Dining a la Carteret
T&W Oyster Bar
by Sherley Buckland
It’s
been a while since my last review, and I am excited to get back into the swing
of things. The approaching fall
season means one thing to serious seafood connoisseurs... oysters.
What
better place to go for oysters than T&W Oyster Bar in
On
my visit, T&W manager Jim Richards kept the food coming, my glass full,
and the conversation seamless.
First,
he presented a basket of warm hush puppies with a disclaimer: “don’t fill
up on those.” It was hard not to, and I’m not the only one who thinks so;
according to Jim, the hush puppies at T&W are so popular they have to keep
eight bus tubs of batter on hand at all times.
Before
I could butter my second hush puppy, a platter of steamed clams and oysters,
homemade hot crab dip, steamed mussels in Marinara sauce, fried calamari and
spicy steamed shrimp arrived. Needless
to say my adrenaline began pumping and these are just the appetizers.
The
clams and oysters are steamed tender, not over cooked, and good enough that no
sauces are required. Still, they are served with warm cocktail sauce and drawn
butter for those who prefer it.
I
took note of how clean the clams and oysters are.
As was shown to me later, T&W takes the cleaning of its shellfish
as seriously as the preparation. A large jet wash rotating tub that is used
only for shellfish sits right outside the kitchen. During oyster season it is
a full-time job to operate the tub and clean and steam bushel after bushel of
oysters.
The
homemade crab dip is creamy and smooth with a hint of red wine on the finish.
Served with homemade crispy tortilla chips, the crab dip is instantly
addicting.
Steamed
mussels in homemade marinara sauce is a rare find.
The mussels you taste from the inside out—meaning you sense the
flavor unfolding in your mouth, a taste sensation unlike other seafood. The
homemade marinara sauce I could have eaten like soup with a big spoon and been
completely satisfied. Bursting
with chunks of tomato, garlic and onion, my Italian relatives would definitely
approve.
The
calamari was lightly battered and lightly fried to exact tenderness.
Keep in mind that calamari is one of those foods that has to be exact.
If you blink wrong during the preparation, it’s no good and you
can’t eat it. No wrong blinking
occurred here.
The
spicy steamed shrimp is probably my favorite of the appetizers and is
certainly simple enough. Large shrimp are steamed with a little
Just
as we were clearing the appetizers from the table, it was time to sample the
soups. Both
The
Down East version is done right with lots of clams and chunks of potato. It is
quite tasty. Usually, I’m true
to my Down East roots when it comes to partiality in clam chowder, but I have
to admit that I was taken by the
Slow
cooked, smooth and hearty, a cream base with a lot of clams, makes this meal
in a bowl something you will crave on a cool afternoon following a long day of
fishing, hunting or shopping.
Having
sampled a variety of appetizers, I couldn’t imagine what would be arriving
at our table for dinner. The answer came when Grouper Francese, crab cakes,
fresh cut ribeye steak and Alaskan snow crab clusters were placed in front of
me. Wow!
The
Grouper Francese is a filet of grouper dipped in egg and sautéed in a lemon,
white wine and butter sauce, then served over a bead of wild rice.
The mild deep-sea fish is delicious and picks up hints of the lemon and
wine from the sauté. I must also
comment that this is a generous portion of fish, prepared beautifully, and
offered at a most reasonable price.
Crab
cakes are a popular entrée at T&W. Full of crabmeat, they are flavorful
and have a delicate texture—just a little crispy on the outside, tender on
the inside.
Was
I ever surprised with the 14-ounce butcher cut
The
Alaskan snow crab clusters will make any crab lover happy.
You will not go hungry cracking open these crab legs—they are full of
tasty crabmeat that, again, needs no sauce.
With
the main courses (barely) downed, it was time for desert.
This
was the first time since I started writing restaurant reviews that I saw
something on the menu I could not resist requesting… bread pudding.
My
grandmother used to make bread pudding, as did many grandmothers, usually from
day old bread that was about to be stale.
Food, even bread, was not to be wasted.
Not only do I remember that lesson, I remember how good and comforting
bread pudding was. Layered with
toasted pecans and a touch of cinnamon, the bread pudding at T&W Oyster
Bar brought back memories.
Also
on the dessert menu are a key lime pie and a chocolate confusion pie that will
tantalize your taste buds. I recommend any of the desserts with a hot cup of
coffee. Then relax, or walk around the restaurant and let your food settle a
bit, because you cannot leave T&W without a “Rooster.”
A
“Rooster” is not for the faint of heart.
“Surviving the Rooster” is a title earned. Available only at
T&W Oyster Bar, a “Rooster” is a saltine cracker topped with a heaping
mound of horseradish, one steamed oyster, a jalapeno pepper,
Sound
like a challenge? It is.
Watching
them prepare it is enough to warn you. The goal is to get it down in one bite,
and yes dear reader I am a “Rooster Champion.” I even enjoyed it.
The
challenge is definitely a fun memory maker for your next gathering of family
or friends.
With
four dining rooms and seating capacity at 240, T&W Oyster Bar is a great
location for family gatherings, business meetings, or special functions of any
type. Off-site catering will be
available in the future.
Open
daily for lunch and dinner, T&W has all ABC permits, a full beer and wine
list featuring
T&W
Oyster Bar is a great dining destination.
I’ll probably see you there—I’ll be the one peeling and eating
shrimp. Enjoy!
Quick
Bites
Location:
2383 Highway 58,
Phone:
(252) 393-8838
Hours:
Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. until, Sunday noon until.
Payment
options: Cash, MasterCard and Visa.
Reservations: Not required.
8/18/06
See the previously reviewed restaurants on the Restaurant Archive page
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