RESTAURANT REVIEWS

DEMPSEY’S SEAFOOD AND STEAK
PLAY THE COAST APRIL/MAY 2016

With outstanding cuisine and a fun atmosphere Dempsey’s Seafood and Steak brings a New Orleans tradition to Mississippians and tourists alike as one of the premier restaurants on the Gulf Coast.

Coming from a family of restaurant owners, Diane Hennessy originally opened Dempsey’s Seafood and Steak in Waveland in 2003. After losing it to Hurricane Katrina two years later, she went back to her home state of New Orleans to work with her father at his restaurant Jack Dempsey’s, named after a local sportswriter. A couple of years later she came back to Mississippi, re-opening Dempsey’s first in Lake Shore, and then in 2011 moving it to the current location in the Kiln. 

Dempsey’s is a family style, seafood, steak, and Cajun restaurant that won Hancock County’s Business of the Year in 2014. It’s a fun place to hang out with friends and family, where besides being decorated with New Orleans Saints memorabilia, you’ll also find pictures of patrons on the walls. 

“I’m very friendly with my customers,” Hennessy says of why she showcases the regulars. “They’re like family.” 

This family friendly environment definitely helps bring in customers, but it’s the exceptional food that is the primary reason for Dempsey’s success. Their extensive menu features a wide variety of items including local fried & boiled seafood, certified Angus beef steaks, sandwiches, pasta, and more.

Some of the popular dishes are Dempsey’s Broiled Redfish which is topped with crabmeat au gratin, the New Orleans or BBQ Gulf Shrimp which are cooked in a compound butter and topped off with melted Monterey Jack cheese, and the Dempsey Seafood Platter for Two – consisting of fried shrimp, oysters, redfish, catfish, two stuffed crabs, two crawfish pies, and two servings of gumbo. 

“It’s all good and all consistent,” Hennessy says of her delightful creations. “I take pride in everything I do.”

I found this out firsthand when I tried a Dempsey’s special, the Shrimp and Grits. This fantastic dish is prepared by taking a fried grit cake made with three cheeses, garlic, jalapeno peppers, and plenty of butter. A generous portion of blackened redfish, crawfish, and shrimp are laid over the grit cake, and it’s topped with a creamy “Swamp Sauce.” 

When asked how she creates the tasty Swamp Sauce, Hennessy laughingly told me: 

“Well, I can’t tell you all that now!” 

With food this good, the popular eatery often has a bit of a wait, especially on weekends, so reservations are encouraged. If you find yourself waiting don’t worry, you can head to the back bar for a drink, or spend some time in the gift shop next store where you’ll find many Mississippi-made souvenirs, home décor, jewelry, and other unique items.  

Dempsey’s Seafood and Steak is open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner, and Sundays for lunch. They feature fresh fish specials daily, including all-u-can-eat fried catfish and redfish on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and Happy Hour Oyster Specials are Tuesday through Thursday from 4pm to close. They also can cater their Southern-style cuisine for your next special occasion.

Dempsey’s Seafood and Steak
6208 Kiln Delisle Rd 
Kiln, MS 39556
www.eatatdempseys.com


OLD CUEVAS BISTRO BAY GOURMET
PLAY THE COAST FEB/MARCH 2016

Rising from the ashes of its former location in Pass Christian, the Old Cuevas Bistro has found a new home in Bay St. Louis.

The original Old Cuevas Bistro opened in 2004 in a nearly 150 year old home built on a Confederate battleground. Throughout the years the building housed a trading post, a post office, a grocery store, and a filling station, before head chef Cassandra Timmons transformed it into a restaurant. 

After taking on 15 feet of water during Hurricane Katrina, the building was painstakingly restored, only to be lost for good when a fire destroyed the popular eatery last July.

Wanting to keep the restaurant alive, after restrictions prevented her from rebuilding, Timmons enlisted her friend Toni Strickland to be an investor and partner. With help from former manager Joseph Schuman, together they spent over six months converting a historic building on Main Street in Old Town Bay St. Louis to what is now known as Old Cuevas Bistro Bay Gourmet.

