Mississippi Gulf Coast Archives

Steve and I have a rule. Whenever we are on the Gulf Coast — or ANY coast, for that matter — we order seafood. For us, this is not the time for pork chops, steaks, hamburgers or spaghetti. No. The coast is where you are most likely to get the very freshest seafood, and we both love it. Oysters, shrimp, scallops, crab, calimari, redfish, speckled trout, tuna, mahi mahi, flounder, red snapper, grouper — you name it, we’ll eat it.

We’ve known all of our lives about the seafood on Alabama’s Gulf Coast, but recently we had a chance to spend a few days further west, pretty much halfway between Pascagoula and New Orleans. We sampled the area restaurants of Hancock County, specifically in Bay St. Louis and Kiln (Brett Favre’s hometown), and can testify that they are outstanding. Here are 4 that I’d like to recommend. Warning: These photos will make you LONG to be at the beach.

200 NORTH BEACH

200 North Beach was the first restaurant to open after Katrina all but wiped out Bay St. Louis. It is located across from the harbor in Old Town Bay Saint Louis and is housed in the restored Echo Building, which once produced the Echo Sea Coast Newspaper. You will see beaded boards and exposed beams that were carefully reclaimed from the storm’s destruction, but most of all, you will taste the delectable creations of Chef Keith Becton and his staff.

Chef Becton was born on the island of Martinique and received his classical training as a chef in France. He previously worked in New Orleans, so the French Creole influence is prominent in his preparations and seasonings. By all means, save room for dessert. His White Chocolate Bread Pudding is fabulous!

200 North Beach is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Broiled seafood platter full of oysters, scallops, shrimp and fish.

Amazing White Chcolate Bread Pudding — Oh My!

CUZ’S OLD TOWN OYSTER BAR AND GRILL

Cuz, whose real name is Melvin Barnes, used to own a seafood market and restaurant where he actually caught the fish himself, but not anymore. Cuz does, however, still know the best sources for his seafood. He’s a colorful character whose life is surrounded by women — a wife, 5 daughters and “even a female dog.” 🙂

We tried the fried seafood at Cuz’s Old Town Oyster Bar and Grill and enjoyed the fact that the crust was very light. We’ve heard that his boiled seafood is great, so during a return visit, we’ll give it a try. His bread pudding recipe follows a very specific rule — “I won’t let them put raisins in it.” We agree with you, Cuz.

Cuz’s is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Look at the size of that fried seafood platter!

JOURDAN RIVER STEAMER

Jourdan River Steamer in Kiln, MS, is owned by Hank and Lori Plauche. Their current location is very new, because storms wiped away previous restaurants they’ve owned. This one is right along the river and is very high off the ground — according to flood plain and insurance requirements resulting from Katrina.

The menu is extremely unique in that it prominently features King, Dungeness and Snow Crab, Royal Red Shrimp and Live Maine Lobsters. According to Lori Plauche, the kitchen doesn’t even HAVE a fryer, and the kitchen staff is referred to as the Steam Team.

Jourdan River Steamer is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday.

BOGART’S STEAKHOUSE

Bogart’s is the fine dining restaurant inside Hollywood Casino in Bay St. Louis. Gambling and casinos are a reality on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I don’t gamble, but I do appreciate great food. And, yes, this post is about seafood, but Bogart’s Steakhouse deserves to be included because in addition to its great steaks (which we had a chance to sample thanks to a fellow diner and LOVED), the seafood is outstanding as well.

I sampled ahi tuna, crabcakes, broiled scallops and loved the blackened redfish with crawfish risotto. All wonderful. Then the desserts — I had a taste of the cheesecake, the blonde brownie, bread pudding and creme brulee. It would be impossible to choose the best. I believe I need to go back and try them all again. 🙂

Bogart’s is closed on Monday and Tuesday and open only for dinner Wednesday through Sunday.

