Spring flavors sing at Seagar’s
Chef Lee Guidry debuts his newest seasonal menu
By Michelle Farnham
March 10, 2021
SANDESTIN – As the weather warms and the days get longer, visitors and locals alike welcome not just the spring season, but the spring menu at Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood.
Executive Chef Lee Guidry always looks forward to the debut of mushroom season, as is evident in his newest seasonal menu.
At a special luncheon held March 10 at the AAA Four Diamond steakhouse, Guidry started with an off-menu special featuring wagyu, caviar, shaved winter truffle and the first morels of the season.
Next he brought out the prime filet tartar with grilled bone marrow, served right in the bone. Quail egg adds richness while the diced fennel and apple add a brightness that match the season. The house-made focaccia reminds diners that everything served at Seagar’s is made in-house by Guidry and his team.
“It’s a 2- to 3-month process to come up with each menu,” Guidry admitted. “There’s a lot of love that goes in each dish.”
His Heureux Farms pork belly first course incorporates kimchi-style Napa cabbage with sweet soy, ginger, carrot and scallion, and topped with crisp pork skin for added texture. The kitchen cures the pork belly for three days, then braises it for six hours to ensure the texture is wonderfully melty.
Guidry’s crisp bobwhite quail with foie gras and gruyere ravioli is rich in the best way possible, accented with truffled honey butter, Swiss chard and foie gras “snow” which Chef deep freezes and grates as the finishing touch.
Getting into the entrees menu, the skin-on seared snapper is served atop a Yukon gold potato cake cooked in duck fat with zucchini, artichoke mousse, trout roe, and of course, beech mushrooms.
“We have Gulf snapper – American red when it’s in season. It’s been good this year, they keep extending the season a little bit so we’ve been fortunate to keep getting it,” Guidry explained.
Chef’s pan-roasted diver scallops are legendary, and for the spring season he pairs them with a lump blue crab cannelloni and grilled king trumpet mushroom, served with pureed “smooth” gumbo.
“These are U-10 diver scallops that are hand-picked, so there’s no byproduct,” he said, noting that he only buys dry-packed scallops to ensure the best taste and texture.
His blackened Gulf grouper comes with a roasted corn and tasso, which he serves risotto-style, finished with Asiago and rock shrimp.
For dessert, he’s serving a celebration of the classic French opera cake, incorporating delicate layers of chocolate mousse, hazelnut dacquoise, espresso syrup, and ganache, aside a latte gelato and cocoa nibs.
Seagar’s will also host at least one more wine dinner before the season really gets underway, always held the first Sunday of the month. He hinted his next evening might include a caviar and vodka tasting.
Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood is located 4000 Sandestin Blvd. South, Miramar Beach, within the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. Reservations can be made online at seagars.com or by calling 850-622-1500.
Photos by Michelle Farnham
