May 2014

May 2014, ISSUE 2

EVents

Health

Home

P.08

P.14

P.42

What’s Up around too much sun is the bend? never fun

Saving water & saving Money

Rockport Seafood Glows!

Summer is Served An Up Close & Personal Look Into Coastal Bend Dining

Spotlighting the best surf spots around the Coastal Bend

Aging stops here.

Carmen Casas, M.D. Board Certified Dermatologist

Call 994-1001 INTRODUCING

Exclusive treatment for cheek augmentation to correct volume deficits mid-face

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New patients buy 3 and get the 4th free

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FEATURED CONTENT

Dining in the Coastal Bend P.20

Catch the Wave P.34

APRIL 2014, ISSUE 1

EVents

Health

Fashion

P.08

P.14

P.29

What’s Up around Rejuvenation: the bend?

Inside and Out

Grains of Hope Autism Awareness in the Coastal Bend

Reid Ryan is “Hooked” on the Future Before they Became Stars

Spring into Comfort

Texas Sandfest is Back!

Beach Body P.16

Did You Get The Bend?

We want to thank everyone for your kind reviews and support last month. A question we frequently received was, “Is this magazine going to be free?” The answer is yes! We are entirely funded through advertising from local businesses. So, if you enjoy reading “The Bend,” please help us spread the word by sharing it with the others in your community.

If you would like to see more or hear about special dining offers and entertainment giveaways, connect with us on Facebook (The Bend Magazine) or log on to our website (thebendmag.com) to receive our monthly newsletter.

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PUBLISHER: Jordan Regas ART DIRECTOR: Julio Studios DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS: Kaley Regas MANAGING EDITOR: Carol Pate

Finding Your Margaritaville P.47

PHOTOGRAPHY: Rachel Durrent Tina Alexandra Lauren Carter CONTRIBUTORS: Sara Yonker Krystal Villarreal Judge Loyd Neal Magen Storrie Fares Sabawi Brittney Richerson OFFICE: 5262 S. Staples. St. Ste.300 Corpus Christi, TX 78411 PHONE: 361.792.3606 FAX: 361.232.4976

It’s All About the View P.44

E-MAIL: admin@thebendmag. com SUBMISSIONS: editor@thebendmag.com ADVERTISING: info@thebendmag.com

Michael D Morgan, Agent

Copyright © 2014 Gemstone Media, LLC. The Bend: Coastal Life Magazine is published by Gemstone Media, LLC. No portion may be reproduced without express written consent. Editorial or advertising does not constitute advice, but is rather considered informative Expressed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ownership.

5515-B Saratoga Blvd South Staples @ Saratoga Blvd Corpus Christi, TX 78413-2944 Bus (361) 992-3636 Fax (361) 992-8739 Serving Southside CC and Flour Bluff

www.michaelmorganinsurance.com

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Letters // Message in a Bottle

A THOUGHT BEYOND 2014 The Honorable Loyd Neal Nueces County Judge

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n April 1st I presented the annual “State of the County” address at a luncheon to a sold-out crowd. It is always an honor to speak to the citizens of our area about activities going on that either directly or indirectly impact the quality of life in the Coastal Bend. In the past, we have told ourselves to dream about what our community could be and should be. Now, with a little luck, lots of hard work and uninhibited intergovernmental and industry cooperation, we are experiencing a booming economy in South Texas.

Here are a few highlights from the luncheon I would like to share with you: The biggest news touching everyone in the Coastal Bend is the fact we are well on our way to having a fully funded, safer and higher harbor bridge.

This is great news for “bridging” our communities for both business and personal leisure time. The La Quinta Channel is dredged and open for business. This creates new and exciting opportunities for continued growth in our area. As a region, we have carefully positioned ourselves to provide for expansion of existing industries, while adding new development. We welcome new companies to our region and celebrate the growth of our existing industries such as M & G Plastics,

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T.P.C.O. Tubular, LyondellBasell, Martin Operating, Cheniere LNG, voestalpine, Trafigura, Oxy Propane, and NSI Occidental.

In addition, our region has landed Lone Star Unmanned Aircrafter Systems and Schlitterbahn Water Park. So, while we should not stop dreaming about the future, we must protect and foster our current opportunities and realize the Future is Now. With all the excitement about growth and prosperity, as a region, we must be mindful of the importance of adequate infrastructure to sustain the impending growth. We must carefully plan for transportation infrastructure, adequate housing, and the availability of water for our residents and industry. We must also locally provide the education and training necessary to serve the needs of not only industry, but the services they will require. Our Commissioners Court has pledged to do all of these things for our citizens as well as keep Nueces County property taxes as low as possible.

With these critical issues in mind, we continue to work together as a region to sustain this growth for generations to come.

1,500 MILES TO MARKET We had just wrapped our photo shoot at Morgan St. Seafood Market. As I hurried out the door, a lady chased me down before I got to the car.

She overheard a little about the magazine and wanted to share her story. As a kid, she remembers a time when fishermen would drive up and down her neighborhood streets in their trucks and her mother would walk outside to literally discover the “catch of the day.”

She grew up in the area and fell in love with the local, Gulf Coast seafood. Eventually, life moved her away to Los Angeles where she discovered that West Coast seafood just wasn’t the same.

Since then, whenever she is in town visiting old friends and family, she makes it a point to go out of her way and stock up on seafood before heading back to California. You could say she is just biased; however, you would be surprised to discover how many others around the country are just like her.

It wasn’t too long ago that the real estate website movoto.com ranked Corpus as one of the top ten worst cities in America for food lovers. Although “The Bend” covers a territory beyond the city limits of Corpus Christi proper,

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we take this assertion a little personal – but also see it as a bit of a challenge. As a group of so called “food lovers,” one of our goals is to connect our readers to the vast array of dining options in our region. There is a unique, cultural mix of flavors offered to residents and visitors of the Coastal Bend. In fact, the category is so vast that any attempt to cover it all in one issue would be impossible.

Over the past month, we met some local chefs who are proving critics wrong. They work inside tiny kitchens from a small boat house, an old family home and a historic inn. Their fish arrives daily from the Gulf. You might not hear about them inside “Bon Appetite” (yet) but they are every bit as worthy. There were many other restaurants in the area we wanted to involve, but time and space has its limitations.

Many new faces and flavors are moving through the Coastal Bend, making local food lovers feel right at home.

JORDAN REGAS

Events || Spotlights

Calendar LEMONADE DAY

May 10th www.corpuschristi.lemonadeday.org

Lemonade Day is a community-wide educational program designed to teach youth how to start, own and operate their own business through establishing a lemonade stand. Kids all across the city will be setting up stands and selling lemonade to promote entrepreneurship!

ENDANGERED SPECIES DAY

May 17th , 9am-6pm Texas State Aquarium www.texasstateaquarium.org

Featured programs throughout the day will focus on endangered species both at the Aquarium and in our region! We will dive into why these species’ survival is important, how the loss of species impact the food chain and what efforts are underway to protect these species.

