Sycamore House Sushi Night
Innovatively prepared steaks and seafood have made the Sycamore House one of the most successful fine dining establishments on the Gulf Coast, but each Wednesday, a very special menu offers... sushi? Find out why Sushi Night at the Sycamore has become a favorite local tradition.
- story and photographs by Ellis Anderson 
Stella makes a BBQ shrimp roll
The menu offers two different kinds of sushi. One is maki sushi, which is the roll most people have at least sampled. Fillings and a special sushi rice are rolled up inside a sheet of toasted seaweed, called nori. Sycamore House offers nigiri sushi too, which is a slice of shellfish or fish draped over a mound of rice.
While die-hard sushi aficionados may go for the nigiri, it's probably a safe bet that most Sycamore House guests on Wednesday night are there for the maki rolls. Even the lowly California roll takes on a new glamour. While it's the norm at most restaurants to use the imitation crab meat in rolls, the ones at Sycamore House are made with the real McCoy, wrapped up with avocado, radish and cucumber. The crawfish roll pairs the cajun delight with asparagus, cucumber and a surprising chipotle boursin sauce. Salmon pairs up with caperberry aioli, and the shrimp get a kick from a spicy mayo. There's even a BBQ shrimp roll. Really. Made with the restaurant's signature recipe at the heart. And they're generously portioned as well. The SycHouse roll leaves nothing to the imagination: everything you can think of (fresh crabmeat, crawfish, yellowfin tuna and asparagus) is stuffed inside and then tempura battered and fried. The queen of rolls though has got to be the Surf n Turf: shrimp and veggies on the inside, buttery tender steak on the out. 
Chefs Stella LeGardeur and Michael Eastham opened the Sycamore House in 2002, in one of Old Town's historic gems, graced by huge live oaks, front and back. The restaurant has built a stellar reputation through the years with loyal customers who drive from the culinary capital of New Orleans to enjoy a meal.
The sushi is Stella's baby, although it was one of the food specialties both studied while training at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. Several years ago, the couple were casting about for something to jazz up mid-week in the restaurant. The sushi idea came up since at the time there were few ethnic food offerings in the area. Now there's a loyal following of fans that return each Wednesday. Reservations aren't necessary, but it's always best to make one: call (228) 469 - 0107. The Cypress Cafe - New Owners, Same Menu of Faves
Go ahead and give a big sigh of relief: the chic cafe in the historic building may have new owners, but that's all that's changing.
-by Ana Balka 
Alicein, who grew up in Bay St. Louis, has traveled “far and wide,” and believes this has impacted her worldview. And along the way, her family is gathering ideas to improve the Mockingbird.
“We try to promote wellness on all fronts,” she says. “That includes serving fresh foods, hosting revolving art shows, providing a home for Tree House Yoga Studio, and staging live family-friendly music events. We have a free lending library and we’re home base for a weekly Fun Run. It’s all about interacting with your community on a lot of different levels.” The Mockingbird first opened in 2006, when Bay St. Louis was still digging out from the debris fields left by Hurricane Katrina. To outsiders, it seemed an odd time to open a coffeehouse, but according to Alicein, "we saw a need for a communal gathering place that would offer love, hope, and a place for healing to begin." The historic building quickly became known as the town’s “living room,” where volunteers and survivors shared stories, laughter and tears. Over the past nine years, the Mockingbird has been featured in national magazines like Southern Living (repeatedly), Coastal Living and Cottage Living magazines and on NPR's Weekend Edition. They’re known throughout the state in artistic and musical circles. Their food is of special note too. Recently, their burgers were named among the top ten in Mississippi. So if visitors to Bay St. Louis were given a “Must Do” list, “hangin’” at the Mockingbird would be near the top. Visitors can always find interesting locals willing to converse in the lively café. On any given day, you’re likely to find college students who have stumbled on the Bay during their travels, scientists who work at Stennis Space Center, day-trippers from New Orleans and beyond, kids from the nearby schools and lots of artists and writers. The mix of people is as irresistible as the food and beverages served up by welcoming baristas. 
