Circa 81

circa81 welcome

Welcome to

tapas & cocktaileria

Gather, Eat, Enjoy

Circa 81: finalist for the

2011 Best Dish NC!

what we do

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Quiche
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Beet salad
Tuna
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Chateaubriand
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Lamb and Foie Gras
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Mousse
Hot Choco
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what we do

gather, eat, enjoy

Focusing on providing guests with a great dining experience is what we do. Using some of the best ingredients from local providers, Circa 81 takes pride in offering a true farm / sea to table menu, scroll down for a list of some of our purveyors. Circa 81 is also a member of the Carteret Catch program.Circa 81 has participated in the NC Seafood Festival Chef's Tent and People's Choice Crabcake competition, along with the Beaufort Food & Wine Festival. Circa 81 was also finalist for the 2011 Best Dish NC contest. We have also been included in Cooking Light magazine (September 2011) and the 2012 NC Visitor's Guide. All of these great opportunities and inclusions are the result of a never-ceasing focus on outstanding food quality and service, plus lots of hard work.Many of our ingredients come from: (scroll down to see full list)- Garner Farms (Newport, NC)- Blue Ocean Market (Morehead City, NC)- Allan Benton, Benton Ham (Monroe County, TN)- Quinn Farms (Newport, NC)- Coastal Cattle Co. (Ayden, NC)- Ashley Farms (Winston-Salem, NC)- Ashe County Cheeses (Ashe County, NC)- Nelson Blueberry Farm (Bridgeton, NC)- Anson Mills (Columbia, SC)- Cane Creek Farm (Snow Camp, NC)- Jones Farm
tapas

small plates

SCROLL DOWN FOR FULL SMALL PLATE MENUSoups & SaladsBlack Bean Soup with Chorizo ~ Perfectly seasoned black beans with pan cooked chorizo, topped with crispy tortillas and sour cream 5.99Loaded Potato Soup ~ with bacon, shredded cheese, sour cream, & chives 5.99She Crab Soup ~ Creamy and delicious, made with jumbo lump crab 6.49Clam Chowder ~ Ms. Julia’s secret recipe 6.49Spinach Salad ~ Fresh spinach, bacon, red onion, hard-boiled egg, pepper jack cheese, and mushrooms, with raspberry vinaigrette 7.99Mixed Green Salad ~ Baby greens, Granny Smith apples, herbed blue cheese, with homemade balsamic vinaigrette 7.99House Salad ~ Mixed greens, hard-boiled egg, tomato, and bacon topped with croutons and the dressing of your choice 6.99Sesame Tuna Salad ~ Fresh Ahi Tuna, encrusted in sesame seeds, served over mixed greens, with seasoned croutons and the dressing of your choice 11.99Small platesCrab Cake ~ Homemade with jumbo lump crab, served with Wasabi aioli and grilled pineapple relish 8.99Savory Stuffed Brie ~ with pepper jelly & toasted walnuts, wrapped in puff pastry & served with warm French bread 8.99Seafood Mac ‘n Cheese ~ The gastronomic equivalent to your favorite blanket 7.99Sweet Potato Quesadilla ~ Roasted sweet potatoes, cream cheese, cinnamon, cumin, and a hint of cayenne pepper, served on a flour tortilla with sweet and spicy pepper jelly 7.50Pot stickers ~ pork dumplings on a bed of baby greens served with a soy dipping sauce 6.99Black Bean Quesadilla ~ Whole black beans, cilantro, Monterey Jack and havarti cheese, served with a chipotle sauce and sour cream 7.50, Add gr. chicken for 2.99Wonton Wrapped Prawns ~ served with a tartar dipping sauce 7.99Chicken & Prosciutto Cordon Bleu ~ wrapped in puff pastry with dijon mustard reduction 7.99BBQ Shrimp ~ stuffed with basil wrapped in bacon 7.99Shrimp & Scallop Ceviche ~ with a hint of Patron 8.99Seared Sesame Tuna ~ wasabi and soy ginger dipping sauce 9.99Shrimp & Grits ~ fried grit cake, sautéed shrimp & Cajun cream sauce 8.99Hot Crab Dip ~ with grilled pita points 9.99Crispy Calamari ~ lightly floured calamari, served with a smoked paprika aioli 9.99Steamed Mussels ~ with lime and cilantro 9.99Marinated Vegetable Spring Roll ~ with a ginger soy dipping sauce 7.99Potatoes Brava ~ sliced potatoes, grilled to a crisp with a tangy brava aioli 5.99

