Fat Clemenza's Italian Restaurant & Brick Oven Pizzeria

If you haven't had the chance to visit Destin's new favorite Italian restaurant, Fat Clemenza's, stop everything you're doing and go this afternoon or evening!The first time I ate was by recommendation of my girlfriend, who said the food was as good or better than our favorite little restaurant Po’ in Little Italy.

Although quiet skeptical at first, my sister and I ate their two nights later. Since our first time eating at Fat Clemenza's, we have come back at least once a week to enjoy what is by far the best "real" Italian food along the Emerald Coast. There's a lot of non-authentic restaurants in the area, but if you're looking for a real New York or Chicago-style Italian spot, this is the place for you.To start, their brick-oven pizza is as good as any I've had in Brooklyn or Little Italy. The quality of the mozzerella and pepperoni is fabulous.

Their daily dinner specials are some of our favorite dishes now and their everyday entrees are fantastic.For dinner, you can expect to pay between $12-20 for your entree. Also a great place for lunch, featuring many great sandwiches (Chef Mimmo’s Vegetable Panini is my fav) for $6-8 and rarely busy during lunch time. Don’t forget to try the wood fired Pizza’s that come in a variety of Italian versions.So if you haven't already, go down to Fat Clemenza's for dinner. But get there early! It's packed every night (which means it's good). You will love the friendly staff and principal owner, Dominique, will most likely visit your table.

For hour of operation, menu’s and more information visit: http://www.fatclemenzas.com/

Camille's Seafood & Sushi Restaurant

Destin is known for its beautiful beaches, challenging golf courses and trendy shops, but when the sun goes down its culinary flare rises. Destin is home to some of the finest dining establishments in the world and the options are endless. From steak to seafood, spaghetti to sushi, Destin has it all.

This brings us to the all-so-perplexing question: Where do we eat? When the locals are in the mood for delicious food we always head over to Camille’s at Crystal Beach. Camille’s is located on Scenic Highway 98, tucked away on the second floor of The Beachside Inn. Just up the stairs and through the door you’ll find yourself in a cozy and sophisticated atmosphere that is incomparable.

Camille’s serves up an eclectic fare of seafood and local favorites, such as Barbeque Shrimp, Crab Cakes, and a 12-ounce Certified Angus Ribeye sure to make your mouth water. With a large & extensive wine list and tantalizing daily specials there is something to wet everyone’s appetite. Enjoy your meal inside, with a breath-taking view of the ocean or on the two outdoor patios relaxing to the sounds of the Gulf.Stop by Camille’s sushi bar for the greatest sushi around. That’s right; people come from all over to enjoy delicacies such as Uni, Toro, and Blue Fin Tuna. How about a sake bomb or cocktail at the bar? Have some laughs with the sushi chefs and bartenders, as well as the locals who come here often.At Camille’s you’ll never see a stranger, just friendly faces enjoying good food and good spirits in a casual atmosphere. Camille’s serves up delicious food at a great price for lunch and dinner everyday, making it a best kept secret in Destin. For more information: www.destinbeachsideinn.com/

Fabulous designer assortment found at the Teena Haven Boutique!

TEENA HAVEN BOUTIQUE has opened in a new location. The new store is in the same complex as SPY Lifestyle store. You will find the store located at 12555 Emerald Coast Pkwy, Suite B in Destin across from Smith's Antiques and near CVS drugstore.

The new store is fabulous, open and very chic with some of the best names in the business. This is truly a boutique for all ladies or all ages. I found a wonderful selection of designer handbags, footwear, jewelry, sunglasses and so much fab apparel. I was surprsed at the wonderful price points - some great values can be found here.

Some of the designers I found in the boutique: Carlos Falchi, Blumarine, Bvlgari, Christian Lacroix, Emilio Pucci, Pollini, Valentino, Barbara Bui, Roberto Cavalli, Elie Tahari, Tory Burch, Diane von Furstenburg, Tom Ford and Guiseppe Zanotti to name a few!

You don't have to go to New York or Los Angeles to find the best, it is right here in Destin at Teena Haven. Give her a ring at 850-269-0781

Teena Haven Boutique opens in new location.

Restaurant Paradis opens in Rosemary Beach

Restaurant Paradis is a small fine dining restaurant, with a comfortable and inviting full service lounge. Evoking a warm neighborhood feel, the dining area will feature an understated wine country elegance. Open for dinner, Paradis is committed to serving fresh seasonal ingredients, which celebrate our local produce and an abundance of fresh Gulf seafood, along with prime steaks and fine wines. A perfect spot for creative loafing, the lounge at Paradis is a great place for meeting friends and neighbors. Paradis welcomes wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, and all your celebrations, both intimate and large. Throughout the year we will offer select wine dinners and tastings from some of California's most exclusive vintners. Reservations are suggested at 850.534.0400 or visit at http://www.restaurantparadis.com/ The menu is extraordinary!

