Panama City, Florida

[totm]

So with all of the terrific recommendations and suggestions in hand, printed here and taken there, we were swayed by our host couple's grown children to try "Firefly", and I am glad we were easily swayed..  No pictures, it was dimly lit inside, but our dinner was amazing.   The place was jumping, and we did take 10 folks (with a reservation), in to eat.  We did meet the manager, and spoke to him about a couple issues including pacing of the meal, but friends, I highly recommend this place.  Jay in the waitstaff sortof took-over our table and made a regular meal into a very memorable one.

FireFly is not some ordinary tourist seafood place on the pier, but the food was fantastic.  I mean fantastic.

Here is the website URL, take a look..   Yes it is a bit pricey, but the portions are fairly good and each plate was done with great care and respect for the food.

http://www.fireflypcb.com/

Only a few times in my dining experience have I been totally blown away by how this place looks outside versus how warm and inviting it is inside.  Jay our waiter needs to be commended for keeping our table in order and taking care of our EVERY need, in our party were 8 hungry folks, including a 4 month old, and a pre-schooler.

While I am guessing everyone's meal was up to the standard that was placed in front of me and my close dining companions?  I am sure that the Jumbo lump Blue Crab Caesar salad was one of the best I've ever eaten anywhere, and that the tempura battered Apalachicola oysters were plentiful and perfectly cooked.  B.J. had the Black and White sesame crusted Ahi tuna, and it LOOKED really good, I couldn't sneak a chunk of it away from him though?  My other close companion also did two appetizers, as we had a 5 hour drive in front of us, and by the size of the regular entre portions that were brought out to the rest of the crowd we chose well.

This place is a destination restaurant in my opinion..
.

Glad you enjoyed yourself.  The menu mentions chef Paul but the about us page gives no indication who Paul is.  Paul Albrecht (sp?) of Pano's and Paul's opened a fine dining restaurant just west of PCB in Carrilon years ago.

For anybody else; DON'T go to that site with headphones on listening to music.   

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

So with all of the terrific recommendations and suggestions in hand, printed here and taken there, we were swayed by our host couple's grown children to try "Firefly", and I am glad we were easily swayed..  No pictures, it was dimly lit inside, but our dinner was amazing.   The place was jumping, and we did take 10 folks (with a reservation), in to eat.  We did meet the manager, and spoke to him about a couple issues including pacing of the meal, but friends, I highly recommend this place.  Jay in the waitstaff sortof took-over our table and made a regular meal into a very memorable one.

FireFly is not some ordinary tourist seafood place on the pier, but the food was fantastic.  I mean fantastic.

Here is the website URL, take a look..   Yes it is a bit pricey, but the portions are fairly good and each plate was done with great care and respect for the food.

http://www.fireflypcb.com/

Only a few times in my dining experience have I been totally blown away by how this place looks outside versus how warm and inviting it is inside.  Jay our waiter needs to be commended for keeping our table in order and taking care of our EVERY need, in our party were 8 hungry folks, including a 4 month old, and a pre-schooler.

While I am guessing everyone's meal was up to the standard that was placed in front of me and my close dining companions?  I am sure that the Jumbo lump Blue Crab Caesar salad was one of the best I've ever eaten anywhere, and that the tempura battered Apalachicola oysters were plentiful and perfectly cooked.  B.J. had the Black and White sesame crusted Ahi tuna, and it LOOKED really good, I couldn't sneak a chunk of it away from him though?  My other close companion also did two appetizers, as we had a 5 hour drive in front of us, and by the size of the regular entre portions that were brought out to the rest of the crowd we chose well.

This place is a destination restaurant in my opinion..
.

Glad you enjoyed yourself.  The menu mentions chef Paul but the about us page gives no indication who Paul is.  Paul Albrecht (sp?) of Pano's and Paul's opened a fine dining restaurant just west of PCB in Carrilon years ago.

For anybody else; DON'T go to that site with headphones on listening to music.  

It is chef Paul Stellato.  I spoke to him on the phone this morning, he is an interesting chef and seems to be a food advocate?

http://www.tripsmarter.com/videos/play.php?vid=320

.

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

It is always good to find a good breakfast spot.  We found one in PC Beach. Fla..  I do think they have a couple locations, but this is a breakfast spot sortof like Waffle House, but better..

