618555 Sat May 09 12:51:08 -0700 2009 8 10 Florida 0 4669033 I've been meaning to get to Bay Front Bistro and now that the snowbirds have flown, we had lunch today. Fort Myers Beach has desparately needed a good quality restaurant for years and one by one restaurants have opened, only to disappoint, on one level or another. Bay Front clicks on all. Location: Snook Bight Marina is a beautiful marina with great back bay views Building: newly built and well designed. Lots of outdoor seating on two levels and a smaller indoor area upstairs with bar and dining. Menu: Straight forward with enough choices to please most everyone. Server: quiet, attentive service from well-seasoned and trained waitresses. No training needed here, the women were very professional. I had fish tacos with mango and the tortilla was nicely grilled with a smokey taste, the fish (I ordered crispy so it was fried) was not overcooked and still had the flavor of fish, it came with coleslaw with fresh pineapple, which needs a little work. (could be brightened with a little lime juice and perhaps cilantro and mild jalapeno) My husband ordered the oyster PoBoy. He pronounced it perfect. The oysters were still very tender and hot and the sauce gave just enough bite. Very crispy french fries. No wine with this lunch, just ice-cold Foster's beer, what you need on a day when the temps are in the 90's. We sat on the upper deck facing the bay, the view was lovely and the shade made the temperature just fine for a relaxing lunch. I can't think of anywhere else in SW Florida with this lovely a view, that casual an atmosphere with really good food. We are excited to have a great waterfront restaurant on Fort Myers Beach. Sat May 09 12:51:08 -0700 2009 10438 LilMsFoodie 1 4693298 Sending this up as there were no comments and I wanted to write about another restaurant on Fort Myers Beach that was a horrible disappointment last night. We had dinner with guests last night at the new Doc Ford's restaurant on San Carlos island just under the bridge to Fort Myers Beach. This is a wonderful location, it was the old Bridge restaurant that had fallen into neglect and was put out of its misery a year ago or so. Doc Ford's did light remodelling and the place has a wonderful ramshackle vibe with great views of the Fort Myers shrimp fleet. Nice ice cold beer was ordered after a day of fishing and avoiding storms. The food was really terrible. I can't imagine what is wrong as the Doc Ford's on Sanibel is quite good and pretty consistent. There is always start up problems but this seems to be something more. Two men ordered the Mahi Mahi that was to be served with Jasmine rice and some salsa. The mahi was very dried up, maybe left on the grill or under a heat lamp too long. Rice was undercooked it was not very good. Very tired men from a day on the gulf were not in the mood to send things back so they just ate what they could and caught a snack elsewhere later. I ordered the fish tacos that were described as grouper. It could have been grouper. It could have been anything as the fish was again very over cooked. No yummy grilled tortilla here like at Bay Front. This was just plopped in two unheated white flour tortillas. Didn't add to the taste. Menu described mango salsa, but it just had some red onion bits and huge chunks of unripe mango. Not good at all. The beans and rice side dish was dried out of top with shrivelled black beans. I suppose I should have sent it back but we had a very tired little boy with us and I just wanted to get us out of there. This is a great place for drinks, but there is a more amusing place next door. The Dixie Fish house, housed in the old fish house that kept Henry Ford's boats, etc. Lots of history and pictures on the wall there and a real connection to the water and Fort Myers Beach history. I am sorry to write this review and will be happy to write a new one, if they improve. LMF Mon May 18 06:09:30 -0700 2009 4669033 10438 LilMsFoodie 2 4722406 LMF, Thank you for the reality check. Seven friends tried Doc Ford's Fort Myers ( a week apart) and all were very, very disappointed. We had eaten at the Sanibel one-like it, and this fell way below standards. The same owners also run the Beached Whale (some of the menu is identical, only prices are higher at Docs!), and this Fort Myers Doc Ford's is way below the quality of Doc Sanibel and the Beached Whale. My Mojito was lousy, with a bitter taste and soggy old mint leaves. The fish tacos had to be sent back due to very bad smell, food was not fresh. Server didn't know what what wines were in stock, or where to find wines. Uncleaned tables sit for 10-15 minutes-tacky. One server picked up 4 used glasses with "spider fingers" grasp, instead of putting on a tray