A Dish with a Little Soul

In the United States, there is a famed breakfast specialty dish known as “Chicken and Waffles.” This combination may seem odd to some; however, once you taste this sweet and salty goodness it will be hard to ever order anything else here at Harbor Docks.

The pairing is considered a soul food tradition that was passed down through the generations of families who grew up on soul food.  Some historians trace the beginning of chicken and waffles to the post-civil war migration when many African Americans migrated to the North. Back in those days, fried chicken was a very common breakfast meat and it was always paired with a type of breakfast bread.

At Harbor Docks, we like to combine southern food with cuisine from the Emerald Coast area and typical Florida dishes. Chicken and Waffles is a classic southern meal that all of our breakfast lovers will enjoy. Next time you’re craving a mouthwatering hearty meal when you’re in the Destin area, make sure to stop in and order this historical dish of soul.

Our Beloved Yoshi

If you love our sushi at here Harbor Docks than you love our sushi chef Yoshi Eddings. Most travel down to Florida’s Emerald Coast to indulge the sun, the fishing and the fresh seafood. Many choose to stop in at Harbor Docks not only for our Grouper sandwich but Yoshi’s famous sushi.

Yoshi was born and raised in Tokyo and worked in her parent’s restaurant where her father trained her on the dishes, how to use a knife, how to sauté and how to use the grill. The small restaurant also had an in house sushi chef who taught Yoshi the art of sushi making. After she married, Yoshi moved to Destin and began to work at Harbor Docks in 1988. Yoshi became the reason that Harbor Docks added sushi to its dominant seafood menu. She added a sushi bar to the restaurant and since trained sushi chefs in Destin and around the Southeast.

Yoshi’s sushi trail expands into Alabama and Georgia as well. Chuck’s Fish in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa offer Yoshi established sushi bars and fresh seafood caught by us at Harbor Docks. The recently opened Five in Athens, Georgia has a sushi bar that Yoshi also helped to open. Not only has she established her cooking expertise across the South, she has also catered to many A-list celebrities over the years such as Tom Hanks, Madonna, Bill Murray, Robin Williams, Danny Glover, Sharon Stone and Richard Gere. Yoshi has worked on around 60 to 70 films by being responsible for keepings the stars full and happy.

So next time your indulging in one of our delicious sushi rolls, make sure to say hello to Yoshi- the creator of all that goodness!

Our Family

Most of our fan base comes from tourism that is drawn to our area for the white sandy beaches of the Emerald Coast and our lucky fishing trips on the Gulf of Mexico. A lot of the seasonal diners come to Harbor Docks on their family vacation trips, weekend getaways or sporadic girls’ beach trips. Most of the time we are their first meal when they arrive to Florida’s Gulf Coast. Our fresh fish, fun atmosphere and quality of life and food is a rare find these days and our fans seem to cherish it more than many ever know!

For those of y’all who don’t live close enough to join us for Ladies’ Nite every Thursday bursting with live music, sushi and drink specials – you’re in luck. Harbor Docks has a growing family of restaurants around the South who all embody the same attributes and charm we have here at Harbor Docks.  Camille’s at Crystal Beach (Destin, FL) Chuck’s Fish (Tuscaloosa, AL) Five (Tuscaloosa, AL Birmingham, AL, & Athens, GA,) Dharma Blue (Pensacola, FL), and Red Bay Grocery (Red Bay, FL) are all restaurants that are apart of the Harbor Docks Family. For all the Alabama fans out there, we know you probably are already acquainted with Chuck’s Fish and Five, the local Friday night hotspots for home game weekends. Five has recently expanded to other college football towns in Athens, GA and Knoxville, TN. We’re not picking sides here – we’re simply fans of the SEC.

 

Red Bay Grocery is located on State Highway 81 between Bruce and Ponce de Leon. This little grocery has had over 28 owners and serves as a charming little restaurant and a good ole local grocery store. Dharma Blue is located just right up the road in Pensacola and is the perfect little café to enjoy a coastal atmosphere and fantastic food. Last but not least is our food truck, American Lunch, which travels around the Athens, GA area and is sponsored by Five restaurant. Definitely check out this gourmet gem if you can find it on the streets!

So there you have it, we are a small family that expands across the three great southern states of Florida, Alabama and Georgia. Wherever you may be - whether on the Emerald Coast or tailgating outside Neyland stadium - we hope that you stop by and visit us real soon.