medium

medium plates - sandwiches

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE FULL MEDIUM PLATE MENUALL MEDIUM PLATES COME WITH A CHOICE OF HOMEMADE SIDESide Choices: Potato salad, Pasta Salad, Broccoli Salad, Edamame Succotash, Mixed Vegetables, Sweet Potato Fries & House cooked chipsMushroom Port Ragout ~ Blend of Cremini mushrooms, port wine, garlic, and basil, served on a sub roll with havarti cheese, spinach and roasted tomatoes 7.99Eggplant Sandwich ~ Grilled eggplant, fresh mozzarella, balsamic vinaigrette, and roasted tomatoes on whole wheat 7.99Mozzarella Sandwich ~ Fresh Mozzarella, served on grilled pumpernickel bread with tomatoes, fresh spinach and pesto spread 7.99ABC ~ Granny Smith apples, crisp bacon, sharp cheddar cheese and toasted sesame honey dressing on “French toasted” whole wheat bread 8.99The Havana ~ Thinly sliced ham and turkey with cream cheese and spicy fruit jelly, served on a sub roll and grilled Cuban style 7.99 The Daddy Burrito ~ Beer cooked black beans, cilantro lime rice, guacamole and pepper jack cheese, wrapped in a flour tortilla. Served with homemade salsa and sour cream 8.99Yard Bird Salad ~ Cubed chicken breast with Granny Smith apples, toasted almonds, onions, lemon zest, & tangy citrus dressing, served with lettuce on grilled pumpernickel 7.99Crab Cake Sandwich ~ Lettuce, tomato, red onion & red pepper aioli, on a Kaiser roll 8.99Circa 81 Club ~ Your choice of turkey, roast beef, or chicken with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, mustard, onion, bacon, and havarti cheese, on grilled white bread 8.99Prosciutto Chicken Melt ~ Grilled chicken breast topped with prosciutto, honey basil mustard and melted Monterey Jack cheese, served on a grilled Kaiser roll 7.99Moo & Brie ~ Thinly sliced Angus beef, creamy brie, caramelized onions, and horseradish mayo, on a sub roll 8.99Turkey Bacon Avocado ~ Hot smoked turkey, crisp bacon, pepper jack cheese, grilled tomatoes, and avocado spread, served on rye swirl bread 8.50Sesame Tuna ~ Sesame encrusted tuna, grilled mid-rare with a wasabi mayo, lettuce and tomato, served on a Kaiser roll 9.99Hatteras Burger ~ lettuce, tomato, bacon, cajun onion, cheddar cheese and topped with a fried egg 10.99Pressed Chicken Sandwich ~ with Monterey Jack cheese, red onion, basil-pesto spread, spinach, and tomato - on a sub roll and pressed Panini style 8.50
entrees

large plates

Pork Chop8-oz. bone-in pork chop, rubbed in a sweet and smoky five spice blend, with a hint of cayenne, served with braised black beans and a pineapple-mango salsa 18.99 Lobster Parmesan-Encrusted Mahi Mahi served with julienne vegetables and garlic mash 21.99 Crab Wellington Flaky puff pastry stuffed with seasoned lump crab topped with homemade shoe string potatoes and dijon mustard reduction 20.99 Stuffed Petite Filet 6 oz filet, stuffed with apple wood smoked bacon, sun dried tomato, basil, & feta cheese, topped with a roasted red pepper cream sauce & garlic smashed potatoes. 21.99

