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June 3, 2023

Chanticleer Eatery: The locals’ hidden gem

By Lauren Sage Reinlie
June 3, 2023

GRAYTON BEACH – When locals Jimmy Hasser and Adam Yellin, the longstanding duo behind the popular Blue Mountain restaurant Local Catch, were approached about taking over Chanticleer Eatery, it was a no-brainer.

“It was a wildly successful local place, which fit in with what we were doing at Local Catch,” Hasser said. “We like the tourists, but we know that to survive, we have to have the locals. Our wives loved eating there. It was really a ‘Why not?’”

Chanticleer opened in 2012, tucked in an unassuming, off-the-beaten-path corner of Grayton Beach. Even so, the place was beloved by locals for its fresh-baked bread, delicious sandwiches, crisp salads, hearty soups, and more, all served up in a laid-back atmosphere a few minutes from the beach. (It’s fine dining in flip flops, as Hasser described it.)

Chanticleer Eatery

Over the past couple of years, the owners had struggled to keep the place open consistently, especially for dinner service. When Hasser and Yellin took over management in November 2021, one of their first goals was to re-establish consistent dining hours. They wanted people to know they were back in business.

“We didn’t really want to change much,” Hasser said. “We wanted to keep the same dishes everyone loved but add a few new ingredients or items.”

To head the kitchen, they brought in Chef Innocent Utomi, who has served as executive chef at Capital Grille in Miami, Fleming’s Steakouse, and Great Southern Café in Seaside.

“He wanted a change, and we were excited to bring him in with his recipes and his team of people that follow him,” Hasser said. “He is the nicest, sweetest chef I have ever known. No ego. He’s just a special, amazing person. He is the one who makes it special with so much talent, and he builds so much camaraderie.”

Jay Etheredge came on as general manager after holding that role at Bud and Alley’s Pizza Bar in Seaside for years.

“We really have the perfect team in place,” Hasser said.

The lunch menu has stayed almost the same with all the crowd-pleasing sandwiches, soups, and salads in addition to fine dining entrees, including the fresh catch of the day, filet mignon, shrimp and grits, and a soul-soothing, spicy Not Your Mama’s chicken and rice plate.

“The grilled cheese is honestly the best I have ever had,” Hasser said. Fresh slices of rosemary-sage bread are filled with melted cheddar, provolone, and mozzarella cheese and topped with bacon and bruschetta. Other options include the Reuben with house-smoked pastrami served on freshly baked farmhouse rye, melted Swiss cheese, and thousand island dressing; tomato soup; and a Southern summer salad with fresh fruit and Gorgonzola.

All the bread, desserts, and “those cookies everyone is obsessed with” are baked in-house. (Cookie options are chocolate chip or a coconut and white chocolate number, often hot from the oven.)

Chanticleer Eatery

One of Utomi’s menu additions is the Happy Tuna, a serving of raw ahi tuna poke, marinated in fresh ginger, soy, and pepper sauce, tossed with mango and avocado, and topped with pickled cucumbers and red onions. He brings his Fleming’s Steakhouse chops to their filet mignon. For dinner service, he’s added a lobster bisque, surf and turf with lobster, and more seafood options.

Hasser and Yellin opened Local Catch in a run-down, double-wide trailer in 2012, starting from scratch. It quickly became a popular staple of the Blue Mountain neighborhood. Hasser has four kids, Yellin has three. They are here to stay, Hasser said.

“We are fully inundated in the schools and the community. We’re in it for the long haul,” Hasser said. “We believe in this area and want it to work for us.”

Chanticleer Eatery is located at 55 Clayton Lane, Santa Rosa Beach. No reservations are accepted. The restaurant is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Reach them by phone at 850-213-9065. Additional information, including a full menu, can be found at chanticleereatery.com.

May 31, 2023

Cafe Thirty-A: Having the dine of your life

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By Pam Windsor
May 31, 2023

Editor’s note: The South Walton community lost one of its most well-known members with the passing of Cafe Thirty-A owner Harriet Crommelin Feb. 8. Considered an icon of 30A, Crommelin started the restaurant in 1995. She attributed the eatery’s long-running success to their devotion to being “consistently delicious.”

