Sites and bites in Bay St. Louis: Visit Old Town, dine at Thorny Oyster

Looking for a relaxing vacation without leaving Mississippi? Treat yourself to a place unlike any other in our state. Drive down to the beautiful Gulf Coast and travel over the magnificent Bay Bridge into Bay St. Louis.

The quaint city landed in the top five of USA Today’s "10 Best Small Coastal Towns in America” list in 2020. Sweeping sunlight vistas of the bay on either side of the architecturally amazing bridge set the stage for a memorable visit. 

Upon arrival, take advantage of unique hotels, restaurants and attractions. Tops on my list are the hauntingly beautiful angel trees, oasis-like Pearl Hotel and adjacent Thorny Oyster restaurant, where I enjoyed one of the best seafood meals of my life. 

Crushed by Katrina’s winds and high water, the Bay Bridge was rebuilt hurricane-proof at 85 feet above the bay at its highest point. It’s fun to walk, jog or cycle over the two-mile bridge via the spacious pedestrian path for a 360-degree view of the entire area. 

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Old Town, Beach Boulevard: Shops and dining

Back on land, Old Town located a few blocks from the bay features the historic Depot, locally owned shops and restaurants and a scenic tree-lined park with a duck pond. But don't neglect Beach Boulevard. The area is bustling with activity courtesy of new bay-front restaurants and side streets lined with small bookstores, antique shops and quaint eateries. 

A new addition to Beach Boulevard is the magnificent Pearl Hotel, named for the owners’ family ties to the Coast’s oyster industry. Located on the corner of historic Main Street and the boulevard, the boutique hotel features 53 rooms with six suites, a courtyard and pool complete with private cabanas. Reminiscent of nearby New Orleans are bayfront rooms with private balconies overlooking the water and activity taking place on the street below. 

One of my favorite features is the covered veranda and ceiling fan-cooled seating areas leading to the hotel’s dining and libation offerings. This includes restaurants Thorny Oyster and Smoke and deluxe cocktail bar, Hinge. Everything necessary for a relaxing stay is in the same spacious building complex. 

Thorny Oyster offers local, fresh coastal fare and more

The Thorny Oyster is the perfect choice for a relaxing dinner. It offers fresh, local, coastal fare, creative seafood dishes, raw bar specialties like oysters, shrimp and snow crab and classic dishes and desserts prepared with a modern twist. 

First, the restaurant's wedge salad ($18) caught my eye. Last summer, I recommended the wedge salad at Santa Rosa Beach's Stinky's restaurant. I hate to draw comparisons, but Thorny Oyster takes wedge salad to an entire new level. Instead of a medium-sized wedge of iceberg, what appeared to be an entire head of carved lettuce was delivered on a chilled plate. 

Covered with huge chunks of smoked bacon, thinly sliced watermelon beets, chopped tomatoes, herbs and a tantalizing combination of buttermilk dressing and blue cheese, this version of the famous salad took my breath away. 

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Other offerings on the salads and soups menu are heirloom tomato ($19), garden greens ($12) and lobster bisque ($8/$17). 

Appetizers that, like the salads, are generous enough for a meal include my favorite, barbecue shrimp ($15), deviled crabs ($16), grilled oysters ($14), middleneck clams ($20), smoked pork tamales ($15) and mussels and fries ($18), among others.

I am impressed when a restaurant’s list of main entrees or "plates" as Thorny Oyster labels them, is succinct instead of all over the place. I learned my instincts were right after I selected redfish almondine ($28) from among the six offerings. It's hard to adequately describe this delicious seafood dish, but I'll give it my best shot after talking to the chef.

Tender baby bok choy is covered with a brown butter and garlic sauce and a few seasonings. Fresh, lightly seasoned redfish is placed on top of the greens, then topped with toasted almonds and additional brown butter sauce and cooked to perfect until the fish is light and flaky.  I'm sure I'm omitting a few steps, but recipe aside, if you love fish, you'll absolutely adore this dish. 

Other selections include the 16-ounce ribeye ($48) with crispy garlic potatoes, creamed chard and bearnaise sauce, bouillabaisse ($30) composed of fish, shrimp, clams, mussels and grilled bread, grilled chicken ($26) served with sweet potatoes, fish caddy ($36) filled with fish, shrimp, lump blue crab and pasta bordelaise and whole roasted fish for two ($44) served with charred green tomato salsa verde.

Also on the menu are sandwiches, including the house burger ($18), fish ($16), ham ($16) and lobster roll ($22). 

Ending the meal with flavorful coffee paired with a miniature skillet filled with hot, bubbling peach-blueberry crisp ($12) crowned with vanilla bean ice cream was one of the best decisions of the evening. Fresh fruit is topped with a delicious crunchy, buttery rolled oats and toasted nuts topping that nearly outshines the filling. 

Other homemade delicacies ($12-$15) are chocolate pudding, peanut butter icebox pie, root bear float and a campfire concoction of chocolate ganache, graham crackers, toasted meringue and ice cream. 

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Angel tree a must see

It's hard to leave the comforting cocoon of the Pearl, but when you do venture outside, walk down to the carved angel tree. This amazing piece of chainsaw art is visited by tourists from around the world.

When Katrina’s eye passed over Bay St. Louis, three people and a small Scottish terrier dog were riding out the storm in a nearby building. As the storm surge increased, they fled from the building and climbed an oak tree. The centuries-old oak served as the group's lifeline for four hours as the wind and water flattened nearby structures. Thanks to the tree’s sturdy branches, they were unharmed when the water subsided. 

The remains of the oak were moved to the beachfront and secured in concrete just a few hundred feet from where it saved the lives of three people and a dog. A chainsaw artist created beauty from ashes, expertly carving an angel and large birds keeping watch on the limbs. 

Stop by the angel tree for a photo, prayer or simply a glimpse of a life-saving tree. Like a visit to The Bay, it's an experience you’ll never forget. 

Kara Kimbrough is a freelance food and travel writer from Mississippi. Contact her at kkprco@yahoo.com.