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Dining a la Onslow
The White Oak River Bistro
by Sandy Craft
Dear readers,
I hope you will forgive me for abandoning the original title of this column (à la Carteret ) because this
week we are venturing into Onslow. Yes, my Companions-in-Eating (CiE) and I bravely crossed
another bridge, ending up at the charming White Oak River Bistro in Swansboro.
Situated on the White Oak River, the restaurant occupies an attractive building with spectacular views
of the river. To round out this idyllic setting, owner and master-of-all-tasks Gene Heath offers a
wonderful lunch and dinner featuring what he refers to as European cuisine. (With a very strong
Italian slant, I would add.)
The warm wood interior and little white lights create an inviting ambiance that exactly matched our
welcome by manager Cathy Perrini and owner, cook, event planner, pastry chef, dish washer, what-
ever-needs-doing person, Gene Heath. Gene retired from corporate life in Philadelphia to our area
19 years ago. He first bought the Flying Bridge restaurant. Then in 1997, he purchased the White
Oak River Bistro, yet another example that falls into the “And this is retirement?” category.
On our ride to Swansboro, my CiE said she remembered having a stuffed bread appetizer that was
really good. Stuffed bread? I don’t know but that makes me feel, well, stuffed, and I haven’t even
gotten started yet! So when Gene said we’d start out with one of their stuffed breads, I wasn’t too
sure.
I’ve given it some thought, but I haven’t been able to come up with a name that really describes this
wonderful creation made from homemade Focaccia dough. Ours was filled with chopped fresh
tomatoes, prosciutto, basil and mozzarella, and baked until the bread was crispy, the cheese was
melted and there was a wonderful fragrance of fresh rosemary. You could also order a cheese or
veggie stuffed bread. And I’m thinking about going back for one of each. Seriously. I am totally
hooked on stuffed bread.
Our appetizer was definitely a hard act to follow. But Gene did not disappoint with either the Pollo
Scarpariello or the seared tuna topped with puttanesca sauce and basil pesto. The tuna was a
refreshing and delicious change from the usual sesame seed preparation. The sautéed boneless
chicken breast was served with a light sauce of white wine, capers, garlic and rosemary. Both were
accompanied by bright, crisp, steamed veggies and pasta. A choice light fresh marinara or a creamy
rich Alfredo sauce may be ordered for the pasta.
At dinner, you could stick with more traditional pasta entrees, but you might want to consider the veal,
seafood or one of the chicken entrees. I also think the hand-tossed pizzas sound great for lunch or
dinner. During the season, there are several appetizer and entrée specials daily. The $7.95 early-
bird special changes daily and can be ordered from lunch until 5 p.m.
Of course, I would feel like I was not being conscientious if I did not try at least one of Gene’s
homemade desserts. Well, make that two. My CiEs remained quite civilized, but did polish off every
rich, yummy crumb of the Napoleon as well as the tiramisu torte. Both were ever so slightly decadent;
isn’t that the way dessert is supposed to be? In addition to these, the White Oak River Bistro makes
its own Éclair and Cannoli. I didn’t try those. Am I shirking my responsibility?
For lunch the Bistro pannini sandwich made with the homemade Focaccia, or one of the specialty
pizzas (maybe the fresh veggie or the seafood), or a salad with one of the homemade soups sound
terrific. And, of course, there’s the stuffed bread.
Although Gene handles quite a lot of off-site catering, the restaurant itself is a favorite spot for
weddings, receptions and other private parties. Not only can tents be set up outside, but the veranda
and the interior combine to accommodate a wide variety of events, seated or otherwise. Bride and
groom can even arrive by boat! Cool!
There you have it. In our effort to explore the many options on our very large “restaurant menu,” we
discovered a great place to go either as a sole destination, or as part of a fun trip to poke around
picturesque Swansboro. And when you go from Morehead, do me a favor and give me a call. I’d like
an order of stuffed bread to go.
Sandy Craft owned and operated a catering company in Atlanta for 17 years. She is one of the few
people who actually still cooks, but she finds following a recipe goes against her nature. When
traveling she likes to visit local grocery stores and farm stands, and she thoroughly enjoys good food.
The White Oak River Bistro
by Sandy Craft
Dear readers,
I hope you will forgive me for abandoning the original title of this column (à la Carteret ) because this
week we are venturing into Onslow. Yes, my Companions-in-Eating (CiE) and I bravely crossed
another bridge, ending up at the charming White Oak River Bistro in Swansboro.
Situated on the White Oak River, the restaurant occupies an attractive building with spectacular views
of the river. To round out this idyllic setting, owner and master-of-all-tasks Gene Heath offers a
wonderful lunch and dinner featuring what he refers to as European cuisine. (With a very strong
Italian slant, I would add.)
