Approaching Wrightsville Beach

There are lots of restaurants that are located very near the bridge that leads to Wrightsville Beach.

Port Land Grille, an attractive restaurant with well spaced tables, well trained staff and superb food, is located in Lumina Station. You won’t find run of the mill entrees here. Examples of chef owner Shawn Wellersdick’s seafood entrees are wood grilled wild striped bass and cajun BBQ rubbed North Carolina catfish over crawfish meat. Meat dishes currently available include antelope tenderloin, wood grilled Long Island duck breast and Port Land Grille’s meatloaf, made with 100 percent ground Provimi veal! Port Land Grille has a full bar and an extensive list of wines not offered elsewhere. They have recently added a group of somewhat smaller dinner offerings at just $19.95, which has proven to be very popular. Food of this quality at this price is reason enough to plan a trip there. Save room for dessert at Port Land Grille – they are superb.

Stone Crab Oyster Bar is a new addition to the Lumina Station restaurants. If offers all types of seafood which can be prepared steamed, grilled or fried Calabash style. In addition to the oyster bar, diners will find daily specials that depend on what is fresh locally. Stone crabs and Alaska king crabs are not native to this area but are brought in regularly for those who love them. Stone Crab is open for lunch and dinner with sandwiches and fish tacos available too. The restaurant has a number of moderately priced wines and there are special prices on buckets and pitchers of beer. There is a large patio covered with a huge awning for those who love to dine al fresco.

Terrazzo Trattoria is a local favorite located in Landfall Center on Eastwood Road, and is open for lunch and dinner. The restaurant has a very attractive Euro bar and lounge, an indoor dining room and a pleasant patio outdoors in season.

Appetizer choices are plentiful and there are a large number of cold subs too. There is an extensive list of salads and a large number of pizza options, with pizzas available in 10, 14 and 18 inch sizes. Numerous veggie combinations are available, with sun dried tomato, mushroom and broccoli, or tomato, fresh garlic and basil two delicious choices. Terrazzo is happy to prepare pizzas for take out too.

Among the excellent pasta dishes at Terrazzo are penne positano comprised of mussels, shrimp, sun dried tomatoes in a creamy pesto sauce, and tortellini a la carbonara with prosciutto and bacon in a black pepper cream sauce or linguine with white or red clam sauce. Marsala glazed salmon, served over wilted spinach, fresh mushrooms, broccoli and zucchini, is outstanding.

Terrazzo has all ABC permits and offers more than 75 wines as well as a good selection of craft beer. Terrazzo’s also offers delivery to nearby Wrightsville Beach.

Tokyo 101 is a new Japanese restaurant that opened in 2010 in Mayfaire Towncenter, just steps away from Cinema 16. The restaurant is noted for its beautiful decor, its very extensive sushi menu and for the traditional Japanese food it offers. The restaurant also has special prices at lunchtime during the week and offers drink specials as well.

On the menu are several dishes featuring either yakasoba or udon noodles and a large selection hibachi entrees too. All are available for lunch or dinner. Hibachi items include soup and fried rice at lunch and a salad is added at dinner. Tonkatsu or torikatso, deep fried pork or chicken cutlet in panko with vegetables, also is served with soup, salad, and steamed or fried rice.

A large number of tempura dinners, including calamari and vegetable, are on the menu. Tokyo 101 offers a sizzler platter, comprised of chicken, shrimp or New York strip steak served with onion, zucchini, broccoli, carrot and mushrooms and again served with soup, salad and steamed or fried rice. There also is a moderately priced children’s menu for those under 12, and the restaurant offers gluten free choices too. Portions are very generous and most people wind up taking quite a lot home. Tokyo 101 is available for catering and are happy to provide delivery service too.

The Melting Pot, The Melting Pot is located directly across the street from Tokyo 101 at Mayfaire Towncenter The restaurant specializes in fondue, which is offered in a host of varieties.

Cheese fondue comes with fresh breads, vegetables and apples for dipping; traditional Swiss cheese fondue with gruyere and emmenthaler cheeses with white wine, garlic, nutmeg, lemon and kirshwasser or fiesta cheese fondue, cheddar cheese with lager beer, jalapeno peppers and salsa, which can be made to varying degrees of spiciness, are two popular choices.

Individual entrees, served with salad and an array of fresh vegetables, are cooked tableside in a selection of four different stocks or oils. Some of the choices include cedar plank salmon, shrimp and teriyaki-marinated sirloin combination, or the land and sea, with New York strip, breast of chicken and white shrimp. The vegetarian is a delicious combination of edamame or onion rings, artichoke hearts, portobella mushrooms, Thai-peanut marinated tofu, asparagus, spinach artichoke ravioli and the Big Night Out pasta.

Be sure to save room to at least share a chocolate fondue, which again is offered in numerous varieties. Dippers include strawberries, bananas, cheesecake, pound cake and more, and there are 10 choices, including yin & yang, half dark and half white chocolate; the flaming turtle, milk chocolate, caramel and chopped pecans or bananas foster, silky white chocolate with bananas and a touch of cinnamon.

The Melting Pot has a lively bar with all ABC permits and offers a separate bar menu too. The Melting Pot opens at 5:00 p.m. each day and opens on Saturday and Sunday for lunch as well.

Just before you cross the causeway to Wrightsville Beach you’ll see Jerry’s restaurant on the right in one of Wilmington’s ubiquitous small shopping plazas. To get there, turn right at the light at Wrightsville Avenue and Eastwood then left to get into the strip mall. Jerry’s is located at the intersection of Wrightsville Avenue and Eastwood Road, just before you cross the bridge to Wrightsville Beach. It has been a favorite among locals for many years, with food to suit any taste or whim. The staff is professional and attentive and Jerry Rouse, the owner, expects both the food and service to be superb. Daily specials are always delicious and desserts are sinfully good. With a full bar and a very extensive wine list, Jerry’s is open daily at 6 p.m.