FORT PIERCE — On a recent evening, arriving without a reservation, we were lucky to get a table on the second-floor veranda of Chuck’s Seafood restaurant from which to watch another glorious sunset across the Fort Pierce inlet.
In the late spring, while the evenings are still cool enough to enjoy dining al fresco, there is no better spot in this area to enjoy a pre-dinner glass of wine and watch fishing boats returning with their catch – which is probably only a few hours fresher than the fish you will soon be enjoying as your entrée.
This venerable restaurant is close to a perfect place for anyone seeking good fresh seafood, attentive service, and the best view around of boats entering an inlet to our Indian River Lagoon.
After a pre-dinner glass of pinot grigio, my husband ordered the Outrageous Oysters (usually $12.99, but a special that evening for $9.99), and even though salads are included with entrées, I went with one of my longtime favorites here, the caprese salad ($8.99).
The outrageous oysters consisted of six Apalachicola Bay beauties on the half shell, topped with chopped red onion, sour cream and caviar. The oysters were perfection.
My caprese salad, however, was a bit of a disappointment. The slices of fresh heirloom tomato came as expected interspaced with mozzarella and kalamatta olives.
The tomato slices were very nice, but the chef had a bit too heavy of a hand with the balsamic vinegar and the cheese did not have the smooth, creamy texture you would expect of fresh mozzarella.
While I continued to pick at my caprese, my husband turned to his salad course – which he upgraded to a Caesar from the house salad for an added $1.50. An OK Caesar.
Then for entrées, I ordered the shrimp scampi ($18.99) and my husband chose the seafood special of the day, fresh cobia, which he had blackened for $25.99.
Broiled in tasty garlic butter, the shrimp were brought to the table in a casserole accompanied by rice, which was served on the side. The shrimp at Chuck’s – whether broiled, grilled or fried – always seem to be good sized and prepared perfectly, and this was no exception.
My husband’s cobia was lightly blackened and grilled just right, a beautiful piece of a very tasty fish. It was accompanied by young green beans, which were tender and tasty. We decided on this evening to forego dessert (a little end-of-season dieting going on these days), though at least one of us was sorely tempted by recollections of Chuck’s Key Lime pie. On previous visits, we have enjoyed the broiled scallops (plump and juicy) and Chuck’s “famous fried shrimp,” which are as good as you are going to find anywhere, as well as various preparations of snapper, fresh flounder and dolphin. Very hard to go wrong with any seafood dish here.
Dinner for two with wine and before tip is likely to run in the $80 to $100.
This is not a place that demands fancy dress. The atmosphere, even in the dining room, might charitably be described as casual.
But for good seafood, simply prepared, the food measures up to that in our area’s white-table-cloth restaurants.
And this time of year, when the dog days of summer have not yet arrived, you won’t regret dining on Chuck’s veranda.
I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at tina@verobeach32963.com.
The reviewer is a beachside resident who dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.