Page 70 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2022

EAT DRINK LOVE
ADDRESS:
701 Bienville Blvd. Ocean Springs
PHONE:
228.217.7160
WEBSITE:
Facebook @EatDrinkLoveCatering
HOURS:
Tuesday – Friday 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday – 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday and Monday – Closed
story and photos by Kimberly C. Rasmussen
As a full disclaimer, I have been a huge fan of Eat Drink Love (EDL) in Ocean Springs for quite some time so going into this dining review, I had major expectations.
The EDL menu is fresh and sophisticated while presenting itself in a very natural and effortless manner. It has every right to be pretentious, but it isn’t at all. The Signature House Salad is one of the best things you’ll ever eat. Ever. And while I’ve tried multiple times to imitate its composition for dinners or parties, my adaptation simply never
lives up to the EDL version. Something magical happens at EDL, and it starts with the culinary wizardry of owner and chef, Lauren Taranto.
Taranto started EDL in 2015 with her mother, Angie Taranto Hooker, as a catering venue for corporate events and local businesses. The name, Eat Drink Love, stemmed from Taranto and Hooker’s passion for life and derived from three
very simple actions: to eat, to drink, and
to love. In 2017, Taranto expanded EDL’s catering prowess and opened the doors to a restaurant in conjunction with The Roost
in Ocean Springs. As her fan base grew, so did her menu and love of all things culinary, to include the need for a bigger space. When Taranto was presented with an opportunity to move EDL to a prime spot on Highway 90, she knew it was a chance she couldn’t pass up.
Cushioned up against the waters off Fort Bayou in Ocean Springs is the brand-new home of EDL. The restaurant is chic and stylish with a view that cannot be beat. Start off with one of EDL’s Small Bites like The Duo, a great way to sample the chicken salad and pimento cheese. Both made in-house from scratch, the Duo features Hooker’s take on classic Southern staples and is served with a generous portion of tear apart bread. The Seafood Beignets with Chili Lime Aioli feature shrimp, crawfish, and a variety of spices. They are Taranto’s take on the classic conch fritter that she grew to love while working in St. Thomas.
I already established my love for the Signature House Salad, but it’s worth mentioning that while the incredible ingredients of spring mix, red onion,
70 | May 2022
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Signature House Salad.