Sea Level

Sea Level Restaurant Review:

With its farmhouse chic feel, Sea Level serves up the tastes of the Southern coast with a focus on sustainable products and local supply lines. Owner Paul Manley spent two years networking on the North Carolina coast with aquaculture specialists to partner with oyster and clam farmers so the core of the restaurant’s seafood offerings are harvested from area aquatic farms, meaning only non-threatened species. Raw bar options change daily and include such choices as Chadwick Creek oysters from Bayboro, NC. Start off with a smattering of small bites from the “fun food” menu, such as mussels or a fish taco with crème fraîche, greens and pico de gallo, or for the non-seafood lover, a pork belly steamed bun. For an inventive selection, go for the seafood sausage, a mix of mahi mahi and shrimp served brat-style with a choice of a side. We like the corn fritters or slaw. “Land lover” dishes include a Sunny Side Burger with fried egg, spinach and fried mushrooms. The wine list seems fairly tame, and offers about 20 reds and whites, a mix of old- and new-world labels.