On the Waterfront

Schooners, Panama City Beach FL

A couple months ago Sarge or Juvat wrote something about nice views while dining on the water.   At least that's what I seem to remember. I looked in the archives for that post, but couldn't find the exact one (one of the few drawbacks to Sarge's daily postings).  It could have been something else that served as my muse, but that's how my brain works some days.  Today's post, somewhat of a fill in as a favor to Sarge, but also because I was inspired by that post, was written because I too enjoy a meal with a view of the water.  

Hotel Mafolie, St. Thomas USVI (Source)

Wherever I travel or wherever I live, I seek out nice restaurants that have a good view.  Sometimes the cuisine matches the view, and sometimes it doesn't (probably running a little better than 50/50 on that), but a good view can sometimes make up for it.  I've lived in quite a few places due to my military service, and so those views can very greatly.  They may be oceanfront, on a bay, a river or a lake.  It doesn't matter to me what kind of water it is; I enjoy them all, especially if they have a nice sunset.  So I will use this space to talk a little bit about those places and a little bit about how I feel while there.  Plenty of good memories from them.  

Hula Bay Club (source)

When I lived in Tampa there was a place on Tampa Bay called the Rattle Fish Grill.  It had a great outdoor deck with a decent view of the western side of the bay looking towards St Petersburg.  It had a definite Florida vibe, maybe with a Key West feel, although I've never been.  Outside of the fall and winter months, Tampa can be quite inhospitable for outdoor dining, somewhat due to the bugs, but mainly due to the heat and humidity.  Despite living in P'Cola for 2 years, Tampa for 3, and many visits for work in Panama City, I could never get used to the humidity.  However the grill had quite a few overhead fans and even those misters that made it bearable, if not rather comfortable.  There was an indoor seating area, but not for me when there's a view to be had.  When I was stationed there from '04 to '07 it was the go-to place for Hail and Farewells for people I worked with at CENTCOM.  Just as my PCS* was being scheduled, I heard they were planning on closing it and making it a private restaurant for the yacht club next door.  Apparently that plan failed after 6 months or so, and they opened it back up to the public with the new name.  I was able to go back for a trip some years later and it was just as good as I had remembered. 

Hula Bay view courtesy of Google

Another Florida locale is Uncle Ernie's in Panama City on the intercoastal waterway.  This one brings up fond memories of me barhopping by boat with friends on the same waterway in Pensacola back during flight school.  It was also the first time we used our timeshare points, which has led to two dozen memorable trips since then.

Your humble scribe and his family at Ernie's during a Spring Break trip a decade ago.

Uncle Ernie's after it was rebuilt following Hurricane Michael in 2018. (Google)

Living in the Pacific Northwest, on the Puget Sound, one would think that there were plenty of places that could provide me with a nice meal and a nice view, but this was not the case. Maybe if I lived on the Seattle side of the sound I might have found a few more, but over on the Kitsap Peninsula there was a dearth of them.  The Boat Shed was the lone exception.  On the approaches to Sinclair Inlet which the USS Carl Vinson took to get into Naval Station Bremerton, it had a view of the shipyard across the way, although those apartment buildings in the photos weren't there from what I remember.  

Bremerton Sunset (source for both)

A trip my wife and I took to St Thomas USVI earlier this year was excellent, our first time in  the Caribbean.  Being an island territory, there were many places to eat on the water.  And the water there is beautiful, with spectacular sugar-white sand beaches.  The food wasn't all that good, sub-par for the most part at a couple places we visited, probably because it doesn't need to be with such gorgeous views.

View from the pool bar and grill at our hotel

Maegen's Bay snack bar St. Thomas

There were a couple exceptions.  Prime at Paradise Point, at one of the highest points on the island, was excellent.  The views were panoramic, overlooking the bay in front of the Capital City, Charlotte Amalie, and as far as the western-most point on the island.  It had a great sunset too of course, but it was a bit hazy that evening so my photos of it weren't worthy of sharing here.

