Chef Shelly Valez wants you to feel like you came to her house for some home cookin’. And she’s done exactly that. Except it’s a fabulously decorated house one block from the ocean where you can pop by one of the most beautiful beaches in the world for sunset in between beers. Finally. Windansea has gotten a gastropub/sports bar/food lovers haven for locals and tourists alike. Oh and guess what, they also just got their liquor license. Read: while you skip out of work early to catch the March Madness games, you can sip on a sugar-rimmed ginger martini, chug some local beer, or sip a glass champagne to celebrate a winning bracket pick.
A foodie’s oasis where ocean meets farm, Chef Shelly sources from local farmers and fishermen, and cooks cozy Southern-inspired dishes with a taste fitting for any upscale palate. The bright beechwood-chic décor channels every chilled-out bistro and beachside bar of your wildest Instagram dreams. The dining room boasts a multitude of flat screen TVs where you’ll feel like you’re in the best seat in the house no matter where you decide to kick your feet up. Nautilus also features welcoming front and back patios that let you like you are sitting on someone’s porch, sipping on a mint julep and readying yourself for a burger off the grill.
Oh and that burger, though. A juicy masterpiece of grilled, smoky flavor and crunchy bacon, just the way a burger of the highest gourmet quality was meant to be. The crispy grilled cheese was perfect, made of a sumptuous blend 3 hard cheeses and a delightful gooey Serrano cream cheese eliciting a sigh of home-style satisfaction. And can I get a side of tater tots with that? Thanks, I’ve just been brought back to my best memories of childhood and sentimental home cooking. In all, Chef Shelly and the Nautilus team have concocted the perfect formula. In between inhaling bites of tasty fried morsels doused in one of her scratch homemade sauces, you can feel the cool scent of the sea breeze on your nose and watch your improbably beautiful Windansea neighbors mill around and mingle. Does it get better than this?
So if it’s after work, after surf, or you just need a beer break while walking your sand-covered dog, you won’t regret stopping by Nautilus tavern to share a plate of juicy, meaty honey-glazed wings and indulging in a warm cookie sundae. You’ll feel at home, well nourished and well-loved. Just like Chef Shelly intended.