Since May 17th is also Armed Forces Day, all military personnel (active or retired) will receive free admission!

ROCKPORT FESTIVAL OF WINE AND FOOD

May 24th-25th, 2-11pm Texas Maritime Museum www.texasfestivalofwines.com

Over 100 varieties of wines, food demonstrations, vendor booths, and music!! All on the grounds of the Texas Maritime Museum! Come on out to the grounds of the museum to experience wine tastings, food, live bands, shopping vendors and beer booths.

Wine may be purchased by the taste, glass, bottle or case. This is the only festival of its kind that allows you to try expensive vintage wines by the glass!

THIRD COAST FISHING TOURNAMENT

May 25th, Weigh-in: 1-3pm Bluff’s Landing Marina & Lodge www.winthirdcoast.com

It’s time to bring out the fishing poles again. This is a great opportunity to cast for a special cause. All proceeds go directly to Young Life Corpus Christi, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring home a little pocket change yourself.

The grand price is $5,000 for the heaviest redfish and there are a total or fifteen cash prizes totaling $10,000.

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ART ART WALK

May 2nd 5:30-9:30pm Downtown Corpus Christi PORT ARANSAS’ FIRST FRIDAY ART RECEPTION

May 2nd, 5:30-7:30pm Port Aransas Art Center “WESTERN EXPOSURE” ANSEL ADAMS EXHIBITION

May 1st -May 4th Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi

SHOPPING MOTHER’S DAY GIFT MARKET

Local representatives from vendors such as Mary Kay, Scentsy, Thirty-One and more!

May 3rd, 10am-5pm Gethsemane Lutheran Church, CC

MUSIC/ ENTERTAINMENT “SHREK THE MUSICAL”

Running through May 18th Friday and Saturday, 7:30pm Sunday 2pm Harbor Playhouse MAYFEST

An old fashioned celebration of spring with auctions, cake walks, Maypole dances, music and more!

May 3rd, 10am-2pm Fulton Mansion, Rockport BUC DAY’S TOYOTA ILLUMINATED NIGHT PARADE

Enjoy the illuminated parade then head down to the carnival, open late!

May 3rd, 8pm Downtown, Corpus Christi 7TH ANNUAL FIESTA DE MAYO

A true celebration with live quick draw, auctions, music and open bar!

Catered by La Barataria May 16th, 6:30pm Port Aransas Civic Center

EDUCATION FAMILY FUN DAY – MUSEUM LIVE!

of CC History May 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th, 12-5pm Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History

FISHING:

Think Shrimp.

Think Fish.

Think of all your landlocked friends who can’t get the best Gulf Coast Seafood at their local supermarket.

2014 THIRD COAST FISHING TOURNAMENT

May 25th Weigh in 1-3pm Bluff’s Landing Marina and Lodge www.winthirdcoast.com (361) 992-5152 BABES ON THE BAY FISHING TOURNAMENT

All women fishing tournament May 16th- 17th ACND Festival Grounds, Rockport www.babesonthebay.com

Order Online www.ShrimpTX.com or call 866.905.9056

PARKS & REC.

Riviera Reds Seafood Delivers Nationwide!

Straight to your friends and families door.

OYSTER REEF RESTORATION

May 10th 8:30-11:30am Goose Island State Park For Volunteer Information: (361) 729-2858

Wild Caught

LOCAL MARKET DAYS DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET

5-7pm every Wednesday Yin Yang Fandango and Tango Team Room SOUTHSIDE FARMERS MARKET

9am every Saturday Parking lot of 5800 Everhart, Corpus Christi ROCKPORT MARKET DAY

Food, arts & crafts, specialty products, plants, produce and much more!

May 17th, 9am-4pm Navigation Festival Grounds, Rockport

SPORTS SAN PATRICIO COUNTY PRCA RODEO

Every Friday in May, 7:30-10pm San Patricio County Fairgrounds, Sinton

Live Theatre Exhibits

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Oh, and don’t forget to send seafood to Aunt Mary in Iowa…

Product of USA

Events || Social Hour

SOCIAL HOUR It’s not everyday that you get to look your best, see all of your friends in one place and possibly have too much fun. Did we catch you around the bend?

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Bernie’s Crawfish Boil 1. Jacob, Scott Clanton, Cesar Herrera, Lisa Hinojosa & Michael Budd.

2. Jordan & Kaley Regas, Alex Garcia, Sharon Kollaja & Bob Morris 3. Mary McQueen & Bernie 4. Mr. Liu, Steven Smith, Leslie Smith, Lan Syphus, VP Liu, Mayor Nelda Martinez (Corpus Christi), John Schack, Robert Tu, JJ Johnston & George Yang.

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Events || Social Hour

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Rockport Center for the Arts: Tour of Homes 1. Debra Gardner, Joey Westlake, Tiffanie Hoover 2. Bob & Linda Bell, Ashley Dutton 3. Taylor Hendrix, Karen Ernst, Elena Rodriguez & John Aasp 4. Steve & Cheryl Carter, Dr. Kent & Nancy Stobaugh, Mary Lynn & Russell Painton, Pat Hughes & Beverly Trifonidis 5. Don & Caro Jackson 6. Jesica Beken & Mary Lynn Painton thebendmag.com

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Coastal Care || Skin Cancer

THE BURN NOTICE The Coastal Bend offers a variety of ways to enjoy a little sunshine, but getting too much sun is never that fun!

Skin Cancer Prevention Tips:

minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.

• Seek the shade, especially between 10 AM and 4 PM.

• Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon.

• Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens should be used on babies over the age of six months.

• Do not burn.

• Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths.

• Treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancers increased by nearly 77 percent between 1992 and 2006.

• Examine your skin head-to-toe every month.

• Cover up with clothing, including a broadbrimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.

• Over the past three decades, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined.

• See your physician every year for a professional skin exam.

• Use a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day. For extended outdoor activity, use a water-resistant, broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

Did You Know?

• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.

More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually.

• Apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to your entire body 30

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Source:

The Skin Cancer Foundation

Find out more at: skincancer.org

Our mission is to provide medical transportation for critically ill or injured persons requiring medical or trauma facilities within our south Texas service area.

As a non-profit, emergency assistance is provided to all persons regardless of their ability to pay.

www.haloflight.org | 361.265.0509

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Get Fit || Beach Body

Beach Body

“A real boot camp trains outside regardless of the weather conditions”

Mark Muniz is bringing a breath of fresh air to Coastal Bend fitness – literally.

Words: Krystal Villarreal Photos: Tina Alexandra

If you are currently enrolled in an indoor boot camp fitness program, you might want to reconsider your options.

X-Train manager Mark Muniz said his dad once told him, “If you are going to open a fitness facility, I support you.

But don’t call it a boot camp!”

According to Muniz’s dad, an ex-marine, he and his military crew never trained inside. “A real boot camp trains outside regardless of the weather conditions,” he said.

