a la Carteret
Tradewinds Restaurant
by Sandy Craft
Favorable winds of change have swept through the
Tradewinds Restaurant at the Royal Pavillion Resort in 
professional and amiable general manager of many years, is still heading up
the operation. But he has
redecorated, re-staffed and generally taken things up a notch or two.
The deep terra cotta walls with creamy trim and teal tablecloths are warm, inviting and very spiffy. The nicely divided space has sort of a clubby feeling of comfort, where you can easily have a conversation and relax while drinking a glass of wine or a cocktail before ordering your meal.
In March, Ray brought on board a new chef, Scott
McClelland from
I love appetizers. Not only are they usually very pretty, but they’re an enticement for what is to come. The delicious bruschetta, served by our delightful waiter, Caleb, was a little more involved than usual, with the addition of artichoke hearts, feta and olives to the tomatoes on a slice of toasted baguette. We loved the grilled tomatoes served with the buffalo mozzarella, especially with the drizzle of balsamic reduction. The seared crab cakes with remoulade were slightly flavored with peppers, but otherwise left alone, as they should be. We couldn’t decide on a favorite. They all hit the spot.
Our
appetizers were definitely a hint of good things to come: dinner entrees that
were not over sauced, but allowed to speak for themselves. Such is the case
with the very tender roasted beef filet, served with a lovely demi-glace and
earthy shitake mushrooms. The
island mahi was delicious with the tomatoes, peppers and hint of garlic.
You can try it yourself, since they have graciously decided to share
the recipe. The secret is: follow
the directions (if you’re like me, that can be a challenge) and don’t
overcook. The applewood-smoked bacon imparted a rich flavor to the tomato
sauce for their shrimp and grits. It is delicious with the cheese grits.
In fact, be sure to save a little bread so you can enjoy every last bit
of sauce!
And what are all these wonderful creations leading up to? My absolute favorite — dessert! I could tell by the look of pride on his face that Luke is responsible for the chocolate bourbon pecan pie as well as the chocolate decadence, which was just that: decadent. Certainly that’s the way chocolate should be. The pie was decadent, too, in its own way; light flaky crust and a rich, chocolaty brown sugar filling loaded with lots of nuts. I’d be proud, too, if I were Luke.
Thursday night is German night at Tradewinds. The regular
menu is abandoned and Scott has created an enlarged German menu, which can be
enjoyed with German wines or beer for a little international night on the
town. Danke schon! They are also
greatly expanding their wine list and serving many of the wines by the glass
as well as by the bottle.
Tradewinds is open daily for breakfast and lunch, as well as dinner. I have been told that the prime rib sandwich on sun-dried tomato foccacio is hard to beat. I’d also like to try the fried oyster burger. For private affairs, there is a large banquet room, as well as a smaller private room, which can accommodate up to 40 people.
They are already taking reservations for the extremely popular Thanksgiving Buffet. And from previous years’ attendance, there certainly are lots of folks who’d rather let Scott do the cooking. Hmmm, not a bad idea at all.
So here’s the deal. You can try Scott’s mahi recipe at home (you’ve got to go to the grocery, then cook), or you can turn Thanksgiving over to Scott (that’s weeks and weeks away), or you can do the sensible thing. Just pick a night — tonight would be good — and go enjoy all these great changes at Tradewinds.
Quick Bites
Tradewinds
Restaurant
Address: Royal Pavillion Resort,
Phone: (252) 726-5188
Hours:
Lunch starts at $4.95
Full Dinner entrees start at $14.95
Without Salad entrees start at $8.95
Island
Mahi-Mahi
Add 2-3 splashes of olive oil and season with a blend of aromatic spices (crushed red peppers, thyme, cumin, garlic, salt, pepper and chives).
Drizzle with 3 ounces of orange juice, 2 ounces of vegetable stock.
Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
Serve with your favorite vegetables and risotto.
Submitted by Brenda Angel, Restaurant Manager and Scott McClelland, Executive Chef.
9/16/05
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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