When chef Jessica Cabo left CAM Café earlier this year, she spent a lot of time meeting with area restaurants and exploring her options. When she set out to meet with Robert Astraikis, food and beverage director at the Blockade Runner Resort, she figured it was a long shot.
 
Now she says it’s the perfect fit.
 
Cabo and Astraikis have been collaborating to recreate the menus at East, the Blockade Runner’s oceanfront dining restaurant. In addition to creating a new dining room menu, they have also redone the Sea Escape Bar menu, adding both new specialty cocktails and a variety of baskets, sandwiches, salads and starters.
 
Cabo said the menus will change monthly, allowing her to make the most of each month’s fresh seafood and produce. East and Sea Escape both offer vegan and raw food options, and Cabo said she is working to increase the number of both of these types of dishes on each menu.
 
“We have a lot of guests who travel here to compete in various athletic competitions and many of them are very health conscious,” Cabo said.
 
Those whose diets may not be quite so restrictive will likely be happy to indulge in the lobster nachos with prepared fresh Maine lobster, queso, corn, pickled jalapeno cream and pico de gallo, or the shrimp roll with local shrimp salad served on a buttered split-top brioche and topped with salt and vinegar chips.
 
“I’ve tried to put my own playful twist on some of the beachy classics,” Cabo said.
 
Cabo also creates several daily specials, including ceviches, soups and chowders and desserts. She is now preparing for Mother’s Day brunch and will soon begin making tweaks to East’s weekly brunch offerings.
 
“One of the things I love most about working here is the freedom to be creative,” Cabo said. “My time at the CAM was a great test kitchen experience, a place where I was able to experiment and grow and I love that I continue to have that room for creativity here. I had no idea I would love it as much as I do.”
 
Astraikis and Cabo are both hopeful that the new menus will appeal not only to visitors but to locals as well, particularly in the off-season. The dining room and the pool bar are both open to the public.
 
East and Sea Escape Bar are both open for lunch and dinner daily. The Blockade Runner Resort is located at 275 Waynick Blvd. in Wrightsville Beach.

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