Favorite restaurants

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!

:clap_1: We will for sure.

Please give me the details of Royal Orchid and if you really know of the changes. It is my FAVORITE place to take out and I will be very disappointed if it has changed. Anyone know what's up??? I thought my last meal was a bit different now that you have mentioned it.

I was told the other day that Chapmans Restaurant north of the bay is reopening, Sharon Byrd whatshername and family have taken over. When the Chapmans had it years ago, they had the best seafood anywhere! I would like to see the Chapmans daughter go to work there, I really miss the food! I hope Sharon does well, I think she will. I think they are only open for dinner at the present.

New ownership of Royal Orchid. It's apparently a family that owns a large number of restaurants in these parts. Totally new staff. Old owners hung around for a while to allegedly teach the new staff how to cook Thai, but now the old ownership is gone, and the new people are cheaping out on the ingredients, I'm guessing to keep the margins high.

Mr. Mouse's curry was lacking the Thai basil it used to have in it that gave it a nice complexity to it. My pad pak was mostly cabbage, and the suace wasn't as good as it used to be either.

It's not horrible food, but it just isn't a star like it used to be. I've heard some good feedback about the little Thai takeaway place in the same strip mall as Tuesday Morning and Cancun's. Might be worth trying there instead.

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.

So where is this Gravel Road? :roll:

So where is this Gravel Road? :roll:

Off 30A just east of 283/Grayton. In the same little center as Another Broken Egg and Starbucks.

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.

I eat at the Market a lot and find the food itself pretty consistent. But...

The kitchen can get overwhelmed on busy days - sometimes it can take 25 or more minutes after you order to get your eats . I walk right back out if there's a line. Betcha the bum lunches were on those days.

Now if you ever find yourself in Panacea, stop by Posey's for a grouper sandwich. They do a good one there, too.

Yiannis has great seafood too. Great salads and very reasonable lunches.

Had breakfast at the Wheelhouse once a few years ago. Very inexpensive, plentiful and food was ok. Decor was very rustic.

If you ever get over to Heart & Soul Healthy Catering Co.,6844W.Hwy30-A
try their healthy food choices:clap_1: .They make it easy for you to pick up your food and take it to the beach or back home with you. They have very good food.

love all the dining advice, everyone!
We are going back to stay in Santa Rosa Beach this june '07 and I have a couple questions. We haven't been on 30A for about 3 years...Is Luna Del Mar still open If so, any comments on that would be great. And what is Goatfeathers? Have heard its nearby where we will be staying...is it a restaurant? seafood market? Good/Bad?

Thanks in advance!

Luna Del Mar is closed- the parent company in Texas had problems. As far as Goatfeathers goes, restaurant-not great, seafood market-generally decent.

love all the dining advice, everyone!
We are going back to stay in Santa Rosa Beach this june '07 and I have a couple questions. We haven't been on 30A for about 3 years...Is Luna Del Mar still open If so, any comments on that would be great. And what is Goatfeathers? Have heard its nearby where we will be staying...is it a restaurant? seafood market? Good/Bad?

Thanks in advance!

LOL, just realized I'm sitting here in my Goatfeathers tshirt while reading this forum I just found. Similar to what the last guy said, it is ok but nothing special in my opinion.

We had a couple of lunches at Seagrove Market back week of 4/22. Grouper baskets tasted good to us, not frozen, etc. Came out of the kitchen in good time, fresh, etc. Nothing to complain about, fact is, we recommend them to people (need to stop that so they don't get so popular, oh greedy me!)

Off 30A just east of 283/Grayton. In the same little center as Another Broken Egg and Starbucks.

Thanks Tree Frog. :leaving:

Hey folks. We're coming down next week with our 4-year-old and are wondering with the new, fancier D&K and the apparent death of the Seagrove Market - is there anywhere in the area to still get a cheap, good lunch or a fish sandwich?

Check out the new taco bar in Seaside. Fish tacos, margaritas etc.

Hey folks. We're coming down next week with our 4-year-old and are wondering with the new, fancier D&K and the apparent death of the Seagrove Market - is there anywhere in the area to still get a cheap, good lunch or a fish sandwich?

The Seagrove Market is still alive and kicking and looks like it will be for a while.

Hey folks. We're coming down next week with our 4-year-old and are wondering with the new, fancier D&K and the apparent death of the Seagrove Market - is there anywhere in the area to still get a cheap, good lunch or a fish sandwich?

