Outer Banks Food & Drink Archives - Page 7 of 7

Mike Kelly Negotiating Sale of Kelly’s Outer Banks Tavern

Ending months, if not a couple of years, of speculation, Mike Kelly announced he is in negotiations to sell the property where Kelly’s Outer Banks Tavern is located. In interviews with local newspapers and online reporting, he stressed that nothing is imminent, but it is apparent that he is ready to move on after 31 years of providing great food and entertainment on the Outer Banks.

Mike pointed out in interviews that none of his children are interested in taking over his business and that he felt now that he was approaching retirement age, this was the time to start pulling back.

Although he is in negotiations, the restaurant and tavern is booked through New Years, so no matter what, nothing is going to happen right away.

There are a rumors but no hard facts about who or what will be moving into the five acre site. Mike has made it clear that it will not be a chain restaurant, but beyond that, anything is speculation.

What the next business will be will be come more clear when the first set of tentative plans are presented to the Nags Head Planning Board, although at this point in time, nothing is scheduled.

Still up in the air is whether there are any plans to sell the other two restaurants in the Kelly’s Group, Mako Mikes and Pamlico Jacks.

#Joelambjr

OBX BrewFest 2016 Kicks Off Summer Season

It’s a good day when the debate about what was best becomes a question of was it the beer or the music? That pretty much sums up OBX BrewFest 2016

It also didn’t hurt that the weather was wonderful with a nice breeze off Roanoke Sound—ok, it was a wind— and lots of sunshine.

Since it was a beer fest the question of how much beer was it is important. The short answer is a lot. We counted 55 breweries on hand and since almost everyone was pouring two or three beers, it certainly fell under the heading of so much beer and so little time.

And the music . . . wow!

The last two groups to take the stage in particular were amazing.

Keller and the Keels were playing guitar, mandola—that’s a larger version of a mandolin that plays in the alto/tenor range—and standup bass. Those are classic bluegrass instruments, but their sound goes way beyond bluegrass. Their last song was a medley of tunes ending with Pink Floyd’s “Brick in the Wall” —not a typical bluegrass sound.

Soja out of DC is so good. Combing rock, jazz, reggae, Latin and hiphop, their sound is full with horns, a percussion section, keyboard and sax. A tight driving beat and a lot of original material.

Kudos to Crystal Swain of Zen Pops for her Chocolate Stout popsicle. Couldn’t serve it to kids, but it sure was good.

A Special Fundraiser for The Lost Colony

Anias Dare, Sir Walter Raleigh and Chief Manteo making an appearance at Pamlico Jack's. — Anias Dare, Sir Walter Raleigh and Chief Manteo making an appearance at Pamlico Jack’s.

What a great evening at Pamlico Jack’s in Nags Head. Billed as a Night of Friends, Food & Fine Wine Benefitting The Lost Colony, it was all of that a little bit more.

The food was absolutely outstanding. Hard to pick out a favorite, but the bbq bacon wrapped pineapple squares was universally given excellent reviews as an appetizer. Main course—impossible to choose . . . a three way tie among the roasted mahi in shrimp in puff pastry, pork loin medallions or braised red cabbage and the grilled Angus shoulder tenderloin.

The wines came for Francis Coppola Winery and what made it really special is the new winery and label Coppola is introducing—Virginia Dare Wines. With a label hearkening back to the original labels from the North Carolina Winery of the early 20th Century, it almost seemed like a blast from the past, although the NC Virginia Dare wines were sweet muscadine wines.

The Virginia Dare Winery, located in Geyersville, is turning out some very nice classic California wines. The chardonnay in particular really stood out.

What really set this evening apart, though was the appearance of Eleanor Dare, her husband Anias Dare, Sir Walter Raleigh and Chief Manteo as guests of honor. Their appearance though was overshadowed by the arrival of Queen Elizabeth—in the person of Barbara Hird.

After some rather pithy yet humorous remarks from the Queen, the feast began—and a wonderful evening it was.

Joe Lamb Jr., & Associates. is a proud sponsor of The Lost Colony.

#Joelamb #thelostcolony

A Grand Way to End a Grand Event

Good Winds Wine & Seafood at the 2016 Taste of the Beach Grand Finale.

The Grand Finale Tasting is about as grand a way to wrap up the Outer Banks Taste of the Beach as there could be.

Held this year at Port O’ Call in Kill Devil Hills it was three hours of amazing food, wonderful Champagne cocktails with some great music thrown in. And we don’t want to forget the fantastic IPA and Scotch Ale Lost Colony Brewery was pouring.

