A Taste of Mobile

By Mona L. Hayden

Like many vacationers, you may have traveled through Mobile on the way to the beaches of Florida or to New Orleans. However, this city definitely merits recognition as a prime destination for any traveler.

From Mardi Gras and moon pies to architecture and monarchs, Mobile delivers big on entertainment, culture, and cuisine. Recognized for the original Mardi Gras celebration in 1703, Mobile continues to revel in the spirit of the season several weeks each year with crowd pleasing parades and floats, marching bands and lots of throws, including moon pies, the city’s adopted informal emblem. If you miss the actual celebration, you can always visit the Mobile Carnival Museum (www.mobilecarnivalmuseum.com) any time and climb aboard a rocking float to get a firsthand view as a masked rider.

Mobile serves up an architectural feast as well, as it was once a colony for France, Britain, and Spain during its first 100 years. The historical influence of each era continues to be prevalent throughout the city. Home to various art museums, a symphony orchestra, a professional opera, and a professional ballet company, Mobile is a designated cultural seat along the Gulf Coast.

For nature enthusiasts, the 65-acre Bellingrath Gardens (www.bellingrath.org) is beautiful any time of year. It was declared the Top Public Rose Garden in the U.S. in 2004 and is still captivating visitors. Take the self-guided walking tour to explore the extensive gardens and the Bellingrath’s original 10,500 square foot home before taking the 45-minute cruise to bird watch and recapture the history of the Civil War. You may want to plan another visit to Mobile to witness the migration of the monarch butterflies as they pass right through on their journey to Mexico.

DINING
Don’t even consider visiting the Mobile area without enjoying a meal at the Bob Baumhower’s Compleat Angler Seafood Grille & Bar (www.CompleatAnglerGrille.com) where fresh, local and homemade fare comes straight from the Gulf. Dine on the deck to be dazzled by the beautiful bay and glorious sunsets with a plate of seafood, farm fresh vegetables and fruit, and possibly the best pina coladas on earth.

Menu selections include temptations such as shrimp and grits, coconut cay fish, gator tail platter, conch fritters, grilled or fried pig, and the Hemingway filet. Top off your meal with fresh key lime pie or Bimini bread pudding. (FYI…From 1935-37, Ernest Hemingway was lured to Bimini and The Compleat Angler Hotel where he immortalized the island’s incredible fishing in his book Islands in the Stream.)

If you time it just right, a delightful recurring Gulf Coast phenomenon not to miss is the ‘Jubilee’, where Mobile Bay residents and visitors anticipate the prospect of gigging hundreds of flounder or catching tubs of crabs and shrimp within just a few hours. This can encompass a 15-mile stretch or just a few hundred feet of beach and tends to occur on a summer morning, typically before sunrise with a gentle wind from the east, a calm and slick bat surface, and an overcast or cloudy day the previous day. Jubilees seem to occur only in Tokyo Bay in Japan and Mobile Bay in Alabama. In celebration of the Jubilee, the Compleat Angler Seafood Grill & Bar serves up the most incredible seafood platter. Now you understand why dining at The Compleat Angler should be on every foodie’s bucket list.

Another dining experience takes place at Spot of Tea (www.spotoftea.com) on Dauphine Street. With a distinct flair reminiscent of New Orleans, this local restaurant has been serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner since 1994. A house favorite is their seafood bisque made with fresh blackened Mexican grouper in a light parmesan cream base. Special event parties and tour groups are always welcome and breakfast and lunch is served anytime. Bonus: With a full tummy, enjoy a leisurely stroll a couple blocks away and tour the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Construction of the cathedral began in 1835 and was completed in 1850. Notice the remarkable stained glass windows that were created in Munich, Germany and the crypt chapel for deceased bishops added in 1964.

If visions of barbeque have been occupying your thoughts, head over to The Shed BBQ & Blues Joint (www.theshedbbq.com) where you’ll find some of the best smoked barbeque in the South. Unpretentious and entertaining, this place personifies the best of all the barbeque joints imaginable with makeshift décor, live music, and a lip-smacking menu that will have you coming back for more. BBQSuperStars.com recently ranked the Top 100 BBQ Sauces in the world and The Shed’s Sweet Baby Rays took 1st, the “shed spred” ranked 4th, their world famous Cattleman’s captured 7th, and the rubs placed 12th. Pretty convincing, I’d say, as the numbers don’t lie.

For a dining experience like no other, drop by the original Wintzell’s Oyster House (www.wintzellsoysterhouse.com) on Dauphine, a Mobile landmark since 1938. With 12 locations, 11 in Alabama and one in Pensacola, and an enthusiastic staff that makes you feel like family, Wintzell’s serves up oysters any way you like them. Or as they like to say, “Fried, stewed, or nude – and now charbroiled”. Be sure to taste the West Indies Salad, made with lump crabmeat marinated in oil and vinegar for 24 hours, then blended with chopped onion and spices. Follow it with some seafood gumbo, buckhead beef steaks, chicken or fish. Of course, this is after you’d devoured oysters prepared every possible way!

ACCOMMODATIONS
Mobile boasts several world-class hotels owned by PCH Hotels & Resorts (www.pchresorts.com) associated with the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. These include the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Pt. Clear, the Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa, and the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel, both in Mobile. All have meeting facilities with advanced technology and of course, the gold standard of comfort and excellence symbolic with Marriott. The exquisite European spas, first-rate dining, and exceptional attention to every detail will make your stay unforgettable.

The historical aspects of these properties are also noteworthy. For instance, the original Battle House dates back to 1852 and was built on the site of a military headquarters set up by Andrew Jackson during the War of 1812 and also served as a hospital during the Civil War. If time permits, request a guided tour to experience the whispering arch and more. The award-winning Grand Hotel, the undisputed Queen of Southern Resorts situated on 550 acres, dates back to 1847. Gentile and patriotic, the Grand offers a military cannon salute each day at 4pm, followed by afternoon tea.

Mobile was founded by the colonial French in 1702 to serve as the capital of Louisiana and was named for the Native American Mobilian tribe in that area. As the only seaport in Alabama, it was initially a key trading center between the French and Native Americans and is now the ninth largest port in the country. Located just 23 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico at the fork of Mobile Bay and the Mobile River, this Southern charmer is sure to delight any guest. Pack your bags and plan to stay a while because the lure of Mobile is sure to satisfy any appetite!