brunch

Sunday Brunch

Scroll down to see full Sunday Brunch menuEggs Benedict ~ Poached eggs, over thinly sliced prosciutto ham, served on an English muffin & topped with homemade hollandaise sauce, served with homefries 7.99Circa 81 Benedict - Poached eggs, over handmade lump crab cakes, served on a fried grit cake, & topped with homemade hollandaise sauce, served with homefries 9.99Benedict Florentine - Poached eggs, over sautéed spinach, served on an English muffin & topped with homemade hollandaise sauce, served with homefries 7.99Country Benedict - Poached eggs, over sausage, served on a buttermilk biscuit & topped with hollandaise sauce, served with homefries 7.99Vegetarian Benedict - Poached eggs, over grilled eggplant, served on an English muffin & topped with homemade hollandaise sauce, served with homefries 7.99Cuban Benedict ~ Poached eggs, over fried plantains & topped with a pickle, pork tenderloin & Cajun hollandaise sauce, with homefries 8.99Breakfast Burrito ~ Scrambled eggs, grilled peppers, mushrooms, sausage and pepper-jack cheese, topped with a pico de gallo and hollandaise sauce 7.9981 Breakfast Combo ~ 2 eggs (any style), sausage links or bacon, homefries & toast. 7.99Fried French Toast ~ with an amaretto and raspberry syrup, served with your choice of bacon or sausage links and homefries. 8.99Circa French Toast ~ Banana-walnut streusel French Toast, with an amaretto drizzle. Served with your choice of bacon or sausage and homefries. 9.99Four Cheese Omelet ~ Pepper ~jack, havarti, cheddar and Monterey jack. Served with homefries. 7.99Seafood Frittata ~ shrimp and scallops, topped with shredded cheddar 9.99The Daddy Dank Omelet ~ Roast beef, ham, turkey, sausage and bacon with pepper jack cheese with a Cajun hollandaise. 10.99ABC ~ Granny Smith apples, crisp bacon, sharp cheddar cheese and toasted sesame honey dressing on French toasted whole wheat bread 8.99The Havana ~ Thinly sliced ham and turkey with cream cheese and spicy fruit jelly, served on a sub roll and grilled Cuban style 7.50Prosciutto Chicken Melt ~ Grilled chicken breast topped with prosciutto, honey basil mustard and melted Monterey Jack cheese, served on a grilled Kaiser roll 7.99Moo & Brie ~ Thinly sliced Angus beef, creamy brie, caramelized onions, and horseradish mayo, on a sub roll 7.99Shrimp & Grits ~ fried grit cake, sautéed shrimp & Cajun cream sauce 8.99Seafood Mac n Cheese ~ The gastronomic equivalent to your favorite blanket 7.99Sweet Potato Quesadilla ~ Roasted sweet potatoes, cream cheese, cinnamon, cumin, and a hint of cayenne pepper, served on a flour tortilla with sweet and spicy pepper jelly 6.99Kids Breakfast (kids must be circa 2001-2010) ~ scrambled egg, bacon and homefries 5.99ETC.Toast: white, wheat, rye, pumpernickel 1.99Sausage 2.75Bacon 2.75Grits 2.75Sliced Roma Tomatoes 2.75
Cocktails