The warm wood interior and little white lights create an inviting ambiance that exactly matched our
welcome by manager Cathy Perrini and owner, cook, event planner, pastry chef, dish washer, what-
ever-needs-doing person, Gene Heath. Gene retired from corporate life in Philadelphia to our area
19 years ago. He first bought the Flying Bridge restaurant. Then in 1997, he purchased the White
Oak River Bistro, yet another example that falls into the “And this is retirement?” category.
On our ride to Swansboro, my CiE said she remembered having a stuffed bread appetizer that was
really good. Stuffed bread? I don’t know but that makes me feel, well, stuffed, and I haven’t even
gotten started yet! So when Gene said we’d start out with one of their stuffed breads, I wasn’t too
sure.
I’ve given it some thought, but I haven’t been able to come up with a name that really describes this
wonderful creation made from homemade Focaccia dough. Ours was filled with chopped fresh
tomatoes, prosciutto, basil and mozzarella, and baked until the bread was crispy, the cheese was
melted and there was a wonderful fragrance of fresh rosemary. You could also order a cheese or
veggie stuffed bread. And I’m thinking about going back for one of each. Seriously. I am totally
hooked on stuffed bread.
Our appetizer was definitely a hard act to follow. But Gene did not disappoint with either the Pollo
Scarpariello or the seared tuna topped with puttanesca sauce and basil pesto. The tuna was a
refreshing and delicious change from the usual sesame seed preparation. The sautéed boneless
chicken breast was served with a light sauce of white wine, capers, garlic and rosemary. Both were
accompanied by bright, crisp, steamed veggies and pasta. A choice light fresh marinara or a creamy
rich Alfredo sauce may be ordered for the pasta.
At dinner, you could stick with more traditional pasta entrees, but you might want to consider the veal,
seafood or one of the chicken entrees. I also think the hand-tossed pizzas sound great for lunch or
dinner. During the season, there are several appetizer and entrée specials daily. The $7.95 early-
bird special changes daily and can be ordered from lunch until 5 p.m.
Of course, I would feel like I was not being conscientious if I did not try at least one of Gene’s
homemade desserts. Well, make that two. My CiEs remained quite civilized, but did polish off every
rich, yummy crumb of the Napoleon as well as the tiramisu torte. Both were ever so slightly decadent;
isn’t that the way dessert is supposed to be? In addition to these, the White Oak River Bistro makes
its own Éclair and Cannoli. I didn’t try those. Am I shirking my responsibility?
For lunch the Bistro pannini sandwich made with the homemade Focaccia, or one of the specialty
pizzas (maybe the fresh veggie or the seafood), or a salad with one of the homemade soups sound
terrific. And, of course, there’s the stuffed bread.
Although Gene handles quite a lot of off-site catering, the restaurant itself is a favorite spot for
weddings, receptions and other private parties. Not only can tents be set up outside, but the veranda
and the interior combine to accommodate a wide variety of events, seated or otherwise. Bride and
groom can even arrive by boat! Cool!
There you have it. In our effort to explore the many options on our very large “restaurant menu,” we
discovered a great place to go either as a sole destination, or as part of a fun trip to poke around
picturesque Swansboro. And when you go from Morehead, do me a favor and give me a call. I’d like
an order of stuffed bread to go.
Sandy Craft owned and operated a catering company in Atlanta for 17 years. She is one of the few
people who actually still cooks, but she finds following a recipe goes against her nature. When
traveling she likes to visit local grocery stores and farm stands, and she thoroughly enjoys good food.
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By Krystal Bennett
The White Oak River Bistro is located in a pretty white building overlooking the White Oak River in Swansboro, NC. I had been
dying to try it since we started moving to this area in April and my husband and I finally got the chance at the end of August.
When we got inside, my first impression of the place was that the decor was very nice. It was a pine-clad interior with a brick
fireplace in the corner. There were beams and columns in the center that were wrapped in faux ivy, white strand lights and gauze.
That feature made the decor. There were two seating options: inside and out on their deck overlooking the river.
The waitress took our drink order and gave us some bread. The bread was what appeared to be one normal slice of bread cut into
long strips and was served with a cup of olive oil (garnished with red pepper (I think), peppercorns and rosemary). The dipping
sauce was very good because the rosemary was so fragrant but my husband and I were both looking askance at each other over
the bread service (we were offered more later on during the service).
As we were reading over the menu and deciding what we wanted for our entrees, we were slightly surprised by the prices. This
restaurant is a little more pricey than I was expecting but it is in line with the type of restaurant that it is, in my opinion. This is a
nice, local eatery that would be great for a special, romantic night out.
