This unique Gulfport bistro with a new patio does Southern creole cuisine the right way
The Almanett Hotel and Bistro has been around for 11 years and has established a unique niche for itself. The bistro has a vibe like no other place on the Coast, like a very cool jazz club. Its dark, and romantic, but it is a family run business and has friendly service that is casual and attentive.
The bistro recently added a courtyard with tables and umbrellas so the dining experience can be completely different than inside the dining room. The patio is a much-welcomed option and will certainly be a popular choice.
The menu is not large, and features four appetizers, almost a dozen entrees and a few desserts, too.
The Almanett describes the menu as Southern Creole. It is balanced, and offers a good range of options.
The best sellers are the lamb chops, grilled, with a choice of two sides, the catfish lunch and fried or grilled shrimp.
The sides make up a list of all my favorites, including fries, onion rings, jambalaya, mac and cheese, potato salad, collard greens and a few more.
Being a lover of small plates, I started with the fried green tomatoes, served with a hollandaise sauce.
The tomatoes were crispy and delicious and were perfectly accompanied by the hollandaise.
I also tried the gumbo, topped with a perfectly fried shrimp. I do not normally try restaurant gumbo but this one was great, spicy, garlicky and the roux was just right.
My lunch partner, Diane Stevenson, and I also split a seafood platter and it was more than we could eat. There is an art to frying food, especially seafood, but the Almanett has got it down pat. The shrimp and catfish were crispy but not over cooked.
Another highlight of the menu is the Sunday church plate. I don’t ever recall seeing a Sunday church plate before, but I sure like the idea. It’s made up of baked barbecue chicken, baked beans and potato salad, and, true to its name, it is served only on Sunday. Other standouts include the 2nd Street Shrimp — with jumbo shrimp and mushrooms in a garlicky lemon butter sauce — and the catfish tacos.
There are only two desserts on the menu, but they are two of my favorites: bread pudding with praline sauce and peach cobbler. How can you go wrong?
If you go
Address: 1514 18th Ave, Gulfport
Phone: 228-865-9901
This story was originally published June 10, 2022 at 5:50 AM.