Muniz currently holds 54 camps a month, all of which are outside thanks to dad’s input.

Muniz believes they are doing something different than any other training facility in town. Not only do the camps take place right off of Ocean Drive, with a view of the bayfront, but there is also a nearby park - in case you need to bring your kids.

Aside from X-Train, Muniz also has his own company called Core Works. Core Works is a personal training company where he is available to go to your home and work with you one-on-one. He can also walk you through preparing a grocery list to ease the transition to healthier eating. To Muniz, it’s important to feel like he’s helping someone and he would love you to be his next client.

Mark Muniz Stats: -Studied kinesiology at Del Mar College - Moved to Austin, Texas to be a part of the National Strength Conditioning Association (NSCA)

The camps take place at South Oleander Point directly across from the First Baptist Church on Ocean Drive. For a complete schedule detailing the dates and times of classes, visit www.mindbody.com.

-Manages X-Train in Corpus Christi and is a personal trainer through his own company, Core Works -Currently studying Business at Del Mar College to help his companies grow

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Mark leads his students through an exercise alongside Ocean Drive.

No one ever complains about the view.

One student performs on exercise rings attached to a nearby Palm Tree.

Mark incorporates dumbbells and other exercise equipment into each workout.

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So Close You Can Almost Taste It Words: Sara Yonker // Photos: Rachel Durrent

Dining on the coast can be an up close and personal experience.

Armed with a supply of fresh, local seafood from the Gulf of Mexico, this trio of restaurants offers intimate dining in secluded settings for a chance to experience local tastes in new ways.

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GLOW

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own-home cooking meets fine dining inside what was once a ramshackled boathouse overlooking Rockport’s Little Bay. GLOW, chef and owner Karey Butterworth’s creation after spending a lifetime loving food and working in restaurants, aims to please locals with new twists on old favorites and give seasonal tourists a true South Texas seafood experience.

“The natural beauty in Rockport is just stunning,” she said. “You can’t find that in a big city.”

Pinpointing South Texas’ food identity is difficult, she said. It’s a mix of coastal, Mexican, Caribbean and Southern, with unique tributes to people who settled here.

“You take all those influences and try to come up with a menu that is not too crazy or too eclectic,” she said. “What we’ve produced is simple and straightforward food that is prepared very simply and very lovingly.

I guess it’s in my blood. Food was always central in my life. I was always adventurous, trying new things.”

Butterworth’s diverse background helps make her flavors and foods distinctive. She has Texas roots in both Houston and Austin, but lived and worked in the kitchens of New York City and London. She grew up with her father’s foodie influences, so her appetite for complex flavors started when she was young.

Her mother is from New Orleans, explaining the Cajun flair to some of the revived family recipes featured on her menu, such as Mom’s Shrimp – a recreation of her mother’s take on creamy shrimp scampi.

While living in London, Butterworth started a catering company and the self-taught cook felt herself influenced by French cooking techniques, which a discerning diner could taste in GLOW’s menu now. When her Texas ties called her home, she ended up living in her vacation home in Rockport, which eventually became her permanent home.

“The natural beauty in Rockport is just stunning,” she said. “You can’t find that in a big city.”

The longer she stayed in town, the more her idea for a community restaurant evolved, eventually becoming GLOW.

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The name, originating from an acronym of her son’s initials, aims to convey the experience Butterworth hopes diners have: the warm serenity after a good meal; sunset’s welcoming reflection; sounds of laughter after food is served and friendships formed from flowing wine.

“GLOW is just that feeling, that emotion that’s encapsulated in the South Texas coast. There is glow from the sun, the glow of fishing lures at night, the sunsets and even the glowing Harbor Bridge,” she said. “It’s that feeling of being with friends and of old friends reunited.”

Inside the small building, the white-washed floors and walls give an airy, minimalist feeling.

Industrial-style light fixtures contrast with the 60-year-old banquette benches originally from Chicago.

“I wanted it to look simple and straightforward, like a coastal ranch,” she said. “I wanted people to feel like it had all been there a long, long time.”

The quality of food improves with fresh ingredients, so she’s replicated that emphasis at GLOW. That’s why she focuses on buying seafood from Rockport commercial fishermen, who supply her with flounder, grouper and snapper.

Small, decorative touches add a surprise for visitors, such as a mounted javelina head and 100-year-old reclaimed wood along the bar-area walls.

Adorning the bathroom walls are Butterworth’s collection of vintage maps from various cities.

She keeps the menu from being solely seafood by ordering from the Broken Arrow Ranch out of Ingram, which ships a supply of more exotic meats overnight, including quail, boar and venison.

The menu has evolved in the three years since the restaurant opened its doors. While in London, Butterworth adapted a European-style focus on local, seasonal produce.

“I wanted to be able to offer diners something that they can’t get everywhere,” she said.

Initially, that was one reason the restaurant didn’t offer chicken dishes. When she changed her mind, Butterworth opted for a

“They don’t do that there because it’s trendy, they do it because it’s always been done that way,” she said.

for a simple, straightforward fried chicken recipe as homage to Southern cooking.

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Not all tastes are so conventional. The restaurant’s crab cakes reveal a Vietnamese influence, with sriracha, ginger and jalapenos. Also, there are fish that only dawn the menu if patrons bring them in after a day of fishing. In those cases, the chefs will cook the patron’s catch three ways, typically blackened, fried or roasted, and served with a variety of sauces.

“The restaurant is a live entity that is constantly evolving and trying to reflect the people who are in it,” she said. “We’re intimate. We’re seasonal. We’re a little boutique on the bay.”

•

Recreating some of GLOW’s dishes at home is possible with Butterworth’s cookbook, “GLOW: Tastes from a Tiny Boathouse.”

ROAST GROUPER Serves 4 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil 4 (6-ounce) skinless grouper fillets 1 Tablespoon clarified butter* Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper Half a lemon Preheat oven to 450° F. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat. Sprinkle grouper fillet with salt and pepper and place fish in pan, then reduce heat to medium and cook for one minute. Spoon clarified butter over fish, transfer skillet to oven, and roast 5 minutes or until fish is just cooked through.

Squeeze lemon over fish and glaze with more butter. Season to taste and serve over puy lentils, risotto or pureed potatoes with wilted greens. *Clarified butter is butter that’s been heated to boiling point and the butter fat that’s left behind (the bright yellow oil) is more stable for cooking at high temperatures. You can make clarified butter by cutting up butter into small cubes, gently heating it to the boiling point when it will separate and then scoop or strain off the yellowy oil, discarding the milk solids left behind. It will keep for months in the fridge.

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•

“Here, you have as long as you want.

We’re not in a rush to get you in and out. We want you to enjoy the experience.”

Chef Jeff Zimmerman didn’t always dream of becoming a world-class chef

Roosevelt’s

I • Roosevelt’s at the Tarpoon Inn gives diners a feeling like they have gone back in time.

t could be the intimate dining room with its simple décor and old hardwood floors or perhaps it’s the slower pace of the meal, where diners are never rushed so that each delectable bite can be enjoyed. The black and white photos on the aging restaurant walls hint that this isn’t just another seafood restaurant in a touristy beach town.

