An American grill, A Compass Grille + Other Fare With International Flair
St Pete Beach, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: Eclectic, American
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 4/5
Dined in: August 2018
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:
Compass Grille Zomato rating:
Compass Grille Executive Chef:
Dennis Tassler
Compass Grille at the Sirata Beach Resort is an exceptional culinary experience to the snob or local alike. With a chef-inspired contemporary to the International fare, you can savor unique specialties from Peru to a French-infused grilled Filet Mignon stuffed with duxelle and red wine sauce. The Sirata Beach Resort recently went through a $15 million transformation that included the Compass Grille and the two other on-site restaurants the Rum Runners bar and grille, and Harry’s beach bar. My wife and I were staying at the hotel on a little staycation and dined at Compass Grille for dinner. This is our experience…
Sirata Webcam
Menu:
- Soups
- Appetizers
- Salads
- Pastas
- Entrees
- Sides
- Desserts
We came into a nearly empty restaurant as it was the off-season, seeing only a few tables occupied. We sat at the bar, where the bartender originally from Ireland, but had been living in the United States for many years had recently moved down from up north. The restaurant dining room had a darker red almost Burgundy paint on the walls with eclectic works of art, and a wavy glass separation to a secondary dining room, then pass the main entrance was a buffet area and entrance to the hotel.
My wife had a cosmopolitan cocktail while I had a red blend from Chateau Saint Michelle vineyards, Washington. We started with a smoked fish spread, stuffed with amberjack and served with a side of multi-grain flatbread, carrots, celery, grilled lemon, and an addition of some pita bread.
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| Compass Grille / Fish Spread |
The spread had a great smoke taste and flavors, displayed well on the plate, a high quality in sourcing for the fish and all around exceptional spread that I would rate as ‘damn good’ in the fish spread chart below that I created after tasting several smoked fish spreads at different Florida restaurants.
Fish Spread Rating Chart:
THE BEST - Top notch quality, excellent flavor profiles, memorable presentation, rare ingredients, organic, non-GMO, sustainable, local, immense-colossal quality of fish, and extravagant smoke flavors
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DAMN GOOD - Fantastic smoke, exceptional quality, eclectic flavor, nice display, dedicated local sourcing, beautiful quality fish, possibly sustainable, non-GMO
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GOOD - delicate, Enhanced ingredients, nice flavor, fresh taste, great smoke, common arrangements, in state local, superior quality fish
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BETTER - Nice ingredients, higher-desirable quality, okay flavor and taste, good smoke content, maybe from in-state sources, but possibly a GMO
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OKAY - Nothing amazing, a regular spread, fair quality, highly probable GMO product, might be from the state, most likely not, fabricated or mainstream smoke products
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BAD - Taste old, horrible seasoning, cheap smoke, manufactured, heavy GMO product, not local, bad smell
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For entree courses, my wife had the ravioli dish stuffed with goat cheese, spinach + pine-nuts all roasted in a garlic broth with broccolini and an heirloom tomato relish. Topping the ravioli was a bias cut piece of garlic bread. The ravioli was cooked to a perfect al dente, with the inner ingredients warmed and a fantastic burst of flavors, especially with the garlic broth dripping from the bottom of the ravioli. The plate was displayed with six large ravioli pieces circling the plate and the vegetables steamed and placed in the center. The color contrast was very appealing, aromas not too overpowering, and most of all as mentioned earlier was the taste, all winning high marks.
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| Compass Grille / Ravioli entree |
For my entree I chose the roasted maple leaf duck, a half breast smothered in an orange glaze roasted to a darker golden brown sitting on a bed of wild rice, with some sun-dried cranberries, and an orange demi-glace gastrique packed with intense flavor from the slow reduction of the sauce, and possibly some duck fat as a bonus. The duck as the skin was pulled apart revealed a lighter white meat coloring steaming, yet moist and soft to the taste, with some of the orange marinade seeping through for an even greater flavor. Dip some of the meat into the gastrique and you will be ordering a second duck entree to go.