FIRST COURSE
Wagyu Beef Carpaccio Classic Wagyu beef carpaccio accompanied by roasted hearts of palm, caramelized onions, Maytag blue cheese, and a balsamic reduction. $12
Paradis Crab Cake Pan seared jumbo lump crab cake over creamed Silver Queen corn and achipotle oil drizzle. $13
Diver Scallops Succulent U-10 Diver scallops, seared and served with a wild mushroom, sweet pea risotto and a carrot buerre blanc 12 Tempura Lobster Roll Lobster, spring vegetables and truffle risotto, tempura fried and topped with lobster saffron cream. $14
French Escargot Escargot, goat cheese and duxelle wrapped in phyllo pastry,served with a root beer reduction. $10

SOUPS AND SALADS
She-Crab Soup Rich Blue crab bisque prepared in the traditional Charleston style 9 Chef’s Soup Creation Chef’s daily preparation of seasonal ingredients. $9
Crispy Calamari Salad Flash fried cornmeal dusted calamari over spring mix and julienne root vegetables with a sweet Thai vinaigrette. $11
Grilled Romaine Caesar Romaine lettuce lightly char-grilled and served with classic Caesar dressing, pickled sweet cherry peppers and shaved aged Asiago cheese 9 Spinach Salad Fresh baby spinach with caramelized onions, apple wood smoked bacon, goat cheese, Granny Smith apples and a Meyer lemon-tangerine vinaigrette. $9

ENTREES
Paradis Grouper Line caught grouper, grilled and topped with buerre blanc. Served over a sautéed lobster, orzo and fennel salad with roasted Patty Pan squash. $24
Ahi Tuna Sushi grade tuna seared rare with coconut lime rice, sauteed baby bok choy and wasabi mustard sauce. $27
Red Snapper Pan seared fresh snapper with Queso Blanco polenta, grilled asparagus and a tequila lime sauce. $27
Ashley Farms Organic Chicken Breast Pan roasted chicken breast over a sweet potato and spinach napoleon with steamed broccolini and cranberry demi-glace. $24
Veal Scaloppini Paneed veal topped with prosciutto and fresh buffalo mozzarella, served over angel hair pasta with fresh arugula and a smoked tomato cream. $29
Bayou Labatre Shrimp Grilled jumbo wild shrimp, crabmeat stuffed and pancetta wrapped. Served with smoked cheddar corn soufflé and red curry sauce. $28
"1855" Black Angus New York Strip Chargrilled and aged, served with Red Bliss hash, grilled asparagus and a Maytag blue cheese cabernet sauce. $37
Black Skillet Filet Mignon Certified Angus filet, skillet seared and served with Anson Mills blue grits with Dubliner cheese, Wild Turkey onions and a truffle demi-glace. $37
Restaurant Paradis is located at 82 South Barrett Square, Rosemary Beach, FL 32461

NIGHTOWN re-opens in Destin

DESTIN, FL - After spending a significant amount of time and money on renovating one of the longest-running, same-named, same-ownership nightclubs east of the Mississippi River, Nightown, has decided to re-open its doors. After the club closed in March, Bob Bonezzi knew that his first Destin business was not finished.
In fact, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Destin nightclub. During that time Nightown has played host to acts from BB King, Three Dog Night, Little Feet to DJ Skribble and Humpty Vision. The club has been known to both locals and tourists as one of Destin's hottest places to party. As managing partner of Nightown, Bonezzi is also bringing back two of his long-standing managers to make sure the club is in top form when it re-opens its doors to the public on Saturday, May 16 at 9 p.m. Managers James "JJ" Johnson and David Williams, who club patrons might recognize from the Swamp and Howl at the Moon will be at the helm running the operations and promotions of the club.
"This is really an interesting opportunity for me because I started with Nightown back in 1987 as a bartender. Six months later I was promoted to bar manager and then to the club's general manager. Nightown is where I started and so I feel a certain amount of pride in bringing her back to life," said Johnson.
Williams also feels the same sense of attachment as Johnson. "I started at Nightown as a bartender as well, so like JJ I feel like this is our chance to bring the club back to the status it should be," noted Williams. Visit www.nightown.com for more information.

Survivor & Joan Jett to play in Destin

Destin, FL, July 5 - Survivor and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts will take center stage during the Destin Seafood Festival’s 31st celebration, set to take place Oct. 2-4, along the Destin harbor. The Grammy-Award-winning band Survivor will take the stage on Friday, Oct. 2, at 8 p.m. With 10 albums during its 32-year career, the band’s hits include “I Can’t Hold Back,” “Eye Of The Tiger,” and “High On You.” Opening for Survivor will be Black-Eyed Blonde, whose explosive sound is set to begin on at 6 p.m. After almost 10 years of live shows, Black-Eyed Blonde has been rocking out to songs from bands, such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, and Earth Wind & Fire. The Northwest Florida State College Soundsations Show Choir will perform at 4:45 p.m. The Soundsations Show Choir, which performs a collection of music ranging from classic rock-n-roll to contemporary pop, is a musical performance group much like a Vegas floor show. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts will headline on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 8 p.m. The band’s hits include nine Top 40 singles, such as “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll,” “I Hate Myself For Loving You,” and “Crimson and Clover. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ opening act will be Ocean Street, whose über catchy tunes can be heard beginning at 6 p.m. With hits such as “Till I’m Gone” and “One Horse Town,” Ocean Street has received radio success at the college radio level, and its music is licensed for use on six MTV shows. Local favorites will also hit the stage during the event. Chuck Lawson will kick off the entertainment on Saturday, at 2 p.m. Lawson is a songwriter and singer who performs a wide variety of genres and also has many fun-loving and upbeat, highly acclaimed original songs. The Forrest Williams Band will perform on Saturday, at 4 p.m., and is known for incorporating the acoustic guitar and the harmonica, while performing a variety of music ranging from soul to country to rock n’ roll. The Sal Salaz Project is set to perform on Sunday, Oct. 4, at noon. Salaz, a master percussionist, has played in various Latin and Jazz bands and is known for his artistic hand drumming. Jones and Company will perform on Sunday, at 2 p.m., and is known for performing a variety of genres with an eclectic collection of music, which they perform with heart and conviction. For more information, please visit www.DestinSeafoodFestival.org or contact the Destin Area Chamber of Commerce at (850) 837-6241.