The Fishery

by Ivey Bowman

It was about 150 degrees outside the night we made the drive to Placida. As we pulled into Fishery Circle, crushed shell crunching beneath our tires, I rolled the windows down and drank in the smell of the Florida I remember from my childhood: saltwater mixed with tropical flowers and the faint scent of an American seafood restaurant.

The vibrant colors of Old Florida welcomed us first to the Margaret Albritton Gallery, featuring original artwork by Margaret and Gary Albritton. As we rounded the corner to the Fishery restaurant, we noticed a wall of bougainvilleas teeming with local birds. The restaurant itself is a lovely, white washed and almost homey place with a bright blue bench in the front. Local cats lazily greet you at the entrance. Be warned, if you pet one, the rest will come running for attention.

In one of those perfect Florida moments, Bob Marley sings “Don’t worry about a thing, cause every little thing’s gonna be alright,” as we passed through the entrance. At this moment, I hadn’t a care in the world. A cheerful hostess greeted us and showed us to our table. As we walked through the bright hallway, we marveled at the schools of mounted tropical fish that adorn every wall and pillar. Paintings and tapestries, all painted by Margaret and her family, fit in perfectly with the nautical theme of the restaurant.

As we took our seats by the tropical-themed bar filled with orchids of every color, the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sound took our breath away. I remember thinking to myself that next time someone takes me out on a date, I hope he has the forethought to find a restaurant with a great view like this.

Before our appetizers arrived, my guest and I snuck glances around the room at what the other diners have ordered. At a large table by the window, a group of English tourists had chosen the taco salad with beef and a shrimp salad. The menu says the taco salad is “Filled to the Brim,” and they weren’t kidding! The nice couple next to us ordered the Thunderation and Fishery shrimp platters. Both plates were piled high with seafood and shrimp — no wimpy portions here!

Our starter came out, smoked fish spread, easily enough for four people. Smoked white fish, egg and salty capers atop crisp romaine lettuce, accompanied by tomatoes, carrots and black olives. Paired with buttery clubhouse crackers, it was the perfect cold appetizer to beat the heat. I’ve had the fish spread at other “chain restaurants,” and none of them hold a candle to the Fishery’s fresh homemade version.

Next up was the seafood gumbo, slightly sweet from the tomatoes, a little spicy and a whole lot of flavor. Chunks of shrimp and crab meat floated in this traditional Creole stew. I don’t usually order gumbo because I’m not an okra fan. Let me rephrase that, I’m not a fan of slimy okra, and unfortunately, most restaurants serve just that. The trick to a great gumbo is not to allow the okra to get gooey; the Fishery did not disappoint. Sop this authentic gumbo up with the big loaf of bread your server brings out with the drinks, and you’ve got a great appetizer or a satisfying lunch.

The scrumptious scampi couldn’t get to our table fast enough. My affinity for shrimp comes from my childhood when I would have shrimp-shucking contests with the prep cooks at my mother’s old seafood restaurant. Most women love chocolate; I love shrimp. I should’ve counted the large gulf shrimp on the plate before my guest and I dug into the meal, but my craving for shrimp prevented that from happening. I would venture to guess there was at least a baker’s dozen. As we enjoyed the light wine sauce paired with firm tomatoes and chopped basil, I commented on the freshness of the dish. Nothing tasted pre-made and everything from the pasta to the shrimp was cooked perfectly.

Another enjoyable entrée was the Fishery’s signature grouper grande. The pan-seared grouper filet took up half the plate, piled high with tender whole shrimp and drizzled with hollandaise sauce. I love hollandaise and was impressed with how nicely it paired with the meaty grouper and tender shrimp.

Sufficiently stuffed already, I couldn’t help but feel like something was missing. I looked around and my eyes settled on the couple dining next to us. The woman to my left had hush-puppies on her plate. Bingo! I immediately called on one of the cheerful servers and with an almost frantic whine, I asked for a plate of hush-puppies. I don’t know about you, but I can’t eat at a seafood restaurant without them. When the puppies came to our table, fresh from the fryer, I was perhaps too impatient to let them cool off. Through the burning, all I could murmur was “Yummmm!” Without a doubt, I would go back to the Fishery just for their hushpuppies alone.

Dessert was a blur of BlueFisheryTinis, strawberry daiquiris and homemade key lime cheesecake and chocolate mousse pie. This meal, coupled with a lovely sunset, great conversation and playful dolphins in the sound, made for an unforgettable and truly Florida evening.

The Fishery is located on beautiful Gasparilla sound at 13000 Fishery Road in Placida. It’s open seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. As they say on their Web site, www.sunstate.com/fishery, walk-ins, boat-ins, swim-ins and float-ins are always welcome. Call (941) 697-2451 for more information. HARBOR STYLE would like to thank the Albritton family of Placida and all their staff for providing our reviewer with such a wonderful evening.