Page 38 - South Mississippi Living - April, 2026

DINING BOONIE’S ON THE BAYOU
Crab Carbonara
Boonie’s Staff
ADDRESS
10408 MS-603, Bay St Louis
CONTACT
228.265.5527
HOURS
Mon & Tues, Closed Wed-Sat, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
There’s a new name creating a buzz among Mississippi Gulf Coast restaurants, and it’s easy to see why. Boonie’s on the Bayou, owned by husband-and-wife
team Chef Ricky Herring and Mikayla Capps, may be a rookie restaurant, but the people behind it are anything but rookie restaurateurs.
Even though many of the dishes feel familiar, Chef Ricky’s unique style is in every dish, adding subtle twists and unexpected layers of flavor.
We started with the gumbo, which might be the most unique version I’ve ever encountered on the Gulf Coast. It begins with a dark Cajun roux packed with plump Gulf shrimp and seasoned generously
with file. But the secret ingredient is what makes it stand out: beef tallow. Instead of butter or oil, the roux is built with tallow, giving it a deeper, smokier richness that coats the palate and adds incredible savory complexity.
Next up was the seafood bread, a hearty loaf of po’boy bread stuffed with classic seafood dressing made from breadcrumbs, shrimp, crab and crawfish. It’s topped with a velvety Bayou cream sauce and finished with fresh green onions that add a welcome pop of brightness.
The charbroiled oysters—currently a daily sell-out even before officially landing on the menu—are destined to become a house favorite. Plump oysters are dressed the traditional way and slipped under
the broiler until the Parmesan topping caramelizes and the buttery dressing toasts at the edges. The oysters themselves stay juicy and tender.
The jalapeño poppers come with a warning label for spice lovers. Massive jalapeños are stuffed with cream cheese and brisket, wrapped in bacon and dusted with “pigsy dust”—crushed pork cracklins. The whole thing is smoked, creating an aromatic bite that’s creamy, smoky and
38 | April 2026
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
story and photos by Anne Pitre