Of course, what trip to the beach would be complete without fresh local seafood?

And our producer, Jason Frye, who lives in Wilmington, recently visited a new restaurant there that's getting rave reviews.

[upbeat music] - In a town full of great restaurants, it can be hard to set yourself apart, but that's exactly what Three10 did when they opened in the fall of 2021.

With their focus on seafood dishes, traditional Southern cuisine and an inventive take on all of it, they've quickly become one of Wilmington's go-to restaurants.

- This particular restaurant had a lot of charm built into it in that it's a bungalow, a converted bungalow, that in partnership with Historic Wilmington Foundation, we rescued and moved to this lot.

So we already have all that Southern charm that's built in.

- [Jason] Chef Walker's menu isn't the only thing delighting diners at Three10, Jen Concklin, Walker's business partner and wife, has spent her career steeped in hospitality.

And she handles everything in the front of the house.

Her dining room is inviting, her porch charming, and service flows with an ease that makes diners feel at home.

It's a perfect match to the menu.

The selection of local beers and spirits, the lovely wine list and an offering of inventive mocktails makes it even better.

- I had a mocktail this evening, which I was super excited to be able to order, and I got the mojito.

- In the few years that we've been open, there's definitely been a big trend in people wanting to bypass alcohol but still have that full-rounded experience in the dining side.

And so we kind of just listened to our guests.

I have a fabulous bar manager, Keran, who I tasked her with making some very craft mocktails.

And she just took it and ran with it.

And I think every menu's been better than the one before it.

And we make sure that you're not missing anything at all when you have a mocktail.

It's still a well-balanced and crafted drink.

- The menu at Three10 changes every eight weeks, but one of the most reliable items happened to be one of my favorites, Oysters.

You can get these beautiful little babies on the half-shell raw, or you can get them with a Rockefeller-like twist.

But no matter what, you can count on them being on the menu at Three10.

- Lauren and I are splitting oysters and a salad, and then we're getting two small plates, and then we're gonna see what we have room for next.

- When I had a peek at the menu, I had high hopes for Three10.

And Chef Matt Walker has never let me down.

From the oysters on the half-shell, to the Carolina gold rice hush puppies, to the house spin on shrimp and grits, everything they serve here is outstanding.

- So creativity is very important in my kitchen.

It's really the reason that I do what I do.

It's a reason to come in every day, try out new things, push the boundaries of what we're able to do here.

We're always trying to do something that you wouldn't necessarily see somewhere else, using familiar ingredients, but presenting them in a slightly different way.

And I think people usually respond pretty well to that.

- This is my favorite because the grits are very creamy, and the scallops and the shrimp were cooked to perfection.

- And I ordered the grouper as my main dish.

- [Jason] How is it?

It looks fantastic.

- It's excellent.

It's really good, it's over dirty rice, and then it's got oysters all around it.

- Mm.

- It's great.

- I'd say a dish on our current menu that really sums up Three10 and one that I'm most excited about is our black bass crudo.

We're working with UNCW and their aquaculture and mariculture department to bring in some very fresh sea bass.

Usually they've been harvested the day of that they arrive.

And because they're farmed and their feed is controlled, we are able to serve them completely raw.

It's kinda like a blank canvas, and we rotate through some different accoutrement to go with that and just highlight the fish.

It's very nice.

- Seafood is the star of the show at Three 10, but when you come, be sure to save room for dessert.

This buttermilk panna cotta is one of my favorites in town.

And whether you come in for date night, one of their multi-course wine dinners, or just to wind down, you're really in for a treat.

[upbeat music] [customers faintly speaking] - Three10 is at 1022 North 4th Street in Wilmington, and they're open Tuesday through Saturday from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. To make a reservation, visit their website at three10wilmington.com.