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| Compass Grille / Duck entree |
Dessert:
Several items from key lime pie to a chocolate torte but all were purchased and delivered versus being made from scratch as there is no pastry chef. I had a shot of Bailey’s for my dessert, while my wife had a Black Russian with white Godiva chocolate blending.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is the strength, in the water there are bacteria.” - David Auerbach
United States:
Washington State:
Other noteworthy eclectic food articles and restaurants similar to Compass Grille:
Eclectic normally pertains to things which are different, varied or don’t fit into any particular category of food. They are foods prepared in various ways, combinations, or different styles. Like Italian, Japanese, and French all in one. Eclectic first appeared in the seventeenth century to describe philosophers who did not belong to a particular school of thought but instead assembled their doctrines by picking and choosing from a variety of philosophical systems.
Can also be considered global if it is a variation on one type of cuisine
Alinea Highly creative new American molecular gastronomy tasting menus in Chicago, Illinois
At.mosphere Upscale fine dining global cuisine on the 122nd floor, Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai, UAE
Attica Innovative and eclectic tasting menu restaurant in Ripponlea, Australia
Aubergine Restaurant Innovative East meets West in Cape Town, South Africa
Dunes Beach Restaurant and Bar Eclectic grill and seafood menu in Hout Bay, South Africa
Edison Food + Drink Lab Eclectic and innovative gastropub using molecular gastronomy in Tampa, Florida
Enigma Restaurant Turkish culinary journey with an eclectic European twist In Dubai, UAE
Fiddlesticks Eclectic and innovative New Zealand cuisine in Christchurch, New Zealand
Junsui An eclectic taste of Asia with buffets at the Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai, UAE
Kuneho (Formally Qui Restaurant) Eclectic global plates and sushi in Austin, Texas
Signature Restaurant Contemporary and elegant eclectic eatery in Sandton, South Africa
The Test Kitchen Modern eclectic and Nouvelle Latin cuisine in Cape Town, South Africa
Tetsuya’s Eclectic French-Asian tasting menu restaurant in Sydney, Australia
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other St. Pete Beach restaurants, and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
|
Med-Latin and tapas café with 360 views
St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA
|
Casual gourmet in 50s style diner
St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA
|
Table-side Hibachi with a sushi bar
St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA
|
A few Florida restaurant favorites:
|
Nautically themed eatery with crafted cocktails and raw bar
Sarasota, Florida, USA
|
Upscale Pan Asian Fare w/sushi
Orlando, Florida, USA
|
Casual local Chain for traditional meals
Pinellas Park, Florida USA
|
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 Compass Grille a 4 out of 5 stars, meaning that they not only exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants, but they were just outstanding. We were impressed with the service from the bartender, food, and overall restaurant in general, and we will return.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Compass Grille
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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11
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11
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0
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Food quality
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11
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8
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3
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Plate presentation
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10
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9
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1
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Customer service
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12
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11
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1
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Alcohol and other beverages
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10
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9
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1
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Total regular points awarded
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54
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48
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6
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.888888888888889
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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1
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0185185185185185
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.907407407407407
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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4
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**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:
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4 of 5 Stars:
91% Rating with a 1 point “wow” bonus
An Outstanding Dining Experience
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Corkage fees:
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Compass Grille does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual toConservative dining
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Cuisine Style at Compass Grille:
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American, Eclectic
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Grass Fed, Low Carb Choices, Pescatarian, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required, but Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Smart casual or Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wear’s flip-flops!
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Child policy:
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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!
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Compass Grille Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Contemporary, Trendy, Lounge, Business parties, Romantic, Hotspot, Great bar, Good for special occasions, Intimate, Classy, Upscale, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Compass Grille has valet or a private lot
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Wifi
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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.
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Noise level:
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Low
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Smoking:
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Compass Grille is a non-smoking restaurant
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Patio or terrace:
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No
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ 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
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€
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Compass Grille:
Sirata Beach Resort
5300 Gulf Blvd.
St Pete Beach
Florida 33706
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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(877) 624-0696 / (727) 363-5129
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Online reservations
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Breakfast: Mon-Sun
7:00 am - 11:00 am
Lunch:
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Dinner:
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Happy Hour: Sun-Thur
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for Compass Grille:
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****
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…
|
Japanese restaurant & saké bar with sushi
Key West, Florida, USA
|
Levant, Jordanian, and Lebanese cuisines
Amman, Jordan
|
Southwestern-inspired New American fare
San Antonio, Texas, USA
|
Other Compass Grille Pictures:
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| Compass Grille / Entrance |
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| Compass Grille / Buffet |
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| Compass Grille / Bar |
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| Compass Grille / Dining Room |
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| Compass Grille / Brussels and Mash |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
