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 Getaways: Our favorite seafood divesThese spots offer the freshest catch in the SouthBy Mark G. Stith, Tanner Latham and Warner McGowin  Seafood is served with a smile on the deck of The Crab's Claw in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS(Southern Living With such restaurants, sometimes there's a fine line between yummy and slummy. First and foremost, we made sure our choices were places we'd take our mamas. Each also had to have great food, an unforgettable atmosphere and had to be either on the water or a casting net's toss away from it. Here are a few of our favorite spots we know you'll enjoy. Crab with a kickLocation, location. The Crab's Claw on Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, has it, claws down, over most seafood restaurants scattered along the state's coast. Here's why: Its two-story wooden deck rewards you with a commanding overview of the beach. The background music of gentle waves and an occasional squeak from a seagull make this a spot to savor. For the best effect, be there at sunset, when the golden rays ignite sand, sea and sky with the colors of fire. Something else will set you on fire too: executive chef Antoinette M. Oberci's Original Spicy Crab Dip (you also can get a milder version). Blue crabmeat, cream cheese and spices (served with grilled pita points) make this the ultimate appetizer ($12). For an entree, try the fire-grilled salmon served with sour cream and rosemary smashed red potatoes and saffron veggie stir-fry ($23). The blackberry cobbler a la mode ($6) tastes like a sweet slice of summer. The Crab's Claw: 201 West Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach, NC 28512; (252) 726-8222 or www.crabsclaw.com Crabs, kitsch and local colorThe sign outside J.B.'s Fish Camp & Seafood Restaurant in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, proclaims "Southern Seafood With an Attitude." That's exactly what you'll find at this out-of-the-way spot on the Indian River. Let's start with the attitude -- a mix of irreverent kitsch and local pride. From the stuffed deer wearing a red bow tie to snapshots of locals' fishing trips, J. B.'s boasts a laid-back atmosphere. The oyster-shell driveway and boat docks add just enough old-Florida authenticity. It's the food that matters most, though, and J.B.'s delivers. The restaurant, sandwiched between the river and the Atlantic Ocean across the street, catches its own blue crabs and serves them steaming hot on platters. The crispy fried shrimp basket comes with basic fries, coleslaw and cocktail sauce that's heavy on the horseradish -- just the right amount of kick so you don't have to add your own ($7.50). Oyster stew ($6.50) strikes a perfect balance between sweet and spicy, with kernels of corn, cream, parsley, paprika and small, flavorful oysters. It's rich, so save room for the Key lime pie, the real star here. The graham cracker crust is topped with a 2-inch layer of white Key lime cream that, without the distraction of meringue, pops with tart sweetness. A funky, local inspiration colors everything at J.B.'s, and makes it an end-of-the-road destination that's worth the trip. J.B.'s Fish Camp & Seafood Restaurant: 859 Pompano Avenue, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169; (386) 427-5747 or www.jbsfishcamp.com Fall for April Fool Point A guest digs in at TopWater Grill in San Leon, Texas. Robert Jakubas grew up working in his father's bait shop at the edge of Galveston Bay in San Leon, Texas. But now he hooks customers who come to dine on shrimp and other succulent seafood specialties fresh off the boat at the TopWater Grill. "I wanted to cater to the fishermen and locals first," Jakubas explains. Now anglers have to backstroke for table space among the bankers, lawyers, secretaries and other landlubbers who anchor for lunch and dinner at the hidden-away eatery between Houston and Galveston. "People have told me they've been looking for this place for a week," says manager Brandon Hart. April Fool Point harkens back to pirate days, when swashbuckler Jean Laffite picked it as a place to hide his loot. About the best treasure you'll find here now is flavorful pecan-crusted snapper topped with lemon butter ($17.99) and fresh Drunken Red-fish cooked in a white wine sauce ($17.99). Start with an order of shrimp, grilled or fried. Sit outside on the deck, and watch as the catch is unloaded from the fleet of shrimp boats operated by Robert's father, Capt. Wally Jakubas. Then you'll see why the TopWater Grill is a secret too good to keep. TopWater Grill: 815 Avenue O, San Leon, TX 77539; (281) 339-1232. Directions: From I-45, take State 517 east to the blinking red light in San Leon, and go right on Ninth Street to the water. Shrimp and salt marshes The all-you-can-eat buffet at Pelican Point in Crescent, Georgia, offers more than 25 seafood items for $22.95. Exit east off I-95 at the coastal Georgia town of Eulonia, and soon you're winding along back roads barely wide enough for two cars. Keep your nose toward the Sapelo River and, after a few turns, you'll find yourself dead-ending at a gravel parking lot. Welcome to Pelican Point Restaurant. Owner Mike Phillips was a fisherman and shrimper in these parts for almost 20 years before he built Pelican Point near his seafood docks. Today, he handpicks for his restaurant the shrimp, red snapper, mahi-mahi, and other varieties of seafood from those same docks managed by his son, Charlie. You'll notice the freshness right away as you wade through the all-you-can-eat buffet and its more than 25 seafood items ($22.95). If you're not quite that hungry, try the Fresh Fried Shrimp ($23.95), a small mound of sweet Georgia whites landed right off the coast. No matter what you decide, you must try a cup of the spicy crab stew (accompanying all the entrees and the buffet); it's a must-slurp. Pelican Point Restaurant: On the Sapelo River in Crescent, Georgia; (912) 832-4295. Directions: From I-95, take Exit 58, and go east 4 miles. Turn left onto Johnson Road, drive 3 miles, and turn left onto Sapelo Drive. The road dead-ends into the restaurant's parking lot. Serenity on the bayou The Blow Fly Inn sits on the banks of the Bayou Bernard in Gulfport, Mississippi. Resist all urges to swat the fly garnishing your garnish. At first, the plastic insect perched on your parsley might surprise you, but relax -- it's just a little wink from owner Scott Weinberg and the gang at Blow Fly Inn in Gulfport, Mississippi. The flashing lights and clanking coins of the nearby casinos seem a lifetime away here on the banks of the serene Bayou Bernard. Snag a table out on the deck close to sunset, when about the only shows around are the easy ripples from an occasional outboard puttering by. Settle in with a cup of the She-Crab Bisque ($2.99) and sail on to the Combination Po'boy ($6.99) heaped with fried shrimp and oysters. Blow Fly Inn: 1201 Washington Avenue, Gulfport, MS 39507; (228) 896-9812. More of the South's best seafood dives .Photography by J. Savage Gibson, Meg McKinney and Karim Shamsi-Basha Copyright 1996-2005 SOUTHERN LIVING Magazine. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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