On the Menu: Twists and turns to get to The Little Bar

Whenever most newcomers visit Marco Island, they often remark about the road to Goodland.

"It looked like we were driving through a jungle. The road twisted and turned and just about when we were thinking of turning around, a little fishing village appeared."

Sometimes a little trek through the mangroves is well worthwhile. The Little Bar, at 205 Harbor Drive in Goodland, offers diners a unique experience.

From the Wild West style bar to the four separate dinning rooms, creative decor is apparent in every cozy nook and cranny. With stained-glass windows, the wooden flutes of an antique pipe organ and an overall nautical theme, the Little Bar is a perfect example of intimate dinning.

My tablemates and I arrived Wednesday, June 14, for dinner. We were met by Maureen, our hostess who asked which of the dinning areas we would prefer. At the same time we all answered, "The boat room."

The boat room, as it is commonly known is actually a waterfront dining room made from an old presidential yacht. "The Star of the Everglades" still lives thanks to the Little Bar's owner Ray Bozicnik who salvaged the old boat and created the ultimate old nautical theme.

After being seated with a great view of the little harbor, we ordered appetizers. I tried the buffalo frog legs for $6.95 while another of my tablemates tried the black bean soup for $4.95. The frog legs were tasty, as the buffalo sauce wasn't too strong. The black bean potage was possibly the best I ever tasted.

For dinner, I ordered the grouper provencale for $24.00. Another of my tablemates chose the prime rib quickly, as our server Robin confessed that this entrée was one of Chef Angel's most popular and there were only a couple orders left.

One of the girls at our table ordered the blackened shrimp dinner with salad and vegetables for $17.95. The other feminine choice was the blackened tuna for $19.95. All the dinners come with salads, I chose blue cheese as a dressing — it was awesome, not just dressing from a bottle.

When the salads were finished and the setting sun turned to a rosy glow over the Little Bar harbor, the main courses arrived. The prime rib made the first appearance with baked potato and horseradish on the side. The girl's seafood delights followed, and I was shocked at the size of the portions. The blackened shrimp were huge, and there were enough of them to be sampled by everyone at the table. The tuna steak, which was ordered medium rare, weighed at least 10 ounces. My grouper provencale was the dinner special, and when the Mediterranean-style dish arrived, I knew I had made the right choice.

The grouper was beyond perfect, with sautéed tomatoes, onions and peppers as the ultimate complement. The fish was fresh, clean and light as only grouper can be, yet every bite was moist and flavorful. Clearly, Chef Angel knows how to keep an eye on cooking temperatures.

After everyone tucked in, it became obvious this was one happy table. The prime rib was being dispatched at a steady pace, and when I tried a mouthful, I can honestly say, the beef was a cut above.

The tuna was perfectly blackened, with the flavorful seasoning seared just enough to carry into the rare-to-medium-rare center. Every thinly sliced bite was wonderful.

When I sampled the shrimp, my taste buds traveled back from the Mediterranean, and I was once again reminded of why the Gulf of Mexico is famous. The shrimp at the Little Bar would make any shrimp boat captain proud.

When Robin cleared our plates she asked, "Well, how did we do?" There could be only one answer. "Awesome!"

The Little Bar is opens at 11:30 a.m. for lunch; dinner is served until 10:00 pm. Daily fresh seafood entrées include snapper for market price, swordfish for $19.95, tilapia for $17.95 and mahi mahi for $17.95.

Nicki's homemade chunky brownies are a specialty dessert for $4.95.

Reservations are recommended and private parties are available. Call 394-5663.