When I was working for the newspaper, I wrote a weekly story on local restaurants, and I wasn’t supposed to repeat the same place twice. That’s 52 restaurants a year, which really says something about the incredible variety of good places to eat along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
The other day I started thinking about the best things that I had tried — not specific restaurants, but specific dishes. Most of the places were good, but there were about a dozen that were truly outstanding.
Hands down, the best fried oyster I have ever had was at Desporte’s Seafood in Biloxi. It was huge, as big as a child’s hand, and perfectly cooked — crispy on the outside, juicy and rare on the inside. I’ll never forget it.
Next on the list is not a restaurant, but the Rouses in Ocean Springs. They have USDA Prime prime rib in the specialty section that is stunningly good when properly seasoned and cooked for three minutes on a side over the red-hot coals of a hickory wood fire.
I am by no means a chef, but I’m a pretty good home cook, and I do have to brag on my bolognese (Italian red sauce) and gumbo. As I always say, gumbo is not a recipe — it’s an opinion, usually based on how your mom made it.
I like everything about The Greenhouse in Biloxi, but their sweet potato biscuit, topped with almost anything you might want, is especially good. You can also buy the biscuit mix at the shop, and if you add milk and butter, it makes great dumplings. Check out their once-a-month art market, often with live music.
The Garage on Cash Alley in Ocean Springs is a very good dive bar with great food. Make sure to check out the fried bologna sandwich and the eight hot dogs that are on the menu.
Just across the street from The Garage is Fields, an Italian place with the best pizza in town. But for the very best Italian food on the Coast, you have to try Sicilian II on Pass Road in Biloxi.
If you are a po-boy lover, you just have to try the pot roast beef po-boy at Quave Brothers in Ocean Springs. Make sure to ask for extra cheese and gravy. Amazing!
Hands down, the best burger in town is at Patio 44 in Biloxi on Main Street. But for a real treat, try the beef stew at Henry’s Café and Bakery in D’Iberville.
The Coast is full of great restaurants and talented cooks, and that’s part of what makes living and eating here so much fun. From dive bars and bakeries to grocery stores and family restaurants, you never know where you might stumble across a dish you’ll remember for years. These are just a few that still stand out to me.