Runaway Island Experience

Yesterday my hubby and I went to Runaway Island for lunch and I realized that a review of this place would be the perfect first blog for Blue Wave Vacation Properties. Wanna know why? Because it was the middle of winter, a balmy 70 degrees, and we sat in the outside dining area on the beach. I was reminded again why I love living in PCB! I spent 20+ years in the west, shoveling snow in the winter, and now I’m shoveling sunshine instead!
(Come visit. Or move here. You know you want to shovel sunshine, too!)

So, Runaway Island opened fairly recently and we’ve been meaning to check it out for a while. So glad we did! We had such a great experience that I know we’ll go back. And we’re not the only ones—I was super surprised to see how busy it was, as it was 3:00 in the afternoon (seriously, who eats at that time?). Almost all of the outside seating was filled up!

Speaking of seating, we loved how many options there were to choose from. The two floors of indoor seating looked great with a fun, beachy atmosphere…but of course we wanted to eat outside! There were people seated at the bar, and then there were the lucky ones like us that got to sit right on the edge of the beach, where we could watch the waves. Believe it or not, there were quite a few people playing in the water, including a paddleboarder or two.
Confession: I do not like sea food. I don’t order it. Ever. And this menu was made up of a lot of fish. I was going to just get a burger, but then realized that I could get a burger anywhere, and that YOU, dear reader, would likely be more interested in what I had to say about the seafood here.
So I did it. Found out that the fish tacos here were pretty famous, and I ordered the Baja Tacos, which were filled with a fried tilapia, chipotle sauce, fresh Pico, and a cabbage slaw. Um…they were AMAZING! Seriously some of the best anything I’ve ever eaten. I was full after the first taco and my side of rice and beans, but I couldn’t let the tasty tilapia go to waste! So I fished it out of the taco and ate it by itself. Mmmm…I’m drooling a little, just thinking about it.

My hubby had the Zydeco chicken sandwich (blackened chicken, Andouille sausage, fresh Pico, and a Remoulade sauce). He’d had it before and liked it enough to have it again. I didn’t try it, but I definitely tried his French fries. Loved them. Would actually go back just for the fries. Perfect texture, perfect crispiness…Get some. You won’t regret it.

Only cons that I could spot:
#1: I’m 8.5 months pregnant and had a hard time fitting my belly in the booth. That won’t be a problem next time we go!
#2: Just like the other on-the-beach seating that we’ve checked out at area restaurants, patrons are allowed to smoke while they eat. Smoke actually makes my physically sick, but this may not be an issue for you.
#3: The sun was super bright and I spent the meal squinting. Easy fix: wear your sunglasses while you eat, rather than leaving them in the car like I did.
All in all…two thumbs up for Runaway Island! Love that it’s on the beach, love that the food is awesome, and love that we can eat outside in the middle of the winter.
Plan your next trip to PCB, let Blue Wave Vacation Properties find the perfect place for you to stay, and definitely put Runaway Island on your list of places to eat! You’ll love it!
(Some pictures taken from Runaway Island’s website—except for the pics of the food. Those are mine.)

-Ana Ballif