Alabama’s Gulf Coast: A Foodie’s Paradise By Amy Piper
Voyagers - Cold Seafood Platter
W
hen you think about Alabama’s Gulf Coast, the food may not be the rst thing that comes to mind. After all, the coast has amazing sugar-sand beaches, so you may imagine soaking up the sun on the beach, wiggling your toes in the sand while the gentle waves roll in, and you breathe in the fresh saltwater scented air. You might imagine the active lifestyle of hiking and biking at one of the many outdoor areas in Gulf Shore State Park. But through all that activity and fresh air, you’re going to work up an appetite and require some sustenance. And the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach food scene doesn’t disappoint. Fresh Gulf Coast seafood, southern specialties like pimento cheese and fried green tomatoes, and a farm-to-table, sustainable ethos make a memorable food scene. Add to those restaurants with waterfront views, and you’ll yearn to return for that next Gulf Coast foodie experience. Here are three restaurants with unique characteristics you won’t want to miss
The Anchor Bar and Gril
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When servers from another restaurant recommend a burger, you know you’re on to something. That’s just what happened with Chef Jonathan Kastner’s More in Than Out Burger at Anchor Bar and Grill in Orange Beach. The 12
Safari Club - Shrimp Tacos.
burger’s complexity makes it unique. The chef butters the locally made brioche bun and toasts it on the press. He puts two Louisiana Wagyu beef patties on the at top, spreading them with Anchor beer mustard made in-house, and seared it into the patties. The mustard is an homage to the In-N-Out Burger from California. After ipping the burgers, the chef tops one with the house-made tomato jam and the other with house-made onion jam. He accents each burger with an American cheese slice and stacked one patty on top of the other. Next, he spreads the bun with house-made Wickle Pickle relish from Alabama Wickle Pickles. The relish is Anchor Bar’s answer to Thousand Island Dressing. They add crispy iceberg lettuce and top it with the patties, then the top bun for a crunch. Enjoy that More in Than Out Burger overlooking the stunning waterfront views of Terry Cove
The Safari Clu Boston’s Green Restaurant Group differentiated the Safari Club as Alabama’s rst certi ed “Green Restaurant.” The restaurant continuously improves as an energy-ef cient operation and leads the charge in conservation, waste reduction, and recycling. What you won’t nd here are plastic straws or Styrofoam products. All the to-go containers are bio-degradable or recyclable. They
Anchor Bar - Brisket Salad