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Amelia's On The Bay
113 South Beach Blvd, Bay St. Louis, Ms (228) 467-3333
"Serving Gulf Seafood and Italian Specialties, Home of the FAMOUS Shrimp Po-Boy"
Have you ever dined listening to Tony Bennet on the stereo while seated beneath a black velvet painting of Frank Sinatra? Well recently the Covert Diner did just that very thing. I settled down to lunch surrounded by a decor that can only be described as "neon pink-tacky". I mean this in the nicest possible way. If you haven't guessed yet, this meal surrounded by pink flamingos and Italian American Pop-Art was held overlooking the Bay of St Louis at Amelia's Restaurant.
Amelia's on the Bay is a quant little "joint" painted bright pink and decorated to resemble a float in a gay pride parade. Somehow, at Amelia's the tackiness does not seem heavy handed and works quite nicely to accent the beautiful view of the Bay and the simple menu of Po-Boys , Seafood, and Italian specialties. With the smell of fresh marinara in the air and "The Chairman of the Board" looking over my shoulder it was an easy choice to sample the Italian fare.
The lunch began with a spring mix of lettuces covered in a herby and light homemade vinaigrette dressing. The salads were accompanied by fresh hot small loaves of bread that was as much a bread stick as anything else. They were a welcome addition to the meal and the staff kept them coming throughout. One nice touch to point out is the fresh grated Parmesan cheese served with the bread. These folks had stumbled onto one of my great weaknesses, fresh Parmesan and hot bread. Kudos all around.
Entrees for this lunch were served as a storm blew in over the bay. They were a hearty Baked Ziti with Meatballs and a dish called Chicken Premo. Both were good but on this day the Chicken was indeed the "Premo" dish. It consisted of a savory dish of marinated and grilled chicken breast served with onions and peppers in a tasty reduction over angel hair pasta. The Ziti was prepared in the classic style with a nice marinara and dense meatballs that were quite juicy and flavorful.
This surprisingly light meal was concluded with the classic Italian Tiramisu which, although not the best version served on the Coast, was quite good and a bargain for the price. The entire meal in fact was a bargain. This complete lunch for 2 was only $30.00 tax and tip inclusive.
I found the service staff at Amelia's to be very casual and personable as the quirky surroundings would lend one to expect. The restaurant is divided into 2 small rooms which should allow for smoking and non-smoking sections to be adequately separated. They have a deck out back overlooking the bay that in more accommodating weather is a wonderful place to spend a romantic evening.
All in all I found Amelia's to be very enjoyable. They have a very quirky atmosphere that is in no way contrived or pretentious. The food is very well done and is quite a bargain to boot. I would love to see them expand the menu and put the Italian twist on more of our local seafood. Amelia's is a very good and often overlooked gem in the Bay St. Louis dining array.
Accept VISA. MC, Discover and AE
Mon-Thurs 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Tues-Thurs 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Fri-Sat 11:00 AM to 9:30 PM
Sunday Brunch 11:00 AM to 9:30 PM
Last Updated: 5/18/02
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