Boshamps, Buck’s & Sealand Create Your Dream Day of Meals

Ovation-worthy oysters, back-to-basics barbecue and Gulf-to-table seafood are just a few of the memorable menu items we’ve enjoyed while dining out and about along the EC.

Appetizer

Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House, Destin

Eating oysters overlooking the water is delicious on a number of levels. Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House was voted Best Bar and Best Outdoor Dining by readers of EC Magazine, and when you sip a cold one overlooking the scenic Destin harboar while slurping plump, salty bites of goodness, it’s easy to see why. We enjoyed a dozen raw “necked” oysters are served with Southern cocktail sauce, “PBR” mignonette, horseradish and lemon. But they offer these beautiful bivalves served up a half dozen other ways, too. $12.95 

Lunch

Buck’s Smokehouse, Destin 

Mom may have said don’t eat with your fingers, but she didn’t say anything about not using a plate. We tried the lunch special. Our dry-rubbed barbecue pulled pork sandwich was delivered to our table wrapped in wax paper. You get a side and a drink. The butcher-block paper on the table signals that it’s OK to practice hands-on dining at Buck’s Smokehouse. In fact, licking your fingers in this case is surely seen as a big compliment. $10

Dinner

Sealand Restaurant, Fort Walton Beach

Once you finish studying the enormous menu that divides entrees into “from the land,” “from the sea” or “from Sealand,” you are well on your way to an unexpectedly upscale dining experience. Even a local favorite like grouper is prepared with a fresh twist. Sealand’s version is sautéed and topped with artichoke hearts, capers, lump crabmeat and lemon butter. This flavorful dish alone may very well put the “Sea” in Sealand. $28.95