The award-winning Mockingburger - rated one of the top ten burgers in the state of Mississippi
 Made in-house jams and biscuits at the Mockingbird - OMG great
The regular café menu is offered Monday through Saturday from 11- 2pm and from 5 – 9pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. In addition to the “world-famous Mockingburger,” fresh sandwiches, and flavorful salads offered on the menu, gourmet baker Hannah Roberts is whipping up signature muffins, cookies and specialty desserts (all available for cater-out). Lemon/Feta cookies and the Aloha cookie (white chocolate, pecan and coconut) are the new local favorites. Beverage-wise, patrons can order up anything from cappuccinos to locally brewed craft beers to fresh-squeezed Beatnik lemonade.
About a year ago, the Mockingbird began offering breakfast on a daily basis (7am – 11am M – Sat., 8am – 1pm on Sunday) to resounding community applause. Their made-from-scratch biscuits have been called the best on the coast by more than one Southern food lover (this writer among them). Divine jams made in-house can be slathered on for the full flavor bomb effect (just DO IT!). Other favorites include frittatas, apple-smoked bacon, and the ever-popular José Loves Me omelet (with black beans, cheddar, avocado and made-in-house pico de gallo). Fresh fruits, robust full-grain grits (not the anemic instant kind) and curry-seasoned home-fries round out a menu that will delight adventurous diners as well as traditional egg-and-bacon folks. 
Also new in the past year is the Mr. Atticus Night Market, held on the last Friday of each month. Offering live music, art vendors and a special tapas menu, the event has begun to establish itself as a coast favorite. Alicein points out that the special menu gives the kitchen team a chance to stretch and try new things, while using seasonal, locally grown ingredients.
Smith & Lens Gallery, located right next door, schedules their monthly art opening during the same time frame, so that night, Second Street takes on a festival atmosphere. The Night Market concerts are similar to the other evening performances held throughout the month. Adults take chairs and listen or chat with friends, while dozens of children are hula hooping and scooting and dancing their way through the crowd. That’s exactly the energy the Mockingbird crew has been cultivating. “When you have children, you don’t stop wanting to go have a burger and a beer and watch a band,” Alicein says. “We wanted to provide a place where that could happen. All our events are children-friendly. We have blocks and markers and hula-hoops and black boards to help keep kids entertained while the parents are enjoying conversation and music.” “Besides, you want outings like that to be a family experience and to cultivate a love of art and music in your children. Then they’re going to grow up and want more of the same.” “We’re all pieces of the big puzzle, working to make our town loved and successful,” says Alicein. “Our philosophy at the Mockingbird is that kindness is the most important thing.”
The Gulf Coast shrimp season is approaching its peak and coast residents have dozens of delicious options when it comes to eating them!
- story by Lisa Monti/photos by Ellis Anderson Shrimply Delightful!
Shrimp Scampi at Trapani's Eatery
The larger white shrimp have long antennas, smooth shells and a mild, sweet taste. The tender meat is a favorite of cooks and the shells are easier to peel than other types of shrimp. Mississippi Gulf White Shrimp have light gray bodies, greenish tails and a yellow band on their mid-sections. Mississippi Gulf Pink Shrimp are perfect for boiling because they’re easy to peel and its firm, tender meat is mild and sweet. It’s the largest of the Mississippi Gulf shrimp, reaching up to 11 inches. You can buy shrimp off the boat, out of the back of a van, from the seafood market, the grocery store or you can catch them yourself. 
The versatile shrimp lends itself to various preparations and dishes. Remember Forrest Gump? Shrimp can be baked, blackened, boiled, broiled, deep fried, grilled, poached, sauteed, seared and steamed. It stars in shrimp and grits, barbecue shrimp, jambalaya, gumbo, tomato-stuffed salad, seafood pasta and casserole and my favorite: shrimp stuffed with crabmeat. The list goes on. Shrimp also are rich in nutrients, low in fat and calories and very high in protein.
Diners at our local restaurants don’t have to wade too far into a menu to find shrimp appetizers, entrees, poboys, pasta and salads. Rickey Peters of Rickey’s Off the Tracks said he chooses shrimp by size, not by species. The current customer favorite is shrimp remoulade with his special Creole mayo sauce. Tony Trapani of Trapani’s Eatery declared that domestic shrimp are the best and that size or species doesn’t matter. Customers are ordering plenty of fried shrimp as well as the blackened and grilled versions.