Dessert tray – cheesecake, bread pudding and blonde brownie

Two other eateries certainly deserve a mention here. Mockingbird Cafe is a great place for breakfast and lunch and is located near fun shops in Old Town Bay St. Louis. It is often referred to as “the Living Room of the Bay” and is a natural gathering spot for the locals. Mockingbird Cafe is open seven days a week but closes early on Sunday. Be sure to check the website.

And, possibly the biggest surprise of our trip was the Jet Away Cafe inside Stennis International Airport. The gumbo I had for lunch was chocked full of goodness, and Steve had one of the biggest chef salads I’ve even seen. I’m only sorry that I was too busy watching all of the action at this unique airport and hearing about its history and functions to make photos. Trust me. It’s a neat place to eat. Jet Away Cafe is closed on weekends but open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

I arrived in Bay St. Louis expecting mild weather, Gulf breezes and fresh seafood. To be sure, those things were present even in frigid January. In reality, “mild” turned out to be a little cooler than I wanted and the breezes came from the Bay rather than from the Gulf, but oh, that seafood! It was wonderful everywhere we ate. Fish, oysters, scallops and shrimp with bread pudding for dessert? I doubt there’s a better meal anywhere. So, I found what I expected to find, but there were some delightful surprises.

ANGELS

As I mentioned in last Friday’s post, angels are very important to folks in and around Bay St. Louis. A chainsaw-tree-carver named Dayle K. Lewis brought his skills to Bay St. Louis as a way to encourage those who were trying to rebuild their lives after Katrina. Two of his works can be seen along the waterfront, while two others are in a city cemetery. All are remarkable.

ALICE MOSELEY AND HER LITTLE BLUE HOUSE

The best way I know to describe Alice Moseley’s artwork is “a Southern version of Grandma Moses in style and subject matter.” She painted the world as she wanted it to be, rather than as it actually was.

Mrs. Moseley was actually born in Birmingham, AL, and her first career was as a schoolteacher. She didn’t start painting until the age of 65 and didn’t discover Bay St. Louis until she was 79. As soon as she saw it, she was determined to move there. Her little blue house sits across the street from the Bay St. Louis train depot, which now houses the Visitors Center, a Mardi Gras museum, and a museum of her work. She died in 2004 at the age of 94.

I wish I’d known about her when I was teaching elementary art.

I love the title she gave this painting: “The House is Blue, but the Old Lady ain’t.”

ST. ROSE DE LIMA CHURCH

This church began as a school for African American children in 1868, and in 1925, it became a church. Nowadays, the 9:00 a.m. mass on Sunday mornings brings in a packed house of both blacks and whites. The church’s Gospel Choir and Men’s Choir are considered to be among the best in the South.

Both the pulpit and the large mural in the front of the sanctuary are striking. In most Catholic churches, Jesus is portrayed as the Suffering Savior on the cross. In St. Rose de Lima Church, the mural shows an African Christ being resurrected through a large oak tree. The pulpit was fashioned from a felled oak tree with its roots supporting the top piece.

INFINITY SPACE CENTER

Living only about 35 minutes from the Alabama Space and Rocket Center, I had failed to consider the other space-related facilities in our part of the country. As I learned from our tour guide, when the Huntsville engineers started testing rocket engines in the late 50’s and early 60’s, pictures were being jarred off the walls and dishes were breaking. There wasn’t a large enough buffer zone between the testing and area residences.

Werner Von Braun and his associates bought up five small communities in South Mississippi, relocated the people and built the John C. Stennis Space Center, NASA’s largest rocket engine test facility. INFINITY Space Center is its affiliated visitor center and science museum. Hundreds of area school children plus thousands of other visitors pass through each year to enjoy the exhibits and the new 3D movie theater.

I will be sharing more about the current status of Bay St. Louis and Waveland, Mississippi — 13 1/2 years after Katrina — but, for now, let me encourage you to plan a day or more in this beautiful area and support the amazing work that area leaders and residents have carried out. You’ll be impressed, and they will appreciate the affirmation.

Seafood, Glorious Seafood on the Mississippi Gulf Coast

4 Surprising Sights in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

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