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Seagar’s: Sneaking a peek at fall

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Food and beverage offerings turn to warmer seasonal flavors

By Michelle Farnham
Sept. 22, 2022

SANDESTIN – While the weather might not suggest a change of seasons yet, fall is indeed here, and so is the new seasonal menu at Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood.

The staff rolled out their newest offerings at a special tasting event, with Chef de Cuisine Fleetwood Covington aiming to dazzle diners with not just flavor, but also technique, presentation and quality.

“Moving into the fall, I really wanted to hone in on the best possible ingredients,” Covington said, including center-cut A5 Wagyu beef fresh from Japan and the latest shipment of $5,000 a pound Alba truffles from Italy. “That’s something I’ve not seen at another steakhouse.”

Seagar's scallops
Seared Chesapeake diver scallop over saffron risotto

A savory start

Covington began the meal with a seared Chesapeake diver scallop over saffron risotto, served in a scallop shell. Garnishing the plate is a shard of carrot glass, a morsel made by twisting the root vegetable until it is transparent and easily shattered with your fork.

Childhood memories of quail hunting in South Carolina inspired Chef’s seared Argentinian duck breast starter, plated atop a “nest” of confit leeks, with roasted butternut squash and beets.

“As our restaurant has been hitting on all cylinders, it gives the culinary staff the confidence to become a little more vulnerable with what we make,” he explained. “Spring and summer were very well received, and we’re continuing with that philosophy.”

Also on the first course menu is that holy grail of beef, the A5 Wagyu, this time served tartare-style. In addition to the 4-ounce portion, Covington has done a molecular play on pommes gaufrette with flash-fried rice paper.

Lobster pasta
Lobster pasta with house-made noodles

The main event

Moving onto entrees, Chef’s Southern roots show in his devotion to gumbo perfection. He serves his seared snapper atop a smooth gumbo, which he blends and strains, then adds more fall vegetables to preserve the freshness.

Seagar’s new lobster pasta is presented tail-on, poached in white wine and champagne, and topped with house-made pasta, lobster velouté, and onion blossom.

“Every garnish we use, whether it’s onion blossom, garlic flower, it serves a purpose for the actual dish,” Covington said. “We’re really conscious that the garnish lends itself to the flavor and adds depth, rather than just looks pretty.”

Seagar's dessert
Night at the Fair dessert

Sweet memories

Chef took a stroll down memory lane with two desserts made with nostalgic flavors but high-end technique. His Night at the Fair treat incorporates pumpkin pie served with smoked cotton candy, kissed with edible luster dust.

When crafting his play on s’mores, Covington reached not for that familiar brown-wrappered candy bar, but Tanzanian chocolate mousse, butterscotch and armagnac graham cracker crumble, Swiss meringue, edible 24 carat gold leaf, and a special autumnal table-side surprise.

Cocktails
Apples For My Mule, A Study of Taste, Winter Paradise

Sips to savor

In harmony with the food offerings, Seagar’s Beverage Director Catherine Lien has shaken up a dozen new cocktails for the cooler months, and presented a trio for consideration.

A crowd favorite, Apples For My Mule is a mix of apple-infused vodka, apple spice, allspice dram, lemon and ginger beer. Winter Paradise combines dark rum, allspice dram, apple cider and lemon, finished with star anise; while A Study of Taste takes Blanco Tequila in a more autumnal direction with help from pomegranate syrup and habañero tincture.

“I’m using more fall-inspired flavors, darker spirits. I totally believe in using seasonal ingredients,” Lien explained as she pointed toward the mule, which is garnished with a house-dehydrated apple slice and mint sprig. “We’re using an organic apple-infused vodka out of Texas and there’s cloves, nutmeg, and the ginger as well.”

Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood is located at 4000 Sandestin Blvd. South in Miramar Beach,, within the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. Dinner is served Tuesday to Sunday from 5:30 to 9 p.m., staying open until 10 on Friday and Saturday. Visit them online at www.seagars.com for more information or to make a reservation.

