STARS WATERFRONT CAFE IN OCEAN ISLE BEACH SCORES DOUBLE PLAY WITH WINE SPECTATOR AWARD OF EXCELLENCE AND DiRoNA AWARD BRINGING NATIONAL ACCLAIM TO SLEEPY OCEAN ISLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA

Stars Waterfront Cafe, in sleepy Ocean Isle Beach, was recently honored by two national restaurant awards. Both Wine Spectator Magazine and the Distinguished Restaurants of North America have recognized this intimate little island jewel as a premier food and wine destination. This innovative contemporary American restaruant nestled on a barrier island in Southeastern North Carolina provides a unique dining experience for the North Carolina Coast.

Since coming to Stars in Ocean Isle Beach from the DC area, Executive Chef Charles Zeran and Pastry/Sous Chef Colleen Zeran have received rave reviews from customers and critics alike, bringing national recognition to this cozy little island restaurant. Recent awards from DiRoNA (Distinguished Restaurants of North America)and Wine Spectator Magazine, a 4 Star review in the WIilmington Star News and a 4½ Star review in the Myrtle Beach Sun News accompany the raves from a growing crowd of loyal customers, experiencing something unique for the North Carolina Coast.

The couple, previously at Stone Manor in Middletown, Maryland just outside the DC suburbs, garnered four DiRoNA Awards, four Wine Spectator Awards, and four Washingtonian Magazine Very Best Restaurant Listings while at Stone Manor.

DiRoNA is the only national independent and anonymous restaurant reviewing organization in North America. Its list of recipients is comprised of the finest restaurants on the continent, and its Award Of Excellence is one of the most prestigious awards for fine dining that a restaurant can receive. Stars Waterfront Café has just been added to its elite roster, becoming only the ninth North Carolina recipient ever, and one of only 58 new additions to the DiRoNA list for the coming year on the entire continent. The award was officially presented at a gala ceremony at DiRoNAs Annual Conference on October 3, 2003 in Montreal, Canada.

In January, Stars completed its new temperature controlled, cedar racked wine cellar, and has assembled one of the most diverse wine lists in North Carolina. The wine list has almost 200 selections, from eleven different countries spread over five continents. About forty percent of the wines on the list are rated 90 points or higher by The Wine Spectator, and less than a half dozen rated lower than 85 points.

Almost every wine grape varietal is represented, as well as almost every wine growing region of the world. One of the results of these efforts is the 2003 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.

We continually strive to provide our guests with the ultimate dining experience, and do our best to exceed their highest expectations," says Charles Zeran, Executive Chef at Stars. It is certainly an honor to be given the DiRoNA Award, and to be considered among the best restaurants in North America, and the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence attests to our philosophy that at this level of dining, wonderful wines are as much a part of a complete dining experience and great food."

Stars Waterfront Café, in Ocean Isle Beach, is located just over the causeway bridge on the island. Stars serves the finest in contemporary American cuisine handcrafted from the freshest possible ingredients. This unique restaurant offers stunning waterfront sunset views from every table, both in the intimate white linen dining room and on the expansive informal deck.