Dining a la Onslow
Icehouse Waterfront Restaurant, Swansboro
by Amy Guthrie
Greg
Smitka was on his way back to
Greg
contacted Randy Swanson, a colleague he met in a high-production pastry shop
in
“A
lot of work was done before the business deal was final,” Randy explains.
The Icehouse Waterfront Restaurant opened its doors in historic
downtown Swansboro in late July 2005.
Rare
Seared Sushi Grade Tuna hits the table. It is seasoned with fresh ground
pepper, sea salt and lemon served with wasabi cream.
The wasabi cream sauce compliments the tuna in texture and flavor.
Here you do not have that sharp contrast between pasty wasabi and
smooth fish; and the toned down flavor perfectly balances each bite.
The impressive part of this dish is that the fish is caught locally.
In fact 80 percent of all the fish served at Icehouse is local.
“We
are really proud of our seafood connections down here,” Greg comments.
Several
appetizers are presented. Among
these are shrimp cocktail, crab cakes, Asian noodle salad, buffalo shrimp, and
coconut shrimp. The shrimp
cocktail offers jumbo shrimp, perfectly steamed to retain moisture and
texture, displayed on a crystal cup full of house cocktail sauce.
The crab cakes are definitely unique.
Many restaurants skip out on the crab and feed you heavily seasoned
bread crumbs; not here. These
creations are worth tasting. They
contain lots of crab, French heavy green mustard, and other elements that
combine to make a delicate blend of traditional flavor and southwest flare.
The
Asian noodle salad is another popular dish among the locals.
It is full of noodles, Asian vegetables, and coated with a sweet hot
chili dressing. It can be served
with sesame coated shrimp or chicken to make it a meal.
Don’t miss this unique salad.
The
buffalo shrimp are a treat indeed. Imagine
a mix of your favorite chicken wings and your favorite seafood.
The shrimp are coated in a house buffalo sauce that is warm, smoky and
tangy.
The
coconut shrimp are another irresistible treat.
The difference with this dish comes down to the sauce.
The texture and flavor of the shrimp speak for itself, but when paired
with the spicy peanut Thai sauce, the flavors come alive.
Together nutty, sweet and spicy flavors combine with each
mouth-watering bite.
A lot
of restaurants serve salads with entrées, but this lineup sets the bar.
The Icehouse offers a Mediterranean Caesar made up of crisp romaine,
calamata olives, croutons and Feta cheese, tossed with a creamy club-made
Caesar dressing.
Another
favorite, created by Randy and Greg, is the Lady Brassey Salad.
This salad was named after the only known female pirate on the East
Coast. It consists of crisp
romaine tossed with toasted pecans, dried cranberries, Danish bleu cheese,
purple onions and English cucumbers in a raspberry vinaigrette dressing.
A basic salad is included in the price of your meal.
Clam
Chowder is offered everyday at Icehouse Waterfront, and is full of huge chunks
of clam and is one of my favorites.
Another
surprise in menu preferences is the Prime Rib.
The guys are surprised that this steak is so popular in a seafood area.
Rightly priced at $17.95, 15 ounces of perfectly seasoned beef is
accompanied by horseradish sauce and your choice of potato.
Even the potatoes are tampered with to give your taste buds the
ultimate experience in luxury dining. Truffle
oil and wasabi are two of the secret ingredients that take these mashed
potatoes to the next level.
The
pesto and pecan encrusted grouper is a filet of grouper, pan seared, served
with blackened sea scallops with a red pepper coulis and a rice pilaf.
If grouper is one of your favorite fish, you are in luck.
Icehouse also offers the Icehouse Grouper Royale — fresh grouper,
potato and herb encrusted, finished with a bacon and chive Beurre Blanc Sauce.
Also
on the menu is the Icehouse Grouper Grandwich.
This is a fresh oversized crunchy Grouper filet, served on a Kaiser
roll with fries and slaw. The
lightly fried fish is very moist and is big enough to cover two sandwiches.
There
is no slack in dessert preparation at Icehouse.
The incredible standard that the appetizers and dinners have set is met
with one’s first glance at the decadent dessert tray.
Randy’s favorite is his signature tiramisu.
Another beautiful piece of artwork is displayed in the seven layer
chocolate cake.
Chocolate
cake and chilled icing is drizzled with a raspberry sauce.
The one dessert that sets the bar for satisfying a sweet tooth is the
Icehouse Volcano. A mound of
flourless chocolate comes out with a flame roaring above.
To
complete your wonderful meal and end your evening, Icehouse offers Espresso,
Latte and Cappuccino. The coffee
beans are a French Roast brewed in
With
the experience and training that Greg and Randy bring to the table, it is no
wonder that every bite of every dish contains a perfect balance of flavors to
resonate on the palate.
Tuesday
night is Italian night at the Icehouse, offering a changing menu.
Wednesday nights offer a live entertainment variety and Thursday nights
feature a “Business After Hours” special for those needing to relax from a
stressful week of work. Lunch is
served every day, starting at 11 a.m. and daily specials include omelets,
stir-fry, pasta and seafood.
When
talking to Randy and Greg, it is evident they are living their dream.
“We
are always here,” says Randy.
“I didn’t move from my hometown of 45
years to make money; I moved here to be part of the community.
We’re trying to build a unity so people know they need to visit
historic downtown Swansboro. The
locals have been the cornerstone of our business development and growth.
We’ll never forget the local support and I want them to know that.”
Quick
Bites
Icehouse
Waterfront Restaurant
Address:
Telephone:
(910) 325-0501
Hours:
Dining: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.;
Bar is open until 2 a.m. with a light menu.
Reservations:
Accepted on a limited basis, highly recommended on Friday and Saturday
evenings.
Other: Kid’s menu offered, served on a Frisbee with prices ranging from $3.95-$5.95.
3/24/06
See the previously reviewed restaurants on the Restaurant Archive page
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