Dining a la
Carteret
Clawson
’s 1905 Restaurant and Pub
by
Sherley Buckland
This
week, I learned several new things about
Clawson
’s 1905 Restaurant and Pub on the Beaufort waterfront.
Did you know that
Clawson
’s was originally a grocery store on the waterside (south side) of
Front Street
? Founded in 1905 by Charles and
Mary Clawson, the grocery store, like other retail shops on the waterfront,
served many customers coming by boat from
Harkers
Island
and other down east areas. Due to
hurricane damage, the grocery store moved across the street in 1912 and that
location was home to the grocery store until 1934.
Several businesses occupied the space before it became
Clawson
’s Restaurant in 1977.
Years
later,
Clawson
’s Restaurant continues to be a welcoming landmark on the Beaufort
waterfront. Now owned and operated
by Fred and Joyce McCune and Joey McClure,
Clawson
’s 1905 Restaurant and Pub serves great food at great prices by an
experienced and friendly wait staff.
During
my visit, owner/general manager McClure was my host.
He chose several menu items for us to sample, and as we ate, he
explained the history or concept behind each selection.
We
began with the seafood bisque. This
local favorite is a lobster cream base full of whole shrimp and chunks of
scallop. To my delight, the bisque, being a cream base, was not too rich.
Served by the cup or bowl, either would be very satisfying.
After
the bisque we tried the sesame seared sushi tuna.
This appetizer was developed by Vance Buffington, Executive Chef of
Clawson
’s and Aqua, and is available in a double portion if you would like it as a
meal. The sushi grade tuna is
served seared rare with a seaweed salad, shaved pickled ginger, wasabi aioli,
soy ginger glaze and chopsticks. When
you order this appetizer, if you are not proficient with chopsticks, put them
aside and use your fork. Trust me,
you will not want to chance dropping one bite of this delectable treat.
The shaved ginger is the perfect accompaniment to the fresh tuna.
As
Mr. McClure and I were enjoying this fabulous appetizer, he shared with me the
story of recruiting Chef Buffington from
Florida
five years ago. Judging from this
course and the creative variations Chef Buffington has incorporated into the
menu at
Clawson
’s, bringing him to Beaufort was a very wise business decision.
Following
the tuna we shared an order of onion rings.
Sounds simple right? Allow
me to explain; this mountain of onion rings is huge!
So huge in fact, we shared them with several patrons at surrounding
tables. I couldn’t possibly eat
more than two. Daily they hand cut
“colossal onions” for these batter-fried rings, and “colossal” is no
exaggeration. The onion rings are
served with ketchup, however I prefer them with the peppercorn dressing.
The
salad menu at
Clawson
’s is extensive, serving everything from the basic garden and Caesar salads
to seafood, Cobb and chicken salad plates.
All of the salads are large enough to be shared, or served as a meal.
Two
entrees were prepared for our review: the
shrimp and grits, and the
Yukon
tuna steak.
The
shrimp and grits at
Clawson
’s is a moderately spicy version. The
shrimp, bacon, garlic, onion, mushrooms and sweet red peppers are sautéed to
retain texture and natural flavors and served over cheddar cheese grits (not
mixed in them). Just the way I
like it! The shrimp and grits are
served with a steamed vegetable medley of broccoli, carrots, squash and sugar
snap peas. This savory
Deep South
recipe is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.
The colorful array of shrimp and vegetables makes you feel happy the
moment the plate is set before you.
The
Yukon
tuna is a mammoth 3-inch thick tuna steak grilled to order and topped with
grilled shrimp and a roasted red pepper aioli.
The tuna is served with steamed vegetables and Yukon Gold mashed
potatoes. I am a big fan of
roasted red pepper anything, and the roasted red pepper aioli over the tuna
was very good. When enjoying this
entrée, make sure you taste some of the aioli on the mashed potatoes, yum!
All
desserts at
Clawson
’s are homemade. My favorite is
the key lime pie, while my son will tell you that you have to try the
chocolate brownie sundae. Either
would complete a delightful evening.
Most
restaurants pride themselves on their extensive wine lists.
Clawson
’s 1905 Restaurant and Pub adds a slightly different approach.
Perhaps it has something to do with the “Pub” part of their name,
but
Clawson
’s is very proud of the large selection of beers they have available.
There
are always eight selections of beers on tap: Bass, Guinness, Killian’s Red,
Yuengling, Bud Light and three others that rotate seasonally.
There
are 19-plus imported and American beers available by the bottle.
Of most interest is the selection of beers produced by
North Carolina
brewers. Nine beers by five
different brewers including the King David’s Red by Edenton Brewing of
Raleigh, the Cottonwood Low Down Brown by Carolina Beer of Morrisville, the
Gaelic Ale by Highland of Asheville, the Milk Stout by Duck Rabbit of
Farmville and the Hoppy Hour IPA by Mash House of Fayetteville.
If you are looking for a comfortable
dining experience combining great food, friendly service and a dash of local
history, visit
Clawson
’s 1905 Restaurant and Pub on
Front Street
in Beaufort. You’ll leave happy.
(Dylan Ray photos)
Quick
Bites
Clawson
’s
1905 Restaurant and Pub
Location:
425 Front St.
, Beaufort.
Phone:
(252) 728-2133
Hours:
Monday–Saturday for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; for dinner from
4:30-9 p.m.
Open
Mother’s Day 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., and open Sunday Memorial Day through Labor
Day.
Reservations:
Not Required.
Payment
Options: Cash, MasterCard, Visa and Discover.
Price
Range
:
Lunch prices start at $6.95; dinner prices start at $6.45 for appetizers,
$9.95 for entrees. Children’s menu is available.
4/28/06
See
the previously reviewed restaurants on the Restaurant Archive page
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