On the hunt for a meal that feels straight out of an old inn? Look no further.

    Tucked away on a side street straight from a Nicholas Sparks book lies a few historical homes. They have white fences that oscillate and scents that waft out the front doors, welcoming you in for a certain good time.

    For a while, there was only one house on Queen St. that offered that kind of invite- Beaufort Grocery- a staple for fine dining and great lunch sandwiches as well. It had a neighboring cafe previously, but it had been closed for sometime, that is until I arrived with my family in tow.

    Blue Moon Bistro sits right next to Beaufort Grocery and offers a slightly cozier, warmer, and a more dressed up vibe. While not extremely busy, we did stroll in on a Wednesday evening during the off-season- so the fact that around half the restaurant was full was a good one to see.

     Our waitress was friendly and kind as ever- these are the types of people you only really meet on the coast, with their incredible manners and abundance of joy. I’d probably behave the same way living in a town like this. Anyways, enough Beaufort, our waitress was quick and got things going for us, all while serving us the biggest smile. It’s the little things like that, they really do standout.

     I started out with a French Martini for a few reasons, 1) I am writing a piece on martinis (expect that soon,) and 2) It seemed like a good entry level martini because despite the vermouth and gin, there was also vanilla liqueur. It was just sweet enough, but still had a good amount of strength- it made me feel like if Carrie Underwood were singing “Before He Cheats” I wouldn’t be one of the girls she referenced when discussing not being able to shoot real alcohol. (Cannot verify that, as I really do love a fruity drink, but I don’t hate whiskey. I’ll let Miss Underwood make the final call.)

    After ordering drinks we placed an order for two appetizers; crab cakes and balsamic glazed brussel sprouts. In my eyes, these were both real stars. The crab cake was majority crab, which frankly can be difficult to find as some recipes will fill the cake with veggies and breadcrumbs instead of the real gem itself- the fresh caught crab. The brussels were never going to be bad- I mean seriously you can’t mess up balsamic brussel sprouts- but the addition of a garlic aioli and some roasted bits of bacon really stepped up their sprout game. Our table found itself fighting over which one would get that final scoop of deliciousness. 

     Thankfully, before an all out war began, our mains came out. There was a special grouper done in their fish of the day style, but we all stuck to the menu. Now I am about to shock you all. I didn’t order the seafood linguini, nor did I order the moules frites. No, no, I found myself sitting with a citrusy Duck au Jus on a bed of mushroom risotto. Who was this person who stole my seat and didn’t order seafood? Perplexing, I know, but duck really isn’t something I find on menus all that often and the thought of tucking into a comfort-food like dish was too good to resist. 

    Let’s just say I made a phenomenal call. The skin was so crisp and perfect, the risotto was cooked to that perfect point where it hadn’t gone too long and lost its moisture but it also held together and maintained its integrity as a grain. Oh and the mushrooms were stellar. But back to that duck! Roasted in its own fat and a lil bit of a citrusy juice, I found myself with honest to goodness the best piece of poultry I have eaten in a while. Not a dry spot to be found. Every. Last. Bite. Perfect.

     I was ready to tap out, and so we’re the buttons on my pants, but my mom insisted on ordering us beignets and who am I to turn that down? I also sipped on an espresso martini (this is a real shocker because if you know me, you know coffee is not at all my thing,) and loved every minute of it. I think it should be mandatory that if you’re ordering something with espresso, you need a warm and sweet accompaniment. I however, don’t make the rules, but if I did, there would be beignets for everyone. They were light and airy and lasted on the table for maybe three minutes.

    Overall takeaway? I hated it. Worst meal in all of Beaufort. JOKES, JOKES, you all seriously if you find yourself down for something in Beaufort that’s dressed up, that’s exceptionally well done, that will make you feel appreciated, and leave you still reminiscing on your incredible meal, Blue Moon Bistro is for you. 

    It will be a treat for me in the future for sure, and while I will always try and mix it up and try other spots to report back to you all, I might very well become a frequent flier here, and that is perfectly acceptable, especially when the place you’re frequenting has earned five stars in your eyes. Go on, give it a try, you won’t regret it one bit.