Dining Review: Fresh is best at Sharky's Gulf Grill

Sushi chef Tom Panyanouvong stands behind two freshly made platters.

The new Sharky's Gulf Grill is a literal bright spot on Poplar Avenue east of Ridgeway. The faux Tudor facade of the former Steak & Ale site has been transformed with paint, a sunny yellow on the wood siding and turquoise for window shutters.

Even on a rainy day, you can't help but think Destin when you get out of your car in the parking lot. And not Destin in December, but Destin in June, because as far as I can tell from three visits, it's always crowded at mealtime at Sharky's. On a Sunday night, The Lannie McMillan Trio was playing smooth jazz in the large bar area — so large that people had room to dance — and all but one or two of the tables in the three dining rooms were filled.

Photo by Brandon Dill, l

The tropical fish tank, to the left of waitress Lindsey McGehee, divides the bar and foyer at Sharky's Gulf Grill on Poplar.

Photo by Brandon Dill

The bacon-wrapped shrimp and grits with grilled asparagus, a favorite of Sharky's owner John Golon.

Sushi chef Tom Panyanouvong stands behind two freshly made platters.

If the outside of Sharky's is meant to conjure the aura of a Gulf Coast vacation, the interior is a polished extension of the idea of beach-style comfort. A picture window-size aquarium separates the entry from the bar, and inside, a sushi bar anchors the center dining room. Floors and ceilings of wood planks recede, and wall sconces glow on vanilla-colored stucco walls. It will surely be impossible to get a seat on the screened porch on the west side of the building when it's warmer.

The food at Sharky's also evokes that idea of resort relaxation. This is not a chef-driven project, like, say, the nearby Erling Jensen: The Restaurant on Yates, or Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen on Brookhaven Circle. Sharky's, which opened in late September, offers high-end comfort food, with fresh fish as the hook. Managing partner Gretchen Rogers says the restaurant has its own before-market arrangements with dayboat captains, mostly in Florida, and the "Fresh Catch" section of the Sharky's menu changes daily based on what comes off the dock.

Unquestionably, the best dishes we ordered were the fried and grilled seafood platters (more than fairly priced at $21 and $23). The batter for the fried plate was dense, dry and crunchy, really just right, and the fish represented was jumbo shrimp, bay scallops, grouper and oysters, plus a crab cake on the side that was my favorite part of the plate. We had the grilled platter with the simplest of the sauces offered — the citrus herb butter — and it was straightforward and satisfying. "Creole creme" and "Thai coconut curry" sauces are offered, but if the freshness of the fish is the point, why smother the subject?

Another dish the restaurant did well was its Grouper Pontchartrain, a very pretty grilled fillet topped with a soft-shell crab, and a nicely done and unobtrusive Béarnaise sauce.

The fresh catch corner of the menu lists the origin of fish, by city and state. My grouper was from Venice, Fla. My friend ordered the salmon, which came from Ship Creek, Alaska. Unfortunately, its trip was wasted, because the amount of salt someone put on this beautiful fillet rendered it inedible. Given the relaxed and even-tempered atmosphere that prevails at Sharky's, I'm sure we could have sent it back without trouble. The servers all seemed youthful, super-friendly and enthusiastic.

The Apalachicola, Fla., oysters on the half shell at Sharky's are getting great reviews from diners, so we'll blame ourselves for meandering over to the baked oyster selections. We got the combo order, which lets you choose three of the five versions. The Bienville and Crumbly Bacon oysters were capped with cheese — Vermont cheddar for the former, Parmesan on the latter — and in both cases, the cheese had cooled and solidified and just got in the way. Garlic overwhelmed the Bienville oysters. Stick with the fresh, simple half shells.

The pared-down lunch menu brings sushi into focus — you can get two rolls and a salad for $10. I ordered the crunchy crab, which was light on what the menu calls "crunchies." The fish tacos were really fish burritos, two or three bits of random fish, in a "cilantro sour cream" sauce, which looked like thin mayonnaise. The menu said there would be a mango salsa on top — there was a piece of mango inside the burrito, but nothing on top. The side of coleslaw was really good, though. In fact all the sides we ordered — garlic mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, and especially the fried cheese-grit croquette — were well executed.

The desserts we had at Sharky's were excellent. The Key lime pie was a perfect combination of firm and light, and the dense chocolate cake was peppered with chocolate chips.

Sharky's is offering some interesting wines by the glass — I had a Salmon Creek pinot noir from Mendocino for $7, and would like to have tried a Snoqualmie sauvignon blanc from Columbia Valley if I hadn't been driving.

But the bar is so festive, with live music scheduled three nights a week, you might want to look at the "Coastal Cocktails." There's a tempting Dirty Oyster Martini — Stoli, olive juice and one fresh shucked oyster.

Sharky's Gulf Grill

Food:

Service:

Atmosphere:

Address: 6201 Poplar Ave.

Telephone: (901) 682-9796

Hours: Open daily at 10:30 a.m. Closes at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Reviewer's choices: Fried and grilled seafood platters; Grouper Pontchartrain ($26); Fried Cheese Grit Croquette; Key lime pie, ($5).

Alcohol: Wine by the glass and bottle, draft and bottled beer, full bar

— Peggy Burch: 529-2392

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