Our Oyster shucker at Sunnyside Oyster Bar


Right- My sister Michelle and an oyster about to meet it's end!

Interesting Eats In North Carolina

Ok, in my last blog in talked about my new favorite Steak House. Now, I will tell you about a place that has been schucking oysters since 1932. One of the oldest oyster houses in America today. It is called the Sunnyside Oyster Bar and it is located in Williamston, North Carolina. The Street address is 1102 Washington St. Williamston, NC 27892 #252-792-3416

This little bar and Oyster house is extraordinary in it's simplicity. It consists of a Bar in the main "Big House" which is complete with large screen TV to enjoy the weekends games as well as your favorite adult beverage. The back room is where the magic happens. The walls are white and sea scape photo's and art decorate the walls. The room is highlighted by the centerpiece oyster bar which is a rectangular bar, lined with wooden bar chairs. The waiter is your well.....your waiter, shucker and entertainer.

We placed our beverage order, (UN-sweet tea for me) and after the tea arrived the waiter asked us what we would like for dinner. I had seen no menu or prices, I scanned the wall for a hint of what was available and saw no clues so I looked to my sister for help. Without hesitation Michelle said "Peck of Oysters please" Corkey said "half pound of shrimp and a half pound of scallops" The waiter then look at me. I ordered a pound of shrimp. The waiter left and returned with 2 teapots that he took off of a hotplate in the corner. He set out a couple of small serving bowls in front of each of us and poured from the teapots hot butter :) and hot cocktail sauce! Within a few seconds the food arrived. The pound of shrimp came in a larger serving bowl as did Corkey's scallops and shrimp. The oysters came in a big ass roaster pail and our waiter/shucker poured them into the lower bar level and began opening up the perfectly cooked oysters. We were given crackers and Texas Pete hot sauce and another small bowl of horseradish to accompany the meal. Simple and tasty as all hell. In their literature and on the internet there was much mention about their special cocktail sauce. I guess I did not see it, it was to me a bit bland, but with the horseradish added to it, we pepped it up a bit and man did Michelle and I proceed to pound down the oysters!!! I soon ordered a half pound of scallops and Michelle ordered another half a peck of oysters and when it all was over they almost had to get a cart in there to wheel us out. Faces and chins dripping butter and sauce, fingers licked clean. We waddled out to the car and let Corkey drive us back to Tarboro.

I never did learn of the prices as Corkey paid the tab. I believe that the total was $60 something. The place is only open from September to April (oyster season) and there was not to many people there as it was just newly reopened for the season and it was a Monday night. I do know however that it is a popular spot as the couple across the bar from us drove 3 hours to eat at the Sunnyside! I place this high on my list of Oyster bars for its down home charm and portions of food which were substantial. If you find yourself on the Greenville, NC area be sure to stop in and have a Peck!

I almost forgot about the Red Hot . As you near the end of your oyster order, our waiter asked us if we wanted to partake in a Sunnyside tradition called the Red Hot? After some discussion Michelle and I agreed to try one. As near as I can figure, it is as follows. A square of salted cracker, 2 small jalapeno peppers with an oyster placed on top, then a generous spoonful of horseradish on top of the oyster and a through coating of Texas Pete's Hot sauce topping off the whole thing. Yeah Baby!!! Bring on the Iced Tea or Beer! One was enough!

