{"id":10564,"date":"2018-07-27T17:02:31","date_gmt":"2018-07-27T21:02:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/currents\/?p=10564"},"modified":"2024-05-21T15:54:08","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T19:54:08","slug":"seafood-stars-in-the-triangle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/seafood-stars-in-the-triangle\/","title":{"rendered":"Seafood Stars in the Triangle"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
Greg Cox knows his way around food. The News & Observer<\/em>\u2019s food critic since 1995, he has eaten his way around the Triangle, tasting a multitude of cuisine over the years.<\/p>\n Recently<\/a>, he ranked the Triangle\u2019s top restaurants of 2018 so far. His story highlighted a trend that we at Sea Grant have been noticing for a while.<\/p>\n Seafood is shining brightly in the Triangle. Of his top-six restaurant picks \u2014 those with a four-star rating or higher \u2014 three focus on North Carolina seafood.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact that half of these places specialize in fresh seafood \u2014 a category that has long been underrepresented in these parts \u2014 is icing on the cake,\u201d Cox wrote in the N&O<\/em>.<\/p>\n Saint James and Saltbox Seafood Joint, both in Durham, and Postal Fish Company in Pittsboro received praise for their excellence in seafood. Cox also lauded a fourth restaurant, Postmaster in Cary, known for Southern cuisine, for its use of \u201cmarket catch\u201d fish.<\/p>\n Cox speaks excitedly about this new culinary wave. \u201cI\u2019m a huge seafood fan,\u201d he says. \u201cIf I could only eat one animal protein for the rest of my life, it would be that.\u201d<\/p>\n Lucky for him, North Carolina seafood has been on the rise in recent years. And it\u2019s not just Sea Grant noticing. \u201cThere absolutely has been an increase in seafood,\u201d Cox confirms. Not only are more restaurants serving local fare, but the quality of that seafood also has improved, he says.<\/p>\n Seafood\u2019s increasing popularity may simply reflect the growing restaurant diversity in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area. Cox speculates that healthy and \u201clocal eating\u201d trends play a role, as seen in the growth of farmer\u2019s markets in the area. He also cites a more educated and demanding customer base that is interested in quality and freshness.<\/p>\n Barry Nash, Sea Grant\u2019s seafood technology and marketing specialist, has worked with local catch groups to conduct market research, along the coast as well as inland.<\/p>\n \u201cOur research shows the demand for local products is strong, and has grown stronger over the years,\u201d Nash says.<\/p>\n Health benefits of seafood are key, but so too are the clear ties to fishing families. \u201cPeople value the heritage of coastal communities,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n While the restaurants on Cox\u2019s list may get their seafood from various sources, each values local vendors.<\/p>\n In a prior review of Postal Fish Company, Cox discovered that the chef-owners drive to the coast to buy their seafood directly off the boats. Others rely on seafood distributors for quality products. In his recent story, Cox gave a shout to Postmaster for procuring its fresh seafood from Locals Seafood, a duo that brings N.C. seafood to the Piedmont.<\/p>\n Aside from supplying to restaurants, Locals Seafood is also an established vendor at farmers markets in the area. When he stops by the State Farmers Market in Raleigh, Cox witnesses the company\u2019s popularity. \u201cThey always have huge lines,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n For those hankering for a seafood dinner out, Cox recommends doing research ahead of time. Many restaurants detail menu options and seafood sources. Or, before ordering, ask the server about the fresh catch, including where it came from and how it\u2019s prepared.<\/p>\n But will the N.C. seafood boom last?<\/p>\n Cox is optimistic. \u201cIt might be wishful thinking, but I hope the trend will continue.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In his mid-year review of Triangle restaurants, seafood takes top marks. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":63,"featured_media":10588,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[761],"tags":[],"_ncst_magazine_issue":[],"class_list":["post-10564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-currents"],"displayCategory":null,"acf":{"ncst_posts_meta_modified_date":null},"yoast_head":"\n