Coastal Foodies

As we are getting ready to start the Florida cruising season, a thread about the northern gulf coast reminded me of the food along that coast. In fact most everything reminds me of food.

We are blessed with some great food around our coastal areas. To my mind and palate the northern gulf coast has some of the best. Over the years our boats have stayed for extended periods from there to the Chesapeake. Our hailing port is Charleston. Charleston is a bastion of culinary delights. Everything from Justine's Kitchen soul food to Magnolia Grill's shrimp and grits. No area does blackened red fish like the gulf coast. She crab soup in the low country is not to be missed.

Feel free to add some of your favorites. That will give us something to do while prowling the coast.

I spent a summer with my daughter looking for that location where the change from Zattarans to Old Bay took place. Never actually found it but it must be somewhere along that Gulf Coast near Tallahassee. Let me know if you find it.

ulysses said:

I spent a summer with my daughter looking for that location where the change from Zattarans to Old Bay took place. Never actually found it but it must be somewhere along that Gulf Coast near Tallahassee. Let me know if you find it.

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Now, that is an interesting quest, and would involve a lot of good eating. It reminded me of a story, if I may. I was standing at the porte cochere of the Hilton at Charles DeGaule Airport. While waiting for the shuttle for my return flight a guy walks up to wait with me. He asked if I were American, and said he had been working in Europe for 8 weeks. I asked where he was from. He said that he was from Baltimore, and could prove it. This got my attention, so from his jacket pocket he pulled a container of Old Bay seasoning. He said that he never goes anywhere without it.

By the way, I think you are right. By the time you get to Panacea, FL the Cajun influence seems to have vanished. That is a little SW of Tallahassee.

I have to mention on of the most unusual coastal foods we have eaten----the Bahamian coconut crab. These things are huge. Lou has a friend that married a member of one of the original families that settled Man-O-War Cay. They go over to Great Abaco Island now and then to find these monstrous crabs. The coconut crab is a land crab that will eat most anything. Because of that, they have a cage under the trees that the crabs are held in for a couple of months. They are fed a vegetable diet during this period. After their systems are purged of who knows what, they are ready to cook. The meat is chunky, tender, and sweet. It is really good, but very unusual.

https://www.google.com/search?q=bah...0CB0QsARqFQoTCNX-qvP_9McCFQMzPgod3f4MyA&dpr=1

If I'm ever misfortunate enough to be back in New Orleans at dinner time, the Pelican restaurant, the best Bouillabase I have ever had. Lots of great restaurants and delicious food, but you can keep the city.

Ted

The crab sounds great. I have been known to travel with a small bottle of Tobasco, there are just some places you can't get it. Yes, the trip with my daughter was a good food trip from Savannah to N.O. The next quest will be for that spot where the Carolina's start that mustard based Bar b Que.

ulysses said:

The crab sounds great. I have been known to travel with a small bottle of Tobasco, there are just some places you can't get it. Yes, the trip with my daughter was a good food trip from Savannah to N.O. The next quest will be for that spot where the Carolina's start that mustard based Bar b Que.

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It's more vinegar based than mustard. It is probably about Kinston (Kings Barbecue) or Greenville (Parkers). I never did get use to that type, but Parker's corn sticks were great. That is chopped, not pulled, pork. I think they chop up everything including the squeal. Don't even get me started on a NC fish stew.

Ah hah that helps. It must change at the GA/SC line then because the best in Ga. is not far off the line near Toccoa, Ga. about 30 miles or so from Greenville. That would of course be in the "Brunswick Stew" debated area also. No, I never went in for the Carolina Style myself. I do love the she crab soup though.
dk

Not SC, that's Greenvile NC. as you move west it becomes more like the barbecue we know in TN. However, from about Raleigh east it is vinegar based. Probably the best food we got in East Carolina (NC) was at the Country Squire restaurant in Kenansville. If you get there, give me a report.

Will do. My next trip will be back down in Oyster Po Boy country though.

ulysses said:

Will do. My next trip will be back down in Oyster Po Boy country though.

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Bring some back for Ted so he won't have to go to that city which will remain unnamed.

Moonstruck said:

Bring some back for Ted so he won't have to go to that city which will remain unnamed.

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I actually preferred the calamari Po Boy when I was there. Besides, everybody knows it's Chesapeake Bay for oysters unless you like yours saltier, then it's Chincoteague.

Ted

No No!! Calamari poboy? Not for me ! .

Anyone cruising through the Biloxi/ Gulfport/ Pass Christian area could get a transient slip and take in the abundance of excellent seafood restaurants. Gulfport "downtown" has several great restaurants, one of our favorites is the Half Shell Oyster House. Anyway you like them and ask about their "marinated" vodka they do for Zing Zang Bloody Mary's.
http://www.halfshelloysterhouse.com
Walking distance (1/2 mile maybe?) from a transient slip.


A second great Gulfport restaurant is Salute Italian Restaurant. Great shrimp/ pasta, gulf fish and apple martini's! And priced lower than you would expect.
http://saluteitalian.com

Of course the Casinos usually have restaurants- Ruth's Chris at Hardrock/ Biloxi is premo. Expect to pay $$$$

And there is Steve's Marina Restaurant in Long Beach- another of our favorites. It's at the Harbour, and more of a "locals" place. Tuna, mahi mahi, GREAT raw oysters.




Forky
1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's

Steve: The best in the Biloxi area used to be Barcev's or something like that. I don't know what happened to it but its been gone now about 20 years. Guess a Casino pushed it out. As far as Po Boys are concerned there are none that I have found to be top notch that are not within a delivery trucks (BREAD) range from N.O.L.A. Biloxi and Gulfport are in that range. In fact Gulf Shores, Ala. (Acme Oyster House) gets theirs delivered daily. They know what debris is too.

ulysses said:

They know what debris is too.

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Ahhh. Now we are talking!! How about Mothers in NO (sorry not on the coast). Ham and roast beef poboy with debris !
I never thought of trying to order it anywhere else. But I will now!!

http://www.mothersrestaurant.net

Yes- through the years/ and Katrina I guess most of the best places have gone.


Forky
1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's

She crab soup at the Lost Dog Cafe on Folly Beach SC is one of my favorites...for breakfast.

Almost uptown is Domilise's anything on their Po Boy menu with an Abita (used to be a Dixie). I used to haunt Barts on the Lakefront which you might stretch to be coastal but I don't think any of those establishments are there anymore. Steaks, because you can't always eat seafood would mean Charlies Steak House not Ruth's.

Note: Charlie's was one of the first to reopen after Katrina. Walls were still wet.

ulysses said:

The best in the Biloxi area used to be Barcev's or something like that. I don't know what happened to it but its been gone now about 20 years.

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Baricev's brings up fond memories...Every summer we traveled from SW La to our beach house at PC beach from the early 60's until mid 70's. Prior to the completion of I-10 we would always stop there on our return trip for supper...a sort of tradition you could say. I had my first raw oyster there and some of the best stuffed flounder I have ever had.

Rardoin: Likewise, I traveled that route back and forth to Tulane for years after Betsy. Even after I-10 was completed and always ate there coming and going. You are right, the stuffed flounder was wonderful. That was before Paul blackened his first red fish.
Of course your area of S.W. La. has some wonderful food too. As a tow boater passing through we would try to arrange some boudin and frog leg delivery with the grocery order when transiting at the Mile 193 boat store.