Seafood: Hole In The Wall Number Three



 For now, this will be my third and final entry into the Seafood Hole In The Wall Hall Of Fame. For now.

After hitting Harbor Seafood over in Kenner, La. and then stopping in for some oysters at Hunt's Oyster Bar in Panama City, Fla., we head south to another Florida locale for a fresh out of the water Grouper sandwich or Oyster Po-Boy in Anna Maria Island, my new favorite beach getaway spot.
This one is a part of a three restaurant group and is maybe just a bit more than Hole In The Wall but I believe it qualfies based on the simplicity, the locale and the at least some of the food.

My last entry for now.......Mar Vista in Longboat Key. Truth be told, not much in Longboat Key I do like but this find is now one of them. Sitting on the water but not the gulf it looks like a shanty as you walk in from the seashell parking lot. The bar is beach rustic as any HITW should be and the outside dining is expansive and under trees and on the waterfront. I will only consider eating outside in the cooler months so the quaint and fairly cozy bar area and a few tables are where I hang.




Bud and Old Bay Shrimp Bowl: Delish

  The drinks are not necessarily cheap here although they do have a Happy Hour and a couple of decent brews along with beachy drinks. But you get the feel of relaxing when you enter and perch on a stool or grab a table for some eats. The OTHER big thing that puts this one on my current list is one dish. One appetizer dish. I loved it so much I went back the next night and then the next trip JUST to order this dish.

The Bud and Old Bay Shrimp Bowl. Wow. It is not cheap but two people could make it a small meal with bread. It is large, jumbo shrimp in a nice spicy, buttery broth that is sweet, salty, rich and begs to have bread swimming in it. I think this may be THE best seafood item I have eaten in my time in this area. This is sad to say somewhat because we have been somewhat disappointed in the culinary treats from a seafood perspective in the Tampa Bay area.

So, the combo of the very laid back and relaxed mood the place sets, the drinks and then the one app I have had now three times straight make Mar Vista an entry on my HITW Seafood Joint list.

Must learn to make this dish at home soon. Happy Eating Folks!