  When I want grits, I just take out a package, thaw slightly, and fry it up in a pan.  Southern shrimp and grits.....it doesn't get much better than this.

Shrimp and Scallops with Cheesy Grits
Adapted from Southern Living Magazine, May 2009
Rating:  9.5 out of 10
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Cheesy Creamy Grits 
4 tsp. Smart Balance buttery spread or butter, divided use
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp. Louisiana hot sauce
1 small garlic clove, grated
1/2 cup stone-ground polenta (grits)
3-1/2 - 4 oz. cheese (I used 2.5 oz. Monterey Jack with jalapenos + 1 oz. aged white cheddar)
2 Tbsp. heavy cream (optional -- I decided not to add it, because it was creamy without it) 

In a small heavy saucepan, heat 2 tsp. Smart Balance, broth, hot sauce and garlic to a boil over medium-high heat.  Gradually whisk in grits and bring back to boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 1-1/2 hours, stirring as needed, or till thickened and creamy.  (Mine took almost 2 hours.)  Stir in remaining 2 tsp. Smart Balance, cheese and cream (if using).  Cover and keep hot till serving time.

Shrimp and Scallops in Tomato-Mushroom Wine Sauce
1 lb. shrimp, peeled, deveined (Of course, I used Carolina shrimp, fresh, but frozen will do)
1/2 lb. bay scallops
1-1/2 Tbsp. flour
2-1/2 thick bacon slices, chopped (I used Applewood smoked uncured)
4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 tomato, diced (or about 3/4 cup canned diced tomatoes)
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tbsp. drinking-quality white wine
Big pinch of sea salt
2-1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 tsp. Louisiana hot sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)


Toss shrimp and scallops in flour; set aside.  In medium saute pan over medium heat, cook bacon till crisp; drain on paper towels, reserving bacon grease for pan.  Saute mushrooms in same pan in bacon drippings.  When mushrooms are starting to brown, add tomatoes.  Bring to boil, add shrimp & scallops; saute 3 minutes, or till shrimp turn pink.  Add garlic, saute 1 minute.  Stir in wine, salt, lemon juice, green onions and hot sauce.  Serve immediately over grits.  Sprinkle the reserved bacon over the shrimp and grits.  Yield:  4 servings

CHEFS 105, MOREHEAD CITY

Ever since I tasted some of Chef Andy Hopper's winning food at the Taste of Coastal Carolina, I wanted to visit his Morehead City restaurant and get some more.  We finally had the opportunity this week to have lunch  in Morehead City on a day the restaurant was open (Monday).  The outside of the restaurant is landscaped Caribbean style with lush tropical plants.  The inside is spacious  with high ceilings and nice ambiance.

 A good-sized bar is in the dining area.

There are plenty of  tables in the downstairs area, with more upstairs.

You can get to the open-air dining through the main dining area, or from the outside.  The ocean breeze, umbrella-topped tables, water views and Island music brought us both back to St. Lucia, where Guy worked for more than a decade.  We were feeling very nostalgic.

Our server was young, vibrant, enthusiastic and friendly.  Guy ordered the crab cake sandwich ($12.00) and selected onion rings as his side.  The crab cake came on an onion roll with lettuce, tomato and a remoulade sauce on the side.  Guy is somewhat of a crab cake snob and not so easy to please.  He loved the crab cake and said it had no filler.  The sauce had a bit of a zing and went well with the crab.  Amazingly, he was very happy, but I think the Caribbean-type setting had something to do with it.

I ordered the special of the day:  a grouper wrap ($11.00) -- fried grouper with mixed greens, tomato, onion, Swiss and pesto.  I asked them to hold the onion and selected veggies for my side.  The sandwich was wicked good.  This was not a cold wrap.  The tortilla was filled with the hot fish, Swiss cheese, greens and pesto then grilled.  The greens wilted, the cheese melted and the tortilla wrap got just slightly crispy.  The fried fish gave the sandwich a nice crunchy component.  The veggies were served in a ramekin with the broccolini standing up.