Photos by Michelle Farnham

Shoshana Bean

Seagar’s Cabaret Broadway tribute is Sept. 14

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Special to 30A Food and Wine
Aug. 23, 2021

SANDESTIN – Sinfonia Gulf Coast – the local nonprofit orchestra in its 16th season – is presenting award-winning singer/actress Shoshana Bean in a one-night performance Tuesday, Sept. 14. Titled “Seagar’s Cabaret: A Tribute to Broadway,” the evening will feature Bean as part of a reception, dinner and performance, all beginning at 5:30 p.m. 

All-inclusive tickets are available for $295 per person at https://bit.ly/SinfoniaCabaret21. The special evening – held the same night that Broadway reopens – includes valet parking, a sparkling wine reception, four-course meal prepared by Seagar’s Executive Chef Lee Guidry, wine, and all gratuities.

Bean is a Broadway veteran, making her debut in the original cast of “Hairspray,” starring as the very first replacement for Elphaba in “Wicked,” and most recently as Jenna in “Waitress.” 

Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood is located at 4000 S. Sandestin Blvd., Miramar Beach.

Seagar’s Prime Steaks and Seafood

Seagar’s Prime Steaks and Seafood
4000 Sandestin Blvd. South
Miramar Beach, FL 32550
850-622-1500

https://www.seagars.com/

Bringing elegance back to fine dining

By Laura Holloway

SANDESTIN – It’s rare to find a restaurant in a hotel or resort that can stand alone in experience and style, but Seagar’s Prime Steaks and Seafood, a AAA Four-Diamond Restaurant at Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, achieves just that. Its award-winning menu and drink lineup create a memorable dining experience that makes every meal feel like a special occasion.

Seagar’s is consistently recognized as one of the top steakhouses in Florida and top restaurants in Destin, named to the Diner’s Choice, Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America, and Top 100 Steakhouses in America.

And it’s no wonder; the restaurant brings traditional elegance back to the fine-dining experience, providing guests with the option of private dining and offering every diner captain and sommelier service and special tableside preparation of such sumptuous items as steak Diane, Dover sole, and Seagar’s signature dessert, bananas foster.

The restaurant is also loved and revered by wine lovers around the country, with a private-reserve wine list of more than 600 labels. An intimate lounge and live piano entertainment round out the classic, elegant feel, providing a unique and unforgettable dining occasion for everyone who finds a seat at a Seagar’s table.

What makes Seagar’s a must-visit for area guests and a favorite of seasoned locals?

“In my personal experience, the main difference is our shared commitment to excellence,” said Executive Chef Lee Guidry. “Being a AAA Four-Diamond Restaurant, we are deeply committed to consistently delivering exceptional service and premium dining. I find this adds another level of attentiveness to the kitchen atmosphere and how we execute our dishes.”

Ingredients make the meal

Where does he draw inspiration for the beautiful dishes that come out of the Seagar’s kitchen?

“The regionality of the Gulf and local farms that provide our produce are very inspiring. With roughly 99% of our items coming in from nearby farms and fishing boats, each day I walk into the kitchen, I’m inspired to learn, create and teach those around me, creating dishes with the freshest, most beautiful ingredients,” Guidry said.

General Manager Gary Brielmayer, who has been with Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa for almost 20 years, described the reason for the restaurant’s longevity.

“We focus on the best quality ingredients that money can buy,” Brielmayer said. “From the moment guests walk in the door, we want them to have a unique and unforgettable experience. Chef Guidry creates several new flavorful dishes each season to showcase the highest quality ingredients available and also to give guests the opportunity to try something new every visit.”

Seagar’s impressive menu includes a selection of appetizing starters, including Crisp Calamari (with buttermilk, seasoned flour, house-made pickle, and grain mustard rouille); Berkwood’s Farm Pork Bell Cassoulet en Croute (with cannellini bean, tomato, fine herb, pork jus, mirepoix, and puff pastry); and a decadent French Onion Soup, a blend of five onions simmered in a hearty beef stock and finished with crouton and melted Jarlsberg and Gruyere cheeses).

Specialties found elsewhere in the area rarely include a Raines Farm Wagyu Beef Tataki (with cucumber, foie gras emulsion, fried garlic, yuzu, ginger, and cilantro); Crisp Bobwhite Quail (with butternut squash and foie gras ravioli, brown butter, sage, consume, buttermilk, oolong, and walnut); and Osetra Caviar (served with toast points, egg yolks, egg whites, sour cream, chives, and chilled vodka). A Caesar Salad for Two is prepared tableside and is a treat not to be missed, and a Custom Seafood Tower will be the delight of the party, created from large Gulf shrimp, Maine Lobster, live oysters, and Alaskan King Crab legs, three-tiered and served with cocktail sauce and drawn butter.

