November 20th, 2011
Three restaurants in 24 hours…not bad; all different too. Still looking for the elusive stone crabs. My husband had them on his mind. The funny thing was that Everglades City, which is in Collier County, just like Naples and Marco Island, is, really, the capital of the universe for stone crabs. They should be found at a lot of restaurants. The season for stone crabs runs from October 15th until May 15th.
Jay suggested The Dock. For so many years this restaurant has been right at the City Dock overlooking Naples Bay. It is located at 12th Avenue South. Tel. 239-263-9940. Website? http://www.dockcraytoncove.com. It opens daily at 11 a.m. for lunch and dinner. On Sundays they offer brunch. On that location you will also find the Naples Yacht Club and other eateries and shops.
This is Crayton Cove which was Naples’ first sheltered mooring.
The Dock offers open air dining in a very casual atmosphere. Sandwiches, salads, pastas, ribs and raw bar are among some of their offerings.
Finally, the stone crab claws were ordered; large ones, served cold. They were good, he said. To tell you the truth, I am not crazy about them. I think I like the sauce better. To me, there is nothing better than the taste of the Maryland crab. There are different, I know, but they just don’t do anything for me.
Our, Naples resident, Jay, had the Grouper Sandwich, grilled, on Cuban bread, creole remoulade sauce and cole slaw. He was happy too.
I had the Havana. It was their “Cubano” sandwich; grill pressed Cuban bread filled with roasted pork, smoked han, Swiss cheese, and pickles with mustard sauce served with black bean and rice.
I must admit that it was delicious. I had not had one in some time and just like the bread of a lobster roll, the bread of a Cuban sandwich makes the sandwich. Then, “a la plancha” to get all the extra ingredients nice an hot.
The Dock has a full bar and is available for holiday parties and Christmas lunches. Please check the website above mentioned.
So totally satisfied we headed back to the east coast of Florida and to the town of Delray Beach…talk to you later…oh, and thank you Jay…
November 18th, 2011
It was so nice to let our friend, Jay, do the driving and talking. I just sat back and took it all in. It was a pretty day to be on the Gulf of Mexico; Historic Naples is certainly quaint.
I found a few facts from this Paradise Coast. The average temperature is 75 degrees. Collier County is the largest county in the State of Florida.
An estimate of 134 art galleries are in the Greater Naples area.
The western side of the Florida Everglades is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles are known to cohabitate.
Collier county is also the home of the endangered Florida panther.
A walk; a nap and pretty soon it was time to check out the restaurant that Jay had picked out for dinner. He said that it was unique, the chef was daring, to say the least. He made the reservation for 8:00 p.m., hoping that the patrons were heading home and we would have the place to ourselves. No such luck.
The chosen restaurant was USS NEMO, located at 3745 Tamiami Trail North, Naples, FL 34103. Tel. 239-261-6366. Website? http://www.ussnemorestaurant.com.
There were a few tables outside, but our preference was, definitely, inside. Upon entering USS NEMO there were the comings and goings of a busy restaurant. The room was open with booths, as well as single tables.
 
At first we thought it was bit dark. Maybe the reason was that the candle was out. Then the lights flickered some. Finally, we asked and they were having a problem with their lightning that evening.
Melania was our server. She was from Romania. She was friendly; a big smile. Bread was brought to our table. Hummus and condiments too.
The menu was a good one. I saw the Branzino and thought I had to have it. After talking to Melania she said that the signature dish was the Miso Broiled Sea Bass. Okay, say no more, that’s exactly what I did have after having a Seafood Ceviche which had white sea bass, shrimp, salmon, grilled pineapple and lime. Refreshing and very good.
Then, my sea bass had a citrus ginger butter sauce, steamed rice, asparagus, and a carrot tempura that was soooo good. Melania hit it right on. This sea bass melted in my mouth.
Jay decided on a salad, watermelon adding the extra touch.
Then, even though he had been at USS NEMO several times, the only dish he had tried was the Prime Tuna. A choice of cooking styles were East, West or Indian. Jay chose the West style. The blue tuna would be flash seared and rare. It had a peppercorn crust, exotic mushrooms, asparagus, fresh thyme potato gratin, sauteed garlic spinach and a cognac demi-glace. On this particular evening, Jay thought they cooked it a few seconds more than he would have wanted but it was delicious, anyway.
My husband was not that hungry but he had a very interesting appetizer. Bone Marrow; in the bone, a side of sea salt, and a condiment. The dish is a conversation piece. It is considered a delicacy and it was Julia Child’s favorite. Because of his gluten allergy he could not have the crostini. I tried it and it was good. Not gelatinous as you might think; marmalade would be a better term. And, a little tricky to get out of the bone. All I could think of was my dog, Addy. If he had not ordered it, I was going to. It was hard to resist.
