Beaufort, North Carolina--The Pecan Tree Inn
The Pecan Tree Inn
116 Queen Street
Beaufort, NC 28516
252.728.6733
www.pecantree.com
In case you're wondering, and even if you aren't, we do, indeed, seem to be spending some time in Beaufort, North Carolina.
Did you know--you probably did--that there's a Beaufort, NC and a Beaufort, SC? And we're told by some sources in the North Carolina Beaufort that these towns are pronounced differently: that is, "BOW-fort" in NC, and "BIEU-FERD" in SC.
And apparently, it's very important to keep these straight.
Issues of elocution aside, and in any event, I can report four enthusiastic thumbs up for the Pecan Tree Inn (mine and my husband's thumbs, that is). I'd booked on line, which was simple, and I received follow up emails from the husband of the husband-wife owner team. Sherry, the manager of the place, is welcoming, helpful, and generally terrific.
My husband is not an overenthusiastic fan of bed and breakfast places--he prefers the comparative anonymity of a hotel--but we both agreed that this is a place we will come back to.
I was particularly impressed with the diligence of one of the owners, David, who wrote to me several days before we arrived. We'd chosen a room on the second floor. As it happens, that room was being renovated, and the renovations wouldn't be complete in time. Rather than spring this on us upon our arrival, David instead took the time to write to us several days before to see if it would be acceptable for us to be relocated to a comparable room on the first floor.
I confess that the notion of a first-floor room didn't please me. I assumed that people would be walking by--potentially at all hours--but I needn't have worried. The room was very quiet, the other guest courteous (the breakfast ample, by the way, with good coffee), and our visit a success. This is not a place with flat-screen TVs or mini-bars; we didn't even use the modest TV in the room, so I can't report on that. But there is access to wireless, and the room has been fitted with a power strip and enough outlets for any technologies that accompany you. The simple, retro-style shower was strong, warm, and more than adequate.
Located on a quiet side street but near the waterfront, the Inn is also across the street from several popular restaurants and in easy walking distance to Beaufort dining, shops, and historical sites. This is a lovely and scrupulously clean oasis for a relaxing visit to Beaufort and environs.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Beaufort, North Carolina--Cru Wine Bar (and Coffee Shop)
Cru Wine Bar and Beaufort Coffee Shop
120 Turner Street
Beaufort, NC 28516
252.728.3066
www.thecruwinebar.com
Well, if ever there were a place for my husband (a drinker) and me (a non-drinker), it's this place: One side for the tea-totalers, and the other side for the totalers.
A lovely wine bar and store on one side and a coffee/espresso/soft beverage tour de force on the other, Cru was perfect for our eclectic group: we had a great time one evening hanging out with folks on the "wine side" after I'd taken a decaf cappuccino over from the "other side." The establishment also keeps a number of board games, so we played a multi-generational game of "Trivial Pursuit," with our son's friends dazzling us with their smarts. (In case you're wondering, I did get "Thelma and Louise" as the correct answer to one question. Don't ask about the rest, please. I missed the one about Tom Landry, even though I could visualize him on the Dallas sidelines of yesterday.)
My husband and I returned to Cru the next morning to supplement our morning coffee-drinking and to share an egg-cheese-bacon flatbread, which, despite its having been heated in a microwave rather than an oven (which would be an aesthetic preference of mine), was quite tasty.
This is a terrific, casual place, for the beverages, light fare, and sweets--and for watching the eclectic group of people that gather here, locals and tourists alike.
Cru Wine Bar and Beaufort Coffee Shop
120 Turner Street
Beaufort, NC 28516
252.728.3066
www.thecruwinebar.com
Well, if ever there were a place for my husband (a drinker) and me (a non-drinker), it's this place: One side for the tea-totalers, and the other side for the totalers.
A lovely wine bar and store on one side and a coffee/espresso/soft beverage tour de force on the other, Cru was perfect for our eclectic group: we had a great time one evening hanging out with folks on the "wine side" after I'd taken a decaf cappuccino over from the "other side." The establishment also keeps a number of board games, so we played a multi-generational game of "Trivial Pursuit," with our son's friends dazzling us with their smarts. (In case you're wondering, I did get "Thelma and Louise" as the correct answer to one question. Don't ask about the rest, please. I missed the one about Tom Landry, even though I could visualize him on the Dallas sidelines of yesterday.)
My husband and I returned to Cru the next morning to supplement our morning coffee-drinking and to share an egg-cheese-bacon flatbread, which, despite its having been heated in a microwave rather than an oven (which would be an aesthetic preference of mine), was quite tasty.
This is a terrific, casual place, for the beverages, light fare, and sweets--and for watching the eclectic group of people that gather here, locals and tourists alike.
