Dining a la Onslow
The White Oak
River Bistro
by
Sandy Craft
Dear
readers, I hope you will forgive me for abandoning the original title of this
column (à la
Situated on the White Oak River, the
restaurant occupies an attractive building
with spectacular views of the river. To
round out this idyllic setting, owner and master-of-all-tasks Gene Heath
offers a wonderful lunch and dinner featuring what he refers to as European
cuisine. (With a very strong
Italian slant, I would add.)
The warm wood interior and little white
lights create an inviting ambiance that exactly matched our welcome by manager
Cathy Perrini and owner, cook, event planner, pastry chef, dish washer,
what-ever-needs-doing person, Gene Heath.
Gene retired from corporate life in
On our ride to Swansboro, my CiE said
she remembered having a stuffed bread appetizer that was really good.
Stuffed bread? I don’t
know but that makes me feel, well, stuffed, and I haven’t even gotten
started yet! So when Gene
said we’d start out with one of their stuffed breads, I wasn’t too sure.
I’ve given it some thought, but I
haven’t been able to come up with a name that really describes this
wonderful creation made from homemade foccacio dough.
Ours was filled with chopped fresh tomatoes, proscuitto, basil and
mozzarella, and baked until the bread was crispy, the cheese was melted and
there was a wonderful fragrance of fresh rosemary.
You could also order a cheese or veggie stuffed bread.
And I’m thinking about going back for one of each.
Seriously. I am totally
hooked on stuffed bread.
Our appetizer was definitely a hard act
to follow. But Gene did not
disappoint with either the Pollo Scarpariello or the seared tuna topped with
puttanesca sauce and basil pesto. The
tuna was a refreshing and delicious change from the usual sesame seed
preparation. The sautéed boneless
chicken breast was served with a light sauce of white wine, capers, garlic and
rosemary. Both were accompanied by bright, crisp, steamed veggies and pasta.
A choice light fresh marinara or a creamy rich Alfredo sauce may be
ordered for the pasta.
At
dinner, you could stick with more traditional pasta entrees, but you might
want to consider the veal, seafood or one of the chicken entrees.
I also think the hand-tossed pizzas sound great for lunch or dinner.
During the season, there are several appetizer and entrée specials daily.
The $7.95 early-bird special changes daily and can be ordered from
lunch until
Of course, I would feel like I was not
being conscientious if I did not try at least one of Gene’s homemade
desserts. Well, make that two.
My CiEs remained quite civilized, but did polish off every rich, yummy
crumb of the Napoleon as well as the tiramisu torte.
Both were ever so slightly decadent; isn’t that the way dessert is
supposed to be? In addition to
these, the White Oak River Bistro makes its own éclairs and cannolis.
I didn’t try those. Am I
shirking my responsibility?
For lunch the Bistro pannini sandwich
made with the homemade focaccia, or one of the specialty pizzas (maybe the
fresh veggie or the seafood), or a salad with one of the homemade soups sound
terrific. And, of course,
there’s the stuffed bread.
Although Gene handles quite a lot of
off-site catering, the restaurant itself is a favorite spot for weddings,
receptions and other private parties. Not
only can tents be set up outside, but the veranda and the interior combine to
accommodate a wide variety of events, seated or otherwise.
Bride and groom can even arrive by boat!
Cool!
There you have it.
In our effort to explore the many options on our very large
“restaurant menu,” we discovered a great place to go either as a sole
destination, or as part of a fun trip to poke around picturesque Swansboro.
And when you go from Morehead, do me a favor and give me a call.
I’d like an order of stuffed bread to go.
Quick
Bites
Address:
Phone:
(910) 326-1696
Hours:
Lunch
Payment:
Visa, MasterCard, local checks.
Reservations:
Yes, but not essential.
Other: There is a smoking section. Seating available on the porch. Both staff and menu are kid-friendly. Both on and off-site catering available.
1/20/06
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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