Reaper Wings And Happy Hour Favorites
St Pete Beach, Florida
Cuisine Style: Seafood, Gulf-To-Table
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 4/5
Dined in: December 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:
RumFish Grill Zomato rating:
RumFish Grill Executive Chef:
Aaron Schweitzer
RumFish Grill is a Gulf-to-Table restaurant at the Tradewinds Island Resort on Saint Pete Beach. The Gulf-to-Table Movement is a concept of catching sustainable fresh wild fish from the Gulf Of Mexico and eating it within the same hour or part of the day it is caught. In the heart of Florida’s Emerald Coast in cities like Destin and Fort Walton Beach is where this new style of cuisine was thought up and put into practice between the cooperation of fisherman and local restaurants. The Guy Harvey Outpost neighbors the restaurant selling items from flip-flops to headgear to highly acclaimed marine art. Guy Harvey is an artist, scientist, diver, angler, conservationist, and explorer. Besides the cocktail area, bar and patio, they have the main dining room and a 33,500-gallon aquarium from top to bottom along the back wall, where you can also reserve to swim in the tank.
RumFish Menu:
- Ice Breakers
- Appetizers
- Soups and Salads
- Ocean
- Pasta
- Land
- Add On
- Kids menu
- Desserts
- Liquid Dessert
On our first visit, we enjoyed several starter dishes during their happy hour beginning with the blue crab cake with remoulade on arugula lettuce. Next came the tuna poke sitting on a wakame salad and a Peruvian ceviche appetizer. Finally, we shared the mixed bruschetta displayed with six toasted pieces of baguette. Three had some crumbled goat cheese, sliced cucumber and minced cantaloupe with a garnish of micro greens. The other three had a warm brie topped with pepper jelly.
This review is based on two visits from December 2018, on with just my wife and me, and the other with some out of town friends joining us for happy hour. On our first visit, we had several dishes from the happy hour menu as listed above. Continuing on that list between the next two visits covered on this review, we had the remaining items that we had not tried. Starting with the chicken wings as one of our friends was watching some football, we had the chicken wings served with the typical accompaniments of celery and carrots with blue cheese dipping sauce, along with a choice of wings sauces that include guava BBQ, traditional buffalo, the Carolina Reaper marmalade, and the maple lavender. We tried the maple lavender and the reaper.
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| RumFish Grill / Reaper Wings |
The Carolina Reaper first named the HP22B was originally a cultivar of the capsicum chinense, commonly known as the Chinese bonnet pepper though originally it is from the Amazon regions of Brazil. The Reaper is a crossbreed between a La Soufriere pepper from the Caribbean island of St. Vincent and a Naga pepper from Pakistan. Ed Currie in Rock Hill, South Carolina and proprietor of PuckerButt Pepper Company created the Reaper, and in 2013, the Guinness World Records declared it the hottest chili pepper in the world, surpassing the previous record holder, the Trinidad Scorpion. The Reaper pepper is red and gnarled, with a small pointed tail and has a sweet and fruity flavor, right before the heat kicks in at 2,200,000 Scoville Heat Units. According to Chili World Wilbur Scoville (1865-1942) invented the ‘Scoville scale’ in 1912 using what he called the Scoville Organoleptic Test to measure the pungency of peppers and chilies, generally related to their capsaicin content. To put into perspective the levels of heat that 2 million SHU’s is, look at your normal bottle of Tabasco sauce bottle that rates at 3,750 SHU’s, or a typical jalapeño pepper at 5000. The reaper rates halfway below police-issued pepper spray which comes in at over five million SHU.
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| RumFish Grill / Scoville Scale on Reaper Wings |
According to Pepperhead the ten hottest peppers in the world starting with the Carolina Reaper are:
The Trinidad Scorpion Moruga Blend, AKA Moruga Scorpion
The 7 Pot Douglah
The 7 Pot Primo
The Trinidad Scorpion Butch T from Australia
Naga Viper from the UK
The Ghost Pepper from India
The 7 Pot Barrackpore from Trinidad
The 7 Pot Red
The Red Savina Habanero
Two more peppers are now trying to outdo the Reaper starting with the Dragons Breath claiming to be over 800,000 SHU higher than Carolina Reaper from Nottinghamshire, UK, and the elusive Pepper X which is also grown by Ed Currie claiming to be twice as hot as the Carolina Reaper. The wings came six to the order, and though the marmalade contained only a small amount of reaper, they were hot. I really enjoy spicier and hotter items and did work up the guts to try a Ghost Pepper a few years back, but this marmalade tied the heat from the Ghost. The second set of wings having the maple lavender sauce, which was sweet and aromatic.