So it was a $27.00 lunch plus tip.  We spent almost $24 at Olive Garden the previous week and had a very forgettable meal, so in my book it was worth every penny, and we'll definitely go back.  I visited the ladies room after lunch, then headed out to the open-air dining area, but Guy had gone.  He was across the street, chatting with one of the guys by the boats.  Yes, this restaurant is on my list for a redo.  I want more of Chef Hopper's fabulous food.

OLIVE GARDEN, MOREHEAD CITY

Though I'm not much a fan of chain restaurants, the Olive Garden in Greenville is not bad.  We've been there a few times and had decent meals each time, and good service.  So when we found ourselves in Morehead City recently, we decided to give the new Olive Garden a try.

We are not fans of the Morehead City restaurant.  First off, our table was beset with pesky flies.  When I mentioned it to the server, her comment was, "I don't know why that booth always has flies."  We finally asked if we could have another table.  She made no effort to help us move there.  The new table had no flies and I am wondering why she would let patrons sit in a booth with flies and not offer them another table right from the start.

Our meal started with a salad, served family style.  It was supposedly dressed, but the amount of dressing must have been minimal, because I couldn't taste it.

The warm bread was also nothing special.  No noteworthy flavor or texture.  I passed, because it just wasn't worth the calories.

Guy ordered the chicken parmesan.  A good choice, because it's pretty hard to ruin.  It was run-of-the-mill chicken parm.  The sauce was very forgettable and pretty much tasted like tomatoes out of a can with not much else added.

I ordered the Venetian Apricot Chicken (chicken with an apricot sauce, served with tomatoes, asparagus and broccoli).  I asked for all asparagus, no broccoli.  The chicken was a very small portion and was overcooked, dry and almost hard.  The apricot sauce was just okay.  The asparagus was cooked nicely, then placed on the plate with chopped tomatoes, but there was no seasoning that I could taste, not even salt.  This was the most tasteless, unappetizing lunch I've had in a long time.

I'd like to say that the prices were reasonable at least, but in fact the lunch cost us $23.76 plus tip.  My chicken was $9.95 and Guy's was $9.75.  1 Iced tea was $2.35.  You can bet we won't be going back.  This is one "family" we don't want to be a part of.

PIA'S OF WASHINGTON, MY NEW FAVORITE RESTAURANT

Pia's of New Bern was my favorite restaurant until it closed in August.  How excited were we when Chef Pia invited my hubby and me to dine at her Washington restaurant as her guests.  After multiple disappointments with New Bern restaurants, we couldn't wait to have some more of Pia's quality New American cuisine with a Mediterranean flair.  The easy 40-minute drive from New Bern is a no-brainer.  Just follow Route 17 North.  A bypass is almost completed around Washington, so you have to make a left onto Business 17 to get onto Main Street, where the restaurant is.  A bright green sign on the left side of the street alerts you to the exact location.  

Chef Pia and her hubby, Van, greeted us warmly when we arrived.  Van manages the restaurant and does a superb job of ensuring that customers are well taken care of.  

The Washington restaurant is quite a bit larger than the New Bern location was.  The upstairs can be reserved for parties and the downstairs is split into a dining area and the bar.  The bar is quite large.

Chef Pia introduced us to Chef Brandon, who is in charge of the kitchen operations and is responsible for all the wonderful food that comes out.  He brought us the most wonderful appetizer:  Seared Ahi Tuna and Edamame Hummus served with spicy cucumber wasabi vinaigrette, pickled ginger and Nori seaweed salad.

(The dish was beautifully presented, but I'll take two of the presenter please.  Would you like to have him cook for you?)   Though my sister has raved about edamame for years, I must confess I had yet to taste it, but I was an immediate convert.  This is another of Pia's recipes I will be trying to duplicate at home.  And my adventure-averse hubby who hates trying new things, gobbled up the edamame and loved it.  Forgive me, Pia, but I must publish another photo of that gorgeous chef.  Just look at that cute smile.

Our salads came with the wonderful  champagne vinaigrette that we have both fallen in love with.

Pia ordered a tray of Mediterranean appetizers consisting of marinated Greek olives, Tzatziki, Baba Ghanouz, Feta, tomatoes and onions.  Warm pita slices were the serving vehicle for these tasty tidbits and again, we enjoyed it all.  It was the first time either of us had tasted Baba Ghanouz, a roasted smashed eggplant mixed with Tahini.  Ditto for the tzatziki (a cucumber-Greek yogurt dip).  Two more recipes to duplicate in my home kitchen.  I guess I'm going to be busy.

