As you head toward the historic Gulfport Casino, it’s nice to see that a popular watering hole on Beach Boulevard South has found some new love. Restaurateurs Al and Dawn Espinoza vow to be “embracing the vibe of our local beach community with good food & FUN!” And they’re mostly succeeding.
Boca Bay Grille is the new occupant of the space formerly occupied by Bellini/La Fogata, and it's just getting its sea legs. As the clientele builds, the spacious front dining room will command regular use. In the meanwhile, we’re escorted back to a casual lounge featuring tables mixed with sofas and ottomans. To the right is a large round bar, part of which opens to the outside, where there are high-top stools and an adjacent waterfall with a circle of comfy cushioned wicker perfect for a small group desiring a bit of privacy.
While we wait to order, one happy patron is singing the praises of the 8-ounce Boardwalk Burger loud enough for anyone willing to listen. It has the usual garnishes and three cheese options for an additional 50 cents. We decide to be a bit more adventurous.
The menu highlights “bar bites” and “handhelds.” There’s a vegetarian-friendly avocado black bean dip, wings with your choice of three glazes and dipping sauces, and a spicy pork green chili. One specialty is the house quesadilla with a queso blanco-extra sharp Cheddar duo and four add-ons.
We’re seduced by the Asiago-crusted fried green tomatoes, topped with crumbled goat cheese, scallions, roasted bell pepper pesto and aioli. It’s as tasty as it sounds. The tomatoes also show up on a Southern BLT combined with applewood-smoked bacon.
There’s a tapas section with cheese and charcuterie, wild mushroom torte, salmon cakes, Moroccan chicken and an unusual green beans almondine, a delicious surprise even though there are no discernible almonds. The fresh blanched green beans have just the right amount of al dente crunch, crumbles of crisp smoky bacon, a light, slick coating of truffle oil, some bright lemon zest, and a few briny kalamata olives.
The flatbread selection ranges from traditional pepperoni to Greek, shrimp scampi to steak with Gorgonzola. After much discussion of the enticing picks, we finally settle on chicken Alfredo. The crust is thin and crisp, even with an ample topping of chicken breast, Alfredo sauce, mozzarella, a drizzle of pesto and Asiago. It’s a good effort.
The pulled pork is extra smoky, with Asian-inflected barbecue sauce infused with pomegranate and lime. If you like assertive smoke, it’s a hit and served with boardwalk fries and pickles. Though I’d still like the thick-cut fries at bit crispier, they’re nicely done, piping hot with creamy potato goodness at the center.
Available from 4 to 9 p.m., the mains offer a trio of skewers (sea bass, chimichurri beef, saffron chicken), plus pork shoulder or Persian chicken. We opt for ahi tuna marinated in sesame, garlic and ginger, then lightly seared. It’s typical fare; the surprise is the delicious coconut-pineapple-infused rice, but the marinated cucumber garnish on the lineup never shows. The traditional accompaniments of wasabi, soy and pickled ginger allow diners to adjust the flavor profile to fit their tastes. If you like tuna, this one’s for you.
My steak au poivre is a juicy medium-rare fillet coated with crushed black pepper and served with a creamy peppery sauce. It delivers as advertised with fries and some perfect, thin grilled asparagus. The touch of fire is always a lovely accent for the popular veggie.
As for a sweet finish, we skip the key lime pie for cheesecake, which is standard issue. But the free-form pumpkin tart strikes a chord at my table. The pastry is flaky, the custard creamy, and it’s full of cinnamon and nutmeg spicy goodness.
More attention needs to be paid to the service. Although the vibe is casual, our server knows little of the wines and is slapdash with the food. Our inquiries regarding the menu seem like a burden. A cellphone poking out of a back pocket just makes you wonder if the customer is the priority.
I realize serving is a challenging job, but diners want to feel taken care of by a knowledgeable staff that sees service as a noble endeavor. Food, while most important, is only one leg of the stool. Success requires an inviting ambience and staff that puts the customer first.
Restaurants owe their employees training about wine and food. Servers owe patrons focus; leave your cell in the car while you’re working. Facebook and email don’t help increase your tips.
Jon Palmer Claridge dines anonymously when reviewing. Check out the explanation of his rating system.
This article appears in Jan 7-13, 2016.