The Love Shack is new place where you can go

As you turn off U.S. Highway 98 onto East Hewitt Road, you start seeing signs that point the way to the ... "Love Shack! Love Shack, yeah! I'm headin' down the ... highway."

The food
Appetizers run the gamut from fried pickle chips to crab stuffed jalapenos to nachos. If you've never tried fried dill pickles, you owe it to yourself to give them a try. Nearly everyone agrees that they are delicious and addictive.
   
At The Love Shack, they are served with ranch dressing for dipping.
   
For a light meal, add a house or Caesar salad with your choice of chicken or shrimp to a bowl of their delicious gumbo.
   
Sandwiches are served with fries and slaw and include the usual seafood offerings in the form of po' boys but also a sausage po' boy, cheeseburger and grilled chicken sandwiches.
   
Items from the grill come blackened or bronzed.
   
Bronzing is similar to blackening but at a lower temperature, and bronzing spices generally contain more herbs than blackening spices.
   
Side items at The Love Shack include roasted vegetables, garlic mashed potatoes, black beans, French fries, garlic rice and coleslaw.
   
Specialties include fish tacos, which are served with pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, black beans and rice.
   
The Gulf Coast mahi mahi is a good choice. The grilled fish is topped with fresh lump crab meat, steamed popcorn shrimp and lemon butter.
   
The Southwest Fish n' Gulf Shrimp is another good choice. The fish and shrimp are smothered with black beans, corn, tomatoes, red onions and cilantro.
   
You can't go wrong with any of the fried baskets, which are also served with fries and slaw and include chicken fingers, catfish, clams, popcorn and gulf shrimp as well as oysters.
   
The Love Shack offers a good selection of pastas, including a shrimp and crab scampi pasta. Lump crabmeat and popcorn shrimp are tossed in scampi butter and served over linguini.
   
A good choice for dessert is the light and tangy Key lime pie. Other choices include a slice of cheesecake or a slice of chocolate cake.
   
On Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m., The Love Shack has allyou-can-eat fried flounder or clam strips for $9.99.
   
The atmosphere
The Love Shack exudes a friendly, casual feeling that can be a cool oasis after a hot day at the beach or just a comfortable, kick-back getaway for friends where kids are welcome, too.
   
The wood walls are brought to life with the vibrant paintings and sculpture by local artists Joe Elmore and Justin Gaffrey.
   
Windows look out on a bar area where a disco ball shimmers above a small dance floor.
   
Don't forget to bring your swimsuit, because the public is invited to take advantage of the pool from 4 to 11 p.m.
 
The service
Friendly and attentive service is the order of the day at The Love Shack. Our server checked on us throughout the meal, making sure empty plates were removed quickly and that our drinks were promptly refilled.
 
A final taste
As the B-52's song continues ... "The Love Shack is a little old place where we can get together. Love Shack, baby! Love Shack bay-bee!

Quick Bites

The Love Shack Seafood n' Oyster House

Location
306 Bald Eagle Drive
Santa Rosa Beach
(850) 267-0399

Hours
4-10 p.m. daily

Reservations
Not necessary

Handicap accessibility
Good

Children's menu
No

Price range
Starters
$2.99-$9.99
Entrees
$5.99-$18.99
Desserts
$3.99-$4.99

Payment
Major credit cards