Admittedly, Coastal Kitchen is one of my favorite restaurants on St. Simons Island. I love sitting out on the deck and watching the water, the breeze blowing the ornamental grasses that grow on the surrounding grounds and the pelicans diving into the intracoastal waters to grab a bite to eat. Having been raised on the Gulf Coast of Texas, I also have to admit my passion for really good fried shrimp. Texas shrimp is much different from sweet Georgia shrimp. It has more of an iodine flavor to it, which I do not prefer having feasted on the local variety for the past five years. Coastal has never let me down, their shrimp is always hand dipped and rolled in their homemade breading mixture, fried to perfection and served with hand cut french fries and crunchy cole slaw. Feeling hungry now?
Jeff Montaigne is the proud owner of Coastal Kitchen. He is passionate about serving some of the best fish and seafood to be found in our area as well as other fare for those who prefer turf to surf. There are no shortcuts taken and everything is made from scratch. Even the juices used in the bar are fresh squeezed and mixed with your libation of choice. I have to make a return visit one of these days to sample a Salty Dog and the latest bar addition, jalapeno popcorn. You can peruse the menu here: http://www.coastalkitchenandrawbar.com/
The restaurant business is stressful at best. It is a business that requires excellence, attention to detail and impeccable service in order to succeed. For the past five years Jeff has filled the bill for local and visiting diners. He joked with me that his is the best restaurant on Lanier Island, of course, we all know it’s the only restaurant on the small island just before the last bridge onto St. Simons, but that’s ok. We’ll give him “the best” status anyway.
What does Jeff do to reduce his stress? He sky dives! Now, to me, this would be the most stressful thing I could ever imagine doing. You will not, I repeat, NOT, find me taking this sport up. But Jeff is dedicated to flying through the air, hand on the rip cord, savoring the sheer joy, the thrill of it all. He shares a camaraderie with fellow divers who also enjoy the feeling of falling through the air to land safely on solid ground once again.
Was he frightened at first? He admits that yes, he began his first step out of the plane with a bit of trepidation and that “Oh My God”, the door is open and I’m supposed to jump feeling that took his breath away, but jump he did. It took about eight jumps for him to handle the fear of it all. From then on he was hooked, anticipating each new jump as a chance to save his own life.
Something I did not know….there is an automatic activation device which will deploy automatically should anything happen to cause Jeff not to open his parachute. Whew! That makes me feel a bit better about it all. And actually, the thought of flying through the air, floating gently down to Mother Earth does sound peaceful in a way.
Jeff is a guy who loves action. The adrenalin rush he experiences with each dive keeps him going back for more. He likes to have fun! His staff reflects his attitude as they provide cheerful service to a faithful clientele. Happy hour is from 3 – 6 Monday through Friday, with live music served up on the weekends. When all is said and done it’s hard to beat having a business you love in a setting like this!
Coastal Kitchen – 102 Marina Drive – St. Simons Island, Ga 31522 – 912-638-7790
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