Steakhouse with style

A true New York steakhouse in style and offerings, the appetite is satisfied with Seagar’s main selections, USDA Prime Steaks and Lamb Chops that are certified 100% USDA Prime and available in a variety of cuts such as the Steak Diane, NY Strip, Bone-In Ribeye, Porterhouse, Bone-In Filet, Lamb Chop, Rôtisseur’s Special, and the Chateaubriand, a 22-ounce steak for two.

Custom cuts of the filet mignon are offered, and a wonderful assortment of entrée additions can customize the diner’s choice, including Maitre D’ Butter, Au Poivre, Maytag/Bacon, Mushroom & Madeira, Foie Gras Butter, Oscar, Grilled Shrimp, Pork Belly, Foie Gras, pan seared diver scallops, fried South African lobster tail, or a half pound of King Crab Legs.

For those wanting to stick closer to the coast with their selections, seafood entrees include Seared Snapper (with new potato galette, wilted spinach, Alaskan King Crab, lemongrass, and fume), Crisp Potato Wrapped Gulf Shrimp (with Yukon gold potato threads, artichoke fondue, cherry tomato, artichoke heart, and pea tendril), and South African Cold-Water Lobster Tails, lightly battered and fried and served with honey mustard.

Put a cherry on top of a perfect meal with something sweet, such as Cherries Jubilee or Bananas (or Peaches) Foster for Two, both prepared tableside and served over vanilla ice cream. A Double Irish Coffee or Mocha Espresso Martini can complete the evening or move the party to Seagar’s intimate lounge area for conversation and storytelling, or live piano music on select nights.

For guests new to the Seagar’s experience, Brielmayer says, “Expect the best quality food, expertly and simply prepared, and served with authentic, attentive service.”

Seagar’s Prime Steaks and Seafood is located at 4000 Sandestin Boulevard South in Miramar Beach, and a full menu and more information can be found by visiting seagars.com or calling 850-622-1500. Dinner reservations can be made online or by calling, and a dress code is required.

Pan-roasted diver scallops

Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood: Bringing elegance back to fine dining

,

By Laura Holloway
May 1, 2021

SANDESTIN – It’s rare to find a restaurant in a hotel or resort that can stand alone in experience and style, but Seagar’s Prime Steaks and Seafood, a AAA Four-Diamond Restaurant at Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, achieves just that. Its award-winning menu and drink lineup create a memorable dining experience that makes every meal feel like a special occasion.

Raines Farm Wagyu Beef Tataki
Raines Farm Wagyu Beef Tataki

Seagar’s is consistently recognized as one of the top steakhouses in Florida and top restaurants in Destin, named to the Diner’s Choice, Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America, and Top 100 Steakhouses in America.

And it’s no wonder; the restaurant brings traditional elegance back to the fine-dining experience, providing guests with the option of private dining and offering every diner captain and sommelier service and special tableside preparation of such sumptuous items as steak Diane, Dover sole, and Seagar’s signature dessert, bananas foster.

The restaurant is also loved and revered by wine lovers around the country, with a private-reserve wine list of more than 600 labels. An intimate lounge and live piano entertainment round out the classic, elegant feel, providing a unique and unforgettable dining occasion for everyone who finds a seat at a Seagar’s table.

Crisp Potato-Wrapped Gulf Shrimp
Crisp Potato-Wrapped Gulf Shrimp

What makes Seagar’s a must-visit for area guests and a favorite of seasoned locals?

“In my personal experience, the main difference is our shared commitment to excellence,” said Executive Chef Lee Guidry. “Being a AAA Four-Diamond Restaurant, we are deeply committed to consistently delivering exceptional service and premium dining. I find this adds another level of attentiveness to the kitchen atmosphere and how we execute our dishes.”

Live oyster with spicy aji amarillo and a cucumber mignonette
Live oyster with spicy aji amarillo and a cucumber mignonette

Ingredients make the meal

Where does he draw inspiration for the beautiful dishes that come out of the Seagar’s kitchen?

