Our Ft. Myers Weekend

So let me tell you about our Ft. Myers Weekend!  Last week was my 30th birthday and, as a birthday present, Alicia took me to Ft. Myers Beach to spend a few days there; her parents have a timeshare in the area and it was a new experience for me.

An amazing one!

So if you’ll indulge the pictures, I’m going to relive a few of the highlights of the trip discovering a smidgen of the food scene in Ft. Myers- the restaurants we tried and our impressions, including dishes that stood out to us. So if you happen to be in the area, or are planning on booking a trip, keep these places in mind!

Diamondhead Beach Resort

Now I dont own a timeshare, but staying here a few days has made me reconsider that situation. My in laws: Robert and Leila, describe being there this way “the biggest decision of the day is whether to sit by the beach or the pool”.  I love that! It’s such a relaxing environment.

The major highlights include king beds, fantastic staff- and I mean it, they were incredibly pleasant to speak to and on the day of my birthday, I was lounging by the pool and a member of staff I didnt know hands me two tickets for free drinks from the bar!

That very gesture is reason enough to write this, but the whole environment was excellent. We got a few scattered showers while we were at the pool but otherwise it was perfect beach weather.

If you happen to be at the bar, order a pina colada. Its tropical and perfectly appropriate for the heat of the pool. These guys make it right: sweet, frothy, and very refreshing.

Tuckaway Cafe

You can tell the island vibe: casual, and perfectly cozy. The high windows bring in a lot of natural light to make the ambience welcoming despite the small space.

What to order: Liege wafles with Mango Jam

Simple presentation, no frills, beach breakfast. But an outstanding Liege waffle, dense, chewy interior and an oh so crunchy texture outside. Smelling it, you could pick up on the yeast that was used to develop the dough.

The big difference between regular waffles and Liege waffles is dough. Regular waffles use a batter, which makes them light. This starts off as a dough first, with yeast and its pressed in the waffle iron for that shape.

At first bite, you could think it was cross between a yeasted doughnut and toast with jam. And you kinda eat it like both, spreading the jam on the waffle and eating it with your hands instead of a fork and knife.

Rating: 8/10

The Sandbar & Grille

About the place

Typical to the area, the Sandbar has a rustic charm, on the walls you see signed Football Jerseys and novelty license plates. It has a casual atmosphere with a very approachable menu, award winning pizzas and the like.

What to try:

Scallops Rockefeller!

This appetizer is worth the attention. As a play on Oysters Rockefeller, it takes the sweetness of the shell on scallop and smothers it in spinach, cream, and crispy bacon before being put in a broiler to create a crust of cheese and breadcrumbs.

Rating: 10/10

Lobster Ravioli

Likewise, the Lobster Ravioli was especially good. The restaurant serves them in a garlic and cream sauce that is just thick and velvety enough to cling to the pasta. Alicia ordered this dish and I kept stealing bites off her plate. It did have room for improvement though, rolling out the pasta a bit thinner and leaving the lobster in chunks instead of a grainy puree would have vastly improved the dish.

Rating: 8/10

 

Mojoe’s Coffee Bar

About the place

Its a cute coffee bar that recently relocated closer to Diamondhead Beach resort on Estero Blvd. While talking to the manager we  found out they’re rehabbing the menu for lighter, beachier fare- things that wont feel too heavy in your stomach  while you’re lying on the beach after breakfast. Which is smart.

What to order:

 

Eggs Benedict!

As far as breakfast options, it was delicious. Served with has browns and generous portions of bread to soak through the egg yolk. It needs to be lighter though, in keeping with their future menu design. Too much bread will sit too heavy on the stomach.

However, I shared an idea with them that might work, why not a Waffle Benedict? It solves the heaviness approach, a light waffle batter sits better on the stomach than four socking pieces of bread, and there isn’t another menu on the island that serves anything like it! I’m going to play around with the idea and develop a few samples for the blog in the coming weeks!

Rating: 7/10

 

Charley’s Boat House Grill

(Pause: this is a very special photo for me, though I took several of my in laws posing in front of the restaurant, this one is special. I dont make a habit of posting cropped photos of my loved ones, but this photo has Robert’s and Leila’s genuine smiles. A year ago they cancelled this trip because he was in the hospital receiving cancer treatment. So it hits me a little bit harder knowing just where we are now vs. a year ago. To find out more about Robert’s Story, click on the link.)

About the place

Charley’s Boat House has been there forever since 1974, originally intended as a steakhouse, it really came into it’s own capitalizing on the seafood options available. And it really didn’t disappoint. The Lobster and Crab legs were sweet, tender, and treated right.

This is where we also celebrated my birthday dinner!

Key Lime 30th Birthday. First time blowing out candles on something that’s not a cake but so worth it.

Speaking of genuine smiles… she was much happier receiving her chocolate cake

Kilwins

About the place

Think 1950’s confectionary shop. There are tons of ice cream and sorbet flavors to combine and make up your special dessert .

What to order:

Toasted Coconut Ice Cream and Lemon Sorbet .Two heaping scoops of ice cream in one seriously sturdy cone double coated in chocolate and pecans.

It was a monster. Like the kind you see in cartoons .I’m a big guy, north of 260 lbs in a good day, and I couldn’t finish it. Totally worth the bajillion calories….

We just had to.

Mom’s

Mom’s

On our last day we went to Mom’s for breakfast. A little mom and pop cafe that hasn’t changed in 20 years. All you need to know is to follow Mom’s instructions when ordering, seriously, dont try switching american cheese for cheddar. Mom is scary!

About the place

I love that it doesn’t take itself too seriously, case in point….

What to order:

Breakfast biscuit with bacon!

It’s essentially what the egg McMuffin’s ideal version: Thick slabs of bacon, tomato, and eggs with American Cheese.

Cinnamon Roll as big as your face!

The Ft. Myers food scene has tons of little hidden gems that deserve to be celebrated.

And now back to Miami and real life! But I’m taking a valuable lesson with me after turning 30…