Shared the senior platter of grilled grouper, shrimp, scallops, crab legs and all these were just great. The hush puppy was tasty and just the right crispiness. The crab cake was very mushy and tasted more of mayonaise than crab. It was 11:30 and there were few folks there and waitress came over right away for our order. She was the only one working the floor so those that came in later were not as lucky to be helped so quickly I noticed. She was working hard and fast, but there needs to be more wait staff for lunch. The place has been repainted and looks sharp.
We've been a fan of Coastal for a few years - since the first time we ate there. Good local seafood, fried well, with pretty good southern sides. Friday we did a coastal drive to Carrabelle, and decided to do Coastal for lunch. It was a bit after the lunch rush, around 1:40 in the afternoon. Two ladies were at outside the restaurant having a smoke, and one was braiding the others hair. Why is that important? Well... ...we went inside and took a seat at one of the only clean tables. The dining room wasn't near fill - we were the sixth table. Only one customer had food, perhaps a sign? Now I know the staff saw us because we exchanged pleasantries, so the 10 minute wait for a server was excruciatingly long. Still, it's not NYC so service can be, well, casual. But remember that good seafood... Our server arrived smiling and apologizing for the wait. Perhaps she had to finish the braid (the two servers were the ladies from outside). But a smile can go a long way. And remember that good seafood... My wife ordered the fried shrimp dinner with greens and cheese grits. Being the Fat Guy, I ordered all you can eat shrimp with cukes and onions and cole slaw. Of the food we ordered, everything was pre-made and just had to be plated and served. Only the shrimp needed to be battered and dropped. The wait for food approached the twenty minute mark and I was getting ready to cry uncle, pay for my drinks and leave. But remember that good seafood... Of the people in the dining room, we were the last to order, so when food started coming out to their tables I saw a ray of hope. Our order arrived, and in we dug. Ah, those shrimp. Piping hot and lightly battered, fried perfectly too long and with a bit of rubbery snap. My wife declared hers excellent, and indeed the flavor was darned good, but when all you do is fried seafood, my expectation is that it will be done right. A minor thing, I guess, or maybe I set my standards too high. To be sure I liked that these shrimp(s?) had none of the iodine flavor that I notice in foreign harvested shrimp. The sides - cole slaw was better than average, but mine benefited from a splash of pepper vinegar to cut the sweetness a bit. Greens - who in the south cooks unseasoned greens. No salt, no smokiness from ham hocks, nothing. Not the worst I've ever had, but certainly near the bottom. Cucumber and onion - almost lacking onion, thick slices of cucumber, a bit of vinegar and a tad too salty. Not one I'd reorder. Cheese grits - fried seafood and cheese grits are a great southern match. But cheese grits held way too long have the consistency of wall paper paste. When I went to wash my hands, I did notice that on every table with cheese grits, they looked barely touched. I should have warned my wife. Not sure if this lunch was worth the $35 tab (less tip). Would we go again? Not likely at this point, especially since Angelo and Sons has a new place - Tropical Shrimp Company - nearby. Too bad because with a tune up on dining room service and a bit of care in the kitchen, Coastal could be a booming gold mine.
