Life is sooo getting back to normal on the Outer Banks. The latest proof? The Wedding Expo was this weekend and the 8th Annual Chili Cook-off was held at Stripers Bar and Grill in Manteo.
Since we’re not planning on any weddings right now, we checked out the Chili Cook-off and had a great time. Ate too much, which always happens at those events, but it was really fun.
Local musician Jonny Waters did an amazing job of setting the mood with his music, there were 18 chefs on hand but a few of them had two kinds of chili so there was a lot to try.
What was interesting this year was the traditional beef chili was in the minority. All though not in the majority, there was some real creativity happening. The Outer Banks Brewing Stations’s mole chili stood out for us.
There were also quite a few vegetarian selections and they were quite good. But what seemed to really dominate were the other meats.
Most of the other meats were chicken, and there were some interesting recipes. there was a chicken quesadilla chili and chicken verde chile. But for something truly different the Lost Colony Restaurants rabbit and partridge was truly different.
It was a great time with absolutely spectacular weather making everything a little better.
Want some more proof things are returning to normal? The Outer Banks Taste of the Beach is coming up the last weekend of this month, March 25-27. The OBX Taste of the Beach is a must do event. Unlike all those others that happen under a tent in a city, the local version is both a culinary and actual tour of the Outer Banks.
Things are really picking up on the Outer Banks and for the summer reservations are getting very tight. Please, if you have not done so yet, make that Brindley Beach Vacations reservation as soon as possible.