The North Drop Bar @ The Grand Marlin

Our Memorial Day Weekend Sunday wound down with a cocktail and appetizers at The North Drop Bar.  This spacious bar with outside seating for dining at The Grand Marlin has beautiful views of the Sound with gentle breezes blowing off the water to cool the sunburn from that day's sunburn from Pensacola Beach.

We've eaten at The Grand Marlin before and I personally prefer to eat outside at the bar.  No long line, and the views, coupled with the breeze are fantastic.

There was still the mirrored "Elton John" styled piano from the Pensacola Memorial Day Weekend festivities which is a huge tourist destination for gays and lesbians all over the southeast.  However, Elton was not there to play it.  I didn't catch the name of the band that was playing relaxing music to chill out to.

The bar itself was quite crowded with visitors who themselves had just left the beach and were aching to fill their empty stomach with something fresh from the menu.  I ordered my favorite drink, a Chipotle Pineapple Mojito.  It is made from Cruzan pineapple rum, chipotle pineapple syrup and a muddling of fresh strawberries, lime and mint, topped off with club soda.  Visit the North Drop Bar on Thursday and you can get this drink for $2 off during happy hour.  Our bartender, Jessica, spent the extra time to show me exactly how to make it.  The syrup is Chipotle Pineapple made by Monin.  It's such a refreshing drink with the lime and mint and after it goes down, there is an ever-so-subtle burn in the back of the throat.  Love it!

Surprisingly for a holiday weekend, they had oysters on special for $.50 each so Karl decided to try the Oysters Monterrey.  Fresh shucked oysters (yes, the muscle had been separated but was still intact in the shell) topped with a spicy salsa verde and pepper jack cheese and a jalapeno.  They came out piping hot, smelling of their great, briny saltiness mixed with the spicy toppings.  I haven't been able to bring myself to eat an oyster for some time now.  A bad oyster will do that to you, but I did try the topping mixed with the oyster liquor and it was very tasty.

My snack came out at the same time.  Well, for me it's dinner because the portion size is ample enough.  Their New Orleans BBQ Shrimp is to-die-for. I've had it in Biloxi on the Gulf as well as in New Orleans at Dickie Brennan's Bourbon House Seafood.  These are really great.  BBQ shrimp does not contain BBQ sauce at all.  Its this wonderful, rich combination of butter (and lots of it), worchestershie, and a few peppers (black, red, and cayenne) in the sauce and large shrimp (16-20 sized).  There are six to seven in a portion bathed in this luscious, spicy butter sauce.  But really, the best part about it is the Gambino's French Bread that comes with it to sop up all that buttery sauce.  Gambino's is a great bakery in New Orleans known for their awesome Muffulettas and King Cake and The Grand Marlin brings it in for the BBQ shrimp.  There was no sauce left on my plate and I was about to burst when I finished. 

I know this was a long post, but my goal is to not only discuss the food, but also the drinks and the atmosphere.  Two thumbs up for our appetizers at The North Drop Bar @ The Grand Marlin on Pensacola Beach.