$ • 2383 N.C. Hwy. 58, near Cape Carteret • (252)393-8838
Since 1971, T&W has had customers coming from near and far for steamed oysters served in rustic surroundings — even a roaring fire when the weather is right. Try the combination of two or more seafood items, steak, chicken or a burger. Guests will also find sandwiches made with fried shrimp, oysters, scallops or fish. T&W serves beer and wine and has an ABC license for brown-bagging. Don’t let the line fool you — the restaurant can accommodate close to 250 people, and the bar can handle anyone who stops by to feast on steamed oysters. Banquet facilities are available on site.
I had a few firsts tonight.
- I ate oysters that were shucked for me (no self-shucking, thankyouverymuch).
- I ate the best scallops of my life.
- I choked on a Rooster.
- I left an unfinished bottle of Smirnoff Ice on the counter.
Let me explain.
T&W’s was supporting Relay for Life by donating 10% of the night’s take. Jane and Dick wanted to go…so we went (and I’ve been wanting to try this place since it was recommended to me right after we moved here). Oysters aren’t my favorite seafood, but they’re not bad, so I was game. The cool thing? I discovered that they’re much better when someone else does the shucking! And I learned the proper way to eat them is on a cracker. Who knew?
We also ordered scallops and spicy shrimp. And the scallops were just TO DIE FOR! I haven’t eaten scallops many times in my life, but these easily topped the scale. So much so that we quickly ate the first side order and ordered another (which, unfortunately, we had to stuff down because we got so full—but we refused to let them go to waste).
So we’re drinking and eating and drinking and eating and the talk turns to a Rooster. What’s a Rooster, you ask? It’s their “specialty”—it sounded fairly hideous but with all the joking (including joking with our shucker), it was determined that I would do one. I tried to say no, but they weren’t having it. So, he starts building this in front of me: a saltine cracker topped with horseradish (then more horseradish—probably 2 TBS), topped with an oyster, sprinkled with pepper, sprinkled with two types of hot sauce, cocktail sauce, jalapeno juice, then a jalapeno slice. 88| I AM NOT KIDDING YOU. (There may have even been another few layers of hot sauce but I lost track.) It was literally 2″ tall so this wasn’t going to be a quick throw down. It looked pretty bad, but Dick said it wasn’t THAT bad (he’d had one the last time he was there). So, I went for it. OH. MY. GOD. You know when you watch TV shows and contestants have to choke something down and it looks like they’re going to upchuck right in the middle of eating it? Well, friends, that was me. IT WAS FREAKING DISGUSTING. I was sweating, my mouth was burning, my nose was running—and in the middle of all this action, I actually had to physically stop myself from throwing it up right at the bar. Jane and Dick were laughing and pointing and telling me I was turning red. Oh, what fun! LOL. I managed to choke most of it down, but spit out a huge chunk. Wow, horrible. (I honestly think it wouldn’t have been that bad without all the horseradish.)
So…then our second order of scallops came out and I wasn’t really that hungry anymore and it was all I could do to not vomit just thinking about that stupid Rooster (two hours later and I’m still a little squeamish about it). So it was about this time that our shucker guy came back, saw that I did the Rooster, and brought me another drink. I had said “no more!” but he brought it and opened it anyway. I was so full and so nauseous that I could only take about 4 sips of the drink and I left the rest there. (An unfinished bottle—alcohol abuse!)
But, all in all it was a fun time. I will definitely go back for the scallops (I think I’m off oysters for awhile).