The Bathroom Made This Visit Awesome!
Captiva Island, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: Seafood
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 4/5
Dined: October 2019
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:
The Green Flash Zomato rating:
The Green Flash Executive Chef:
Marco Rosas
The Green Flash Owner:
Chef Andreas Bieri
The Green Flash Owner:
Chef Andreas Bieri
The Green Flash is a waterfront restaurant on Captiva Island purchased in 1994 by the Wiles family and was built on the site of the historic Timmy’s Nook watering hole. Situated on the waters of Roosevelt Channel, the restaurant overlooks the Intracoastal Waterway and the Pine Island Sound. The name Green Flash is a meteorological optical phenomenon that sometimes occurs around the moment of sunset or sunrise. When the conditions are right, a distinct green spot briefly visible above the upper rim of the Sun's disk; the green appearance usually lasts for no more than two seconds.
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| The Green Flash / A Green Flash (Picture courtesy of syvnews.com) |
The Green Flash Menu:
- Appetizers
- Soups and Salads
- Entrees
- Desserts
My wife and I were visiting Sanibel and Captiva Islands doing a restaurant and bar hop. A few months prior we stayed on Sanibel enjoying two days of the island's beaches, lighthouse, and restaurants. This was our first visit to Captiva in nearly three years. While on this visit we passed by The Green Flash, reading the name, we did not know that it was a restaurant and by-passed it. After more research, we stopped in after the lunch rush and ended for some drinks and an appetizer.
My wife had the Captiva cosmopolitan with Citroen Ketel One vodka, triple sec, and cranberry, while I had a drink after the namesake of the restaurant. The green flash cocktail is a spin on a piña colada recipe topped with melon liqueur, and was super sweet, with a good portioning of alcohol, garnished with a fresh cut of pineapple.
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| The Green Flash / Cocktails |
The menu was seafood-centric with a few land-based items, plus a few things that you see on most Florida seafood restaurant menus. As we stopped in for a bite, I had a sampling of the appetizer oysters, though the roasted artichoke hearts with butter, parmesan and mozzarella looked very appealing as well. The two oyster selections I went with were a Romanoff which was freshly shucked, then topped with sour cream and caviar, served over the traditional bed of ice with crackers, horseradish, and seafood cocktail sauce. The depth of the oysters was in the middle between shallow and deep, rough-edged shape, and good grey muscular color. Light hints of salt and fresh seawater on the finish, with a soft mouthfeel along with earthy flavors. There was a lingering flavor profile of possibly from the caviar, but all flavors went down very nicely. They were very savory and complex and overall a good Umami.
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| The Green Flash / Oyster Romanoff |
The second oyster selection was a classic Rockefeller baked with sautéed garlic, leafy green spinach, shallots, and crispy hickory bacon, all topped with a white wine dill sauce. The smoky flavors of the bacon expanded the saltiness you normally get from a Gulf oyster while the white wine and dill flavors added many varieties of flavor all at once and expanded on the earthy mouthfeel with hinted metallic notes, possibly from the wine, and the spinach along with the roasted garlic gave great texture to the pillowy feel of the oyster itself. The garlic and hickory smoke left a longer than normal savory finish on the palate along with the nose.
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| The Green Flash / Oyster Rockefeller |
One of the more unique experiences of visiting this restaurant which added to the wow factor believe it or not was the restroom. The first thing I notice as I opened the door and walked in was a dining table fully set for two people with cutlery, napkins, and champaign glasses. It was different, but just for display. I know personally that I would not want to enjoy a good meal inside of a restroom. The next noticeable thing was while doing the business that needed to be done there was a see-through mirror identical to the ones you see from television shows and movies at police stations where the criminal sees themselves from one side, while the detectives look on at them from the other. As I looked out through the mirror, you could see the full bar. As my wife and I were sitting at the bar, when I was done and sat back down I looked at that mirror and saw only my reflection. Not something you see every day, and a nice surprise to see that when designing the restaurant the owner decided to have some fun.
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| The Green Flash / Table in the bathroom |
Dessert:
We did not have dessert during this visit, but some items of interest on the menu include the crème caramel with custard, whipped cream, and fresh berries.
Check out some of these wonderful selections from Wine Dine and Play:
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other noteworthy seafood cuisine articles and restaurants similar to The Green Flash:
Seafood cuisine is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans. Seafood prominently includes fish and shellfish. A seafood restaurant is a restaurant that specializes in seafood cuisine and seafood dishes. They may include freshwater fish, sushi, raw bars, or rarer items such as the deadly Fugu Blowfish.
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
Jack Dusty’s Nautical themed eatery with crafted cocktails and raw bar at the Ritz Carlton in Sarasota Florida
Moshulu New American dining on a restored ship in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Perla’s Seafood and Oyster Bar Laid-back Cape Cod-style seafood restaurant in Austin, Texas
Red Snapper Kiwi “fush n’ chups” takeaway restaurant in Sumner, New Zealand
Snappers Sea Grill Seafood spot owned by local fisherman rated in the top 50 of Tampa Bay on St. Pete Beach, Florida
Sparkman’s Wharf An outdoor Channelside venue with a beer garden, coffeehouse, and 10+ restaurants in Tampa, Florida
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 Sanibel and Captiva restaurants, and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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Waterfront upscale new American cuisine
Sanibel Island, Florida, USA
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Contemporary dining for all meals featuring both land and sea
Sanibel Island, Florida, USA
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New American Cuisine in a casual but elegant setting
Sanibel Island, Florida, USA
|
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Floribbean fair owned and named after fictional character by the author
Captiva Island, Florida, USA
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Cocktails with tropical tunes and bar + grill eats at the pool
Captiva Island, Florida, USA
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A few Florida restaurant favorites:
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Sports bar, eatery, and driving range
Tampa, Florida, USA
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Gourmet Grilled Cheese and a bar in Greek Country
Tarpon Springs
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Beachside Victorian-Style seafood restaurant
Pass-a-Grille / St Pete Beach
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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 ambience, 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 The Green Flash 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.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for The Green Flash
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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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Ambience
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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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10
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10
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0
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Plate presentation
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10
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10
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0
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Customer service
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10
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6
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4
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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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51
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46
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5
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.901960784313725
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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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0.0196078431372549
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.92156862745098
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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:
92% Rating with a 1 point “wow” bonus
An Outstanding Dining Experience
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Wine List:
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The Green Flash Wine rating:
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6 of 10
Old World selections:
Austria, France, Italy, Spain
New World selections:
Argentina, Australia, California, Oregon, Washington State
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Corkage fees:
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The Green Flash 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 to Conservative dining
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Cuisine Style at The Green Flash:
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Seafood
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Gulf-To-Table, Gluten-free choices, Local, Low Carb Choices, Pescatarian, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Smart casual to Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wears 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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The Green Flash Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Modern, Lounge, Business parties, Romantic, Hotspot, Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Intimate, 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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The Green Flash has 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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The Green Flash is a non-smoking restaurant
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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:
$16.00 USD
The Green Flash:
15183 Captiva Drive
Captiva, Florida 33924
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 (239) 472-3337
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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
11:30 am - 3:30 pm
Dinner: Mon - Sun
5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for The Green Flash:
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****
The world’s 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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Chain serving Chicago-style deep dish pizza & other Italian eats
Chicago, Illinois, USA
|
Acclaimed upmarket classic & innovative Italian
Dubai Marina, Dubai, UAE
|
Classic Mediterranean Cuisine
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Other Green Flash Pictures:
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| The Green Flash / Dining Room |
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| The Green Flash / Bathroom |
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| The Green Flash / Green Flash Cocktail |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
