Pop Brothers - Gulfport, MS

If you would have told me a couple of days ago that I'd be rating a fancy popsicle shop four stars I wouldn't of believed you. But here we are and I'm here to tell you that Pop Brothers is pretty darn good.

My first few experiences with Pop Brothers were somewhat underwhelming. A big part of that is that I had never actually tried a popsicle. You see Pop Brothers not only has a stand alone location, they sell via their mobile carts at all the big events along the coast. Sure the kids loved the different flavors, but I didn't get why a popsicle was $3-4. All of that changed when I finally had one for myself.

Pop Brothers has so many different flavors that their menu scrolls through several screens of a giant TV mounted above their coolers. We got, Funky Monkey (peanut butter, banana and chocolate), Very Berry Lemonade (fruit and lemonade), and for me, a German Chocolate.

Holy mackerel! That is all I could exclaim when I took my first lick. My pop legitimately tasted like German Chocolate cake. There were actual pieces of coconut in the pop. That thing was so good that I don't even think popsicle is a good enough description. It was so much more than those multicolored things I've had in my freezer three years for my kids.

So I loved mine. So my kids loved theirs. So the service was friendly and prompt. Why only four stars? The price. I know I just raved about how good these things were, but for three popsicles with a $1 tip I spent almost $14. Maybe I am just old fashioned and have zero clue what goes into making them. But it seemed a little high. Would I pay that again? Absolutely. Should you go check out the main location? Absolutely.

Contact

• 1501 25th Ave
  Gulfport, MS 39501
•  Phone number(228) 206-0656
•   Business websitepopbrothers.com

Gimme Sushi

Oh, a storm is threat'ning
My very life today
If I don't get some sushi
Oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away
Sushi, children, it's just a few miles away
It's just a few miles away
Sushi, children, it's just a few miles away
It's just a few miles away

Shoutout to MJ for the help with this review.

The reason I chose those particular lyrics to begin this review is because despite my love of sushi, my kids aren't fans. This all came to a head one day when I decided they either waded into the ocean and caught me some fresh sashimi, or we found a sushi joint. They were about to walk out into the water when I decided to force them to go get sushi at a restaurant instead. Rock N Roll seemed pretty well reviewed, so off we went. 

The interior is adorned with massive murals of some of the best Rock N Roll bands and albums of all time. That trend continued to the menus which were contained in the jacket of actual albums. I had to explain it to my kids. They still don't get it.

Everything that I got was fresh, well prepared, and delicious. My order was salmon sashimi and a couple of their specialty rolls. The kids got some sort of teriyaki chicken.

Pearl Jam Roll - This roll was loaded with both Albacore and Yellowtail tuna. Spicy mayo, eel sauce, red tuna, crab meat, and sweet chili sauce were on top. While the roll had a really great taste, all the stuff on the top kept falling off. I ended up eating the roll then the stuff.

Madonna Roll - I got this because it had crawfish and crawfish is good. It had less stuff on top compared to the PJ roll and was much easier to eat.

Service was friendly and very fast.

If you're in Gulfport, or anywhere nearby, Rock N Roll is a good place to get sushi in the gulf coast.

Contact

• 1427 25th Ave
  Gulfport, MS 39501
•  Phone number(228) 357-5553

Agave Mexican Restaurant - Gulfport, MS

Did someone say nacho fries? 

Disclaimer: I have eaten El Agave several times, but all were delivered by Waitr

A fairly well known fact about me is that I am a fan of fries with stuff on top of them. I've had fries with all sorts of toppings, but when I saw nacho fries on the menu here my heard darn near exploded. The weakest part of nachos is the chips and the best part of fries is the fries. Mind blown.

I strongly recommend you order the nacho fries with the addition of steak. It's fajita steak and you also get all the other accoutrements that normally come with nachos. They're great.

In addition to the nacho fries I have also had their mixed fajitas. The quality of steak, chicken and shrimp are as good as any I've had on the Ms Gulf Coast. Whatever they marinate their meat in is slightly smokey and that flavor permeates both the meat and veggies. It's so good that I ditched the tortillas and ate it with a fork. 

I can't speak about the service in the restaurant, but I can tell you that my order has always been complete which says something.

Looking for Mexican food on the coast? El Agave should be own your list.

Contact

• 2108 25th Ave
  Gulfport, MS 39501
•  Phone number(228) 822-1415
•   Business websiteelagavegulfport.com

Institue for Marine Mammal Studies - Gulfport,MS

As a kid I remember going to Marine Life on the coast very fondly. Katrina took care of that and I figured I'd never get the chance to share that with my kids. I was wrong. Apparently the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies moved to a much safer (from hurricanes) location further inland. They had this facility pre-K, but it wasn't open to the public.

Tour tickets should be purchased in advance and that is what I did. It sent me an email and offered the ability to print the tickets, but that was unnecessary. They had my name at the front so we checked in and were given wristbands. A point of note is that kids 13 and up pay the adult price. I think it should be kids under 18. 