Given the weather today—northwest wind, spitting rain, generally miserable—this was a great day to be inside, and there were a lot of people there. We had some beautiful weather for our Joe Lamb Jr., & Associates BBQ & Wings Showdown on Friday, but the weather went downhill quickly after that.

For the 500 or 600 or 700 or so who did go, this is knowledge already gained; for anyone who has never been to the Grand Tasting and is hoping to go next year, some advice. Eat nothing on the day of the event before going. With 18 vendors and 37 selections even nibbling on everything that’s offered requires an appetite rarely achieved.

A couple of things deserve a second visit; however, by the time everything is sampled, a second visit doesn’t seem to practical—or comfortable.

A couple of notes about the food. Everything we tried we felt had real merit and truly deserved to be there. There were a few standouts though—keeping in mind that taste is very subjective.

The Buttermilk Fried Duck Skewers from Saltbox Cafe were the crowd favorite for our group. Bonnie’s Bagles’ Salmon Mousse with Fresh Dill on a bagel chip was a refreshing change from the usual fare. The Crab Cake Sunrise from Cravings called out for either a good cup of coffee or a Champagne cocktail.

One more observation: the chocolate chip cookie cheesecake from Good Winds Wine & Seafood—which was very good on its own—paired beautifully with the IPA that Lost Colony Brewery was pouring. A surprising pairing, but it did work.

2016 BBQ & Wings Showdown Culinary Magic

Serving bbq and ribs at Sooey's. — Serving bbq, ribs, and wings at Sooey’s.

There is a lot to like and not a thing to dislike about the Joe Lamb Jr., & Associates BBQ & Wings Showdown. The concept is simple—invite 16 Outer Banks restaurants to whip up their finest barbecue, ribs and chicken wing recipes and throw in some great music from Jonny Waters & Company.

It also helps to move the event from the parking lot at Sea Ranch Resort to the Soundside Event Site in Nags Head, include some great weather and, Voila (!)—a perfect way to spend a few hours on a Friday afternoon.

Part of the Outer Banks Taste of the Beach, the BBQ & Wings Showdown really stepped it up a notch this year. More great food to sample and a larger space with plenty of parking all added up to a fantastic experience.

If there is a complaint it is that even a nibble of food samples from 16 booths is enough to add 12 pounds of weight in three hours; nonetheless, the effort had to be made.

The results are in, and like anything having to do with taste, it is a bit subjective, but it’s tough to disagree with anything on the list.

There’s not enough space to review everything we tried, but there’s no disagreement here for the People’s Choice award for best ribs—incredibly meaty, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.

Judges Awards:

Best BBQ – High Cotton

Best Ribs – TIE – Jolly Roger and Sooey’s BBQ

Best Wings – Jolly Roger

People’s Choice:

Best BBQ – High Cotton

Best Ribs – Aqua Restaurant

Best Wings – Lucky 12 Tavern

Participating Restaurants

AQUA: BBQ & Ribs

Lucky 12: BBQ, Ribs & Wings

Roadside Grill: BBQ

The Blue Point: Ribs & Wings

Blue Water Grill & Raw Bar: BBQ

Café Pamlico: BBQ & Wings

Beachside Bistro: BBQ

SaltyDawg Smokehouse: BBQ, Ribs & Wings

Sooey’s BBQ: BBQ, Ribs & Wings

High Cotton: BBQ & Wings

Pigman’s Barbeque: BBQ, Ribs & Wings

Cravings: Wings

Chilli Peppers Coast Grill: Wings

Jolly Roger: Ribs & Wings

Frogman’s Barbecue: BBQ

Outback Steakhouse: Ribs

Joe Lamb, Jr. BBQ & Wings Showdown Coming Soon

Improved, expanded and even better than ever, the 2016 version of our Joe Lamb Jr., & Associates Outer Banks BBQ & Wings Showdown promises to be the best one yet. So mark your calendars now for Friday, March 18 and plan on being there.

The event has been growing in popularity since we first introduced it four years ago as part of the Outer Banks Taste of the Beach and it’s gotten so big that we just couldn’t fit all the chef, restaurants, barbecue and wings into our old location at the Sea Ranch Resort.

So we teamed up with the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau and moved the event to the Soundside Event Site in Nags Head. Way more room, the setting is beautiful and we’re looking forward to a great time and very full bellies.

The BBQ & Wings Showdown is part of the Outer Banks Taste of the Beach—a four day celebration of the food and culture of the Outer Banks. The dates are March 17-20 and with events happening from Corolla to Manteo, it’s as much a culinary exploration of excellence and creativity as it is a tour of the Outer Banks.

