Dining This Week
The healthy way to 'wig' out
By Sherley Buckland
Recently, I had the opportunity to read through a manual on cardiac care provided by Pitt Community Hospital. A large portion of this manual was dedicated to lifestyle changes and an entire chapter to recommended dietary changes. As I read the material, I was struck with the thought of just how many people are walking around with no idea that something could be going wrong inside of them.
As a society we have spoiled ourselves into ridiculously unhealthy lifestyles and dietary choices. How timely that my first review this spring is about a gem of a restaurant that has stood for health and healthy dining options since its inception.
CC Ralwiggies, across from Carteret Community College in Morehead City, is just that restaurant. CC Ralwiggies is the dining invention of Toni Oberci, a 1993 graduate of Johnson & Wales University. Toni states she “loved to eat so much she became a chef,” moving to this area in 1997 and opening CC Ralwiggies in 2003.
The concept of CC Ralwiggies is “a feel good lunch.” In one meal at Ralwiggies you can get all of your daily requirements of vegetables, protein and fruit as outlined in the food pyramid and USDA guidelines. Absolutely no by-products, sodium products or MSG is used at Ralwiggies and everything is fresh or made from fresh ingredients that day.
A tour through the kitchen and storeroom also showed no canned or frozen products. Toni is very particular about her produce, hand inspecting everything that comes in the restaurant. Also known as “the vegetarian playground,” there are extensive vegetarian food selections; so much that everything is labeled, with ingredients.
In short, the food at CC Ralwiggies is organic, it’s healthy and it’s good.
During
my visit to CC Ralwiggies I tried everything I could possibly put on my
plates. Yes, I said plates … plural. If you choose the “Grand Voyage”
dining option (which I was happy to be offered) you get all you can eat of
soup, salad, potatoes, hot lunch and bread stations, all for only $8. That’s
a price that’s hard to beat.
First up was the olive salad, a combination of black kalamata and large queen green olives tossed with shaved carrot, onion, basil and olive oil. What a delightful way to set your palate.
Next, I sampled two of the eight soups available that day, tomato basil and chicken corn chowder. The tomato basil is a thick blend of tomato and herbs with a slightly sweet finish. The most popular soup on the soup bar, the tomato basil is present most every day. The chicken corn chowder is a creamy blend of chicken, diced potatoes, corn and celery stewed together with a hint of cream, red pepper and seasoning for a hearty meal in one bowl.
Much to my delight, the “hot lunch” selections for the day were fried green tomatoes and stuffed shells. You must be sitting down for me to tell you about the fried green tomatoes, because they’re just the best ever!
Thick slices of fresh green tomatoes are lightly coated in an egg and flour batter then fried in soy oil. Next they are topped with stewed red tomatoes, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and then baked. Man, are they heavenly. The smooth flavors and delicate texture just melt in your mouth and give you that “oh, yeah” feeling as you slide back a bit in your seat.
The stuffed shells are just like I make them: ricotta cheese and Italian seasonings mixed together and hand stuffed into large pasta shells topped with tomatoes, sauce, herbs, mozzarella cheese and then baked.
Stuffed shells are a labor of love and believe me, I truly appreciate that someone else stood there stuffing each one of those shells by hand — they taste so much better that way.
Pizza was also on the hot lunch menu. Tomatoes, mushrooms, black olives, feta and fresh Parmesan cheese baked on a hand-thrown crust. Veggie pizzas are tops in my book and this one was bursting with fresh baked flavor. Toni incorporates pizzas on the buffet daily, a new addition to her menu that has been well received.
Every day CC Ralwiggies has fresh baked breads, two sweet
and two savory options. The sweet bread I sampled was the zucchini walnut
bread —similar to banana nut bread, the zucchini bread was moist and
delicious with just a hint of citrus. The texture was that of a rich cake,
such that I felt like I was having dessert in the middle of lunch; who could
complain? 
The savory option was Greek bread made with black olives and feta cheese, two of my favorite ingredients. I chose to top it with Toni’s homemade hummus for a middle-eastern feel. As Toni states, “If hummus is all you had to eat, it could sustain you for life.”
