Miller’s Dockside: Part 4 in the Boat for Food Blog Series- A Culinary Adventure around Useppa Island!

We must be in a rut. Here we are again, heading north to Boca Grande for lunch. Plenty of fine places to visit south of here, but there is only so much time for boating and eating. We’ll get to the southern eateries soon enough.

From Useppa, we go north up the ICW, across Charlotte Harbor. The Tarpon fleet is long gone, the fish scattered up into the harbor and the numerous canals in Cape Coral, Englewood, Cape Haze and Punta Gorda.Today we enter the Boca Grande Canal and take a sharp left to the Boca Grande Marina, home to two restaurants: Millers Dockside and the Eagle Grill. You won’t confuse the two. This trip we did the Dockside, the Eagle will come later.

 When boating for food, convenient dockage is important, and the marina provides a complimentary tie- up for lunch patrons. It is just a few steps into the restaurant, as well as the ships store. Dock master and attendants are ready and cheerful.

The Dockside means just that, you are right next to the dock. We watch as fishing guides come in and release their live bait, gas-up or meet fresh customers, all 10-15 feet from our table. Boats come and go, with fisherman shopping in the ships store and waiting for a table. We are seated quickly and our server promptly showed up.

 

The menu is really eclectic for a casual venue, with everything from Boca Dogs and Burgers (think soda fountain fare), quesadillas to shrimp and grits, fresh tuna nachos and Duck Dim Sum. International fare, who would have guessed? As usual, I go for the health food-dogs and fries with a beer. There are salads on the menu, of course, and Mary had one-of course.

Another day boating for food from Useppa Island, what a tough day!

REAL ISLAND LIVING: What's it Like to Live On a Real Island?

We get this question all the time and wanted to share a part of an article written by one of our own Useppa Island residents, Gretchen F. Coyle.  This article was originally publishing the July/August issue of Time of the Islands. 

What’s it like to live on a real island?  No!!  Not islands like Boca Grande and Sanibel where Robb and Stuckey and Home Depot trucks cruise down palm-lined roads, daily…
 

Real islands, with no bridges or causeways to them, attract an ingenious, independent sort of residents.  They are creative, making their own fun, and more than able to amuse themselves.  Artists and writers enjoy the tranquility; readers relax on a porch easy chair.  There is a Bridge Club, a Book Club, an Historical Society, our Croquet Club and Tennis.  Craft ideas are traded among island residents while others tinker in their well-equipped workshops.  Boats are a constant source of conversation and consternation, not to mention upkeep. And, someone is always up for a spontaneous sail.
 

 

Out islands in Lee and Charlotte counties – like Cabbage Key, Three Sisters, North Captiva, Cayo Costa, Little Gasparilla, Mondongo, Burgess, Palm Island and Useppa – are accessible only by boat, small planes, seaplane, or helicopter.  These are places where “schlepping” is commonplace.  In fact the only way to get anything to these islands is by boat.
 

It is said that everything brought to Useppa is “touched”, at least 14 times, from the stores’ shelves to our shelves.  Multiply the above by everything that goes into any island home and there you have what we on the island call “schlepping”.  And, Useppans don’t buy just one of anything.  If one box of Kleenex is needed, buy three.  The same goes for Mayo and other basic essentials.  Toilet paper and paper towels… how about a case at a time?  You see, you can’t run down to the corner convenience store every time you are out of something.  We keep an extra refrigerator and big freezer for our overflow, especially handy at holiday time when our home overflows with family.
 
Most island residents are meticulously organized with lists kept for everything from grocery store to Lowe’s.  Mainland excursions – dictated sometimes by necessity, others for cultural or social functions - are multi-faceted with a number of errands crowded into a short time.  Do we run out of things? Sure do.  Borrowing a teaspoon of cumin or two tablespoons of cream of tartar from a neighbor is a regular occurrence. It's all part of true island life and we wouldn't trade a thing for it!

Adieu! Adieu! We bid the Shooks residents Adieu!!

They are gone.....

For the last couple of months, we have been greeting new families and welcoming them to our Useppa Family.  This month, we are saying goodbye to a Useppa family that has been part of Useppa Island, almost since it's inception.... Charles and Rhonda Shook. 

                Things will not be the same!

They have graced our Island with their community spirit, gastronomical delights, angling expertise, green thumbs, seamanship, exceptional sense of humor, strategic croquet

 and just being wonderful neighbors, always there with a good word, a bowl of chicken gumbo, help with a boat or a hand in the kitchen.

Sooo...McColgans and the Trinos gave them a little farewell party...  a send-off we hope they'll remember!

Now....OFF THEY GO, back home to Mississippi

Though saddened by their departure, we give them a fond Adieu...wish them the very best, telling them,

"You damn well better come back!!

We love you!!"

Will Boat for Food Blog Series: The Fishery

The Fishery: Part 3 in the Boat for Food Blog Series- A Culinary Adventure around Useppa Island!

We are motoring north again, in search of fresh fish for our get-away lunch. We  cross Boca Grande pass and the fleet of boats working the fish inside of the pass. When you think of eating fish, however, it’s not tarpon but The Fishery that comes to mind.

