circa
81
Welcome to
CIRCA 81
tapas & cocktaileria
Bringing a new taste to Morehead City, NC
Gather, Eat, Enjoy
what we do
gather, eat, enjoy
Circa 81 offers 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.
Our menu also includes medium and large plate selections -
delicious sandwiches, homemade soups, local seafood and more.
Don't forget a tasty, refreshing cocktail to top it off.
small plates
SCROLL DOWN FOR FULL SMALL PLATE MENU
Soups & Salads
Black Bean Soup with Chorizo ~ Perfectly seasoned black beans with pan cooked chorizo, topped with crispy tortillas and sour cream 4.99
Loaded Potato Soup ~ with bacon, shredded cheese, sour cream, & chives 4.99
She Crab Soup ~ Creamy and delicious, made with jumbo lump crab 5.99
Clam Chowder ~ Ms. Julia’s secret recipe 5.99
Caesar Salad ~ Romaine lettuce tossed with fresh parmesan cheese, topped with seasoned croutons and Caesar dressing 6.99
Spinach Salad ~ Fresh spinach, bacon, red onion, hard-boiled egg, pepper jack cheese, and mushrooms, with raspberry vinaigrette 6.99
Mixed Green Salad ~ Baby greens, Granny Smith apples, herbed blue cheese, with homemade balsamic vinaigrette 6.99
House Salad ~ Mixed greens, hard-boiled egg, tomato, and bacon topped with croutons
and the dressing of your choice 5.99
Sesame Tuna Salad ~ Fresh Ahi Tuna, encrusted in sesame seeds, served over mixed greens, with seasoned croutons and the dressing of your choice 9.99
Small plates
Crab Cake ~ Homemade with jumbo lump crab, served with Wasabi aioli and grilled pineapple relish 7.99
Savory Stuffed Brie ~ with pepper jelly & toasted walnuts, wrapped in puff pastry & served with warm French bread 7.99
Seafood Mac ‘n Cheese ~ The gastronomic equivalent to your favorite blanket 7.99
Sweet 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 6.99
Pot stickers ~ pork dumplings on a bed of baby greens served with a soy dipping sauce 6.99
Black Bean Quesadilla ~ Whole black beans, cilantro, Monterey Jack and havarti cheese, served with a chipotle sauce and sour cream 6.99, Add gr. chicken for 3.25
Wonton Wrapped Prawns ~ served with a tartar dipping sauce 7.99
Chicken & Prosciutto Cordon Bleu ~ wrapped in puff pastry with dijon mustard reduction 7.99
BBQ Shrimp ~ stuffed with basil wrapped in bacon 7.99
Fried Brie ~ with a red fruit sauce 7.99
Shrimp & Scallop Ceviche ~ with a hint of Patron 8.99
Scallops au Poivre ~ with lime-ginger habanero oil & julienned vegetables 8.99
Shrimp & Grits ~ fried grit cake, sautéed shrimp & Cajun cream sauce 8.99
Spanish Potato Omelet 6.99
Hot Crab Dip ~ with grilled pita points 9.99
Warm Cheese & Mushroom Toast 6.99
Crab Salad ~ in crisp wonton cups with avocado mousse 8.99
Crispy Calamari ~ lightly floured calamari, served with a smoked paprika aioli 8.99
Steamed Mussels ~ with lime and cilantro 9.99
Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls ~ with a ginger soy dipping sauce 8.99
Marinated Vegetable Spring Roll ~ with a ginger soy dipping sauce 7.99
Potatoes Brava ~ sliced potatoes, grilled to a crisp with a tangy brava aioli 5.99
medium plates - sandwiches
Mushroom Port Ragout ~ Blend of Cremini mushrooms, port wine, garlic, and basil, served on a sub roll with havarti cheese, spinach and roasted tomatoes 7.50
Eggplant Sandwich ~ Grilled eggplant, fresh mozzarella, balsamic vinaigrette, and roasted tomatoes on whole wheat 6.99
Mozzarella Sandwich ~ Fresh Mozzarella, served on grilled pumpernickel bread with tomatoes, fresh spinach and pesto spread 7.50
ABC ~ Granny Smith apples, crisp bacon, sharp cheddar cheese and toasted sesame honey dressing on “French toasted” whole wheat bread 7.50
The Havana ~ Thinly sliced ham and turkey with cream cheese and spicy fruit jelly, served on a sub roll and grilled Cuban style 7.50
Blue 81 ~ Turkey, herbed blue cheese, bacon, red onion, & tomato on a grilled sub roll 7.50
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 7.50
Yard Bird Salad ~ Cubed chicken breast with Granny Smith apples, toasted almonds, onions, lemon zest, & tangy citrus dressing, served with lettuce on grilled pumpernickel 7.50
Crab Cake Sandwich ~ Lettuce, tomato, red onion & red pepper aioli, on a Kaiser roll 8.99
Circa 81 Club ~ Your choice of turkey, roast beef, or chicken with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, mustard, onion, bacon, and havarti cheese, on grilled white bread 7.99
Prosciutto Chicken Melt ~ Grilled chicken breast topped with prosciutto, honey basil mustard and melted Monterey Jack cheese, served on a grilled Kaiser roll 7.99
Moo & Brie ~ Thinly sliced Angus beef, creamy brie, caramelized onions, and horseradish mayo, on a sub roll 7.99
Turkey Bacon Avocado ~ Hot smoked turkey, crisp bacon, pepper jack cheese, grilled tomatoes, and avocado spread, served on rye swirl bread 7.50
Sesame Tuna ~ Sesame encrusted tuna, grilled mid-rare with a wasabi mayo, lettuce and tomato, served on a Kaiser roll 8.99
Roast Beef Melt ~ Roast beef, Cajun spiced grilled peppers and onions, melted Monterey Jack cheese and grilled pineapple, on a Kaiser roll 7.50
Cheeseburger ~ with a tangy ambrosia dressing, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato 8.99
Grilled Brie Sandwich ~ with raspberry jam 7.99
Pressed Chicken Sandwich ~ with Monterey Jack cheese, red onion, basil-pesto spread, spinach, and tomato - on a sub roll and pressed Panini style 7.99
large plates
Pork Chop
8-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 19.99
Crab Wellington
Flaky puff pastry stuffed with seasoned lump crab topped with homemade shoe string potatoes and dijon mustard reduction 19.99
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.
