
1

"Hamilton fans will be singing when they enter the door of this new Outer Banks restaurant from chef Vivian Howard at the Sanderling Resort, named for Aaron Burr’s daughter. Set at the edge of Duck, it offers ambitious dining rooted in Southern history, where appetizers and raw bar items often upstage the mains: a playful riff on clam chowder features fried nuggets of softshell crab that add textural contrast to a velvety broth; shrimp two ways contrasts a classic shrimp cocktail with “Miss Vivian’s Shrimp Ball,” a velvety spread paired with Ritz crackers; for a larger plate, the blueberry-glazed duck comes accented with crisp mini hushpuppies. This is a place to order a cocktail—each rooted in a classic like clarified milk punch or a daiquiri but upgraded with fruit-infused local spirits and experimental touches such as nori tinctures and salted pecan orgeat; the painkiller-esque Pinhiller is a winner, and even dessert cocktails impress, particularly the cornbread flip with brown butter-washed bourbon, cornbread, coconut milk, and more. Time your reservation around sunset; in the tiny dining room, curtain-flanked floor-to-ceiling windows along the water make for a fantastic view from any seat." - Missy Frederick