taste

 

Good Food Great Prices
Local Flavor For Not A Lot Of Dough
By Joni Williams
Do worries about the economy have you tightening your belt? Rest assured, this is a trend area dining establishments have observed. And they are responding in a big way. Or, I should say, in a smaller way, at least when it comes to pricing.

Where just a year ago pricey fine dining was all the rage, now, fine fare that offers value for even the tightest vacation budget is the hot new trend along much of the gulf coast.

Condo Owner found dozens of restaurants with a good selection of entrées priced at $20 or less. To get you started on your value journey, we are serving up a handful of restaurants that offer great food at a great price.

Z’s FISH HOUSE & BAR, Destin, Fla.
Does finding a seafood or choice steak dinner at an award-winning restaurant for under $20 seem like the impossible dream? If so, your dream has come true! Formerly, Zampieri’s Harbor Grille, the restaurant was named to Florida Trend magazine’s top 10 list for the entire state.

The owners have reinvented their menu so that most entrées are priced at around $20 or less. General Manager Kevin Moran said the change was in response to a transition in customer preference for value-priced fare. Still, while prices have been lowered, Moran stressed that the restaurant’s high standards for quality food have not. “We take a lot of pride in our food,” he said. “For example, we still use fresh, local seafood whenever possible.”

Also, entrées now come in small and large portions. That way, Moran said, diners with smaller appetites aren’t paying for macho-sized meals. Entrées that come in varying sizes include a yummy potato-wrapped grouper, ahi tuna, mahi mahi and gulf shrimp.

There is also a wider range of meals to choose from. Traditional dinners remain on the menu, with options including a pork chop with gastrique for $15.90, honey lime chicken for $14.90, and pan-seared crab cakes with pickled green tomatoes for $17.90. But now there are also some interesting new knife-and-fork-optional offerings. Worth considering among the newbies are the fish tacos, “bada bang” tacos, and tilapia fish and chips, each priced at $12.90 or less.

Café Grazie, Destin, Fla., and Orange Beach, Ala.
Destin’s Café Grazie is renowned as a family restaurant, but if you’re looking to have a romantic night, this is a great place to go, especially if you’re on a budget. And an equally charming location is in Orange Beach.

Pasta dishes are reasonably priced starting at a low $12.99. More upscale dishes are also affordable, including mahi mahi with shrimp and artichokes slathered in cream sauce atop some plump linguini, for example, is only $16.99. Some delicious veal options are also available and are a steal at $16.99.

If dinner isn’t your meal of choice, the Orange Beach location now offers a lunch menu with entrées priced at $10.99 and under. And the Destin location serves up a massive spread of buffet selections and cook-to-order omelets for its Sunday brunch, all for a mere $12.99.

Cobalt, Orange Beach, Ala.
Caribe Resort has a new restaurant that just debuted New Year’s Eve but is already making quite a name for itself. “The owner, Brian Harsany, has been very careful not to overprice anything,” said Executive Chef John Pinkstaff.

While some of the dinner entrées, such as the Spanish paella and grilled jumbo shrimp, are priced under $20, the restaurant also offers an array of pasta dishes, pizza and sandwiches that are priced for as little as $8.

And an upscale touch is apparent in these dishes. Take the burgers they serve, for example, which are made from hormone-free bison and weigh in at a half-pound. The undressed burger goes for a mere $8.

Other sandwiches are available in the evening, including po’ boys, along with pizza. But the pizzas served here, Pinkstaff stressed, are not at all like the typical fare you’d find at your local delivery or take-out place. “We’re not a pizza restaurant, we’re a restaurant that serves pizza,” he said, explaining that all of the 10-inch pies are made from scratch and baked on a stone.

Rousso’s in Daphne, Ala.
Daphne is the home of Rousso’s restaurant. If you plan to stop here for breakfast or dinner, it literally pays to first visit their website at www.roussosrestaurant.com where you’ll find some valuable coupons. And kids eat free, no coupon required.

Not that this place is expensive—seafood dinner entrées start at $9.95 for a fish platter. A whole stuffed flounder goes for $16.95, or a large seafood platter for a dollar less. A sirloin strip is $14.95, and a petite filet mignon $16.95.

Sides include sometimes-hard-to-find Southern staples like fried pickles, oysters on the half shell and onion rings. If you’re in the mood for a sandwich instead of a meal, check out Rousso’s offerings that include po’ boys and grilled sandwiches.

Rousso’s also offers lunch, and the prices are even more reasonable than dinner. Budget stretchers include fried catfish or fish fingers for $7.95. A more upscale scampi will cost you $14.95.

Pat O’Brien’s, Destin, Fla.
Located right before the Destin East Pass bridge is the new Pat O’Brien’s, a sister establishment of the famous original in New Orleans. Meals here can be incredibly affordable and the reviews of local diners, so far, have been good.

Pat O’Brien’s version of a filet mignon is turkey—a pan-seared, center cut breast to be exact—served up with cranberry marmalade, sweet potato hash and veggies. It makes for a delicious and healthy meal at only $18.

Another reasonable selection is the Pat O’Brien’s trio, comprised of crawfish étouffée, jambalaya, and red beans and rice at $14. Even more affordable are the sandwiches that top out at $13. One of the best selections here is the muffaletta stacked with meats, cheese and olive salad. Po’ boys are another good choice, with prices ranging between $9 and $13.

Bluepoint, Destin, Fla.
Located in the Destin Commons, Bluepoint may be one of the best-kept secrets in the Destin area. While it’s often “the” place for locals to hit after work for happy hour or hang out late nights on weekends, Bluepoint offers a good selection of great food that’s very well priced; few entrées are priced over $20.

Make no mistake though, Bluepoint is first and foremost, a restaurant. The ambiance here is city meets coast with its sophisticated décor done in dark tones and brick, punctuated by super comfortable, overstuffed, high-backed booths.

A variety of entrées are available such as Jambalaya brimming with sausage and shrimp for $17 and jerk chicken for $14. Two good bets: the shrimp and crab Louie or the Thai ahi tuna, each priced at $14. Sandwiches include a shaved ribeye with cheese for $12 and a crab cake on a Kaiser roll for $16.

Pompano Joe’s, Miramar Beach, South Walton, Fla.
Consistently one of the most popular restaurants in the Destin-South Walton area for about a decade, Pompano Joe’s consistently packs ‘em in, year after year. “We’re always busy here, and this year is no exception,” said Comer, whose company also owns Pompano Joe’s.

So, what does Pompano Joe's have to offer that keeps folks coming back for more? Well, in addition to its awesome Gulf-front location and view, entrées here are well-priced and offer flair as well as flavor.

Salad lovers looking for a twist on the ordinary should check out the scallops and artichoke selection for $9.99. A dollar more will get you another interesting variety—more scallops, this time paired with Caribbean fruit.

Most entrées are priced under $20, or just a few dollars over. The more reasonable selections include crab-and-shrimp-stuffed mahi mahi, a jerk- marinated beef, and shrimp kabob and swordfish baked with scallops, artichoke hearts, basil, tomatoes and olive oil.