Rum Runners

On our way to Seaside, we stopped in Sandestin around lunchtime. Having some time to kill until we were able to get into our beach house, we decided to go The Village of Baytowne Wharf because our kids had enjoyed it on a previous visit.  After walking around for while and perusing the various restaurants, we decided to dine at Rum Runners.

Having never dined here before, I asked our waitress what she would recommend for an appetizer.  She suggested the Caribbean Egg Rolls, which were crispy flour tortillas stuffed with Jerk chicken, onions, peppers, black beans, pepper jack cheese, corn, and salsa.  The dish was served with what tasted like sweet and sour sauce.  I anticipated a flavorful dish, but the egg rolls were very bland.

Caribbean Egg Rolls

Knowing that we would probably be having a big dinner with my in-laws, I decided to just order a sandwich and fries for my second course.  I chose the Fried Grouper Sandwich, which was the fresh fish of the day.   The fish was crispy and the sandwich was better than our appetizer, but nothing special and the fries tasted like they were frozen and out of a bag.  

Fried Grouper Sandwich

My wife had the Spring Salad and the kids ordered mini-corn dogs. The kids didn't seem to mind their food, but my wife barely touched her salad.  The service could have been better too.  While our waitress was friendly, she went long periods of time without checking on us and refilling drinks.  The restaurant had only a handful of other customers, which should have been a sign to stay away since it should have been busier on a Saturday at lunch.  Overall, I was disappointed in the restaurant and I cannot recommend it because there are much better casual seafood restaurants in the area.

Rum Runners
http://www.rumrunners.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=1

Acme Oyster House

On the last day of our vacation to Florida, we took a short drive to the Village of Baytowne Wharf.  We walked around for while and explored the area.  My daughter enjoyed the playground and "piloting" the remote control boats.  While there my wife did some shopping, but didn't buy much.  She always says that shopping with me is like going hunting with the game warden.  When finished exploring the area, we decided to grab lunch at Acme Oyster House.  Several of our friends have been to the New Orleans location of the restaurant and it came highly recommended.  

I started off with a bowl of the chicken and andouille sausage gumbo.  The gumbo was good, but was not as spicy as I like.  My wife ordered a dozen fried oysters and they were tasty.  They were covered in corn meal, had a crispy crust, and were served with a spicy remoulade.

Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo

Fried Oysters

For my main dish, I had a hard time deciding what to get.  I was torn between the jambalaya, the red beans & rice, and the fried fish platter. I decided on the fried fish platter and it was good, but not as good as one I had had previously at Seagrove Village Market Cafe.  My wife ordered the seafood etouffee.  She was less than impressed and said it tasted more like a bisque than etouffee.  

Fried Fish Platter

Seafood Etouffee

The other members of my wife's family ate there a while later and were much more impressed than we were.  One of my brother-in-laws said that we just ordered the wrong items.  He claims the chargrilled oysters at Acme are life changing.  Although we ate at better places on our trip, I still thought this place was pretty good.  If I go back, I will definitely try the chargrilled oysters and the jambalaya.  The original Acme Oyster House has been around since 1910, so they must be doing something right.

Acme Oyster House

http://www.acmeoyster.com/menu_sandestin

140 Fishermans Cove

Sandestin, Florida
Livin the Good Life Rating = 3