Discover the Gulf Coast Through Its Cuisine: A Personal Guide by Meredith

As a real estate advisor and resident of Orange Beach, Alabama—home to some of the best seafood and fish in the world—my clients often ask me, “Where can I find the freshest seafood and fish?” or “What are the best restaurants in the area?” And sometimes, “Do you have any great recipes to share?”

Jesse's Restaurant Magnolia Springs Alabama Know for Steaks and Service

Well, in my spare time, I’m a total foodie! So, I’ve decided to share my personal favorite stores, restaurants, and recipes with you here, on my website, searchthegulf.com. I hope this section inspires you to dive deeper into the Gulf Coast lifestyle, savoring its culinary treasures and embracing the joy of fresh, local food.

Let this guide be your gateway to discovering the rich flavors of the Gulf Coast. Enjoy, and cheers to great food!

— Meredith

Meredith Amon Gulf Coast Lifestyle Food

WHY I LOVE S&S SEAFOOD MARKET AND KITCHEN IN GULF SHORES, ALABAMA

S&S Seafood Market Gulf Shores Alabama

Yesterday, after meeting buyers in Gulf Shores near West Beach, I happened to find the kind of little local gem that makes me love living and working along the Alabama Gulf Coast even more.

I stopped into S&S Seafood Market and Kitchen in Gulf Shores, thinking I would simply pick up a fresh filet of fish to take home. I chose a beautiful piece of tripletail that had been caught the day before. As I was paying, they asked me, “Would you like us to cook it for you?”

I think I paused for a second and said something along the lines of, “Wait, really?”

They explained that they could steam it, grill it, or fry it. I chose grilled with Greek seasoning,…

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What Seafood Is the Gulf Coast Known For (With an Orange Beach and Ono Island Lens)

By Meredith Folger Amon, Licensed In Alabama and Florida Guided by Integrity. Backed by Experience. Search the Gulf with Meredith Folger Amon. Orange Beach Alabama Cuisine Search The Gulf

When people ask me what the Gulf Coast is known for, I usually answer with one word first: fresh. Here in Orange Beach, the seafood culture is woven into daily life, from dockside menus to what you see on the ice at local markets. On Ono Island, I hear the same thing from neighbors and homeowners over and over, “If you keep it simple and start with quality, the Gulf does the rest.”

“Around Orange Beach, the best seafood advice is usually the simplest: buy it fresh, season it lightly, and do not overcook…

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Ono Island Chicken Piccata Recipe


ONO ISLAND CHICKEN PICCATA, MY BRIGHT-AND-BUTTERY GULF COAST DINNER

I took this photo on a night when I wanted something that felt polished without feeling complicated. That is exactly why I come back to chicken piccata. It is bright, buttery, and a little salty from the capers, and it plates beautifully even on an ordinary weeknight.

Life around Ono Island moves in seasons of showings, boat traffic in the canals, and dinner plans that need to be efficient. I am usually walking through finished homes with clean trim lines and styled kitchens, so it makes me smile that a recipe can have that same “finished” feeling with just lemon, capers, butter, and a good sear.

Chicken piccata is my go-to when I want dinner to feel…

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HOW I PREP REDFISH FOR COOKING, ONO ISLAND AND ORANGE BEACH STYLE

By Meredith Folger Amon, Licensed In Alabama and Florida

Redfish is one of those Gulf classics that can taste like a white-tablecloth dinner or a dockside basket, depending on how you handle it from the moment it comes out of the water. Here is my step-by-step routine for storage, scaling, gutting, filleting, skinning, and carving away the rib bones the clean way.

Before You Start: Set Up a Clean, Cold Workstation

  • Keep the fish cold. If you are coming back through Orange Beach after a day on the water, the best favor you can do your redfish is ice, ice, and more ice.
  • Two-board method: one board for fish, one for lemons, herbs, and serving items.
  • Tools:…

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ONO ISLAND GRILLED REDFISH WITH SHALLOT-GARLIC COMPOUND BUTTER

Ono Island Homes For Sale Bayou St John This is the kind of Gulf Coast dinner I can pull off without turning the evening into a production: grilled redfish, a compound butter that tastes like you planned it days ago, and a simple lemon slice that makes the whole plate look finished. Around Ono Island, a lot of homeowners keep their cooking straightforward and their flavor bold.

