The Tarpon Lodge - Part 1 in the Boat for Food Blog Series - Useppa Island

BOATING FOR FOOD FROM USEPPA ISLAND, FLORIDA

To the Tarpon Lodge, Pineland, FL

Tarpon Lodge Pineland Florida

Once again it is time to search for the perfect place to dine. This time, rather than a lunch run we are going for dinner. My choices re extremely limited because Mary has already made reservations at the Tarpon Lodge. This destination is the second most convenient restaurant to Useppa, the other being Cabbage Key. We call the Lodge “upscale” compared to Cabbage, to which we can kayak, but Cabbage has a charm of its own.

The Four Star Tarpon Lodge, owned and managed by the same family that owns Cabbage Key, is located in Pineland, a small burg on the western shore of Pine Island that, in a previous era was a stronghold of the Calusa Indians. They built huge mounds from shell and earth to serve as temples and, I presume, strongholds in the event some enemies were silly enough to attack them. Calusa’s had a way of dealing with that problem; they ate those that they captured-or at least, the prime parts. That tends to diminish the number of enemies.

Which is probably not why there is a restaurant in Pineland today, but it makes you think. By the way, the Randell Research Center, dedicated to preserving the remains of this notable center of Native American history, is located across the street from the Lodge and is part of the Florida Museum of Natural History. Take a tour at www.flmnh.ufl.edu/rrc/

The Tarpon Lodge, located adjacent to the 24-rooms that make it a Lodge, is well known as the best quality and service on the waterfront. The staff is well led and openly friendly, eager to serve and they do it well. No matter if the restaurant is full; you will always receive the best service. Unlike the wait staff in many restaurants, these pros know what’s in each dish. 

The food, especially the fish, is always fresh, fresh, fresh. Like one review on Google stated “THE best fish I ever had”. The chef’s preparations are creative and the presentation wonderful. Our dinner that evening was the Special, a delish hunk of grouper in a light cream sauce on a bed of Jasmine rice and sautéed spinach. It sounded so good all four of us ordered it, and we were not disappointed.  Unfortunately, that means all the plate photos look the same.

Grouper - Jasmine Rice in a light cream sauce

The lodge is a favorite place for Useppans to visit, for lunch or for dinner. Just an 8 minute run from Useppa via the well-marked Pineland channel, there is always sufficient dock space right along the seawall and docks behind the restaurant.  

For more information visit their website www.tarponlodge.com