Bay St. Louis has a new seaside restaurant that blends class with a relaxing atmosphere
Raised above a gravel parking lot and backed up to the bayou is a quaint restaurant that combines elegance with seaside casualness.
Beachside Bistro opened earlier this summer at 10408 State Road 603 in Bay St. Louis by Florida Culinary Institute Graduate Joe Castoro, who has worked in the fine dining space for three decades.
The creation of Castoro and his wife is a blend of class and relaxation — and it’s quickly noticeable upon walking in.
The Caribbean sky blue walls compliment the crystal sea green bar top and chair seats. Back-cushioned bench seating lines one side of the dining room. The tables are draped in deep blue tablecloth. Art pulled from the waters and piers of the gulf hang from the walls.
Music from the 1950s dance through the room, setting the tone for the dinner menu laid before you. And the menu itself matches the vibe of the restaurant.
You can enjoy a fancier dish of lafourche porkchop — French style porkchop served over maque choux — or dig into a more laid-back course consisting of burgers or wings.
The scratch kitchen also serves up steak prepared four different ways with optional enhancers and add-ons.
I, however, am a sucker for pasta. And one of the best things about living in South Mississippi is the quality and quantity of said dish in the area.
But before the pasta arrived, we elected to start our evening with NOLA style French bread with red gravy. The bread was baked with a light crunch and the sauce was perfect.
We were also brought out a basket of fougasse bread and butter and balsamic vinegar. The bread had a dry, but tasteful texture. It wasn’t made with corn meal, but it reminded me of a good cornbread.
It was a good starter meal that wasn’t too heavy and prepared the palate for what followed. Pasta.
Ava’s Alfredo with chicken was splendid. It’s a linguine dish made with heavy cream, garlic and nutmeg. The chicken was the star. It was the best I’ve had in a pasta since the devouring of a penne in New Orleans over a year ago.
My wife enjoyed Mary Ellen’s bucatini and meatballs. It’s a spaghetti pasta with finely grated Parmesan. I can personally vouch for the meatballs being fantastic.
There’s a lunch menu featuring po’boys and a brunch menu with pancakes, crab cakes and specialty dishes including the creole shrimp and grits.
The Bistro’s hours 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and brunch on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
