Sea Dog Brew Pub
3 out of 5 stars
9610 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island. Appetizers: $8-$13; entrees: $10-$25; desserts: $5-$7; beer, cocktails & wine: $5-$9. 727-954-7805; seadogbrewing.com.
Sea Dog Brewing Co. has found a beautiful spot for its new Treasure Island brewpub on the Intracoastal Waterway where Gulf Boulevard hooks eastward toward South Pasadena. You enter through columns that elevate the dining area above a cornhole court; it’s fun, although the boards are so far apart I feel lucky just to get the bean bag close. I guess practice is called for.
As we reach the dining level I can’t help but notice that the place is huge, with booths and tables and bars and screens with lots of light and plenty of outdoor space. It’s filled with energy, so not very conducive to quiet conversation. We find a table not too far from the madding crowd and settle in.
For appetizers, we settle on two selections to introduce my visiting British guests to a Florida specialty and an American tailgate favorite. The smoked fish dip is house-smoked amberjack. It’s a very loose mix with balanced smoke flavor that announces its presence without overwhelming. Sea Dog Brew Pub smartly tops the spread with thin slices of mild pickled Anaheim peppers, which look similar to jalapeños but are only one eighth as hot. This allows you to add a bit of heat if desired. Carrot and celery sticks, plus plenty of Saltine crackers, help finish the ample portion.
Sea Dog Pretzels is a trio of thick, dark, warm cigar-like sticks dusted with sea salt. They’re as soft and luscious as the cup of beer cheese dip, another American invention that’s migrated from Kentucky to Florida much to the Brits’ delight.
There are many menu choices — from raw oysters to quesadillas and salads to jambalaya — but the veggie burger is a nice meatless alternative. While the texture is soft, the house-made patty combines black beans and hominy with roasted poblano and red peppers for some zip. The burger is then topped with lush avocado, pickled vegetables, and a smear of cherry pepper aioli for plenty of flavor.
Our most colorful entree is NOLA-insipired bayou chicken linguine. Juicy sautéed chicken breast and spicy andouille sausage bring plenty of flavor to the mix of artichoke hearts, red pepper, spinach and a Cajun cream sauce that coats the pasta.
Ahi tuna poke is a ring of sushi-grade tuna bits tossed with avocado chunks in a dressing of soy, sesame and lime — with welcome sea salt and tobiko roe resembling tiny jewels. The condiments give the fish zing, and a huge pile of fried wontons (double what’s needed) add crunch. A trio of cucumber slices and some sweet-tart seaweed salad provide taste and texture options, too.
Smothered shrimp and grits layers plump, pink sautéed shrimp in a spicy seafood sauce with cubes of house-smoked pork belly, as well as bell peppers and green onion mixed in an enormous bowl of super-soft, loose stone-ground cheese grits. My personal preference is for more body, but the flavor is certainly appealing.
My dedicated craft beer drinker, who has come more than 4,000 miles from Warwick in the English Midlands, settles on the Shipyard Brewing Co.’s Smashed Pumpkin. The lure of 9 percent alcohol catches his eye — it’s close to double that of the average IPA. We’re surprised when the light, big-bodied beer with a coppery orange color comes in a small brandy snifter. However, the glassware is wholly appropriate, considering the high alcohol content, and serves to highlight the pleasing aromas of pumpkin and nutmeg. A convert is made.
You don’t go to a brewpub to drink Bud Light. Depending on your palate, you may wish to skip the fruity blueberry and raspberry wheat ales, but if you’re a inveterate taster like me you can grab an exploratory flight of four 5-ounce pours from the draft menu for $7. This is a welcome opportunity to mix and match to see how the brews interact with food; like wine, it’s fun to see how particular dishes are altered by their interaction with what you eat.
The desserts are imported from Largo’s award-winning Pie Factory. Key Lime Supreme — listed as the “perfect blend of sweet and tart” and “winner of Florida Keys’ finest key lime pie seven years in a row” — has great texture. Unfortunately, it’s not tart, which is the essence of the option’s special appeal. I so hoped to introduce the Brits to this wonder, but, despite the hype, it doesn’t deliver. The traditional recipe is a simple mix of egg yolks, condensed milk with juice and zest in a graham cracker crust. Even America’s Test Kitchen can’t improve upon the classic. I wish restaurants would stick to a proven winner, available locally through Mike’s Pies. I don’t want chiffon. I don’t want cheesecake. I want the tart wonder that made the pie a perennial favorite.
With optional ice cream, peachberry pie fares better. It’s baked fresh with cardamom crumble and served with a dollop of whipped cream. The crust is flaky, and the sweet-meets-fruity peach-blueberry combo melds beautifully with vanilla ice cream.
Sea Dog gives you the opportunity to enjoy beer, pub favorites and water views in a setting that seduces us all. The Brits are happy they made the trip — even if we do need to work on our cornhole technique.
CL Food Critic Jon Palmer Claridge dines anonymously when reviewing. Check out the explanation of his rating system, or email him at [email protected].
