But it's in Duck

I've had my eye on a restaurant for a while now.  I just found out about it last year and, of course, the one night we wanted to go they had already closed for the season.

But it was ok because there's one problem.

It's in Duck. We don't go to Duck. It's north. Anything too far north (or too far south for that matter) we just don't do. It's bad enough I have to drive 23 miles to work ONE WAY every day. Alllllll the way to Manteo, we like to say - as if it's a different state or something.

Well, The Paper Canoe is not only in Duck. It is in the northern most part of Duck! Almost out of Dare County even! We had date night set last night and I wanted something new. I looked over the menu again and my mouth began watering. The story of how the restaurant came to be intrigued me and I was determined I was going to love this place. But not too much because it's in Duck, after all.

Reservations recommended.

Of course. Sigh. But even in the off season, I pondered?

There's not much in Duck, so perhaps.

My beloved Salt Box Café recommends reservations too but it's tiny and INCREDIBLE.

And NOT in Duck.

We like to just sit at the bar when we go to a new place anyway. It's the best way to get the local "know" of the area. Maybe we just take a chance and go to the bar. It is a Thursday after all. But people are starting to come down already and making long weekends out of their trip. Pretentious people have houses in Duck, right?  So yeah, they probably have already started their weekend. I better call for reservations. I would hate for us to drive the 23 minutes north and then have to wait an hour or, even worse, not get a seat at all.

I call.

Reservations for dinner.

For two (awesome) people

8pm please

I'm given two choices - 8:30 p.m. in the dining room or 8pm at the bar!

Reservations for the bar?

Phew, glad I called.

Bar reservations, it is! See you then!

I called at 3pm. I  thought about leaving work and going home right then because it's in Duck.

Ok, maybe that was exaggerating a little.

A little.

(photo borrowed from The Paper Canoe website)

The owner believes in leaving the smallest carbon footprint possible (as well as using the freshest local seafood with ingredients grown in his own backyard) and the detailed wooden interior is just so welcoming. My eyes were wide and sighs were coming from my lips as I admired the antique cypress wood walls the owner found in the western part of the state, the hickory flooring, the handcrafted tables from reclaimed lumber of a 100-year old train station in Chattanooga and the wood trim sourced from a South Carolina abandoned cotton mill.

As we were led down a hallway, passing the quaint but spacious dining room on the right, the restaurant opened up into a gorgeous area with a bar that just about filled the room where about six bistro tables-for-two aligned the floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the sound.

(photo borrowed from The Paper Canoe website)

This was the first time in quite a while that Hubs and I had ventured out to a new restaurant and so far I was very pleased. I had a green smoothie for breakfast and a brown rice angel hair lemon and garlic arugula salad for lunch. My 10% of  eating "whatever I want" was going to be well spent at this establishment! Or at least, I hoped.

But we were in Duck so.... we didn't get too excited.

The menu is small.

The prices are on the high end.

But it's Duck so nothing unexpected.

(I worked in Old Town Alexandria for 14 years. I get overpriced and paying for the atmosphere.)
As long as the food is incredible, we don't mind.

We started with the lump crab three-cheese dip. The bread "sticks" that accompanied the dip seemed the same as that used for their wood-fired pizzas. If that is so, then I want to try their duck confit and manchego cheese with caramelized onions and arugula pizza next! Ooey, gooey, tons of crab, crusty on the edges, warm and super yummy! When I want to lick the bowl, you know it's good.

I love going out to eat with Hubs for many reasons but an important one is that he enjoys food as much as I do. We always pick two things that both of us would love and share so we both win! It was also beneficial because my stomach sure has shrunk (even though my eyes haven't) and I wouldn't be able to eat as much if we shared!

Seared scallops on a puff pastry and vegetable risotto with a side of green beans and carrots. Seared scallops. That's all I read. Seared scallops. That's all I heard. Seared scallops. That's all I saw. Seared scallops. That's all I ate. Seared scallops.
That's all I needed.
 Exquisite!

Perfectly seared scallops are one of my favorite seafood delicacies. I will grab them at the local seafood shop and make them at home for a special treat. Not only were these scallops gigantic but they were so flavorful and perfectly cooked! Too bad there were only four because I could have eaten about 18. When I take a bite of something and it makes me stop for a minute, smile, and sigh, it's damn good!

The second dish we shared was shrimp stuffed with lump crab in a sauce that would make ya slap your momma it's so delectable! I've never been a fan of cornbread, so Hubs won that prize. I love grilled asparagus but sometimes it's mushy and sometimes when it's this jumbo it's less than desirable to me. Wow. That's all I got. Wow. You done damn good, Duck! I don't know what this sauce is but it was like a thin gravy. I truly wanted to drink the bowl dry.

At this point, the bar area was emptying out, there was a light show going on in the sky and it was just me, Hubs, Bartender Steve and the owner hanging out.  I had a smile on my face and a smile in my tummy. It's been a long time since I've been that food happy!

We didn't want dessert. We didn't need dessert. But I believe in the whole experience when you try a new restaurant so we shared the organic four berry cobbler. Thankfully it was pretty small because neither of us needed it but when in Rome... er... I mean... uh.. Duck!

The Paper Canoe.  I'm glad that you were everything I thought you would be.  I've had enough food disappointment in my life lately. It's a shame we won't see you again until probably October; maybe late September, though. It's a shame that your charming hickory floors will be stomped on by the unworthy soon and your magnificent cypress walls will be bulging from the gorging masses.
We thank you for inviting us in and we would love to come back real soon, but.... you're in Duck.

"There are three possible parts to a date, of which at least two must be offered: entertainment, food, and affection. It is customary to begin a series of dates with a great deal of entertainment, a moderate amount of food, and the merest suggestion of affection. As the amount of affection increases, the entertainment can be reduced proportionately. When the affection IS the entertainment, we no longer call it dating. Under no circumstances can the food be omitted.”
― Judith Martin