MAGNOLIA'S BEACHSIDE
by T. Bennison

It's incredible enough that anyone would say the words "hushpuppy" and "remoulade" in the same sentence, yet it's even more incredible that they'd create such wonderful flavors together. They seem like an odd pairing at first; by all accounts, they should be on two opposite ends of the culinary spectrum. But slather a fried ball of cornmeal with the briny green caper-based sauce and you'll feel your taste buds awaken from a long slumber.

Revelatory moments like that await within each dish at Magnolia's Beachside, where good old-fashioned Southern fare is given a fresh new dimension by executive chef Jason Clark. By enhancing traditional recipes with organic seasonal vegetables and slightly eclectic accompaniments, Clark creates what he calls "contemporary Southern" cuisine, and the result is both warmly comforting and mind-opening.

Clark, a graduate of Ft. Lauderdale's Culinary School, began cooking at an early age, preparing meals for his family in the Ft. Meyers area. A trip to Thailand and a subsequent love affair with Southeast Asian cuisine inform his cooking with a degree of freshness rarely found in the area. It may sound like a stretch, but the bold spices and cool flavors found in Asian food are no strangers to traditional Southern cooking. Spices like curry and ginger made their way to America via early seafarers and the African slaves they brought with them to the area, and Southern food reflects that history most prominently in dishes like jambalaya and gumbo. The wealth of seafood and citrus along the coastal South helped shape a distinctive regional cuisine which appears, reborn with a modern twist, throughout Magnolia's creative menu.
On a recent visit, we began our meal with an order of pan-fried green tomatoes in a sweet Vidalia onion confit ($7) and corn/crab fritters in peach/horseradish cream ($7), and were blown away by the gentle play of sweetness and saltiness in both. With other starters like the delicious-sounding sauteed Hatteras oysters with smoked cheddar grits in a blackberry/molasses glaze ($7), and bourbon barbecued shrimp ($8) on the menu, we could well justify another visit made up of appetizer sampling.

The main plates include items like grilled pork tenderloin with lentils, molasses, and sauteed apples ($18), sauteed chicken livers with collard greens, Carolina rice, and sage cream gravy ($14), and grilled tenderloin of beef with seasonal vegetables and black-eyed pea sauce ($21). We opted for selections from their extensive fresh fish and seafood section. The sauteed sea scallops ($18) were the best I've had in years. Sashimi-grade and cooked briefly to retard shrinkage, their firm texture was offset nicely by the accompanying grits and black-eyed peas. Magnolia's take on the brothy Low Country Boil came with shrimp, mussels, clams, tender crawfish, fresh corn and potatoes, but the real hit was the pecan crusted red snapper, served with perfect sweet potato fries and peach butter sauce ($18).

The dinner portions are suitably large without being overly filling, but we decided to share a warm peach cobbler ($5) served with ginger caramel, cranberrry pecan crumble, and fresh whipped cream. The other dessert items were just as enticing: Georgia pecan pie with sweet Bourbon custard in a ginger shortbread crust ($4), and Flavor of the Day homemade ice cream ($3.50 alone; $1.50 with dessert).

It's a shame our appetites are frequently driven by familiarity. That quest to revisit fond memories and satiate a desire for comfort and safety often overshadows what is often a neglected part of eating: the discovery of new flavors. But like the contrasting flavors and textures of blackberries and oysters, Magnolia's proves that comfort and adventure can coexist harmoniously.

Magnolia's Beachside Restaurant is located at 1356 A1A in Satellite Beach. Their refined yet relaxed atmosphere is a welcome change from many area restaurants. They're open for lunch Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch menu items include excellent fresh salads and sandwiches like Po' Boys and Muffalettas. Dinner is served Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and they serve brunches on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A visit to Magnolia's is worth it for the stellar wine list alone. Special seven-course dinners are seved monthly and arranged in conjunction with a featured vineyard. The fixed price menu for these special dinners is unique for each event and a glass of selected wine is served with each course. For reservations and information on the seven course wine dinners, call 779-0165.