Restaurant Scene in Florida

[Susan in FL]

From Florida Trend (registration required):

Picking Up The Pieces

Florida’s hurricane-battered restaurants chip in and try to move on.

By Robert W. Tolf

The Florida Restaurant Association’s Dine Out for Disaster Relief Day on Oct. 14 provided an initial closure of sorts to all the destruction and desperation of our non-stop hurricane season. Some 1,900 restaurants raised $3.5 million for the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund.

The mighty Breakers in Palm Beach suffered some damage but was closed only a few weeks. Manalapan’s Ritz-Carlton lost enough stucco facade and landscaping that it shut down until Thanksgiving.

[Susan in FL]

Here is a link for the update on damaged restaurants, reopenings, etc., in case anyone would like to do the registration and read about it.

Thanks, Melissa for abbreviating the quote to be in compliance with eG policy.

I am most sad about The Fish House in Pensacola, which was "severely damaged, perhaps never to reopen." We enjoyed many good meals there with my son when visiting him in Pensacola. I am most happy about the dedication and determination of so many of the restaurant owners, managers, and staffs in their come-back efforts throughout the State when that was possible, and the support of communities. Again about Pensacola, I went to Jackson's shortly after they reopened, after being closed to replace carpet and repair other damage, and it looked beautiful. It was an off night for food; however, I'll go back and give it another try to support such rebuilding efforts, if for no other reason.

[joiei]

Susan, thanks for the report on Jackson's. The chef, Irv Miller, has been a friend of mine since 1985 when he was the head chef at Colors in Destin.

[Susan in FL]

You're welcome. They have a great menu!

[Susan in FL]

We just returned from Pensacola, and enjoyed another great dinner at McGuire's Irish Pub. Obviously it wouldn't be what one would pick for a quiet romantic dinner, but it was perfect for both celebrations we had at this restaurant. We had a large group there for dinner Friday after my son's and his girlfriend's winging, as we did after his commisioning. The food is very good, and both times the service to our somewhat rowdy bunch was excellent. They brew beer, and the IPA was delicious. They have a good wine list, too, as well as for cocktails. Some of the dinners at our table were lobster, steak, oysters, and burgers, and eveybody loved what they got. They seated us in a room with the one big round table in it.

Some restaurants have reopened, having rebuilt or made the repairs, and others we saw were still closed. Pensacola itself is coming along, although many areas look different; however, Pensacola Beach was shockingly sad to us. We've known the amount of destruction that Ivan did there, but seeing the devastion for ourselves months later was... well it's undescribable for me. We certainly salute the efforts and the regrowth by the local people, and whenever we had a chance during our stay, we supported the businesses along the beach -- restaurants included -- even if a small purchase.

[joiei]

Susan, thanks for the update. I love McGuire's, period. I think it is one of the funnest restaurnats in all of Florida. I don't know if it still gets a golden Spoon from Florida Trend magazine, but the la ti da guys down in the south of Florida never understood how a place like McGuires could rate a golden spoon, it was not stuffy or expensive. It just did the best job of anyone in the state showing folks a good time. I can not think of anyplace in the south of Florida where one can kiss the moose.

[Susan in FL]

Yes, and when you walk in, you don't "see dollar signs"... you SEE DOLLARS! LOL!

[Bolivar Petit Corona]

People vote with their money on McGuire's; last year tried to get in the one in Destin, but the wait was too long.

The Dock & Peg Leg Pete's on Pensacola Beach weren't showing signs of reopening soon, as of last month...

they SAY the FloriBama will reopen...never been in there, only by there