Opening its doors this past December, the Old Cuevas Bistro Bay Gourmet is uniquely filled with items saved from the old location in hopes of bringing some of the atmosphere of the original to the Bay. Shutters on the exposed brick wall are made from the former restaurant's flooring, evident by the chair marks covering the surface. The wraparound bar in back was made from original wood salvaged from the old building’s foundation. 
Regulars will be happy to hear that these unique touches weren’t the only things taken to the new location. Most of the old menu was brought back as well. 

“A lot of the menu comes from when we first opened the original restaurant. We still have all the original favorites and classic recipes I created, that no one else has on the coast,” Timmons said of dishes like The Blue Corn Chicken, which is a pan fried chicken breast crusted in crumbled blue corn tortilla chips. 

Executive chef Stephen Welch’s favorite the Chicken Montrachet has also returned. Consisting of a chicken breast stuffed with baby spinach, toasted pine nuts, and a blend of mozzarella, parmesan, and goat cheese, Welch described why he loves it:

“We serve it over pasta, and pour a mix a fresh basil pesto with a champagne cream sauce over the top. It comes out amazing!”

Other popular items are the Asian-style Whole Flounder finished with a Thai chili glaze and sesame noodles, the Duck Quesadillas, the house made Pork and Veggie Spring Rolls, and P.W.’s Seafood Gumbo, re-named in honor of Timmons’s deceased brother Patrick Worthington who used to make it daily at the former location. 

Besides mouthwatering appetizers and entrees, Old Cuevas Bistro also offers a large selection of sandwiches. Standards such as a Hot Pastrami Reuben, French Dip and Philly Steak are complemented by more unconventional fare like their Fried Green Tomato BLT, and a Turkey Bacon Brie, which consists of smoked turkey, Applewood bacon, melted brie, and red pepper mayo served on a French baguette. 

“We serve Gulf Coast classics with a Delta flair. Everything has a little twist to it to make things unique,” Strickland said of the menu.

There’s also a full bar menu with specialty drinks, a large wine selection, and beer that includes local Coast favorites. A full service gourmet deli in the front of the restaurant features Boar's Head meats and cheeses, fresh made bread, homemade chicken salad, and other favorites made available for take-out. 

Old Cuevas Bistro Bay Gourmet is open six days a week for lunch and dinner, and for brunch on Sundays. There are lunch and dinner specials daily and making reservations is highly recommended. 

Old Cuevas Bistro Bay Gourmet 
111 Main St.
Bay Saint Louis, MS 39520
228-344-3330


SUMO JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE AND SUSHI BAR
PLAY THE COAST DEC/JAN 2015

If you’re looking for a unique dining experience, with a fun and relaxing atmosphere, look
no further than Sumo Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar.

Open this past June in Biloxi, Sumo offers exquisite Japanese culture along with fine Asian
cuisine and is quickly becoming one of the Gulf Coast’s premier restaurants.

“We want customers to have an authentic Japanese dining experience,” says Sumo General
Manger Joe Brady. “We pride ourselves on freshness, quality, and presentation.”

Whether you’re looking for a romantic evening with someone special, the perfect place for
a business lunch, or room for a large group of friends to celebrate a momentous event,
Sumo offers an ideal upscale dining environment with affordable prices for virtually any
occasion.

Sumo has 14 traditional Japanese Teriyaki grills, on which their expert hibachi-style chefs
use fresh ingredients to prepare dazzling meals right in front of you, with captivating style
and flair.

Offering a dinner theater experience where food takes center stage, you can choose from an
extensive menu of mouthwatering options like Sukiyaki or New York Strip steak, Salmon,
Swordfish, Mahi Mahi, and more. Each is served with fried rice, onion soup, a garden
salad, assorted vegetables, and two jumbo shrimp.

For those wanting to more than just one main course, there’s a large variety of
combinations you can choose from. The Triple Combo, which is a flavorful combination of
steak, chicken, and shrimp, or the Sumo Special, with includes filet mignon, shrimp, cold
water lobster tail, and succulent sea scallops, are just two of the popular menu items which
offer portions large enough to be shared.

