Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club: Where to Eat and See the Water
4801 Hwy 30A, Santa Rosa Beach, 267-2305
Hours: Lunch Tue-Fri 11:30am to 2pm, dinner Wed-Sat @ 5pm
Reservations: Accepted


By Bruce Collier February 7, 2008 Issue

Food with a view is becoming an increasingly scarce combination hereabouts. The Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club has been in the same place for as long as I can recall, and still offers fine dining and an equally fine look at the Gulf. As you’d expect at any good beach club, there’s a bar manned by a bartender that knows his stuff. We ate there on a weeknight, and a pair of perfectly made cocktails got us started just right.

Our server, Ashley (spelling approximate), seemed to be taking care of most of the room. She was friendly, just attentive enough, and she and the busser kept the food and drinks coming and going without undue speed or slowness. We got our drinks and a basket of delicious warm rolls. Ashley recited the specials, and noted that the kitchen is in the process of changing the menu. As a result, some — possibly most — of what we had may not be there when you go. I hope at least some of it is, because we ate very well.

We started with a pair of special appetizers, and the soup of the day, loaded baked potato. I got a pair of spring rolls, fried crisp and stuffed with lean shreds of duck meat. A fruity, lightly tart dipping sauce cut the richness of the meat. The rolls looked pretty, and tasted even prettier. The soup tasted as advertised, with a thick layer of chewy cheese. The salad, a “southern spinach” style, was dressed with bacon, honey mustard vinaigrette, and candied nuts. So far, so good.

Other starters — on and off the menu — included oysters Rockefeller, a spinach, artichoke and crab dip, fried crab claws, fried oysters, and seafood gumbo. There’s also a salad of mixed greens, an iceberg lettuce wedge with blue cheese dressing, and a Caesar salad.

The main course choices were about evenly divided between sea and land, with fish, shrimp, crab, chicken, beef, and pork all represented. I chose the grilled fish of the day — mahi mahi — and my friend ordered grilled chicken breast over penne pasta. Each entrÈe comes with a choice of two sides — mashed or baked potato, roasted asparagus, wilted spinach, or baby green beans. These are also available a la carte.

While we were waiting, enjoying our drinks and a second basket of rolls and butter, I took a look around. The club — open to members and the public — boasts a spacious dining room, a lounge area, and even patio dining, though there weren’t any takers that night. The tables are well spaced, colors are on the light side, and there’s a big glass window out of which one can see the blue-green waters of the Gulf in the daytime. At night it’s just a big black space, but I knew what was out there.

The main course arrived. The fish was sauced with a citrus beurre blanc, which complemented the juicy, grilled taste of the mahi. My friend ate only about a third of her pasta, even allowing for the generous sample she gave me, and boxed it up. There was plenty of tender chicken, with a sauce of dried tomatoes, spinach, and roasted garlic cream. It was a nice balance of sweet and savory, creamy and tangy.

Other main courses included pan-seared fish, lump crab cakes, grilled pork chop, fried shrimp, and grilled steaks.

Even though we were boxing things, we ordered dessert. There were a few specials, unfortunately the one I ordered — a mango bread pudding — was already gone. Likewise out was the regular menu’s apple tart. I took third choice with a chocolate torte, which was a rich, indulgent consolation, more fudge than cake, with raspberry puree and creme anglaise. My friend scored right out of the box with vanilla ice cream rolled in ground nuts, white and dark chocolate, and drizzled in honey. Served in a martini glass, it was a sundae for big kids. We barely finished our desserts, but neither would have traveled, so we had no choice. The other sweet option was bourbon vanilla creme brule.

From the outside, Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club looks rather like a cross between a Greek temple and a French chateau. I know, just like the rest of Hwy 30A. Don’t worry. It’s clearly marked, and once you eat there, you’ll remember the way.

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