The Redesign of Bonefish Grill; And Other Fun Features

It had been awhile since I last dined at Bonefish Grill, allthough I had heard rumors of a change in the air. Invited to the restaurant in Fort Myers for Hooked-on-Tuesday (I'll get to that next), the first thing I noticed was the community tables that once lined the center of the bar, had been moved outside, creating more dinning space and places to wait for a table to open up.

The changes outdoors made me curious to see what had taken place inside. Waiting for the crowd of people at the hostess stand to move, I scanned the bar to see what had replaced the community tables. The new high tops slightly resemble the former tables, but these can be moved, creating more options for bigger parties, while not forcing a party of two to sit so close to strangers if they're not up for it.

Similarly, the booths along the bar wall have been replaced with high tops that can also be moved to customize a space just right for your dining companions. There's a new, open feel now that the wall separating the dining room from the bar has been opened up, decorated with modern lighting and wine bins.

New art highlights the back wall of the dining room which also lost some of it's traditional booth seating along one wall. The interior is not all that's new at Bonefish. Diners are loving the new Hooked-on-Tuesday deals. The three course meals come in three prices: $14.99, $17.99 and $20.99.

Spicy Tuna Bowl with Jasmine Rice and Passion Fruit Salsa

For $14.99 I had a salad, the spicy tuna bowl, a dessert and was satiated. Dining with a pregnant friend, the servers at Bonefish graciously substituted her raw tuna for cooked chicken, even though it was not a menu option. I've always found this restaurant to be extremely accommodating; something nice to know if you are dining with someone who has a special need.

Teriyaki chicken bowl

One thing my pregnant friend could NOT wait to dive into was dessert. In fact, she said that was the main reason for choosing the new Tuesday special.

Coconut Pie with Myers Rum Sauce

She nearly stuck her face in the coconut pie; it was so moist and the rum sauce was a perfectly constructed compliment. The sea salt caramel and chocolate sauce on the cheese cake was finger lickin' good, as you can tell by the photo below.

Check out the new design of Bonefish Grill and be sure to take advantage of the new, affordable and delicious Tuesday dining deals!

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.