I decided to get one of the specials, salmon wellington served with hollandaise, sautéed vegetables and my choice of pasta (bowtie
or linguine) with my choice of sauce (marinara, Alfredo, pesto, white wine or pesce). I chose bowtie pasta with Alfredo sauce and
their Parmesan peppercorn for the salad that came with the meal.
The salad came very promptly. It was a small salad of romaine lettuce with two slices of a ripe roma tomato. The Parmesan
peppercorn salad dressing appeared to be homemade from the taste and texture and it was very good.
The entree came and was presented very nicely. The salmon wellington was a single serving portion all wrapped neatly in puff
pastry which was a nice golden brown. Inside the puff pastry was the salmon which was slightly overdone but still very flavorful
topped with a medley of cheeses that I don't quite remember (one of them, I'm fairly certain, was ricotta judging from the texture of
the dish). Overall the wellington was very nice. The lemon of the hollandaise clashed a bit with the cheese mixture but was very
good on the sautéed vegetables. The sautéed vegetables turned out to be zucchini and squash that were perfectly cooked (They
were still crunchy! Yum!) and finished with a basil-infused olive oil. That finishing touch really made the vegetables special. The
bowtie pasta was cooked nice and al dente and the Alfredo sauce was thick and rich. The entree overall was just the right amount
of food and it allowed us to try dessert.
For dessert, we had tiramisu. The espresso-soaked lady fingers and mascarpone filling were traditional and very tasty. In addition
to this, the chef had included a thin chocolate cake layer on the bottom and a chocolate ganache on top. The chocolate was not
overly sweet and was not enough to overpower the espresso flavor. Overall, the flavor of this dish was very balanced and was very
delicious.
I would recommend the White Oak River Bistro to anyone who comes into the area that is looking for a place to have a special
dinner. The restaurant is kind of pricey for everyday eating and the food can be somewhat fancy but it would definitely be a place
to keep in mind for special occasions.
The White Oak River Bistro is located in a pretty white building overlooking the White Oak River in Swansboro, NC. I had been
dying to try it since we started moving to this area in April and my husband and I finally got the chance at the end of August.
When we got inside, my first impression of the place was that the decor was very nice. It was a pine-clad interior with a brick
fireplace in the corner. There were beams and columns in the center that were wrapped in faux ivy, white strand lights and gauze.
That feature made the decor. There were two seating options: inside and out on their deck overlooking the river.
The waitress took our drink order and gave us some bread. The bread was what appeared to be one normal slice of bread cut into
long strips and was served with a cup of olive oil (garnished with red pepper (I think), peppercorns and rosemary). The dipping
sauce was very good because the rosemary was so fragrant but my husband and I were both looking askance at each other over
the bread service (we were offered more later on during the service).
As we were reading over the menu and deciding what we wanted for our entrees, we were slightly surprised by the prices. This
restaurant is a little more pricey than I was expecting but it is in line with the type of restaurant that it is, in my opinion. This is a
nice, local eatery that would be great for a special, romantic night out.
I decided to get one of the specials, salmon wellington served with hollandaise, sautéed vegetables and my choice of pasta (bowtie
or linguine) with my choice of sauce (marinara, Alfredo, pesto, white wine or pesce). I chose bowtie pasta with Alfredo sauce and
their Parmesan peppercorn for the salad that came with the meal.
The salad came very promptly. It was a small salad of romaine lettuce with two slices of a ripe roma tomato. The Parmesan
peppercorn salad dressing appeared to be homemade from the taste and texture and it was very good.
The entree came and was presented very nicely. The salmon wellington was a single serving portion all wrapped neatly in puff
pastry which was a nice golden brown. Inside the puff pastry was the salmon which was slightly overdone but still very flavorful
topped with a medley of cheeses that I don't quite remember (one of them, I'm fairly certain, was ricotta judging from the texture of
the dish). Overall the wellington was very nice. The lemon of the hollandaise clashed a bit with the cheese mixture but was very
good on the sautéed vegetables. The sautéed vegetables turned out to be zucchini and squash that were perfectly cooked (They
were still crunchy! Yum!) and finished with a basil-infused olive oil. That finishing touch really made the vegetables special. The
bowtie pasta was cooked nice and al dente and the Alfredo sauce was thick and rich. The entree overall was just the right amount
of food and it allowed us to try dessert.
For dessert, we had tiramisu. The espresso-soaked lady fingers and mascarpone filling were traditional and very tasty. In addition
to this, the chef had included a thin chocolate cake layer on the bottom and a chocolate ganache on top. The chocolate was not
overly sweet and was not enough to overpower the espresso flavor. Overall, the flavor of this dish was very balanced and was very
delicious.
I would recommend the White Oak River Bistro to anyone who comes into the area that is looking for a place to have a special
dinner. The restaurant is kind of pricey for everyday eating and the food can be somewhat fancy but it would definitely be a place
to keep in mind for special occasions.