The name of the place is Corams, the one where we had breakfast was on Thomas Drive in PC Beach, Fla.  

I asked the good questions and found they sourced their sausage locally, heck, that was enough of a difference to me to make me want to go back..  the breakfast was good, and semi-fast, and delicious..  I know breakfasts are often overlooked, but when you are on the "road" and all you see are I-Hops and Waffle Houses, it is nice to slide into a booth at a family owned, local place that makes good morning chow.  The biscuits beat anything I have ever had at a Waffle House.  

Two egg breakfasts are $5.00, and the coffee will float a spoon.  Nuff said, I'd stop again

.

[totm]

Phil's Butts are indeed quite good.  Three sandwich options; sliced, chopped, and chipped.  Got 1 sliced and 1 chopped.  Chipped didn't interest due to it being chopped fine and smothered in sauce.  Sliced and Chopped still had a small amount of sauce in addition to a few pickles.  Chopped had a lot of bark which mad it obvious Phil rubs his butts with a LOT of salt.  Brunswick stew was too sweet and tomatoey for my taste.  Cole slaw had a very dense crunchy deep green vegetable in it that was not just cabbage.

[totm]

Maybe part of this thread needs to be split off for southwest Alabama and/or Columbus...

We rarely eat steak, and even more rarely dining out.  V decided on the recent trip to PCB that we were picking up steak at the Piggly Wiggly in Chipley,FL.  She's seen the paper signs in the windows for years and has always been curious to check it out.  Not impressed.  Steaks cut thin and approximately the same price as here.

I, on the other hand, have been intrigued by Roney's U-Sav Food Outlet at 1919 South Oates Street, Dothan, AL.  After leaving empty handed from Piggly Wiggly a stop at Roney's was in order.  Decent thickness ribeye steaks at, IIRC, $4.99/lb.  Grilled them up for dinner.  Rare for V, mid-rare for me.  Good flavor but a little on the tough side.  I don't remember if the meat was select or choice.  They did have another packaging of beef that was a little more expensive.  We may have to try that next time.

[loveATL]

My dad will be in PCB next month and is looking for a good place to have fresh oysters - something a bit more upscale than the typical dive with oyster shell driveways but not too fancy.  Ideas?

[totm]

My dad will be in PCB next month and is looking for a good place to have fresh oysters - something a bit more upscale than the typical dive with oyster shell driveways but not too fancy.  Ideas?

I only get my oysters at a place you describe above - Dusty's.  And when I do I make sure to sit in front of the championship shuckers.  If you don't want to sit in front of the shuckers then put some cash in their tip jar and make sure they know where you are sitting.  I can recommend NOT getting fresh oysters at Shuckum's or Dirty Dicks.  Before they tore down the Lighthouse restaurant and replaced it with Boatyard you used be able to get some good raw oysters in a bit more upscale location.

One of the members of AC (and I think they also joined us here) can recommend a spot over in Panama City across the Hathaway bridge.

[totm]

Phil's Butts are indeed quite good.

Cancel that, reverse it.  Forget about Phil's Butts.  River City BBQ on the north side of Eufala is the place to go for BBQ.

V had the club - smoked ham, smoked turkey breast, cheddar cheese, bbq sauce, mayo, on (not) toasted (enough) texas toast.  Great flavors very moist.

I had a special sliced beef sandwich with (too much) sauce.  Very tender.

We both really like the brunswick stew, found the slaw a little lacking so added some pepper and pepper vinegar, the mac and cheese was a major let down.

Their main website is pretty lame so reluctantly here's the link to their facebook page.  The menu doesn't include the wraps, which looked really good.  The stuffed baked potato looked tasty as well.

And after filling up with food don't get your speed up and get the cheapest gas on the route at either the Texaco or Circle K just past River City BBQ.

[totm]

BTW, the current US oyster shucking champ has relocated to Paradise Bar and Grill across from the Sandpiper way down on the west end of the beach.

[totm]

Craft beer has finally returned to PCB!

Fishale Taphouse and Grill
7715 Front Beach rd
Panama City Beach, FL 32408

Ignore the errant listing of some macro beers on the beer list.  Very impressive tap list.