The tour begins with a show involving a bird. A bird? Yeah, a bird. It is pretty entertaining for the kids. I recommend sitting as closely as possible for the best view. I was very interested in the show since I am an expert in bird law, but I digress.

After the bird show we were spit into three groups. One stayed for a show about sea turtles that was very informative. Kids got to pet a tree snake if they wanted to and then it was on to part two. Part two was a shark tooth fossil dig and gift shop. Part three was the touch ponds where we got to pet sting rays (minus the sting), horseshoe crabs, sharks, etc. If your kids are scared, encourage them. Every kid wants to say they pet a shark.

The finale is the reason we came and we were impressed. All the tour groups met up and sat on pool side bleachers for the dolphin show. It was educational and entertaining. Plus we didn't get wet. The next part of the show involved a seal and was fun, but the dolphins were way cooler.

In closing, this is a great way to spend half a day with kids.

Contact

10801 Dolphin Ln
Gulfport, MS 39503

(228) 896-9182

imms.org

The Dock Bar and Grill - Gulfport,MS

If you like restaurants with a water view, The Dock is a place you should check out.

I am a pretty simple guy. I like what I like and don't what I don't. One of the things I absolutely love is a restaurant that's right on the water. So the other day I found myself in Gulfport, searched for restaurants, and found The Dock. Checking their menu it looked like it checked another of my "like" boxes with simple sandwiches, appetizers, etc. 

The Dock is in a location I didn't know existed. If you're on the coast it isn't really convenient to you. If you're at the outlet mall, or movie theater, or near the interstate, it might be. Getting here meant driving through an industrial type area and I was wondering what I had gotten myself into. Once there, the area wasn't so bad and the restaurant itself must have cost a fortune. It is a massive restaurant.

We were seated in a room all by ourselves and had a great view of the outside bar and water. It looked more like a canal to me, but I guess it is Gulfport Lake.

Our server was very friendly and helpful. It did seem like wherever she had to go to get stuff was far away, but she did a great job.

While the view was pretty good, the food was just OK. Here is what we had:

Cheese fries: The fries were the cajun or rally type variety. As a connoisseur of fries with stuff on them I have to tell you these types of fries are not ideal for that dish. The cheese was also the nacho variety which is usually weird on fries, and it was. But the kids loved them and I did my best to eat my share.

Comeback Shrimp: It seems that every restaurant has started to capitalize on the "bang bang" shrimp phenomenon. These are The Dock's version and they were pretty good. Not bang bang good, but good nonetheless.

Ribeye sandwich: This was somewhat of a disappointment. The steak was slightly overcooked so it was tougher than it should have been. Steal on a sandwich is awesome, but the steak cannot be tough or you're pulling stuff out with every bite.

Would I go back to The Dock? Yep. Will it be a regular haunt? Nope. It's just too inconvenient to where I usually am. Should you check it out if you like what I like? Roger that!

Contact:

The Dock Bar and Grill

13247 Seaway Rd
Gulfport, MS 39503

(228) 276-1500

http://thedockgulfport.com

Ribeye sandwich

Ribeye sandwich close-up

Dock fries

Gulfport Harbor Lights

If you want to see an amazing display of lights in a family friendly environment, you need to visit the Gulfport Harbor Lights. 

I'm a little reluctant to sing the praises of this event for fear that it will become more popular than it already is. That being said, this is really a great event that you should check out.

Located in Jones Park, this event is the Gulf Coast's answer to New Orleans' Celebration in the Oaks. I do enjoy CITO, but over the past several years it has become almost too popular. While Harbor Lights is popular, there is massive amounts of parking, and it is only $5 per person.

The lights are viewed by walking tour only, but the path is completely paved so it's appropriate for visitors of all ages. The lights range from static displays with a nautical theme to the massive main display that is synchronized to music. Until you see it in person, you cannot understand just how impressive it is. There are multiple different songs so if you don't have impatient kids, I'd suggest sitting in the bleachers and watching all of them. It is unlike anything at CITO.

In the middle of the park there were food vendors serving festival type food, vendors selling glow stuff and three different rides. The rides were $4 which I thought was pretty expensive, but since there were only three, I got off pretty cheap. 

If you are in the area, or if you don't want to wait in massive lines elsewhere, check out Gulfport's Harbor Lights. I think you'll be as impressed as I was.

Synchronized to music

Synchronized to music

Merry go-round

Merry go-round

Ferris wheel

Beautiful lights

Monster Sub and Sandwich - Gulfport, MS

Monster Sub & Sandwich is very good.

In Gulfport and want to try something totally different than you're used to?

Are you craving a real deli sandwich that no Subway can provide?

If you answered yes to either of these questions, you're in Luck. 

When asked the above questions I would classify myself as a yes to question 1. When seeking out lunch one day I didn't know what I wanted, but I knew I wanted something different. Monster popped up on my Waitr app so I decided to give it a try.