Whatever it is, something about dining at Roosevelt’s at the Tarpon Inn in Port Aransas gives diners a feeling like they’ve gone back in time.

“Most places are interested in turning tables,” General Manager John Marr said. “Here, you have as long as you want. We’re not in a rush to get you in and out. We want you to enjoy the experience.”

That experience includes some signature dishes that keep diners coming back, such as the shrimp thebendmag.com

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and tenderloin tower, artfully described on the dinner menu as “tournedos of beef entwined with jumbo shrimp nesting on a mushroom risotto with julienne vegetables and a red wine demi-glace garnished with fried prosciutto.”

Chef Jeff Zimmerman didn’t always dream of becoming a world-class chef, although most diners would argue it tastes as if he has. He worked at a fine dining restaurant while on a soccer scholarship in college. Studying under the executive chef, who was raised in Italy and studied culinary arts in France, gave him a chance to discover his gift: pairing flavors and preparing meals as tasty as they are artistically presented.

“I don’t make anything I wouldn’t want to order or eat,” he said.

Zimmerman took over at Roosevelt’s three years ago, and although much of the menu is

unchanged, he didn’t receive specific recipes for sauces, so he made each dish his own, incorporating classic French cooking techniques for the creamy sauces, glazes and mouth-watering risottos. He also added some signature entrees of his own creation.

Since the restaurant is just steps away from the Port Aransas marina, they often feature specials brought to them from a local fisherman’s special catch. The restaurant offers nightly specials on weekends made with fresh, local fish. A recent special offered flounder stuffed with crab, glazed with a creamy, spiced sauce and paired with julienned fresh vegetables and a sun-dried tomato risotto. The rest of their seafood is also bought fresh from the Gulf of Mexico from suppliers in Rockport.

When soft shell crabs are in season in the summer and early fall, Zimmerman brings the live crabs out to the dining room and allows diners to select the actual crab he will prepare for them.

For dessert, two signature items are always offered and often requested. White chocolate bread pudding pays homage to the South. They also offer key limon pie, served in a small ramekin, which is a twist on key lime pie. The pie’s custard layer is half key lime pie, half lemon icebox pie, to give a distinctive taste to the coastal favorite. Zimmerman also prepares a different flavored cheesecake each evening, often combining two desserts into one, such as the German chocolate cake cheesecake and red velvet cheesecake. He’s also made seasonal specials, such as pumpkin and cranberry cheesecakes near holidays.

A few times a year, the restaurant offers special

wine dinners, where each course is paired with a wine not normally offered at the restaurant. Zimmerman experiments with the menu and cooks new dishes for these special nights.

Zimmerman’s enthusiasm for dining goes beyond just the food. He’s helped make diners’ experiences one-of-a-kind. When one regular patron wanted to surprise his wife, Zimmerman personally went to the fabric store to select a special tablecloth and bought fresh flowers to stage their table before they arrived. He aided a recent proposal on the deck of the restaurant by buying roses and placing them around the area while Marr took photos for the couple to have as a keepsake.

The small, peach-colored restaurant tucked off the main roads behind the historic Tarpon Inn looks more like a shotgun house than a place people would go for fine dining. That secrecy is part of its charm, Marr said.

Many hotel guests discover the restaurant while visiting the adjacent hotel. The Tarpon Inn was built in 1886 from surplus material from Civil War barracks. Although the hotel was destroyed by fire in 1900 and a hurricane in 1919, the reconstruction of the building in the 1920s kept true to the original barracks-style building.

The hotel lobby’s walls are covered with Tarpon scales, each signed by the fisherman who caught the fish. Although there are notable names all over the wall, it’s the signed tarpon scale from the restaurant’s namesake that many people come to see: President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Although Roosevelt didn’t stay at the inn – he stayed offshore on his presidential yacht – he did have his staff use the hotel telegraph to communicate with Washington D.C. and signed a scale from a tarpon fish that he caught in nearby waters as a thanks.

Because the property is so historic, visitors who haven’t returned for decades often come back and tell Marr stories about Port Aransas in the past.

“Folks come here and it just conjures up a special time in their life, whether it was vacationing here or going to a wedding,” he said. “We’re not on a main street; we’re not big and bustling. We really are a hidden treasure. You come here and you enjoy yourself.”

• (Top) The hotel lobby’s walls are covered with Tarpon scales, each signed by the fisherman who caught the fish

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Yardarm

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which Diane Tsaousis had converted to a restaurant by way of borrowed scrap materials from the demolished Corpus Christi Naval Air Station hospital, originally belonged to her parents.

hat was once just a small family home with an amazing view is now a Corpus Christi landmark where generations of diners meet in its intimate, quirky quarters for signature seafood dishes that remain unchanged.

• The Yardarm Restaurant and Summer Place Hotel are located along Ocean Drive in Corpus Christi

But Tsaousis didn’t know much about cooking and, as a former hospital social worker, knew nothing about running a restaurant. On the first day, she and her friend prepared one fish dish as the single menu option. The second day, they scrambled together to make one big pot of soup.

It started out far from its reputation as one of Corpus Christi’s most established fine seafood restaurants. In fact, had it not been for a twist in events, it may not have stayed open but a few days.

The bright yellow building,

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“It was horrible,” she said. “I didn’t know what I was doing.”

On the third day after the restaurant opened, a chef trained in Switzerland with experience in fine dining in Newport Beach, Calif. walked in the door from the unemployment office.

“He was old, grouchy and very difficult to work with,” Tsaousis remembered. “He would throw pans across the kitchen and swear at the wait staff. But he knew his stuff. His food was great.”

The restaurant’s daily supply of fish comes from a fish market in Aransas and a variety of Corpus Christi suppliers.

“I call all of them all the time,” Tsaousis said. “It’s becoming so difficult to find enough fish that is high in quality. I call around to see who has what, if it’s fresh and how much I can get.”

It’s all part of Tsaousis’ mission to offer fresh and local fish. She won’t purchase frozen fish and she tries to buy as much fish locally as possible.

“There is something about knowing that it was in the bay the day before,” she said “It’s much better than when it was on a big airplane.”

For that reason, there is rarely some of the fish that was a standard fare in the restaurant’s early years.

Redfish and snapper, once a mainstay of the Yardarm menu, are difficult to find locally, thanks in part to seasonal restrictions and limits to how much each fisherman can sell. Instead, the Yardarm offers drum, flounder and occasional amberjack and grouper.

• Owners Diane & Constantine Tsaousis opened the doors to the Yardarm in 1975.

Most of the Yardarm’s signature dishes still offered were from recipes he brought them, including the fish papillote, Oysters Rockefeller and Lobster Thermidor.

The cantankerous chef worked 15 years at the restaurant, training the chef who eventually replaced him for the following 10 years.

