Page 26
May 7 - 20, 2021
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
wilmingtonbiz.com
WHAT DOES COMMITMENT TO MORE AFFORDABLE CARE LOOK LIKE? RESTAURANT ROUNDUP
BUSINESS OF LIFE
This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s weekly Restaurant Roundup email. Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com.
Dean Neff’s Seabird opens in downtown Wilmington
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Chef Dean Neff recently opened his new restaurant, Seabird, in downtown Wilmington. At the corner of Front and Market streets, Seabird began in the fall of 2019 when Neff leased the ground floor of 1 S. Front St., a building owned by developer James Goodnight. From the start, Neff had a wish list for the layout of the restaurant: an open kitchen, a chef’s table, a separate bar area and a private dining room. It was Neff’s intention from the start to create a restaurant that would be open all day, not just for dinner. To start, Seabird will offer a coffee program featuring Counter Culture Coffee, eventually incorporating a small breakfast menu, followed by lunch and perhaps a latenight menu as well. Seabird’s menu will primarily be an homage to seasonal seafood. The opening menu offered both baked and raw North Carolina oysters, including a Stone’s Bay oyster from Neff’s friend Matt Schwab of Hold Fast Oyster Co., which will be exclusive to Seabird. One of Neff’s personal favorites, the catfish and oyster pie, was inspired by a trip to London. “One of the things I really enjoy about cooking is finding concepts from different places or times and adjusting them according to seasonality and place,” Neff said.
Local favorite restaurant gets new name, menu online and face-to-face options
A longtime favorite restaurant for fresh seafood, Boca Bay has been rebranded by Urban Food Group as Soundside Seafood & Raw Bar. Kevin Jennings, who owns Urban Food Group with his wife, Stacey, said they have thought about changing the name of the restaurant for some time now. The Raleigh-based company purchased Boca Bay, as well as Brasserie du Soleil and Osteria Cicchetti, from Circa Restaurant Group in January 2019. The restaurant reopened to the public recently, having undergone what Kevin Jennings described as a significant refresh. He said the menu
at Soundside will include several Boca Bay favorites, as well as new items, with a focus on locally sourced seafood.
Detour Deli & Cafe comes to the end of the road Detour Deli & Cafe owner Allister Snyder has closed the doors to the sandwich shop after about six years in business. The announcement made via Facebook recently was met with great sadness by many of the deli’s loyal customers. “I have some sad news, Detour Deli is closing its doors,” the announcement stated. “Shane, who has been with us since nearly the beginning, has decided to move on. We could hire and train new people, but I have had the desire to do something new myself and don’t want hire with the intention of it being only temporarily. We made it through the last year, because of everyone that has supported us and we are extremely grateful. Thank you! If there are any updates we will post them on our social media sites. Thanks, again, it has been a great pleasure serving everyone!” The deli, located on the north side of the Brooklyn Arts District at 510½ Red Cross St., was a favorite of many in the area for its hearty gourmet sandwiches, which included everything from clubs to hoagies, tortas and po’boys.
Shug’s Sweet Shoppe sweetens Monkey Junction Scott and Josh Williams, the father-and-son owners of Cape Fear Restaurant Equipment, both have a self-described sweet tooth, leading them to their latest family venture, Shug’s Sweet Shoppe, which opened in April in Monkey Junction. Growing up, Scott Williams always called his sister Monica “Shug” and he wanted to honor her in the naming of the shop. Police Lt. Monica Carey of Clayton was killed in the line of duty in 2001. “‘Hey Shug’ is just a friendly, hospitable Southern greeting,” Scott Williams said. Shug’s main focus will be filled croissants, a baked good that has seen a rise in popularity in recent years. The shop will also carry cinnamon rolls, brownies, cookies, muffins and cakes, as well as sugar-free, gluten-free and keto options. -Jessica Maurer
