Have the winter blues hit you yet? Because for me, they have. After Christmas all we really have to look forward to is longer, warmer days, and potentially a beach trip on the horizon. One way to forget about winter and escape to summer is an easy option: seafood. Yet, the option isn't SO easy; it might require a bit of a drive, but North Carolina's best shrimpburger is worth the miles.

If you're wondering what exactly a shrimpburger is, it's basically what it sounds like (with a little extra). Small shrimp are fried with a light but tasty breading, then placed between two steamed buns that have a somewhat sweetness to them. To complete the burger, tartar sauce, coleslaw and a tiny squirt of ketchup make for a delicious snack or lunch depending on if you get one, two, or three. Some even prefer to add a bit of Big Oak's hot sauce to their shrimp burger for an extra kick.

During the summer, barefoot beachgoers pull into the small parking lot that occupies the area where Big Oak proudly stands. Off Salter Path Rd. if you don't know what you're looking for, you might miss it...but it's usually easy to spot due to a large crowd. Even in winter, cars pull up and people line up to order from the window. There are two picnic tables tucked to the side beneath the towering oaks that give Big Oak its name. You can see the sound and although you can't see the ocean, it's obvious it's right there as is the case with most of the places you'll visit along this narrow strip of land.

Don't forget to bring cash with you, since that's the only method of payment Big Oak accepts. After you receive your shrimpburger in a no-nonsense white bag, many simply sit in their car and chow down, sometimes with a side of hushpuppies or onion rings. If it's your first time visiting - get the shrimpburger! If you've been a few times, you can try other fried options like the oysterburger (pictured above), scallopburger, or clamburger.

Big Oak also has non-seafood options like hot dogs, burgers, BBQ plates, soft shell crab burger, even wings! If you're at the beach for a week, you might find yourself coming back daily to try it all.

At this point you might be saying - ok, that sounds delicious, but why is it worth the drive? Because Big Oak is more than just a shrimpburger. It's the atmosphere, it's the ambiance. It's the simple act of parking your car, ordering from a window, and receiving one of the best meals on the Crystal Coast that surprisingly enough doesn't come packed along with glitz and glitter. It's a simple sandwich in wax paper, it's a short chat with the owner who still works the window despite all the success that Big Oak has seen throughout the years. At the heart it shows what North Carolinians love best - the simple pleasures in life and the simple deliciousness found throughout our state that become more than a snack but a yearly tradition.

Have you tried a Big Oak shrimpburger before? I crave one daily and can't wait for a return trip to have another of the sweet and savory bun, crunchy coleslaw, and piping hot fried shrimp that combine for a sandwich that's totally worth putting the miles on your car.

You can find Big Oak at:

1167 Salter Path Rd

Salter Path, NC 28575

If you're looking for another unique North Carolina meal, hop on board at this delicious restaurant located in a former train station!