Emeril's Fish House opens June 22
By MARY PEREZ
meperez@sunherald.com
GULFPORT --Chef Emeril Lagasse will put some bam! in the Coast recovery on June 22 with the public opening of Emeril's Gulf Coast Fish House at Island View Casino and Resort.
This is one of the first restaurants to open on the beach in Gulfport since Hurricane Katrina. Initially the Gulf Coast Fish House will serve dinner Sunday through Thursday from 5:30 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m. Lunch will be served in the near future.
Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 314-1515.
Island View owner Rick Carter said Emeril's will have outside dining "with the best views on the entire Gulf Coast," and chef de cuisine Steve D'Angelo describes the restaurant as casual and trendy.
Emeril said he at first didn't want to open a restaurant on the Mississippi Coast. "I want to relax here," he said. His wife, Alden, is a native of Gulfport and Emeril said among his staff, "We all have a lot of roots here in Mississippi." He said he plans to take advantage of the location and feature fresh regional seafood.
A VIP grand opening reception for the restaurant on June 20 will benefit The Lynn Meadows Discovery Center in Gulfport. Emeril and Alden Lagasse are co-chairs of a national campaign to raise $2 million to create a performing arts center at the museum.