Dine under our relaxing oak tree with a wonderful menu selection for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
We are back at the Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort revisiting the swanky café, Under the Oak. As you begin to enter the casino, your eyes can’t help but catch this fabulously unique dining experience nestled between the gaming floor. Under the gorgeous twinkling oak tree, the black and white stripes with yellow floral trim against white marble columns make a glamorous retro scenario unlike any you have ever seen. As the white picket fence border leaves the view open and spacious, I described it as swanky because I feel like I’ve entered an era where every detail is glamorous, maybe “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” meets “Alice in Wonderland!” Although, the café itself is totally casual and laid back. If the beauty of The Oak doesn’t draw you in, and I’ll tell you after two years, I still gaze in amazement at the beauty of it all, I’ll bet the perfectly rounded menu options will.
The breakfast all day, soups, salads, sandwiches, and entrees are all worthy of your dining attention, and hours of operation begin at 8 am Monday through Friday, closing at 10 pm and extending to 7 am opening Saturday and Sunday, closing at 12 am Friday and Saturday, and 11 pm on Sunday. They also still have the fully stocked bar to enjoy a cocktail while waiting for to-go orders, or maybe for a more adventurous and fun solo dining outing. The General Manager, John McDonnell has stream lined the hours to accommodate the busiest times while still keeping a tempting and tasty menu selection updated every quarter. A Biloxi native, John has his hands full running all the venues outside of Scarlet’s and Butler’s, and still managing a happy wait staff, kudos.
Elizabeth was very helpful to take great care of our needs ensuring a fantastic experience. She started me out with a French 75, a champagne cocktail, while Cheli enjoyed her iced tea. They offer several Specialty Cocktails ranging from Ship Island Water to frozen Bushwackers, and, anything in-between. I am partial to the Cinnamon Toast Crunch from this venue – Rumchata, Fireball and milk. John had the kitchen already preparing suggested items, coming out within minutes and then we let the good times roll!
Before we delve into all that, the Late to Rise options include the Two Egg Oak Breakfast – two farm fresh eggs any style, bacon or sausage, breakfast potatoes and toast or biscuit; Country Fried Steak & Eggs – two farm fresh eggs any style, fried Angus cubed steak with country gravy, breakfast potatoes, toast or biscuit; or Buttermilk Pancakes – stack of three fluffy pancakes with whipped butter and maple syrup, chocolate chips may be added. I do love those biscuits!
We began with Spicy Pot Roast Nachos – a platter of fried tortilla chips piled high with shredded tender pot roast, fresh shaved jalapenos, queso cheese sauce, and scallions topped with Cilantro Lime Crème. This is definitely enough for sharing, and it is absolutely one of my new favorites! The Mississippi Pot Roast had the pepperoncinis and was so tender and flavorful, it is without a doubt a great new option & twist for a nacho topping! Each chip was oozing with flavor with every bite!!
I generally have to have the Bang Bang Shrimp – hand breaded gulf shrimp tossed in their own secret sauce garnished with shaved jalapenos and lemon. I also go to the top selling Chicken Wings as well – 8 wings served with blue cheese and your choice of sauce. Other starters include Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread, Chips and Queso, and Smoked Tuna Dip. They also serve a soup du jour or the Under the Oak Award Winning Gumbo. I’ve had a wonderful Butternut Squash soup, Cream of Asparagus soup, and, I love their gumbo so much with chicken, smoked sausage, and gulf shrimp, that this recipe is my go-to for gumbo as well, the spices and the roux are the best! I worked with a few folks that opened up the Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort, and, I know that most of their secret recipes are perfectly seasoned and perfectly executed!
Salads offered with the freshest crisp greens include the Chef Salad – baby romaine hearts and iceberg lettuce topped with shaved Boar’s Head ham and turkey, Swiss and cheddar cheese, tomato, cucumber, red onion and hard- boiled egg; Caesar Salad or House Salad, both with add-on options of grilled or fried chicken, or grilled or fried shrimp; the Chilled and Grilled Chicken & Bacon Salad – chopped mixed greens topped with slices of grilled and chilled chicken, chopped bacon, tomato and boiled egg; and the Cranberry Turkey Salad – chopped iceberg lettuce with shaved turkey, dried cranberries, pecans, goat cheese, tomato, red onion, and bacon crumbles, served with a balsamic vinaigrette. They are all generous portions of superb selections over the freshest greens served with some equally awesome house made dressing choices. I can attest to the quality and portions being very pleasing!
Nathan’s Famous Jumbo Foot Long Beef Franks are served Classic, Queso, Smokehouse or Reuben Dog with a side. We enjoyed the smokey char of the Oak Burger – two ¼ pd. Angus beef patties, dressed with iceberg lettuce, tomato, red onion and cheddar cheese on a brioche bun with a side of fries. The burger is always juicy and dripping with flavor along with oozing cheese of your choice. The Oak Club is a meal for two with shaved Boar’s Head ham and turkey with Applewood bacon, Swiss and American cheeses, dressed, on toasted sourdough. The Bacon Chicken Ranch is a large grilled chicken breast with your choice of cheese topped with Applewood bacon, Boston lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickle chips with ranch on a brioche bun with a side, I shared this spectacular sandwich the week before with a friend and we were both exceptionally happy with this scrumptious selection. The Reuben is also one of the best classics on the coast – with shaved Boar’s Head Corned Beef, Swiss, sauerkraut on marbled rye with Thousand Island dressing and a side. We loved the Shrimp Po-boy – fresh battered and fried large gulf shrimp, on a toasted French Bread, dressed with Remoulade sauce, with a fried catfish option, with a side. The shrimp being locally caught and fresh were excellent and cooked perfectly, as well as the fresh French bread just makes everything about this poboy a wonderful example of what a southern poboy is meant to be. The Mississippi Pot Roast Po-boy has that same southern delicacy roast as the nachos, and is served as a Pot Roast Plate with veggies as well. Other choices are a Chicken Quesadilla, a Big Pig with smoked BBQ pulled Pork, and the Blackened Mahi Tacos.
We had a ridiculously massive portioned Big Daddy’s BBQ Platter – with pulled pork topped with a quarter rack of ribs, baked beans, cole slaw and garlic toast. Definitely shareable and definitely delicious! Our next entrée was amazing as well, the Cajun Blackened Mahi – blackened Gulf Mahi with gulf shrimp and mushrooms in a Cajun cream sauce over Jasmine rice. The fish was dense and succulent and the fusions of flavors were spot-on! We also sampled the Chicken Pot Pie for the first time ever in a review! The filling of chicken, peas, carrots and potatoes was really rich and creamy while the crust was a light, flaky and buttery phillo dough type, yep, southern cooking at its’ finest, mmm! They also serve Wild Caught Salmon, Hand breaded Chicken tenders, Fettuccine Alfredo with grilled chicken or shrimp, Southern Fried Pork Chops or a Fried Seafood Platter.
If it’s desserts you are looking to enjoy, Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort is known for their incredible pastries and desserts served at all their dining venues throughout the property!! Cheli enjoyed the Crème Brulee topped with fresh berries and cream, while Carrot Cake, New York Cheesecake and a Warm Chocolate Brownie & Ice Cream are also served for your sweet indulgence!
The menu selections offer a really nice variety at unbelievably affordable prices in this day an age, and everything I have ever eaten there has been a tasty delight! I do dine at Under the Oak Café at the Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort often!! I’ve never been disappointed, only delighted with my choices, and always have plenty to share or take home. See ya there!
