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It's the only place in Sarasota where the Captain himself can point to the hog snapper mounted on the wall and say, "I caught that." Even better, if you want to know what you're eating, the decor doubles as a fish menu.
Either way, you won't be left stranded. In addition to their regular lunch and dinner menu, there's a whole separate list of daily market fresh specials like Yellowfin Tuna, Arctic Char, Chilean Sea Bass, Boston Scrod and Salmon. But don't get too overwhelmed or confused. Next to each entree is a description of the fish, almost like one might describe wine varietals. But, instead of "fruity with a light finish" or "bold with black currant aromas", you'll read, "light and flaky" or "meatier white fish". If you're still unsure, the accomodating waitstaff will give you the scoop, as you can tell they are regulars themselves [As a general rule, I don't trust places who's waiters and waitresses don't actually think enough of the food to eat there].
The Catch of the Day: A restaurant and fish market combined, the entrees generally have fins, and come blackened, steamed, charbroiled, fried or poached; but there are still chicken sandwiches, dogs and burgers if you happen to find yourself their by accident, and don't eat fish. They've also got an all-you-can-eat salad bar for an additional $2.95. In keeping with theme, it offers an unlimited supply of herring, shrimp and steamed mussels to top your mixed greens.
I went half-sies with a friend of mine. We eat split the Grouper Reuben ($10.95) and Blackened Cobia ($9.95). I must confess this is the first time I had a grouper sandwich I'd actually write home about. While every seafood place from here to the Keys offers grouper sandwiches, this was the first time I found one that impressed me. Made like a traditional reuben sandwich (substituting grouper for corned beef, of course), with sauerkraut, swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing. The Cobia was given a spicy kick by the blackened seasonings, and it was a thicker white fish that was a little meatier than a flounder or tilapia, but not quite as heavy as tuna or salmon.
The homemade Seafood Chowder ($4.25) came with a mix of Gulf shrimp, snow crab, sea scallops and whitefish in a creamy red sauce. A little salty, but it went nicely with a mildly sweet tea ($1.75 and free re-fills), but you could substitute beer or wine, as Captain Brian's serves both.
The Bottom Line: Lunch ended up costing us about $15 per person, and included a fresh fish with two sides, beverage, and soup or salad. Lunches here generally range from $10-$16, dinners around $14-$20. There's also a fresh fish market adjacent to the restaurant, for take home filets.
The Crowd: If you're looking for a swinging hot spot for a night on the town, or a place for a romantic date, this is NOT the venue for you. Captain Brian's has been there for more than 25 years, and the local crowd ranges from under five to over sixty. It's very much a family oriented place. This is the place to go for casual dinner before a show at the Asolo, or when you have a hankering for quality seafood.
Yay Fish! A Little on Why It's Good for You: High in protein, low in fat, and chock full of omega-3's, vitamins and minerals, fresh fish has been known to aid in memory, muscle development, the reversal of neurological disorders, reducing inflammation in the body, and developing good cardiovascular health.
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Captain Brians is located at: 8441 Tamiami Trail N., Sarasota FL 34243. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. Closed Sunday. All major credit cards accepted.
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