Always,

Spike

If Your Ever In Central North Carolina

Recently while visiting my sister, Michelle in Tarboro NC. I had the opportunity to take in a couple of unique establishments offering damn fine dining. The first that I will tell you about is The Beefmastor Inn 2656 US Highway 301 Wilson NC 27893 #252-237-7343 No reservations available. This place is incredible! A steakhouse of distinction. Worth a special trip from the Raleigh area without a doubt. First of all as we arrived at 5:10 pm (it opens at 5) the parking lot was full. I noticed the people in the truck next to me open their tailgate a sit down on it and chug a beer! I soon learned the 411. This place takes no reservations so it's first come first served. Upon arriving you enter the small brick and white shuttered building looking much like a small rambler style home. You give them your name and order a brew or wine cooler and retreat out to your vehicle. If it's hot (Usually is) then you start your car or truck turn on the air and proceed to drink up! Go in and pick up another and start over again until a guy sticks his head out the door and yells your name. YAHOO!! Now the fun really starts. You enter the building and you find yourself already in the dining area. There are 10 tables, red and white tablecloths equipped with your silverware and basic seasonings. The waiter appears and takes your beverage order immediately. I as usual had a un-sweet tea. As Michelle and I took a swig of our tea a guy shows up at the table carrying a huge chunk of Prime Ribeye and sets it upon the table and says "we start out at 8 ounces and move the knife until you say when! Michelle stops at the 8 ounce Ribeye while I let the knife mosey on down the chunk of beef till I feel it has reached the portion needed to satisfy a steak eating legend as myself. (Yeah Baby!) The waiter says help yourself to the salad bar and we will bring your meal when it has reached your specified state of perfection (Medium Rare for me) The Salad bar while small in over all length was filled constantly with fresh fixings. I made myself a grand salad with just the selections that I wanted on it! It was so good that I went back and made another trying to out do the first in taste and appearance. Tossed in a couple of peppercini's to waken the taste buds and retired to the table. Just as I pulled the last of the pepper off of the stem my dinner arrived. A beautiful Prime Ribeye juicy and perfect, a huge baked potato and a grill toasted piece of Texas toast. a half a stick of BUTTER!!! and a bowl of Sour Cream. No steak sauce needed as the steak was second to none! Ruth Chris, Murray's, Morton's you name it.
This was one of the most interesting dining experiences I have had in a long time. Here are a couple of reasons why, NO Women Waitress's, only men cooking serving and cleaning. Now I am not sexist and usually enjoy having a lovely young lady bringing me my order, but in this steak wonderland this setup just felt right. NO Menu!!! Drinks, Salad, Steak, Spud and Toast. That's it! No fish, No chicken, No ribs, JUST GIANT RIBEYES!!!!! Throw in the tailgating atmosphere in the parking lot while waiting to enter and you have the Beefmastor Inn.
Take the trip if your in the area and maybe even if your not and have some time to kill.
Next time I will tell you about the Sunnyside Oyster Bar in Williamston NC!
Stay Tuned!!!

Upper Left: Cars rolling off pit row.
Upper Right: Michelle and Mike in the Winners Circle!
Lower Left: Pit Row in fore ground and finish line in background car #24 on track.
Lower Right: Looking from Gasoline Alley at pit row and front stretch. Scoring tower.

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Lowe's Motor Speedway

Hello All!

I just returned from North Carolina, visiting my sister Michelle. I travelled the state almost from end to end applying for jobs, dining in all the best spots and seeing the sights. One of the many highlights of the trip was a tour of the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord Mills, NC just North of Charlotte.

First, If you find yourself in the area, stop into the speedways gift shop and sign up for the tour. It only costs $5.00 making it the best value of the trip, unless you count the evening I spent talking to a beautiful North Carolinian at my sisters home. Sorry about that, back to the race track tour. Our group of 9 loaded into a van with our guide and proceeded to drive off around the exterior of the speedway with our guide telling us about the growth of the track and the area around it. I did not know that there are a number of condos built into the track and a number of them house year around tenants. Richard Petty owns one as does Mario Andretti. We looked at the Dirt Track, one of the busiest tracks in the south. We then went through the tunnel and into the infield. Did you know that there is a road test track on the infield of the Raceway? During the race over 33,000 people live in the infield with over 170,000 people in attendance on race day! During the Coca-Cola 600 race in October the people in and around the track will be the 3rd largest city in North Carolina!

We toured the infield Hospital, Gasoline Alley, the Busch Series Garage area and of course the NASCAR Garage area. So clean that you could eat off the floor! I even hung out in the Winners Circle! During our tour there were numerous cars testing the track. They screamed around the track at incredible speeds. I even caught a few on my camera, which was no easy feat. Those babies were moving!

Then we got to get out on the track. Our van stopped in the beginning of turn 1 and had to hang on tight because of the 20 degree banking in the corners of the track. After the stop, our driver who happened to be a lady about 70 years old, opened it up and we sped off around the track at speeds up toward 100 mph!! Michelle was pounding the hell out of my leg in fear. It was cool looking at the Black tire marks on the wall, which was about 6 inches from my face! I think it would have been better to be at the wheel. There is a couple of schools available at the track that you can take so you can experience the feel of driving a NASCAR style car at these speeds! Maybe next time!

Above are some pictures from the tour. Next time I'll report on the Dove hunt!

Always,

Spike