SEAGROVE BEACH – Café Thirty-A has been an Emerald Coast favorite since it opened nearly three decades ago. It’s a casual, fine-dining restaurant with an eclectic menu, fine wines, and an exciting array of craft cocktails. The restaurant has a reputation for spectacular food, and a lot of warmth and hospitality to go along with it.

“Our biggest thing is consistency, consistency with the quality of food and the quality of our staff,” said General Manager Dave Kessler. “We’ve had customers that have been dining here since day one and they flat out tell me the reason they keep coming back is because we have the best food in the area, in their opinion, and the best service. We have a phenomenal staff that is very attentive to our guests’ needs.”

Cafe Thirty-A

Much of that has to do with longevity, which is often rare in the restaurant business. Kessler has worked there 27 years, the bar manager for 24 years. Customers come back year after year, asking for people, by name, who waited on them in the past.

Signature dishes include grilled Georgia quail and creamy grits, fried oyster spinach salad (with cherrywood smoked bacon), and the arugula salad with lemon/garlic vinaigrette.

“My favorite item on the menu is the sesame-crusted yellowfin tuna,” said Kessler. “We’ve served it since we first opened and it’s my favorite of everything we do.”

“We’re also known for our crab cakes,” office manager Jackie Maliszewski added. “You’ll see numerous reviews from people saying it’s the best crab cake they’ve ever had – even people from Maryland.”

Side items, too, are a big hit with people coming back time and again for the creamy grits and the truffled “three cheese” mac and cheese.

The expansive menu is matched by a wide range of drinks to choose from at the bar. From an extensive wine list to a variety of popular cocktails with intriguing names such as the Thirty-A Old Fashioned, the James Bond, the Hummingbird, and the Pineapple Cosmo.

“The Pineapple Cosmo is one of our signature cocktails,” Maliszewski explained,” and we actually infuse the vodka here with fresh pineapple.”

Café Thirty-A is geared toward making every visit a memorable experience and Kessler said it’s always rewarding to get positive feedback.

“I enjoy walking up and talking to customers and hearing the good things about the staff, the food, and the restaurant. We also do a lot of private events and it’s so nice to be part of the special times in people’s lives and hear comments later about how wonderful everything went.”

He credits Café Thirty-A’s success to great people who stay focused on creating and serving exceptional food.

“The biggest thing for us – and it’s the reason we put it on the back of one of our t-shirts – is ‘consistently delicious,’ Kessler said. “That’s our motto. It’s something that really drives us.”

Cafe Thirty-A

Cafe Thirty-A is located at 3899 E. Scenic Highway 30A, Seagrove Beach. Reservations are required; visit them online at www.cafethirtya.com or call 850-231-2166.

May 23, 2023

Return to ‘Summer of Gin’ with Tommy Bahama

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MIRAMAR BEACH – Ring summer in and celebrate Tommy Bahama’s 30th Anniversary with a refreshing Tommy Bahama Gin cocktail. Tommy Bahama’s ‘Summer of Gin’ returns and welcomes a new addition, the colorful and delicious Permanent Vacation.

During the sweltering months of June and July, all Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar and Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar locations will be celebrating all things gin by serving the Strawberry Fields of Summer $15, the Ambrosia Fizz $15.50 and the Permanent Vacation $15.50. These three enlivening gin cocktails are the perfect way to beat the summer heat while enjoying a light refreshing drink. The ‘Summer of Gin’ kicks off just in time for National Gin Day on June 10 and Father’s Day weekend celebrations on June 18.

Rob Aspaas, Director of Cocktail, Tommy Bahama weighed in.

“We’ve found that summer is an amazing season to put gin at the forefront; we really lean into flavors of the season like strawberry, rhubarb, watermelon, and herbs like mint and basil,” Aspaas said. “For example, a new edition to our Summer of Gin lineup this year is the Permanent Vacation. We really enjoyed putting this cocktail together because it ties an incredibly smooth gin with the seasonality of watermelon and mint, with a hint of bitterness coming from Aperol. It’s just one example of playing to the spirit and the season!”

