Since dining with friends is one of my absolute favorite things to do, I rarely pass up an offer to share company and explore cuisine in town or travel far to the coast . Last night, as we said goodbye to a favorite couple my husband and I love who is moving to Indiana, what a better way to release them to the Midwest than to share wine and local catch seafood?
I am urging you to take notice, if you haven't all ready, Palm Valley Fish Camp, in Palm Valley, Florida.
Located on Roscoe Blvd, a windy two-lane road along the deep intercoastal waters, the Spanish oak trees and overgrown mossy vegetation draws you into rustic Old Florida where dirt roads meets blacktop. Don't drive too fast or you'll pass by the narrow lot and small sign that welcomes you to the Palm Valley Fish Camp. Meticulous landscaping with limited parking lets you know that whomever owns this restaurant is proud of their little piece of waterfront land.
If you get to PVFC on a weekend night, be sure to either have reservation set from days in advance or don't come famished, because the wait can be weary. Not to worry though, the friendly bartenders will invite you to have a seat along the long shiny black granite bar where people watching is at its best. Or if you are thirsty, grab a cold draft beer or a glass of wine and head to the front deck and sit along the gleeming lacqured wood bench or the floating dock where the boatsmen wave either by yacht, by john boat or something inbetween.
The interior feels like stepping into someone's newly built beach cottage with dark hard surface materials, fresh coats of green and blue paint and white trim throughout. But there isn't anything pretentious about this newly built restaurant, for the decor is laid back and rustic where fish nets and bouys hang along the walls and the daily specials are handwritten on an old shutter door chalkboard.
Shall we order?! Being with two other couples, we made sure all six of us ordered a variety of items so everyone could share a bite. For starters, we picked the Cornmeal Crusted Fried Gator Tail, and the Fried Green Tomatoes w/ Lemon Aioli. Be sure to have a cup of the Rick's All Day Seafood Soup, a light tomato base cup of heaven. The men all ordered the Mahi Mahi served over Grits and side of Collard Greens. I helped myself to the classic Mayport Shrimp and Creamy Grits. My lady friends helped themselves to the Grilled Salmon with Shallot Dill Butter, Steamed Spinach & New Potatoes as well as the Seared Yellow Fin Tuna w/ Toasted Sesame Salad. Each delectable menu item simply melted in our mouths as we savored and sipped on our glasses Hahn Pinot Noir. Though too stuffed for dessert, we wished we had room to try that Cranberry Bread Pudding...but there's always next time.
I urge you to make a reservation to dine at this wonderful and fine Southern seafood cuisine establishment the next time you are heading to the coast near Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida; and if you do, please save a seat for me!
