Once again, The Patio is back – this time named The Patio Seafood Tavern. The big question: Can the new management of this historic eatery in the Old Downtown – once upon a time a favorite watering and dining spot of many Vero residents – succeed where two of the island’s top restaurateurs have recently failed?
After dining there last week, we would say the jury is still out on that question.
We arrived there shortly around 7:15, having found the new Blue Star Bourbon Bar and Southern Kitchen packed with diners a few minutes earlier (restaurants all seem busier than ever this season), and were promptly seated in The Patio’s half-filled main dining room.
Nostalgia-wise, this incarnation of The Patio has the familiar ambiance we remember from a decade ago; not quite the more upscale feel it had during Leanne Kelleher’s brief reign, and lacking the energy of the Replogles’ El Toro Tacos period.
Our server quickly brought a small loaf of warm black-and-white bread (very tasty) accompanied by some kind of butter substitute (ugh)! For wine, we were encouraged to try a somewhat pricey bottle of Hahn SLH chardonnay.
Then for starters, I ordered the caprese rustica ($9), my husband chose the tavern wedge ($7), and our companion went for the Manhattan clam chowder ($6).
The caprese rustica was as pretty a salad as I have seen in a while, with just the right amount of balsamic vinaigrette drizzled over the micro greens, slices of heirloom tomato, and fresh mozzarella. My husband’s wedge of iceberg lettuce was topped with bacon, tomato, onions and Maytag cheese in a creamy dressing. Our companion gave high marks to the tomato based clam chowder. So far, so good.
For entrées, I decided to go with the Florida black grouper ($26), my husband opted for Anne’s bayou style fried oysters ($18) and our companion picked the coconut fried shrimp ($18).
The grouper was a very nice fresh filet, perfectly oak grilled, served with a citrus glaze and accompanied by veggies and basmati rice.
But the crispy fried oysters, served with a citrus tartar sauce, were extremely small – more of an appetizer portion than an entrée. And the hand dipped coconut crusted shrimp appeared to have been fried a bit too long, and were served with an orange horseradish marmalade that was cloyingly sweet and had little of the punch you expect from horseradish.
For dessert, we shared a slice of a very rich, flourless chocolate torte ($7). Very dense and chocolaty. Perfect for chocoholics.
The service on our visit was attentive, and all in all, we would rate the food OK – nothing special, and not inexpensive. A dinner for two with dishes chosen from the entrée menu, together with drinks, is going to run in the $70 to $90 range before tax and tip – about the same as when Chef Leanne was there for dishes that don’t measure up to hers.
(Actually, the dinner would have been less expensive if we had been more alert. The menu says adding any side salad to a dinner entrée is $3.95, but our credit card receipt shows we paid the full price for the three salads.)
The new management of The Patio is doing a variety of things designed to boost traffic at what may well be Vero’s largest restaurant. In addition to the seafood, steak and chop dinner entrées, you can get burgers and sandwiches for as little as $11. Other attractions include happy hour drink specials, and late night burgers for $2. And on some evenings, The Patio now offers live entertainment.
Bottom line: At least for the moment, a Vero Beach tradition is back – and very actively searching for a niche. If you are still nursing memories of this restaurant from yesteryear, you may want to go back for a visit.
I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at tina@verobeach32963.com.
The reviewer dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.
