Cay · Key · Quay

WHEN? Friday · July 18

WHERE? Gulf Shores, Alabama · find us on the map

Along with good food, today's lunch at Bahama Bob's included a pleasant surprise and two unexpected lessons in Bahamian culture:

• The back open-air porch we dined on looks out onto the Gulf, where many people were enjoying the sun and surf. The restaurant's casual dress code (which includes swimsuits) and a rinse-off shower along the boardwalk encourage beachgoers to come in for rest and refreshment.
• Cay, Key and Quay all mean the same thing (a small, low-elevation, sandy island formed on the surface of coral reefs) and are pronounced the same way.
• A number of dishes on the menu are named after places in the Bahamas:

  Bimini Style Steamed Shrimp Crab Cay Crab Claws Hurricane Hole Fried Shrimp Norman’s Cay Fried Cheese Sticks Stanial Cay Chicken Tenders Crab Cay Baked Pangus

  The menu also included the Bahama Bob's Story:

  
  While on a treasure hunt off Rum Cay Bahama, a hurricane nearly sank Bob’s 45-foot sailboat, the “Kavu.” The main sail gone and losing power, he made it back to George Town Bahama. To celebrate his near miss with death, Bob partied for 3 straight days! That’s right, 3 days! When he awoke, blurry eyed and he did, Bob stumbled next door to the bar for a Bloody Mary.
  
  Feeling much better, Bob booked a ride on the Staniel Cay Express, the slowest boat in all the islands. Finally landing in Stanial Cay, Bob caught a ride on a sea plane to Bimini. There he met Captian Chuck Rohr and his all girl crew! They became immediate friends. They set sail for Key West, making land fall 3 days later. Bob headed straight for Margaritaville. Several rum drinks later he ran into Frank & Steve, old friends from Gulf Shores. They convinced him to come back with them to “The other side of Paradise,” on West Beach. They had an idea! We could build a little slice of Island living right here.

  So ... Welcome to Bahama Bob’s. The Real Thing! The very best of everything you come to the beach for. And remember...

  
  LOWER THE LATITUDE - BETTER THE ATTITUDE!

  
  See more of today's photos:
  Bahama Bob's Beach Side Cafe on Flickr