Posted: 2006 Nov 10 - 01:10
By S'iva Goodman
Staff writer
RIO - With blends of island spices, tropical fruits, fresh fish and fine wine, one local restaurant offers "fish .with attitude."
Ian's Tropical Grill has been feeding Fort Pierce residents for years.
Two and a half years ago, Eric and Paula Grutka took over Ian's in Fort Pierce and decided to expand their horizons. They opened another Ian's in Rio, giving residents in Martin County the opportunity to enjoy the unique menu, which my dinner date said offers the tastiest in tropical cuisine.
Located near Dixie Highway, the restaurant's exterior may be a bit deceiving. A soft and casual ambiance, complete with bamboo and palm trees, lies just inside Ian's.
Upon arriving, we were greeted by Mrs. Grutka, who offered our choice of seating, inside or out.
The weather was perfect for dinner on the patio, so we were whisked to a table for two at what felt like our own little oasis.
The lighting was soft. Tiki torches and strings of globe lighting were visible throughout the lush lanai, and the tables were set with candlelight.
Our server, Doug, was charming. His knowledge of food and wine, along with his flair for description, was impressive.
The evening's appetizer special was a pair of jumbo sea scallops encrusted with Japanese breadcrumbs. They were prepared just right and served with a garlic beurre blanc and raspberry coulee, which made the first of our dishes just delicious.
From Ian's extensive wine list, my date enjoyed a 3-ounce glass of a 2004 Laurel Glen blend of zinfandel, carignane and petite syrah grapes.
Their wine list is impressive and it is no surprise why Ian's remains the only Wine Spectator's Restaurant Award winner in St. Lucie County for the past five years. The award recognizes restaurants whose wine lists offer interesting selections, are appropriate to their cuisine and appeal to a wide range of wine lovers.
Offering a 3- or 6-ounce portion gives the guest a chance to enjoy more than one flavor with dinner.
In addition, Ian's invites wine enthusiasts to bring and enjoy their own bottle of wine with no corking fee on Wednesdays. They also offer an opportunity to taste a selection of wines from their list every Tuesday at their wine tastings, and on Thursdays, all bottles of wine are 40 percent off.
As lovers of both seafood and spices, my date and I found Ian's menu left us wanting one of everything.
The fresh fish selections were extensive, including mahi mahi, grouper, cobia, wahoo, triple tail, pompano, yellow fin tuna, flounder and snapper. They even offer wild salmon.
In addition, Ian's Tropical Grill offers five different ways they will prepare your choice of fish and six different sauces, such as a fresh dill sauce, spicy beurre blanc, mango salsa, pineapple salsa, pineapple-mango salsa, and New Orleans pecan butter.
However, if a fish dish is not your favorite, they also offer Chicken Marsala or seared duck breast, served with a Pinot Noir sauce and shiitake mushrooms, pork tenderloin or South American hanger steak.
I opted for a macadamia nut-encrusted grouper, while my date chose the almond-encrusted snook.
While the grouper included a spicy mango salsa and vanilla bean and rum beurre blanc, my date's snook was served with a berry coulee and topped with fresh fruit.
Both entrees included fresh steamed vegetables and homemade mashed potatoes with cheese. Both were cooked to perfection.
When Doug brought out the dessert tray, our choice was clear: the bitter sweet chocolate macadamia nut banana bread pudding, heated and surrounded by bananas foster and served with a scoop of Hagen Daas vanilla ice cream.
If we weren't already so satisfied, we may have been tempted to taste a few of the other homemade desserts on their list, such as the key lime canoli or chocolate pate with a raspberry sauce.
The service was divine, the dinner was decadent and our overall experience at Ian's Tropical Grill was one that we would recommend for a romantic night out or a festive get-together.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Sexy ambient music fills the cozy, cellarlike back room of Ian’s Tropical Grill. Outside, the lushly landscaped patio is flooded by rain, but this warm room with walls covered in wine corks is equally romantic.
A large bowl of fried spinach was set in front of us ($6), each translucent leaf glowing green, like pieces of stained glass. The salty greens dissolve in your mouth, crispy at first, and then gone. Already, this dining experience compares to big-city restaurants. Ian’s is not pretentious, but the food is chic.
From the small plates menu, we sampled the tuna ménage à trois ($13). Tuna chimichangas didn’t sound so good, but the tangerine-infused tartare and tataki in ginger soy glaze were irresistible. The tataki was topped with a creamy, orange-colored paste, and what looked like masago in a bizarre, radioactive shade of green.
The pièce de résistance: a cube of crispy pork belly ($9), flavored with tropical fruits and rubbed with lava salt. A thick, syrupy sauce with smoky undertones brought out the flavors of the fatty meat and left us in awe. You have got to try this.
The wine list is impressive, and a good selection is available by the glass or half glass. Treat yourself here; it’s worth having the full experience. I sipped on a glass of the house pinot grigio for $8.
We shared an entrée, onion-crusted grouper ($27), which they split for us. Every dish has its tropical touch. This crispy fish sat in a pool of grapefruit-laced sauce, and was paired with mashed potatoes that seemed salty at first, but after a few bites they balanced nicely with the citrus flavors.
The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and if you’re lucky the chef may visit your table. I’m recommending this place to everyone; grab a date and go.
Amanda Farinos dines anonymously at the expense of Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers.
"Great Food and Wine" by Bill
Despite the outward appearance and the neighborhood, this restaurant is a treat!! Eric is a very talented chef and his wife Paula - always the outstanding "greeter".
Three outstanding servers who know food, know how to serve and know the way you want to be treated when you dine out- a welcome addition to the restaurant.
A superb wine list, plus a wide variety of dishes which are constantly appetizing, delicious and creative. Prices are reasonable for the fare and if you like to dine outside there is a large patio.
Best times are during the week, weekends tend to be a bit more rushed.
GO!! ENJOY!! you will not be sorry. Click here to add text.
Wonderful Menu and Meal - 000000750232c9c2 - Jul 28, 2009
First time diner - fabulous!!! from the seared tuna appetizer, scallop appetizer, all excellent - as well as the frog legs and pork belly - outstanding. main entree was just as appetizing, leaving my dinner companions sharing their dishes and discussing what the flavors were. Dessert did not let us down. I will definitely go again and put Ian's on my list as a perfect dinner location.
Ian's Tropical Grill
1205 NE Dixie Highway
Jensen Beach FL, 34957
Reservations Call 772-334-4563
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