| Worth the drive |
Creekside cuisine is served with a scenic sunset at Off the Hook Story and photos by Emmett Burnett
C
hickasabogue is different. Creek? River? Bayou? It has been called all three. Regardless the name, the massive tributary winding around Chickasaw, Alabama has a common denominator – Off the Hook Marina and Grill, as unique as the creek bank it sits on. The former boat parts storage building on 621 North Craft Highway offers seafood, steaks, sandwiches and more — the food has a following. Loyal customers are friends. New customers are friends who haven’t met yet. They come by land and water. “Nobody comes in here a stranger,” laughs Chickasaw regular Raymond Norman. “We won’t let them.” Creek vessels, small and large, dock in back. Crews disembark to pick up orders or remain onshore, mingling with the land people who drive here. Rivaling its signature dishes in popularity is the outdoor dining room, the Sandbox, overlooking Chickasabogue Creek. And when they say “sandbox,” they mean a really big one with picnic tables under bright red and blue umbrellas, shading from summer sun by day and just cool to sit under by night. Off the Hook is at its best at sundown. “We have the most spectacular sunsets,” notes restaurant General Manager Buffy Eilers. And as if by cue, golden rays of sun transform to deep blues of dusk over shimmering waters. On the Sand-
box stage, singer-guitarist Elaine Petty croons, “Nothing’s gonna be by the book, here at Off the Hook.” The restaurant’s main building is temporarily closed due to COVID restrictions, so everyone dines in the adjacent Sandbox. Everyone loves it. One would expect this eatery – with cinderblock walls, cement floors, and a parking lot that on occasion becomes one with the creek – would serve food as off the hook as its name. One would be correct. Creekside cuisine is fine. Mobile Bay Magazine ranked Off the Hook as having one of South Alabama’s “7 Best Burgers You’ve Never Had.” Eilers says, “Actually it’s a fancy meatloaf sandwich topped with our homemade mac-n-cheese and dressed with chipotle mayo.” The bountiful burger literally has a fan club. About a dozen other sandwiches, burgers, po’boys, nachos and more are served, including the Holy Cow. It is so named for a 6-ounce ribeye topped with peppers, onions and parmesan cheese with homemade horseradish on a warm hoagie. A first-timer’s initial taste is often followed with a positive two-word review: “Holy cow!” Hence the name. Seafood offerings feature entrees noted as not only delicious but seriously fresh. How fresh? “Our Gulf Shrimp didn’t have a care in the world yesterday,” states the menu.
The outdoor dining area, the Sandbox, features live music, audience karaoke, bingo and beautiful sunsets.
16 DECEMBER 2020
AL STATE DEC20.indd 16
www.alabamaliving.coop
11/30/20 11:46 AM
