The Getaway Maximo Marina
3 out of 5 stars
3769 50th Ave. S., St. Petersburg. Appetizers: $10-$18.50; entrees: $12-$32; desserts: $6-$9; beer, cocktails & wine: $4.50-$14. 727-317-5751. thegetawaytampabay.com.
“Turn right onto 37th Street South, then take the third exit onto 50th Avenue South,” purrs my GPS sweetly. Being a dutiful subject, I turn as directed only to find my car adjacent to The Getaway at St. Petersburg’s Maximo Marina, but separated by a tall yet handsome wall.
It turns out that the proper way to find the ample parking lot is to take the second exit and then turn immediately left onto an unnamed road into the Maximo Marina, where you see the waterside tiki huts to your right. As your glance turns south, there’s a welcoming fountain with water overflowing an enormous cobalt blue urn, cascading down into a circular pool that’s surrounded by a half-wall of hollow bamboo poles for a fitting tropical effect.
Next you have a choice of waterside tables reachable by boat or golf cart, an expansive patio, or a sleek indoor space with walls of glass and brushed steel to escape behind into the welcoming arms of humidity-defying climate control. There you’ll find a bar, numerous de rigueur flat screens, and large high-top tables suitable for sharing.
As one might expect from a beach bar, the new Getaway offers a tempting mix of 20 born-at-the-beach “Toast of the Coast” cocktails for a modest $9.50 each. It’s a tough choice, but we settle on the refreshing Coconut Breeze Cooler (a light, brisk and citrusy mix of mango and coconut rums), Dark ‘n’ Stormy (Bermuda’s own dark rum, fresh lime juice and bracing ginger beer) and that standby, the Piña Colada, which has the right kick of rum and slurpy goodness.
We start with the smoked fish spread as a benchmark since it’s ubiquitous, but often out of balance. For my taste, you want enough smoke to be seductive with a creamy texture and lingering chunks of fish so you don’t forget what you’re eating. The Getaway’s house-smoked amberjack with bits of celery and onion is dressed with a mustard-mayo combo with light seafood spices and a garnish of pickled jalapeños. It’s balanced, standard fare and certainly up to the task.
Coconut shrimp are a reminder why this is such a great mashup. The shrimp is crisp yet tender, with prominent shreds of coconut and a sweet orange marmalade dipping sauce that’s really not even necessary unless you’ve got a sweet tooth or a citrus fetish.
Though our conch fritters appear to be a bit greasy, it’s not apparent on the palate. The traditional Bahamian recipe delivers a mild fritter with small conch pieces, which avoid being rubbery. For diners who wish to add a bit of spice, the accompanying cocktail sauce provides a kick.
There’s lots to choose from on the menu, from oysters to tacos. However, we can’t resist a good, ol’ fashioned po’ boy — served open-face-style with huge, delightfully crunchy fried oysters sitting on a bed of crisp lettuce, ripe tomato and some thinly sliced onion. It’s all drizzled with a tangy backcountry crema that conjures up a taste of ’Nawlins. My taster chooses to use a knife and fork rather than to mush everything together and unhinge a jaw in order to take a bite. It’s the savory hit of the night. The sides of tropical slaw with bits of pineapple and crispy fires are perfectly fine, if not distinguished.
Cedar plank salmon has beautiful grill marks, but is slightly overcooked; I’ve found salmon shows best when slightly translucent. In this case, the cedar plank presenting the fish is more for show than to impart the magical smokiness that the dish’s name implies. The rice is fluffy, and the large plantain chucks are sweet and soft without being mushy. A side salad is fresh, though uninspired.
The most expensive entree is the Bimini steak with crab. While the grilled skirt steak is flavorful, it arrives well beyond the medium rare we requested. It’s sliced like fajitas with accompanying peppers and onions and covered with a blanket of creamy, flaked bits of crab in a lemon butter sauce. Again, perfectly fine, if underwhelming for the price point, which raises the expectation of more finesse.
STILL HUNGRY?
Flip through more shots of what we ate from photographer Nicole Abbett
Desserts are the stars of the evening. The key lime sponge cake is a wonderful individual round alternating light sponge and luscious cream cheese filling with tart key lime whipped cream and a beautiful, mirror-like lime glaze. Its visage is magazine-worthy. And an off-the-menu treat is a more-than-ample bowl of classic bananas Foster. Although it’s not flambéd tableside, it delivers the delightful flavors of warm caramel, rum and bananas, melding with scoops of creamy vanilla ice cream to have us sighing.
On our visit, the bartender is also our server. Therefore, the service is friendly and most hospitable, but close attention can’t be paid to ensuring water glasses never run dry. Nevertheless, The Getaway provides just that — a casual place to kick back with friends, enjoy a cocktail or a bucket of beer, and let the tensions of the real world float away for an escapist hour or two.
CL Food Critic Jon Palmer Claridge dines anonymously when reviewing. Check out the explanation of his rating system, or email him at food@creativeloafing.com.
This article appears in Sep 6-13, 2018.
