Amelia-Rate Your Mornings
Ameliorate: To make better, or more tolerable, satisfactory, prosperous, etc.; improve
There is no shortage of great places to eat (or to enjoy great beer) in my newly adopted hometown of Ocean Isle Beach, NC. While I usually defer to the recommendations of the “old-timers” who have been here for some time, many may not have had the chance to sample the wares of a new place next to the Publix. It’s called Amelia’s Backstreet Grille, and if our first visit was any indication, it won’t be our last.
Having recovered from a most “memorable” Thanksgiving Day dinner, my house guests, the missus and I ventured out for breakfast. Two of our “go-to” places were closed due to the holiday, and recalling that Amelia’s just opened, we took a shot. And we were mighty glad we did. And speaking of shots, Amelia’s also has a fully- stocked bar to slake pretty much any thirst, from wine, to cocktails, to spirits and even beer. That last is interesting, too, because Amelia’s is adjacent to the very popular Tap Time, written about on this site previously. And because Tap Time’s setup prohibits the serving of food, the proximity of Amelia’s makes for quick delivery. Further, the two business owners are rarely, if ever, in competition when it comes to beer, and Manager Nicole just “thinks the world” of Christa and Keith next door.
Construction issues and permits forced a delay in the opening of Amelia’s which was slated for September but only recently opened for business. The space is airy, welcoming and comfortable, and everyone on the staff is friendly and smiling.
As much as I love beer, I usually prefer coffee at 10 AM (unless I’m in Belgium), so breakfast was on our minds and Amelia’s breakfast menu is mighty impressive, complete with breakfast sandwiches, a batch of three-egg omelettes, Eggs Benedict in a variety of ways and the creamiest, most delicious bleu cheese grits you might ever eat.
So it was Classic Eggs Benedict for two of us and omelettes—Amelia’s Favorite and Mediterranean— for the other two. Both dishes were ample and wowed those who had them. Our guests opted for Mimosas (below), which they described as very good and delightfully “heavy on the prosecco.”
The Benedicts were outstanding, and according the gals, so were the omelettes. But there is one caveat if you order an omelette. Make sure you bring your big appetite with you to Amelia’s table.
And I was “this close” to ordering an extra English muffin to sop up the Hollandaise Sauce and egg yolks from my Benedict. But using the bleu cheese grits as a "sopper" worked very well, too. Our server Mandy (below) was as fine an example of smiling Southern Hospitality as you’ll find, which added to our enjoyment of the experience. I don’t know what it is with some of these Southern gals, but many, like Mandy (with a 16-year-old daughter), look to be under 25 years old. Might be the grits?
The PubScout’s next visit will be during either lunch or dinner (when Tap Time is open) so I can enjoy some good beers with Amelia’s non-breakfast food. I might even try to pair up those bleu-cheese grits with something on Tap Time’s beer menu.
Searching for good food and beer that complements it (or vice-versa) is my mission. And to have two quality places in close proximity to each other makes my mission easier. Cheers! The PubScout—immersed in the craft beer scene since 1996
As always, feel free to share!