We were all filled up on appetizers when our main courses arrived, but we made a valiant effort to eat some more delicious food.  Guy ordered Veal Romano (Van's favorite).  It quickly became Guy's favorite, too.  A breaded veal cutlet is fried till crispy, then topped with chianti tomato sauce, aged provolone and grated Romano, baked in the oven and served with pasta, then finished with fresh herbs.  The veal portion was quite large, and more than half of  it came home with us for another dinner.

I couldn't resist the Maine Lobster and Butternut Squash Ravioli.  Poached Maine Lobster claw meat is sauteed in sage butter, then served over butternut squash ravioli and wilted arugula.  I'm drooling as I type this, because the dish was so divine, I felt that I had gone to heaven.  I can't wait to finish eating it today.

Although I had every intention of ordering some of Pia's wonderful baklava, I was just too full for dessert.
And speaking of being full, as we left the restaurant, I couldn't help but notice how many people had gradually filled the dining room.  Amazingly, the noise levels were quite comfortable.  Pia explained that she purposely decorated the walls with shaggy rug pieces to absorb sound.  Quite clever.

After spending a delightful evening with Pia, we said our goodbyes.  My hubby and I drove back to New Bern and started planning for our next dinner there.

You can spend less at other restaurants and get a sub-par meal that won't leave you satisfied.  Or you can pay the very reasonable prices at Chef Pia's for quality, exquisitely prepared meals that you won't soon forget. The choice is yours.  Pia's of Washington is located at 156 West Main Street, Washington, NC.  Phone 252-940-0600 for reservations or information.  Menus, prices and hours are available at Chef Pia's website.

BOSTON AT THE BEND RESTAURANT

Boston at the Bend Restaurant, located at the River Bend Marina, has been operating since April.  From the name, we assumed the food would be Boston quality.  We're very familiar with Boston food, as my hubby and I have spent time in Boston and have eaten some very good seafood dinners there.  From the outset, the restaurant appears to be a typical marina-type eating place -- no frills.  Therefore, the food MUST be good, or so we thought.

The inside is the same as the outside, no frills, just a basic eating place.

There's a nondescript bar tucked in one corner.

And the view is nothing to get excited about, especially if you're on the inside looking out.

Our server didn't smile much.  I wondered if she was unhappy about working.  She arrived at our table, introduced herself and gave us menus.  One specials menu was placed in the middle of the table for all of us to share.  And she walked away.  When she came back, we had some questions.  Which she couldn't answer.  So she disappeared again to ask in the kitchen for us.

We started our meals with a salad.  It was a typical New Bern restaurant salad, in that it looked like it had been in the refrigerator for a week.  The greens were not fresh, the cucumber had what I call "age spots," and it was just a mediocre salad that might have been good when it was first made.  It must have been photogenic though because it looks much better in the photo than it did in person.  The balsamic dressing was good.

The server brought us a basket of warm bread with the little tubs of real butter strewn all over the bread.    The bread was just okay, and in fact it was a little doughey on the inside.

Guy ordered the 1-1/4 lb. lobster only to find out that there were none available.  So he ordered the 2-lb. lobster for $34.99.  It came with a salad and baked potato.  There were no wet naps and there was no bib.  One lone paper napkin was all he got.

My shrimp and grits was supposed to have sausage in it, but I searched hard and could only find 2 slivers of sausage with the five shrimp.  Lots of grits, swimming in grease, with some spinach and tomatoes in the center, but very little protein.  The grits tasted like instant grits, not stone ground.  The cheese was scattered over the top rather than incorporated in the grits.  It was very disappointing, though the shrimp was nicely cooked.  The grease that surrounded the grits was very unappetizing.

Joann ordered the shrimp alfredo.  It was the worst alfredo she ever ate.  The shrimp was cooked nicely, but the pasta was dry and rubbery and the sauce was totally tasteless and pasty.

Danny got the fried seafood platter.  He said it was delicious, and that the fish was perfectly cooked.  It came with coleslaw and fries which he also enjoyed.  He got plenty of seafood, including clams, scallops, shrimp and cod.

