Dining a la Carteret
New Dawn Restaurant
by James Minor
At the time, I could have
cared less about breakfast; having stayed up all night Saturday trying to get
to the ninth level of “Tetris.” Eggs and bacon took a back seat to sleep
come Sunday morning. Thankfully that has changed as I’ve gotten older, and I
can say with some confidence that breakfast is now my favorite meal of the
day. Oh, lunch and supper are fine, but can you think of anything better to be
sitting on the table in front of you than a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon
strips, sausage links and a big, fat glass of milk or orange juice? I thought
not.
My taste buds are not the
only things that have changed; Shoney’s is long gone, and in its place is
the
Enter Roger and Evageline
Rancer, who purchased the New Dawn in 2005.
“We always said if the
circumstances arose, Carteret County is where we would want to be,” said
Roger, who has been a chef for 35 years — the last 18 of which were spent as
a chef at the Four Seasons in Greensboro — and is certified with the
American Culinary Federation.
New Dawn is the Rancers’
first business venture, and while they have big changes planned for the
restaurant, Roger says one thing will remain the same: the breakfast will
still be the best in town.
With a mouth-watering
breakfast menu that includes build-your-own omelets, Belgian waffles,
buttermilk pancakes, French toast and a pick-and-choose menu, I was ready to
put his boast to the test.
With each tasty plate Roger
set in front of me, it didn’t take me long to believe him.
First up was an omelet
consisting of scallions, red and green bell peppers, eggs, sausage and cheddar
cheese, and served with a side of cottage fries. The first thing that caught
my eye was presentation; this was a near-perfect omelet, ready for a photo in
a menu, it looked so good. Of course, looks are one thing, taste is another
— and this omelet exceeded expectations.
Roger
is proud of the fact that he only uses large eggs for his meals, and these
grade A’s really came through. The sausage — fresh from Boone — and
peppers added just enough of a Southwest palate punch to keep me wanting more.
I’m a cheddar cheese fanatic, and the mild melted core of this omelet hit my
flavor mark.
To wash it down, Evangeline
brought some of the New Dawn’s 100-percent Colombian Arabica coffee. You
coffee drinkers have got to try this stuff. It is top of the line with no
fillers.
So far, Roger is right. The
New Dawn’s breakfast is exceptional. But is it a one-hit wonder?
French toast, made with
French bread and covered with powdered sugar and strawberries, was next. For a
side, I was given a large sausage link and biscuit.
The toast was excellent,
featuring a nice blend of egg and cinnamon, and the strawberries were to die
for. Roger says they only use the freshest produce, and the juice in these red
delights convinced me. That and the orange juice they provided was
unbelievably sweet and good - the perfect complement to the meal.
OK, OK, I’m sold. The New
Dawn’s breakfast has few, if any, equals. But what about their lunch?
Evangeline wanted me give a
few lunch items a whirl but by then I couldn’t imagine taking another bite.
Instead, she brought me a menu, and having seen what they offer, I will be
coming back for some of their salads, soups and sandwiches. Kimberly and
Vicki, both members of the friendly staff, said that the French dip sandwich,
Po Boy and chef’s choice wraps are among the more popular lunch items.
What makes all this even
better is the price.
The most expense breakfast
item is the New Dawn sampler at $6.95 for two eggs, two pancakes and your
choice of bacon, ham or patty sausage, grits or cottage fries, and toast or
biscuit. At $7.95, a 12-inch Po Boy is the most expensive lunch dish.
If pizza items are high on
your list of favorite foods, keep a close eye on New Dawn as the Rancers will
soon open the restaurant for dinner, offering Italian dishes, such as pizza,
calzones and stromboli, in addition to regular meals.
And that’s just part of
the changes Roger and Evangeline have in store. Coffee services will also be
expanding, and plans are under way to incorporate an Internet cafe complete
with wireless access points inside the restaurant.
You could say that it’s a
new dawn for New Dawn, and if I were you, I’d wake the kid(s) up early this
Sunday, pack them in the car and drive down for breakfast.
You’ll be glad you did,
even if they’re not.
Quick Bites
New
Address: 
Phone: (252) 726-7472
Hours: Open Mon.-Fri. from
Reservations:
Not necessary.
Other:
Opening for dinner soon. Smoking section available. Menu and staff
kid-friendly.
2/17/06
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