Comfort Food Southern Style

I have been in Alabama now since September 10th. During these past few weeks I rediscovered the joys of southern cooking and hospitality. The food has ranged from shrimp tacos eaten at a diner table to the best filet mignon steak served to me while I sat on the porch under an old oak tree watching the sunset over Mobile Bay. This post will tell you a little about these places, just in case you ever get to the chance to visit the eastern shore of Mobile Bay.

First, let me tell you about the Bay House Bistro. In the past few weeks I have eaten here twice. The bistro is located in Fairhope, Alabama on the old scenic route 98. The restaurant is in an old summer cottage with a porch/deck built facing Mobile Bay. The menu changes regularly as the chef only uses food that is fresh and local. The first time I went to the Bay House Bistro with my sister Susie. I took a picture of the steak I got because I was so in love with it, but I am not a good food photographer so I decided not to share it with you. Instead I will share a photo Susie took of the amuse-bouche we had with our wine before dinner. After the amuse-bouche, Susie had crawfish beignets and I had a greek trio of dips with pita and olive oil. Sounds simple, but the tastes were so complicated and somehow perfect. The second time I visited this restaurant, we were celebrating my parents' 59th wedding anniversary. The evening was warm, so the owners placed a fan on the deck so we could eat outside. It was a beautiful place to honor two of the most amazing people I know. My parents decided to split a steak and the owners did this for them in the kitchen so the table service was perfect. After dinner, the our waitress served chocolate cake to help us celebrate. Did I tell you, the owners are really nice?

The second place I want to tell you about is the Dragonfly Food Bar. This restaurant is located in downtown Fairhope, Alabama so it is convenient for lunch if you plan to do some window shopping later. The food is pub grub taken to an all new level. Three of my family's favorite tacos are the firecracker shrimp, curried lamb and the five spice duck. I ordered the kung pao chicken with asian slaw and peanut sauce in a bowl. Based on the oohs and ahhs of my family members, I would say that if I go back, I will get tacos instead of the bowl. The bowl had too much rice while the tacos allowed the fillings to take center stage.

The third and final place I want to tell you about is Market by the Bay. Located at 365 S Greeno Rd, Fairhope, this restaurant feels more like a deli or take-out place. When you come in, just walk up to the counter to order your food. I ordered the hawaiian shrimp taco (the order is 2 tacos - I ate one before I took the photo). It came with one side, I got the hush puppies. The shrimp was well-seasoned with a spice rub, sweet BBQ sauce, some veggies and pineapple. Bacon was crumbled on top. (I decided to remove most of the bacon because I thought it wasn't blending, just overpowering to me. Susie loved the bacon and she took the extra, so as you will see it is all a matter of personal taste.) This place is very affordable and the taco menu changes based on the freshest local ingredients.

People on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay in Alabama are very proud of their food and are eager to share it with others. Many of the chefs use local produce and seafood so the quality is high. Several of the restaurants have been award winners.

So, ya'll come on down and pull up a chair now ya hear. The gumbo pot is full and the chef is ready to serve!