Fine Dining In A Relaxed Ozona Blue Atmosphere
Palm Harbor, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: New American, Seafood
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 3/5
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:
Ozona Blue Zomato rating:
Ozona Blue is named after the town of Ozona (meaning fresh air) neighboring to the north of Palm Harbor. My wife and I were out exploring, and ran across the restaurant which looks out onto the Smith Bayou into St. Josephs Sound, and the Gulf of Mexico, next to the Home Port Marina, adjacent to the Pinellas Trail. Ozona blue boasts a large indoor and equally large outdoor terrace dining and bar area that features live music and includes an outdoor swimming pool plus hot tub open daily until 6 pm. As a warning, some areas outside permit smoking. Indoors has a canoe ceiling with thatched-roof tiki hut bar below it. Also for a convenience, complimentary valet parking is available.
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| Ozona Blue / Thatch Tiki Bar |
The Ozona menu boasts a large combination of seafood and steaks with an Asian twist, along with starters, flatbreads, hand held’s, and Chef specials sections that fuse classical American comfort foods with new innovative Asian combinations, that at the same time are not over-powered in flavor or sauce. A sea-bass ponzu or ahi tuna with Asian tafki sauce set the tone along with seafood gumbo and chicken portabella presented with a newer style plate design attracting to the eye.
Menu:
- Starters
- Soups
- Flatbreads
- Hand Held’s
- Entree Salads
- Pasta
- Chef Choices
- Chef Specials
- Oak Grilled Meats
- Sides
- Desserts
- Kids
- Gluten-Free menu
We sat at the terrace bar where an outstanding bartender who went well beyond a typical order-taker server name Jeff made the experience of the meal just as memorable as the food. From a really good conversation, giving recommendations on the area, and more important being honest with food from the menu. My wife had a Patron silver with grapefruit, while I had a Yuengling, my second go-to beer when some of my favorite local Florida beers are not available. As we were exploring and only stopped in for a quick bite, we shared the from the hand held’s menu section the fresh catch fish tacos loaded with shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, remoulade, finished with jack and cheddar cheese which came with two in soft flour tortillas making it perfect for sharing. The fresh catch for the day was Florida grouper. The fish was fresh, flaky, and mild flavor, mixed with a light spice from the NOLA style remoulade. Since we split, Jeff also let us each pick a side even the order only came with one side. My wife tried the coleslaw while I picked the potato salad, which in my opinion were good, but nothing stood out in flavor profile or presentation for those dies. The show went entirely to the grouper taco.
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| Ozona Blue / Fish Tacos |
Available all year round grouper is one of Florida’s most popular fish and can be found on mostly all restaurant menus. Though supply peaks in the warm months, from April to October, it is still available at different market prices year-round. As we were so impressed by the service, food quality, and overall atmosphere, we will be returning to enjoy a full dinner experience in the near future that will include a second review. Steak mudiga or table-side guacamole look of interest along with the mahi, and the sea-bass ponzu mentioned earlier for the next visit.
Dessert:
We didn’t have dessert on this visit through the six listed on their menu were flashbacks to the 1980s like a molten lava bundt cake with Grenache and raspberry or the four-layered carrot cake. Being Florida the staple is to always have a key lime pie with freshly squeezed key lime juice, sweetened condensed cream, baked in a buttery graham cracker crust and topped with whipped cream. There was a crêpe Suzette on the menu, but it was removed after an incident in 2012.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other noteworthy New American / Seafood articles and restaurants similar to Ozona Blue:
Also known as Modern American cuisine, or Contemporary American cuisine, the term refers to the wave of modernized cooking predominantly served at upscale fine dining restaurants that began in the 1980s. It is generally a type of fusion cuisine which assimilates flavors from the melting pot of traditional American cooking techniques and mixes it with foreign and sometimes molecular gastronomy components. There is an innovative use of seasoning and sauces, originally based on French, and Nouvelle cuisine, and it has progressed to include elements of Asian, Latin American, Mediterranean, and other cuisines.
Alinea Highly creative new American molecular gastronomy tasting menus in Chicago, Illinois
Bridge Street Bistro Third-floor terrace seafood-centric New American dining, Bradenton Beach, Florida
Harvest Moon Café Farm-to-Fork daily changing new American fare menu in Sonoma, California
Lobby at Twelve Boutique hotel bistro, new American, and Southern favorites at Atlantic Station, Atlanta
Mad Fish A casual Gourmet American Cuisine restaurant in a Retro-Style Diner in St Pete Beach, Florida
Moshulu New American dining on a restored ship in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Samantha’s Restaurant Mellow new American dishes in North Canton, Ohio
The Mill Restaurant New American fare with a southern spin in St. Petersburg, Florida
Zinc Bistro and Bar Southwestern-inspired new American fare in San Antonio, Texas
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
A few Florida restaurant favorites:
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Old-world classic Italian & Mediterranean
New Smyrna Beach
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Globally accented tapas with innovative American fare
Key West, Florida, USA
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Weekly, Organic, Sustainable
Gulfport, 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 Ozona Blue 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 for Ozona Blue
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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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8
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2
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Customer service
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11
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9
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2
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Alcohol and other beverages
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10
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8
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2
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Total regular points awarded
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53
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44
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9
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.830188679245283
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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0
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.830188679245283
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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3
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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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3 of 5 Stars:
83% Rating with a 0 point “wow” bonus
Exceeded Expectations in a Dining Experience
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Ozona Blue Wine rating:
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5 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Italy, Spain
New World selections:
Argentina, Australia, California, Chile, Oregon, Washington State
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Corkage fees:
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Ozona Blue 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 dining
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Cuisine Style at Ozona Blue:
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New American, Seafood
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Gluten-free choices, Local, 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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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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Ozona BlueExperiences:
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Trendy, Lounge, Hotspot, Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Rustic, Scenic views, Tourist grabber, 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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Ozona Blue has a private lot and complimentary valet
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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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Medium
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Smoking:
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Ozona Blue is a non-smoking restaurant
WARNING - Smoking is allowed on the terrace
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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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)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$
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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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Alcohol prices:
$12.00 USD
Ozona Blue:
125 Orange Street
Palm Harbor
Florida 34683
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 (727) 789-4540
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Website Contact:
Email Us:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Sun - Thur
11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Fri - Sat
11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Happy Hour: Mon - Fri
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for
Ozona Blue:
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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…
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Modern Australian haute cuisine
Sydney, Australia
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Charming French Bistro with movie filmed terrace
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Authentic churrascaria-style dining
Palm Island, Dubai, UAE
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Other Ozona Blue Pictures:
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| Ozona Blue / Pool |
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| Ozona Blue / Terrace |
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| Ozona Blue / Terrace Bar |
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| Ozona Blue / Grouper |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