To the delight of Lulu's legion of fans, one of Old Town's favorite restaurants expands their menu, their dining area, and their hours.
Fish Tacos at Lulu's on Main
The dining area, once intertwined through the rambling Maggie May’s art gallery (126 Main Street), now gives diners a choice between high-ceiling rooms lined with original paintings, or a roomy (and bug free) screened-in porch. No one’s going to be bumping elbows in either area.
Even the kitchen has grown, from a cramped room to a spacious state-of-the-art chef’s dream. In fact, this all is a dream, one that owner/chef Nancy Moynan has been nurturing for decades. “It’s been my dream and my passion and finally I’m living it,” she says. “All I’ve ever wanted is a place where the food, the service and the ambiance combine to give diners an outstanding experience.” Moynan brings a lot of outstanding experience of her own to the table. She grew up learning the nuances of flavor by watching her grandmother and mom. She cooked for three years in the legendary Commander’s Palace restaurant in New Orleans. She also worked for five years as private chef for a Lebanese family, adding expertise in Mediterranean cooking to her Creole and Italian mix. 
The Sunday brunch menu features items diners won't find elsewhere, like the Sausage Souffle.
 Nancy Moynan
The new menu reflects all those influences, with Creole, Italian and Mediterranean choices. Even vegetarians will find delightful options. Loyal fans of Lulu’s lunch will still find the Chicken Salad, Eggplant Panini and the Roast Beef Po’ Boy - that many believe is the best on the coast.
The Sunday Brunch menu tempts diners with traditional favorites and scrumptious flights of fancy. Authentic Grillades and Grits (a dish very difficult to find on menus now - even in New Orleans eateries), Crabby Lulu (a scrumptious crab cake and egg creation) and a Sausage soufflé. There’s also the tantalizing Redfish Florentine. It features fresh gulf redfish, seared and served with a creamy spinach Madeleine, sautéed mushrooms and artichoke hearts and two poached eggs. The whole seductive dish is covered in a homemade hollandaise sauce. Bringing friends who will share tastes of their own plates is highly recommended. Desserts served at all meals include homemade ice creams and sorbets, Lulu’s Chocolate Mud, and Betty’s Bread Pudding, named after the chef’s mom. Even little things like the saltine crackers that come with the chicken salad showcase Nancy’s distinctive flair. What magic does she work to make them so savory, and downright addictive? She holds her cards close to her vest, but encourages diners to experiment in their own kitchens at home. “That’s the best compliment someone can pay,” Moynan says. “ I want them to leave looking forward to their next meal here.” 
Landing For Lunch
Take in an "air show" with your breakfast or lunch at the cafe in the new terminal building of Stennis International Airport.
- story and photos by Ellis Anderson 
There’s not much signage, so if it’s your first time visiting, drive past Hancock High School on your right and keep straight ahead. Park in the lot in front of the grey and glass building, then walk through doors into a lobby that could double as the ground floor of a big-city boutique hotel.
But, yes, you are still in Kiln, Mississippi. And the name Stennis International Airport is not a delusion of grandeur. Although there’s no commercial international flights traveling to and fro – yet – corporate, cargo, and military aircraft from all over the world frequent the airport. Built to handle emergency landings for the Space Shuttle, airport director Bill Cotter says that the runway is one of the longest in the Southeast, stretching for over a mile and a half. And it’s strong enough to handle super-sized aircraft like the Antonov, the largest cargo plane in the world. Downstairs in the new air terminal, there are two chic lounges, a large corporate meeting room, a small, but posh, theatre and even small private rooms where travelers can nap in overstuffed recliners. Upstairs the entire side of the building facing the runway is glass. In fact, it’s designed with the glass projecting outward at an angle, so observers watching the runway can lean forward in their excitement and not a nose will be broken. While more offices and meeting spaces flank the central open staircase, the lively part of the building is the corner café. 