The Outer Banks Taste of the Beach is a must see springtime event. Beg, borrow or steal the time off, give us a call here at Joe Lamb Jr., & Associates. and we’ll help you find a place to stay and enjoy one of the best events of the year.

Winter on the OBX-Still Lots to Do

Just because it’s winter, doesn’t mean the Outer Banks has ceased to exist. For a lot of people, winter is the best time of the year to be here—it’s uncrowded, the pace of life has slowed down, a walk on the beach is a great time to spend time with just yourself or someone special. Other than an occasional dog romping in the surf with an owner nearby, there are not too many people walking along the ocean.

Of course it can get a little chilly—it is still winter after all. An amazing winter day today with temperatures in the upper 60s but that will probably change by the end of the week.

But if things have slowed down, there are still some great things to do. To help with that decision making process, we’ve highlighted a couple of upcoming events.

A suggestion: the week of March 13-20 would great time to be on the Outer Banks Kelly’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade kicking things off on Sunday, March 13 and the week wrapping up with the Outer Banks Taste of the Beach.

Call us here at Joe Lamb Jr., & Associates. and let us find you a place to stay.

Outer Banks Signature Chef’s Auction– The Purple Party 15th Anniversary

FEB 28

Hilton Garden Inn

Phone: 252-573-9035

Email: SBAKER@MARCHOFDIMES.ORG\

11 of the BEST Chefs, Live and Silent Auction, Fine Wines, Craft Brews, Live Music- Black Tie event. We are celebrating the 15th Anniversary of the Outer Banks Signature Chefs Event. Reserved Seating. Space is Limited

History of Surfing

MAR 09

Jennette’s Pier

Phone: 252-255-2501

The North Carolina Maritime Museums & Jennette’s Pier will host an evening program on the history of surfing in North Carolina.There will be several presentations & video footage that helps tell the story of wave riding, board shaping & why NC’s coast is an East Coast surfing destination.

27th Annual Kelly’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade

MAR 13

Nags Head

Parade starts at 1 pm at MP 11.5, at the intersection of Bladen St. and Virginia Dare Trail (Beach Road) and continues north to Driftwood St. Free Parade celebration at Kelly’s with entertainment, awards and free hot dogs for all till they’re gone!

OBX Taste of the Beach

MAR 17-MAR 20

4 Days of Food, Drink and Fun. A fantastic way to sample the fare of many fine restaurants on the Outer Banks in one fun-filled, food-centric weekend! Casual chefs to full-on foodie fanatics will revel in innovative culinary opportunities offered up by members of the Outer Banks Restaurant Association. Over 50 events over four days at nearly 40 different venues.

activities on the Outer Banks.

Joe Lamb Jr. Outer Banks BBQ & Wings Showdown

MAR 18

Soundside Event Site, Nags Head, NC 27959

Enjoy tasting and voting for your favorite Outer Banks BBQ and Wings from 15 of the areas best eateries! From traditional pulled pork and tender fall-off-the-bone ribs, to delicious saucy hot chicken wings! There is something for every carnivore at this 4th annual event. Presented to you with the support of Joe lamb Jr. Realty and the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, the event is newly located at The Soundside event site in Nags Head, which will provide a great outdoor (tented) park-like experience for up to 750 attendees AND allow onsite parking. There will be great live music too by Jonny Waters & Company.

Looking Forward to Spring OBX Events

Now that we’re halfway through the month of February, it’s time to start looking forward to some of the springtime events coming up on the Outer Banks.

The big springtime event is the Taste of the Beach, which, with restaurants from Corolla to Manteo participating, is as much an exploration of the area as it is a culinary delight. Scheduled from Thursday March 17-Sunday March 20, this is one to put on the calendar.

Of course for us here at Joe Lamb Jr., & Associates & Associates, the highlight has got to be the Outer Banks BBQ & Wing Showdown. We’ve been the sponsor of this event of a number of years, we always have a blast with it, the food is amazing, and the fun over the top.

Even better this year, the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau is co-sponsoring with us and we get to use the Soundside Event Site in Nags Head which allows us to have even more people on had to sample wings and barbecue and vote for their favorite.

We also have the perfect way to kick off the week. Be here Sunday March 13 for the 27th Annual Kelly’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. A mile long parade on the Beach Road in Nags Head, it may be the whackiest most fun parade ever to grace the streets of the Outer Banks.

Category: Outer Banks Food & Drink