Hot Dish Review

What’s better than a low country boil with all the fixin’s? A low country boil on a luxury houseboat!

Last Saturday was the inaugural voyage of Goin’ Coastal’s Sunset Cruise. The weather was perfect, and the shrimp were boilin’. As the houseboat left the dock, guests mingled and relaxed with a glass of wine or beer.

Chef and restaurant partner Seth Hendricks and my man LC came up with the idea during our many martini and lobster-fueled visits to Goin’ Coastal in my neighborhood. a few meetings later and the idea became a reality. Cooper Global provided the venue and chauffeured transportation to Lake Lanier, while Hendricks and his staff were in charge of preparing the food on board.

LC and I had stumbled upon an amazing acoustic guitarist, Steve Q, at 10 Degrees South the week before. He provided the entertainment for the event and had everyone dancing on the top deck. Promoted via Urban Daddy, the dinner cruise was quite a bargain at only $75 a ticket for this first voyage, with beer and wine included. Guests reportedly consumed forty bottles of wine and 45 lbs. of gigantic steamed shrimp!

Along with shrimp, Hendricks boiled up a batch of andouille sausage, red potatoes, and corn on the cob. When everything was done, he and his crew poured it all into an enormous metal warming tray, drizzled it with melted butter, then sprinkled his special seasoning mix over the whole thing. Folks lined up to get a heapin’ helpin’ of deliciousness as the sun set over the water. Perfect.

LC and I are no strangers to the family houseboat. We’ve celebrated his birthday, Memorial Day, and Labor Day on it, sleeping (or perhaps, not) in two of the five bedrooms. I’ve made a tub of my famous guacamole in the kitchen in the cabin, helped cook bacon and eggs for eight with LC’s cousin DC, and enjoyed burgers grilled on the upper deck. It’s 100 feet of luxury.

Cooper Global and Goin’ Coastal anticipate many more cruises throughout the Spring and Summer. The Cooper houseboat, The Family Tradition, is also available for corporate and private rentals, with a maximum capacity of 100, not including shrimp. Email lcooper@cooper-global.com for information and pricing.