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blu seafood & bar

2002 Hillsborough Rd. (Ninth St.) Send to Phone
DurhamNC 27705
919-286-9777 | Make Restaurant Reservations
Fresh Gulf Rim seafood specialties define this bustling urban beach-style spot.

Cuisine

Open

Lunch Mon.-Fri., Dinner Mon.-Sat.

Features

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Dining room at blu seafood & bar, Durham, NCSet among the busy restaurants and shops in Durham’s Ninth Street just off the Duke campus, blu’s cool white and blue décor transports its patrons to the seashore. The small eatery looks just like a typical mid-Atlantic beach diner, down to the window air-conditioning unit on its enclosed porch. But instead of Calabash-style fried seafood, the menu offers well prepared Gulf Rim specialties with emphasis on the Florida coast. That’s where chef-owner Tim Lyons lived before he moved to Durham in hopes of leaving hurricanes behind. Various kinds of oysters on the half shell and conch fritters are always available. Main dishes vary with the season and may include shrimp and scallops with tomato vinaigrette and spinach risotto, and a Caribbean-style bouillabaisse. The catch-of-the-day may be snapper, redfish, pompano or other Gulf fish served simply with butter, lemon and appropriate fresh vegetables. The wine list shows the chef’s care in choosing bottles that beautifully enhance his dishes, and servers are well trained to guide patrons to attractive pairings. By-the-glass choices focus on crisp, clean whites from all over the globe.

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