There’s nothing like a drive along A1A on a warm evening. Put the top down on the convertible and enjoy the ride! One of our favorite things to do is take that drive from Delray down to Ft. Lauderdale and back. Each time we do, we pass a restaurant that we finally decided to make a reservation for – Sea Watch – which has been serving up seafood with an ocean view since 1974.
It was a Monday night and we grabbed a table at 8:30pm. We parked in the large parking lot that’s in front of the restaurant (there’s valet parking as well) and walked in. The hostess and maître d’ (warmly) greeted us and acknowledged that I requested a booth when I made our reservation.
Let’s start this off by saying the interior design of the restaurant is beautiful and modern with deep red leather booths and plenty of wood. Floor to ceiling windows look out on the Atlantic just 50 yards away. Unfortunately for us, it was dark outside so we couldn’t take advantage of what I can imagine is a beautiful view.
The restaurant is broken onto two floors, the main dining room downstairs and an upstairs bar and lounge that serves appetizers and cocktails.
We were taken to our booth and Phil our server came over to introduce himself and offer some suggestions on both wine and food. While we waited for our wine, we were brought over a bread basket with a selection of both pumpernickel and multi-grain bread which were both very good.
Based on Phil’s recommendation I started out with the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake ($16). There was no shortage of crab, although I felt there was a little too much mayo. It was flavorful, a very nice size portion, and delicious.
My husband went with the Crispy Calamari ($12) which was unremarkable. Pretty standard fried calamari with nothing done to it to make it stand out as being unique. I found some pieces to be pretty rubbery. Instead of serving it with the traditional red sauce, this version came with both a basil aioli and a soy ginger-sesame-lime-cilantro sauce.
For entrees, I went with Phil’s recommendation, which happened to be one of the evening’s features – stuffed Florida Grouper. I asked for it to be prepared a little on the well side, which they did. The fish was mild, flavorful and the crabmeat stuffing was a nice touch. It was accompanied by broccoli and carrots, which the carrots were a little overcooked. Overall, from someone who is not the biggest seafood fan, this was a great choice and I enjoyed every bite.
My husband opted to go for a little surf and turf and chose the top sirloin and lobster tail ($37). The tail was around 4oz and I would estimate the sirloin to be around 6oz. He asked for it to be cooked medium and it was. It was also accompanied by carrots and broccoli and the steak was topped with onion straws. Another great choice, although personally, I would prefer a filet over a sirloin.
We shared an order of french fries which were comparable to the delicious fries served at the Golden Arches! So get some of those with your dinner!
We didn’t save room for dessert, which is becoming a recurring theme lately!
Service was attentive but not obtrusive. Phil arrived just at our last sip of wine and returned quickly with another glass. His recommendations were spot-on and made for excellent choices.
Next time you’re out for a drive on A1A, or are looking for some great seafood, don’t pass by Sea Watch. We’ll definitely be back, but next time a little earlier so we can enjoy a great meal with an equally great view.