Early Bird Gets The Worm
Indian Shores, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: American, Seafood
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 3/5
Dined in: December 2016
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Executive Chef:
Tom Pritchard
Classified as fine dining, the Salt Rock Grill which is part of the Bay Star Restaurant Group serving staff wears white shirts with black pants, carrying all your food on large cumbersome trays versus having two or three plates delivered at a time by multiple servers to your table. They are a legendary Indian Beach landmark restaurant with a dock on the backside of the inter-coastal waterway so you park your yacht and walk over to the outside tiki bar, or dine indoors. Once seated you can enjoy their hand-cut USDA Prime Grade Beef cuts that are aged four to six weeks in their in-house temperature controlled aging rooms. This review covers the visit my wife and I had for there early bird dinner.
Menu:
- Raw Bar
- Appetizers
- Greens
- Sharable Sides
- Lobster, Crab, and Shellfish
- 1200°f
- You Can Surf
- Other Specialties
- Pasta
- Early Bird Menu
- Desserts
My wife and I arrived before the dinner rush to take advantage of the early bird specials offered on the menu, which normally is reserved for the older folks around, but a good deal to bring in an earlier crowd as well as your normal dinner eaters. We had skipped lunch, so it was perfect for us. I had a beer, while my wife started with a martini special from the menu called the orient express with Nolet's vodka by Ketel One, Barrow's intense ginger liqueur, lemongrass, fresh lemon, and fresh sour mix.
 |
| Nolet's Martini |
Later with the meal my wife enjoyed a few glasses of Breezette rosé from Domaine de La Sanglière, a Côtes de Provence blend of 78% Cinsault, 12% Grenache & 10% Mourvedre. According to the technical notes, the wine is a light, well-balanced, fruit-forward rosé that is simple crisp, refreshing and thirst-quenching. Very bold aromas, exquisitely releasing fragrances of tropical peach, apricot, spiced notes and sensations of white flowers. It is rich with ripe exotic citrus fruits, like pineapple and red grapefruit, and has a hint of sea salt given the winery’s close proximity to the sea.
The early bird special comes with a soup or salad, entree, and dessert. My wife enjoyed the lobster bisque which is one of her favorites and a caesar salad starter for me. For the early bird entrees, my wife had the onion-crusted salmon, but she did not find it to be too tasty, under seasoned and overcooked. Other seafood entrees from the main menu include day boat scallops and lobster selections.
 |
| Salmon entree |
My entree was a little better with the chicken cordon bleu, served with a loaded baked potato. The stuffing of cheese and ham inside my chicken made up a tiny portion, and one lesson we learned was that to eat well at the Salt Rock Grill, avoid the early bird for the old people, and get a 1200 degree seared steak, pork chop, or Filet Oscar.
Dessert:
We were both completely fool and normally would not have gotten a dessert, but the early bird came with one. The hot apple crisp pie dessert was served upside-down with a bourbon pecan crunchy crust and topped with a homemade vanilla bean ice cream and whipped cream. This dessert along with a nice coffee and bailey’s went together nicely.
 |
| Hot apple crisp pie |
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other Noteworthy American Cuisine Articles & Restaurants:
91 Wood Fire Oven Refined rustic American fare in Canton, Ohio
Brandon’s Contemporary twist on American favorites in Palm Beach, Florida
Charleston’s Restaurant Casual American eatery; reviewed in Indianapolis, Indiana
The Avenue Eat + Drink Rustic restaurant known for its burgers in St. Petersburg, Florida
The Biltmore Dining Room Seasonal American cuisine in Asheville, North Carolina
The Hangar Restaurant & Flight Lounge Relaxed eatery, & comfort foods in St. Petersburg, Florida
The Zink Kitchen + Bar Modern and sleek American cuisine in Centennial, Colorado
Z Grille Colorfully inspired twists on American Classics in St. Petersburg, Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
A Few Florida Favorites:
|
Rustic New American Fare
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
A top 20 on Wine Dine and Play
|
Old-world classic Italian & Mediterranean
New Smyrna Beach, Florida, USA
|
Old School Rustic Tuscan
Gulfport, Florida, USA
|
|
Native American Cuisine w/Barbacoa Grilling
Tampa, Florida, USA
|
St. Augustine
Locally Sourced Café in Southern Grub
|
Sanibel Island
Waterfront upscale new American cuisine
|
|
Upscale Pan Asian Fare w/sushi
Orlando, Florida, USA
|
Rooftop Artisan Fusion Bistro
St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA
|
Key West
Landmark bar since 1851, where Jimmy Buffet got his start
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience, and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Salt Rock Grill a 3 out of 5 stars, meaning that they exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
|
Max Points Possible:
|
Total Points Awarded:
|
Total Points deducted:
|
Ambiance
|
9.5
|
8.5
|
1
|
Food quality
|
9.5
|
5
|
4.5
|
Plate presentation
|
9
|
7
|
2
|
Customer service
|
8.5
|
6.5
|
2
|
Alcohol and other beverages
|
10
|
10
|
0
|
Total regular points awarded
|
46.5
|
37
|
9.5
|
Total percentage — less the Bonus
|
0.795698924731183
|
||
“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
Total bonus percentage
|
0.021505376344086
|
||
Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
|
0.817204301075269
|
||
Stars Awarded (see chart below)
|
0 - 5
|
3
|
**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
|
3 of 5 Stars:
82% Rating with a 1 point “wow” bonus
Exceeded my Expectations in a Dining Experience
|
Wine List:
|
|
Wine rating:
|
7 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Spain, Italy, Germany
New World selections:
Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, California, Oregon, Washington State, South Africa
|
Corkage fee’s:
|
The Restaurant corkage fees are $15.00 per bottle, and Magnums are$20.00
|
Restaurant style:
|
Semi-formal dining
|
Cuisine Style:
|
American, Raw Bar, Seafood
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Gluten Free, Low Carb, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegan Options, Vegetarian
|
Reservations:
|
Not Required, But Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
|
Dress code:
|
Business casual attire, or Conservative attire
Then again its Florida and everybody here wear's flip-flops!!
|
Child policy:
|
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
|
Experiences:
|
Place for foodies, Contemporary, Modern, Trendy, Lounge, Business parties, Romantic, Hotspot, Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Scenic views, and a Neighborhood Gem.
|
Payments:
|
Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
|
Parking:
|
Private lot
|
Wifi
|
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
|
Noise level:
|
Medium
|
Smoking:
|
Nonsmoking restaurant, and nonsmoking patio
|
Patio or terrace:
|
Yes
|
Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$$
|
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥¥
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€
|
Alcohol prices:
$50.00 USD
Salt Rock Grill:
19325 Gulf Blvd
Indian Shores
Florida 33785
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
|
|
Maître d or host:
|
+1 727-593-7625
|
Online Reservations:
|
|
Website Contact:
|
|
Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
|
Mon-Thur
4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Brunch: Sun
12:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Fri-Sat
4:00 pm - 11:00 pm
|
Social Media
&
Accolades:
|
|
****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
|
Swanky French-American Steakhouse chain, reviewed in Atlanta, GA.
New York, New York, USA
|
Sustainable & regional German cuisine
Hilton, Berlin, Germany
|
Seafood and sushi with panorama views
Cape Point, South Africa
|
Other Pictures:
 |
| Front Entrance |
 |
| Dining Room |
 |
| Lobster Bisque |
 |
| Caesar Salad |
 |
| Chicken Cordon Bleu |
 |
| Kitchen |
 |
| Raw Bar Display |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