Our server asked us if we wanted dessert and coffee but never said what the dessert was.  We declined.  Guy asked her for a wet nap as he was pretty much covered with lobster juice at this point.  She said she thought they were out of them but would go check in the kitchen.  She came back 10 minutes later with a paper towel that she had dampened.

We won't be going back to this restaurant.  An unenthused server, leftover salads, improperly cooked pasta and sauce, terrible grits, a lobster served without wet naps or bib, and an uninspiring view -- enough reasons not to return.  If you like fried fish, you can get a good meal here, if you consider fried fish and coleslaw a good meal, that is.  For us, we'll move on, though I wish Boston at the Bend the best.  Our meal, by the way, came to $48 without tip.  It included one beer and my entree was half price with a coupon I had clipped.  I went home and ate a peanut butter sandwich.

There were some Greenbrier neighbors at the table next to ours, and one of them volunteered to take a photo of our table.

This was another disappointing meal in New Bern -- a town loaded with restaurants, mostly sub-par.  We heard that the owner is from Boston.  If so, he should then know that no matter which restaurant you go to in Boston, your lobster will come with wet naps and a bib.

A letter to the editor of the Sun Journal in today's paper stated that residents should patronize the new restaurants.  If they serve good meals, people won't need to be reminded.  If they serve sub-par meals, they deserve to go out of business.

Update November 2012:  This restaurant has closed.

RIBEYES STEAKHOUSE -- AN ALMOST GOOD RESTAURANT

Ribeyes Steakhouse, on Pollock Street in downtown New Bern, is well positioned to be a standout eating place.  I wasn't really excited about going here because it sounded to me like one step up from a Ryan's Family Restaurant, but when my hubby sees "steak" in the title name, he wants to go.  So I went, trying to keep an open mind.

First off, we decided, at the last minute, to go on a Friday evening and got there about 6:30.  And the rest of New Bern, it seemed, decided to join us.  The lines were long, the restaurant was completely packed, but, surprisingly, the wait was only 20 minutes.  There is an upstairs and downstairs, and all tables were filled, so I was impressed that the wait was so short, and it certainly is an indication that management has an efficient delivery system in place here.

The menu, which never changes, is conveniently posted on either side of the entrance door.  The lunch menu is on the left, the dinner menu is on the right.  While I don't care for menus that never change and therefore don't take advantage of fresh local produce, I love restaurant menus posted outside the building.  The steaks served are Omaha, which are from grain-fed cows, not my fave beef, but at least the meat is aged for flavor and tenderness.  You can opt for salmon or chicken if you don't want fish, or the salad bar with or without baked white or sweet potato.  The menu is also conveniently posted online at their website.

The inside of the restaurant is beautifully done.  A high staircase takes you upstairs to the next level, and the main dining room downstairs has ceilings that go all the way up to the top of the 2nd floor, creating a spacious feeling.  The acoustics, however, are terrible.  With a big crowd, you can hardly hear yourself think.  Strike 1.
The main dining room (pictured below) is also a thoroughfare.  Anyone going to or from the kitchen, salad bar or drinking bar comes through this open corridor and right past your table.  Between the loud noise of everyone talking and the commotion of everyone passing by the table, it was not a very relaxed atmosphere.  Strike 2.

Here's the view from the salad bar to the main dining room:

We waited for our table in the bar where we could sit and chat.  Too bad they didn't put the main dining room in here and vice versa.  It's a little quieter, and not as much movement in and out.

Our table was right by the open corridor near the constant back and forth movement of the patrons and servers.

On an up note, the salad bar is one of the nicest I've experienced, especially since the ingredients are super-fresh, and the greens are not oversprayed with preservatives.  Chopped hard-boiled egg, bacon, ham and all the usual suspects are there.  Cookie-cutter salad dressings, but it's easy to forgive that with all the other good stuff.

After the server took our orders, we went up to get our salads.  The only complaint we had was there was no bread.  The steak comes with Texas toast, but the salad does not.  Baskets of crackers above the salad bar are the only option for salad eaters.  Of course, you could hold on to your salad until the steak arrives.  The salad bar is so complete, it's easy to make a meal out of it, which is what JoAnn did.  She doesn't like steak.