Then he had a Black Truffle Risotto which was a side dish; he just had it as his entree. Very flavorful.
For our dessert we shared a flourless chocolate cake. It was fudgy, rich, delicious and believe it or not, jut a tad sweet. A perfect sweet ending.
We talked to Melania for a little bit and want to thank her for taking care of us in such a special way.
Talk to you later……lunch in Naples again….
November 17th, 2011
Since a good friend has made his home in Naples, I decided I needed to learn a little about this town that is known for its beaches, its simple elegance and its wonderful restaurants, relaxing cafes, fun bistros and shops.
Naples is also known as Paradise Coast. It is in Collier County and it was founded in the late 1880s. I did not know why it was called Naples bu,t apparently, when it was founded, stories telling of the mild climate in the area, as well as having abundant fish and game, likened it to the Italian peninsula. Then, the people promoting the area described it as “surpassing the bay in Naples, Italy”.
So, after driving a couple of hours from Delray we were a little hungry. Having someone with a gluten allergy, at times, it can be tricky as where you find a restaurant that can accommodate you. Of course, on my husband’s mind were stone crabs, having seen them at the Delray GreenMarket on Saturday. That might have to wait.
We arrived in the historic district of Naples; Historic Third St. South and we set our sights on a restaurant called Handsome Harry’s Third Street Bistro, located at 1205 Third Street South, Naples, FL 34102. Tel. 239-434-6400. Website? www.handsomeharrys.com.
Our friend, Jay, had never been, but the restaurant had been recommended some time ago. This was the perfect time to try it out.
The restaurant was not very crowded when we arrived. You could sit outdoors, or, in a dining room that opened on all sides, where you could still enjoy the warm weather, but sheltered from the direct sun.
Handsome Harry’s also has an indoor dining salon that is more sophisticated and reserved than the other casual and relaxing dining choices.
Thirsty; drinks were ordered. Looking through the menu; definitely American Cuisine. There was an extensive wine list, which by the way you can check on their website.
Following is what we ordered:
The “Lobster” Salad – Chilled Maine Lobster meat tossed in their unique dressing, and served over a nest of greens with sliced avocado and fresh mango; finished with a lemon chive aioli. A generous serving and my husband thought it was very good.
The Lobster Roll – It was the lobster salad served in a toasted hoagie roll New England style with sweet potato fries. Jay thought it was delicious.
When I opened the menu, my eyes went to their Char Grilled C.A.B. Cheese Burger – Cooked medium and served on a seeded Kaiser roll with aged cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle and French fries. This burger was big and, yes, I ate it all, including the fries. Very good.
We did not have dessert; just our own conversation was enough at this time. The day was still young, plenty of time for dessert later.
Handsome Harry’s has entertainment in the evenings. You can check the schedule on their website.
If you are an early diner, they have available a very good offering; a starter, entree and dessert at a reasonable price.
Note: It will be closed for Thanksgiving.
So far, so good, Jay….next…
November 16th, 2011
All these years in Florida and I had never visited Naples. Some of my friends are on the east coast of Florida, while others have opted for the gulf. So, after an invitation was extended to visit a friend, off we went, taking Alligator Alley and in a couple of hours we were there.
With only 24 hours to explore Jay took us around, introduced us to Historic Naples, fed us and housed us, as well.
I wanted to see the beach. I used to go to Venice, Florida, but it was so long ago. It really was a pretty day, so we stopped at the Naples Municipal Beach.
The sand on this particular beach was powdery white; quite different than the sand found on the east coast of Florida. I can see why it is such a big hit for those that love to sand sculpt.
At a distance the famous Naples Pier stood, just as it has stood since 1888 when it was built as a freight and passenger dock. It is a landmark and in the early 1900’s freight and baggage were transported by a narrow gauge train spanning the length of the pier.
On the Naples Pier you will find a concession stand, and a bait shop. No fishing license is required for fishing from the pier. The City of Naples has a bulk fishing license for the actual pier.
During the day you can also find a game of volley ball since there are nets on the beach; and if you want to stay to see the sun set, please do so because it is gorgeous and every day is an experience.
I found that there is a marked difference from the beaches on the west vs. the beaches on the east. It is a different sensation. The east has that salty smell and the sounds of the waves which are special. The gulf is quiet and pretty too, but I guess I am partial to the east coast. It is just something in the air; maybe the way the palm trees move or its ocean breezes…yes, I think that’s it!!
Have a great day!! Great restaurants in Naples…coming up next.
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