Flipping Over "Flipper's"

Photo by Sharon Arnold 

People always ask me where to dine on Fort Myers beach. I typically ask, "Do you want barefoot beach food, fine dining or some crazy combination of both?"

While I wouldn't call Flippers On The Bay "barefoot beach food", it is a crazy combination of fine dining in a casual atmosphere. On Estero Bay, the al fresco establishment is all undercover, except for a small deck on the beach; perfect for those who come by boat. You can come in your shorts and T-shirt but people DO dress for the deck; at night it is even quite romantic.

I recently dined at Flipper's while writing a piece on waterfront dining for 10Best, a division of USA TODAY, and fell in love with Chef Juan Cruz; not just his food but his infectious laugh and inviting smile. Cruz has worked with famous chef's like Wolfgang Puck and Thomas Keller and has quietly been building a loyal following at Flipper's.

Chef brought out a bunch of small plates for us to sample so don't judge the portion sizes in the slide show below. Our appetizers included tender calamari prepared Mediterranean-style, with Kalamata olives and tomato; Yellow Fin Tuna Ceviche ($11.90) with a ginger avocado cucumber relish that was so fresh and had a nice little kick; a flavorful Spanish-style shrimp cocktail called Campechana that also had lump crab and avocado; and a glass of crisp Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc. Each was unique, well balanced and I would order again.

We switched to a Krug Chardonnay for the next round which included the Shrimp Sunset ($22.90); papadale pasta with shrimp in a creamy and delicious red curry, tomato basil and parmesan sauce. The popular Asian Chicken Salad was sweet and spicy, with a fresh crunchy texture. Two more hits!

About this time the breeze picked up, the sun started to set and the dolphins came out to play. Not only can you see the sunset from this dining deck, you can also see it rise in the east. Flippers serves breakfast and I'm dying to try the Lobster Eggs Benedict!

After pausing to honor Mother Nature it was on to red wine, Erath Pinot Noir, and one of my favorite dishes of the night;  Chilean Seabass ($32.90) in a citrus miso sauce. It melted in my mouth. The Bohemian Grouper was also quite good; served over mashed plantains, topped with a citrus pineapple relish then drizzled with a lemon beurre blanc. There are selections for land lubbers too, although not many.

Flipper's On The Bay is one of the best hidden gems in Southwest Florida. It is not well marked and not in the middle of the craziness of the beach. If you are visiting Southwest Florida you've got to seek it out, at the southern end of Fort Myers Beach, almost in Bonita Springs, across from Lovers Key State Park. If you live here, why aren't you there now!

Seeking Seafood Suggestions

I'm very excited about my newest freelance gig; local editor/local expert for USA Today's 10Best. I get to help steer visitors to some of the best places in the Fort Myers area; from beaches to restaurants and everything in between. I'm just starting to update a couple of categories but none are complete yet. 

While working out of my second office this morning, Bennett's Fresh Roast, I was discussing the difficult task of updating the Best Breakfast category. There are sooooo many amazing breakfast spots, how do I narrow it down to just ten? You can bet Bennett's will be on there.

Pan Seared Scallops at Brew Babies

One of the other categories I'm currently working on poses the same problem; Best Seafood Restaurant. I live in a beach community, there are dozens. I stopped by Brew Babies in Cape Coral recently for a little nosh and glass of vino. The scallops were phenomenal but I can't classify this place as a seafood joint. I just wanted to take a minute to brag about how fantastic this dish was and post a photo.

Back to the problem at hand and a call for help. If you had to pick the best seafood  restaurants in the Fort Myers area. Which ones would be on YOUR list. You don't have to give me ten, just a few.

You can post here or email my trusty AOL account, ginabirch@aol.com

I can't wait to see which are your favs! Thanks and stay tuned for the update. 

Lovin' The Lobster Lady

It was a Monday night at a strip mall in Cape Coral, FL and the sidewalks were full, outside of The Lobster Lady.

