Last night (Saturday) Dew Maisel and I had the pleasure of dining at one of my favorite outdoor restaurants.  I just adore the great beach atmosphere, terrific food and wonderful live entertainment that Coconuts has to offer. Coconuts Beach Bar and Grill is located at the Castle in the Sand, direct ocean front between 37th and 38th street. There is no finer place to enjoy lunch or dinner with friends than Coconuts.
    In addition to the food and music, there are palm trees, sand and beautiful yellow and orange Hibiscus and other tropical plantings. If you enjoy playing or just watching volleyball, Coconuts is the place for you.  The most unique feature about Coconuts is that they are only one of two places in Ocean City where you can be served meals and drinks right under your own umbrella on the beach. Built in 1959, the Castle has a “grandfathered in” liquor license allowing this privilege of serving folks on the beach.  
    The Castle in the Sand is owned by Adam Showell. Manager Tony Manuel was on duty last night and gave us a warm and friendly greeting. Tony is in the process of nearly completing his degree in Hotel Management; congratulations Tony! Tony set us up with a table and introduced us to Niyazi, our server. I believe this is Niyazi’s second year at Coconuts. He reminded me that I took a picture of him the prior year when I reviewed Coconuts and said how much his family in Turkey enjoyed seeing his photo in the paper. With the great service he provided us, I just had to take another picture of him with other staff members and hope his family will enjoy this article.  We truly enjoy Niyazi – what a nice young man!
    The entertainment for the evening was Randy Lee Ashcraft and the Salt Water Cowboys. (www.randyleeashcraft.com)  This is a great local band straight from the Eastern Shore of Maryland and they were named Coconut Times Entertainers of the Year several years ago. They play their own brand of music, often called "beach country." It's a bit of Buffett, with a gallon of Gill, a sprinkle of Skynyrd, and a lot of fun all mixed together. The result is at once funky, folksy, funny, beachy, jammin', and feel good!!! This is part of the reason I so love coming to Coconuts. There is music every day and the locals know this is the spot to be for great food and music. Many local musicians come to Coconuts to hang out on their day off and guest appearances make for a party atmosphere. Guest appearances tonight included eleven-year-old Julian LaRicci and his dad Ricky, Billie Carlin and the lovely Linda Sears. It’s always a friendly crowd at Coconuts. The bar and restaurant areas are especially packed between 5 and 6 when drinks are priced 2-4-1; the fastest hour on the beach.
    We arrived just after happy hour and as expected, the place was absolutely packed. When you provide the right mix of food and entertainment in a beautiful setting, business will be good and it’s a winning situation in any economy! Coconuts Beach Bar & Grill makes improvements every year. There are lots of new items on the menu and I’m most delighted that they now serve non-alcoholic beverages, such as water and ice tea, in large tumbler glasses instead of the disposable plastic cups.  This is environmentally friendly and I don’t have to ask the server for so many water refills. Coconuts also has added a very attractive gift shop so you can take a memory home with you.
    Dew started off with one of his favorite appetizers, a dozen middle neck clams. Next he had the Coconut Shrimp which is new to the menu this year. He said they were so good he didn’t need, but so enjoyed, the sweet chili sauce that accompanied the shrimp. I decided I would also try new items to the menu. I had the lump blue crabmeat tossed in Old Bay seasoning on a bed of romaine lettuce and spring mix.  This mouth watering salad was delicious and included tons of sweet red bell peppers which go so well with crab. Oh, I was indeed a happy camper with my dinner selection.  Dew decided to go with the fried oyster sandwich for his main course and said it was cooked to perfection. We were both delighted to share a basket of the sweet potato fries – yum – they were soooo gooood!!! I usually order the Blackened Fresh Tuna Caesar Salad and am sad to say that this is off the menu this year, but hey, something has to go when making room to try new items. Another favorite of mine is the Jamaican Grilled Mahi sandwich; the fish is always delicious and cooked to perfection. The Mahi comes with a Wallkerswood Jamaican mayo and just so enhances the flavor of the fish. I am also a big fan of the Spicy Black Bean Burger served on a nine grain bun with sliced avocado, pepper jack cheese, tomato and black bean salsa on the side. As we were finishing our dinner, Brenda Golden arrived and joined us. She ordered the Shrimp Salad (another new item) and said it was delicious with the creamy Old Bay and dill sauce.
    Now just what do you suppose is the perfect dessert when you dine outside in the summer? I’ll guess you vote for ice cream. Did you know Coconuts has an Ice Cream shop in the basement restaurant of the Castle? It was new last year and we really enjoyed our sundaes with lots of fun toppings. There were lots of choices for ice cream, but they were out of the double fudge chocolate that night. Guess I’ll just have to get that flavor next time.
    Allow me to tell you about another favorite. It’s the Pepperjack Chicken Wrap which is grilled chicken and pepperjack cheese rolled in a wrap with bacon, lettuce, tomato and server with a side of ranch dressing. I have to break my diet every so often to order the Mega Dog – a 1/2-pound all beef hot dog served with all the fixings.  This is a favorite of many musicians who play in front of the grill and I can see why the Mega Dog is so popular with them – the dogs smell divine on the grill! Of course the hamburger cooked to order with that fresh outdoor charcoal grill taste is always a favorite as well.
    I took a picture of my friend Monica and her neighbors who were out to support Randy Lee Ashcraft and the Salt Water Cowboys. Chatting with them, I learned that Sandy and Tim also love the Jamaican Grilled Mahi. Jane ordered the Fresh Fruit Salad tossed in yogurt and shredded coconut served on a bed of fresh greens.  This is yet another great new item this year. Monica says she always orders her favorite – Steak Tacos. Oh yes, at Coconuts there is always something mouthwatering for everyone!
    There are six delicious choices for kids for just $6 which includes beverage and Fries. Coconuts is a very family oriented place and the children’s menu certainly supports this mission. I also love to see how the musicians interact with the kiddies and make them feel a part of the show.
    I rarely drink alcohol but here are some recommendations from friends. Coconuts Sunset (Sauza gold tequila, raspberry liqueur and pineapple juice), Goombay Smash (Piña colada, orange juice, 151 rum and grenadine), and Tipsy Turtle (voted best rum punch by Esquire magazine).  If you order a Tipsy Turtle on Tuesday, you can enter to win a five-day vacation at the Green Turtle Club in the Bahamas.
    Coconuts has entertainment every day, usually starting at 2pm, and some Sat. evening shows as well. Coconuts definitely provides the best in music as well as great food in a fabulous setting. Swing by Coconuts some afternoon and you just might find yourself saying “it doesn’t get any better than this”.