Prime view at Paradise Point

I have no idea how I did it, but I only scheduled our hotel, timeshare actually, for 6 nights vice 7.  So we were without a reservation for the last night before our flight out the next day.  Before we vacated the premises, I called a few places to see if they had any vacancies.  There actually weren't many available places as it was Spring Break, and COVID revenge travel after 2 years was in full effect.  Fortunately I found the Hotel Mafolie.  This was the view from our room where we ordered room service.  The restaurant, where we had breakfast the next morning was included in the cost of the room, and was the second photo in this post.  It was a great vacation so the water/food view combination in St. Thomas actually ranks very high on my list. 

   

Our room with a view at Hotel Mafolie

Another great food with a view experience was on a cruise to Mexico.  Always up for an adventure and not needing to take the well-worn and more expensive path that the other cruisers take, we got off the ship in Puerta Vallarta, followed some locals to a local bus, and hopped on.  Not really knowing where we were going, we took it into town further down the coast, a mile or so from the port.  We got off, walked a block or so, and found the best little restaurant right on the beach.  Tacos and margaritas just taste better on the beach in Mexico.

Living in San Diego, which is on the coast of course, as well as having a picturesque bay, we're lucky to have at least a dozen places that fit the bill.  One of my favorites on the bay was within walking distance of work, Mitch's Seafood.  They serve lunch from the fish that fishermen caught and unloaded right there at the marina earlier that day.  The eatery is still there, but I no longer work next door, having been "reorganized" to our HQ on Naval Station San Diego, which is not at all as picturesque as my old office in Pt. Loma

Mitch's Seafood where you can see the sea whilst having food.  (Source)

Besides Mitch's, you've got Tom Ham's Lighthouse, Coasterra, and a favorite of my family, Busters Beachhouse and Longboard Grill.  On the marina in SeaPort Village near the Midway Museum, my kids loved this place as it had a beachy vibe, surfboards as decorations, and pizza served on mini surfboards.  Unfortunately, the place closed a few months back as they are planning to redevelop the land, adding yet another hotel or two.

Google

Google

Chip VonBurg - Google

We also enjoyed Jake's Del Mar.  Went there for an anniversary dinner a few years back.  A slightly upscale eatery, Jake's has beachside dining with sand that tracks in from the doors to the beach.  

Jake's Del Mar - 

Mister A's is a upscale restaurant at the top of a building near downtown San Diego that not only offers the views, but the restaurant is level to the approach envelope for the San Diego airport, so you can look straight out and see airplanes coming in for a landing. I don't think we see it anymore, but both JAL and British Airways used to land 747s right around happy hour which was kind of a treat, even if you weren't into plane spotting.

Finally, we have my most favorite restaurant in all of San Diego- the Bali Hai. I definitely like my Hawaiian shirts and Asian / Polynesian inspired food, so this place, along with the great panoramic views of the bay, meets all my expectations.  And their Mai Tais are killer, almost literally- the menu even says they will only serve you two of them.  I also like seeing the boats go by or watching helicopters and MV-22 Ospreys take off from North Island, which is just across the bay.

You know from my old Jets and Sunsets posts that I really enjoy a lovely orange and red-hued sunset.  It has some sort of a tranquil calming effect on me as I admire the beauty that is in God's majesty here on earth.  So I enjoy a well timed dinner that coincides with his craftsmanship.

There's a great line at the end of Forrest Gump when Forrest is describing the sunset to Jenny that he saw while running.  "I couldn't tell you where the heavens stopped, and the earth began."

Those restaurants all make me feel a little like I'm on vacation.  Give me a rum or coconut drink during dinner and I'm instantly transported to the beach, wearing my flipflops, soaking in the sun.  I've had a lot of meals on the water- sort of an occupational hazard having been in the Navy, but I prefer it when I'm on land, and have a view.  I'll obviously keep eating, and I'll also keep looking for great places for food with that view, preferably at sunset.  Any favorite places for waterfront dining from the readership?  I will add them to some list I need to start writing down.

 *Permanent Change of Station- aka, orders to somewhere else.