Clearly I visited this restaurant before North Carolina got shut down for the Corona Virus, so I’m going off memory. Luckily for me it was one of the most memorable dining experiences I’ve had in a good long while.
The restaurant resides in downtown Wilmington, which is quaint and beautiful. We loved the interior, and I got pictures of our cozy booth and the “vault” from where the building once was a bank. The service we received was second to none, and the dishes came out perfectly timed. These folks get it right.
The food is where this place owns me. I was dining with 3 friends and we all shared each other’s food…everything we put in our mouth was just incredible. Seriously not a bad dish in the whole lot.
The Charred Brussels Sprouts were smoky and tender with crispy edges. The chili oil gave them a little bite while the lime crema cooled it down. Very balanced dish with bright flavors.
The scallops were seared perfectly with a crispy exterior and tender insides. Loved the pairing with pomegranate and cauliflower! Perfect for sharing, too.
The Prosciutto-Wrapped Dates were oddly delicious. The sweet date, paired with that salty prosciutto. Just wow. Stuffed with marcona almonds and Gorgonzola cheese made for a bite that hit every taste bud!
The Grilled Filet Mignon was like butter. It was served with roasted winter vegetables, a potato puree and a mushroom sherry sauce. It was pure decadence! This was one of our favorite dishes of the night.
The other favorite was my pick: Black Truffle Pappardelle. I’m nuts about mushrooms and these paired with truffles, handmade pasta and Parmesan cheese had all of us raving. The pasta was perfection, as only homemade pasta can be. The sauce was drinkable. I still think about that dish.
The Crispy-Skin Organic Salmon was different than any salmon I’ve had before. It really did not taste strong or fishy at all. Cooked perfect, it was tender and buttery. It was perfect with a little bite from the horseradish.
The Pork & Shrimp Spring Rolls were also a favorite of the table. Fried lightly and filled with tender pork and sweet shrimp complemented perfectly by the cool lime cilantro slaw. It was served with a Thai peanut sauce for dipping.
The crab dip was the best I’ve ever had. Chock full of sweet tender crab meat with artichokes and spinach. The cheddar gave it a bite to cut through the richness of the cream cheese base. Those crispy bread dippers were perfect in and of themselves.
When I return to Wilmington, this is the first place I’ll grab a reservation!
barenakedchefsaidso.com 
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