Let’s Eat – Nick’s at GulfShores

Nicks is located on Gulf Shores Parkway (highway 59 South) just before the bridge to the island. Nick’s in the same building that the abysmal “Tommy Thunders” was located in. One would almost assume that the location itself was cursed, after Tommy Thunders, there was the detestable “Oyster House Piano Bar and Grill” (which is not to be confused with the excellent Oyster House just down the road).

When we arrived, I was not sure what to expect. What I found was a very pleasant surprise. Linen table cloths, fine atmosphere, and extremely courteous and helpful staff. My fiancé and I were barely in our seats when we were served with delicious garlic rolls and a chilled butter plate with caponata spread, creamy butter spread, and an excellent garlic-butter spread.

Daring to be different, I ordered the Flounder Almondine. There is only one word to describe it: awesome. Tenderly cooked, and sautéed with white wine, garlic, and lemon, I simply could not get enough. My fiancé explored the Tortellini ala Panna. This delight was served with prosciutto (which is an Italian salt-cured, air dried ham) in a rich creamy sauce with a generous smattering of vegetables.

Nick’s selection of wines is not to be missed, and again I must extol the excellent staff. From one of the owners, Nick himself (who ventured by our table and graciously brought us a fresh basket of rolls), to everyone we interacted with, this establishment is well on the way to becoming a must visit staple in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach.

In a place known for the Southern Breeze Wine+Culinary Festival and the Sunset Cork Room, Nick’s fits right in. There was one shocker to the evening. The price. Two people, meal, and drinks and less than $50. The pricing is almost obscenely low for the quality of the experience and offerings.

Normally, on these types of articles, I will have a negative to submit. In this case, I must break from my usual “tradition” and simply repeat: Awesome.

Random Thoughts

 Beachin’ – Many visitors to the area are not necessarily on the beach, and often ask what are the best spots.  By and large, my favorite is the Orange Beach Pavilion.  It costs about $5 to park there, but they have showers, bathrooms, a snack bar, and life guards.   Surpisingly, it is not too crowded and there is ample parking without having to walk across the beach road while dodging cars. 

Voting – I normally steer clear of political issues, but with the upcoming elections on August 7th for Baldwin County

District 32, one thing caught my eye.  (By the way, the election is being held because Bradley Byrne, (R) Montrose, has taken the post of chancellor of Alabama’s two year college system.)  On Randy Mckinney’s (R) website (www.randymckinney.com) he outlines an issue that has been a hot topic along the coast–illegal immigrants. 

From his site:  “Randy McKinney understands that the on-going flood of illegal immigration drains our tax dollars, clogs our healthcare system and threatens our security.  Many people feel that immigration is a federal issue, but the federal government is not currently addressing it adequately.  Not willing to let a serious problem worsen because of inaction, Randy supports several initiatives that will begin to address illegal immigration on a state level.”  The site outlines several good plans that while it may not stem the flow of illegals, it looks promising to curb the financial impact on our infrastructure.

Tropics – The tropics are definately firing up with a remote possibility of action in the Gulf of Mexico (see www.wootaah.blogspot.com for more information.)  Aside from that, we are finally getting the rain we need so maybe the fertalizer won’t keep burning our lawns.

Crime in Gulf Shores?

On various forums, many people have inquired about crime in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach.  Simply put, criminal activity is not a big problem here.  Most of the issues that come to light involve things like vandalism.  Jeep tops/windows being slashed, hood ornaments being pulled off cars (I guess someone really had to have that little Jaguar), and so on.   Many nights, listening to your police scanner (read farther down in this blog for more on that) you will hear about people fighting, DUI’s and the usual resort town nonsense.

 Virtually all of the crime in Gulf Shores is alcohol related.  People come for their vacation, get hammered then make all sorts of wise and well thought out choices and happily embark on their carefully crafted plans.  That is not to say that there have never been serious events here in the GS/OB area, but both the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach police departments stay on top of things.  Think about it, when Mary Winkler (or whatever her name was) fled Tennessee to Orange Beach after killing her preacher husband up there, OB’s finest not only caught her, but also got her to confess to the crime.   If anyone has the intent to do seriously bad things here, then rest assured they will be caught.