19.99
Fish Tacos
With Asian slaw and cilantro rice 14.99
Sunday Brunch
Scroll down to see full Sunday Brunch menu
Eggs Benedict ~ Poached eggs, over thinly sliced prosciutto ham, served on an English muffin & topped with homemade hollandaise sauce, served with homefries 7.99
Circa 81 Benedict - Poached eggs, over handmade lump crab cakes, served on a fried grit cake, & topped with homemade hollandaise sauce, served with homefries 9.99
Benedict Florentine - Poached eggs, over sautéed spinach, served on an English muffin & topped with homemade hollandaise sauce, served with homefries 7.99
Country Benedict - Poached eggs, over sausage, served on a buttermilk biscuit & topped with hollandaise sauce, served with homefries 7.99
Vegetarian Benedict - Poached eggs, over grilled eggplant, served on an English muffin & topped with homemade hollandaise sauce, served with homefries 7.99
Cuban Benedict ~ Poached eggs, over fried plantains & topped with a pickle, pork tenderloin & Cajun hollandaise sauce, with homefries 8.99
Breakfast Burrito ~ Scrambled eggs, grilled peppers, mushrooms, sausage and pepper-jack cheese, topped with a pico de gallo and hollandaise sauce 7.99
81 Breakfast Combo ~ 2 eggs (any style), sausage links or bacon, homefries & toast. 7.99
Fried French Toast ~ with an amaretto and raspberry syrup, served with your choice of bacon or sausage links and homefries. 8.99
Circa French Toast ~ Banana-walnut streusel French Toast, with an amaretto drizzle. Served with your choice of bacon or sausage and homefries. 9.99
Four Cheese Omelet ~ Pepper ~jack, havarti, cheddar and Monterey jack. Served with homefries. 7.99
Seafood Frittata ~ shrimp and scallops, topped with shredded cheddar 9.99
The Daddy Dank Omelet ~ Roast beef, ham, turkey, sausage and bacon with pepper jack cheese with a Cajun hollandaise. 10.99
ABC ~ Granny Smith apples, crisp bacon, sharp cheddar cheese and toasted sesame honey dressing on French toasted whole wheat bread 7.50
Seafood Mac n Cheese ~ The gastronomic equivalent to your favorite blanket 7.99
Kids Breakfast (kids must be circa 2001-2010) ~ scrambled egg, bacon and homefries 5.99
ETC.
