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I just returned from a week at a rental house in Corolla Light at the
northern shores of the Outer Banks.

I had good success at two restaurants:

On Monday, I ate at the Outback Steakhouse in Nags Head, near the Outer
Banks Mall.  The waitress knew all about the menu and had personal knowledge
of Celiac Disease through an afflicted friend.  I have always found the wait
staff at Outback to be very conscientious and attentive to the menu and my
requests even if they have never heard of the gluten-free menu before, but
this woman was particularly good about it.  [I should here also extend my
thanks to the Outback in Conshocken, PA, where I have eaten about four times
in the past seven months, each time with excellent service and good care.]

At JK's in the TimBuckII complex in Corolla, the manager Scott and a staff
member named Dave were very accommodating.  Dave had personal experience
with serious allergic reactions to other substances and had knowledge of
Celiac Disease.  He advised asking for pan seared fish prepared with olive
oil and specifically requesting a clean pan.  It was wonderful to have these
kind of details coming from the restaurant staff.  The fish was very good.
The wait staff seemed a bit overwhelmed by our party of 13, but my meal came
out well-prepared and, to all appearances so far, safe.  I usually know
within two days of making a mistake, so am feeling confident that all is
well.

We had reservations at JK's and arrived soon after they opened for the
evening.  I would advise doing this at any restaurant in the Outer Banks.
By the time we left the place was so crowded, I don't know how the staff
would have had time to talk to me the way they did when we arrived.  And
this was on a Friday, which is supposed to be a light night for the
restaurant business in the Outer Banks.

The downside of dining out in the Outer Banks is the traffic.  We quickly
abandoned our plans to try Penquin Isle when we realized it would be a one
to two hour trip __one way__ to get there from Corolla.  (My stop at the
Outback was not planned.  Family members went hang gliding at Kitty Hawk and
I travelled on down to visit Manteo rather than stand in the hot dunes for
three hours.  Traffic was so bad that I stopped and ate by myself before
rejoining the family back in Corolla.  I should have tried getting into
Penquin Isle, but thought there'd be little chance without a reservation.
After that experience with the traffic, none of us were willing to drive
back down to Nags Head to go to dinner.)  So I would say, if you want to be
close to a larger choice of restaurants known to accommodate gluten-free
dining, then stay in Nags Head.  If you stay in Corolla or Duck, be prepared
to investigate the local restaurants or cook.

The other downside of my trip was trying to share a house with 12 non-celiac
relatives on vacation diets.  I have spent the holidays before with my
extended family and managed to find a way to cook safely in crowded
kitchens, but the vacation spirit and a strange kitchen just blew apart all
my cooking plans.  I had taken with me a good supply of gluten-free food as
emergency stock and ended up eating only that all week, with the exception
of the two nights out.  I won't share a vacation house with non-celiacs
again, but would instead try to get my own smaller place in the same week.

Thanks to everyone who gave me tips about vacationing at the Outer Banks.

Mary Ann Coyle

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