The particular Friday lunchtime, the Jet Away Cafe was filled with every imaginable type of uniform from the armed services, as well as corporate types in business attire. Each of the ten or so tables has a great view of the runway. The types of aircraft landing and taking off on the runway varied as much as the uniforms in the dining area – supersonic jets for training NASA astronauts (in fact, two were departing as our group arrived) to sleek corporate jets, to lumbering cargo aircraft. It’s a mesmerizing sight for all ages.
The café is open from 8am to 3. The breakfast menu is served to 10:30am. The lunch menu kicks in from 10:30am - 3pm. It’s a limited menu (you can download it at the end of this article), but the food is so good, pilots with assignments allowing them to pick their destination are flying into the Stennis Airport at lunch time. They’re enjoying the fried or grilled shrimp (in a plate or as a po-boy), catfish, salads and gumbo. Yep. Authentic, made from scratch gumbo. There’s also homemade mac and cheese and crispy sweet potato fries as side options to regular fries. But don’t expect to be looking at your food very much while you’re eating. The astonishing variety of jets and planes zipping in and out before you is guaranteed to arrest your attention, making the lunch hour fly in more ways than one.
by Lisa Monti
- this month - Hancock Medical's cafeteria puts hospital food in a whole new light. 
If you get a bad feeling at the thought of hospital food, you probably haven’t been to Hancock Medical Center’s cafeteria in a while, especially on Fridays.
“People come from miles around for our catfish and gumbo,” said Jimmy Lamy, HMC’s food service director. “Some people call it the best kept secret in Hancock County.” On a recent Friday, the fresh catfish was well seasoned and crispy as promised, and served with crunchy hush puppies, a fresh baked sweet potato and other sides. My bowl of gumbo was chock-full of shrimp and served with my choice of brown rice for a flavorful and filling lunch. OK, not so filling as to keep me from trying the rich bread pudding. Cafeteria fans also line up for fresh turnip greens on Monday and Friday, and for the award-winning red beans and rice on Monday. “The best anywhere,” is how a fan described the Monday special. Lamy said he and his crew of nine “hard-working, dedicated employees” pride themselves on the food, the portions and the price. “We pretty much prepare everything we can from scratch,” he said. 
Tom “Tammy” Monti is a longtime regular customer. “I order carry-out meals at lunch time six or seven days a week,” he said, singling out red beans and rice among his long list of favorites. “The service is excellent, the staff is helpful and friendly, hours are convenient and prices are reasonable.”
The cafeteria serves breakfast from 7-9 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. seven days a week. Every day, there’s a “Lighter Side” choice for those watching calories and salt intake. There’s also a grill for hamburgers and chicken, a build-your- own salad bar plus fresh sandwiches and wraps. In the morning, there’s a full breakfast line and daily specials. Fresh donuts from Grammy’s are available for sale three days a week. Lamy said the cafeteria doesn’t try to compete with local restaurants, and in fact, the hospital invites local chefs to come in and prepare their specialties so the hospital staff and others can get a taste of their restaurant menus. “We just want people to come eat with us,” Lamy said. by Lisa Monti, Willard Deal, Cathy Lawson and Tina Richardson - This month - If you feel the need to pretend that eating seafood on Fridays during Lent is a hardship, please do. Otherwise, let’s just be grateful for an abundance of fish and other local seafood to keep us faithful and fed.  St. Rose de Lima - fresh from the fryer Every Friday during Lent starting Feb. 20, volunteers at local Catholic churches - bless their hearts - prepare a delicious lunch or dinner, with the option to dine in or carry out. What could be more convenient? Check our Community Calendar for more details! On opening Friday, St. Rose de Lima Catholic Church volunteers worked in a well organized pattern of taking lunch orders, frying fish, filling styrofoam plates and matching customers with their meals. There was a tiny wait when friends and I placed our orders but it was well worth it when we got our piping hot catfish, sides and dessert. The four pieces of catfish were crunchy and so well seasoned I skipped the ketchup and dipped into the tarter sauce only lightly. The potato salad was creamy and the green beans were tasty, too. (The cake came home with me for a mid-afternoon snack.) All that, including a canned drink or bottled water, for an $8 donation. The St. Rose fish fry is held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Holy Spirit Center at 301 South Necaise Ave. Delivery is available with 10 or more orders. Call 228-467-9700.  