Wilmington & Wrightsville Beach

We stopped in Dock Street Oyster Bar on a Friday afternoon in February, on the tail end of the lunch rush. Service was a little slow because of this, but our table was cute and the ambiance enjoyable enough while we waited.

This little beach-shack style restaurant is located in the heart of old Wilmington, NC. It is tucked in next to the Reel Cafe at 12 Dock St., between Front Street and Water Street (which runs along the river).

Their prices were reasonable, with our total bill coming to $25 or $30 for a 2 person lunch that included crab and shrimp spring rolls (excellent), salad (mediocre), fettuccini alfredo (good but not great), and crabcakes (excellent).

I would definitely go back and would recommend them if you are looking for a fun, casual place to eat that is reasonably priced for the location. There seems to be a lot of local clientele (including the local mounted police, who left their horses tied up outside).

For more information, visit their website at: http://www.dockstreetoysterbar.com or you can call (910)762-2827.

The short review: The food was excellent at this authentic Thai restaurant. All three of us were impressed, and will definitely be back.

The interior of the restaurant was a fusion of old downtown Wilmington architecture, and clean simple Thai style. There is a romantic balcony seating area, on the second floor, with small tables.

There are many little details that are charming, and add in a practical way to your dining experience, such as candles in the bathroom.

The prices are reasonable, with entrees generally ranging from $10 to $15 per plate. Of course, it is most enjoyable to order several different dishes to share.

Like many Asian restaurants, they are not open from lunch through dinner. In fact, I did not even look if they are open for lunch, thought they probably were. We arrived at 4:50pm, and were welcomed in with the explanation that they officially open at 5:00pm but were welcome to come in.