Page 50 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2020

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MARINA Cantina story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster photos by Donn Hupp and Brian Treadaway
What do you get when Bayou meets Bahamas? Marina Cantina.
Gulfport’s newest (and highly anticipated) restaurant is the best of both worlds. Accessible by land, boat, bike and even golf cart, Marina Cantina captures the atmosphere of your favorite tropical hideaway and combines it with the coastal air we all know and love – and a delicious Southwest twist.
Grilled Salmon with asparagus and sa ron rice.
The Cantina’s location on Bernard Bayou is unique in that it’s both secluded and accessible. Boaters will love the spacious marina, and residents of the neighborhoods along Cowan Lorraine will enjoy having top- notch dining and entertainment just outside their door. However, this location wasn’t always the plan.
Thomas Genin, owner-chef of The Blind
Tiger, was looking to expand his already successful brand into a fth location and even had the plans drawn up and ready to go. “I was getting ready to pull the trigger on three new locations, but the downside was that they would all be several hours away,” said Genin. “Around that time, Ivan Spinner, who had purchased the property, approached me looking for a restaurant tenant.”
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