The Black Pelican in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

I have been to the Black Pelican Restaurant dozens of times, and have never, EVER, been disappointed with any of my meals. On my most recent visit (last week), I began dinner with a cup of their "Hatteras Style" Clam Chowder - a clear broth based chowder (unlike the creamy New England Style or tomato based Manhattan style). It was FULL of clams, and the flavor of the broth with the seafood and vegetables was better than I expected.

For a main course, I had a blackened tuna steak over a Caesar salad; the heat of the blackening spices was cooled by the creamy dressing, and the tuna couldn't have been fresher. My husband had the "Fry Duo" special, which contained grouper and oysters. His plate was overflowing with seafood- he was given three huge fillets of grouper in addition to 10 oysters - a massive meal (without a massive price tag). He thought everything was scrumptious although fried, his food was not greasy, and the flavor of the seafood was still discernible.

Although we were both extremely full, dessert is something you cannot pass up at the Black Pelican- their variety of homemade desserts is too good to ignore. Their Key Lime pie is always a winner, but most recently I had the roasted banana creme pie with an Oreo crust; although the combination sounded odd, the resulting pie is delicious! The crème is light and decadent at the same time! The staff is always warm and friendly, but at the same time, they do not hover over you while you eat. The Black Pelican has continued to serve high-quality food for moderate prices for years.

We love them so much; we had them cater our wedding reception! They served a raw seafood bar, in addition to passed appetizers including tuna tatake, Caribbean shrimp, and black bean hummus. For our entrees, guests chose crab cakes or filet mignon with a Jack Daniels glaze and citrus shrimp parcel. Many of our guests still say that it was the best food they'd ever had at a wedding - which is a great compliment seeing as the chefs had to work from an outdoor makeshift kitchen since our reception was held outdoors in a historical park!

Overall, the Black Pelican is one of the best (if not the solitary best) restaurants I have ever been to in my life. I cannot think of a single thing to complain about or even suggestions for improvement. Every aspect is stellar, including the view of the sand dunes and Atlantic Ocean right outside!