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ameliaj

Beach Fanatic
Jun 19, 2007
1,258
59
SoSpal (figure it out)/Seacrest
:clap:What a wonderful place to dine....so romantic. I would love to dine on the WHOLE chilled lobster by the pool with grilled asparagus....then the flourless chocolate cake....yum! And a wonderful bottle of champagne.....awwwww!

Kat,
That sounds fabulous.:love: I think I might have to have a nice Chardonnay instead of the champagne (don't want that big ol' headache:sosad:).
 

Indigo Jill

Beach Fanatic
May 10, 2006
321
14
Point Washington
www.sowalscene.com
I had the pleasure of dining with an absolutely wonderful group at Caliza at Alys Beach this past Saturday. Alys Beach recently opened this private venue to the public on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings so everyone that wants to has the opportunity to experience the Alys Beach lifestyle for a night.

As expected, it was just delightful - the ambiance, the food, the service - all were top notch. I can't articulate how stunning the architecture and decor is at Caliza Pool and won't do it an injustice by even attempting to describe it here. You have to experience it first hand yourself - trust me on this one. What I loved was that dinner service is held in one of the covered coves next to the pool so you are dining al fresco but are still protected somewhat in the event of a stray shower. It's just a magical ambiance.

Director of Food and Beverage, Olivier Gaupin (yes, my other half!), who is single-handily manning theCaliza stove at the moment, has created an incredible menu that can be best described as Coastal Cuisine with French and Southern influences. Local specialties from the Gulf are featured on the menu (see the full menu below) - oysters, shrimp, Snapper, and a to-die-for classic Bouillabaisse. Also found are Filet Mignon, NY Strip, Piedmont Free Range Chicken and the best homemade pommes frites and chips seasoned with sea salt. Chef Olivier has high standards and only uses the freshest and highest quality products available which shines through in the finished product. Complicated food it's not which is what I think makes it absolutely fabulous.

In all honesty, it was really hard for me to choose from the menu. I was torn between pretty much everything and wished I could've sampled it all. I settled on Tuna Tartare ($16) for my first course which was made with raw, sushi-grade tuna tossed in a celery remoulade and served with a little lightly dressed arugula salad, Boquerone (Spanish Anchovy) and garlic croutons. One word - YUM! The tuna was incredibly fresh and I adore celery remoulade (remoulade is like the French version of tartare sauce - a mayo-based condiment). It was a generous portion but it's a light dish - a perfect starter that leaves you ready for the next course.

For my main course, I had the Local Snapper ($27) which was grilled and served atop a fris?e salad with shallot bacon vinaigrette and a tarragon shallot remoulade. The delectably fresh Snapper was grilled perfectly - it was flaky and moist and went beautifully with the remoulade. I totally recommend it. Two of my dinner companions had the Fish and Chips and raved about it. The homemade pommes frites and homemade chips are served in these adorable little white boxes lined with paper - such a beautiful and noteworthy presentation! Two others had the Bouillabaisse, another had the Piedmont Free Range Chicken and another Half Lobster. Everyone really enjoyed their food - most made the clean plate club! It was an excellent meal through and through and I don't think there is anything on the menu that would cause one disappointment that they had ordered it.

I couldn't believe it when I realized we had been at the table for almost 3 hours. It was yet another reminder to me that there are few greater pleasures in life than sitting around a table with great people, excellent food and wine and a stellar ambiance - life is good!

Caliza is open for dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays from 6-9pm. Reservations are limited and required. For more inforamtion or to make a reservation, call please call (850) 213-5700.
 
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