>> Deborah: THE OWNER OF SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL DINING SPOTS ON THE
CRYSTAL COAST HAS REOPENED CARTERET COUNTY'S OLDEST
RESTAURANT, LOCATED ON THE MOREHEAD CITY WATERFRONT.
RENOVATIONS, HIRING AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE STILL VERY
MUCH IN PROGRESS, BUT BOB GARNER TELLS US IN TONIGHT'S "HOUSE
SPECIAL" THAT SOUTHERN SALT IS GETTING UNDERWAY WITH BIG PLANS
AND A BIG PROMISE.
>> SAMMY BOYD LOVES TO TELL CUSTOMERS ABOUT HIS PLANS FOR
THE ORIGINAL CAPTAIN BILL'S, WHICH DATED BACK TO 1938.
HE'S UNAPOLOGETIC ABOUT OPENING SOUTHERN SALT AS A WORK IN
PROGRESS, BECAUSE HIS VISION FOR THE PLACE IS SO CLEAR.
>> SHOULD BE COMING ABOUT 15 FOOT FROM THIS CORNER.
WE'VE GOT ANOTHER 30 FEET ON THIS SIDE HERE.
I'M GOING DOWN 30 FEET.
I'M GOING TO HAVE 40 FEET.
I'M GOING TO BE TAKING THE WHITE VINYL SIDING OFF THE WHOLE
BUILDING AND STRIPPING IT ALL OUT, AND I'M GOING TO PUT THESE
CEDAR SHAKES ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
>> OOH, YEAH.
>> I THINK IT'S A GOOD COASTAL LOOK.
I'M GONNA PETITION THE TOWN TO TIE INTO THE BIG ROCK LANDING.
AND OVER IN THAT AREA IS WHERE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO COME AND BUY
YOUR FRESH CATCH AT, OVER IN THIS AREA RIGHT HERE.
BUT THE -- WHEN THEY BUILT THE BIG ROCK LANDING, THAT WAS WHAT
THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, WAS A FRESH MARKET FOR THE COMMERCIAL
FISHERMEN TO COME AND SELL THEIR LOCAL CATCH.
BUT NOW IT'S KIND OF DEVIATED FROM IT.
>> HERE'S THE MAIN THING --
BOYD PLANS TO SELL ONLY FRESH, LOCAL NORTH CAROLINA SEAFOOD
INSTEAD OF IMPORTED PRODUCT, WHICH INCREDIBLY ACCOUNTS FOR
OVER 90% OF THE SEAFOOD CONSUMED IN THE U.S.
THE LOCAL CATCH WILL COST ABOUT TWICE AS MUCH, BUT --
>> THE MONEY STAYS HERE IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, STAYS HERE IN
CARTERET COUNTY AND EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
IF YOU SEND A MILLION DOLLARS TO VIETNAM, THE MILLION DOLLARS
IS GONE.
THE CHANCE OF YOU GETTING YOUR HANDS BACK ON ANY OF IT IS
SLIM TO NONE.
THESE SHRIMP HERE WERE CAUGHT IN NEWPORT RIVER LAST NIGHT.
>> OOH, YEAH.
>> THEY'RE REALLY NICE, GOOD, FRESH SHRIMP.
I'M GOING TO SIT HERE AND HEAD THEM, AND THIS IS WHAT Y'ALL ARE
GONNA BE EATING HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
>> FRESH, LOCAL SHRIMP ARE SO EXPENSIVE BECAUSE OF THE LABOR
COST OF HEADING AND DE-VEINING AND PEELING THAT A LOT OF
RESTAURATEURS REALLY CAN'T AFFORD TO SERVE THEM ANYMORE.
BUT I TELL YOU WHAT --
WE REALLY HAVE SOME FRESH ONES HERE.
MMM!
MOST OF THE SOFT-SHELL CRABS HAVE THEIR NATURAL SEASON IN
SORT OF THE EARLY SPRING THROUGH ABOUT MAY.
BUT THE THING IS, PEOPLE PUT THEM IN SPECIAL TANKS WHERE THEY
SEGREGATE THEM, AND THEY CONTINUE TO LOSE THEIR SHELL.
SO YOU CAN GET FRESH SOFT-SHELL CRABS, LOCAL SOFT-SHELL CRABS,
ALL SUMMER LONG.
AND THERE'S JUST NOTHING MUCH BETTER THAN THAT.
NOW, AGAIN, TO REMIND YOU, IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW, THIS IS NOT
SOME SPECIAL SPECIES OF CRAB.
IT'S A REGULAR BLUE CRAB THAT LOSES ITS SHELL.
AND IF YOU SET THE ONES THAT ARE GETTING READY TO LOSE THEIR
SHELL ASIDE, THEN THEY'LL STAY SOFT.
AND YOU'LL STAY HAPPY.
FRESH TUNA CAUGHT RIGHT OFF OF HATTERAS AND COOKED SORT
OF MEDIUM RARE.
NEED THAT PINK IN THERE FOR SURE.
MMM!
AND AREN'T WE ALL GLAD THAT IT'S SO POPULAR AND SO ACCEPTABLE TO
EAT THAT COOKED THE RIGHT WAY.
BOYD IS DOING MUCH OF THE RENOVATION WORK HIMSELF.
HE DOESN'T HAVE HIS WHOLE KITCHEN AND SERVICE
TEAM ASSEMBLED.
AND SOME PLANS STILL DEPEND ON CITY APPROVAL AND PERMITTING.
HIS CUSTOMERS, THOUGH, APPEAR T■ BE WILLING TO GO WITH THE FLOW,
INCLUDING SUPPORTING LIVE MUSIC ON THE DOCK FRIDAY THROUGH
SUNDAY EVENINGS BEGINNING AT 10:00 P.M.
♪
IT'S ALL AN ADVENTURE LOCALS AND TOURISTS ALIKE SEEM HAPPY TO
SHARE WITH THIS LOCAL BOY WHO'S CLEARLY SUCH A HARD WORKER.
FOR "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND," I'M BOB GARNER.
FOR THE TIME BEING, IT'S PROBABLY BEST TO CALL AHEAD FOR
EXACT HOURS AND OTHER INFORMATION.
THE RESTAURANT IS OPEN FOR DINNER SERVICE NIGHTLY AND MAYBE
SOME OTHER TIMES.
AS BOB SAYS, IT'S STILL AN ADVENTURE IN THE MAKING.