Great coastal cooking is about restraint: clean heat, bright citrus, and one finishing touch that makes it feel intentional.

Meredith Folger Amon

My real estate tie-in: the "easy outdoor kitchen" lifestyle

When I walk through homes in Orange Beach and Ono Island, I always notice the same pattern: buyers love…

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Ono Island BBQ Chicken Nachos Recipe


Ono Island Chicken Nachos Recipe

When I need something that feels coastal, comforting, and genuinely easy to serve, I make BBQ chicken nachos. It is the kind of tray you can set out while friends are swapping stories, or while you are resetting a space before guests arrive. Around Ono Island and Orange Beach, the best recipes are the ones that keep you out of the kitchen and in the conversation.

Nachos are the rare dish that tastes like a celebration, even on an ordinary night.

Meredith Folger Amon

Why this recipe works on the Gulf Coast

  • Fast, shareable, and forgiving: You can scale it up or down without stress.
  • Heat stays balanced: The BBQ sweetness and lime keep everything bright, not heavy.
  • Built…

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MY GO-TO TORTILLA ESPAÑOLA (SPANISH POTATO OMELET)

Tortilla Española was my go-to when I lived and traveled throughout Spain for a year. I ate it in tiny cafés with espresso, packed it for train rides, and grabbed wedges of it at the counter when I needed something simple and satisfying. I still love it for the same reasons. It travels well, it’s filling without being heavy, and it’s just as good warm as it is at room temperature.

This is one of those rare recipes that feels humble and special at the same time.

Why I love it for Gulf Coast entertaining

  • You can make it ahead and serve it at room temperature.
  • It slices cleanly for a snack board or casual gathering.
  • It’s budget-friendly and uses pantry basics.
    • …

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ONO ISLAND FRIED OYSTERS IN THE SHELL WITH MAQUE CHOUX AND TOMATO JAM

Ono Island Some recipes feel like they belong on the Gulf. This is one of them: a crisp fried oyster, served inside its own shell, perched on a little spoon of creamy maque choux (that classic Louisiana corn dish), finished with a dab of tomato jam. It is salty, sweet, smoky, and bright in the same bite.

When a dish is served in the shell, it feels like a small ceremony. Coastal, intentional, and quietly impressive.

Meredith Folger Amon

If you have heard someone say "mochchoo," they are usually talking about maque choux, commonly pronounced "mock shoe" and made with corn plus the Cajun trinity (onion, bell pepper, and celery).…

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Commander’s Palace Inspired Tomato Marmalade for Fish on the Gulf Coast

Commanders Palace Inspired Tomato Marmalade Recipe

This one is my nod to that old-school New Orleans feeling, where something humble becomes luminous with the right balance of sweet, tangy, and just a whisper of heat. I’m calling it “Commander’s Palace inspired” because the goal is the same: polished flavor, bright acidity, and that glossy finish that makes a simple fish filet feel like it belongs under white tablecloths.

“The magic is the balance.” When the sweetness, acid, and spice land in the same place, the fish tastes cleaner, richer, and more Gulf Coast.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled if you want it extra silky, then diced
  • 1 cup sweet onion, very finely diced
  • 3/4 cup…

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New Orleans–Inspired Banana Cream Pie (with Praline Crunch)


Silky banana pastry cream, a buttery crust, and a pecan-praline crunch that feels right at home in New Orleans.

“This one tastes like a banana pudding and a praline had a perfect Gulf South dinner party.”

Makes: 1 (9-inch) pie (8–10 slices)
Time: about 45 minutes active, plus chilling

What makes it “New Orleans–inspired”

  • Pecan praline crunch (sweet, buttery, slightly toasty)
  • Brown sugar + touch of rum in the custard for warmth and depth
  • Optional chicory-coffee note for that Café du Monde neighborhood vibe

Ingredients

Crust (choose one)

  • Option A: 1 baked 9-inch pie shell (homemade or store-bought)
  • Option B: 1 (9-inch) vanilla wafer…

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