“The regionality of the Gulf and local farms that provide our produce are very inspiring. With roughly 99% of our items coming in from nearby farms and fishing boats, each day I walk into the kitchen, I’m inspired to learn, create and teach those around me, creating dishes with the freshest, most beautiful ingredients,” Guidry said.

General Manager Gary Brielmayer, who has been with Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa for almost 20 years, described the reason for the restaurant’s longevity.

“From the moment guests walk in the door, we want them to have a unique and unforgettable experience.” –  Gary Brielmayer, general manager

“We focus on the best quality ingredients that money can buy,” Brielmayer said. “From the moment guests walk in the door, we want them to have a unique and unforgettable experience. Chef Guidry creates several new flavorful dishes each season to showcase the highest quality ingredients available and also to give guests the opportunity to try something new every visit.”

Berkwood’s Farm Pork Belly Cassoulet En Croute
Berkwood’s Farm Pork Belly Cassoulet En Croute

Seagar’s impressive menu includes a selection of appetizing starters, including Crisp Calamari (with buttermilk, seasoned flour, house-made pickle, and grain mustard rouille); Berkwood’s Farm Pork Bell Cassoulet en Croute (with cannellini bean, tomato, fine herb, pork jus, mirepoix, and puff pastry); and a decadent French Onion Soup, a blend of five onions simmered in a hearty beef stock and finished with crouton and melted Jarlsberg and Gruyere cheeses).

Specialties found elsewhere in the area rarely include a Raines Farm Wagyu Beef Tataki (with cucumber, foie gras emulsion, fried garlic, yuzu, ginger, and cilantro); Crisp Bobwhite Quail (with butternut squash and foie gras ravioli, brown butter, sage, consume, buttermilk, oolong, and walnut); and Osetra Caviar (served with toast points, egg yolks, egg whites, sour cream, chives, and chilled vodka). A Caesar Salad for Two is prepared tableside and is a treat not to be missed, and a Custom Seafood Tower will be the delight of the party, created from large Gulf shrimp, Maine Lobster, live oysters, and Alaskan King Crab legs, three-tiered and served with cocktail sauce and drawn butter.

Steakhouse with style

A true New York steakhouse in style and offerings, the appetite is satisfied with Seagar’s main selections, USDA Prime Steaks and Lamb Chops that are certified 100% USDA Prime and available in a variety of cuts such as the Steak Diane, NY Strip, Bone-In Ribeye, Porterhouse, Bone-In Filet, Lamb Chop, Rôtisseur’s Special, and the Chateaubriand, a 22-ounce steak for two.

Custom cuts of the filet mignon are offered, and a wonderful assortment of entrée additions can customize the diner’s choice, including Maitre D’ Butter, Au Poivre, Maytag/Bacon, Mushroom & Madeira, Foie Gras Butter, Oscar, Grilled Shrimp, Pork Belly, Foie Gras, pan seared diver scallops, fried South African lobster tail, or a half pound of King Crab Legs.

For those wanting to stick closer to the coast with their selections, seafood entrees include Seared Snapper (with new potato galette, wilted spinach, Alaskan King Crab, lemongrass, and fume), Crisp Potato Wrapped Gulf Shrimp (with Yukon gold potato threads, artichoke fondue, cherry tomato, artichoke heart, and pea tendril), and South African Cold-Water Lobster Tails, lightly battered and fried and served with honey mustard.

Put a cherry on top of a perfect meal with something sweet, such as Cherries Jubilee or Bananas (or Peaches) Foster for Two, both prepared tableside and served over vanilla ice cream. A Double Irish Coffee or Mocha Espresso Martini can complete the evening or move the party to Seagar’s intimate lounge area for conversation and storytelling, or live piano music on select nights.

For guests new to the Seagar’s experience, Brielmayer says, “Expect the best quality food, expertly and simply prepared, and served with authentic, attentive service.”

Seagar’s Prime Steaks and Seafood is located at 4000 Sandestin Boulevard South in Miramar Beach, and a full menu and more information can be found by visiting seagars.com or calling 850-622-1500. Reservations can be made online or by calling, and a dress code is required.

