North Banks Restaurant & Raw Bar

North Banks Restaurant & Raw Bar Restaurant Review:

It’s hard for a seafood restaurant to stand out from the crowd in a coastal town, but North Banks' menu distinguishes itself with dishes like bird's nests and crab “grenades.” For lunch, try the grilled shrimp BLT wrap, a pimento burger or the jambalaya. Fire Bugs, a house specialty, would be crawdad tails and pickled jalapeño rings --- dusted, fried and served with a special Louisiana dipping sauce. These are available at lunch or dinner as are fried seafood platters. At dinner, start the meal with those lump crab “grenades,” a half rack of baby-back ribs or Oysters Vince --- freshly shucked oysters broiled with an apple wood-smoked bacon with chopped pistachio and Champagne beurre blanc. Entrées range from stuffed pork chops to crab cakes, and a mushroom napoleon to a mixed grill of filet, shrimp, tuna or salmon. You may find a second trip to North Banks is necessary to indulge in the offerings of the raw and steamed menu --- clams, oysters, mussels, shrimp, snow crab legs and lobster.