Toast: white, wheat, rye, pumpernickel 1.99
Sausage 2.75
Bacon 2.75
Grits 2.75
Sliced Roma Tomatoes 2.75
Cocktails
Traditional Sangria ~ Red Wine, Brandy, fresh fruit 6.99 / 22
White Sangria ~ Reisling, fresh fruit, ginger ale 6.99 / 22
Cava Sangria ~ Champagne, Cointreau, fresh fruit 7.99 / 26
Traditional Mojito ~ Rum, mint, simple syrup, soda 6.99
Ginger Mojito ~ Rum, fresh ginger, mint, simple syrup 7.99
Watermelon Mojito ~ Rum, Watermelon, mint, lime 7.99
Blueberry Mojito ~ Rum, fresh blueberry, mint 7.99
Coconut and Pineapple Mojito ~ Coconut Rum, pineapple, Mint 7.99
Blush Mojito ~ Rum, cranberry, mint, lime 7.99
Champagne Mojito ~ Champagne, rum, mint, orange 7.99
Pomegranate Mojito ~ Pomegranate rum, mint, lime, splash of cranberry 7.99
Orange Basil Mojito ~ Orange rum, basil, lime 7.99
Circa 81 Martini ~ Vodka, Amaretto, Malibu, Peach Schnapps, Grenadine, OJ, pineapple 8.99
Dirty Martini ~ Kettle One, olive juice, dry vermouth 7.99
Cosmopolitan ~ Absolute, Cointreau, lime, cranberry 8.99
Pomegranate Martini ~ Pomegranate vodka, Cointreau, lemon 8.99
Caipirinha ~ Brazilian National Drink - Cachaça rum, lime, simple syrup 7.99
Apple Martini ~ Citron Vodka, apple pucker, splash of sour 7.99
Pineapple Cake Martini ~ Absolut vanilla, pineapple juice, splash of grenadine 7.99
Blueberry Martini ~ Blueberry vodka, cointreau 8.99
Lemon Drop Martini ~ Citron vodka, simple syrup, lemon garnish 7.99
Ginger Martini ~ Kettle One, canton liqueur, fresh lemon 8.99
Key Lime Martini ~ Absolut Vanilla, triple sec, pineapple juice 7.99
Melon Cucumber Martini ~ Kettle one, melon liqueur, fresh cucumber 7.99
Pear Martini ~ Absolut pear vodka, Disaronno, fresh pear 8.99
Parrot Head Martini ~ Tequila, triple sec, lime 7.99
Tahitian Pineapple Martini ~Vanilla vodka, pineapple rum, triple sec, pineapple 7.99
Washington Apple Martini ~ Crown Royal, apple pucker, cranberry 8.99
X~Rated Martini ~ Absolute cirton, X~Rated, cranberry 8.99
Asian Pear Martini ~ Vanilla vodka, sake, passion fruit, Asian pear 8.99
Limoncello Lemonade ~ Citron vodka, limoncello, Chambord, lemonade 8.99
Arnold Palmer ~ Firefly vodka & lemonade 7.99
Cruzan Confusion ~ Cruzan coconut rum, mango rum, pineapple juice, grenadine 6.99
Great Wines
Whites
Canyon Road Chardonnay, California 5 / 15
Frei Brothers, Sonoma Chardonnay 7 / 22
Alamos Chardonnay, Argentina 20
Benziger Chardonnay, California 27
Sonoma Cutrer Russian River Chardonnay, California 30
Zamora Volteo Viura Sauvignon Blanc, Spain 5 / 15
Canyon Road Pinot Grigio, California
5 / 15
Bubo Pinot Grigio, California
7 / 21
La Terre White Zinfandel, California 5 / 15
Senorio Do Rubios Albarino, Spain 20
Hogue Riesling, Washington 5 / 15
Polka Dot Riesling, Germany 7 / 20
Snoqualmie Naked Riesling, Washington 24
Evolution Dundee, Oregon 27
Sparkling Wines
Wycliff Brut Champagne, California 15
Juve y camps Reserva de la Familia Cava, Spain 28
Cristalino Brut, Spain 24
Caposaldo Prosecco Brut, Italy 28
Reds
Canyon Road Merlot, California 5 / 15
Hawk Crest Merlot, Napa California 7 / 20
Santa Ema Merlot, Chile 25
Napa Cellars Merlot, California 27
Principato Pinot Noir, Italy 5 / 15
Jargon Pinot Noir, California 7 / 21
Casa de Campo Malbec, Argentina 5 / 15
Don Miguel Gascon Malbec, Argentina 7 / 22
Tierra Secreta Malbec, Argentina 27
Rojo Mojo Shiraz, Spain 5 / 15
Peace Shiraz, Australia 7 / 21
Anqoves Nine Vines Shiraz/Viognier,
Australia 22
Stalking Horse Shiraz, Australia 30
Rodney Strong Cabernet, California 26
La Terre Cabernet Sauvignon, California 5 / 15
Louis Martini Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon, California 7 / 22
Tuck beck 75 Cabernet Sauvignon,
California 33
Opera Prima Tempranillo, Spain 19
Estancia Zinfandel, California 23
Torres Celeste Red Ribera Duer, Spain 28
Easton H House, California 22
Meditrina Syrah/Pinot Noir/Zinfandel, Oregon 27
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 to truly reflect his style. 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. 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.
Gather, Eat, Enjoy.
come
and visit
4650 Arendell Street
Morehead City, NC 28557
Phone: 252.648.8300
In Carteret Village - Across from EJW Outdoors
Next to Furniture Distributors
Lunch: 11:30am - 2pm, Mon-Sat
Sunday Brunch: 10:30am-2pm
Dinner: 5pm - 9pm (Sun-Th)
5pm - until (Fri-Sat)
*Please note we do not close between shifts,
so feel free to stop in anytime for a meal or drink!
Email: clarke_circa-81.com
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)
~ HALF MOON MONDAY - Blue Moon draft beer is HALF PRICE!
~ 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 - $2.99 mimosas & $10 pitchers of sangria
~ Check out this COUPON for a very good deal ! -->
circa_81_coupon[1]
Tapas:
a small plate or appetizer,
typically served with wine or beer.
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