A Gulf View Cafe for Eggplant Fries and Seafood Plates

A plate of eggplant fries is a fine way to begin a meal beside the Gulf. At this coastal cafe, the thin fried strips arrive light, crisp and nicely seasoned, with ranch for dipping. They have enough character to compete with the seafood entrées that follow, which is saying something on a menu built around shrimp, crab, catfish and po'boys.

The setting gives the meal its easygoing rhythm. Diners can sit indoors in air-conditioned comfort, pull up near the bar, or claim a place on the outdoor terrace facing the Gulf and beachscape. The porch is where a long lunch can turn into a lingering conversation, helped along by ceiling fans and the coastal air.

The outdoor tables offer a view toward the water rather than a heavily staged resort scene. It is a casual perch for watching the beachside surroundings, sharing an appetizer, and taking a little more time with lunch than the usual quick stop allows.

Clear plastic curtains have been used along the terrace during rain and cooler weather, keeping the beachscape in sight while offering some shelter. It is still an outdoor setting, though: seasonal flies can occasionally be an issue, and the terrace's street-side location means passing traffic may provide a little background noise.

Eggplant fries are the house specialty to order before getting lost in the larger menu. Ranch is the standard accompaniment, though remoulade also makes a sensible match if you prefer a little more zip with the crisp coating and tender eggplant.

Fried green tomatoes take a more substantial route. They come topped or paired with shrimp or crab, turning a familiar Southern appetizer into a seafood-forward plate rather than just a prelude to the main event. Availability can vary, so it is worth looking for them when you sit down rather than counting on them automatically.

There is no shortage of other ways to commit to a fried-appetizer table. Fried pickles and onion rings cover the salty, crunchy side of the menu, while fried mac-and-Gouda cheese bites bring a smoky cheese flavor to the lineup. The bites are served with ranch, and a dash of J. Lee's hot sauce can give them extra heat.

Seafood Atchafalaya is the plate for someone who wants the menu's Gulf and Cajun influences in one bowl. It combines Gulf shrimp, crawfish, andouille sausage and mushrooms in a rich Cajun cream sauce, making it a more elaborate choice than a simple fried-seafood basket.

Blackened catfish and other shrimp and crab dishes give the menu a solid Southern seafood backbone. The portions tend toward generous, so a starter plus a rich entrée can quickly become a full afternoon meal.

The shrimp po'boy is one of the straightforward pleasures here, including a grilled shrimp version for diners who want seafood without another round of frying. These sandwiches are notably substantial; sharing one is a practical option when the table has already ordered appetizers.

The Biloxi po'boy can be ordered “all the way” and paired with eggplant fries, a combination that makes a complete coastal-cafe lunch without requiring a fork-and-knife entrée. Homemade chips and kettle chips are also available, but the onion rings and eggplant fries make a persuasive case for skipping the usual sandwich side.

The menu leaves room for the non-seafood diner in a mixed group. A patty melt on marble rye comes with homemade chips, while the Reuben keeps a balanced meat-to-bread proportion rather than becoming an overstuffed pile that is hard to manage.

There is also a Long Beach steak sandwich and a trio of salads. Those choices help the cafe work as a lunch stop when one person wants a seafood plate and another wants something closer to a deli-style sandwich.

Before leaving, take a pass by the dessert case. Cheesecake and orange cake are among the temptations on display, providing a more old-fashioned finish than a token packaged sweet.

The orange cake has a bright, creamy flavor reminiscent of an orange push-up ice cream treat. After Cajun cream sauce, a po'boy, or a basket of fried appetizers, that citrusy note can be a welcome change of pace.

With indoor dining, bar seating and the Gulf-facing terrace, the cafe has room for a solo lunch, a couple lingering over drinks and dessert, or a larger table working through several appetizers. The clean, welcoming dining room offers a useful fallback when the weather is not cooperating with porch plans.

Parking includes a free lot and free street parking. Meals commonly land in the roughly $10-to-$30-per-person range depending on the order, drinks and additions, and reservations generally are not required, though table availability can change with the day and time.