The crispily fried squid appetizer with banana peppers, key lime reduction, and a jerk tartar sauce on the side did not overly impress and reminded me of typical fried calamari that you can get anywhere. The squid rings were straight cut to look like thicker yet smaller fries or potatoes versus the classic ring presentation, and there were also no tentacles. The banana pepper gave it some heat, and I did not pick up any key lime, though the texture was clean and fresh.
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| RumFish Grill / Squid |
The next item we shared was the firecracker breaded shrimp with a chili garlic dressing, a lime wedge and green onion garnish that reminded me of the same flavor profiles taste, and spice of the Bonefish Bang Bang Shrimp dish. The dish tasted good, but by this point, we were nearly fried out, so the cold water oyster dish with the ginger mignonette was a welcomed changed. The dish came with four northern oysters, shrimp cocktail, and a tasting of the Peruvian ceviche. The ceviche is an item we tried on the previous visit and were very impressed with. Peruvian Cuisine the past few years has been in the spotlight thanks to the wonderful creations of Chefs like Gastón Acurio and Virgilio Martínez Véliz. All in all, like the previous visit, we were impressed by the quality of the food, presentation, and the professionalism of the staff.
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| RumFish Grill / Oyster Dish |
Dessert:
We did not have dessert on this visit, but from the menu, they had a blending of southern favorites like chocolate bread pudding to Florida classics like the key lime pie. The liquid dessert sections looked, even more, appealing with the chocolate cream pie of snickers martinis.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other noteworthy Gulf-To-Table or Seafood articles and restaurants similar to RumFish Grill:
Gulf-to-Table Cuisine:
Started in Florida’s Emerald Coast, in and around Destin. The Gulf-to-Table Movement is the concept of catching sustainable fresh wild fish from the Gulf Of Mexico and eating it within the same hour or part of the day it is caught.
Seafood Cuisine
Alioto’s Restaurant Historic restaurant serving Sicilian-infused seafood in San Francisco, California
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood A Jazzy upscale seafood eatery chain in 9 States, review from Tampa, Florida
Hank’s Seafood A classy southern seafood eatery house in Charleston, South Carolina
Perla’s Seafood and Oyster Bar Laid-back Cape Cod-style seafood restaurant in Austin, Texas
Waterfront Restaurant and Craft Bar Global seafood with a comfortable feel, City of Anna Maria, Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Saint Pete Beach restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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Waterfront Beach and Seafood Bar
St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA
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Eclectic Beachside Bistro at the Grand Plaza Hotel
St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA
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Rooftop Artisan Fusion Bistro
St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA
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A Few Florida Favorites:
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An Eclectic Blend of American and European
Dunedin, Florida USA
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Organic & hormone-free steakhouse
Clearwater / Beach, Florida USA
|
Third-floor terrace seafood-centric New American dining
Bradenton Beach, 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 RumFish Grill 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 just outstanding. The first review score was also a 4 of 5 stars, so they have maintained the excellent standing from my last visit.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for RumFish Grill
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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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10
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0
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Food quality
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11
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9
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2
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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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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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7
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3
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Total regular points awarded
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54
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45
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8
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.833333333333333
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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2
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.037037037037037
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.87037037037037
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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:
87% Rating with a 2 point “wow” bonus
An Outstanding Dining Experience
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RumFish Grill Wine rating:
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4 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Italy, Spain
New World selections:
Argentina, Australia, California, New Zealand, Oregon, Washington State
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Corkage fees:
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RumFish Grill 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 RumFish Grill:
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American, Gulf-To-Table, Seafood
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Gluten-free choices, Local, Low Carb Choices, Pescatarian, Sustainable, 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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RumFish Grill Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Modern, 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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RumFish Grill has a private hotel 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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Medium
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Smoking:
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RumFish Grill 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:
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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:
$22.00 USD
RumFish Grill:
6000 Gulf Blvd
St. Pete Beach
Florida 33706
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+ 1 727-329-1428
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Online reservations
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Website Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Lunch: Mon-Sun
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Dinner: Sun - Thur
4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Fri - Sat
4:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Happy Hour: Mon - Fri
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for RumFish Grill:
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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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Impeccably prepared French fine dining
Dublin, Ireland
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Countryside French Bistro
Cheverny, France
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New American dining on a restored ship
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Other RumFish Grill Pictures:
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| RumFish Grill / Firecracker Shrimp |
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| RumFish Grill / Maple Lavender Wings |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