Since then, nearly all of the chefs at Yardarm worked in continuity, each one training the next person under him. It caused the menu to both stay true to its roots and gradually

Most other menu items have been constant: a made-fromscratch gazpacho or clam chowder soup comes with every entrée, along with a family-style fresh salad paired with the signature Yardarm salad dressing. Inseason vegetables are freshly prepared, along with potatoes or rice, with each entrée. The restaurant offers an extensive wine list with selections Tsaousis picks herself.

evolve, with each chef putting his signature touches on the time-honored dishes.

The dishes, often made with a traditional French preparation, are made with fresh fish and produce that arrives daily. Tsaousis shops for the produce herself each morning, becoming a known fixture at grocery stores in town. Daily specials give her and the chef a chance to showcase fresh and flavorful produce, such as the special blood orange vinaigrette prepared especially for Valentine’s Day diners.

It pairs together to create a meal that’s both elegant and casual, fitting with the place itself.

The little building sitting on Ocean Drive hardly looks like a place to get an elegant meal.

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But inside, its breathtaking view of Corpus Christi Bay and the dimly-lit deck behind the restaurant have been the backdrop for romantic proposals and special dinners.

The restaurant was originally Tsaousis’ parent’s home. The main dining room served as the family living room. The bar area was once a kitchen.

The restaurant’s kitchen was the master bedroom.

The nautical décor, such as a ship’s wheel and wooden and metal signs, avoid being kitschy because they are all authentic. Most of it came from boats decommissioned at a Brownsville shipyard.

The heavy wooden tabletops are made from reclaimed wood from an old ship.

Tsaousis and her husband keep the old building updated by shutting it down for 6 weeks every year between New Years’ Day and Valentine’s Day. The break during the year’s slowest time for business allows time to apply fresh coats of paint and make repairs to the building.

It also allows for their yearly indulgence – a trip to her husband’s homeland of Greece.

Her husband, who keeps his Greek heritage limited to playing Greek music at the restaurant instead of allowing it to dominate the menu, makes the yearly pilgrimage by boat.

In the first years, the couple shut down the restaurant for months at a time so they could travel. Back when it opened, the demand wasn’t nearly as high for their food, but over time, as demand and the city grew, the trips grew shorter so they could serve diners year-round. Tsaousis considers Yardarm to be a locals’ place.

“Our main bread and butter has always been our regulars,” she said. “They become more than our customers.

They become our friends.”

Peerson of Interest || Charlie Alegria

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Corpus Christi’s “Sage of Seafood” shares some old secrets about buying fresh and delicious fish On a Friday morning, during the heart of the Lenten season, Charlie Alegria slices into a fresh black drum that was swimming freely around the Gulf Coast only hours before.

Charlie’s knife moves swiftly through each fillet to make up for lost time.

The daily delivery from Charlie’s boats arrived an hour late and his small shop on Morgan St. is already filling up with customers. Despite the wait, everyone stands around waiting patiently to make their purchase because one way to know you are buying fresh seafood is to watch it jump around on the scale.

Morgan Street Seafood Market is the oldest family run market in the

Coastal Bend. Charlie’s dad started the business in 1960 and it wasn’t long before ten year old Charlie followed dad’s footsteps.

“He figured that if you were tall enough to get to the cut table, you were tall enough to work,” said Charlie, “I was even driving the fish truck to pick up product when I was around thirteen or fourteen.”

Times have changed since then. The market place for seafood is shrinking. Boats have to travel longer and farther to bring in product. Where there were once ten or more shrimp houses in Aransas Pass, now there are only two. Due to environmental

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Peerson of Interest || Charlie Alegria hazards, Charlie is forced to buy his oysters from Louisiana. Charlie said that one way to fix this problem would be to become better stewards of our environment.

Charlie’s fish comes in fresh daily from his contracted fishing boats, but he doesn’t like to keep much around.

“I’m not one to buy a ton of product and then sit on it,” said Charlie, “I buy just enough to sell out. I would rather be sold out and fresh than be sitting on it for a week or two like some markets. My level of freshness is hours or days. Get it in, get it out; keep it simple, keep it fresh.”

Some of Charlie’s customers have remained loyal for years. He is practically a part of their family. Sometimes customers invite him to their children’s weddings or quinceaneras. His customer base stretches beyond the limits of Corpus and the Coastal Bend. People have traveled in from all over the country to buy fresh, Gulf Coast seafood over the years, some even taking home a few hundred pounds.

Morgan St. Seafood will be celebrating 55 years of fresh seafood next year.

HOW CAN YOU TELL WHEN FISH IS FRESH? The main factor is smell.

You want little to no smell.

Just because a fish was caught that day doesn’t mean anything. If it was not taken care off, it’s not going to have the quality you expect. The eyes are one factor, but you can’t always tell with the eyes.

For example, some guys will come in with 800lbs to 1,000lbs of fish and the eyes on the bottom will get red or bruised. Gills are important. Fish should have nice red or pink gills.

HOW SHOULD SEAFOOD BE STORED AND FOR HOW LONG?

Fresh fish are filleted daily.

Use plenty of ice and make sure the seafood doesn’t sit in water, because the water will actually bleach out a lot of the flavor. You can wait a couple days on anything, but ideally you want to eat

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it that same day. There is nothing wrong with freezing it, but it will never have the same flavor as the day you bought it.

WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON THE USE OF PRESERVATIVES? I’m not a fan. I don’t believe in it. Our shrimp out in the Gulf get dipped (preserved) but I’m not a fan of that. Years ago the Gulf boats were ice boats, but now the majority of the boats are freezer boats. Because of the price of fuel, boats have to stay out longer to make their trip more profitable. As soon as they catch the shrimp, they freeze them right there.

DO YOU SELL FARM RAISED FISH? If I sell it, I will tell you it’s farm raised and I sell it frozen and in the box.

There is farm raised fish out there, but I’m not

a fan. We are what we eat. For example, they call Monkfish the poor man’s lobster because that’s what it dines on.

Drum feeds on crab and oysters. Flounder feeds on shrimp and small fish.

They eat really good stuff, so they are going to have a much better taste.

WHAT WILL BE IN SEASON SOON? I see flounder becoming really dominant. Flounder is going to be a good buy this spring and summer. Amber Jack is due to come back in play this June. I applaud some of the restrictions, others I don’t agree with, but because of some restrictions I think that in the long term we will be able to have better product and more supply.

Antibiotic-free, gluten-free chicken nuggets are here.

NEW! J.D. Nuggetz Kid’s Meal

Corpus Christi 1416 Airline / 361-992-4649 5325 Saratoga / 361-980-8300

Important for parents: If you have gluten-sensitive kids, please tell your order taker.

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And so much more...

Q&A || Richard Lomax

“

I’m very much a product of this area. I love fishing and surfing and all the fun activities that Corpus provides. That’s why I moved back.”

– Richard Lomax

Q&A

Richard Lomax Richard Lomax will soon inherit the Lomax Empire, including Executive Surf Club, Water Street Seafood Company & Oyster Bar, Texas Surf Museum and Tailfins.

