Sunday, January 03, 2010
Food, Travel, In this Issue...

Beach food

SP heads to Tybee Island for winter dining by the sea

By Carly Felton

Some cities are known for classic fine dining; others boast trendy fusion restaurants galore. The antithesis of these places, Tybee Island, Ga., is the kind of town where tourists and locals alike ditch the heels and Dockers in favor of flip-flops and topsiders and enjoy their meals in some of the most laid-back waterside restaurant-bars around.

Don’t get me wrong, Tybee’s food is good; much of the shrimp comes straight off the boat, and the catch-of-the-day is as fresh as can be—but it’s the lack of pretension that brings everyone from Sandra Bullock to Mr. Atlanta Peach farmer back time and time again.

A 35-foot height restriction prevents high-rises from ruining this six-square-mile island’s small-town charm. So the majority of travelers stay in B&Bs and vacation rentals. Oceanfront Cottage Rentals manages a vast number of these properties, although the term “cottages” doesn’t do justice to these huge homes with pools, Jacuzzi tubs, beachy decor and as many as 10 bedrooms! My friend and I stayed at Sail Away at the DeSoto, where our massive three-bed, two-bath “cottage”—accessible through an elevator that opens directly into the living room—soon became the home we never wanted to leave. Located on the beach, the “cottage” features a full kitchen, stocked with all the plates and cooking utensils we’d ever need … but knowing that we didn’t have to dress to impress (most of the time, anyway), we decided to sample the fare at the popular local hangouts.

The first night, while we were still in Atlanta mode, we stopped at Sundae Café—the one white-tablecloth venue on our itinerary. Formerly an ice cream parlor (hence the name), Sundae is situated between a gas station and a liquor store, and parking can be a challenge—but it’s worth it.

One step inside, and all negative connotations associated with the unusual location are forgotten. An extensive wine list is complemented by a strong selection of sweet cocktails like the key lime pie martini—creamy as can be. The Southern-inspired dishes focus on seafood and steaks, but also include gourmet salads, pastas, sandwiches and succulent sides. We were intrigued by the seafood cheesecake, a heavy combination of shrimp, lump crab and smoked gouda beaten together and served in a garlic butter pie crust, and captivated by the margarita scallops—grilled marinated scallops served on tortilla chips with black bean and corn salsa. We also enjoyed sampling both blackened and fried shrimp and a blue cheese filet; however, when we tasted the homemade Reese’s peanut butter pie, I knew why this was the restaurant chosen to feed Miley Cyrus and the cast and crew of her upcoming movie “The Last Song,” which was filmed on the island. With the perfect crunch in crust and thick gooey center, this pie alone is worth the trip to Tybee!

The next day, as the sun and sand put us into the beachgoer’s mindset, we tried out some more casual dining destinations. For lunch, we walked about a mile down the beach and one block inland to Cousin Vinnie’s Pizza, a family-friendly pizzeria that feels like a sports bar. Complete with video games, a covered patio and roomy booths, this seat-yourself restaurant offers pizza, pasta, hoagies, salads, wings and beer in large portions. Gourmet it’s not, but after a morning in the sun, it does the trick.

For dinner, we kicked it up a notch at Cafe Loco, a charming restaurant and bar with live entertainment and a scenic sunset. This blue wooden shack by the Lazaretto Creek Bridge features a killer view of the river and an upstairs patio perfect for catching the last few rays of the day. The décor, ranging from Mardi Gras beads to Christmas lights to funky chandeliers, may be eclectic, but the food is no joke. Peel-and-eat shrimp are caught in the boats outside, and fresh pineapple aioli lightens up seafood appetizers like fried calamari and crab cakes. Entrees include low country boil, bourbon-glazed salmon, fried flounder and baby back ribs. Eleven flavors of wings and a variety of sandwiches, tacos and panini are also available. Halfway through dinner, we were stuffed, but our friendly waitress wouldn’t let us leave without dessert: homemade key lime pie. Somehow we managed to down the whole slice.

The next day, with Cafe Loco’s chill atmosphere and flavorful food fresh in our minds, we decided to check out another waterside Tybee mainstay: AJ’s Dockside. A restaurant and marina on the Back River, AJ’s attracts many customers who arrive by boat—and others who watch the boats as they dine al fresco at picnic tables on the dock. The simple lunch menu consists of fresh and chunky artichoke and spinach dip served with spiced pita chips, an addicting lobster and crab bisque, filling fish sandwiches, and shrimp or oyster seafood plates, among other options. It’s a pleasant place to grab a meal while watching for dolphins.

From the fresh fish to the no-fuss, no-frills atmosphere, Tybee Island is an easy, enjoyable place to dine on a beach vacation. Why wait to try it? All you need is your flip-flops! SP