Friday, May. 08, 2009

Fresh Fish, Marsh-front View

Sara j's

Seafarers filet of flounder at Sara J's in Garden City Beach. ÐPhoto by Ashley Morris.

Setting the table

Every time my SUV clicked across the Garden City Beach causeway toward the ocean pier for the past five years, I'd always glance to my left at the foot of the bridge to see cars spilling out of the parking lot at Sara J's like oyster shells from the marsh water's edge. I knew it must be a popular dinnertime spot and made note of that, but just never got to check it out, tableside, until now.

The family-owned, waterfront restaurant serves practically anything under the sea (at prices under those of many other waterfront seafood restaurants). The owners really pride themselves on fresh seafood, evidenced not only by the incredible fish on the plates but by those from recent fishing expeditions mounted on the walls of the indoor dining room: a 42-pound sailfish, a 68-pound dolphin, 396-pound blue fin tuna and a treasured 507-pound blue marlin.

We chose a seat at one of the wrought-iron tables out on the deck surrounded by the fresh air and direct view of the tranquil marsh. With ceiling fans peacefully whirring overhead and a few fishermen tiptoeing through the marsh mud at low tide, it was a simple, relaxing setting.

Down the hatch

At first menu glance, I was fishing for a Sara J's appetizer option (hmm ... oysters, shrimp or crab cake?), but then the complimentary basket of warm hushpuppies and honey butter landed on the table thanks to our friendly, surfer-esque server. Hushpuppies are perfect for hushing hungry toddlers, too.

For the main course, Mom chose a senior portion size of Sara J's combination platter trio ($13.95), which included fried shrimp, clam strips and deviled crab, plus the obligatory side of cole slaw. She couldn't stop raving about how fresh the fish tasted, how the breading was so light and crispy. Dad went with the Seafarers Filet of Flounder ($18.50), a massive helping of lightly fried filets that barely squeezed into the basket. They wound up taking a combination of their leftovers home in a tiny takeout box.

My son gobbled up three or four of the nearly dozen fried shrimp in his children's menu portion ($5.95). Surfer/server kindly replaced the side of fries restaurants love to provide as a so-called "vegetable" for kids' meals with a cup of applesauce.

My entrée was Shrimp Scampi ($19.50) - Sara J's recipe - a shallow bowl filled to the brim with plump, pan-seared shrimp doused in butter, garlic and wine. Believe me, I go ga-ga over garlic, but Sara J's recipe must call for the extreme. While I couldn't get enough of this dish, I almost wish it had been automatically served over linguini or spaghetti pasta to evenly distribute the garlic sauce blend. I should have made the request instead of the baked potato. My dinner was also preceded by a platter-sized salad of fresh greens, green pepper strips, cucumbers, grape tomatoes and Sara J's delicious house Ranch.

No room for dessert on this drop-in, but next time I'm going to tango with Sara J's specialty mango pie ($4.25).

Check, please

I was glad I finally had the chance to meet the hospitable Sara J's in person, rather than from the driver's seat of my SUV on those many drive-bys. I can see why it's such a popular dinner spot: fresh seafood, affordable prices, and a cute, cozy atmosphere - no frills or white linens, which is perfect for the family.

Sara J's is at 314 Atlantic Ave., Garden City Beach. Dinner is served beginning at 4 p.m. daily. For additional info, call 651-1657 or visit www.sarajs.com.