The nutritional value of humus is remarkable, packed with protein, vitamins B, C and essential oils. Toni’s humus is a blend of chickpeas, garlic, red onion, olive oil and spices. I eat a lot of humus, you can pick it up just about anywhere these days, but Toni’s is the best.
The salad bar at CC Ralwiggies is extensive with three lettuces, six protein options, a broad assortment of vegetables and all homemade dressings. You can fill up on salad or have just a bit — it’s all up to you.
Lunch is not over without dessert! CC Ralwiggies is known for its great fruit smoothies. The flavors are so yummy — like berry berry, mango lassie or Carolina peach — you’d never know there was “good for you” stuff in them like flax seed, protein powder, soy milk and omega vitamins.
The best dessert, however, is hidden on the salad bar and could be easily overlooked — Toni’s chocolate mousse. A surprising blend of chocolate, tofu and sugar, the mousse is a light, sweet, creamy texture that is irresistible. If you are new to the use of tofu, you will want to try this right away; it is a pleasant surprise that will get you hooked on the options and uses of soy protein.
It has been said that God has set eternity in the hearts of men, but if we don’t take care of those hearts, we won't live to see that eternity. If you are thinking about taking better care of yourself, improving your diet, or just want to try something different, CC Ralwiggies is the place to be. The relaxed atmosphere and healthy dining options offer something for everyone.
See the previously reviewed restaurants on the Restaurant Archive page
Featured listings in this series:
Captain’s
Table-Seafood
and southern style cooking, breakfast and lunch favorites
Reservations:
No
Dress:
Beach casual
4113
Arendell St.
(252)
726-0253
CC
Rawlwiggies-Vegetarian
playground
Price
Range:
$1-8
Reservations:
No
Dress:
Beach casual
3710
Arendell St.
(252)
240-8646
Floyd’s
1921-Southern
and eclectic
Price
Range:
$4-28
Reservations:
Encouraged
Dress:
Business casual
Fourth
and Bridges streets
(252)
727-1921
Mrs.
Culpepper’s Crab Café & Thai Stir Fry-Thai
and seafood
Price
Range:
$5.50-14.95
Reservations:
No
Dress:
Business casual
5370-D
Highway 70W
(252)
240-1960
Mrs.
Willis Restaurant-Seafood,
steaks, American favorites
Price
Range:
$2-25
Reservations:
Accepted
Dress:
Business casual
3114
Bridges St.
(252)
726-3741
Smithfield’s
Chicken & Bar-B-Q-Barbecue,
chicken, shrimp
Price
Range:
.79-$20
Reservations:
No
Dress:
Beach casual
4114
Arendell St.
(252)
247-7476
Atlantic
Beach
Amos
Mosquito’s-Swampy
chic atmosphere serving fresh fish and Angus beef, along with a wide variety
of eclectic dishes
Price
Range: $5-30
Reservations:
Not
accepted
Dress:
Beach casual
703
E. Fort Macon Road
(252)
247-6222
Channel
Marker-Seafood,
fresh grilled, blackened seafood, Angus beef
Reservations:
Accepted
Dress:
Business
casual
718
Atlantic Beach Causeway
(252)
247-2344
The
Crab’s Claw-Oceanfront
fine dining
Price
Range:
$6-29.99
Reservations:
Encouraged
Dress:
Business casual
201
W. Atlantic Blvd.
(252)
726-8222
White
Swan BBQ-Country
style barbecue
Price
Range: $3-10
Reservations:
No
Dress:
Beach casual
2500
W. Fort Macon Road
(252)
726-9607
Beaufort
Sharpies
Restaurant-Contemporary
coastal cuisine
Price
Range:
$6-35
Reservations:
Accepted
Dress:
Business Casual
521
Front St.
(252)
838-0101
Peletier
The
Dive Bar and Grill-Restaurant
and music venue
Price
Range:
$5-18
Reservations:
Accepted
Dress:
Business Casual
1106
Highway 58
(252)
393-3711
Back to THIS WEEK MAGAZINE Index