Meetings Today - January 2017

Oyster House for its char-grilled oysters, Louisiana Lagniappe, also in Destin, for its redfish, and Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa for its three-tiered seafood tower. He also counts Seagar’s as having an exceptional wine list.

“We offer a custom menu and access to our collection of more than 600 wines,” said Dan Vargo, executive chef at Seagar’s. “Here, we stress sourcing local products, from basic ingredients to seasonal items. Everything we use to prepare our menu items is fresh and comes primarily from

Panama City Beach

“We are all about the Gulf seafood here, mixed with Southern and Cajun influences,” said David Demarest, public relations manager for Visit Panama City Beach.

Demarest said planners can look forward
to Cajun blackened grouper, red snapper,
flounder, mahi-mahi, fish tacos and bay
scallops at such popular spots as Capt. An-
derson’s, recognized as the “Best Seafood
Restaurant” by Southern Living magazine.

Yonnie Patronis, one of the owners of Capt. Anderson’s, said catering to groups, no matter how large, is easy.

“In almost 50 years we’ve gone from 4,000 square feet to nearly 40,000 square feet, and can seat more than 700,” he said.

“The highlight of this restaurant is that
people love to sit right up front and see
the fishing boats unloaded,” he continued.
“That’s where 90 percent of our seafood
comes from.”
Patronis prides himself on buying
whole fish such as grouper, pompano and
amber jack, to name a few, right in his
own backyard.

Other local finds popular with groups include The Boar’s Head Restaurant & Tavern, opened 35 years ago; Andy’s Flour Power Cafe & Bakery, owned by John Cer-to, a third-generation chef from New York City; and Firefly, whose chef, Derrick Lang-ford, considers as strictly farm-to-table.

The prevalence of owner-operated restaurants that also offer catering is a plus for meeting planners, Demarest said.

“Many of Panama City Beach’s best chefs also own their own restaurants. This gives them tremendous flexibility when it comes to catering group functions and allows meeting planners to offer their favorite local cuisine to their guests,” he said.

Tallahasee

Florida’s capital, Tallahassee, has some really wonderful local restaurants for groups to enjoy, said Janet Roach, CGMP, meetings and conventions director, Visit Tallahassee.

“We’ve also had three local restaurants win the Golden Spoon award by Florida Trend magazine,” Roach said.

One establishment, Food Glorious Food, adds Southern classics like collards, cheese grits, seafood and Andouille sausage to its traditional fare; Zin & Sin serves venison Brunswick stew, Florida blue crab cakes and pecan-encrusted trout. The restaurants’ “Sin” dessert menu features such decadent items as Southern Comfort butter pecan cake and brown sugar bourbon cake. Meanwhile, Cypress Restaurant is known for its creative use of ingredients such as sugar cane, fennel, okra and goat cheese.

Eugene, Ore.-based Sixel Consulting Group’s 100 attendees met at the Hotel Duval this past April.

Terri Campbell, director of travel ser-
vices, said “The Hotel Duval provided a
reception on their Level 8 Lounge, which
offers spectacular sunset views overlooking
downtown Tallahassee.”
The appetizers included an avocado
pancake with masala shrimp and creme
fraiche, grouper fingers with Cajun
remoulade and coconut shrimp with
horseradish marmalade.

The group also enjoyed a dinner at the
stately, private Governors Club, steps from
the state Capitol, where, she said, “tropical
salsas merged with Southern fare of Florida
cobia and cheesy grits.”
Campbell also cites The Edison, housed
in the 1921 City Electric Building, featuring
terraced dining overlooking Cascades Park.

“They offered paella, steak kebabs and pita, accompanied by sweet potato puree and charred Brussels sprouts, finished with key lime brulee and coconut macaroons,” she said.

For a casual evening, she recommends Proof Brewing Co., which features a state-of-the-art, 20-barrel brew house in Railroad Square Art Park. Brews and sangrias accompany Taco Republik’s signature tacos and custom guacamole bar.

“As a vegetarian, all venues offered selections to satiate my palate,” she said, adding, “Tallahassee offers conference attendees a variety of culinary experiences within venues as unique as the food.”