Shady's - Biloxi, Mississippi

Shady’s Global Grill
Pass Road, Biloxi
228-432-8424

In the dark days after Hurricane Katrina there were many of us who were thankful for Shady’s; it was one of the few places open to get a good, hot meal. A funky sculptured head of a pirate sat boldly at the bar with a sign hung from its neck stating “Katrina sucks.” That the same pirate head now has another sign suggesting “Oyster Shots” is testimony to Biloxi’s recovery from the historic storm.

Shady’s clearly reflects the Thai influence of its previous owner. The menu has plenty of Asian items – lettuce wraps (spicy and worth a few trips back), Thai Spring rolls, Asian dumplings and coconut milk soup. All good. But a better description of Shady’s food would be eclectic. They serve fresh seafood, including sautéed blue crab fingers that get high marks; BBQ pork, Louisiana crawfish tails, calamari, fried pickles, seafood combos, pork ribs and oysters.

Since Katrina, they’ve added additional patio dining – and best of all – a separate bar area for smokers. There’s another Shady’s in Ocean Springs on Government Street. The owner is opening one more eatery (of a different name) also in Ocean Springs in a few months that will offer a more upscale menu with good wines - something Shady's doesn't pour now. Service: good. © 2009 all rights reserved.

The Fillin' Station - Biloxi, Mississippi

The Fillin’ Station
“Biloxi’s Oyster Bar”
592 Howard Ave (at Main Street)
228-432-5565
Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. - ‘til
Sunday – 3 p.m. - 11 p.m.

By Jane Feehan

What do you get when you mix funky with a dash of New Orleans and a bit of retro? That would be the Fillin’ Station in Biloxi, just a few blocks from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and the Beau Rivage, off Main Street.

This very casual eatery is a converted gas station, circa 1950s. A patio for outdoor dining lies in front of this eye-catching renovation. What used to be a garage door is open to a bar with a few tables for semi-indoor dining; there’s plenty of air-conditioning.

I tried fried crawfish and banana peppers with a spicy hot sauce made of Serrano peppers and mayonnaise on an excellent French bread roll; pretty good for a place this casual. That and a side order of cole slaw and a soft drink came to $10. There are oysters done several ways: New Orleans style - charbroiled (Drago’s invention), oysters on the half shell, oysters Rockefeller – and other variations. They offer Po’ Boys – shrimp, fried oyster, roast beef. Other choices include chicken BBQ on a roll, fish sandwiches, burgers, cheese quesadillas and salads. With a full bar and a following of all ages, the Fillin’ Station provides live bluegrass/soft rock music Wednesday-Saturday starting at 10 p.m. No cover. There’s a television for sports enthusiasts at the bar. Fun. © 2009

Ocean Club Condo Rentals - Biloxi, Mississippi

Ocean Club – Condo - Vacation Rentals
2060 Beach Blvd.
Biloxi, MS 39531
888-383-8503
228-388-8503

By Jane Feehan

Ocean Club, a high rise condominium built after Hurricane Katrina, sits across from the beach, just a block west of Treasure Bay Hotel and Casino. Half the condos face the sunrise, and the other, fabulous sunsets; all have good views of the Mississippi Sound. It’s also on a line of public transportation to shopping, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, and the queen of all the casinos in this Gulf Coast city, the Beau Rivage.

The one and two-bedroom condos are spacious, modern and beautifully decorated with granite top counters in the kitchens and bathrooms. Two-bedroom models are ideal for families or couples vacationing together; some offer privacy options with a sliding door separating the master bedroom and bath from the rest of the apartment. There’s a pool overlooking the Gulf but no fitness room. Security is on site from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. Staff is in the office seven days a week, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Some condos available unfurnished for annual or shorter-term leases. Shopping and restaurants are close by. Vacation rentals run $149-$199 with a night with a two-night minimum.

Jia - Biloxi, Mississippi

Jia
Beau Rivage Hotel
875 Beach Blvd.
Biloxi, MS 39530
Sunday-Tuesday 5 p.m.-10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday – 5 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Closed Wednesday and Thursday
228-386-7111
888-952-2582

By Jane Feehan

Put Jia on the top of your list if you’re looking for a sophisticated Asian dining experience. The menu includes dishes from Japan, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam and China.

I tried Lemongrass Seared Panang Style Swordfish (about $30) and was not disappointed. The sauces were superb, especially the coconut red curry cream, which did not overpower but accented the fish. Chef Alberto Rosa came out to ask how I liked the food – a nice touch and a plus in my book.

Other samplings included sushi and an order of avocado crabmeat spring rolls. The array, freshness, and quality of sushi is probably the best in Biloxi – perhaps on the entire Mississippi Coast. The spring rolls were a bit large, and enough for two or three people but quite tasty and served with two sauces, one a mild mustard.

Jia is located on the casino level, a stylish restaurant in a lively setting. Expensive. Service: excellent.

New Orleans Marriott Metairie at Lakeway

New Orleans Marriott Metairie at Lakeway
3838 N. Causeway Boulevard
Metairie, LA 70002
504-836-5253
866-882-4377

By Jane Feehan

This Marriott property, best for business travel, lies at the foot of the causeway over Lake Pontchartrain. It’s located within a business center and is pretty quiet over the weekend. If you’re a traveler with Platinum Marriott Reward status expecting access to the concierge room on a Sunday night, it may not be open because few guests are registered at that time. They’ll compensate with a coupon good for a choice of appetizers from the bar.