Interview: Fares Sabawi Photos: Lauren Carter

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HOW FAR BACK ARE YOUR ROOTS IN CORPUS CHRISTI?

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WILL BRING TO THE FAMILY BUSINESS?

“They go all the way back. I was born and raised on the coast. I’m very much a product of this area. I love fishing and surfing and all the fun activities that Corpus provides. That’s why I moved back. The water kept calling me back. I was stuck in Houston for a year and my dad pulled me back in.

I wanted to be back at the coast so I took a shot at the family business.”

“I believe the main attribute I am bringing to the family business is enthusiasm. After going to TCU and working in Houston, I am so glad to be back in Corpus Christi. Our city has so much potential and I am really looking forward to being a part of the progression of this city, especially as a part of WaterStreet, Ltd.”

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE NEW THINGS Y’ALL ARE DOING DOWN THERE? “We are updating our menu, especially at seafood company. We are reinforcing the market as a crossroads for our community. A place where people can get brunch after church, enjoy drinks on the patio of the surf club, pair good wines with upscale dishes at seafood company, or pass the day away shopping. Also, we want to do exciting outreach outside of downtown and plan to purchase a food truck to increase our banquets and catering presence and add value to the food scene in Corpus.”

DID IT FEEL LESS STRESSFUL SHIFTING INTO THE FAMILY BUSINESS? “I would have thought it would be less stressful, but I hit the ground running.

I went from about 0-100 in no time at all. My last job was pretty much a desk job, 9 to 5, I was only responsible for my own work and I could leave once I was done with what I had to do.

Shifting to the restaurant business, working nights, working weekends, being responsible for other people and having to manage people is a very different role. It’s been fun though.

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HOW DID= YOU ADAPT TO THAT? “I like being busy, but it was tough for a while. You get thrown in and either sink or swim. I’d like to think I’m swimming, but I’ve been getting a lot of help from the experienced people downtown. I have a lot to draw on. Oscar Martinez (manager at Water Street Oyster Bar) has been with us since the 80’s. I have a lot of experienced people that are loyal employees of our company, so that’s made it a lot easier to lean on their expertise.”

THIS CITY MUST MEAN A LOT TO YOU. “It really does. I’m bullish on the Gulf Coast. We’re just an explosion of business and population growth. I’m like more ‘Corpus Christians,’ I don’t want to see it turn into Houston, but we’ve got something special down here. You can conduct your business and go fishing in the same day. I took it for granted in high school. I love going to the beach, but the people of the midlands and Dallas just dream of doing that. It makes you realize how much we take it for granted and how special this is to have a career down here.”

Water Street Seafood Company 309 N Water St, Corpus Christi, TX 78401 Executive Surf Club 309 N Water St, Corpus Christi, TX 78401

SOME PEOPLE SAY THERE’S NOTHING TO DO IN CORPUS. HOW HAVE YOU DEALT WITH THAT STIGMA? “I think Corpus is an area that we can mold into a lot. I think people from San Antonio just look at it as a place to pass through on the way to Port Aransas, but I know we have a vibrant culture here.

I took it for granted. I was just as guilty as anyone else, that is very apparent to me now after living in multiple cities. I think there’s a lot of good hardworking people here and a fun atmosphere. I think it’s unfair to paint us in that corner, but that’s not to say there is no room for improvment.”

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE THE FAMILY BUSINESS AS A WHOLE HAS DONE TO IMPROVE THE DOWNTOWN SCENE? “My biological family, alongside our loyal family of WaterStreet employees, have consistently pushed to give Downtown and Corpus Christi our absolute personal and company best. Through the ups and downs, we always strive to live by our mission statement. This entails providing extraordinary guest experiences, leading the economic revival of Downtown and enhancing the value of the Coastal Bend as a great place to liveand visit. I am lucky to have this opportunity and am excited to begin doing my part to contribute to this overall goal alongside my family and WaterStreet, Ltd.”

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Pam Morin 361-808-7400

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Catch the Wave Words & Photos: Magen Storrie Photos: Rachel Durrent

Fish are not the only thing you can catch along the Coastal Bend.

“There ain’t no surf in Texas” is what I’m often told when speaking to someone about the surf around the Coastal Bend.

If you have ever traveled to the prime surfing spots around the world or just stumbled upon them as a tourist, you just can’t compare those spots with Texas beaches. However, if you have never seen the beauty of our Gulf Coast waves, the ones with perfect mile long rides and crystal clear water, you will discover that Texas has plenty of beauty to offer anyone searching to fill their eyes with a one of a kind nature scene. For those of us who can’t travel the world, we can truly appreciate what the Coastal Bend has to offer as a surf destination. There are days when the water is clear and

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surfer, they are definitely your friend. At the piers, Bob

turquoise, days when waves are overhead and you can

Hall or Horace Caldwell in Port Aransas, it’s nice to surf

see sea turtles that rise to the surface as you drop in.

these spots when there is little to no current and not a

There are days with glassy waters and days with fun,

lot of wind. The pylons that make up the pier create deep

punchy rides. One could complain about being a surfer

sand bars. So, when waves hit the sand bars they form

down in these parts, but the surfers who don’t are the

clean and heavy chest high waves. It’s typical of the gulf

ones who have seen and rode it when it was good, great

to get churned up, muddy brown water with total washed

- epic. Down in South Padre the water gets even clearer

out conditions but only expect that with high winds.

and the waves are much larger with longer rides and

Hurricanes usually bring good swells on to the beaches,

harder breaks. Galveston and Matagorda are northeast

some way out of control and others absolutely perfect.

and have ride-able surf as well. Matagorda goes off in

The weather will determine which waves a surfer can

the winter with the Northern Winds and get pretty good with south swells in the summer also.

ride.

The Coastal Bend offers different surf spots for different

If you’re interested in learning how to surf, get out there!

There are so many shops in town to get you started

weather and seasons. Depending on your swell, wind,

with everything you need and pass along good advice

current directions and how severe these components

about when and where to surf. Also, they can provide

may be will determine where the best place is to paddle

information about where to take lessons. It’s never too

out. J.P. Luby and The Packery Channel off of HWY 361

early or too late in life to get started and parents will

are where most locals head to catch a wave. There is

never regret getting a child involved in the love and

both a South and North side. In surf jargon, each side is

passion of surfing.

protected by a jetty that shoots straight out, lining the ship channel. Jetty’s help block winds and currents. As a

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Where to Surf: Horace Caldwell Pier J.P. Luby Port Aransas Jetties Fish Pass Jetties Bob Hall Pier Packery Channel

Find a Board: Board House www.boardhousesurfshop.com Wind and Wave Watersports www.windandwave.net Benjamin’s www.benjaminsurf.com

Surf Lessons: Padre Island Surf Camp. padreislandsurfcamp.com Texas Surf Camps texassurfcamps.com/

Horace Caldwell Pier Port Aransas Beach Rd. Port Aransas, TX 78373

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From Your Closet to Theirs How you can help your community just by cleaning out your closet.

