Sunday, September 19, 2010

Nick's Place

After a long week, last night I wanted to try some place different.  I have driven past Nick's Place near Freeport, Florida several times and have always wanted to try it.  Last night I did.  It's 50 mile drive down Hwy. 20 from my mothers house on the beach.  We took Hwy. 79 north to Ebro and the headed west down picturesque Hwy 20 through wooded canopies and rural scenery.  Nicks Place is located outside Freeport and the back Chattahoochee Bay.  It is an old fish camp purchased in 1954 and is now a restaurant.  If you like dives, and I do,  this is one for you.  The place is old with memorabilia, deer heads, and autographed photos everywhere.  The view is great.  You can see the high rise condos of Destin and Fort Walton to the south across the bay. 

We were told to sit wherever we wanted and choose a table by the big window for the view.  The menu is simple, fried and grilled seafood.  The waitress told us the fish of the day was Tilefish and that they didn't have oysters.  I asked about the oysters and she said they don't serve oysters until the water get at or below 72 degrees.  Well somebody finally gets it.  The whole month with an "R" really has some truth about the quality of taste of oysters during those months.  We ordered some steamed crab claws for an appetizer and a pitcher of Amber Bock.  The crab claws were seasoned with Old Bay seasoning, but some had no seasoning on the at all.  For dinner I ordered soft shell crab, the wife fried shrimp, and my mom fried scallops which we were told they were local bay scallops.  The soft shell crabs were fried correctly, but had been cleaned of the top shell and cut into two sides.  I guess I better stick with New Orleans for soft shells where they really now how to handle them.  The wife's shrimp were butterflied, large, and crispy, as they should be.  I have often been disappointed in local fired seafood because the crust doesn't adhere to the seafood as it should.  Mom's scallops were another story.  As often is the case the crust fell off the scallops when speared with a fork, and they had no flavor.  Scallops should be sweet and salty.  These were bland.  The sides are the proverbial Cole slaw, French fries, sweet potato fries, new potatoes, and hush puppies.  Those hush puppies were cold and hard as a rock, not the warm, light and fluffy, balls of joy, I really like.

Over all Nicks Place was OK, nothing to make me take that journey again unless I want a dinner get a way.

I give Nicks 2 out of 5 stars.

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