That said, accommodations and facilities such as the fitness center are excellent; rooms and the lobby seem to be recently updated and are very attractive. Bar 38 is busy on week nights with business travelers. This hotel is close to a good shopping center, a Whole Foods and a great restaurant, Andrea’s (see my review), just a few blocks away. I had a room on the 16th floor with a fairly good vista of the lake, which is impressive. My photo isn’t great, but it gives an idea of the view. This is a pleasant hotel with an excellent staff extending New Orleans hospitality. Parking: $10 self parking daily, $15 for valet daily. About six miles from the French Quarter.

Lookout 49 - Gulfport, Mississippi

12013 Highway 49
Gulfport, MS 39503
(228) 328-1366

By Jane Feehan

Like the other two restaurants of the same owners, Back Bay and Salute, Lookout 49 is as popular a dining spot as it is a favorite "watering hole."

I’ve been here several times and enjoyed their blackened amberjack, which was fresh and served with a tasty sautéed vegetable medley of squash, broccoli and green beans.

Good dining here depends on what you order.

In a recent group lunch, I ordered blackened redfish with a Florentine topping and their signature vegetable medley. The redfish wasn’t great, perhaps not fresh and the blackening spices were bland. Fellow diners ordered fettuccini with shrimp or crawfish, or blackened chicken and Jambalaya. Thumbs up for the fettuccini and crawfish, thumbs down for the fettuccine and shrimp because it was too watery and thumbs up for the chicken and jambalaya - mixed reviews indeed.

Lookout 49 is casual, often crowded at night, also family friendly and inexpensive - definitely a good value. Service: good. © 2009

Jocelyn's - Ocean Springs, Mississippi

1608 Bienville Rd. (Access via Highway 90 East)
Ocean Springs, Mississippi
228-875-1925
Dinner: Thursday – 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday – 5 p.m. – Until

By Jane Feehan

Jocelyn’s is a Mississippi Coast gem, and as her tag line says, “Like this, no place.” It’s a charming eatery run by a family working together in the kitchen, dining room and bar. Twelve or so tables fill up quickly Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the only nights the place is open.

The food isn’t fancy but it’s good. Jocelyn serves mostly entrees from the sea: soft shell crabs, oysters, trout, shrimp, fresh catch of the day, seafood gumbo. Or there’s chicken livers shish kebob, calves liver, rib eye steaks and chicken. When I was there last, rack of lamb was a featured special. I tried lemon fish topped with crab meat Au Gratin and a salad with their homemade Roquefort dressing, a good choice. Most of their deserts are homemade – pecan pie, rum pie, bread pudding. I settled on a homemade brownie with ice cream.

Two couples sitting next to me raved about their orders of fried soft shell crabs - a solid endorsement coming from native New Orleanians.

Jocelyn Mayfield works the dining room with help from her sister and granddaughter. Her son tends bar and delivers cocktails and wine to tables while his dad puts the meals together under Jocelyn’s direction. She’s owned the restaurant for 28 years after working at another in Ocean Springs for decades. If she’s not busy, Jocelyn loves to tell her story. Bring cash; CREDIT CARDS NOT ACCEPTED. Reservations recommended. Casual or for special occasions.© 2009

Phoenicia Gourmet Restaurant, Ocean Springs, Mississippi

Phoenicia Gourmet Restaurant
Downtown Ocean Springs
1223 Government Street
Ocean Springs, MS
228-875-0603
Breakfast, lunch and dinner: Monday – Thursday 7 a.m. – 9 pm
Friday - Saturday 7 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sunday - breakfast and brunch: 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.

By Jane Feehan

Phoenicia offers food with a Middle Eastern flair with its homemade hummus and warm pita bread served with each meal and a variety of items including chicken shawarma – boneless, sliced chicken marinated in olive oil, lemon juice and garlic – a winner. But there is so much more if you’re looking for something less exotic.

Fish is a favorite there – always fresh, never frozen. Phoenicia also serves USDA prime steaks. A typical lunch special may include a choice of fresh red snapper, mahi mahi, lemon fish or coconut shrimp, with spinach lentil soup, a salad and desert for around $15. You won’t have room for dinner after lunch at Phoenicia. If you’ve got dinner plans, think about sharing lunch. A dinner at Phoenicia also comes in large portions at a reasonable price. Ask for the specials before ordering from the menu.

The menu also offers a “little of Mexico” with chicken or beef fajitas or quesadillas and a children’s menu with chicken tenders and hamburgers.

A plethora of choices tends to cast doubt in my mind about how good everything can be but Phoenicia has a handle on it. They recently started serving breakfast. One of the morning featured items is Eggs Oscar Tournedos of Filet Mignon topped with a poached egg, crabmeat, asparagus and Hollandaise sauce for $11.95. Everything I’ve eaten there for lunch and dinner has been outstanding; the same is expected of breakfast.

Phoenicia does not sell alcohol but they invite you to bring your own. This may be an inconvenience but it ensures a very reasonable tab. It’s a casual atmosphere, and Middle Eastern with its gold, blue and white wall décor and white table clothes. This is a popular place, reservations are welcome. Service: It’s been both good and bad.
© 2009