Mon, 08/13/2018 - 9:20am

There's something special about dining out on an Outer Banks vacation. You've waited all year, or even longer, for time away from your job, your daily grinds, and all the little stressors of life... and you're finally in a little sliver of paradise and able to enjoy a delicious meal cooked exactly how you want it, and no dishes to clean up after!

I want to tell you about our most recent dinner out on the OBX, at a wonderful restaurant famous for sunset dining... Pamlico Jack's. Pamlico Jack's is where many people may have known Penguin Isle to be. The restaurant is situated nearby the Outer Banks Event Sight and conveniently across the road from The First Colony Inn. It's a very large restaurant, perfect for bigger groups or just actually getting seated in a reasonable time during the busy dinner rush in the summer months.

When a group of friends visited my wife and me last month we wanted to share a great meal out together and also wanted to treat them with a fantastic view. Pamlico Jack's was a clear choice for us based on our prior experiences and their reputation in the community. Here's a little bit more about our trip.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a beautiful setting sun overlooking the Roanoke Sound. The placement of the restaurant is really fantastic in that you're going to get a preview of the sunset to come during your meal. The hostess was very friendly and offered us indoor or outdoor seating. Because of the frequent live entertainment, we opted to sit outdoors! Our table was situated at the far corner of the patio and offered a wonderful view of the water, the surrounding marsh, and within earshot of the acoustic musicians. We started things off with some fresh cocktails and began perusing the menu for our special meals.

After placing our orders, we were brought a magnificent assortment of dinner bread to start. The basket was enjoyed by everyone and had a mix of hushpuppies, cornbread, traditional dinner rolls, and more! This was a welcome appetizer and held us over until our main courses arrived.

Since I listen to the fishing reports on the radio nearly every morning on the commute to Village Realty, I've been making a point to try all the different species of fish harvested off the Outer Banks. Tilefish has long evaded me and that evening Pamlico jack's had it as a special preparation... with artichoke hearts, grilled shrimp, alongside steamed vegetables and rice pilaf. Needless to say, it was delicious. It was a buttery, flaky whitefish as I had expected... but with a fantastic absorption of the blackening spice I requested!

The evening was perfect. The live music was fantastic, the views unbeatable, and the food exactly how we expected. Dessert topped everything off, I think we each had something remarkable and mine was the only one that lasted long enough to get a picture.

Everyone had a wonderful night out that evening at Pamlico Jack's. My friends get to the beach about twice a year and I can safely say they'd recommend returning to eat here. The combination of the views and broad menu offerings makes Pamlico Jack's a sure bet for a meal out on your Outer Banks vacation!