From Tina Richardson, who volunteers with the OLG team. She suspects by the number of dinners sold this past Friday at the four churches mentioned here, that about 10% of Bay-Waveland residents partook of Lenten fish this week! At Our Lady of the Gulf, intrepid cookers sit outside in the cold frying up batches of catfish and hushpuppies. Frank Ladner and a large crew of volunteers are frying and baking and serving catfish, green beans, hushpuppies, cabbage slaw, a beverage and cake to raise funds in support of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The OLG conference of St. Vincent de Paul is composed of three parishes: Our Lady of the Gulf, St. Clare and St. Rose de Lima. The Society helps residents of Hancock County who are in need, so fundraisers like the fish fry at Our Lady of the Gulf are an appropriate activity for the Lent. Enjoy yours from 4:30 - 7:30pm for $10!  Will Deal is a return customer at St. Ann’s in Clermont Harbor. Here’s his report: Lenten fish fry dinners at St. Ann Catholic Church, situated on Lower Bay Road in Clermont Harbor, began just about six months after Hurricane Katrina destroyed Parish buildings, along with most church member’s homes. The first year, dinners were fixed outside on propane grills and cookers, but then that’s the way most people fixed meals in those days. Today dinner is prepared in a modern kitchen and is for dine in or take out from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays between Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday. Plate dinners cost $8, with desserts and drinks available at an additional cost. Proceeds from this event go of offset Parish insurance costs, something we all wish we could for our own homes! Diane Staszak coordinates this this event and dispenses desserts. Dinner always includes fried fish, coleslaw, hush puppies and bread, with homemade potato salad or mac and cheese while it lasts. Fries are available when those are gone. Dessert selection depends on the specialties of the many folks who bring these items. Depending on the weather, somewhere around 70 to 120 meals are dispensed each Friday evening. Many parishioners help with dinner, with the men taking over the kitchen while the several ladies greet friends and sell tickets at the door. On the night of my visit, these women of the church represented a combined 24 years of experience at this task.  It was Cathy Lawson's first visit to St. Clare:
St. Clare is on a Lenten journey as a parish group moving together the next 40 days toward Easter. And each Friday the whole parish works together to host a Lenten Fish Fry at the church from 5 to 7. Fried fish and Shrimp plates, $10, Oysters and combo, $12. Includes two sides, beverages and desserts available. The church did these fish fry events annually before Hurricane Katrina but have just now resumed them in the past four years since they have been in their new building. The funds raised from the dinners goes into a general fund to support St. Clare and its activities. by Lisa Monti This month - The Cleaver crew enjoys lunch at the new Ricky's location in the Depot District.  Chef Rickey Peters On opening day January 7, Rickey’s Off the Tracks’ kitchen and wait staff didn’t miss a beat serving a full house of customers who started arriving even before the official 11 a.m. opening. Rickey Peters, who had previous restaurants in Waveland and Bay St. Louis, started the new year with a new menu in a new location at the corner of Hancock and Blaize, across from the duck pond in the Depot District. First-day service was smooth and the food got high marks though Rickey’s is still a work in progress, said co-owner Kevin Jordan. “We’re getting the kinks worked out,” he said post-opening. “All the little things are coming together.” One addition right off the bat: the addition of veggie plates to fill in the vegetarian gap on the menu. The opening day lunch crowd included eleven of us from the Cleaver. Selections varied among the salads sandwiches and other offerings. Gumbo was heavily favored on my end of the table. I enjoyed my generous portion too, and next time I’ll try a sandwich on the delicious-looking bread. Here’s Cathy Lawson’s take: I love a good gumbo! And I can say the inaugural gumbo Carol McKellar and I had today was wonderful. I know I should have ordered something different to allow a broad review, but when I saw the words "Gumbo Ya Ya" I was weak. And