Strawberry Fields of Summer – with strawberries and basil abundant, gather both and muddle together. Add Tommy Bahama Island Gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and soda water for a summertime sensation!

Ambrosia Fizz – made with Hendricks Orbium, St Germain, lemon juice and simple syrup, topped with Prosecco and a splash of Aprerol into the center of the glass – this cocktail will transport you to your favorite island, no matter where you are.

Permanent Vacation – crafted with smooth Botanist gin, fresh watermelon purée, tangy lime juice and mint syrup, then finish it off with a dash of Aperol. This cocktail will give you the summertime feeling you’ve been craving!

May 21, 2023

Digital Graffiti: A night of lights and bites

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Projection art exhibition pairs nicely with local cuisine

By Michelle Farnham
May 20, 2023

ALYS BEACH – The stark white architecture of Alys Beach is a stunning sight during the daylight hours, but at night, it transitions into a blank artist’s canvas unlike anything you’ve seen before. The site of the 16th annual Digital Graffiti Festival May 19 and 20, guests strolled the streets of this idyllic beach town, viewing projection artwork while enjoying locally sourced food and drinks.

Friday night was an all-inclusive experience, offering small plates like prime steak from Seagar’s; herb cavatelli with lamb shoulder and a cucumber yogurt soup from Roux 30A; and fried rice with green apple kimchi and carrot gazpacho by The Citizen.

Bites among the lights

Smoked bay scallops with sea urchin espuma by RC Weddings + Events.

Idyll Hound Proper served Divide N’ Conch fritters.

Oxtail marmalade and grit by Marrow Private Chefs.

Pink Coyote Dessert Co. offered strawberry lemonade sorbet and ice cream sandwiches.

Even the seating areas got their glow on!

Marrow Private Chefs was an early stop along the exhibition path.

“Tonight we’re serving oxtail marmalade and grits. It only took us three days to cook the oxtail for you,” laughed Marrow Executive Chef Richard McCord.

Idyll Hound Proper, the gastropub expected to open at 30Avenue this July, got a jumpstart on festival season, deep frying Bahamian-style Divide N’ Conch Fritters on-demand, by the light of a headlamp.

“These fritters are from our chef, Nick Walton – he’s an island guy – and are infused with our double IPA Divide and Conch’r and served with spiced mango chutney,” said Dan Tinghitella, CEO of No Reservations Restaurant Group.

There was plenty to sip on as well, from such purveyors as Good Clean Wine, Castle & Key Distillery, Lugo’s Craft Spirits and Herradura Tequila. Santa Rosa Beach-based Distillery 98 shook up “Lights, Camera, Action,” featuring their Dune Laker Vodka, lemon, blackberry and bay leaf syrup.

Glow on!

Among the 50 digital artists represented from around the world, Seaside Neighborhood School and Seacoast Collegiate High School got in on the action, presenting compilation works titled “Who Are We, Digitally?” and “Our Personal Digital Brand.” Each student and their parents were given a ticket to Saturday evening’s exhibit. Robyn Wallace, the school’s art teacher, spoke about the young artists’ process.

“A lot of this was a self-reflective piece,” explained Wallace. “Our fifth- and sixth-graders really dug into logos and then they had to think about themselves and how they would represent themselves digitally. They used primarily Google Drawing.

“For the seventh- through 10th-graders, we did a self portrait and the back images are photographs they’ve taken either off their social media or that represent themselves, and then they had to recreate themselves using Google Drawing as well. This was their first experience with anything digital. It was an opportunity to dig in and determine how they could change shapes and manipulate them to represent themselves.”

Ticketholders wrapped up the evening with an after-party at Caliza Restaurant, featuring a light show across the iconic pool.

Catch video of the inaugural Digital Graffiti livestream here.

Photos by Michelle Farnham

Caliza Restaurant hosted the after-party.

