Favorite restaurants

Hey...don't forget about Hibiscus in Grayton...the food is "all good"!

Hey...don't forget about Hibiscus in Grayton...the food is "all good"!

Yes, Hibiscus, my favorite breakfast source. awesome coffee, friendliest staff.

Yes, Hibiscus, my favorite breakfast source. awesome coffee, friendliest staff.

Love the decor! A trip back in time to old Florida

Hey...don't forget about Hibiscus in Grayton...the food is "all good"!

Yes, Hibiscus, my favorite breakfast source. awesome coffee, friendliest staff.

Aren't you glad you finally went this year after several years of living here?

Cheri, please stop telling everyone about the best kept secret in SoWal. :nono1: I am scared that you will not have enough hugs to go around.

Someone is having another birthday soon...

Hey...don't forget about Hibiscus in Grayton...the food is "all good"!

I Cherijean and the Hibiscus! I missed you last Sunday!

Aren't you glad you finally went this year after several years of living here?

::kicking self in head:: wait, i can do that in environmental.

You have missed several good places, like Shades (Seaside), Bruno's (Seagrove), Market Cafe (Seagrove), and Luna del Mar (Seagrove). These are all reasonably priced.

In the higher end, Bud & Alley's (Seaside), Cafe Tango (Santa Rosa), 30-A and Fishbones (Seagrove), and Barago (Grayton).

I wouldn't hesitate to go to any of these.

You also missed Onano Neiborhood Cafe......

You also missed Onano Neiborhood Cafe......

seriously, quoting from 3/3/05? are you sure you want to include yourself in the company of restaurants that don't exist anymore? rough neighborhood.

Gravel Road is definitely on the up and up. My wife and I went a couple of years ago, and were very disappointed. It seemed like they were short on staff. We went back a few weeks ago and were very pleased. I've heard a few people say the same thing.

Speaking of Onano's, we went to their Sunday brunch this morning. Very nice. I'll definitely be going back there. I haven't had dinner there yet, but my friends say it's great.

Had a terrible lunch at Seagrove Market Cafe yesterday. I had a salad with grilled grouper -- salad wasn't crisp and grouper tasted wet. Hubby had a fried grouper sandwich that tasted frozen -- actually it had no taste. Disappointing.

We had planned to go to Borago for dinner, but after the Gators lost puke, we were in no mood to go out. We got takeout pizza from Bruno's, and it was really good -- actually, it has been for the past few months. The crust no longer tastes like Bisquick, and the salads are always fresh.

BTW I still love Amor?, but that's a different genre of pizza.

We ate there once......:roll: Nice folks but we were not impressed with the food either or the prices. I guess so close to Seaside where everything is high. I couldn't believe last time I got a $4 ice cream at that first place on the right in Seaside. They swirl it up nice and hollow all the way up. What a rip off!
We keep ending up at Dan's BBQ or Thomas' Donuts for affordable ma & pop food. There's a place called The Fish Net all the way in Lynn Haven that is a real hole in the wall but yummy down home cookin' with good hushpuppies and veggies too.

Had a terrible lunch at Seagrove Market Cafe yesterday. I had a salad with grilled grouper -- salad wasn't crisp and grouper tasted wet. Hubby had a fried grouper sandwich that tasted frozen -- actually it had no taste. Disappointing.

We had planned to go to Borago for dinner, but after the Gators lost puke, we were in no mood to go out. We got takeout pizza from Bruno's, and it was really good -- actually, it has been for the past few months. The crust no longer tastes like Bisquick, and the salads are always fresh.

BTW I still love Amor?, but that's a different genre of pizza.

We had a similar experience at Seagrove Market Cafe Friday 2/16. My husband's fried oyster sandwich was more fry than oyster, and I do believe that my grilled grouper was a frozen filet (it looked and tasted frozen). Also - the sides were served cold (how do you serve cold fried food when you aren't crowded?). It was such a disappointment because Seagrove was one of our best lunches last year - I wonder what happened to them.

We did get to Borago and it was fantastico!

Overall, though, we had a great trip that I'll post about when I get the chance. You can see our food photos from the trip at
http://nancyheller.evite.shutterfly.com/action/

Overall, though, we had a great trip that I'll post about when I get the chance. You can see our food photos from the trip at
[URL="http://nancyheller.evite.shutterfly.com/action/"]http://nancyheller.evite.shutterfly.com/action/[/URL]

Nancy. I recognized the spuds from the Red Bar even before I read the caption.

