a la Carteret
Amos
Mosquito's
by
Sandy Craft
After five successful years on the 
The interior of the restaurant is done
with the same originality and sense of fun as the old location. The backwoods
motif is carried off with great flair through the use of Spanish moss,
cattails, waiters in old service station uniforms (whatever happened to
those?), bread served in little tin pails and even the mosquito logo on the
chair backs. Very clever!
Deep putty colored walls and lots of
lovely woodwork (including the tongue-and-groove ceiling) give the place a
very snazzy and warm ambiance. If
you feel like getting into the theme, you can dine outside overlooking the
peaceful marsh. It is enclosed, no mosquitoes allowed.
Although there are many popular menu
items they have offered since the very beginning, the menu changes somewhat to
reflect seasonal preferences. If you haven’t tried the homemade potato
chips, or crab cakes with chipotle aioli, or the fried oysters on tangy Asian
slaw, they are hard to beat. The
crab cakes are really spectacular and can be either an appetizer or entrée. I
think having three appetizers is a great way to sample as many yummy things as
you can. Oh, yeah, and you can
feel good about covering the major food groups, too.
If you share the potato chips (I didn’t say how many you have to
share), then you could add the shrimp and goat cheese quesadilla, delicious
with the roasted red peppers, scallions and pineapple salsa… there now
you’ve got your fruit group, too! Perfect!
If you’re a traditionalist, don’t
worry. There are plenty of
wonderful entrees to choose from. Don’t
be misled by the down home sound of the menu, however.
The food definitely has its roots firmly in Southern tradition, but
with an imaginative twist. The scalloped scallops are unbelievable, creamy,
cheesy and perfectly cooked. A new
item is the surf and turf; the tender slices of shoulder filet are topped with
a tangy sauce that had a familiar flavor.
It was homemade Worcestershire sauce! This is served on lobster smashed
potatoes. Smashing, they certainly are. I
think I might like to try the grilled boneless pork chop served on a bed of
caramelized onions and pears the next time.
It sounds really good with the two potato gratin.
In case you just have to have that
seafood dinner (you are at the beach, after all), then they will not
disappoint. You can get a wide
variety of seafood fried, steamed or broiled.
I
have to confess that although I do love dessert, cheesecake is generally not
first on my list. However, this
cheesecake breaks the mold. It’s
unbelievably creamy and simply wonderful.
Hallock’s mom Pam, also a partner, should take a bow for both the
cheesecake and the key lime pie, which is also in a class by itself.
The pumpkin flan and the apple cranberry crisp sound very tasty, as
well.
If you’re a first timer at Amos
Mosquito’s, you probably should try their signature dessert: s’mores.
Grill your marshmallows to your own taste on the little grill.
I love it when they’re charred on the outside and really gooey on the
inside, and they melt the Hershey bar. And
when you bite long sugary strings go everywhere… gosh, that brings back such
memories! What a fun thing to do with kids or grandkids.
Afterwards, I’d still order one of Pam’s desserts. Seriously.
Amos Mosquito’s is open for dinner
only Wednesday through Sunday.
Wednesday night entrees are half price.
They serve great sushi on Thursday night.
Later, if you’re feeling very Japanese, or feeling all the world’s
a stage, then you might want to participate in the evening’s Karaoke.
The wait staff is sworn to secrecy.
If you prefer to leave the singing to professionals, then go and enjoy
live music on the Friday after Thanksgiving as well as on New Year’s Eve,
the only night they take reservations.
Having a special party or reception?
Sandy, Hallock or Pam will be happy to help customize your menu or
serve some of your favorites from their menu for either on or off-site events.
But don’t feel like you have to wait for some occasion. This is a
great place to meet some friends or treat the family and have a great time.
They don’t take reservations, so just show up and bring your
appetite. They’ll be happy to
fill you up with a fresh flourish of Southern food!
Quick Bites
Amos
Mosquito's Restaurant and Bar
Address:
703
E. Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach
Phone:
(252)
247-6222
Hours:
Wednesday
– Sunday open at 5 p.m.
Closed
Wednesday and Thursday only for Thanksgiving
Price
Range:
Dinner
Entrees $10.50 - $22.95
Payment:
All
major credit cards
Reservations:
Only
on New Year’s Eve.
Other:
The
menu and the staff are kid friendly.
Smoking allowed in the bar.
A Taste of .... Amos Mosquito's
Scalloped scallops
1 ½ pounds
sea scallops
1 ½ t.
onion powder
½ t.
salt
¼ t.
ground black pepper
2 cups
½ cracker, ½ breadcrumb mix
1/3 cup
butter, melted
1 cup
half and half
8 T.
Parmesan cheese
1.
Puree one-cup cracker crumbs with one cup bread crumbs and 1/3 cup melted
butter in the food processor.
2.
Toss scallops with the onion powder, salt and pepper.
3.
For each of the four casseroles, mix 6 ounces of scallops with ¼ cup of the
crumbs and 2 T. grated Parmesan. Place in casseroles and top each with ¼ cup
of the half and half.
4. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Serves four.
11/11/05
Sandy
Craft owned and operated a catering company in Atlanta
for 17 years.
She is one of the few people who actually still cooks, but she finds
following
a recipe goes against her nature. When traveling she likes to visit local
grocery
stores and farm stands, and she thoroughly enjoys good food.
See the previously reviewed restaurants on the Restaurant Archive page
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