Mr. P's Southern Bistro

Mr. P's is a bistro on the main drag into "downtown" Southport (I use that phrase lightly since it's such a small town). It's a little brick building and inside there's a down-home country, but elegant feel to the place. I'd personally call it a "Southern Bistro" style. 

Fried Goat Cheese Salad

The servers are exceptionally nice...the typical Southern hospitality. They have a full bar with some fun twists on cocktails. Their appetizers are fantastic. My favorite salad on their menu is the fried goat cheese salad (as you know, I love anything with goat cheese). The goat cheese is rolled in breadcrumbs and lightly fried, served warm atop mix greens, roasted red peppers and toasted, spiced pecans with a light balsamic dressing. It's a great start to a fabulous meal. 

On the menu, there's a huge selection of fresh seafood as well as burgers and their famous Prime Rib. There is always an abundance of additional daily specials so wait for your server to let you in on those delicious secrets before deciding. Come to think of it, I've been there multiple times and can probably count on one hand the number of times I've ordered off of their usual menu. All of their entrees come with grits or potatoes and a choice of their daily vegetables. My favorite side of theirs are their Parmesan Fried Green Tomatoes. They are deliciously tangy, perfectly golden brown, crispy, and absolutely fantastic! 

On this particular night, my friends and I shared a few dishes. We ordered one of the specials that wasn't on the menu: Blackened salmon topped with blue cheese and herbs, a side of pan-roasted red potatoes and (of course) their Parmesan fried green tomatoes. The salmon was deliciously seasoned with spicy Cajun spices and perfectly cooked. The bleu cheese on top was a great coolant for the taste-buds and was also a great pairing for the pan-roasted red potatoes. It's one of my favorites at this restaurant as they usually have some sort of blue-cheese topped fish on special any night of the week.

 Blackened Salmon w/ Bleu Cheese, Herbs, Roasted Potatoes & Parmesan Fried Green Tomatoes

We also tried their shrimp and Andoille sausage gumbo served with fried grit cakes. The grit cakes were awesome! Crispy, fried outside, and creamy inside. The Andoille sausage was perfectly pan seared before being added to the deliciously seasoned gumbo. It was an elegant twist to a down-home, Southern gumbo.

Shrimp & Andoille Sausage Gumbo with Fried Grit Cakes

Mr. P's is a local favorite that has earned it's status as a place you'll want to keep going back to.