May 10, 2023

Historical Seaside landmark, Pickle’s, celebrates 30 years

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May 9, 2023
Special to 30A Food & Wine

SEASIDE – Pickle’s, located at 2236 East County Hwy. 30A, is celebrating three decades in business at their original Seaside Central Square location.

Pickle's

Founded in 1993 by Bill and Heavenly Dawson of The Dawson Group, Pickle’s began with only 48 square feet and a limited menu consisting of hotdogs, beer, and pickles. The locally owned and operated eatery quickly became famous for their burgers and hand-spun milkshakes. Throughout the years, Pickle’s has become an unofficial historical landmark in the Seaside community and is one of the few establishments that has remained in the same location along Seaside Square. In 2023, 30A’s Hot Spot Awards named Pickle’s the Hottest Spot for Burgers.

After 32 years in business, the Dawsons sold their company consisting of the five notable Seaside restaurants, including Dawson’s Yogurt, It’s Heavenly Shortcakes and Ice Cream, Pickle’s, The Shrimp Shack, and Wild Bill’s Beach Dogs, to Clark and Ashley Beecher of Houston. Through a chance meeting and mutual friends, the Beechers met the Dawsons while they were living in Seaside during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The Beechers have been longtime visitors and homeowners in the Seaside area, so they were very fond of the Dawsons’ restaurants. They knew that the Dawsons were looking for a special family to take over their company that would honor the legacy they had established.

“When the opportunity arose, we knew they needed someone special to take over,” said Ashley Beecher. “These restaurants were like Heavenly’s children that she and Bill had been raising for so many years, so it was truly a blessing that they would offer them to us and trust us to continue raising them well into the future.”

Since the acquisition, the Beechers along with their local operating partners Baron and Courtney Fields, have remained true to the roots of The Dawson Group while also incorporating innovative systems, additional menu items, modern concepts, and merchandise to each of the restaurants, including Pickle’s.

“We wanted to take Pickle’s, along with all of our other concepts, up a notch,” Beecher said.

One of the main areas they revamped was the Pickle’s menu. While keeping some of the most popular menu items like the cheeseburger, hand-cut fries, and fried pickles, the new owners wanted to streamline the menu, add value through fresh produce and high-quality meats, and make sure there was something for everyone. Through these changes, they also wanted to add new items they knew would be popular amongst their customers.

“As Texans, there were a lot of special dishes that we loved and wanted to bring to 30A,” Courtney Fields said. “We introduced Kolaches, a classic Texas breakfast item, along with breakfast tacos that have turned out to be our top seller every day.”

Due to the pandemic, the new owners also introduced online ordering to Pickle’s for the convenience of their guests. Since then, it has increased productivity within the restaurant, so they are able to serve even more guests than ever before. Now, The Dawson Group offers online ordering at most of their restaurants, along with nationwide shipping for their merchandise and homemade Dawson’s fudge.

Today, Pickle’s has 30 regular employees and up to 50 seasonal employees. The restaurant has received various construction updates throughout the years, but now occupies over 4,000 square feet with the newest addition, The Sandbar. The Beechers and Fields created the new concept, along with the owners of Seaside, to bring a beachside bar located right along the sand dunes.

The Sandbar officially opened on February 15, 2023, and guests can now order both their drinks and food from either the bar or restaurant. The Sandbar features craft cocktails, including the Savannah Street Skinny Rita, named after the Beechers’ beach home address, along with the Pineapple Express made with local Campesino Rum. The menu also includes craft beer, wine, and frozen drinks.

The Sandbar opens each day at 8 a.m. along with the restaurant and has happy hour daily from 3-5 p.m. offering discounted draft beers, half-off select wines, and $7 house margaritas.

“People from all over the world visit Seaside with their families,” Beecher said. “We are lucky to be a part of their stay and it is such a privilege to be a small part of their family memories at the beach.”

May 3, 2023

SoWal Wine: Time to shine!

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By Michelle Farnham
May 2, 2023

MIRAMAR BEACH – It was the best of weather, it was the worst of weather, but it all worked out in the end. The four-day extravaganza known as the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival shined brightly, despite a thunderstorm that delayed the start of Saturday’s grand tasting.

