A World of Food is Available

Not surprisingly, most of the restaurants on the dining scene in the Wilmington area in 1983 are no longer dishing out hush puppies and sweet tea. Nearly 30 percent of all new restaurants fail after their first year, 50 percent close after three years, and 70 percent die after 10 years, so after 25 years, we can expect only the hardiest still to be in business here.

Paddy’s Hollow in the Cotton Exchange in historic downtown Wilmington is one that survived, as did Bridge Tender, located on Airlie Road near Wrightsville Beach. Big Daddy’s in Kure Beach and Mama Mia’s in Carolina Beach also were here in 1983.

There are other survivors, of course, among them all the fast-food chains, although they weren’t nearly as numerous then. Speaking of chains, there’s one notable exception from 1983 that’s no longer here - Red Lobster. Given the number of restaurants serving truly fresh seafood in Wilmington, this chain could not survive.

Unfortunately, there’s one thing that didn’t survive from 1983 in any of the restaurants - 1983 prices. Even at the better restaurants, lunch was $2 to $4 and dinner usually cost $6 to $12. Those really were the good old days.

Diverse Local Restaurants

There is a bright spot from 25 years ago, however, and that is the huge increase both in numbers and diversity of locally owned restaurants. Customers are becoming more discriminating and are supporting the eateries that use fresh, local ingredients. Patrons also are more adventurous. In addition to seafood restaurants and those specializing in Southern fare, you’ll find Thai, French, real Italian, great sushi and many other varieties.

Many more diners are recognizing the difference between food bought and prepared with care locally and the meals that come out of huge commercial kitchens where the food is made in huge vats, then prepackaged, premeasured and precooked before it’s shipped off to be reheated and plopped on a plate. Once diners develop a taste for food made with fresh ingredients and prepared with care, they won’t go back to the prepackaged fare.

Seafood Galore

Naturally, the first thing that comes to mind in an area surrounded by water is seafood. Around Wilmington, most restaurants offer some form of seafood and many specialize in it. And when we say “fresh seafood” in these parts, that means it’s not long off the boats - those same boats you see offshore with the long booms and nets.

Being on the coast allows us to enjoy in our restaurants a marvelous variety of seafood that you normally don’t find inland, either because some fish don’t travel well or because they just don’t make it that far - grouper, dolphin, wahoo, triggerfish and soft shell crab, for example, plus a number of others. No matter your preference - broiled, blackened, grilled, Cajun, poached, steamed, fried or raw seafood - Wilmington restaurants will satisfy your culinary desires.

Somewhat peculiar to North Carolina’s southern coastal region is a style of cooking and serving fresh ocean seafood known as Calabash Style. Deriving its name from the tiny coastal fishing village south of Wilmington where it originated, Calabash Style simply means serving the lucky diner large quantities of very fresh seafood that has been lightly breaded and deliciously fried. Calabash Style became famous, and now can be found in a number of Wilmington restaurants.

Special Barbecue

And then there’s the nectar of the gods - eastern Carolina style barbecue. No, this isn’t steaks cooked over charcoal in the Weber barbecue, this is genuine pit-cooked pork - the whole hog slowly cooked and basted with a vinegar, salt and pepper mixture and pulled - none of that sliced Lexington style with catsup and sugar added for us, thank you. Although not many restaurants still use the pit out back for cooking the pig, the flavor can still be the same if properly done on more modern equipment.

In fact, many churches and schools raise money by staging a benefit barbecue, also called a Pig Pickin’. Go ahead, spend the five or six bucks and enjoy it. You’ll definitely get your money’s worth.

No barbecue meal would really be complete without our marvelous and addictive hush puppies - essentially deep-fried cornbread dollops, sometimes flavored with onion, sugar or other spices. If you’re fortunate, the restaurant will also offer Brunswick stew. Don’t ask what it is - just order it.

Beverage Of Choice

And of course, you’ll want iced tea. Sweetened or unsweetened, iced tea isn’t just a drink down here; it’s a way of life. Should you see something on the menu labeled “greens,” be aware it may not relate to salads. In the South, greens include collards, mustard greens, dandelion greens, kale, and turnip greens - all cooked. Some Yankees never do acquire a taste for them. Sweet potatoes are another staple here, and restaurants find more ways to cook them than you ever thought possible.

Still Affordable

Although Wilmington has quite a few fine restaurants, you’ll find most are affordable, especially compared with those in larger cities. And even at the finest restaurants, you can feel relatively at ease in casual dress, including walking shorts and polo shirts. Wilmington is a relaxed town, and even most of the business people dress casually.

Dining outdoors is especially popular. In Wilmington, it is possible to enjoy your meal al fresco many months of the year. A number of restaurants scattered throughout the area offer this option.

No matter whether you’re dining formally in a fine, upscale restaurant or that terrific little spot around the corner only the locals know about, Wilmington is a great place for that famous haute cuisine, “Good Eats.”