By way of comparison, Gulf Shores/Orange Beach has nowhere near the problems of places like Birmingham, Nashville, Mobile, New Orleans or even Anniston, Alabama. 

Let’s Eat – Daylight Donuts

  

Finally, hot fresh donuts right here on the island.  No more of those stale things trucked in from who knows where.   Daylight Donuts officially opens Friday, 7-13-07 at 7:00am (maybe six a.m.).  Along with the usual fare of cake, glazed, chocolate, sprinkles, etc., they also have some outstanding pastries.  One to not be missed is their apple fritter.  I had one tonight, and I am addicted.   Additionally, they serve coffee, capucinos, and a variety of other treats.

The store is ultra-slick and modern, with a relaxed ambiance.  From the inside, you can look out over the bay and see the people screaming their heads off at Waterville, U.S.A.   But that is not where the fun is.  The kitchen is open so you can look through the glass and watch the tasty treats roll down the conveyor belt.  At tonight’s VIP opening, there were several children staring through the glass watching the cooks craft the delightful donuts.  (Okay, bad pun, but I could not help myself.) 

They are located in Sawgrass Landing, across from the Dive Shop and King Neptunes.  Doc’s and Jake’s are also in the same center.  It’s a perfect stop when you are leaving “the Little Zoo that Could”. 

Now, those of you (both of you) who read this blog (my hurricane blog is much more popular its at www.wootaah.blogspot.com), know that I always add a drawback to the places I blather on about.  So, Daylight Donuts, here it is.   NOT ENOUGH FRITTERS!  They need to make more of those things. 

Let’s Connect – A Who’s who of Internet Providers

Gulftel (Now CenturyTel) – They actually offer a solid product for a reasonable price.  The only complaint that can be attributed to their service is that if you want their DSL package, you must get their phone service as well.  With the popularity and flexibility of cell phones around the nation and here in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, it does seem a tad ridiculous to mandate phone service coupled with the only service we are really interested in.   Aside from that, Gulftel provides an excellent product.

MediaCom – Another solid product.  Getting a service transferred can be more than a hassle, but they do provide a fast (if not the FASTEST) service on the island.  Their local offices have some of the friendliest and helpful people you will find here.  One would almost get the impression that they are not a national organization, but a home grown outfit.  The only glaring glitch for them is that if you need a house call of any type, expect to wait.  Not hours, but days in some events.   Support though their “normal” channels is abysmal unless you relish hanging in limbo while your ear goes numb from the phone for an hour or so.

Dish Network – Yes, you read it right, DiSH.  I am not sure who they are bundling their DSL services through, (suspect Gulftel,) but they are actually pretty solid.  Again, support can be an issue, but like Gulftel and MediaCom, the times you actually need their help will be few and far between. 

Smart Resort – Of all of the providers, their support is the best.  They provide phone, cable (as an affiliate with DiSH network), and Internet services.  Unlike any of the above, if you call them, you will talk to a real person almost immediately if not immediately.  People in the Beach Club, Caribe, Phoenix, etc., will relate to the next point.  Their service is sporadic at best.   It is like one of those restaurants where on Monday the food is an exquisite delight to the palate, and then upon your return on Tuesday, it is something you would feed to a New York sewer rat rather than poison.   Yes, their service is that bad at times.   In all fairness, they are undergoing a re-architecture of sorts, and could become a major player in the area, but for now, their growing pains are not only their pains, but the pains of anyone using their services.

Let’s Eat – Big O’s Seafood Grill

As you know, hamburgers are my thing, so let’s get that out of the way right now.  Big O’s handpacks their burgers and they are easily as good as Doc’s and Bahama Bobs.  But, even better are the Rubens and Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches.  Big O’s definately blows everyone else out of the water with those.  They also offer All You Can Eat shrimp and flounder, and those are good, not world class, but definately worth your time (and cash).  The menu prices are reasonable.

