by erin thursby scopes1925@msn.com
One of Ponte Vedra’s dining hotspots is the Aqua Grill, surviving twenty years in the fiercely competitive realm of fine dining in the area.
A great spot for romantic dinner dining, lunchtime also finds the place buzzing with business lunches and post-golf repasts. The Grill is tucked in an upscale shopping center that specializes in unique items, from clothing to décor, so you’ll often find shoppers taking a lunch or dinner break.
The deck has to be my favorite spot, but there are a few large dining areas, most featuring picture windows and murals. The restaurant seems a little dated in décor (looks like the early/mid 90s) but they made an effort to be elegant and timeless, so it doesn’t seem too tired. A good view and fish tanks filled with reefs and exotic fish helps the décor.
One thing that other diners have loved when dining at the Aqua Grill is their ability to be accommodating. If you have a particular dietary requirement or you want to change a dish due to a preference, they’ll find a way to do it. They will try to steer you away from choices that might not be so flavorful, but they’ll do their best to execute whatever you can request.
As the name indicates, they specialize in seafood, and it is very fresh. When possible, they use a local vendor so they can supply their diners with the best. But seafood isn’t all that’s on the menu. Whether you’ve brought along a vegetarian or carnivore, they should be able to find things on the menu to order.
At dinnertime, their entrée prices average from about $16 - $26. Lunch entrées go for about $8 - $13, mostly hitting below $10, positively a steal for the outstanding quality of their meals. Appetizers are reasonably priced as well, and the portions aren’t tiny.
Appetizer selections include the favorite Aqua Grill Rockefeller, the diner’s choice of oysters and shrimp, baked with the creamy spinach topping and Parmesan cheese. I sampled Chef Larry’s Jumbo Shrimp Sauté, a New Orleans culinary adventure with just a dash of Asian influence. It’s a tasty way to start off a meal if you’re a shrimp lover. They also offer the standard seared ahi tuna. They always serve this dish at Caring Chefs and get quite a crowd because they actually cook the stuff onsite, using a flat grill. Many other places serve ahi tuna at Caring Chefs, but most cook the tuna off site, refrigerate it, then serve. While they blow the competition out of water at the event, I felt that the restaurant version was a passable rendition of the dish. Since I’ve had so many variations of the dish at different places, it ranks about the middle on seared ahi tuna, in both presentation and taste. The mustard based sauce on the side isn’t an entirely common move, and it was a nice touch.
As a main entrée I took a few heavenly bites of their Bang-Bang White Fish. The fish in question changes, depending on what’s available and fresh, but they tend to use a light white fish like grouper, flounder or sea bass. Since fish is what they do best, it’s an exquisite preparation. It’s a Thai twist for the fish, in a breading made from almonds, Japanese breadcrumbs and cilantro. Fresh Thai peppers are used to make the dangerously good and lightly spicy sauce, which is mitigated by the pad Thai underneath. If you’re a Thai food and fish fan, you will adore this dish, as I did.
For the finale, I ate their lovely bread pudding. Finished with a Jack Daniel’s glaze, topped with freshly-made whipped cream, artistically placed sweet sauces and lush strawberries, it was an excellent end to an excellent meal.
Info: 950 Sawgrass Village, Ponte Vedra Beach, (904) 285-3017
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