Guy loaded up but also got an 8 oz. rib eye.

This was my salad, and it was delicious with bacon, egg and ranch dressing.

Finally, our steaks arrived.  We were all shocked.  They were advertised as "thick-cut" steaks.  In actuality, they were 1/2" thick.  To me, that's sandwich steak size.  The flavor was great and the sweet potato, baked potato and Texas toast were all wonderful, but we wanted a thick steak, not a sandwich steak.  Strike 3.  We all decided we weren't coming back.

But then, I thought, it's only right to talk this over with management.  So I went back a week later, when the lunch shift was over, to talk to Manager Rick Ward.  He was very receptive to my suggestion of putting in a knee-wall to separate the main corridor from the dining area.  He also said he would be meeting with engineers this week to find a solution to the acoustics problem.  And, finally, he said the cook last week was from another restaurant and he cut the steaks the wrong thickness.  Rick insists the restaurant will be serving 1-1/2" steaks.  We all decided we will give Ribeyes another shot, because if the changes are made, this restaurant will be great. The quality of the food and the prices are spot on.  Yes we'll try it again, after we check out Persimmons and Boston at the Bend of course.

As we went to get our car, we saw the New Bern carriage ride -- so pretty -- it looks like a pumpkin for Cinderella.

A nice ending for a not-so-great dinner out.

RIBEYES UPDATE:  The following week, we went back to Ribeyes for another steak dinner.  The same special was still posted:  16-oz. thick-cut ribeye steak for two, $34.99.  True to the manager's word, our steaks came 1-1/2" thick.  But they were too charred to enjoy.  The bitterness of  the charring ruined the good flavor of the meat.  We ended up cutting off the tops and bottoms of our steaks, leaving a much smaller piece to eat.  On an upnote, I requested Texas toast with my salad, and the server brought me a piece when I returned from the salad bar.   We've decided, however, we will not be returning for dinners here.

Gluttons for punishment we are.  We tried lunch the following week, thinking surely a 1/2" steak on a sandwich would be great.  What we got was a steak cut even thinner, possibly 1/4", overcooked and dry.  The server  told me when I ordered that it would probably be well done, because it was too thin to cook rare, and he was right.  On an upnote, I didn't want the baked potato or veggies that came as a side.  It was no problem getting a salad from the salad bar instead, at no additional cost.

Bottom line:  If I ever want a salad for lunch, this is where I'll go.  We'll skip the steaks.

247 CRAVEN -- HIGH HOPES, BIG LETDOWN

247 Craven -- a small bistro reminiscent of downtown Asheville -- boasts a menu specializing in Southern soul/Mediterranean cuisine.  Five of us were excited to try this newcomer and enjoy a top-notch lunch, as Chef Ashley Moser has some enviable credentials:   Culinary Institute of America, followed by cheffing at New Bern Country Club and finally spending two years cheffing in Asheville.   Moser seemed ready to open a restaurant downtown and knock our socks off.

He certainly has created ambience.  All the old walls were taken down to create an inviting, if small, dining space, with the bar as the central focus.  Two large windows create natural light and make the place feel less confining.  The wait staff provides very good service.  This has all the makings of a great dining experience.

Specials are posted on a chalk board to the left of the bar.  

We had a nice table (actually 3 tables pushed together) by the wall, out of the way of traffic, and couldn't wait to try the food.

The crab melt was brought to the table as a cold sandwich with cold crab and cold cheese.  When the server was advised that this was not a crab melt, she answered, "I don't know why he changed that."  A salad and pistachio brittle accompanied the sandwich.  Some of the ladies liked the brittle and others didn't.

My shrimp and crab gumbo came by itself.  The grits were inside the gumbo.  It was good, but I didn't finish it.  

Micki's poached chicken salad with sunnyside egg, bacon and gorgonzola had balsamic dressing.  She said it was good, but the chicken was dry.

Micki's mom ordered the shrimp linguine, but had to send it back because it had bacon in it.  (She's highly allergic to pork).  She got the 'shroom panini, and said she enjoyed it.

We were all a bit disappointed.  Some of us want to try the dinner service to see if it's better, but we're a bit leery now.  If the food here could just match the decor and service, this would be a great place to eat.