Monster's menu is pretty straightforward and classic NY style delicatessen. While this is not something I normally seek out, I do enjoy a good Reuben from time to time. I decided that is what I should order and their version was very good.

My sandwich arrived loaded with meat. It was so loaded that I could almost not take a bite without first removing some meat. The corned beef was excellent and far superior to what you can buy at a grocery store. I don't know where they get their meat from, but it was the real deal. That big pile of meat coupled with the real deal sauerkraut and dressing made this sandwich darn near perfect. I've had great Reuben's from Stein's in Nola and never before did I think I could get one nearly that good in Mississippi. But I did, and if you're in the mood for one, you should to.

Location and Contact

1223 30th Ave
Gulfport, MS 39501

(228) 206-5920

http://www.monstersubsgpt.com/

Double D's Diner - Long Beach, MS

Are you a fan of old-school diners with great food and friendly service? If so, Double D's needs to be on your list.

Whenever I am exploring a new area I like to find all of the breakfast joints. Although I love cooking, I really love going out to eat breakfast. I prefer a down home casual breakfast joint as opposed to the new fangled fancy shmancy places that seem to be growing in popularity. One visit to Double D's and I was hooked.

Double D's is located just a few miles from the beach. It is also a short drive from I-10 if you're coming from further away. The building is connected to, but not a part of the gas station next door.

Inside the diner is decorated in a 1950's theme which is just perfect. There is lots of Elvis memorabilia adorning the walls and the music playing in the background is a great mix of the oldies hits.

Owners Dawn and Shawn are some of the nicest people you will ever meet and they care about their customers. After just a few visits, we weren't treated as just customers, but as friends. It is rare to find that level of service anymore, and will truly make you feel welcome.

I am very much a creature of habit so I usually order the same thing every time I am here. Here are the items I've tried, and my thoughts on each:

Western Omelet (with ham) - The western omelet here is just about perfect. It can be ordered with any of their meats, but I always pick ham. The outer egg layer is thick enough to contain the ingredients inside, but not so thick that the eggs overpower everything else. Inside that outer egg layer this omelet can be described as stuffed. The inside is absolutely loaded with ham, onions, tomatoes and cheese that most humans could probably share this omelet with another person. Luckily for me, I am not most humans, so I get mine all to myself.

Hash Browns (with cheese, onions, and jalapeños) - If you have ever been to a Waffle House, you know these type of hash browns are called covered, smothered and peppered. No matter what you call it, the hash browns here are far superior to WH. They're cooked well without being burnt. The additional ingredients are fresh and folded in perfectly with the potatoes. 

Biscuits (and gravy) - These homemade biscuits are light and fluffy and go great with just jelly. But if you want a serious southern staple, add some sausage gravy to your biscuits. Offered as a safe, or an entree, this is the best way to eat these biscuits. Come early because they frequently sell out.

Pancakes - I am not a pancake aficionado, but my kids are. they claim these are some of he best pancakes in the world. If you try them and they aren't, I know a couple of kids that will strongly disagree.

Cheeseburger Po-Boy - Ok, Ok, Ok. I know a po-boy is not breakfast food. Every once in a while I like to sleep in and don't quite make it to breakfast. Luckily for me, they serve breakfast pretty much all the time, but a couple of times I decided to go for lunch. I can't comment on their other items, but the cheeseburger po-boy is definitely a good one. If you like burgers, the addition of french bread is one thing that will elevate your burger to the stratosphere. Trust me on this.

The prices here are reasonable and comparable to other local breakfast joints. 

If this review convinced you to try out Double D's Diner, or you have already tried it, I would love to know what you think. Please leave a comment here.

Here is the contact information for Double D's Diner:

Location: 6523 Beatline Rd. Long Beach,MS 39560
Phone: 228-206-5964
Menu: doubledsdiner.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/doubledsdiner/

Photos of the food

Western Omelet with Bacon

Biscuits and Gravy

Cheeseburger Po-Boy

Mmm Coffee

Coffee and the Menu

Hash Browns with cheese, onions, and jalapeños

The Greatest Mississippi Gulf Coast Blog - An Introduction

Before I begin, I need to clarify one thing about this blog. It may not actually be the greatest MS Gulf Coast Blog in existence, but I will do my best to keep it interesting. Let's begin.

I grew up in, and still live in, the New Orleans Metropolitan area. Ever since I was a small child, my family and I would travel to the coast for long weekends, day trips, and everything in between. To me the gulf coast of MS was paradise. Those memories are forever ingrained inside of me.

I started bringing my own kids here many years ago. We began by driving up for the day to spend time on the Bay St. Louis Beach. Those day trips turned into weekend trips and we found ourselves spending more and more time here. I would even drive up on a Friday night just to spend a few hours shooting photos. The call of the coast was strong and I knew I needed to find a permanent place here sooner rather than later.

In the summer of 2016 that dream became a reality and I know split my time between the coast and New Orleans area. This blog will focus on my adventures on the coast including photography, dining, cooking, and all sorts of things in between.

I hope you enjoy this blog and look forward to reading your comments.