In addition to the amazing hibachi, Sumo has some of the best sushi and sashimi you’ll find
on the Gulf Coast. Acquiring the majority of their ingredients locally, you can count on
getting bold and delightful bites made from only the freshest components.

Sumo offers both raw and cooked sushi, and you can choose from an assortment of
different rolls and entrees. Some of the most popular menu items are Signature Maki Rolls
such as the Shipwreck, which has spicy crabmeat, cucumber, pepper tuna, avocado, with a
spicy wasabi sauce, along with the Biloxi, which includes spicy tuna, avocado, cucumber,
scallions, and is deep fried with an eel sauce on top.

A visit to Sumo wouldn’t be complete without stopping by the lounge, where you’ll find
their stunning illuminated cherry blossom bar. Pop in for a drink with friends or even solo,
and order from over forty different beers including various local brews, as well as Sapporo,
for which Sumo is the only place on the Coast where the Japanese beer is served on tap.

Besides a large array of different beers, you can also sample their signature cocktails,
martinis, sake, and plum wines. A standout is Bar Manager Bridgette Lovelace’s creation,
the Wasabi Ginger Bloody Mary, which is sweeter than a traditional bloody, and quite
tasty.

No matter what day you visit Sumo Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar, you’re bound to
find great food and fun. Be sure to ask about the special discounts and promotions that can
be found daily, and make plans to come on your Birthday, where you’ll eat free when you
bring five or more people, with the opportunity for another free meal by participating in
their monthly Facebook contest.

Sumo Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar is located in Edgewater Village across from
Edgewater Mall and is open daily serving lunch and dinner. Reservations are accepted and
private rooms available for large parties. Kids eat hibachi free with two adults on
Tuesdays, and the military gets 10% off daily, 20% off on Mondays.

Sumo Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar
2650 Beach Blvd. #1
Biloxi, MS 39531
228-207-9955
www.sumobiloxi.com
www.facebook.com/sumobiloxi


HOLLYWOOD CASINO
PLAY THE COAST DEC/JAN 2015

Whether you’re looking for excitement and thrills that make you feel like a star, or just want to indulge and relax like your favorite celebrity, look no further than the Gulf Coast’s Hollywood Casino.

Centrally located in-between New Orleans and Biloxi just minutes away from the Gulf Coast beaches, this Hollywood-themed casino and resort offers everything one could want for your playing and relaxation needs.

With Las Vegas style gaming action 24 hours a day, seven days a week, a waterfront hotel situated on an Arnold Palmer golf course, and restaurants staffed with award-winning chefs, Hollywood Casino offers everything you’ll need to make memories that will last a lifetime.

Hollywood Casino features some of the hottest slots on the Coast with over 1,150 machines, including the most penny slots in the area. There’s also endless excitement to be had with action-packed table games such as blackjack, craps, roulette, three card poker, Mississippi stud, Fortune Pai Gow, as well as live poker in the Hollywood Poker Room, where you can go all-in on a chance to win big.

Be sure to join Marquee Rewards to take part in casino promotions and giveaways, receiving rewards and benefits when you play slots, VLTs, and table games. It's free to join, and you could win cash, prizes, free SlotPlay, and more.

You can also fulfill your entertainment needs by enjoying exciting live music and concerts every Friday and Saturday from 8:30pm-1am.

When it’s time to relax, reserve one of their 291 beautiful guest rooms and suites overlooking the bay in their 14-story waterfront hotel situated on Mississippi’s only Arnold Palmer Signature golf course. Just minutes from the shopping district in quaint Old Town Bay St. Louis, the modern rooms feature coffee makers, flat-screen TVs, and free in room Wi-Fi.

During your stay you’ll have complementary access to the fitness center, Jacuzzi, and the refreshing outdoor pool where you can enjoy your favorite beverage at the swim-up Cabana Bar. You can also soak in the sun relaxing on the 350 feet long winding Lazy River, featuring an island sun deck with a hot tub.

While spending time relaxing near the water, be sure to reserve your tee time at The Bridges Golf Club. The 6,900-yard, par 72 signature course is the work of one of the century's great players and nationally renowned golf course architect, Arnold Palmer.

