#OBX2013: Part Two

I wanted to make this a separate post because it was perhaps one of my favorite portions of the whole trip.  Fun fact about me: I absolutely LOVE raw oysters.  As in, I could probably eat a few dozen if they weren't so damn expensive, or if someone else was paying for them.  During this trip, I was in luck, because exactly that happened.

My birthday was the day before we left, and while I was talking to my dad on the phone that day, he casually asked me where my favorite place to eat in the Outer Banks was.  It took about .04 seconds for me to answer with, "Awful Arthur's."

Awful Arthur's is the Outer Banks only authentic oyster bar, and it absolutely has the BEST oysters.  We were already planning on making the 45-minute drive to Kill Devil Hills one afternoon while we were down there, and when we got there, I was surprised by something that totally made my week: my dad had called the restaurant and paid for a $100 gift card for me to use that day! 

We basically raced up the stairs to the second floor raw and steam bar and were greeted by the super-friendly bartenders with a, "You're the birthday girl, right?!" 


I didn't take this, but I basically could have, from our seats at the bar.

We started off with a dozen raw oysters for me, and a dozen steamed clams for Beast.  With accompanying beverages, obvi.

Once we realized how far $100 could actually take us, we made the best decisions of our lives and ordered the "Crabmeat 'N Butter."  Yes, my friends, it's exactly what it sounds like.  A soup bowl, full of lump crab meat, in melted butter.  With more butter on the side, and some sort of super hybrid version of Old Bay and salt.  Ah-maz-ing.


We may or may not have drunk the butter.  (We did.)

We had more clams, and another cocktail each, and it was just heaven all around.  I think I'm actually salivating just writing about it.  AND!  Right before the check was handed to us, one of the bartenders threw another 7 or 8 oysters my way (not actually thrown, that would be gross), and sent us on our way with a, "Happy Birthday, again!"

The damage.  My father was so proud.

And with our leftover balance, we swung by the gift shop and grabbed a sweet Awful Arthur's license plate for the front of our Explorer.  Such a fantastic afternoon.

We've already started thinking about next year's trip - and I can hardly wait all over again.