Page 36 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2023

DINING TARANTO’S CRAWFISH,
Hand-cut Ribeye.
ADDRESS
12404 John Lee Rd. Biloxi
CONTACT
228.392.0090
WEBSITE
www.tarantoseafood.com
HOURS
Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
story and photos by Kimberly C. Rasmussen
Some family names on the Gulf Coast need little to no introduction. With longstanding roots in the community, Taranto is one of them. But even more than just a name, when you think of Taranto, you immediately – or at least should – think of crawfish.
Taranto’s has become one of the quintessential models along the Coast of how to boil the perfect pot of crawfish. When the season begins, a kind of frenzy takes over with people waiting in line and calling the restaurant insistently trying
to get their hands on a sack of hot, salty goodness.
But just in case you didn’t know, Taranto’s is so much more than just crawfish. They are a one-stop shop for delicious seafood, poboys, steaks, and more. The doors to Taranto’s Crawfish, Poboys, & Seafood opened in 2006 after a small set back in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Patriarch Arnie Taranto always wanted to open a
seafood restaurant and since then his legacy lives on his through this incredibly delicious family restaurant.
Starting a meal with a hot cup of seafood gumbo is, in my opinion, never a bad idea. But there’s something exceptionally scrumptious about gumbo when you know it will be followed by an array of hearty foods and fried seafood. Taranto’s secret recipe gumbo features shrimp, crab, and sausage swirled amongst a rich, brown roux. A cup of gumbo served alongside a fresh house salad would make the perfect light lunch combo. But luckily, I was there for dinner, so the food kept on coming.
Shareable plates such as KT Shrimp and the Taranto Fries are stellar, and I honestly couldn’t choose a favorite. The KT Shrimp are Taranto’s take on your typical “Bang Bang” style shrimp featuring fried shrimp tossed in a housemade sweet chili sauce and the mix of sweet and spicy is downright perfect. The Taranto Fries offer
36 | December 2023
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