Bayou Blues finds good niche in Niceville

NICEVILLE, FL - In the everything old is new again category, the Bayshore Drive space formerly occupied by the Little Ole Lady Trading Post (a great place to buy old things) is now home to one of the area's newest restaurants. Bayou Blues, which touts itself as a family restaurant and sports pub, seems to be off to a good start.
   
The atmosphere in this lunch and dinner restaurant is decidedly casual. On one side of the space, there is a bar with flat-screen televisions showing sporting events. The other side is the restaurant outfitted with tables and booths. One booth has a view of the bayou from the front window.
   
Early in the evening, the bar was busy as folks stopped by for a drink on their way home from work, and the restaurant had only two tables with diners. Around 7 p.m. that changed, and nearly every table was taken. The crowd was mixed, as some tables hosted families with children and others had one or two diners.
   
The menu, which is the same for lunch and dinner, prominently featured seafood. Appetizers included crab cakes, smoked tuna dip and New Orleans Style Shrimp. There was also a gumbo with shrimp, oysters and fish, as well as seafood poboys, seafood baskets and seafood platters.
   
The best items were the two dishes that were on special when we visited. We had a perfectly cooked piece of pompano served atop yellow rice and accompanied by crisp-tender vegetables. Our other special was cobia served with pasta in a pesto sauce. The fish had good flavor and a meaty texture, but was just a bit overcooked. Both came with hushpuppies.
   
I also liked the New Orleans Style Shrimp. They were similar to New Orleans barbeque shrimp, but were served without the shell. Grilled bread was served to make it easy to get every drop of the delicious sauce.
   
I did not care for the fried seafood as much. The batter held too much oil, and was overly salty. The seafood inside the crust tasted good and was properly cooked.
   
One fried item I did like was an order of fried green yomatoes. While the slices were fairly thick, they were cooked until tender throughout. The crust was golden and crisp, and the creamy Italian-style dressing was the perfect tart foil for the fried tomatoes.
   
If you don't eat seafood, there are plenty of options on the menu. Appetizers include wings, onion rings and fried pickle chips. There is a creamy potato soup, and several salads.
   
I liked the Tropical Salad with well-seasoned strips of jerk chicken, mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, slivered almonds and coconut served on crisp greens with raspberry dressing. A grilled chicken Caesar and chef salad are also offered.
   
Sandwiches, served with a choice of fries, mashed potatoes or slaw, include roast beef, a Rueben, a club, a BLT on Texas toast, a burger and chicken breast that can be grilled or blackened.
   
Entrees come with a choice of two sides. Grilled steak (rib eye or filet) and chicken join the seafood entrees. For a light meal try the grilled fish of the day.
   
On the other end of the spectrum is the Bayou Crab Cake Platter. It features two crab cakes served on pasta with alfredo sauce. Sides include sweet potato fries, rice pilaf, red potatoes, slaw, mashed potatoes and baked potatoes.
   
Children 10 and under can choose from corn dog bites, chicken fingers, a 4-ounce burger and French bread pizza. All items on the children's menu are $2.99.
   
Desserts when we visited were cheesecake and Key lime pie. The cheesecake tasted fine, but was not remarkable. The pie was outstanding. It was sweet and very tart, with a nice crumb crust that didn't get soggy.
   
Bayou Blues has live music on Friday and Saturday evenings. It is a laid-back place with friendly staff. And based on the number of people eating there when we visited, it apparently fills a niche in the Niceville area dining scene.

QuickBITES

Bayou Blues
Location
314 Bayshore Drive, Niceville
279-4806

Hours
11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday
11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Reservations
Not necessary

Handicap accessibility
Fair

Children's menu
Yes, $2.99

Price range
Appetizers
$3.99-$6.99
Soups, salads, sandwiches
$3.99-$9.95
Entrees
$10.99-$21.99

Payment
Major credit cards