The
Olde Salty restaurant on the boardwalk of Carolina Beach has been around for 19
years. In that time, they have
definitely learned how to make great fried seafood. Its fun, colorful atmosphere and the fact that it is only
steps from the beach, make it a great place for lunch. Inside, the bar dominates the space as
it expands almost the length of the restaurant, but there are still plenty of
tables for hungry patrons. We got
there upon opening at 11:30. While
that may be a little later than other places, remember, this is beach
time. 
Megan
ordered the Soft-Shell Crab sandwich with fries and slaw on the side. The crab wasbattered and fried to a
perfectly dark brown, with just hints of the red, soft-shell peeking
through. It came out piping hot
and on a very fresh, plain Kaiser role.
The sandwich was great. The
fried batter was crispy, yet light and was perfectly seasoned. Every bite of the crab was
amazing. The fact that they have
soft-shell crab on their menu year-round is great, even though I thought
soft-shell crabs were only around part of the year. The fries were hot and fresh with a perfect pinch of salt
added. The slaw is definitely
intended to top on the sandwich, but Megan opted not to. It was just creamy enough to hold the
slaw texture while adding bits of pickle.
It is not a stand alone side, but it is a perfect accompaniment to the
fried sandwich. 
I
ordered the Fried Shrimp sandwich with a side of fries. If I had to sum this up on one word, it
would be Fabulous! Last year, I
was highly disappointed in a “shrimp burger” from El’s Diner in Morehead city,
so I was hesitant. I am so glad I
ordered it. The medium sized
shrimp were fried in a light batter that left them thinly coated with batter,
but yet perfectly crunchy. The
shrimp were very hot and filled up the sandwich roll and about half of the
remaining space on the plate. I
love generous amounts of food. I
took the waitress/owner’s suggestion and got their homemade tartar sauce on the
bottom half of the bun and their slaw on the top half. The taste combination of perfectly
seasoned and cooked shrimp with slaw and tartar was virtually orgasmic. I gobbled my sandwich with glee. The fries were a nice accompaniment,
but if I could suggest a slight change to the owner, advertise them as “beach
fries” or “crab fries” and season them with some Old Bay spices. I think it could be a big draw. 
In
order to successfully write about Olde Salty, I must bring up their most
newsworthy accessory. They have a
sign near the front door that says, “Screaming Children will NOT be
Tolerated.” This sign has set off
a huge debate among parents and has gotten Olde Salty mentioned in news sources
both locally and nationally (MSNBC, youtube, etc.). Some people claim that it is anti-child, but that’s not what
it says at all. My take is that
they realize that other diners don’t like unruly children running around and
screaming. Now most good parents
will voluntarily take their child out of any situation where their child is a
huge distraction, but some parents today apparently don’t care, hence the
sign. I applaud them for doing
finally saying what many people have been thinking quietly to themselves. Yes, all children are welcome at Olde
Salty, but parent need to be in control of them, as they should be in any
situation. Heck, I would ask the
owner to take the sign to a new level and mention that “screaming or unruly
children OR adults will not be tolerated.” While some parents are very touchy on this issue (and
probably are the ones who need their child removed), most adults are level
headed enough that they do not want the experience of other diners ruined by an
unruly person.
Olde
Salty is quickly becoming a Carolina Beach classic. With their great quality, fresh food, and fun atmosphere, it
is the place to take a break from the hot sun and fill up your belly. I’ll definitely be back and trust me,
for a simple, quality lunch at the beach, this is the place to go (unless you
can’t control your kids).
Category
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Scale 1-5 stars
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Food Quality
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Food Creativity
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Service
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Atmosphere
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Value for the Price
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