SEBASTIAN — One of the great pleasures of Sebastian is that strip of neck-craning restaurants that run along the Indian River Lagoon from Mulligan’s Beach House and the Tiki Hut to Capt. Hiram’s Capt’n Butcher’s and the best fish restaurant name I can think of: Squid Lips.
These restaurants all offer terrific views, some from the shoreline and others from perches over the water.
In many ways, they are pretty similar.
They are not gourmet places to dine, but they do serve up hearty portions of seafood and shellfish along with a plentiful selection of beers, mixed drinks and wines.
On a recent mid-week night, we stopped at Capt. Hiram’s to enjoy a nice early evening breeze, that great water view and the slow-setting sun. We wanted our table to be as close to the water as we could get.
We figured we’d save Capt. Hiram’s more sheltered interior spaces for a cooler fall or winter nights.
Capt. Hiram’s isn’t fancy. Diners sit at wood tables under an open-beamed, wood ceiling and they can – depending on the weather –be sheltered from the elements by plastic drop-down curtains.
Cindy, our waitress, has spent 22 1/2 years scooting between Capt. Hiram’s tables and serving up a good mix of humor with her attentive brand of service.
Cindy says she moved to Sebastian from New York when she was 25, arriving to find a tranquil small town that has since grown from the “two phone-booth place” she recalls when she first arrived.
We sat back to enjoy the view and go over the menu while sipping cold Heinekens.
Hungry after a long day, we started our night off with shrimp jammers ($8.99), shrimp stuffed with cheddar cheese that arrived with a tangy dipping sauce. Cindy couldn’t give us a full take on what was in the sauce, but our taste buds zeroed in on horseradish, catsup, tangy mustard and mayo.
One of my companions really enjoyed them and I couldn’t disagree with her. After all, how often do you see shrimp dressed up that way? A nice touch with an old restaurant standby.
I ordered steamed mussels with white wine and herbs ($9.99). There were plenty of meaty mussels in a savory broth that was just right for sopping up with toasted garlic bread.
When we ran through that, we pressed the crusty rolls that came with dinner into service.
A second companion didn’t want to order an appetizer. Instead, he decided to share with the two of us who did. We heard no complaints from him on either the mussels or the shrimp jammers.
For an entree, I picked the night’s special, a good-sized swordfish steak grilled with lemon and pepper, and served with a spicy pepper relish ($19.99).
The steak was perfectly cooked, but the flavor of the swordfish, which isn’t meek tasting in the least, was overpowered a bit by the pepper. If I ever order the dish again, I’ll ask the kitchen to scale back on that garnish.
One of my companions picked the grouper ($22.99) and decided to go with it blackened. He said he enjoyed the flavor, but thought the fish was a tad overcooked.
My second companion ordered the crab-stuffed flounder ($18.99.) She thought the dish was “fantastic” and applauded the Newberg sauce where she described as “very rich with a nice flavor.”
She also liked the fact the dish came out of the kitchen piping hot and remained that way until she finished her meal.
Overall, Capt. Hiram’s won’t surprise you, but it also won’t break the bank and it offers and nice view of the lagoon and the boats bobbing at the dock.
If you’re lucky enough to land Cindy as your waitress, you’ll finish dinner with a smile.
Dinner for two with appetizers and drinks will run a couple about $65 before tip.
The reviewer is a local resident who dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Sebastian River News.
Left to Right: Mussels with shallots, garlic, white wine, diced tomatoes and garlic toast; Turkey Bacon Club Wrap; Crabcakes with Sweet Potato Fries. Photos by benjamin hager
