<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> 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 * Send administrative questions to [log in to unmask] *