Beaufort, North Carolina--Clawson's Restaurant
Clawson's 1905 Restaurant
425 Front Street
Beaufort, North Carolina 28516
252.728.2133
www.clawsonsrestaurant.com
Why Clawson's? Better Than It Might Look (at First)
I must say, the exterior and entrance of this place aren't particularly appealing, nor is it that appealing to be in a back room that looks like a restaurant I'd have found in my undergraduate days. (Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you.) The place is cavernous and brown, with a kind of overwrought rustic look, and, well, it can seem somewhat uninviting.
But as you've likely heard much of your life as I have mine, "don't judge a book by its cover." (Hmm. Wonder what e-books will do to that old adage? The subject for another blog, I suppose.)
So, don't let the posted beer specials on the windows and door fool you, as they almost did me.
We couldn't score a reservation for eight of us to a local trendy, boutique-y style restaurant, and Clawson's is big enough to accommodate us. We went. My expectations were very modest.
The server impressed us immediately by asking which group of us was with which group, offering from the first to give us separate checks without our having to ask (or, as it often happens, to beg). She was attentive, friendly, and appropriately unobtrusive. The menu is fairly comprehensive, and my husband had the special: blackened fish over cheese grits, with collards on the side. Naturally, I took several bites (I confess to gulping down most of the collards), and the meal was delicious.
I took what I thought would be a risk and had the crab cakes. Risk? No. They were full of crab--what little filler there was was unnoticeable--and absolutely delicious. I also chose the brocolli salad on the side, which was also very nice. Our son had the Monterey Chicken, which looked terrific. Other folks had the quesadillas (a huge portion, which our friend noted was excellent); the cobb salad (huge, nicely cooked and moist chicken atop); and pasta with shrimp and scallops.
Unfortunately, we were too full for dessert (and when we're back, I'll have "Death by Chocolate"). But Clawson's was quite good--I admit, it was a surprise--and, unlike other places in town, more moderately priced. A good bet.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Chicago, Illinois--Ras Dashen
We'd wanted to try Ethiopian food once again--after a reasonably good experience in Phoenix--and especially at one of the many well-known places in Chicago.
So...when a recent, special occasion made room in the schedule (interestingly enough), we came here for a family dinner to celebrate a significant birthday and anniversary.
I've heard several people complain that they don't like Ethiopian food because they don't like the injera, the very spongy bread that serves as the vehicle for the delicious foods set atop it. I'm reasonably certain that the restaurant will provide you with a fork, if you so desire, as the toppings are not to be missed.
As you might assume, then, the five of us enjoyed the food tremendously, ordering two appetizers (one would have been enough, given that we had a large meal afterward) and five entrees, which we shared on the injara.
The food was delicious, and it's possible, I think, to order only four entrees for five people. But everything is very, very good, and it's one of those instances where more does, indeed, seem better than less!
We had the chicken and egg (national dish of Ethiopia), lamb, beef, lentils, split peas, beets, red cabbage--all delicious. The service was un-rushed, very nice and helpful--and mostly attentive.
We had bread pudding for dessert (one to snack on for the five of us), and it was a tasty finish to an eclectic, tasty meal. (I suppose one could argue that it was a set of meals, given the mix of vegetarian and meat entrees that we shared.)
The restaurant can be somewhat pricey, as things do add up; but rest assured that this is a completely worthwhile dining experience, whether for couples or a family of every age group. During our visit, the restaurant comfortably welcomed an impressive variety of customers ranging from neighborhood, Uptown hipsters to seniors to families to everyone in between.
So...when a recent, special occasion made room in the schedule (interestingly enough), we came here for a family dinner to celebrate a significant birthday and anniversary.
I've heard several people complain that they don't like Ethiopian food because they don't like the injera, the very spongy bread that serves as the vehicle for the delicious foods set atop it. I'm reasonably certain that the restaurant will provide you with a fork, if you so desire, as the toppings are not to be missed.
As you might assume, then, the five of us enjoyed the food tremendously, ordering two appetizers (one would have been enough, given that we had a large meal afterward) and five entrees, which we shared on the injara.
The food was delicious, and it's possible, I think, to order only four entrees for five people. But everything is very, very good, and it's one of those instances where more does, indeed, seem better than less!
We had the chicken and egg (national dish of Ethiopia), lamb, beef, lentils, split peas, beets, red cabbage--all delicious. The service was un-rushed, very nice and helpful--and mostly attentive.
We had bread pudding for dessert (one to snack on for the five of us), and it was a tasty finish to an eclectic, tasty meal. (I suppose one could argue that it was a set of meals, given the mix of vegetarian and meat entrees that we shared.)
The restaurant can be somewhat pricey, as things do add up; but rest assured that this is a completely worthwhile dining experience, whether for couples or a family of every age group. During our visit, the restaurant comfortably welcomed an impressive variety of customers ranging from neighborhood, Uptown hipsters to seniors to families to everyone in between.
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