I travel to Melbourne frequently on business, usually for extended stays. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the restaurants in a fairly sleepy town. My picks and pans . . . Top of the heap is Matt’s Tropical Grill. This is in a strip mall on A1A. Don’t be put off by the location, though the atmosphere is only so-so. The food, prepared by a husband-wife team, is world-class all the way, with the emphasis on very fresh seafood. They feature whole fish for one, two or more; nightly specials; and wonderful veggies on the side. A lot of the regular menu is mix and match; pick your fish (or meat), then choose the sauce. I tried the “triple fish” -- that’s three filets -- and went with a garlic-black bean sauce. Out of this world! For openers, there’s the tenderest sauteed calamari I’ve ever tasted; order it “habanero hot” for an extra kick. Also: Nice desserts; salads you simply must see (and taste) to believe; and a small but servicable wine list. No liquor. Plan on $50-60 for two, including a bottle of wine. And make sure you book a reservation. If you don’t mind stretching the expense account, go to Djon’s. It’s in a wonderful old house and the present owner tells the frustrating story of a mirror that was explicitly excluded from the purchase. Turns out it was the mirror used in The Wizard of Oz! Well, you won’t think you’re in Kansas when you eat here. The food’s mostly continental with a French/Italian emphasis. Fresh seafood, as you’d expect on the coast, but very nice landlubber fare, too. There’s a piano bar (I think) downstairs and a dessert room upstairs. Nice wine list. Starters run $6-$12, as I recall, and most of the entrees are either side of $20. For straight-up seafood, check out Bonefish Willy’s. It’s a shack (literally), and you’d better call first to make sure they’ll be open because the owners are real casual about business hours. The motto here is “Any fresher, you’d be wet,” and they’re not stretching it. I ordered a blackened tuna steak and the waitress asked how hot I wanted it to be. “Real hot,” said I. “Well,” she replies, “Our ‘hot’ is REALLY hot.” “Make it hotter,” I told her. Dunno if I really got the works, though the seasoning was pretty perky, but the kitchen also sent a small cup totally incendiery sauce that certainly did the trick. I don’t remember any liquor here, but there is beer and wine. About $50 for two, including an appetizer and a couple of beers. Barbecue? You’ll find some pretty good grub at Charlie and Jake’s; only problem here is a really lame beer selection, along with institutional atmosphere. I prefer Jimmy Joe’s, a regular little outhouse that delivers the goods. A couple of quickies: There’s a Japanese restaurant in a strip mall on Sarno Road called (watch my spelling here) Genhai that does great sushi at very reasonable prices. In the same strip mall is a small Mexican place whose name I don’t recall; might be Casa something, and probably is. Anyway, it’s not your usual Tex-Mex. Everything’s nice and fresh, and they do great moles. There’s also Miguel’s, another Mexican place (in another old house) just west of the mall. I don’t recommend this so much for the Mexican food as for the few Spanish dishes on the menu; they’re wonderful. Super margaritas, too. Watch out if you stop by on a weekend, though, ’cause they get very busy and you might cool your heels a loooooong time waiting on a table. Two suggestions for oysters: Get ’em by the bucket (36) with a bucket of beer (six bottles) at Bunky’s, which is on A1A. It’s a dump, but whaddayacare? They also do wings, clams and a nighly grilled fish special that’s a steal at (usually) under $10. A slightly nicer spot is Rusty’s, with locations in Cocoa Beach and (my preference) Port Canveral. These folks also do New England- style fish dinners by the bucketful. In closing, something to shout about: AVOID CONCHY JOE’S! This sorry tourist trap is supposed to be a seafood restaurant, but I’ve been roundly disappointed in that department every time I’ve been dragged there. If you must go, get a steak. And look out for the stuff on the “raw bar,” which has looked positively lethal on weeknights. Of course, if you’re trolling for a little companionship, you’ll probably find just what you’re after in the bar or on the deck, where there’s bad live music and everyone’s on the make. Eat up! ___________________________________________________ *** Chuck Chiavarini *** [email removed] "You can't close the door when the wall's caved in" ___________________________________________________
Florida