Among their offerings are the Mahi-Mahi, which is very good as well.  Their steaks leave a little to be desired, but the sandwiches and seafood more than make up for it.  You can find them here:  http://www.bigosgulfshores.com

One interesting thing:  Big O’s is a local favorite.  After hurricane Ivan, Owen Gray (the owner) used butane burners to cook free food for the rescue and relief workers as much of the island up to around Mud Bugs was flooded.   That kind of commitment and effort deserves praise. 

Amnesia Island

In living in this area for a long time, I have come to know why many of us locals call the bridge to the island “Amnesia Bridge”.  Most of our guests here in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach are truly a pleasure to have on the island, but as just about any condo owner and/or property manager can attest, we do have some special ones.  The following breaks down some of the more, shall we say, adventuresome visitors:

Grilling is fun.   There’s nothing like grilling up delectable treats poolside, with your favorite drink in hand.  It rapidly becomes less fun when a group of guests decide that a little rain will not spoil their cookout and proceed to grill their savory morsels in the living room of the condo. 

Seagulls – Not for everyone.  Feeding seagulls can be great fun.  But one group of renters decided that actually walking all the way to the beach from their condominium was entirely too much trouble.  What would make more sense would be to open the sliding glass doors to the balcony, (allowing easy running room to the pantry).  The plan was laid, and off went the happy vacationers to bring joy and glee to their feathered friends.   Now, seagulls are not that small, but they look much larger when inside the condominium.  All sorts of things like pictures, knick-knacks, small furniture, etc., are handily dismantled when one has a rogue seagull flailing about the unit.

Pools love sand.  Over on west beach, a certain condominium has a great beach side pool.  Sea oats grow behind and around the pool, amid small dunes.  Children, under the watchful eyes of their parents, play in the sand.  They make sand castles, fill buckets with sand, and playfully dump the sand in the pool.  Pool gets clogged, then the eagle-eyed parents complain about paying $1,000+ for  week and the pool is closed.   (For repairs.)

Fourth of July.  The fourth of July brings out some special people.  If you have a police scanner, these channels are not to be missed while on the island:

·         154.325 Orange Beach Fire

·         154.965 Gulf Shores Fire

·         155.700 Robertsdale Fire

·         155.415 Orange Beach Police

·         155.475 Orange Beach Police Car to Car

·         156.210 Baldwin Sheriff

·         155.610 Gulf Shores PD

·         155.370 Gulf Shores PD Car to Car

·         158.379 Alabama Highway Patrol Car to Base

·         159.030 Alabama Highway Patrol Base to Car

·         156.165 Loxley Police

Most of our guest are great to have, but some bring all sorts of humor with them.  On a sadder note, invariably each season, someone gets the bright idea that they can leap from the balcony to the pool, and invariably, they do not make it.  Stay safe all!

Let’s Eat – Duck’s Diner

They are on Canal Road, a couple of miles past the Wharf.  Their breakfast is very good, but be cautious if you want a hamburger.  I am not sure where they get their meat from, but it looks like processed spam and the taste is rather bland.  To help you visualize, think of those prepackaged bags of patties from Wal-Mart, only with a bit less flavor.

 The service is good, and as I mentioned, their breakfast items are excellent.  The owners may want to consider looking into their food vendor, as their hamburgers are essentially large but pathetic.

Hello from Orange Beach!

This is a new blog from Orange Beach, Alabama covering just about anything and everything in Orange Beach.  You will find many things here that you will not see in the “mainstream” media, as my intention is to blog about just about anything of interest. 

Let’s Eat – Doc’s on Canal Road

Let’s face it, if there ever was a place that looks like a hole in the wall and has excellent food, Doc’s is it.  They serve up probably the best hamburger on the island, (Bahama Bob’s on the Beach Road offers a very good burger too).  Their lunch specials are always good, and the pricing is perfect.  One thing they do that I have not seen elsewhere is that if you order a Coca-Cola, they bring a pitcher of the stuff to the table.   When you are tooling about on Canal Road, make a point to stop by Doc’s, and be sure to try the Gumbo.