#ThisIsThePlace: Freddie’s Restaurant at Kure Beach

KURE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — Ask anyone in the Cape Fear to name the best Italian restaurants in the area and Freddie’s at Kure Beach will surely be on the list.

“Originally Freddie was a priest,” Freddie’s Owner Barbara Gargan said. “Learned how to cook in the seminary. He got out of the seminary. He could just not take that discipline.

Famous for its Italian food, legendary martinis and surprisingly some of the best pork chops you’ll ever eat.

“Pork chops came into the restaurant because in my yearbook my dream was to have an Italian restaurant and serve spaghetti and pork chops,” Gargan said. “That’s in my year book. I won’t tell you what year, but that’s in my year book.”

Her dream has been going for nearly two decades and it has everything to do with a commitment to quality.

Head Chef Rod Haltom showed us how to make one of his favorites, chicken san remo.

“First thing start with a hot pan,” Haltom said. “Come in with a little olive oil and a little pat of butter. Got some chicken in the flower; always want to drop it in going away from you. Then with some cremini mushrooms, little salt, black pepper, fresh chopped garlic, some marsala, stock, marinara, little bit of velouté. Let this heat all the way through, get nice and thick. Take the chicken out of the dish. Parmesan cheese, some sliced tomatoes, little more parm and some mozzarella.”

Under the broiler it goes, add some linguini and then, “a little parmesan, a little parsley, chicken san remo. Big seller, they love it. Right on,” Haltom said.

If you do make the trip to Kure Beach, call ahead because it is a popular place.