Dining a la Carteret
Frost Seafood House, Salter Path
Starting
as a gas station and grill in 1954, Frost Seafood House in Salter Path has
been catching and serving great seafood on the Crystal Coast in a casual,
family friendly atmosphere ever since. They are well known for their soft
crabs, homemade crab cakes, stuffed flounder and stuffed shrimp.
Owner
Norwood Frost is proud of his family of cooks—Anthony, Norma, Violet, Judy,
June, Montana, Gladys and Richie—each of who prepare fresh local seafood
“Salter Path Style”; steamed, broiled, fried, grilled or Cajun, with much
attention given to the proper cleaning and preparation of each item.
During
the fall, bluefish, spots, mullet and flounder are plentiful. Other selections
include oysters, scallops, lobster tails, fresh vegetables, steaks, prime rib,
chicken and barbecue. There is
definitely something available at Frost Seafood House to please everyone.
During
my visit to Frost Seafood, Mr. Frost and his staff treated me to what I called
a “King’s Platter.” Just envision a large charger, probably 16- to
18-inches in diameter, overflowing with every menu item available. I was blown
away by the food and the hospitality.
In
addition to this platter, which I will detail in a moment, I was also
presented with a plate of hushpuppies, dish of steamed clams, and an order of
Mrs. Marie Frost’s homemade stuffed shrimp.
When
the “King’s Platter” arrived, the first thing I reached for was the
fried soft-shell crab. “Whales,”
as they are referred to on the island, are the only crab the Frost family will
serve because they are easier to clean, and come two to a plate when ordered
off the regular menu.
These
beautiful swimmers boast a delicate texture and fresh flavor that assures you
they haven’t been out of the water long. The flavor is pure and I highly
recommended the crabs, any version of them.
The
crab cakes at Frost Seafood have a light, crisp outside, and a moist, tender
inside. Chock full of crabmeat,
they are most enjoyable, not overloaded with seasoning or filler.
Snow
crab legs are shipped on ice from the north.
Mr. Frost had to help me open them, but the crabmeat inside was
delicious. All-you-can-eat snow crab legs and popcorn shrimp specials are
available nightly.
Next,
I tried the fried shrimp. Jumbo
size shrimp are cleaned and deveined before being served at Frost Seafood. In
all honesty and fairness, they are some of the best fried shrimp I’ve had
the opportunity to sample. The jumbo steamed shrimp were equally delicious.
Steamed with just a touch of
Mr.
Frost and his sons catch all the shrimp served at Frost Seafood, while most of
the rest of the seafood he serves is acquired from local seafood markets on
the island. The best purveyors he can find provide the remaining menu items
and ingredients, this way he can guarantee what he is serving is the best, is
fresh, and he knows where it came from.
Fried
oysters, clam strips, scallops, flounder, deviled crab and prime rib rounded
out the “King’s Platter.” All
were wonderful.
The
prime rib was cooked to perfection, so tender that I cut it with my butter
knife.
The
steamed clams make a great appetizer, and I highly recommend you try them with
the “Ching-a-ling” sauce. “Ching-a-ling”
is a sweet, vinegar-based sauce that looks similar to the vinegar based hot
sauce used for barbecue.
The
show stealer for the evening was definitely Mrs. Frost’s stuffed shrimp.
Mrs. Frost, who turned 78 last week, is Mr. Frost’s mother.
She
butterfly cuts jumbo shrimp and surrounds them with a stuffing of crabmeat,
celery and seasoning, then she puts them under the broiler. Wow! So good in
fact, Mr. Frost could not resist helping me eat a few.
Arriving
at the table after sampling the above-mentioned bounty were two new soups they
are offering at Frost Seafood: lobster bisque and crab bisque.
The
lobster bisque is smooth and creamy with a hint of sherry base. The crab
bisque is slightly spicy with chunks of crabmeat, shaved carrot and pepper.
Both were very popular this summer, and will be available all fall and winter
to keep you warm.
Just
when I thought our evening was coming to a close, out came dessert; snickers
pie, so rich and creamy, we could call it chocolate/caramel heaven followed by
a key lime pie so full of zing it will wake your taste buds up and make you
happy. A smooth, creamy cheesecake is also available, with or without
strawberry topping.
The
large banquet room at Frost Seafood is available for weddings, family
gatherings, church functions or office parties. First come, first serve on
date availability.
Frost Seafood is open daily with full
service menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner Easter through fall.
Hours vary during the winter months.
Get your family and friends together, and head over to Frosts Seafood
today—the Frost family looks forward to serving you.
Quick
Bites
Frost
Seafood House
Location:
Highway 58, Salter Path
Phone:
(252) 247-3202
Hours:
Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, call for winter hours.
Reservations:
Not required.
Prices:
Breakfast starts at $2.95, lunch starts at $3.95, dinner starts at $10.95.
Payment Options: Cash, Master Card, Visa.
10/20/06
See the previously reviewed restaurants on the Restaurant Archive page
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