Naples area sushi and restaurants
 

I've been reading the forum and hoping I wouldn't have to ask such a redundant question. Learned a lot from the local folk, thank you. I'm wondering if there are any good sushi restaurants in the Naples area? Also, I remember being told about a restaurant owned by a fishing family but I've seen nothing about that in the posts. Perhaps our friend misunderstood? We will be in Naples during February and part of March and look forward to eating at some of the recommended restaurants.

There are a number of sushi restaurants in town, and recently it seems they're springing up more and more.

There is a whole separate sushi room and bar at DaRuMa which is near the Ritz Carlton. The bulk of that restaurant is one of those teppan table places.

Recently opened at the main corner of 41 and Fifth Avenue South is Zen, which is primarily a trendy Asian Fusion place, which features sushi.

Chops on Fifth Avenue is unique in that has a varied menu -- not at all Asian, but has a super selection of very good sushi. I think doing sushi and them prime aged steak is a wonderful combination (and probably is right up the Atkins' diet regime.)

Club Sushi inside the Quality Inn (don't wince, it really is good) also has the best sushi prices around, and it is very good. It's been here since we first heard the word sushi! A group of 6 of us used to go and get platters of great sushi, drink a truckload of beers, and waddle out having spent almost nothing. We always thought they must have made a mistake on the bill.

My sushi expert friends tell me that the best in town is now BluSushi in the Plaza on Third street South, but I haven't been yet. It also won the Gulfshore Best Sushi award last year.

Also very good is Sushi Thai in North Naples. And very interesting, is that Noodles Restaurant, a very popular Pasta and Italian place just opened their big new restaurant, with a sort of supper club feel on Pine Ridge Road. Within the place is an open sushi bar which is run by Thai Sushi. Sort of odd combo, I thought, sushi and pasta. But hey, why not?

Now about that fishing family restaurant? All I can think of is maybe Trulucks which is on the plaza on Fifth, within the Inn on Fifth. I have even mentioned that this sort of chain out of Texas had their own fisheries in nearby Isle of Capri, so this past year they opened a new restaurant here to make good use of that, instead of shipping all their seafood to Texas. Take a boat load of money if you go. At least I'm assuming you're not considering "Long John Silvers" a family. LOL.

wow, thats alotta sushi.

Patrick, I think there may be a glitch in the system. I've tried to thank you three times, with no success. I don't want you to think that we're not grateful to the folks that post advice on the boards.

Lets try again. Thanks for the comprehensive list of restaurants, they all sound wonderful and I look forward to trying them. No big boatload of money, and I'll cook at the condo, since I hear it has a kitchen. LOL

I promise I won't wince at the Quality Inn. We ate at a sushi bar in Niagara Falls, Canada, (we're from the Buffalo area) and the food was super. The restaurant was located away from the tourist area, in a strip mall. Great food. That's par for the course in Niagara Falls. Toronto has great restaurants too, and believe it or not, so does Buffalo.

If ever I can return the favor, feel free to let me know. We do some traveling, and good food is a priority. I'm not a food snob, and I love just about everything, and I've never been known to walk away from a place even if it looks like I should.

I'm not sure if that was Trulucks. I'll be calling him to ask if that was the place. I'm ready for sand and sun and warmth, and especially some great food served with a helping of palm trees. Thanks again.

Barbara

Since you will cook at the condo -- be sure to do a simple no cook meal. Go get Stone Crab Claws and some mustard sauce. Get the claws at Capt. Jerry's or one of the good seafood markets to the north of Naples (not at Publix). Along with some slaw or potatoe salad, and a key lime pie, dig in and have a great meal. They seem very expensive at the markets, but they are already prepared (BE SURE TO HAVE THEM CRACK THEM FOR YOU, THOUGH) but they will be a fraction of the cost you'd pay at any restaurant, just as good, and no worry about the "mess". By the way, after years of experimentation, my favorite sauce for them is Durkee's mustard sauce right out of the bottle!

Patrick, thanks for the heads up on the fish market too. We'll be there for about a month, so there'll be some cooking going on for sure. Husband's headed down tomorrow, I stay to take care of elderly Mom and aunt for another ten days. I spent four days in Pete's last year, and it wasn't nearly enough warming up time. I'm taking my computer, so I can stay connected and for when need information. I'm supposed to be writing, but that will be secondary until I get my fill of sand and water and warmth.

I take it you can get good shrimp (gulf shrimp) for grilling at the markets? As for general provisions like coffee, juice, etc., is Publix the place to go and is there a specific one that is better than another?

Where are you going to be? There's a Publix about every half mile around here, and yes they are as good as anybody and probably have the best bakeries around. (What I wouldn't give here for a really good independent bakery!)
Albertson's tends to have the best prices on "provisions" and I do all my shopping at Wynn's which is close to downtown -- most convenient for me, and the best wine, meat, and seafood departments around. Basically, it's whatever is most convenient.

We are staying at Cypress Woods. They tell me they only have an electric grill, no gas grills. No charcoal grill. Is that a fire regulation? My husband golfs, or I would probably just sleep on the beach. I am in dire need of ocean right now. Two elderly ladies are just exhausting me, and I need a little time off. Or I will be the elderly one. LOL

We have Wegmans and Tops here and they are really good supermarkets. We also have a lot of independent bakeries. I am glad you told me that Wynn's has good all around provisions. I do cook a lot, and I expect that I'll be doing some of that while I'm there. I feel a little silly wondering if there are farmer's markets there at this time of year. Another one of my "musts" when I am traveling. I have traveled the world and not missed a single farmer's market. Even in the dead of winter in Russia.

I'm changing my profile to include my email, I'm afraid I'm hogging this post and I don't want to be rude. It just makes so much sense to get advice from people who live in the area. This way, if anyone has more to add that might not be of interest to other people, they can feel free to email me.

There is a Farmer's Market every Sat.
Located in the parking lot across from
Tony's Off Third ( bakery, sandwich wine shop), Northwest of the intersection of 3rd St South and 13th.
Not sure of the hours, perhaps it ends at noon? Great veggies, stone crabs
all kinds of baked goodies. Be sure try food shopping at the Fresh Market, located on 41 in the same shopping center with Homegoods Store and Mc Donalds. Across 41, behind the Pet Supermarket is a place that makes their own pasta, and has about the best bread in town. Oakes Farm market (Davis Blvd)is open daily, great stuff, good wine deals at times. There is also a French Bakery in the St. Andrew's shopping center on the East Trail(41)
that's quite good. The French owner's are there making everything from scratch.

Newt, thanks. It looks like we've got it all covered foodwise. I wish I was there already. I noticed that there's a bit of difference in the grocery stores. You are allowed to buy wine from grocery stores, we have to buy from liquor stores. I'm sure it lowers prices there.

We'll go fishing too, so whatever we catch, if anything, I'll cook at the condo.

Thanks again for all your advice.

Newt, that great fresh pasta place behind Pet Supermarket is gone. It's now a garden store. Sigh!

How could I forget about Fresh Market? -- a little far for me, so I tend to forget it.

The Farmer's Market off Third is fine, but more homemade jellies, craft, and baked goods and plants, etc. than veggies and produce.

And I'll second Oakes Market. This week they did all YellowTail wines for $5.99 a bottle. They had cases stacked to the ceiling.

The lack of charcoal grills at condos is a maintenance issue. No one cleans them up.