“The purpose of our suiting sessions is to help our women build confidence.”

I

f anyone in Corpus Christi knows what it means to “Dress for Success,” it’s Cathy Riojas.

Riojas had her hands full with her marketing and promotions business, Outside the Box, but could not ignore the need she saw to empower women in the community.

“I feel that people are so eager to support certain causes, especially those that involve children,” Riojas said.

“Our youth are our future and it’s important to help them, but what about the women who are the mothers of those children? What about the women who are veterans or who are stuggling to find work?

We can’t forget to support their cause.”

With help from co-founder Anna Flores, Riojas worked for almost a year to launch a local chapter of Dress for Success.

DFS is a worldwide nonprofit organization with the mission to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women and empower them by “providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help them become self-

sufficient.”

“We use the word ‘disadvantaged’ because our mission goes beyond low-income women,” Riojas said. “It’s important to empower women from all backgrounds. Whether you’re divorced, a single mom, just moved to the area, a veteran, a senior citizen, a recent graduate – we’re here for you.”

Riojas launched her DFS chapter Jan. 15. She runs both of her businesses out of her office in Suite No. 9 at 4639 Corona Drive.

Women in need of assistance are invited by referral from other organizations or can contact the DFS office for information on how to get registered in the program. Once accepted, clients meet with Riojas or one of her “Dynamic Divas,” the name given to professional women who volunteer. The woman’s needs are assessed and she is set up for her first “suiting.”

There are two types of suiting sessions: interview and employment suitings.

Interview suitings not only give women an opportunity to pick out a professional outfit, shoes and accessories at the DFS boutique, but

Coastal Cause || Giving Back would serve as a support group for clients and would help provide ongoing professional workshops.

also include a professional training session and practice interview.

Employment suitings are offered as a follow-up if the interview leads to a job, but also are offered to women who already have a job secured and need some help getting off to a positive start. At an employment suiting, additional professional guidance is offered and the client is given the option of picking out up to three additional outfits.

Riojas said she needs help during the day going through donations and keeping the boutique and warehouse tidy. She said these volunteers also could help organize DFS fundraisers and events.

DFS will hold a fundraising Power Walk and “Stiletto Sprint” May 31 at Cole Park.

“It’s about a lot more than the suit,” Riojas said. “The purpose of our suiting sessions is to help our women build confidence.”

For additional information about the organization and volunteer opportunities:

She said she has about 35 active volunteers, but hopes to grow her circle of supporters to keep the boutique running smoothly and to develop a fully functional committee of professionals. The committee

•

(361) 232-5226

•

www.dressforsuccess.org/ corpuschristi

•

Facebook: Dress for Success Corpus Christi

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Open House || Landscape

Xeriscape (Zeer-i-skeyp) Xeriscape gardening is taking off around the Coastal Bend, but don’t fall prey to the myths, misconceptions & pitfalls.

Most Coastal Bend gardeners share the same simple goal: A landscape full of lush, colorful plants. But getting there is another matter. Picking the right plants can be confusing, especially if you are trying to go through catalogs, books or the Internet. Even the most knowledgeable gardeners are overwhelmed.

both disease resistant, as well as water-efficient.

Xeriscape Corpus Christi, a non-profit organization, can help you select great landscape plants.

Reputable nurseries are labeling “proven performing” plants with a purple label stating, “I’m a Water-Wise Plant.” Local landscape professionals have identified over 150 trees, shrubs and perennials as outstanding selections. These plants are

Xeriscape Myths and Misconceptions: Xeriscape is a philosophy that’s popular among many local gardeners, but myths and misconceptions about the practice still exist, such as the idea that Xeriscape

1900 N. Chaparral (Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History)

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“It’s difficult to differentiate a Xeriscape garden from a traditional landscape without looking at the water bills”

Source: City of Corpus Christi— Environmental & Strategic Initiatives

gardens do not require water or that Xeriscape requires the sole use of cacti and rock. Some gardeners have visions of ripping out their entire yard and replacing everything with scraggly native plants void of color. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Let the misconceptions come to an end and let Xeriscape landscaping reflect our unique surroundings.

You can have a lush, colorful garden and

still save water, that is, if you control the amount of water you apply after the plants are established. Water wise plants are outstanding because they don’t just survive – they thrive in our summer heat. The scourching sun is one of the biggest challenges we face here on the coast.

Many plants look good in our cooler spring and fall months, but landscape plants need to do well all year round, especially in summer.

Avoid the Pitfalls of a Poor Landscape Strategy:

How to conserve water outdoors:

A common mistake homeowner’s make is to plant only what they see in their neighborhood or to purchase a plant at a garden center on impulse. These strategies will leave you with a landscape that is either too predictable or a patchwork of plants at different degrees of failure.

For more infortmation about xeriscape visit:

•

www.cctexas.com

Use the principles of Xeriscape (quality landscaping that conserves water and prevents water pollution) in your yard.

• Plant native, droughttolerant or adapted plants in your yard.

Water only in the morning, when evaporation rates are at their lowest.

•

Use sprinklers that throw big drops of water close to the ground. Smaller drops and mist often evaporate before they hit the ground.

•

Water only when your grass begins to show signs of stress, when it begins to wilt/discolor or when footprints are visible after you’ve walked on it.

•

When you do water, water deeply and infrequently to promote good root growth and healthy plants.

• Use a broom to wash your driveway, not a hose. Don’t water the pavement. thebendmag.com

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The Perfect View M

ost people couldn’t imagine a 100 year old oil platform as a luxurious vacation retreat, but that’s exactly where Baja Laguna, the Gignac family beach house, rests. In the 1920’s, W.L. Bates constructed the original home on top of the platform as a place to relax and entertain high profile executives and politicians,

Photos: Bbosasy Photography

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but it was in the 90’s that Ray Gignac of Gignac Architects acquired the property with a few partners. For the past ten years, the Gignacs have been sole owners and have done much to improve upon this historic site that has withstood the test of time.

Baja Laguna consists of a two story home, three palapas and a long, 406ft pier. The home has four bedrooms and a grand living room. Rising up through the living room floor is a wall from the old oil platform. Due to the threat of strong winds and hurricanes, the Gignac’s remodeled the old shack with a modern, sturdy design that focused on the locations best asset, the view. Surrounding the living room is a 360 degree view of the beautiful Oso Bay. Square footage was added to the base floor,

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Ray Gignac

Nick Gignac

Open House | | Baja Laguna

consisting of two bed rooms, a living room, a kitchen and two baths.

Other improvements include a paved driveway to greet the dirt road, improved landscape features and precautions taken to reduce the effects of erosion. At the end of the pier sits two boat lifts, where guests love to cast out their lines into what Nick Gignac says is a fertile fishing spot.

Also, guests have the luxury of lying out along their private beach if they so choose.

