THE COASTAL BEND MAGAZINE • Late Summer 2018 91 TheCoastalBend.com TROUT STREET BAR & GRILL EATING OUT IN PORT ARANSAS Island Cafe This is one of those best-kept secrets held by Port A locals as a place for outstand- ing food at a decent price, any day of the week. It’s hard to beat breakfast at Island Cafe, which features all the most popular items, but is prepared like your best friend made it for you. Don’t be shocked to find borderline gourmet cooking at this place as well, along with the work of an obviously skilled pitmaster. Fish and chips at Island Cafe is a crowd favorite, as well as comfort foods that will give your day that sweet, soft landing. 301 S. Alister St. • (361) 749-1741 • $$ Port A has for decades been home to the Coastal Bend’s best collection of restaurants, and a year after Hurricane Harvey, most of them are rebuilt and reopened better than ever. These are some of our Port A favorites that we highly recommend. ISLAND CAFE Irie’s Island Food The wave of chef-owned gourmet restau- rants in Port Aransas is quickly establish- ing the island village as one of the top dining destinations in the state of Texas, and the addition of Irie’s is a real step in that direction. Transplanted Austin Chef Martin Frannea has assembled a wonder- ful lunch menu that features garlic and ginger Kahuka-style shrimp, chicken and beef, Asian-inspired Treasure Beef, strip loin marinated in a brown sugar and chile soy sauce, and your choice of fried rice. Irie’s tacos will twist your definition of de- licious, with over a dozen varieties from simple bean and cheese, to beef, fish, shrimp, fried oyster, Texas beef, and even, from time to time, Maine lobster! To the delight of islanders and frequent visitors alike, Irie’s started opening for dinner this year. 503 N. Alister St. • (361) 749-2310 • iriesislandfood.com • $$ Oceans of Seafood This fish market of almost 40 years in Port Aransas took the big step a couple of years ago and opened a seafood restaurant, largely based on the large collection of Southern seafood recipes published as a book by the owner’s mother decades ago. The culinary result is a wonderful selection of fresh, simple but perfectly prepared fried fish, shrimp and oysters, grilled snapper, blackened tuna, stuffed crab and crab cakes, as well as the very popular Louisiana shrimp boil with corn, potatoes and Adouille sausage. The atmosphere at Oceans of Seafood is genuine Texas fish house, with colorful fishing memorabilia on the walls and dozens of wind chimes hanging from the ceiling—almost all for sale. The great seafood quality you find here may be exceeded only by the terrific value, as no plate on the regular menu is priced above $18. 165 W. Cotter Ave. (361) 749-4994 • $$ Trout Street Bar & Grill One of the most popular restaurants in the Coastal Bend got that way by not only offering the most perfect water- front setting, but with truly terrific food. Seafood creations here are top notch, starting with some of the best Cajun gumbo you will ever eat. Fresh fish ar- rives daily and nothing starts out frozen, including wild-caught Gulf shrimp that makes for wonderful salads and shrimp cocktail, grilled, prepared with pasta, and of course as the main attraction as fried jumbo gulf shrimp. You will also enjoy hand cut steaks, perfectly prepared, along with terrific burgers and sand- wiches, grilled quail, and even chicken fried steak. Trout Street is located right on the Port Aransas Marina, and dining both indoor and on the outside deck are available. 104 W. Cotter • (361) 749-7800 tsbag.com • $$$ Port“A”Pizzeria For years this neighborhood establish- ment has pleased locals and visitors alike with fresh, made from scratch pizzas, pasta, calzones and Italian subs. You will find one of the longest list of available