Diversity Rules Magazine

A er 3 more courses which consisted of a piece of perfectly cooked fish to charcoal grilled wagyu beef, the meal comes to an end with a delectable straw- berry Bavarian, with cacao mint genoise, whipped match, grapefruit lemon curd and pecan ginger shortbread. This wasn't just a meal; it was an experi- ence worthy of a James Beard nomina on and defi- nitely the award for Best Chef: South. You'll need the rest of the night to recover from a food coma, so head back to Beau Rivage for some much-needed rest or hit the casino if your heart de- sires. Head out the next morning to the recently opened Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport, about 15 minutes west of Biloxi. The state-of-the-art facility is home to a variety of sea life and is one of the crown jewels of the area. I can never see enough animals, so next on the agen- da was the Ins tute of Marine Mammal Studies lo- cated at Ocean Adventures Marine Park. Guests can come up close and personal with s ngrays, sea lions and dolphins. I had the opportunity to interact with a beau ful male dolphin, ge ng to rub his belly, give him commands and feed him some delicious fish. For my, I mean his hard work, I got a kiss from one of my favorite ani- mals. On the way back to your hotel, stop by Coastal Roast Coffee for an af- ternoon pick me up be- fore dinner. I wasn't sure what to expect at White Pillars. The bar was set really high at Ves ge the night before, but I was in for another treat. We began our meal with a bowl of Oyster & Ar choke soup. I was a bit hesitant to order this at first as I didn't want to begin my meal with something heavy, but when it arrived, it turned out to be one of the best soups I've had in a long me. It was light and fragrant, consis ng of Gulf oys- ters, fennel, and oyster mushrooms in a coconut milk broth. When dining near the coast, why not try the Gulf Seafood Tower, two ers of fresh oysters, mahi crudo, smoked fish dip and amberjack ceviche. And those were just the starters. For my main course, I ordered the Duck Ramen prepared with a confit duck leg, collards, togarashi, duck cracklins, and the tradi onal so -boiled egg. In fact, the egg was the only thing tradi onal about the dish, which was rich and delicious. The duck was cooked to perfec on and the broth was fantas c. The area is home to two LGBTQ bars, Sipp's in Gulf- port, and Just Us Lounge, located within walking distance of Beau Rivage. The crowd at Just Us was a mel ng pot of the area's LGBTQ community, ex- tremely diverse and welcoming. One thing to note is that smoking is s ll legal inside bars, so if that both- ers you, there is a large outdoor space available. I know I said I wanted to focus on health and well- ness during this trip, but I seemed to have detoured from my mission somewhere in Ocean Springs. One can't resist the food in Coastal Mississippi, so screw the diet for one more day and head to The Roasted Bean located in the lobby of Beau Rivage and ask for an order of beignets. These are not listed anywhere in plain site and are the best kept secret of the hotel. I received a p from the captain of the Biloxi Shrimp- ing Trip, which I went on the morning prior. The pow- dered sugar pastries where the best I've ever had. Light, airy, and simply delicious. They couldn't have been that many calories, right? End your stay in Coastal Mississippi with a relaxing CBD massage at the The Spa at Beau Rivage. The 80-minute massage uses CBD body oils as well as a Moor Mud treatment to soothe red muscles and back pain. Playing with dolphins, ea ng oysters, and savoring beignets all weekend was quite stressful. If you are looking for a relaxed seaside vaca on, put Coastal Mississippi on your radar. There are many unique experiences that will make your stay truly memorable. Visit coastalmississippi.com for more informa on about the des na on. Diversity Rules Magazine | Apr 2023 | 9

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