Yabba Dew Beachside Grill: Omelets and Beer, Fish Spread and Sangria

Cathy Salustri

            Small town living has definite benefits, like living ten minutes away (on foot) from a cold pitcher of sangria and fish spread that far surpasses the stuff sold on the beaches. Yabba Dew Beachside Grill has both these things plus a great view of the beach from their deck.

            In fact, my first meal at Yabba Dew consisted only of these two things, and both tasted so good that the restaurant hooked me and I kept going back. On subsequent visits I sampled more of their menu. None of the food disappointed me. They offer plenty for everyone, but burger fans will appreciate (as I did) that Yabba Dew will cook the burgers as rare as you want them to. If you like cheeseburgers, make sure to ask them to cover your burger with bleu cheese crumbles.

            Round about what seems like my nine hundredth visit, I found out the secret to the fish spread: two types of fish, mahi-mahi and tuna. It doesn't overwhelm you, but be careful- the urge to order a second plate of it is strong, and you definitely want to save room for your dinner.

            Or your breakfast. Yabba Dew opens every day at 8 a.m. and offers eggs any way you like them ($3.55) or any type of omelet you want ($3.95). Both meals come with all the fixings (toast, potatoes, you name it). They serve breakfast until 11 a.m. Monday through Saturday and until 11:30 a.m. on Sundays. Serving suggestion: try a Corona with your omelet.

            As good as Corona tastes, I usually order sangria with my dinner there. Let's talk about the sangria for a moment, because Gulfport has another restaurant that boasts excellent sangria- and it tastes good, don't get me wrong. But don't let that deter you from ordering sangria at Yabba Dew; they make theirs from scratch and very little in life compares to drinking sangria footsteps away from the beach, unless good food follows fast on its heels.

            One of Yabba Dew's specialties is their chicken marsala ($11.50). Made with marsala wine and served over a bed of linguine with a side of salad and bread, this dish begs you to eat as much as you can and take home the rest.

            Drop by Yabba Dew on Mondays for their burger and a beer special ($3.99 all day), or come by any night after 10 p.m. for $2.00 well drinks. On Wednesdays they serve $1.50 well drinks all day, but after midnight on Thursday (Friday mornings) they have a ÒThank God It's FridayÓ party with $1.00 wells. If you're stopping by for just a drink, though, consider trying their fish spread ($5.75).

            Yabba Dew has a full menu, a full liquor bar (and great frozen drinks for those hot days), and an outdoor deck where patrons can smoke. They open every day at 8 a.m. and close the kitchen about 10 p.m. or so Sundays through Wednesdays and about midnight on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. You'll find them just west of Beach Boulevard at 5519 Shore Boulevard South. 343-5774.