Page 39 - Play Coastal Mississippi - Spring, 2024

Smoked Tuna Dip Ribeye
Jambalaya Pho
So, if you’re traveling to Coastal Mississippi for a beachy getaway, a newcomer just putting down roots, or a local looking to sample something outside the comfort zone, check out this collaboration of culinary masterpieces and see if you can find an unexpected new favorite coastal signature dish.
Since seafood is king on the Coast, there’s no shortage of legendary dishes such as Smoked Tuna Dip, a coastal appetizer that’s a smooth, plump, and creamy concoction with a splash of coastal spices that’s a tasty prelude to any seafood dinner. It’s made from scratch with the day’s freshest yellowfin tuna catch and traditionally accompanied by the essential – saltine crackers. No matter which city or restaurant you nibble on Smoked Tuna Dip, it will always have a secret ingredient or two.
Another staple is the Seafood Po’Boy, a fresh baguette heaped with a large helping of fresh from the Gulf fat shrimp, just-caught soft shell crab, or deep-fried oysters that were plucked from a reef that morning. Seafood Po’Boys can be found at just about every restaurant, dive bar, and gas station all along the Coast, and expect it to be messy and sloppy. It’s not a meal to eat with a prim and proper approach since it’s dressed with lettuce, onion, and mayonnaise. You’ll
Shrimp and Grits
also find mustard and hot sauce somewhere nearby as well as lots and lots of napkins.
And it wouldn’t be the Coast without menu staples of Jambalaya, a shrimp, chicken, and sausage rice dish with Cajun and Creole influences that’s found in every restaurant as an entrée, stuffed in a ribeye, or topped on filets of red snapper, catfish, flounder, or fried heirloom tomatoes. Or Shrimp and Grits, a Coast specialty, a brunch favorite, and a down-home comfort food. And don’t forget a soulful heap of traditionally fried chicken smothered in gravy or a heaping slice of Mississippi Mud Pie, both of which are probably the most protected recipes in the entire Magnolia State.
But if seafood is not your thing, there are more culinary options than just open-air beachside bistros and Southern steakhouses. Restaurants serving Vietnamese, Italian, Indian, and Mexican cuisine have popped up along the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina’s landing in 2005. The restaurants have fused their own unique flavors with Cajun and Creole influences, creating dishes unique only to the Coast. Vegan and Vegetarian eateries have also sprung up in cities across the shorelines and Gulf Coast staple restaurants are now adding meatless options and vegan dishes using an array of culinary influences.
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Spring 2024 PLAY COASTAL MISSISSIPPI 39