A hidden gem serves unique plates and ‘bomb’ sandwiches in an old Biloxi neighborhood
The sign out front says, “Drive through, Walk up, Eat up,” and it is an apt description of Exclusive Dining & Catering Co., a delightfully funky place.
It is surrounded by a high fence with two gates so you can drive through to the takeout window, entering from Esters Street and exiting on Main Street. You can also walk up, but you must use the window on the north side of the building, and you will certainly want to eat up, because the food is good, really good.
I would guess that most people get take out from the drive-thru window, but my guest, Diane Stevenson and I chose to walk up and dined on a picnic table in the front. It was a sunny and glorious warm winter’s day, and the only other choice was a covered dining area on the north side, but it was in the shade and with the breeze, just a tad too cool to be comfortable.
I found this place through a conversation about the best burger in Biloxi, so decided to check it out. I had driven by Exclusive Dining several times. It is an old neighborhood, and the restaurant is surrounded by old Biloxi cottages, and just a little off the beaten path and easy to miss.
The menu is quite diverse, this is certainly not just a burger place. There is a sign under the menu that says, “Not responsible for bitten lips,” and it’s true. You are going to have to study this menu for a while. I came for a burger, and there are only two choices, so my decision was simple. There is the basic burger, called the Dem Dam burger, and the BBQ bacon burger, which was my choice. You also have the choice of a single, double or triple patty and I went with the double. Along with an order of fries, it was way more than I could eat and a solidly good burger it was.
Diana had a harder time deciding but settled on the B-Town Bomb, a delicious combination of chopped steak, fried shrimp, cheese and a cheese sauce, grilled onions and peppers. Its normally served on a hoagie roll but Diane got it on a burger bun. There was not a crumb left when she was finished.
Other highlights on the menu include three signature plates, all best sellers. The steak and shrimp plate has a chopped ribeye with a barbecue glaze, yellow rice topped with blackened shrimp, and broccoli with cheese sauce. The sampler plate includes chopped ribeye, shrimp, crawfish pasta, and broccoli with a loaded baked potato. The lobster plate is pretty amazing and includes lobster tail, chopped ribeye, mac and cheese, jumbo shrimp, broccoli and loaded baked potato.
There are just too many interesting choices on this menu for me to cover them all, but let me assure you that you are not leaving this place hungry, no matter how you choose to do it.
This story was originally published January 7, 2022 at 5:50 AM.