Friday fun

Mt. Gay Rum poured four bottles Friday night.

The Perfect Pig plated étouffée en croute.

Beach Camp served up a low country shrimp boil.

Sipsmith and Basil Hayden teamed up mixing cocktails.

Friday night fun

After starting the weekend off at Thursday’s Winemakers & Shakers event at Destin’s Wine World, Friday’s Craft Beer + Spirits Jam filled the streets of Grand Boulevard, to the beat of DJ Pinke. A stroll down Spirits Row offered sips from the likes of Mt. Gay Rum, Monkey Shoulder Scotch, Basil Hayden and Cape Fear Distillery. Step into the Beer Tent for a taste of local breweries Odd Pelican, Idyll Hounds, St. Michael’s Brewery and Destin Brewery.

Grayton Beach’s Beach Camp Brewpub GM Daniel Straub and Brewmaster Will Dargavell were on hand, pouring their Dank Sinatra, the High Tide Hefe, the recently bottled Barrel-Aged Stout and the Cato West Coast Hazy IPA.

“They’ve all been really popular tonight, but the Hefeweizen is really good, it’s our year-round wheat-style beer,” Straub said about South Walton’s newest brewery. “This event has been great, I love it!”

Ticket-holders had a chance to meet celebrity guests such as Victoria Eady Butler, master blender of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey; Darryl McNally, master distiller of Limavady Irish Whiskey; and Greg Metze, master distiller of Old Elk Distillery.

Nosh Pavilions dotted the festival grounds, featuring eats like crawfish étouffée from The Perfect Pig, catfish tacos from Freddie’s Southern Eats, and the award-winning gumbo from Slick Lips Seafood & Oyster House.

Grand indeed!

Grand Tastings

Saturday and Sunday’s grand tastings brought wine to the table, such as Willamette Valley Vineyards, Blind Tasting Chardonnay, and an entire tent of Jackson Family Wines.

French Pool Toy, maker of a French rosé served in an unbreakable plastic bottle, was poured by company founder Martin Lartigua Jr.

Guests could sit in on one of four tasting seminars, including the Sensory Exploration of Food & Wine with Jackson Family Wine, and a focus on chianti by Marchesi Antinori.

Charleston Beverage Company presented “The Perfect Bloody Mary” by company founder Ryan Eleuteri, who explained the rocky road to becoming the third best-selling mix in the nation, and offered up his preferences for best garnishes.

“The industry really went crazy there for a while with the cheeseburgers, fried chicken,” Eleuteri admitted. “For me personally, I like to do an Old Bay seasoned rim, a pickled okra, blue cheese-stuffed olive, maybe a shrimp.”

Charleston brand manager Bobby Brown explained the method to the madness of garnishes.

“Bloody Marys are typically spicy, so you balance that with celery,” Brown explained. “It has a cooling effect and adds to the fragrance. Lemon or lime – it doesn’t matter which – adds citrus and brightness, which will also cut through the heat while making it a more refreshing experience. And bacon, well bacon is delicious, and it brings out the salty, savory umami flavors.”

Brown also suggested using infused vodka, bloody Mary mix ice cubes, and to “gently roll” the drink, rather than shaking or stirring it.

A thirst for knowledge

Bobby Brown and Ryan Eleuteri of Charleston Beverage Company presented.

Donnis Todd, master distiller of Garrison Brothers Distillery.

There was something for the bourbon drinkers in the house at the Garrison Brothers Distillery, presentation by Master Distiller Donnis Todd.

He offered tasters of his small batch, single barrel cask, Guadalupe and Cowboy bourbons – all made at their ranch in Texas – and explained the proper way to “nose” distilled spirits.

“This is not like smelling wine. You put the bourbon glass along your nose but only breath in through your mouth,” Todd advised. “If you get any sinus burn, you haven’t mastered that yet. If you do it properly, you literally can taste it and it sets the stage.

Wine World Culinary Village featured small plates like braised Spanish octopus with tabouli salad, smoked salmon canapés and French lemon tarts for something sweet. The Nosh Pavilions served up bruschetta and cannoli from Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, smoked tuna dip from Barefoot’s Bar & Grill, and of course, sushi by Yoshi Eddings of Harbor Docks.

