Atomic Number 3 Cubed

Cobalt
28099 Perdido Beach Blvd
Rt 182 (bay side)
Orange Beach, AL
251-923-5300

fire feature in the outdoor seating area

Three cubed is 3x3x3 = 27. Cobalt is the 27 element in the periodic chart of elements because it has 27 protons in its nucleus. Pure cobalt is a silvery colored metal. Cobalt blue is actually cobalt chloride, and it this chemical combination can actually be used as paint pigment. Cobalt fluoride is a really lovely raspberry pink and can also be used as paint pigment. Cobalt blue is really stable and is great to use as a coloring in glass and china.

But this blog post isn't really about the element cobalt, or the atomic number 27, it is about a restaurant in a really beautiful setting on the bay side of Orange Beach, AL called Cobalt.

raw local oysters

This place has the dinner time view that is worth a million bucks. This place doesn't look like much from the front, but when you walk in, you see the whole back wall is glass with west facing windows to watch the splendor of the daily sunset. Most of the tables inside have view out the back windows, and there is a big deck with more seating to watch the sunset outside.

shrimp and grits

What I really like about this place is the variety of the raw oysters. I opted for local Alabama oysters. They are big and meaty oysters with a clean finish. I believe it was back in February that all oysters from the Alabama Gulf Coast were given the "all clear" for harvesting after the BP oil spill. I was told Alabama Gulf Coast shrimp and oysters are inspected for oil, and oil related tainting, so it is really safe to eat this seafood again. So, I did. It was a good deal at Cobalt, it was $0.50 per local oyster. You could order 1,2 or a dozen or more for $0.50 each. Cobalt also serves oysters from other origins, but they cost more.

view from the restaurant

For dinner, we all opted for various dishes made Gulf shrimp. I love Gulf shrimp. Like the oysters, they are big and meaty. They are not as orange as farmed shrimp, they are more creamy in color with a slight tint of peach. The texture is of a more fragile and less dense lobster tail. There is nothing like Gulf shrimp. We got firecracker shrimp for a starter for the table. We had 6 people, and believe me, this appetizer was way more than enough for all of us. I would say we each had at least 6 shrimp each, there were so many. We also got the hummus starter as well, and that was a huge portion. We were actually full by the time we were done with the appetizers, and we still had our entrees to come. A bunch of us got the shrimp and grits, and one of us got the fish filet special of a fish variety we never heard of, or so he thought. The shrimp was good, but the grits were a little old and lumpy. The one fellow ordered the fish filet special of a fish variety we never heard of, but was came out I think it was either the red fish or snapper or some ordinary fish. We all heard him ask for the special, but the waitress started fighting with him telling him what he ordered (he did not order ordinary fish, 5 of us heard him say the special). So, pretty much the waitress had her attitude with him, told him that is what he is getting for dinner and that is it, and she walked away with a bitchy smirk on her face. Why did we tip her 20%, I don't know, but that is what we normally do. The fellow is just a good sport, and ate his meal that he did not order, and paid for and tipped on a meal that he did not order. So at least everyone's meals were on the table, so we know that she didn't spit, cough or put snot in our food after we tried to correct her.

OK, so the service isn't the best, and there is at least one waitress that won't make corrections, even if it is her fault, and she finds no problem in blaming our good natured fellow for her mistake. What this restaurant has going for it is the view, plenty of raw oysters, and an outdoor deck that is worth a visit.