Baja Laguna may be a private vacation home, but the Gignacs are happy to share its beauty as much as they can. The location is used for family reunions, weddings and charity functions.

Surrounding the living room is a 360 degree view of the beautiful Oso Bay.

This 406 ft. dock stretches out into a very lucrative fishing territory

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The Bend Cuisine Where is your favorite place to enjoy a fresh margarita? Here’s a few of ours.

Connect with us on Facebook and let us know yours!

Dragonfly Pineapple and JalapeĂąo Margarita A delicious mix of citrus and spice

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Dining Guide Tues-Sat: Dinner Only

Republic of Texas $$$$ 900 N Shoreline Blvd, Corpus Christi, TX 78401 (361) 887-1600 Mon-Sun: Dinner Only

Water Street Seafood Company $$ 309 N Water St, Corpus Christi, TX 78401 (361) 882-8683 Mon-Sun: Lunch and Dinner

Yardarm $$ 4310 Ocean Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78412 (361) 855-8157 Tues-Sat: Dinner Only

Katz 21 $$$ 5702 Spohn Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78401 (361) 884-1221 Mon-Th: Lunch and Dinner Fri-Sat: Dinner Only

Seafood & Spaghetti works

Thai Cottage $ 5830 McArdle Rd, Corpus Christi, TX 78412 (361) 993-0777 Mon-Sun: Lunch and Dinner

Habenero Margarita

Russos Coal Fired Italian Kitchen

A cool, refreshing treat that is sure to bring the heat

CORPUS CHRISTi Vietnam Restaurant

$$$ 701 N Water St, Corpus Christi, TX 78401 (361) 853-2682 Mon-Fri: Lunch and Dinner Sat: Dinner Only

Bleu Bistro $$$ 500 N Water St, Corpus Christi, TX 78401 (361) 887-2121 Mon-Th: Lunch and Dinner Fri-Sat: Dinner Only

Aka Sushi

$$ 415 N Water St, Corpus Christi, TX 78401 (361) 882-8885 Mon-Fri: Lunch and Dinner Sat: Dinner Only

Bellinos $$ 3815 S Alameda St, Corpus Christi, TX 78411 (361) 814-8998 Tues-Sat: Lunch and Dinner

$ 100 N Shoreline Blvd, Corpus Christi, TX 78401 (361) 882-2047 Mon- Fri: Lunch Only

Niko’s Steakhouse

$$ 5409 Saratoga Boulevard, Corpus Christi, TX 78413 (361) 992-2333 Mon-Sun: Lunch and Dinner

Mamma Mia’s

$$$ 128 N Mesquite St, Corpus Christi, TX 78401 (361) 883-3773

Citrus Bistro

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$$ 6418 S Staples St, Corpus Christi, TX 78413 (361) 986-0620 Mon-Sun: Lunch and Dinner

Grimaldis $$ 5488 S Padre Island Dr, Corpus Christi, Texas 78411 (361) 980-8600 Mon-Sun: Lunch and Dinner

Sang’s Imperial Café $$ 4650 Corona Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78411 (361) 808-8881 Mon-Sat: Lunch and Dinner Saltwater Grill

$$ 2401 Cimarron Blvd, Corpus Christi, TX 78414 (361) 993-7258 Mon-Sun: Lunch and Dinner

Mesquite Grill $ 224 N Mesquite St, Corpus Christi, TX 78401 (361) 884-8870 Mon-Fri: Lunch and Dinner; Sat: Dinner Only BonnA-Petit $ 4301 S Alameda St, Corpus Christi, TX 78412 (361) 299-5127 Mon-Sat: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Hoegemeyer’s BBQ $ 711 Concrete Street, Corpus Christi, TX 78401 (361) 884-4227 Mon-Fri: Lunch Only

TakeNiwa

Waterstreet seafood Company Texas Peach Margarita A true Texas margarita with a combination of peaches and jalapenos BONN A-PETIT

Grilled Flank Steak – Tender pieces of Flank coated with Chimmi Churri sauce served with a side of roasted garlic mashed potatoes and fresh asparagus.

$$ 5216 S Padre Island Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78411 (361) 356-6888 Mon-Sun: Lunch and Dinner

PORT ARANSAS

Venetian Hot Plate $$$ 232 Beach St, Port Aransas, TX 78373 (361) 749-7617 Tues-Sat: Dinner Only

Shells $$$ 522 E Avenue G, Port Aransas, TX 78373 (361) 749-7621 Weds-Mon: Lunch and Dinner

The Pelican Club $$$ 914 Tarpon St, Port Aransas, TX 78373 (361) 749-0580 Weds-Sun: Dinner Only

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fajitaville Classic Margarita A margarita with a view

Lisabella’s Bistro $$$ 5009 Hwy 361, Port Aransas, TX 78373 (361) 749-4222 Tues-Sat: Dinner Only

Café Pheonix $ 229 Beach Ave, Port Aransas, TX 78373 (361) 749-9277 Mon-Th: Lunch Only; FriSat: Lunch and Dinner

Roosevelt’s at the Tarpon Inn $$$ 200 E Cotter Ave, Port Aransas, TX 78373 (361) 749-1540 Mon-Sun: Dinner Only

Irie’s

$ 503 North Alister St, Port Aransas, TX 78373 (361) 749-2310 Tues-Sun: Lunch Only

Seafood & spaghetti works $$ 901 South Alister St, Port Aransas, TX 78373 (361) 749-5666 Mon-Sun: Lunch and Dinner

Latitude 2802

Scuttlebutts

$$$ 105 N Austin St, Rockport, TX 78382 (361) 727-9009 Tues-Sun: Lunch and Dinner

$$ 14254 S Padre Island Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78418 (361) 949-6769 Mon-Sun: Lunch and Dinner

ROCKPORT

PADRE ISLAND

Snoopy’s Pier

Glow $$ 1815 Broadway St, Rockport, TX 78382 (361) 727-2644 Mon-Sun: Dinner Only The Boiling Pot $$ 201 S Fulton Beach Rd, Fulton, TX 78382 (361) 729-6972 Mon-Th: Dinner Only; Fri-Sun: Lunch and Dinner Shempy’s Grill

$$ 3911 Highway 35 S Rockport, TX 78382 (361) 727-0019 Mon-Sun: Lunch and Dinner

Dragonfly $$$ 14701 S Padre Island Dr, Corpus Chisti, TX 78418 (361) 949-2224 Tues-Fri: Lunch and Dinner; Sat: Dinner Only

Black Sheep Bistro $$$ 15201 S Padre Island Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78418 (361) 949-4819 Mon-Sat: Dinner Only; Sun: Lunch Only

$$ 13313 S Padre Island Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78418 (361) 949-8815 Mon-Sun: Lunch and Dinner

Doc’s Seafood and Steaks $ 13309 S Padre Island Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78418 (361) 949-6744 Mon-Sun: Lunch and Dinner

portland pep’s

$ 1807 US 181, Portland, TX 78374 (361) 643-1361 Mon-Sun: Lunch and Dinner

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