Destin Fl Arcade With Alligator Feeding

Bayou Bill's Crab House, Santa Rosa Beach and Panama City Beach

Bayou Bill's offers bite-sized alligator with both Sautéed Alligator and Blackened Alligator options.

Patrick Mathews, partner, said it features sautéed alligator and blackened alligator on its appetizer menu. Both dishes are made from farmed gator, he said.

The blackened alligator is rolled in Cajun spices and blackened in a cast-iron skillet. The dish is served on a bed of rice pilaf and topped with lemon beurre blanc.

"Anybody that likes blackened fish, blackened tuna or the blackened stuff, would like this," Mathews said.

The sautéed alligator is lightly floured, or dusted, and flash fried, Mathews said. It is sautéed with mushrooms, tomatoes and onions in a garlic butter wine sauce, he said.

The sautéed version is also served over rice.

"It's just very flavorful," Mathews said. "It's my favorite way to eat alligator."

By itself, alligator does not have much of a flavor, Mathews said. But, the meat takes on added flavor well, he said.

"We've been serving that since 1986," Mathews said. "It's phenomenal."

Elmo's Grill, Santa Rosa Beach

Elmo's Grill puts a twist on ribs with its alligator meat serving BBQ Gator Ribs.

Jordan Crowder, marketing assistant, said it is different from other restaurants that use alligator tail meat.

"Ours is actually the rib cage," Crowder said. "So it's a full rack of ribs like you would get if you ordered regular baby back ribs."

The restaurant's alligator comes from a farm in Stark, he said.

The difference between alligator meat ribs and traditional ribs is the amount of meat you get, Crowder said. In reptile meat, the bones are small, and you can pull them out easily, he said.

"It's very healthy, high protein content, hardly any saturated fat, low in carbs, low in calories," Crowder said. "It's a very lean, game meat."

Crowder likens the meat to chicken or a pork chop, he said.

The restaurant seasons, barbecues and smokes the alligator ribs. It is served with barbecue sauce on the side.

The BBQ Gator Ribs can be served as an appetizer or a meal. The meal comes with french fries, coleslaw and hushpuppies, which can be substituted with new potatoes and corn on the cob.

"There's not many places in the whole country that you can get fresh alligator …" Crowder said. "You're getting fresh alligator from the state of Florida served in Florida."

Fudpucker's on the Island, Okaloosa Island, and Fudpucker's Beach Bar & Grill, Destin

Fudpucker's Beach Bar & Grill has four items on its menu that feature alligator meat; Alligator Gumbo, Gator Tail a la Fud, Gator Pucker and Shrimp and Chicken & Alligator Combo.

Richard Neal, general manager, said the restaurant does not slaughter its own alligators. It gets alligator meat from an approved source, he said.

The alligator gumbo is a signature item at Fudpucker's. It has a unique roux with fresh fish, shrimp, alligator, fried okra and fresh vegetables, Neal said.

It is on the spicy side, but not "overly spicy," he said.

"It's very succulent," Neal said. "If you're a gumbo lover, you're gonna love our gumbo."

One of the restaurant's most popular appetizers is the Gator Tail a la Fud, Neal said. For this dish, a chef cuts the alligator tail into chunks, beats it down for tenderness, soaks it in buttermilk, breads it, deep fries it and serves it with a sweet Thai chili sauce, Neal said.

"We say it tastes like chicken," Neal said.

The Gator Tail a la Fud is featured in the Shrimp, Chicken & Alligator Combo with homemade chicken and fried shrimp.

The Gator Pucker is a unique dish. It is an alligator burger made with a 50-50 blend of alligator meat and pork, Neal said. The mixture gives the meat a succulent flavor, he said.

It is grilled and made with "secret spices," Neal said. It is served on a ciabatta bread bun with lettuce, onions and pickles, he said.

"Nobody else in this area does a gator burger," Neal said.

Uncle Buck's Fish Bowl and Grill, Destin

The menu at Uncle Buck's Fish Bowl and Grill boasts Alley Gator as its "No. 1 appetizer."

Travis Horn, general manager, said the alligator meat is tenderized three times, hand-breaded in spicy Cajun seasoning and then deep fried. It's then served on a bed of greens with a cooling gator sauce, he said.

"It has a distinct alligator flavor," Horn said. "It's spicy. It's got a good spicy breading on it. And then the cooling sauce kind of evens the spice out and just makes it really nice and smooth."

The restaurant gets its wild-caught alligator from a supplier in Louisiana, Horn said.

"I'm a little biased, but I do believe ours is the best that I've had," Horn said.

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Source: https://www.nwfdailynews.com/story/lifestyle/things-to-do/emerald-coast/2017/06/07/4-places-to-eat-gator-around-destin/20119607007/