Photos by Michelle Farnham

Raines Farm Wagyu Beef Tataki

Seagar’s: Tastes of fall to satisfy all

By Michelle Farnham
Managing editor, 30A Food and Wine
Oct. 16, 2020

SANDESTIN – If ever there were a year we could all use a little comfort, it’s this year, and Chef Lee Guidry is delivering it in spades with his new fall menu, which debuted this week. The executive chef at Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood has called upon classic autumnal flavors like butternut squash, farm-fresh apples, cannellini beans and rich pork belly to satisfy diners.

Live oyster with spicy aji amarillo and a cucumber mignonette
Live oyster with spicy aji amarillo and a cucumber mignonette

 

In addition to the new lineup, Guidry is excited to be working with a new co-op out of Louisiana.

“A lot of our food is locally sourced – Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida. We want to promote small farmers and get the best product that we can,” Chef said.

 

First course

Guidry offers a selection of East and West Coast oysters, topped with spicy aji amarillo, champagne vinegar and a cucumber mignonette that adds both texture and flavor to the seafood experience.

Next he presented his Raines Farm Wagyu Beef Tataki, a Japanese-style charred beef served over a salad of cucumber, carrots, cilantro and green onion. The dish is plated with a soy reduction, foie gras emulsion and fried garlic chip.

For a heartier first course, look for the Berkwood’s Farm Pork Belly Cassoulet En Croute, a crock of cannellini beans, tomato, fine herbs, pork jus, mirepoix and puff pastry.

A crisp bobwhite quail dish is served alongside a house-made butternut squash and foie gras ravioli, with brown butter and sage, and is the definition of rich.

“This might remind you of a take on Thanksgiving,” Guidry added.

Guidry has taken his lump blue crab cake to the next level with the addition of crab mornay, pork belly and an andouille rillette, finished with a camembert croquet.

His spin on an apple salad on this day included a mix of honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples. He incorporates a zing of acid from apple cider vinaigrette, and tops this impressive tower with almond, shaved fennel, arugula, red onion, dried cranberry with a creamy chevre cheese.

“These apples are great because they’ve never seen a refrigerator. They go straight from the tree to a box to me. You can definitely taste the difference,” Guidry said.

Entrees

Chef is well known for his scallops and his fondness for mushrooms, and diners get to enjoy both in his Pan-Roasted Diver Scallops entree. The protein comes express-shipped from Maine, and is served over a rock shrimp dumpling – very similar to a gyoza – and plated with beech mushroom, French black truffle, cipollini onion, asparagus and champagne.

For something a little different, the Crisp Potato-Wrapped Gulf Shrimp has the kitchen painstakingly winding Yukon gold potato threads around each shrimp, flash-fried, and served over an artichoke fondue. 

To finish off the meal and satisfy the sweet tooth, the new milk chocolate mousse is made with a hazelnut mirror glaze, served with a dulce de leche macaron, coffee cake crumble, and praline with vanilla bean gelato.

Milk Chocolate Mousse with dulce de leche macaroon
Milk Chocolate Mousse with dulce de leche macaron

New this season 

Seagar’s has debuted a new charcuterie and cheese board, where the chef has made both the food and the board it is served upon. 

“Everything on the board – even the board – is made in-house. I’ve been playing around with resin and epoxy,” Guidry explained of the handcrafted wood server, accented with sparkling blue resin. “Right now I’m running a house-made paté with duck confit, cured duck breast, and a variety of cheeses, and we make our own mustard, pickles and crackers.”

In addition to the dinner offering, Seagar’s has debuted an exclusive wine dinner the first Monday of the month, by reservation only. This experience is limited to 10 guests and includes multiple courses specially selected by Guidry, all paired with wine from Seagar’s award-winning cellar.

Getting back to comfort, digital marketing manager Katie O’Connor said Seagar’s is following and exceeding all COVID-19 protocols, giving diners peace of mind when they visit the dining room.

“Our servers are all wearing masks and gloves, and we have eliminated some of the seating,” explained O’Connor. “Even though we are at a different occupancy, we are abiding by social distancing standards.”

Seagar’s is located at 4000 S. Sandestin Blvd., Miramar Beach, within the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. Visit them online at seagars.com or call 850-622-1500.