New Restaurant To Open At Iconic Sandestin Site
By Deborah Wheeler, Walton Sun, February 13, 2015
Sandestin’s iconic Elephant Walk restaurant is once again getting a new face, a new name and a new purpose – this time under the guidance of seasoned restaurateur Ron Green.
Green and partner Gene Speni have named their new venture The Beach House.
Green is owner of the Another Broken Egg restaurant franchise empire, which he founded in 1996, with 43 franchises now sold with more poised to open soon.
Green took possession of the building located next door to the beach-side Hilton earlier this month and immediately began remodeling and tearing down walls.
The overall theme for the restaurant will be an open shabby coastal chic environment, said Green.
“We are putting in new wood floor, rebuilding the bar and taking down walls that will open up the restaurant so no matter where you sit you can see a panoramic view of the Gulf,” he said. “The atmosphere will be weathered distressed wood and coastal blue green turquoise inside to echo the outside.”
Leaving the breakfast venue to his breakfast restaurants, Green said The Beach House will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., serving lunch and dinner, with live music four nights a week.
Menu offerings will be your typical coastal seafood, he said, and guests can create their own components through a small plates and tapas menu.
Although he has yet to sign on a chef for the venture, Green plans to rotate the menus every two weeks for variety.
Green sees this type menu to be perfect, not just for bar food, but also for casual dining on the restaurant’s massive 3,000-foot deck, and at poolside.
“Guests will be able to get food and beverage served at the pool, pool bar and beach,” he said.
At a chipotle-style taco bar guests can put together their own tacos or burrito salad.
“They can order their food and get it quickly to eat there or to go,” said Green. “The tag line is ‘Relax, drink, and eat.’”
The Beach House will also offer catering and a venue for special events.
Green hopes to offer service to the pool deck by mid March, and anticipates having the full restaurant open by May 1.
The original Elephant Walk restaurant opened in 1985 under then property owner Peter Bos. When Intrawest purchased Sandestin, it was closed in 2003, remodeled and renamed Finz. Finz closed in 2012 and reopened as Elephant Walk in 2013.
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