There are so many great places to get seafood and oysters in Gulf Shores. Another restaurant I wanted to try has been around for over 30 years – Original Oyster House. I was excited to see a giant Gator greeting customers at the door! Naturally they had several options of oysters on their menu. I ordered their parmesan garlic oysters. They bake their oysters, they are not grilled like other restaurants I have been to. They are covered in garlic, butter, parsley, and cheese. These oysters were good but they did not have the same smoky flavor that grilled oysters have.…
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Just across the street from the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico sits Wintzell’s Oyster House. They have been serving oysters to beachgoers for over 75 years. They started in Mobile in 1938 by Mr. J. Oliver Wintzell. He was apparently known for his witty sayings and you can still see his influence in the décor around the restaurant. One of those witty sayings is right there on the menu: “Fried, Stewed, or Nude”. I was there for the Chargrilled oysters. I knew they would be fresh and I was so excited. They came out sizzling, covered in butter and…
Leave a CommentWhen I was told that Wasabi Juan’s makes sushi burritos I was intrigued by the concept. A combination of sushi and Mexican food is something that I have never seen in all of my travels. Their menu is written on a big chalkboard wall. I read over all the options of tacos and burritos. Everything sounded good so I had a hard time deciding what to try. To make the decision easier I went for two items that were noted as being fan favorites. I started with their 4:20 nachos. These were not any ordinary nachos. These were made…
Leave a CommentI was watching a recent episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives on the Food Network and they featured a place in Nashville called Phat Bites. It’s located across the street from McNamara’s Irish Pub that I have previously written about. Phat Bites is an old garage that has been turned into a fun and busy sandwich shop. I decided to take a drive to Nashville and visit for lunch. The décor is very eclectic inside. There are mix and match chairs and tables; there’s an old Chinese restaurant sign on the wall. Local graffiti artists have crated unique pieces of…
Leave a CommentIf you have been following my blog then you have noticed that I love Sunday brunch. I was looking for new place to try and Village Tavern popped up on my list. When I researched them I noticed they have several locations around the country. Just taking a quick glance at their menu U saw a couple of things I wanted to try, so I made a reservation. The inside of Village Tavern was beautiful. It reminded me of a fancy ski lodge, high ceilings with wood beams and huge rustic chandeliers. The kitchen was open to the seating area…
Leave a CommentI wanted to thank everyone for their support and encouragement this past year as I started my food blog: GatorGirl-OutoftheSwamp.com With over 100 different places written about, I look forward to another year of exploration across the United States. Please keep all the suggestions coming! Enjoy! T
Leave a CommentI was extremely fortunate to get to attend Comic Con in San Diego. One of the group dinners I went to was at Lou & Mickey’s, located in the Gas Lamp District. We had a very large party so I give props to our wonderful waiter d’Artagnan for making sure we were well fed. They had an adventurous selection of cocktails to choose from. I had to try the “Horny Monkey” not only because it made me laugh but because it sounded delicious. It was a blend of vodka, rum, coconut, and banana liquor. One sip of this drink made me…
Leave a CommentI learned about a special brunch at the Birmingham Museum of Art that only happens the first Sunday of every month. It’s a really popular experience and it took me two months to be able to get a reservation. When I was finally able to get in I was extremely excited. Walking into the museum I was greeted with the sound of live music. The piano echoed throughout. It really added to the ambiance and enhanced the brunch experience. This brunch was buffet style with a carving station, a made-to-order omelet station, fresh fruits and breads, an assortment of hot…
Leave a CommentWhen visiting my sister in Florida we have made it a new family tradition to stop by Donut King. There is always a line out the door and they offer fresh made donuts 24 hours a day. As soon as you walk through the door you are greeted with the sweet smell of glaze and yeast. My mouth started watering just looking at the assortment of donuts. We always get a dozen – but the tough part is deciding what flavors to get. They have chocolate, different flavor frostings, jelly and cream filled, bear claws, cinnamon rolls, sprinkles, and much, much more. …
Leave a CommentJust a few miles south of Birmingham is a family run winery called Vizzini Farms. In addition to being able to do a wine tasting, they have an Italian bistro at the winery. Their wine selection has everything from dry reds to fruity dessert wines. During my visit, I got a bottle of their Paulina wine that had just been bottled that week. This wine was a Merlot with black raspberries that made it semi-sweet. This wine paired nicely with the Italian sausage flat bread pizza I ordered. The sausage was homemade and they cut it in large slices for…
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