Set among 600 acres of moss-draped live oaks, stately pines, magnolia trees, and sweeping vistas of the saltwater marsh, you’ll find an 18-hole masterpiece ranked among the Top 40 casino courses in the country.

After spending your day working up your appetite relaxing poolside, swinging your clubs, or getting pampered at Spa at the Bay, where you can choose from a variety of luxurious spa and salon services, you’ll definitely want to visit one of Hollywood Casino’s fantastic restaurants.

The Epic Buffet is an all-you-can-eat extravaganza, featuring over 80 dishes every day for lunch and dinner, with breakfast served on weekends. Southern BBQ, Asian, Acadian, Italian, and fresh seafood are just some of daily cuisine choices, along with incredible theme nights like Steak Night, Cajun Grill, Coastal Surf and Turf, and Seafood Steamers.

Bogart’s Steakhouse is the place where you can enjoy steaks, seafood, and one-of-a-kind house specialties created by award-winning chefs. Enjoy fine California wines or an expertly mixed martini at a world-class level. It's the perfect atmosphere to spend an intimate evening with someone special or celebrate with a gathering of friends.

Your hunger can also be satisfied 24 hours a day at the Celebrity Grill, where you can get everything from breakfast to burgers, pizza to po-boys, as well as delicious fresh-baked cakes, pies, and pastries made daily from the Hollywood bakery.

Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days as year. For more information visit: www.hollywoodgulfcoast.com

Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast
711 Hollywood Boulevard
Bay St. Louis, MS 39520
1-866-758-2591


COFFEE FUSION BUBBLE TEA CAFE
PLAY THE COAST OCT/NOV 2015


For the past twelve years Coffee Fusion Bubble Tea Café has provided locals and tourists alike a relaxing spot to eat, hang out, and sample a large variety of gourmet drinks.

Voted best coffee shop on the Coast numerous times, Coffee Fusion is the creation of owner Adam Flinchum, who wanted to bring Ocean Springs a true American coffee house, while combining it with a traditional Asian bubble tea café.

“I knew I wanted to do a bubble tea shop meets coffee shop, East meets West, a fusion,” Flinchum says of his desire to bring something new to the Gulf Coast all under one roof. “A fusion of flavors, a fusion of cultures, all together as one, and then put the food in there as well.”

Open seven days a week, Coffee Fusion has become the community hub Flinchum envisioned when he opened the place. A cozy café with comfy couches and chairs, free Wi-Fi, and big screen TVs.

“We encourage people to come here and just hang out. We want you to come in with your laptop, and spend all here day if you want. Meet your friends, study, and experience the whole coffee shop vibe.”

While hanging out, Coffee Fusion offers a large variety of refreshment options to choose from. You can get hot, iced, or frozen gourmet coffee drinks, real fresh fruit smoothies, and traditional bubble teas. Gourmet coffee is still the most popular, but bubble tea has become a large part of what Coffee Fusion does, building fans of the exotic beverage one customer at a time.

Bubble tea is a Taiwanese tea-based drink invented in the 1980s that’s served over ice, mixed with fruit or milk, and has chewy tapioca pearls or fruit jellies added to make a beverage you can drink and eat at the same time.

"That’s what really makes it a bubble tea,” Flinchum says of the lychee jelly strips and tapioca pearls that are about a size of a blueberry. “It’s an hour-long cooking process to make them chewy, almost like gummy bears. They come up through an oversized straw large enough to allow the pearls to pass through.”

Besides the bubble teas, coffee drinks, and smoothies that can be created by choosing combinations from over twenty different real fresh fruits, Coffee Fusion is also a great place to get a healthy made-to-order gourmet meals.

“Our goal was to be a really good restaurant that has gourmet drinks, instead of the opposite, a gourmet drink house that has a few items of food,” Flinchum says of being different than coffee houses like Starbucks. “We wanted the food to really be front and center, as well as the drinks.”

With a large selection of Panini and croissant sandwiches, fresh salads, and healthy wraps, as well as a delicious array of gourmet desserts, baked goods, and sweets, Coffee Fusion has something for everyone.

“We have an Italian chicken Panini that is phenomenal. Grilled chicken, sweet roasted red peppers, sliced provolone, baby lettuce, and a pesto mayonnaise,” Flinchum said of one of their best sellers.

