PANAMA CITY BEACH — From fried seafood baskets to grouper filets, oysters, prime rib and barbecue, Sandbar has something you want.
“You’re in the South. What goes better than seafood and barbecue?” asked Dave Humphreys, who co-owns Sandbar with Craig Harris.
Sandbar also adds in a favorite Southern tradition — sports, shown on TVs and a large projection screen.
“One rule is there has to be something sports on television,” Humphreys added. “Sports are pretty big here.”
Harris, one of the original Sandbar Seafood & Deli owners, played football for the University of Alabama during the team’s ’92 championship year.
“I was signed out of Mosley (High School) in ’88 and red shirted one year,” said Harris, who lettered all four years.
But he plays fair, leaving most of his memorabilia at home in his garage.
“We pack up in here for the Alabama game, but I am not just for the Alabama team,” said Harris, who has been known to trade a “Roll Tide!” for an Auburn’s “War Eagle.”
Though Harris was raised in Panama City, his dad, Buddy Harris Jr., grew up in Birmingham, Ala., before making this area his home.
“My dad had Buddy Harris Shoes for 43 years,” said Harris, who has named a dish after his dad, “a big fisherman” who “loved sports.” Captain Buddy’s Platter features a combination of fried shrimp, oysters, snapper and clam strips — all with a light batter.
“We peel and butterfly the shrimp by hand and put them in a milk and egg wash for a light breading,” said Humphreys, who also pays tribute to his dad, a U.S. Navy commander, on the menu. Commander Dave’s Shrimp features a half pound of succulent shrimp from Bayou La Batre, Ala., in a slightly spicy butter sauce with bread for dipping.
“Everybody loves dipping the bread into the butter sauce,” said Harris, who sees the dishes going back to the kitchen wiped clean.
Humphreys added, “There are about 14 different seasonings, salt and seafood seasoning, some lemon to it.”
Humphreys has been retired for nine years after almost 30 years with the PCB Police Department, but he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. Also was known for his crawfish boils, Humphreys teamed up with Harris in August 2010. Though Sandbar began as a steamer market with deli counters, it has grown into a full-service family restaurant with seats for 150. And the crawfish boils have moved from Humphreys’ home to the restaurant for the fourth year.
“Every Thursday, we boil up very authentic Cajun style — the way my brother and I started cooking it. It took a few years to get them right,” said Humphreys, who said the secret is getting a good seasoning that’s “not too salty.”
Deliveries come from Louisiana on Thursdays during crawfish season. Humphreys and his brother, Kevin, go for Louisiana brand seasoning, boiling the crawfish “until they are just done” before they soak up the juices.
Oysters are popular year-round, served raw, steamed or baked — Cajun Baked, Mexican Baked, Cheese Baked, Horseradish Parmesan Baked, Spinach & Smoked Cheese Baked.
“We get Apalachicola oysters when they have them,” Harris added. “Our parking lots were built with our oyster shells. In season, we have four people shucking behind the bar and two in the back at a time.”
Or get a spicy Oyster Shooter with a raw oyster with bloody beer, hot sauce and a cracker chaser from the bar, which features nearly 10 draft beers and more than 30 bottles of imported and domestic.
“We’ll get our liquor license in 30 to 60 days,” said Humphreys, who added wine and wine-based fruity cocktails are currently available as well.
Shells and nautical items fill shelves around bottles of sauce, including the Apalachicola Bay Oyster Sauce, in the retail area near the entrance.
“Kermit’s Ginger Wasabai Sauce is such a good sauce; we don’t even make our own anymore for the tuna,” said Humphreys, referring to the menu’s signature Ahi Tuna Appetizer and Seared Ahi Tuna entree.
The full menu isn’t what you might expect from the outside, or even the inside.
My Grecian Grouper featured a filet of grouper seasoned with Greek seasonings, then grilled and topped with drawn butter, sautéed fresh baby spinach, halved grape tomatoes, kalamata olives and feta, then garnished with more feta. (Don’t ask for the recipe; you won’t get it.)
The recipe was something they came up with after a customer had a craving for a similar recipe from “the old Shrimp Boat” in St. Andrews.
“Getting good kalamatas is key,” Humphreys said. “The grouper is seasoned with Greek seasoning, lightly grilled on the flat top or pan and then put in a separate sauté pan with a little butter and Greek seasoning.”
The grouper was deliciously seasoned on its own, but the combination of Mediterranean flavors — along with the asparagus and roasted potatoes — made it even more satisfying.
“We lightly steam the asparagus, then add a little butter with a little Greek seasoning to keep it fresh and light,” Humphreys said. “The roasted potatoes generally are made one large tray at a time, cooked to order, then flash fried in a deep fryer and lightly toss it with kosher salt.”
The result was slightly crispy, but not too heavy. This dish definitely was worth my drive over the bridge from Panama City.
“Our proximity to Pier Park has drawn in more locals and 30A,” Harris said. “When customers come in, they know it’s a mom and pop place. We’ve been here for six years, and we have a repeat following from customers here and out of town. The shrimp basket is our biggest seller.”
The menu also features sandwiches and burgers, steaks and chicken — even linguini with alfredo.
“The Shrimp Po Boys are a throw back to old Panama City,” said Humphreys, who first moved to the Cove neighborhood when he was his son David’s age, 11.
As for barbecue, the influence goes back to Alabama.
“We do ours more Southern Alabama style barbecue, pulled pork. When I glaze ribs, it is a mixture of sauces, a sweet Southern sauce with a Carolina sauce. You get the sweetness of Alabama, but a little tang — that’s Carolina,” Humphreys explained. “We prefer to use oak, and occasionally mix in some apple cherrywood. We do it slow and low.”
The combination has scored them the Grand Champion title at the annual Grills Gone Wild, where they compete in brisket, butts, chicken and ribs categories. (The Rotary Club of Panama City Beach’s eighth annual Grills Gone Wild BBQ charity event is Nov. 21 at Gulf Coast State College.)
Sandbar also does catering from the Sandbar Seafood & BBQ Joint trailer.
“You really have to enjoy this business, you put a lot of hours in it,” Humphreys added.
- SANDBAR
- What: Seafood, steaks, barbecue, oysters
- Where: 275 State 79 in Panama City Beach
- Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. or later daily
- Details: 850-249-7200, Facebook.com/SandbarPCB or SandbarPCB.com