As you drive along US 1 in Sebastian, you can’t help notice signs for Capt. Hiram’s Resort and Marina. Tom Collins and partners purchased it almost 30 years ago as the Sebastian Inlet Marina right on the Indian River Lagoon.
Over the years it has grown into the area’s largest waterfront resort and restaurant. The complex now includes extensive opportunities for all kinds of aquatic activities such a boating and fishing, a hotel, a restaurant, bar and bandstand, as well as banquet facilities, meeting rooms, and a souvenir shop. Capt. Hiram’s was named in honor of Sergeant Hiram Collins, Tom’s great-uncle, who was killed at Normandy Beach in World War II.
On a recent warm Saturday night, Christine and I were seated promptly in the open-air part of the restaurant overlooking the lagoon. With a gentle breeze and the waterfront view, it was a good start to an enjoyable evening.
Marina greeted us warmly as our server and took drink orders, for Christine an Orange Crush, a refreshing concoction of vodka, Triple Sec, orange juice and Sierra Mist, and for me a beer, one from an extensive selection of drafts (12) plus both domestic and imported bottles. Both were brought to the table quickly.
We ordered an appetizer to share – the crispy calamari at $8.49. They arrived piping hot with marinara sauce and small plates and extra napkins. Calamari can be difficult to prepare – they have to be cooked either very quickly or for a much longer time or they will become rubbery. Here they were cooked quickly for a tender taste – not at all chewy.
When Christine asked about the fresh catch of the day, Marina not only told us what they were but also showed us a menu where the prices were listed. She chose the swordfish with a key lime butter sauce for $20.99. It could also come with a lobster sauce and she had a choice of how it would be prepared – grilled, broiled, blackened or fried. She opted for grilled – and was very pleased with the preparation.
This nice piece of fish came with a baked potato (or rice pilaf) and fresh vegetables. The mixed veggies (zucchini and yellow squash) were sautéed quickly – still a little firm and very tasty.
For another $3, she added a Caesar salad. At first it didn’t seem like there was any dressing on it, but there was – very light and tasty – not overpowering or greasy.
I couldn’t decide what type of seafood I wanted and thus ordered the seafood pasta, also at $20.99, which came with sautéed shrimp, scallops and lump crabmeat as well as cherry tomatoes in a light citrus butter sauce. This impressive dish arrived with pappardelle pasta and a heaping portion of jumbo shrimp, the promised scallops and crabmeat and two pieces of garlic bread, which was delicious dipped in the sauce.
For a starter, I had also ordered a cup of Maryland crab soup for an additional $3, probably the least successful part of an otherwise great and enjoyable meal. The abundance of crabmeat made it taste more like a stew than a soup.
Another option on the menu is “You Catch It, We Cook It.” They will grill, broil, blacken or fry your “catch,” glaze it with lobster or key lime butter sauce and serve it with the Capt.’s special tartar sauce. But we hadn’t caught anything at the bridge tournament where we came from, not even a point, so we had no choice but to accept what the kitchen offered us.
Sitting in the relaxing atmosphere looking out over the water, we decided to extend our dining experience with coffee and dessert. Christine ordered the key lime pie – which we were told was homemade – and enjoyed every last bite of it. I decided on the cheesecake with strawberry topping, rich and creamy yet not overly dense – a delightful texture.
As Sebastian residents no doubt drive by Capt. Hiram’s frequently, they may have come to regard it as more of a resort, a water activities type of place for visitors. The restaurant and bar are not visible from US 1; they’re right on the lagoon.
But for a reasonably priced seafood dinner, it is still very much the place to go, even though it is not the only dining establishment on the lagoon anymore, and not the only seafood place, either (for landlubbers, they also have Key West-spiced chicken breast at $16.99 or a New York strip steak at $27.99).
To put it simply, Capt. Hiram’s is very much a Sebastian tradition – and not a bad one at that.
Dinner for two, including a drink, coffee and dessert, comes to about $75 before tax and tip.