Cocktails

Traditional Sangria ~ Red Wine, Brandy, fresh fruit 6.99 / 22White Sangria ~ Reisling, fresh fruit, ginger ale 6.99 / 22Cava Sangria ~ Champagne, Cointreau, fresh fruit 7.99 / 26Traditional Mojito ~ Rum, mint, simple syrup, soda 6.99Ginger Mojito ~ Rum, fresh ginger, mint, simple syrup 7.99Watermelon Mojito ~ Rum, Watermelon, mint, lime 7.99Blueberry Mojito ~ Rum, fresh blueberry, mint 7.99Coconut and Pineapple Mojito ~ Coconut Rum, pineapple, Mint 7.99Blush Mojito ~ Rum, cranberry, mint, lime 7.99Champagne Mojito ~ Champagne, rum, mint, orange 7.99Pomegranate Mojito ~ Pomegranate rum, mint, lime, splash of cranberry 7.99Orange Basil Mojito ~ Orange rum, basil, lime 7.99Circa 81 Martini ~ Vodka, Amaretto, Malibu, Peach Schnapps, Grenadine, OJ, pineapple 8.99Dirty Martini ~ Kettle One, olive juice, dry vermouth 7.99Cosmopolitan ~ Absolute, Cointreau, lime, cranberry 8.99Pomegranate Martini ~ Pomegranate vodka, Cointreau, lemon 8.99Caipirinha ~ Brazilian National Drink - Cachaça rum, lime, simple syrup 7.99Apple Martini ~ Citron Vodka, apple pucker, splash of sour 7.99Pineapple Cake Martini ~ Absolut vanilla, pineapple juice, splash of grenadine 7.99Blueberry Martini ~ Blueberry vodka, cointreau 8.99Lemon Drop Martini ~ Citron vodka, simple syrup, lemon garnish 7.99Ginger Martini ~ Kettle One, canton liqueur, fresh lemon 8.99Key Lime Martini ~ Absolut Vanilla, triple sec, pineapple juice 7.99Melon Cucumber Martini ~ Kettle one, melon liqueur, fresh cucumber 7.99Pear Martini ~ Absolut pear vodka, Disaronno, fresh pear 8.99Parrot Head Martini ~ Tequila, triple sec, lime 7.99Tahitian Pineapple Martini ~Vanilla vodka, pineapple rum, triple sec, pineapple 7.99Washington Apple Martini ~ Crown Royal, apple pucker, cranberry 8.99X~Rated Martini ~ Absolute cirton, X~Rated, cranberry 8.99Asian Pear Martini ~ Vanilla vodka, sake, passion fruit, Asian pear 8.99Limoncello Lemonade ~ Citron vodka, limoncello, Chambord, lemonade 8.99Arnold Palmer ~ Firefly vodka & lemonade 7.99Cruzan Confusion ~ Cruzan coconut rum, mango rum, pineapple juice, grenadine 6.99BEERCheap Beer: Bud Light - Budweiser - Bud Light Lime - Coors Light - Michelob Light - Michelob Ultra - Miller Light - O’Douls 3.00Not So Cheap Beer : Amstel Light - Bass - Corona - Corona Light - Fat Tire Guinness - Heineken - Low Down Brown - New Castle - Sam Adams - Stella Artois 4.00Duck Rabbit Milk Stout (Farmville, NC) 4.50 Mother Earth Belgian Wit (Kinston, NC) 4.50 Highland Gaelic Ale (Asheville, NC) 4.50 Stone IPA (California) 4.50 New Holland Full Circle Kolsch Style (Michigan) 4.50 Draft (16 oz. & 24 oz.): 3.50 / 5.50Miller Lite –Yuengling – Blue Moon Magic Hat No. 9 – Lord Chesterfield Ale Magic Hat Circus Boy Hefeweizen
wines

Great Wines

WhitesCanyon Road Chardonnay, California 5 / 15Frei Brothers, Sonoma Chardonnay 7 / 22 Alamos Chardonnay, Argentina 20Benziger Chardonnay, California 27Sonoma Cutrer Russian River Chardonnay, California 30 Zamora Volteo Viura Sauvignon Blanc, Spain 5 / 15 Canyon Road Pinot Grigio, California 5 / 15Bubo Pinot Grigio, California 7 / 21La Terre White Zinfandel, California 5 / 15Hogue Riesling, Washington 5 / 15 Polka Dot Riesling, Germany 7 / 20 Snoqualmie Naked Riesling, Washington 24Evolution Dundee, Oregon 27 Sparkling WinesWycliff Brut Champagne, California 15Juve y camps Reserva de la Familia Cava, Spain 28 Cristalino Brut, Spain 24 Caposaldo Prosecco Brut, Italy 28
RedsCanyon Road Merlot, California 5 / 15Hawk Crest Merlot, Napa California 7 / 20Santa Ema Merlot, Chile 25Napa Cellars Merlot, California 27Principato Pinot Noir, Italy 5 / 15Jargon Pinot Noir, California 7 / 21 Casa de Campo Malbec, Argentina 5 / 15 Don Miguel Gascon Malbec, Argentina 7 / 22Tierra Secreta Malbec, Argentina 27Rojo Mojo Shiraz, Spain 5 / 15 Peace Shiraz, Australia 7 / 21Anqoves Nine Vines Shiraz/Viognier,Australia 22Stalking Horse Shiraz, Australia 30Rodney Strong Cabernet, California 26La Terre Cabernet Sauvignon, California 5 / 15Louis Martini Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon, California 7 / 22 Tuck beck 75 Cabernet Sauvignon, California 33Opera Prima Tempranillo, Spain 19Estancia Zinfandel, California 23Torres Celeste Red Ribera Duer, Spain 28Easton H House, California 22Meditrina Syrah/Pinot Noir/Zinfandel, Oregon 27
who we are

