Go ahead.
Fill in the blank.
I am waiting.
What would you say is one of the best things about vacation?
The rest? The relaxation? The lack of a schedule? The adventure? All of the above?
I love all of those things as well but today let’s focus on the FOOD! Now when Chris and I vacation we usually try to find the local places to patronize. Of course we have to fulfill Chris’s Dunkin Donuts addiction so there are those but some of the best places we have found over the years have been the tried and true local places. Our recent week at the beach found us in search of shrimp. Always shrimp.
I feel like we didn’t really eat that many meals out this time due to having taken some meals along and having leftovers from when we did eat out but I found my fair share of shrimp. As well as some other goodies.
First up – when we arrived and it was too early to check in we needed a late lunch so we found Lake Powell Pizza located in Carillon Beach to help fill our bellies. Their pizzas were huge (think leftovers even with small sized pizzas) and delicious.
Another thing we love are crepes and when we saw a crepe place next to the Starbucks in the Seacrest Beach / Rosemary Beach area we had to try it. Creative Crepes delivered – not the best we have ever had but it filled the tummy just like we needed. I guess they would be considered kind of a fast food crepe place if there is such a thing.
Now let’s get to our beloved shrimp, shall we?
We found LuLu’s in Destin and while the place is probably jam packed during the warmer months it was uncrowded and quiet the day we visited. I chose the shrimp tacos and the addition of black beans in the bottom of the tacos made me happy. Sometimes fish or shrimp tacos only have cabbage and some pico and these were a nice diversion from that. The picked onion on top and the tortilla chips on the side were a bonus.
Chris likes to find places with great names to eat and he found Bayou Bill’s Crab House in Panama City Beach that turned out to be a great place to grab dinner. The almandine beans served with our meals were off the hook and we both went home with leftovers. I chose the crab stuffed shrimp and while the shrimp were small they were incredibly tasty.
Our final meal out before we headed home was at Stinky’s Fish Camp in Santa Rosa Beach. It was super uncrowded (except around the bar) and we had a great appetizer of Bang Bang Shrimp and I followed that with an interesting Shrimp and Beet Salad with raspberry yogurt dressing. I think I would have liked it better with unpickled beets but it was pretty tasty and the shrimp were a winner as always.
So there you go — food pictures to start your Monday off and to remind me of some great meals. When you travel, where do you tend to eat? Do you cook your own meals or like us do a combination? I would love to hear all about it –don’t forget to Comment for a Cause for Asheville Cat Weirdos Emergency Vet Fund.
14 Comments
Leave a commentAlways so delicious to see your food photos! And all your vacation photos! We don’t eat out as much as we used to. Last December when we were in FL we had to take our car in for a repair- and right behind the Firestone store was a local breakfast place- not fancy at all. And you know what I’m going to say- Best Breakfast Ever!
We’re not really food connoisseurs, so we usually just grab something simple. For me, the favorite part of vacation is coming home (followed closely by enjoying new scenery while we’re away). Glad you had such a nice trip!
Food definitely tops the list of things we enjoy when we see new places. I’m always up for trying something new and love fresh seafood.
I love to try new food on vacation but hubby is not as adventurous. For me the best thing about a vacation is seeing and learning something new! Looks like you ate some great food. xo
We’re not really foodies, so we eat simple meals on our trips…mostly picnic lunches we made ourselves and then find someplace for dinners. Unfortunately, I’m one of those rare folks who can’t stand seafood but hubby loves it, so we try to compromise on that.
I like discovering oddities while vacationing, not that we’ve done much vacationing. But I also just really enjoy the time away, especially at Randy’s sister’s lake cabin. Time there with the grandkids is THE BEST.
When we are out or on vacation, we love to try new restaurants. Your food looks so good.
I love trying new things when we travel…though that backfired when we were in Maine and I tried seaweed salad. That was DISGUSTING…and my face must have shown it because the waitress took it from me and brought me a regular salad. But mostly what I love when we travel is taking pictures. Lots and lots of pictures.
Pictures are a must! Great answer!
The food at the farmers market in Sarasota. The grouper at the tiki places. Even a self packed snack on the beach. Very fresh strawberries. And Meyer lemons. Oh my!
Oh I bet that food is yummy!!! Grouper— yum!
Our favorite vacation destination is the UP of Michigan. We like to explore parks and lakes. We rent a house. Therefore, we take some meals with us. But we like to find the local restaurants. This past fall we discovered the Harbir House in Copper Harbor. Had salmon and it was so good. Also, found the Jam Pot which specializes in jams and muffins. It it part of the monastery near Eagle Harbor. Another stop was a local bar/restaurants, Jolly Inn in Germfask, MI. The burgers there were fantastic.
Sounds like my kind of trip with lots of good food!
When you visit my town, there’s a possibility that my favorite cafe will still be closed. We may have to meet in the Mexican restaurant, Molcajetes. It is run by real Mexicans who keep it real and use their old family recipes, not *much* spicier than European standards and some odd takes on standard Mexican food. They put large crumbs of wheat bread in arroz con pollo (fortunately large enough that I can spot them and pick them out). Have you ever heard of such a thing?