Cuisine Review

Finding the allure to dining inside Bass Pro Shop

Always looking for a restaurant to review can be a challenge sometimes. Typically I have something in mind that I have yet to review (the list is quite small), or a new place has been given enough time for me to finally try.

For this column, I first tried to eat at a restaurant I have not been to in years, but could not get a reservation despite my flexible schedule. I was stuck, freaked out and needed to suspend disbelief and enter a world of make believe – almost – because no place was coming to mind. You know, to a world where everything is perfect, people are always happy, the food hot, the setting so “not real” – a Pleasantville.

So I decided to head over to the Bass Pro World, I mean Bass Pro Shop and eat at their Islamorada Fish Company Restaurant. I know millions of you have been waiting with baited breath for the monstrosity to open and had been told the food was actually quite good.

From the minute I stepped out of my car I was, literally, in another world to me. All that bait, tackle, the Deke boy Columiba fishing shirts as far as the eye could see – I had seen it all before having been to other stores. But the enormity of this store along with the creeks, their banks strewn perfectly with rocks, bridges and a skiff in the water – I expected Donald and Mickey to pop out from the door in their Guy Harvey t-shirts to welcome me.

I was entertained, don’t get me wrong, but I just could never shake the feeling that I was at a character breakfast with my children. But hey, I was all about pretending that I was coming in from fishing to be served dinner in my faux lodge.

If you have been to Disney World and stayed at the Wilderness Resort you can envision the inside space of the restaurant, mixed in with a bit of Epcot. It is an amazing room – soaring ceilings with beams all in a worn, whitewash grey, old fishing lodge feel. From the rafters hang realistic wooden fish sculptures, wonderful large-scale old black-and-white photographs of children and adults with their catches, and mounted big fish on the walls.

A tremendous stone fireplace has a constant flame flickering to set the scene. What arrests and demands your attention is an enormous aquarium stocked with tropical fish – especially delightful in that it will occupy your hungry child’s attention (and likely an adult’s as well).

I made my visit on a Monday evening, which was busy but not packed. We did not have to wait on a table but I can imagine later in the week you should expect a wait. Our service was superb, professional and on time. We ordered appetizers, salads and a main course. Our concern was that they not all come out at once, and when we asked our waitress she assuaged any fear, telling us that she makes it her practice not to put in the orders until after the appetizers arrived to ensure this.

The menu is large, though not quite as large as the space. There is plenty to choose from without feeling overwhelmed. It did present us with a number of hard choices. As you would expect, the menu is heavy on seafood, but it also has about a third of the menu dedicated to land as well. The wine list has some well-selected and priced options and large number of beers.

Looking over the appetizers, at first the venison stuffed mushrooms ($8) – venison sausage smothered in white cheddar cheese and baked – piqued my interest as did a spinach queso; loaded thick-cut chips served with an avocado-ranch dressing or maybe the seared ahi tuna. The other items we were thinking about we found all rolled into one in the Florida sampler ($12) that contains smoked Wahoo dip ($8 appetizer by itself) similar to tuna dip with a mellow smoke flavor, in the middle of consistency meter, just enough fish so as not to complain; alligator ($7 if alone) with a cracklin’ cornmeal batter encasing the chewy, chicken tasting meat and coconut shrimp ($8 if alone) that had been tossed in sweet coconut flakes and seemed to be pan-seared. All three were good, but we could have definitely eaten a bowlful of the smoked Wahoo.

The usual salads are found, with the unique Islamorada salad ($12) having mixed greens with candied cashews, dry blue cheese, dried cranberries and grilled Mahi Mahi tossed in raspberry vinaigrette. We each got a side salad with the freshest of mixed lettuces and two well-made dressings. The sesame ginger dressing on mine was piquant and tangy, the blue cheese my friend swore tasted very close to that found at Mary Mahoney’s.

There are several burgers that I have heard good things about, a grilled fish sandwich smothered with sautéed onions and cheese; a smoked Wahoo wrap and fish tacos. For the more dinner-size entrees, they have fried and grilled seafood, combinations and some specialties. At first I considered the macadamia Mahi ($17) crusted with nuts and served with tropical fruit chutney or the black and blue Tuna ($16). It is appealing that one can also order catfish, Mahi, Yellowfin, Salmon or shrimp grilled with a choice of five sauces.

On the fried end, I chose their “signature” fish and chips ($11) with either potato chips or fries. This was fish as I like it, in a thick beer batter served with crispy chips and all the malt vinegar you need. Way better than Captain D’s. I would likely order this again. You can get catfish or tilapia fried as well, along with fried jumbo shrimp, coconut or popcorn.

Of the on-land items, the hickory fired rotisserie chicken ($10) was marked as a specialty, and it was not until after my friend ordered it that I saw and smelled the actual hickory fire near the aquarium – then I knew she had ordered well. The one half chicken had a golden crisp crust with a tender inside, and was served with some marginal white cheddar mashed potatoes. I recommend substituting the fries. We had no room or desire for dessert.

I mean, if you are over there, looking for something to eat I suggest you try Islamorada out. The food and service were good, but please don’t take me here for my birthday. There is just something to me about sitting in a faux lodge of perfection in the middle of a shopping center off I-10 that is off-putting to me.

Kinnon Phillips is Lagniappe cuisine editor. Contact him at kphillips@lagniappemobile.com.

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