A little something to nosh

Grimaldi’s offered assorted bruschetta.

Chef Max Morrison served braised Spanish octopus with tabouli salad.

Harbor Docks was back with their famous sushi!

Grimaldi’s offered cannoli and assorted bruschetta.

The South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival is a fundraiser for the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, which takes place concurrently on the festival grounds. Read 30A Food & Wine’s coverage of the annual auction here.

Photos by Michelle Farnham

May 3, 2023

LaCo planning Cinco de Mayo fiesta!

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SEACREST – LaCo, 30A’s Latin Coastal Kitchen, is celebrating Cinco de Mayo Friday, May 5 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Guest can enjoy $8 house margaritas all day long and specialty cocktails made with Tres Agaves tequila. Enjoy a photo booth, airbrush temporary tattoos, live entertainment from DJ 30A and a promotional partnership with Tres Agaves tequila reps who will be handing out swag.

LaCo is located at 10343 E. Co. Hwy 30A, in Seacrest.

Cinco de Mayo at LaCo — LaCo is celebrating Cinco de Mayo all day Friday, May 5 – and you know there will be Margaritas!

May 2, 2023

DCWAF: One team, one mission

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Wine auction raises $3.5 million for children’s charities

By Michelle Farnham
April 30, 2023

MIRAMAR BEACH – While a storm blew outside, DCWAF President Karah Fridley-Young welcomed more than 600 people to the waterproof 2023 Destin Charity Wine Auction tent. It was an afternoon of wine, friends and charity, raising $3.5 million for 16 Northwest Florida children’s charities.

“It is inspiring and truly astounding to be under this tent with so many generous individuals, businesses, and people that I call friends,” Fridley-Young started. “Our mission today is clear: there are children in our community who need our help, and we are going to show up for them today.”

She set up this year’s Mission Moment video, “Play Ball,” which included participants from the 16 charity partners playing a baseball game, concluding with the evening’s theme: One Team, One Mission.

Lane Redding, 2023 board chairman of the DCWAF, announced proceeds of the Friday evening patron dinners: exquisite wine meals hosted at 11 locations along the Emerald Coast.

“We raised an impressive $550,000 last night,” Redding reported to a tentful of cheers. “Two dinners raised over $100,000, and I want to recognize those: the (Randall and Maria) Whites’ dinner and the (Jack and Candis) Wilsons’ dinner. Let’s raise a glass to fundraising!”

Welcome to the tent!

Guests are welcomed to the tent by charity volunteers and a cloud of bubbles!

DCWAF board member Steve Carter makes his appearance.

The live auction is three hours of fun!

The DCWAF staff who make it all happen (left to right): Brooklyn Bain, Kate MacMillan and Karah Fridley-Young.

DCWAF President Karah Fridley-Young welcomed the capacity crowd.

DCWAF Board Chair Lane Redding announced the wine dinner totals.

Lots of lots

Auctioneer Charles Antin was back for another year, encouraging bidders to bid often and bid high.

“Are you sure?” he encouraged one patron waffling over a bid. “You’ll be watching ‘Seinfeld’ reruns in your pajamas while she will be out having the time of her life!”

The first lot of the night is always Magnum Force, made up of 50 signed magnums from 18 years of past and present vintners, bringing in a generous $55,000.

Other notable lots included a trip to Kamalame Cay Bahamas for $105,000, a week on the Amalfi Coast for $45,000 – sold twice – and a tour of Portugal for $45,000, also sold twice.

The capacity crowd quieted itself for Lot 29, a special initiative to benefit The Ellison McCraney Ingram Foundation. Named for the late 9-year-old son of longtime DCWAF supporters Doug and Merrisa Ingram, up for grabs was a 9L large format bottle of 2020 Thompson 31Fifty Russian River “Ellison’s Cuvée” Pinot Noir. Attendees seemed inspired by the charity’s mission funding scholarships, and bids quickly rose to 35, 40, $45,000, when a quiet bid of $100,000 came in from a table near the back of the room. The crowd jumped to its feet for a well-deserved standing ovation.