The Lobster Lady is part market, part restaurant and all parts were packed. Servers negotiated through the crowd with both persistence and patience and as a team.

One wall was lined with cases of fresh seafood, fish dips and other fresh treats. The wall across the room was lined with tanks full of lobsters; the biggest one currently weighing in at about 15 pounds and a $200 Market price. I was trying to get a better look at the big guy when one of the servers said, "Let me help.'

For a brief moment, he held that crustacean over his shoulder like it was his pet. After that, it seemed almost inhumane to eat the old guy; we chose a young, one-pounder for our lobster pot. It's a pick your pound kind of place. Each pot also comes with an assortment of clams, mussels, shrimp, spicy sausage, potatoes and corn.

We also tried a delicious, bacon wrapped salmon. The bacon was generously wound around and over the dijon glazed fish and served with a mixed berry compote. The side of squash was perfectly grilled and dusted with Parmesan. The sweet potato fries were crisp and served with a fabulous with brown sugar aioli dipping sauce.




We also tried the smoked fish dip and juicy, raw Gulf oysters. The bill for three of us with food, drinks and full bellies was $118.

My biggest disappointment; they ran out of lobster bisque before we got our order in. Next time. The market has lobster dinners to go and an off-premise license so you can buy a wide selection of beer and wine (everything from Flip Flop to Silver Oak). They even sell sauces and marinades, everything you need for a great date night at home or picnic on the beach


 

Double Fisting It

I love trying wines of the same or similar varietals side-by-side. I also love watching the looks of others at the bar when I gleefully line up two or three glasses to have with dinner. Last night I lined up two big blends while dining at the USS Nemo in Naples. Yes, big red blends at a seafood restaurant!

We picked The Prisoner and the Duckhorn Decoy.

I was interested in trying The Prisoner primarily because it is the first bottling under the winery's new ownership. It was a juicy blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Syrah, Charbono with a touch of Grenache and Malbec. It was velvety with dark fruit and a touch of cocoa.


The Decoy was also juicy but more toasty and spicy with hints of cedar. Its blend consisted of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. I enjoyed The Prisoner but preferred the Decoy with our appetizers: mini tacos of Peking Duck and BBQ Pork.You can order both by the glass at Nemo's

Nemo’s is another one of those restaurants that looks a little suspect from the outside but is stylish and fabulous on the inside. The menu is more exotic than  you would think. Although you can get BBQ Tacos and Veal Sweetbreads, the cuisine is primarily seafood with an Asian flair. The Seabass is some of the best you will find in Southwest Florida! On the Tuesday night I visited, there was standing room only at 7 p.m.  Reservation or not, Nemo's is definitely worth the wait!

Venice: Italy? California? Florida?

I can now check all of the above! I just returned from a short road trip up the west coast of Florida, stopping at nine beaches in two days! The stop may have only been 15 minutes but it was a stop none-the-less!

Venice is known as the "shark's tooth" capital because of the abundance of fossilized teeth found on the beaches. The drive along the shoreline to Stump Pass was beautiful and exactly what I imagine old Florida to be. No high rises or beach stores just dunes, sea oats and the smell of salt air!

The downtown was quaint with a couple of restaurants and a wine bar that looked inviting. I was really looking forward to a nice glass of wine and some fancy appetizer with a reduction of this and a drizzle of that. But I somehow ended up with a  platter of ice cold oysters and a pint of ice cold beer! Go figure!

We were looking for waterfront dining and stumbled upon Marker 4 Oyster Bar along the Intercoastal. The oysters were awesome: big, fresh and delicious! We also tried their signature seafood skins: potato skins brimming with a creamy seafood mixture and topped with cheese. Thumbs up. The menu was full of fishy options as well as healthful salads but we had to keep moving. More beaches to explore!

I have to tell you I've heard some bad reviews of Marker 4 citing everything from food quality, high prices, bad service, rude management and check issues. Thankfully I had a good experience and on that alone would recommend you give it a try if you're in the area.