Page 18 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2021

COAST NOTE
Established Club Gets a New Name and a Makeover
story by John N. Felsher
photos by John N. Felsher and courtesy of The Club at Diamondhead
Some good can come from hurricanes. The Club at Diamondhead gained an opportunity to do some renovations, courtesy of Hurricane Zeta.
“We started an expansion in the summer of 2020,” recalls Chris Rahaim, the general manager. “When the hurricane came through, that gave us a chance to do a little remodeling. This year, we’re trying to get back to all the things we had before, just greater and bigger.”
Hurricane Zeta blew out many windows and panels in late October 2020. That allowed rain to damage the walls and ooring. Despite the storm damage, most of the building remained structurally sound. It just needed some work.
“The crew came in and cleaned everything up,” Rahaim says. “We
were up and running two days later in
a temporary location. We turned what used to be our bar area into a patio grill to give it more of a resort-type feel. We also redesigned our formal dining room to make it more personable. We wanted to make it feel like a southern, formal dining room.”
The team completed the renovation in February 2021 and held the o cial grand opening on March 19. However, more than looks changed recently. The establishment now operates under a
di erent name.
“It used to be Diamondhead Country
Club, but ‘country club’ made it seem exclusive,” Rahaim advises. “We wanted the public to feel welcome so we changed it to The Club at Diamondhead. Guests don’t need to join a membership.”
The Latitude 30 patio grill o ers more casual, relaxed dining. The Oak Room provides a more formal setting. People can also attend larger functions in the Emerald Room, which can hold up to 400 people. No matter where people eat, they get the same delicious food.
“We try to stick with a Louisiana air
for our food, but we put our own little twist on it,” explains Brian Koonce,
the executive chef. “We still have many favorites that we’ve served for years such as seafood fresh from the Gulf of Mexico. We also have specials, like a Mother’s Day meal, steak nights and Louisiana nights. Starting in May, we’re doing barbecue ribs on Thursdays and Date Nights on Saturdays where couples get to share their food.”
I personally sampled some of Chef Koonce’s dishes recently. We started with the ahi tuna appetizer. I’ve never eaten better tuna. We also sampled entrees including the steak let, shrimp and ravioli and other delectable dishes.
“We try to cater to everybody’s palate,” the chef says. “The menu for the bar alone is huge. We try to provide a variety of di erent things for di erent tastes.”
On Friday nights, people can hear a live band. The Club will also schedule other entertainment throughout the year. Many locals visit regularly to play golf, dine or attend weddings, retirements, business meetings and other events. The Club also hosts golfers from all over the country. With Diamondhead situated along Interstate 10, the Club welcomes many people from Louisiana, other towns on the Gulf Coast and travelers from elsewhere.
The Club opens every day except Christmas. On some holidays, like Easter, Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, the Club holds special events.
The Club at Diamondhead
7600 Country Club Cr., Diamondhead 228.255.2918 www.diamondheadms.org
18 | May 2021
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