a la Carteret
The Crab's Claw Restaurant and Oyster Bar
by Sandy Craft
Maybe it was the quirky little building or maybe it was
the advertised “oceanfront dining,” which — from the front — was a
little hard to imagine. Whatever it was, as we approached the Crab’s Claw
restaurant in 
We were ushered upstairs by Jim, husband of owner-chef Antoinette (Toni) Oberci. We hardly noticed the charming interior as we were led to a seating area looking right smack at the beach. What a gorgeous sunset panorama; hand me a pack of Nabs and I’ll be happy!
When the sprightly Toni came and introduced herself, it was obvious as she talked that preparing and sharing delicious food is one of her true delights. She encouraged us to look over the menu, but said she and her kitchen manager, Tony Peros, had decided on a few little samples for us to try. Forget what I said about the Nabs.
The menu states that there are several Crab’s Claw “rules,” such as life should be a delicious feast, and share, even if it’s just one little bite. My personal favorite is to say “yes” as often as possible, especially to dessert. What a great rule! But, I digress.
We started off with a yummy crab dip, which is available
in mild or the spicy original version. This was quickly followed by
Our adept waitress, Kim Bell, also proved to be a great cheerleader. She gave encouragement to finish off that last little lonely clam or piece of cornbread as she expertly maneuvered to make room for the curried tiger shrimp. This was served on a bed of mixed greens and the touch of coconut with the curry and apples was a winning combination.
There is nothing dull or tired about Toni’s salads. She loves to combine fresh fruit, both sliced and pureed, with the mixed greens. It’s not only great tasting and healthy, but very colorful and lovely to look at. Just like the view.
I thought perhaps our momentum was waning until the pan seared sashimi tuna appeared. It was accompanied by a luscious fresh pineapple and mango salsa with a little wasabi on the side.
Heavenly.
But
then the flax seed encrusted grouper with a fragrant, but not overwhelming,
curry seasoned shrimp could not be overlooked.
Ever health conscious, Toni decided enough of this nut encrusted
everything. Why not try something
really healthy…flax seeds. The
nutty flavor is still there, but also lots of good Omega 3s, too.
All served on a bed of fresh arugula.
Perfect.
Only because I am an inveterate rule follower, I obeyed the house rule and said “yes” to dessert. The cheesecake, rich and creamy and enhanced with chocolate and toffee on top, is the tallest cheesecake I have ever seen. The beautifully presented key lime pie is dense, with perfect tartness, and may have been my favorite.
Perhaps that was because, shockingly enough, my CiEs hoarded the blackberry cobbler! Didn’t they read the rule about sharing? You can order a whole cobbler or a key lime pie to take home for your very own. I’ll get one of each and maybe make up my own rules.
In addition to the desserts to go, you can take home their original dressings, the “Jammin’ Jamaican Sauce,” crab dip and more. As the healthy lunch bunch already knows, Toni’s other restaurant is CC Ralwiggies (reviewed in last week’s This Week) in Morehead City, where she carries on the tradition of high quality, healthy meals. There you can also get take-home quantities of some of her famous soups.
There are lots of other things you should know about Crab’s Claw. Lunch is served daily except on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday night, you can take your own CiE and get two-for-one entrees.
The wine list has a lot of variety at a reasonable price and their steam bar is just as sweeping. All of this — and pictures of the glorious sunset — can be seen on the very fun (and guaranteed to get your toes tapping) Web site, which I urge you to check out. Just go to www.crabsclaw.com
But don’t settle for looking at pics; go on, make a reservation. But be prepared. You’ll be just as wowed by the food as by the view.
Quick Bites
Crab's Claw Restaurant and Oyster Bar
Address:
Phone: (252) 726-8222
Hours: Thursday through Monday lunch and
dinner starting at
Tuesday serving dinner only
Wednesday: CLOSED
Dinner Entrees start at $23
Payment: All major credit cards, local checks
Reservations: A good idea for dinner
Other: This is a non-smoking restaurant. Smoking is allowed on the decks.
There is a kid’s menu.
A Taste of... Crab's Claw Restaurant
Mama’s
Mild Crab Dip
3 lb. cream cheese softened
1 lb. blue crab
1 tbs. onion powder
1 tbs. kosher salt
1 tbs. black pepper
1 tbs. celery seed
1/2 c. fresh dill chopped
Mix together crab and spice, then fold in cream cheese until fully mixed. To make spicy, add some jam jam sauce. Bake in a casserole dish in a hot oven until brown lightly and bubbly. Serve with pitas.
10/21/05
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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