THE COASTAL BEND MAGAZINE • March/April 2018 99 TheCoastalBend.com Railroad Seafood Station Brewery When visiting a coastal destination it is inevitable that you will seek out fresh seafood as part of your trip. South Texas, in particular, not unlike other regions of the South, is home to a very distinct style of seafood that was formulated almost 70 years ago along the shores of Baffin Bay. Those special recipes include the perfectly seasoned batter used for jumbo fried shrimp and fresh Texas oysters, which are served at Railroad Seafood as dinner plates or family style—that is to say, by the pound. Fish lovers will enjoy the freshest snapper, catfish, drum and flounder prepared fried, broiled or blackened. The chefs here expertly dabble in more distant flavors, like Cajun Snapper Pontchartrain and Polynesian Colossal Coconut Shrimp, which could be one of the very best shrimp dishes in the Coastal Bend. You will also find one of the best hamburgers in town here. Home brewed beer in the adjacent bar, which is big enough for private parties. 1214 N. Chaparral St. • (361) 883-6200 RailroadSeafood.com • $$$ YO Philly’s YO Philly Cheese Steaks While Philadelphia’s two most famous cheese steak shops have fought for decades over who’s best, there’s no ques- tions whatsoever where you will find the best, most authentic Philly Cheese Steak sandwich in the Coastal Bend, and that is YO on North Beach. The true Philly sand- wich starts with a heap of thin cut steak, sautéed with onions and mushrooms and topped with melting Provolone cheese. YO is also home to the monstrous Philly Jack 1/3 lb. burger plus 1/3 lb. sliced steak, real Italian hoagies, and more-- made with specialty meats and cheeses from that City of Brotherly Love. YO also serves up hot dogs, roast beef, and ter- rific pizzas. 3314 Surfside Blvd. on North Beach • (361) 452-8750 • $$ Pier 99 Some of the best seafood, sandwiches and hamburgers in the Coastal Bend can be found at Pier 99, located on Corpus Christi Beach between the U.S.S. Lexington and Texas State Aquarium. This place is all about waterfront dining, with the biggest dining patio built over water in the area and the unique views of downtown and the bay offered from historic North Beach. Pier 99 features a huge, diverse menu with something for everyone, seafood lover or not, including awesome desserts like Key Lime pie and peach cobbler. Live music liven up the scene most evenings and all weekends over the summer. 2822 N. Shoreline Blvd., North Beach • (361) 887-0764 Pier99Restaurant.com $$$ Vietnam Vietnam Restaurant Corpus Christi’s true fine dining establish- ment is home to classic fusion cuisine born in French-influenced Vietnam, featuring recipes served decades ago in the ancestral eatery of this restaurant’s owners. Diners return again and again to enjoy the finest, creative cooking that includes Chateaubriand, Chilean sea bass in a white truffle sauce, halved and roast- ed chicken and duck, grilled eggplant in fish sauce, and memorable, fusion creations like black pepper fried jumbo gulf shrimp and a redfish in mushroom cream sauce. Vegetarians find delectable options at Vietnam Restaurant, including pepper fried broccoli, crispy sweet and sour tofu, plus the exceedingly popular Vegetarian Delight platter. Each evening Chef Lam offers forth off-menu features that are often seasonal in nature, and which always dazzle diners with rich fla- vor and spectacular presentation. Expect the finest service in Corpus Christi deliv- ered by a professional, knowledgeable staff. 701 N. Water St. • (361) 852-2682 Vietnam-Restaurant.com • $$$$ JB’s German Bakery & Cafe and Strudel Mania The Coastal Bend’s first, and only, authen- tic German bakery opened to the raves of grateful Padre Islanders a few years ago, and JB’s popularity and notoriety has spread across South Texas. Stories of San Antonians’three-hour, spontane- ous day trips to“the beach,”that always include a long stop at JB’s for a big bag