NancyEsq, Are you a food critic or chef? I don't go to the beach only for food, BUT, you made ready to pack my bags. Such great food pics! I have tried all but Borago, can't believe I've missed it! Welcome to our new food reviewer!

NancyEsq, Are you a food critic or chef? I don't go to the beach only for food, BUT, you made ready to pack my bags. Such great food pics! I have tried all but Borago, can't believe I've missed it! Welcome to our new food reviewer!

Thank you all for the warm welcome! Ironically, as a kid, I was never interested in the kitchen - I always had a book to read. Even more ironically, I became interested in food and cooking while on the Jenny Craig diet, because they encourage you to cook for yourself. Big mistake.

So here I am years later, in the wrong career (business attorney ) and enjoying my extracurricular activities a lot more than my day job - including occasional quantity cooking (up to 175 people for a meal), traveling, eating my way through new terrain (so much for that diet), and now - photographing and writing about our bestest eats :clap_1: ! My partner-in-crime hubby just retired after 36 years in skilled trade, and is immersing himself in Michael Ruhlman's Charcuterie book and preparing to plant our garden!

We started visiting Destin 4 years ago, and we're considering moving down there one of these days. I was raised on the East Coast and still can't get used to the poor quality of fish and seafood we get in Cleveland - so Destin and its environs are truly a paradise for us. There were so many places we wanted to try - there was no way to squeeze them all in! But we had fabulous fish almost everywhere we went, from the most humble Dewey Destin's to the more upscale (foodwise) Cafe Tango and D&K.

NE. Keep posting!!! You're making me hungry. I look forward to hearing more reviews.

Oh my, Nancy! Now I am starving! Great pics and comments. Love Dewey Destin!

Welcome Nancy! Glad to see you migrate over from chowhound.com

My wife, M.I.L. and myself will be down March 6 thru March 20. My mouth is watering anticipating some of my favorite places to eat. The first Weds. will be at Gravel Road which is my current favorite. Borago, Cafe Tango, the Terrace, Criolla, Cafe 30-A, Cafe Provence, D&K Cafe are all on my agenda !! I will also fit in Thomas' Donuts and Boars Head. And of course the Donut Hole. I will need to a wheel Barrow to get me around. I better stay off of the beach because someone may harpoon me thinking I am a beached Whale !!

There's apparently been an ownership change at Royal Orchid, and for now I'm not impressed. They're cheaping out on the veggies- my pad pak was mostly cabbage- and their sauces and spices have lost that complexity and spark that used to make their dishes so good.

It wasn't bad food by any means, but for us, they're no longer worth schlepping across the bridge for.

So Mr. Mouse is on spring break this week, and I'm currently in the process of job-hunting (long story there) and we decided to try out Gravel Road for lunch. We'll definitely be going back there. The very picky Mr. Mouse said they had some of the best sweet tea he had ever had. Food was excellent- they're using very good quality ingredients and know how to prepare them very well. And the mashed potatoes and veggies are a nice change for a side instead of yet another big heap of french fries.

Had a terrible lunch at Seagrove Market Cafe yesterday. I had a salad with grilled grouper -- salad wasn't crisp and grouper tasted wet. Hubby had a fried grouper sandwich that tasted frozen -- actually it had no taste. Disappointing.

We had planned to go to Borago for dinner, but after the Gators lost puke, we were in no mood to go out. We got takeout pizza from Bruno's, and it was really good -- actually, it has been for the past few months. The crust no longer tastes like Bisquick, and the salads are always fresh.

BTW I still love Amor?, but that's a different genre of pizza.

Any good experiences here lately? We've always loved the Seagrove Market for grouper sandwiches. Maybe now that it's a busier time you would be less likely to get something that hasn't been frozen.

Any good experiences here lately? We've always loved the Seagrove Market for grouper sandwiches. Maybe now that it's a busier time you would be less likely to get something that hasn't been frozen.

On the day we left last Tuesday I had a wonderful fried grouper sandwich. It was very good and did not taste frozen to me at all!!!! Go try it!

On the day we left last Tuesday I had a wonderful fried grouper sandwich. It was very good and did not taste frozen to me at all!!!! Go try it!

That's grayt to hear!