Located immediately south of the old Boca Grande railroad bridge, this casual family restaurant is located adjacent to a real fish house, the port where Gulf commercial fishing vessels bring their catch into Placida/Cape Haze. It doesn’t get any fresher unless you catch it yourself. Of course, that is not difficult around here.

Slowing for the channel into the Fishery, we parallel the railroad structure which is renowned for holding some beefy Snook. Just last season we were anchored right here with Captain Dave Hoke out of Bokeelia, live baits placed perfectly for the moving tide. Our fishing mates were daughter Shari and hubby Brian Gear from Fort Myers. Our laid back day away from our tropical paradise was rewarded with a fresh and delish dinner.

Back to The Fishery: They have really handy dockage right in front, and can handle a multitude of small boats. Up and in we went, bypassing the outdoor dining patio with not an empty seat, to enter the rustic but air conditioned restaurant. There is something special about an eatery that is smart enough to place the bar between the entrance from the dock, and the restaurant seating.

So we endured warm welcomes, cold brews and rapid seating to sit and study the menu. Grouper must be the all-time most requested fish in Florida. Accordingly, it is priced “at market” which always results in 2 questions: How much? And is it FRESH? You got to love this answer: our server says it is not available now because  they are waiting for a “better supply”. If that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about The Fishery, nothing does. Ever had a place try to pass of a skinny Tilapia on you when you order Grouper? Yea.

 

 

 

Surprise of all surprises, Mary orders a salad with blackened snapper. It was really good, the greens all fresh and crunchy, the snapper perfectly and lightly blackened. With a background of dining on Baltimore Crab Cakes, I should have heeded the disclaimer on the crab cakes, said to be “Fishery” style. What a dummy, I didn’t even ask. They don’t short you on the crab, no problem there, but you have got to like eating Old Bay seasoning by the spoonful. Too bad, but if you don’t try something new…………The fries were good, but then I rarely meet one I don’t like.

 

This trip got a little out of hand –it was 23 minutes dock to dock.

 

Useppa Island Celebrates Independence Day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, USA!!!

And, what better place to celebrate than Useppa Island?!?!  And, what an absolutely gorgeous day it was!  12 knot breezes, balmy-to-hot but, in the right spots.....pure heaven!
                            
Useppa Island residents were in full spirit and had flags proudly displayed all over  the island!

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Tables were decorated....

And....so were the people!!

The entertainment was fantastic!! "Clive Live" and his electronic accompaniment  was, unbelievably, Sydney Houston, one minute and Satchmo, the next!                  

Kids were everywhere, the pool was jammed...                        

.....and every one was jamming!  

A super day!  A great party!  Music, laughter, hamburgers and hot dogs, friends and family.
And, flags flying everywhere.  It made us all appreciate just how lucky we are...to be here and to share our good fortune and celebrate
INDEPENDENCE DAY! 

It was quintessential Useppa! Plan on joining us next year.  We missed you!

Will Boat for Food Blog Series Part 2: Barnacles Restaurant

A Culinary Adventure around Useppa Island  

We turn our sights south for our next gastronomic exploration, to our neighboring island of Upper (or North) Captiva.  Bridgeless like Useppa but having shores along the Gulf of Mexico and Pine Island Sound, Upper Captiva is home to 400+- beach houses, ranging from the bohemian to top shelf, all kind of mixed together. We can see this island and Captiva Pass, from the south and west shores of Useppa Island.

Barnacles on Upper Captiva

Today we visited a local icon of truly laid-back island dining, Barnacles Restaurant, but everybody still calls it Barnacle Phil’s. Phil has been gone for years now, but it was his creation. Most visitors dine under the huge palm-thatched tiki hut, seated on wooden picnic benches. From this vantage point one can watch the boats come in to dock, which is frequently excellent entertainment as well as a lesson about marital relations or, how not to have any (never raise your voice to the first mate, even if you crush several pilings).

Outdoor Seating at Barnacles

The restaurant also has inside dining and the demands of modernity have caused it to be air conditioned. We remember when it had no A/C, and it could get so hot in there they had to build a tiki hut where you could cool off. This improved the view, too.

Barnacle’s is known for their black beans, and I have had plenty of them. They are very good. But today seemed more like an All American Day, and usually that means a burger for me. But, being an adventurous diner I decided to go international. They call it the Barnacle Dog, a tasty ¼ pound wiener smothered in internationally famous Black Beans. With chopped onions of course. And French Fries. How international can you get? An American adopted German sausage, Spanish black beans, and potatoes with a French influence. Yes sir, I know how to mix’em up! Like an international gourmet tour in one basket. Yum!

The gotta try Barnacle Dog!

No fruity drink with this lunch-it is totally about the cold beer.

And guess what? Mary had the salad, with grilled shrimp. Said it was really good.

Even the salads at Barnacles are delicious!

Located in Safety Harbor, Barnacles is a 12-minute boat ride, well within our 20 minute goal.