CIRCA 81

Executive Chef and Owner, Clarke Merrell, created everything you see at Circa 81, from the custom-built copper top bar, to the ever popular sweet potato quesadilla and Circa 81 martini, Clarke has his hand in every aspect of Circa 81's operations. Clarke completely renovated the restaurant space in late 2009 to truly reflect his style. Circa 81 then opened on January 20, 2010. Many people often ask where the name comes from. Clarke and his wife, Liza, were both born in 1981. Circa means "about or approximately" and they both thought it fit perfectly with the number 81. Clarke grew up working in the restaurant industry, as his parents took over operations at Atlantic Beach's DJ Shooters in 1988. Clarke takes great pride in providing customers with outstanding food and exemplary service. Clarke has grown to love entertaining, cooking, and creating memorable experiences for the many guests he has come to know during his culinary career. After graduating with a degree in Culinary Arts from the Florida Culinary Institute in Palm Beach, Florida, Clarke has worked in a variety of restaurants and trained with some of the best chefs in the industry. He looks forward to the chance to serve you, your family, and your friends.Clarke's goal is for Circa 81 to provide creative, quality, delicious food in a beautiful setting. Offering small plates that are perfect for passing around the table in true tapas style, our dishes are meant to inspire and engage our diners. So, start a conversation, relax and enjoy a fresh take on cuisine. Clarke developed Circa 81 in hopes that guests will try something new and different and truly have a dining experience. Circa 81 offers great wine and cocktails too, with more than 30 specialty drinks on our cocktaileria menu. Our menu also includes medium and large plate selections - delicious sandwiches, homemade soups, local seafood and fresh-made desserts. Circa 81 also offers take-out and catering - just contact us for more details!Gather, Eat, Enjoy.
directions

come

and visit

4650 Arendell Street

Morehead City, NC 28557

252.648.8300

clarke_circa-81.com

In Carteret Village - Next to Furniture Distributors

2.5 miles West of the Atlantic Beach Bridge

Monday-Thursday 11:30am-9pm

Friday-Saturday 11:30am-9:30pm (or later!)

Sunday Sunday Brunch 10:30am-2pm

Regular Menu 2pm-9pm

Kids menu and Takeout Orders are available!

Circa 81 GIFT CERTIFICATES always make the perfect gift!

deals

Who doesn't like a good deal?

~ EVERYDAY EARLYBIRD - If you're seated between 5-6 PM we'll give you 10%off your dinner

(does not include alcohol or gratuity, dine-in only, not combinable with any other offers)

~ MOJITO MONDAY - All mojitos are just $5

~ TWO TUESDAY - Buy TWO tapas, get a third free*

*applicable on item of equal or lesser value, dine-in only, not combinable with any other offers

~ WEDNESDAY - $4 for all wines by the glass

~ THURSDAY - $5 MARTINIS

~ SUNDAY - $10 pitchers of sangria

~ Click here for instant rewards - We'll email a coupon (don't worry we don't spam or ask for $ on behalf of an African prince)

welcome

what we do

tapas

medium

entrees

brunch

Cocktails

wines

who we are

directions

deals

Tapas: a small plate or appetizer, typically served with wine or beer.