Bidding war

The first lot of the night is always the Magnum Force: 50 magnums of wine!

Raise your paddles!

A toast to another successful auction!

Get those paddles warmed up!

Winners are celebrated with festive decor from the charity volunteers.

Cue the confetti canons, we have another winner!

Celebrating a winning bid with champagne, of course!

Winning bid are celebrated by a group of charity volunteers.

Celebrating a winning bid with champagne, of course!

Sip and savor

Guests were treated to a pre-auction Reserve Tasting, enjoying bites from the likes of Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood, Ovide, Bijoux and upcoming Seaside spot The Daytrader, as well as wine from a lengthy list of celebrity vintners.

Destin artist Harley Van Hyning was on hand to showcase the print he donated toward the auction: a locally caught yellowfin tuna. He was impressed by the crowd, incredible wines and amazing food around him. Van Hyning specializes in the gyotaku style of Japanese print-making.

“I take a very non-traditional approach, where I use color, acrylics, and different weights of canvas to basically record a life form, give honor to the life form, and bring it back to its natural beauty so that it can educate and be appreciated by us here on land.”

To keep auction bidders powered through the 3-hour live auction, Swiftly Catered Private Chef rolled out a four-course meal, starting with charcuterie boards, a Southern wedge salad, beef short ribs over whipped potatoes, and dark chocolate crémeux tarts and strawberry parfait.

Paul Hobbs of Paul Hobbs Winery in Sebastopol, Calif., was honored as this year’s honorary vintner, while Scott Schwarz of The Surf Club in North Carolina was awarded the title of honorary chef.

In addition to the 66-lot live auction, money is also raised through a cellar auction, silent auction and a super silent auction.

In its 18^th year, auction proceeds now totaling more than $30 million benefit AMIkids Emerald Coast, Ascension Sacred Heart of the Emerald Coast, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast, Children in Crisis, Inc., Children’s Volunteer Health Network, Ellison McCraney Ingram Foundation, Emerald Coast Autism Center, Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, Habitat for Humanity of Walton County, Mental Health Association of Okaloosa & Walton Counties, Opportunity Place, Inc., Point Washington Medical Clinic, Shelter House of Northwest Florida, The Arc of the Emerald Coast, Westonwood Ranch, and Youth Village.

Photos by Michelle Farnham

Reserve Tasting

Austin Peterson represented OVID Napa Valley.

Bijoux served short rib barbacoa with creamy polenta.

Say cheese! Photo booth fun!

Caliza plated smoked salmon potato lasagna.

The Reserve Tasting allows for mixing and mingling before the auction.

The Reserve Tasting

DCWAF board member Bob Kirk samples from Roy Estate.

The Reserve Tasting allows for mixing and mingling before the auction.

The Reserve Tasting is a chance to nosh and mingle.

May 2, 2023

Hotel Effie, Ovide celebrate Mom on Mother’s Day

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SANDESTIN – This Mother’s Day, Hotel Effie, located at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is offering a relaxing retreat to the special women in your life. Guests who book by Friday, May 12 save 20% off when booking two or more nights for a stay between Thursday, May 11, and Sunday, May 14, with complimentary late checkout on Sunday, May 14.

Hotel Effie

The on-site restaurant Ovide invites her to enjoy delectable dishes, live music and more with a special Mother’s Day Brunch. Guests who take advantage of the celebratory offers at Hotel Effie save 10% when they reserve a table for Mother’s Day Brunch at Ovide. Brunch is priced at $90 per person, excluding gratuity and tax, $25 for children under 12 years old, free of charge for children under 5.

Breakfast includes eggs Benedict, bacon and sausage, and vegetable frittata. Guests can enjoy an omelet station, French toast bar and stone ground grit bar, complete with all of the toppings and inclusions. Entrees and seafood include prime rib, roasted red snapper, gnocchi and bagel and lox, which can be paired with an assortment of salads and sides. Dessert includes peaches ‘n cream, Nutella and mascarpone cannoli, blueberry cobbler and more. Reservations are available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and can be made via Resy.