or in a bussers tray. Food substitutions occured on the Banana Leaf Snapper, we knew because we had the original dish at the Sanibel location, and didn't like the substitution. Noise level indoors is very high. Managers were quick to make things up, bringing other items, so I think things will improve. Agree, for new, best to go here for drinks, and sit outside, on the quieter porch. We prefer Bayfront Bistro over this, for Ft Myers Beach dining. My report and photos is my May 23 entry at: http://aninsatiableappetite.blogspot.com/ Thu May 28 11:45:37 -0700 2009 4693298 138338 An Insatiable Appetite 3 4742977 Prices are going to be higher at Doc's over the Beached Whale, as they are trying to keep out the local traffic that hangs at Bonita Bills. This is an older crowd, living in very modest trailer parks on San Carlos Island. They do not want them at Doc's as they aren't going to spend $$. $5 bucks for a can of Budweiser should keep them away I think. I think they may have a difficult time with the location as it is difficult to get to from beach and everyone is watching their money these days. Another group of friends had the same miserable experience as we have had this past weekend. World travels fast..they need to do something quick. On a higher note, Bay Front Bistro is marketing the hell out of their place this summer. They are having free appetizers during happy hour this month which should let them pick up some new business as people experience just how good this place it. I can't think of another place with as good a venue in SW Florida at this time, can you Ivan? Thu Jun 04 14:03:45 -0700 2009 4722406 10438 LilMsFoodie 4 4743553 For a $15 oyster Po Boy sandwich and a $10 BLT sandwich at Bayfront Bistro, free appetizer is appropriate. Thu Jun 04 17:39:33 -0700 2009 4742977 322372 turfnsurf 5 4744397 Very expensive infrastructure makes their overhead very high. Lots of cheap places on FMB for those who find these prices too high. I thought it was quite reasonable given the venue and quality of the food. Fri Jun 05 05:15:53 -0700 2009 4743553 10438 LilMsFoodie 1 4745162 Many thanks for the BFB recommendation. My wife and I both heartily endorse it. In the Fort Myers area for a few days, we tried the BFB the first night. It was outstanding from start to finish. We also sat on the upper deck in early evening. The bay is peaceful and beautiful. For an appetizer I had the evening's special, a deshelled Escargot dish sauteed w/mushrooms and garlic that was delicious. Both my wife and I had the Caesar Salad, also excellent. I admit to being a bit miffed that a first-class restaurant would need to have the waitress mention that whole strips of anchovy were available for an additional dollar, but said, "Yes" nonetheless. I had the Cioppino, very well done w/good-sized Gulf shrimp and sea scallops. The mussels were also fine. The Key Lime Pie, always a "must" for me, was very distinctive and very good. My wife is a kind of tapas person, so besides the salad she had the Cerviche, which she declared to be "fresh and excellent". Also she had the Manchego Fries. It seems almost silly to rave about French Fries, but they were GREAT! Both Manchego fans, we'd never thought to shred it on fries, but now we'll also try adding it to mashed at home. We had an inexpensive bottle of White from a more than adequate Wine List. Lastly, I started with the BEST Mojito I've ever had, so much so that I stopped in at the bar on the way out to ask for their recipe, which the bartender gladly gave me. All in all, a most pleasant surprise and worth the drive from either Fort Myers or Sanibel/Captiva. Fri Jun 05 08:55:16 -0700 2009 4669033 324120 keywesttosaratoga 2 4745274 LMF, Thank you for the insight into the pricing at Doc's Fort Myers Beach -I was wondering why they didn't have any specials running. Wonder what they will do when the "New kid on the block" aura wears thin. Specials there would thus only bring in the "undesirables" who might not order as much per seat. I've sent a lot of business to Bay Front Bistro, and get back only positives and thank you's. The only thing I didn't like was the crab cake-the server said it had lumps of lump crab, and it sure didn't-just stringy claw and lots of filler. Their "Booya" Boullabaise was good, they need to put in less potatoes. There's few better spots for drinks dinner and the view! KWS, I'll have to try Bay Front Bistro's Manchego fries and Mojito, I had a bad one at Doc's Fort Myers Beach. I hope they fixed that-the owners probably don't read blogs and chowhound. Fri Jun 05 09:24:20 -0700 2009 4745162 138338 An Insatiable Appetite 3 4745380 a rum bar that can't make a mojito. that is a big oops. Fri Jun 05 09:55:19 -0700 2009 4745274 10438 LilMsFoodie