Hi Billni58....I hope on a visit sometime to SoWal you will come in and try some of Doug's great entrees or appetizers. We still have a number of dishes on the menu that we had on the Beach cafe menu. And even tho we are a bit fancier we have a Sunset Special between 5:00 and 6:30 P.M. Buy 1 entree get the 2nd half off. We also have a children's menu, but no booster seats. I bet at 4 he/she can sit in a chair.

If you get a babysitter you can enjoy a very romantic dinner in our private dinning room...it has only two tables. I just thought I would let you know we are different, but ohhhh so much more to offer!

Have any questions just give us a call at 231-0455. Dress is casual....but you will see a little bit of everything!

Best regards,
Kat and Doug@D&K's Cafe

Hey folks. We're coming down next week with our 4-year-old and are wondering with the new, fancier D&K and the apparent death of the Seagrove Market - is there anywhere in the area to still get a cheap, good lunch or a fish sandwich?

Here are some 4 year old friendly lunch places- Amore pizza at Gulf Place, Wild Olives at Rosemary Beach, Shades at the Loop, and I believe Stinky's Fish Camp hould be open for lunch by now.

Also, there are not many places you can't take your 4 year old for dinner- I know becaue I have a 5 year old! We usually have our kids with us, since SoWal is not a leave your kids at home kind of place, which is why we moved here. Many people visiting here in the summer are on a family vacation and don't have a babysitter (or want to get one while on a family vacation), so I would hope most restaurants would be accomodating.

In the summer, it is much better to go out to dinner to a place where you can get a reservation that stand around for 2 hours and turn your poor kids into nightmares by the time you get a table. I never understood why anyone would take beach-exhausted kids, make them wait forever to eat, then expect them to behave! When we came down on vacation, we cooked or grilled in every night except for one "big" night out!

Amore in Gulf Place at Santa Rosa Beach is the best pizza in the area. They have a great open deck and live music. It is well priced and easy for a good lunch or dinner.
www.amore-pizzeria.com

Gravel Road has stepped up to my number 2 spot for my favorite restaurant in town. Delicious food, reasonably priced, great service. Yummy!

Amore in Gulf Place at Santa Rosa Beach is the best pizza in the area. They have a great open deck and live music. It is well priced and easy for a good lunch or dinner.
www.amore-pizzeria.com

It's REAL Italian pizza too, not the bland, doughy, greasy mess some places call pizza! Thin crust, fresh and healthy ingredients, good spices, made to order! Plus you can get everything "to go". Easiest post beach dinner ever - yummy pizzas, cheesy bread w/ marinara for dipping, and great salads.

Hmmmm ........ I think I just decided what I'm having for lunch.

Just fell in love with the pizza at Enzo. It was wonderful. Like a taste of home.:roll:

Hey Guys-My family and I are going to be in the area July 9-16. We are very excited about it but one of my downfalls is that I am a major planner!!!!!! I guess it is the school teacher in me-haheha Anyway, I have always found a board to check things out in whatever area we are visiting-One of my favorites has always been about FOOD!!!! Where the best is-what restaurants are famous for what? Price ranges and so on..... Is there anyone else who frequents this board interested in this kind of information-I am new-maybe there is already something like that here and I don't know about it. Anyway-thanks for all the great information so far!!!

We would love to have you for dinner at Onano

We would love to have you for dinner at Onano

We are also open for lunch and Sunday brunch.

Most famous, most awards: Criollas $$$$
http://www.graytonbeach.com/criollas

Best bartender, best Italian food: Borago $$$
http://www.graytonbeach.com/borago

Best Thai food: Royal Orchid $$
Best family Italian: Angelina's $$
Best steak: Pandora's $$$
Best seafood: it's funny that we don't have a superb seafood restaurant but many restaurants that do seafood very well. I prefer to buy mine raw and cook it up myself mostly.

Some favorites - Cafe Tango, Bloom's Cafe, Piccolo's Restaurant (aka The Red Bar http://graytonbeach.com/redbar.html), Basmati's, The 3-Thirty-1 http://www.graytonbeach.com/the331, Smiling Fish, Fish Out of Water http://www.graytonbeach.com/fishoutofwater, Luna Del Mar, The Donut Hole.

If I've left anyone off it may be because I haven't eaten at your restaurant and you should call me and invite me before I start writing my reviews.

Yes there is a superb seafood restaurant now!!! Mitchells Fish Market in Grand blvd in Sandestin...its really good!! go check it out!!