Pamper Mom with a rejuvenating spa day at Spa Lilliana and receive 10% off spa treatments with promo code MOM23 while booking. Dedicated to well-being and self-care treatments on the second floor of Hotel Effie, Spa Lilliana features a menu of relaxing treatments using quality skincare products like OSEA and Biologique Recherche.

April 30, 2023

Ambrosia: Setting the Bar

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By Liesel Schmidt
April 30, 2023

WATERSOUND – am·bro·sia /am’brōZH∂/ noun: the food of the gods; something very pleasing to taste or smell.

Since opening in August of 2022, Ambrosia Prime Seafood & Steaks has lived up to its name, offering an array of the finest prime steaks and freshest Gulf seafood to create an upscale yet welcoming dining experience. The brainchild and passion project of local owner Russ Graham, Ambrosia is the newest in Graham’s collection of fine dining restaurants. The restaurateur has spent more than 30 years in the industry, with jobs ranging from his first job as a dishwasher to ownership. Graham owned multiple award-winning fine dining restaurants before selling them a few years ago to move to 30A.

Deviled eggs — The Deviled Eggs come with crispy shrimp, farm eggs and bacon marmalade.

Bright, airy, and modern, the space at Ambrosia is the perfect canvas for Graham’s very simple concept of providing the best of the best in food, service, and atmosphere. Much like the menu, the interior of the restaurant is carefully curated and thoughtfully designed. Starting at the greenery wall at the exterior, there is a very specific aesthetic that carries through to the light, airy, and coastal dining room. Composed of multiple rooms lined with sumptuous leather booths as well as smaller tables, the interior boasts a large seagrass sculpture that perfectly espouses the modernity of the space and affords a view of the town center from almost every seat.

In perfect contrast to the brightness of the dining room, the bar has an old New York speakeasy feel, entirely encompassed in mahogany wood and dimly lit to evoke a certain moodiness. Adding to the atmosphere are the copper ceiling tiles, marble bar top, and custom tile floor.

“They all really enhance the old world feel,” said Graham.

Outside, the patio has large maritime umbrellas that offer shade while diners enjoy the feeling of the coastal breeze as they dine. To add to the aesthetic, the space is surrounded by beautiful landscaping.

Much like the white linen-adorned tables, the food at Ambrosia is elegant, created at the deft hand of Executive Chef Michael Sichel, a Culinary Institute of America grad who first worked for Gotham Bar and Grill in New York City. The skilled chef has also worked at Rubicon in San Francisco; The Abbey of Sainte Croix in Salon-de-Provence, France; Auberge du Soleil in Napa; and Galaroire’s in New Orleans.

“Along with his outstanding background, Michael has an incredible vision for Ambrosia and is a true leader in the kitchen,” said Graham. “Michael takes great pride in making everything from scratch and ensuring our guests have the best quality food.”

The food

Boasting a beautifully executed list of starters that perfectly set the stage for the main event, Ambrosia’s menu is filled with dishes showing attention to detail and devotion to flavor. Prime steaks are Ambrosia’s claim to fame, but their fresh seafood is a feature that more than contends for a place in the spotlight. Signature items outside of their prime steaks are the snapper; the Day Boat Grouper, perfectly paired with Gulf shrimp risotto; and the understandably popular – and very decadent – bacon rack, which offers a selection of hand-cut specialty bacon.

Naturally, Graham’s definition of fine dining extends to every aspect, not the least of which is the level of service his guests receive from the moment they walk in.

“Hospitality is what brings people in the door and keeps them coming back,” he said. “Every step of a guest’s experience with Ambrosia is important to us, and we work hard every day to make sure our guests have the best experience, because it is what they deserve.”

Ambrosia is located at Watersound Town Center, 75 Origins Main Street, Watersound. Open daily, 4 to 10 p.m. in the bar, dining room 5 to 10 p.m. For more information, call 850-909-0100 or visit ambrosia30a.com. Reservations accepted.