a la Carteret
Aqua
by Sandy
Craft
Remember Dorothy’s line from the “Wizard of Oz?” The
one that goes, “Toto, I don’t think we’re in
That’s what I thought the first time I walked into Aqua
Restaurant in Beaufort. Co-owners Joey McClure and Fred McCune (both also of
Executive Chef Vance Buffington and Chef de Cuisine Rob Piccirilli complete the effort with their beautifully presented and delicious creations.
Kathy Spruill, the manager, keeps everything humming along perfectly.
It was a Thursday night when my Companions-in-Eating and I went, and that was lucky for us. Every third Thursday, Aqua has a Wine-o-rama, which features generous tastes of three to four wines, each paired with a tasty little hors d’oeuvre. Ooh-la-la!
A rep from the wine distributor whose wine is being featured is there to tell you a little about the beverage and to answer any questions. If anything strikes your fancy, you can buy bottles to take home (wine) or go inside and have more (food and wine). Plus, you just might learn a thing or two.
Don’t worry about making reservations, just show up. The price is $20 plus tax and gratuity.
Because Aqua is all about enjoying food and wine that complement each other, their standard menu consists of small servings (tapas) of various wonderful creations. Ideally, you can order several, either all at once, or if you’d rather, finish one then see where your appetite takes you next. Most wines are offered by the glass, so you can try your own pairings, or ask your server to make recommendations.
If
you’d rather someone else make the decisions, they also offer two pris fixe
menus with wine pairings included. You just have to decide which of the two
you want. Or just close your eyes and point. You
can’t go wrong.
But, whichever way you go, you’ll miss some of the fun if you don’t share with your dinner partner(s). And likewise, I might add.
Being a true foodie, I get great pleasure from rethinking
a good meal. I have limited space
here, so I’m going to try not to go overboard, but I think you can’t go
wrong with the crab cake with
The grilled veal tenderloin with the port wine reduction
made me think I was back in the city, and the seared yellowfin tuna and chile-lime
vinaigrette brought me right back to
Vance and Rob work tirelessly to keep the menu interesting and in sync with seasonal offerings. The pris fixe menu changes monthly; the standard menu, with the season. So if you’re a local who doesn’t particularly care to fight the summertime crowds eating out, you will miss some of the wonderful summer offerings. Don’t let that happen!
I’d hate for you to miss either the Tempura lobster
medallions or the gorgonzola-lobster cheesecake. And the Japanese bento box
with the seared yellow fin tuna,
spring rolls, seaweed salad and marinated calamari is a must for any sushi
lover.
Aqua serves one of the best desserts ever. Probably because it’s not just one, but a sampler of four: Crème Brulee, Chocolate Fondue, Bananas Foster, and Berry Sorbet.
They say it’s enough for two. It was. But then we added the white chocolate mousse in the dark chocolate cup, only in the interest of doing a thorough job. This proved to be a great end to a fine evening.
In addition to the Wine-o-rama nights and the changing
wine and food tasting menus, Aqua features wine lover’s night each Thursday,
when they discount their wine list prices by 33%. On Friday, they feature
their homemade fresh infusions, or Aquatinis, for $5 (regularly $8), with
complimentary appetizers until
They have lots going on, but would also be glad to help
with a special dinner or reception that you may be planning. So, get some
friends together, or just that one special friend, and treat yourselves to
some fun and a little sophistication right here in
252-728-7777
Other: This is a non-smoking restaurant. They also have rooms for private functions (dinners as well as other receptions).
Grilled Shrimp with Avocado-Gazpacho Salsa
Ingredients:
Shrimp, of course, is the key ingredient. Use 16/20 black
tiger shrimp—really beautiful!
Extra virgin olive oil or roasted garlic oil, salt and white pepper, toss and
grill.
4 vine-ripe tomatoes, 1 cucumber and 1 red pepper seeded and chopped.
Avocado, not too ripe
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil or roasted garlic oil.
2 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. cayenne
4 oz. V-8 juice
Good to let this sit together for a few hours to let the flavors mingle.
Good 1/2 cup sour cream and 1 1/2 tsp. fresh ground cumin.
Add a sprig of cilantro for garnish.
8/19/05
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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