“We also have Caribbean wrap that is really popular. It’s a grilled chicken or steak wrap with provolone cheese, pineapple, tomato, baby lettuce and our own Caribbean jerk sauce that’s amazing.”

Coffee Fusion also offers a full breakfast menu that is served all day long. Flinchum says: “People down here have such crazy schedules, work in casinos, hospitals, and are in the military. They’re sometimes going into work at three in the afternoon, but they still want breakfast. So, we’re here for you.”

The Coffee Fusion Bubble Tea Café opens at 6am during the week, 7am on weekends. Live music events are sometimes scheduled, and there is a drive-thru window for those looking to get something on the go. For more information visit: www.coffeefusion.net

Coffee Fusion Bubble Tea Café
2228 Bienville Rd.
Ocean Springs, MS 39564
228-818-9211


OYSTER REEF CLUB
PLAY THE COAST AUG/SEPT 2015


With magnificent views and food to match, the Oyster Reef Club is quickly becoming one of the Gulf Coast’s premier casual seafood restaurants.

Owned by Jordan Nicaud and his partner, Wes Newell, the Oyster Reef Club is situated high in the air overlooking Long Beach Harbor, and features breathtaking scenery of the Mississippi Sound courtesy of the building’s 198 windows.

"Day or night, rain or shine, the view is just always great,” states General Manager Chris
Toomey. "It’s one place that when you see bad weather coming, it’s just as beautiful as a
sunny day. You’re safe, but right out in it.”

When you arrive, go around to the harbor side and take the elevator up to the main dining
area located 36 feet, 6 inches off the ground. There you will find that besides the stunning
view of the harbor, you’ll be greeted by a large pink seahorse sculpture perfect for picture taking opportunities.

With jazz music playing throughout, the walls are adorned with nautical themed art from several local artists. On the west side of the restaurant you’ll find the bar, highlighted with a custom countertop embedded with oyster shells inlayed in acrylic. Another whimsical touch is the antique papier-mâché dolphins from Denmark that hang from the ceiling, giving the appearance that they’re swimming through air.

While its striking atmosphere is top notch, the primary reason to visit the Oyster Reef Club is for the mouth-watering cuisine. You’ll find it ranges from customary fare like po-boys and fried seafood, to inspired dishes like the Triple Crab Almondine, which consists of three soft-shell crabs lightly fried and tossed in a roasted almond-brown butter sauce, topped with jumbo lumped crabmeat.

A favorite is The Coastal Chef Catch, which features the chef’s interpretation of the local fish and ingredients brought in that morning. Another popular choice is The Coastal Collision, which is linguini pasta mixed with shrimp, crawfish, and crabmeat. There’s also the Triple Cheeseburger Pasta, consisting of penne pasta, Angus ground beef, red onions, garlic, combined with three cheeses, tomatoes, and dill pickles for which Toomey describes: "It’s actually sinful. It should be against the law to eat it. It’s that good.”

"If you want to come and eat something spectacular, you can,” Toomey stressed. "You can add-on a variety of assorted extras to any entrée, but if you want to come to have an economical meal, and you’re a family of four on vacation, you won’t be scared away by the menu when you come.”

If you love oysters the Oyster Reef Club offers a trio of tasty creations, or you can build your own by choosing from a variety of toppings. Also be sure to make note of Chargrilled Oyster Wednesday’s, where all day long you can enjoy a dozen for only $10.

"Just because you make a big restaurant doesn’t mean people have to come,” Toomy said, grateful for the support the people of Long Beach and surrounding areas has given them so far, often causing 45 minute or longer waits. "Reservations are not required, but highly recommend.”

The Oyster Reef Club is open five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday, with Happy Hour each day from 2-6pm. There is a private dining area on the east side of the building that can be rented out for parties of 75-80 people, and plans are also in the works for events on the rooftop, as well as on the lawn underneath the restaurant. For more information call 228-206-7868 or visit www.oysterreefclub.com

Oyster Reef Club
217 E. Beach Blvd.
Long Beach, MS 39560
www.oysterreefclub.com
www.facebook.com/OysterReefClub