For our first night of being in the Outer Banks we knew we wanted to go somewhere that was going to fill our rumbling stomachs and start our anniversary celebration off right! We searched google for some safe gluten-free friendly restaurants and found Tale of a Whale. Having an allergy to gluten and soy my wife has to research and email, and call places to make sure the owners can accommodate her. After speaking with the owner and him assuring us he would make sure our meal was safe we knew we had to try this place out. Prior to visiting most restaurants we always reach out and talk to the managers to insure they can accommodate the allergies and to understand the cooking practices in the kitchen to avoid cross contamination. I was very fortunate to get to talk to the owner Dan Bibey. Mr. Bibey was very nice and knowledgeable about the capabilities of his kitchen. I left the conversation feeling reassured that my wife and I would have a pleasant dining experience for our 12th anniversary.
Tale of a Whale, owned by Dan and Kathy Bibey. It is conveniently located on Highway 158 S along the bay, 12 minutes from our hotel. At first glance of the gray building it does not seem like much, but it is not what is on the outside that matters it is what is on the inside that counts. Tale of a Whale does not disappoint with its beautiful decor on the inside. They have both nice wooden booths and open tables. They can also accommodate large parties. As soon as we arrived it appeared very busy, but we were seated right away. Our table was a booth along the large bay window. The view of the water and outside gazebo were beautiful and added to the already romantic atmosphere.
As we were sitting in our booth we noticed pictures and statues of whales throughout the restaurant. It was not until we opened our menu we understood why. At the beginning of the menu was the restaurants history of how it opened and the ongoing family legacy of helping protect and save the whale species.. It added something unique to the dining experience, and you could feel the love and devotion to food the family has. This would be evident in the appetizers and main courses to come.
Our servers name was, Hannah. Hannah was very friendly and made sure she understood the gluten/ soy allergies. Never once did our server appear annoyed with our questions about food preparations or ingredients. This is a big plus when going out for allergies. Many people with allergies feel they are always a problem and feel guilty for asking or feel like the restaurants make them not welcomed. Tale of a Whale takes pride in being able to accommodate individuals with allergies.
We started off with the ½ lb of of Steamed Shrimp seasoned with Old Bay, and a side of melted real butter. If you are allergic to gluten and soy don’t be shy in asking for real butter. Most of the time if you request it restaurants have it as an option so do not be shy! Now, back to the food; the appetizer was steamed perfectly and the shrimp were perfect size. My wife and I ended up splitting the last one.
For dinner my wife ordered the, “Seafood Broil” and I ordered the, “Tale of a Whale Grill.” My wife’s seafood broil came with a delicious GF Crab cake, with a filet of flounder, a boat of delicious crab meat, and steamed green beans with a baked potato . If you could have seen my wife’s face light up when she found out the GF crab cake was safe. It has been years since my wife ate a crab cake and this was worth the wait. It was delicious and the crabmeat melted in your mouth with every bite. The rest of the dish was excellent as well.
My Tale of a Whale Grill was just as special. The dinner initially comes with a 5oz filet mignon, skewered shrimp, topped with crab meat and topped with a cajun cream sauce. The sides were sauteed green beans and creamy mash potatoes. The great thing about this dish is you have options to upgrade for a nominal fee to a 8oz filet mignon, 12oz pork chop, or 12oz NY strip. I chose to upgrade to the 8oz filet. The filet was perfectly cooked to medium, and was oh so tender. The shrimp were cooked perfectly. The cajun cream sauce added that extra pop to the plate and left me wanting more when it was over.
At the end of our meal our server and Mr. Bibey himself came out to wish us a Happy anniversary and presented us with two glasses of Prosecco topped with strawberries. This made the night extra special.
Overall, our dining experience at, Tale of a Whale, will not be forgotten. It was great to find a place that was attentive to our allergies, and took great care to make sure everything was safe. These actions go along way with us and we are glad to share this experience with you. If you ever go to Kill Devil Hills, NC make sure you stop at, Tale of a Whale. It will be a dining experience you will never forget, and we will definitely return to this gem! Only 12 minutes from @towneplacesuiteskilldevilhills #outerbanks #killdevilhills #vacation #bucketlisttravelwiththeKarrfamily #bucketlist #spendlifelivingnotjustsurviving #celiacsafe #glutenfree #soyfree @ Tale of The Whale
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