I also followed Carol's lead and ordered potato salad with the gumbo. All I can say is my bowl was empty. Rich roux. Lots of meat and seafood in it. Laissez les bons temps rouler! I'll get the shrimp étouffée tomorrow! Ellis Anderson gave high marks to the roasted turkey and boudin sandwich, which featured a thick spread of boudin. I've never seen it on any menu before, so had to try it. Then I couldn't figure out why I hadn't seen it on any menu before - the combination was a match made in a heavenly kitchen. The étouffée is built around a seafood stock that marries savory layers of flavor - I'd put it up against some of the best restaurants in New Orleans. Jordan said the new meatloaf hamburger, made with fresh ground chuck and dressed, has become a new favorite. It tops the list among the Cubano (roast pork, ham, Swiss), Portofino (ham, Genoa salami, provolone, olive salad), Cochon de Lait (tender roast pork) and other sandwich choices. Along the gumbo lines are crawfish étouffée and alligator jambalaya. There’s more to come from Rickey’s. “We’re hoping to do some deliveries in the Bay-Waveland area and to start our patio addition soon. Once we get that done we’ll add some traditional Rickey’s entrees.” Hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. until closing on Saturday. Call ahead at 228-344-3201.   The Turkey and Boudin sandwich - different and to die for.   Bacon lovers will swoon over the BLT at the new Rickeys.   The Cleaver crew enjoys the opening day of Rickeys Orange Soup Recipe  by Ellis Anderson While our trees on the coast may not be ablaze in color, our farmer’s markets in fall certainly are. It’s the orange time of year, when sweet potatoes, pumpkins, winter squashes and carrots beckon our taste buds. The health benefits of “the oranges” can leave you feeling righteous as well as full. Carotenoids is the substance that gives these vegetables their yellow/orange coloring. Studies show that carotenoids are great for your eyes (see, your mama was right!) and are super anti-oxidants, which means you’re getting protection from all sorts of different diseases. Since studies also suggest that it’s not a good idea to take carotenoid supplements – it's best to ingest them through food sources. Nippy weather has reignited local soup cravings, which is handy since "the oranges" are tailor made for the tureen. Recently, my friend LiLi Murphy served me a fantastic - and very different tasting – pumpkin soup recently. It’s a Rachel Ray recipe she’s used often and she reports that the dish is always a great hit with guests. It’s served with an interesting cranberry/raw onion relish that sounds bizarre, but works with the richness of the soup. You can find the recipe here. A simpler recipe that’s been developed in the Anderson-Jaubert kitchen is one we simply call “Orange Soup,” although there’s not a bit of citrus in it. Roasted vegetables get pureed and simmered with chicken, mushrooms and other veggies. Cayenne and roasted chile peppers give the soup a light bite. It tastes rich without any cream, so it’s easy on the waistline too! Orange Vegetable Soup 1 large Butternut squash 4 md/lrg sweet potatoes 1 lb. organic carrots, peeled 1 lb. boneless chicken thighs* 1 T. concentrated chicken bouillon** ¼ cup butter 1 large onion, diced 1 head of garlic, peeled and diced 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced 1 T real maple syrup 1 can roasted green chilies cayenne, salt, black pepper to taste roasted pumpkin seeds as garnish *we use a brand available locally, "Havestland" - according to the packaging, no antibiotics, steroids or hormones and raised cage-free. **"Better than Bouillon" is the brand we use, it comes in a jar that must be refrigerated after opening.  Bake squash and potatoes (oil skins of sweet potatoes, squash can be baked whole with piercing). 350 degrees for about 1.5 hours. Carrots go in last 30 minutes. Time may vary based on your oven, but all vegetables should be tender. After cooling, puree in batches in food processor. Meanwhile, poach four large organic chicken thighs in chicken bullion (“Better Than Bullion is a great brand and very economical). Remove when cooked. In large frying pan, sauté onion in 2 T butter and then mushrooms in 2 T butter with garlic. Add to soup water. Dice chicken and add. Stir in pureed vegetables. Add salt, pepper (fresh ground if possible) and cayenne to taste. Careful with the cayenne! It's easy to add too much, but it really makes this soup sing! The pumpkin seeds as a garnish add a good crunch, in addition to working in more orange vegetable matter. 8 or more meal-sized servings
by Pat Saik |
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