![]() ![]() ![]() I'd be back, though, when I'm craving Mom's chicken noodle soup, or for that crisp-on-outside, chewy-on-the-inside pizza.Īnd don't get me wrong - I love a good dive bar. There was that Philly cheesesteak with the wrong cheese, and she almost forgot to deliver it with the rest of our meals until I waved her down. But then I had to remind her of my cheesecake to-go.Īnd on another visit, when Chatterbox really chattered with the good 'ol boys at the bar, service was even spottier. On one lunchtime visit, when the place lulled to an empty hush, my waitress was talkative and attentive, delivering ranch dressing for pizza before I even asked for it. It stirred memories of Mom's chicken noodle soup, even on a hot day in Southwest Florida. They fell apart in the most delicious way when I peered inside with my spoon. It bobbed with carrots and shredded chicken, and just under the surface, those plump, doughy dumplings. That includes the delightfully crunchy coleslaw sweetened with tiny apple chunks, the hand-cut french fries that I simply couldn't stop crunching on, and the surprisingly tangy collard greens laced with mushrooms, caramelized onions and ribbons of pulled pork.Īt a waitress' suggestion, I also tried the chicken and dumplings ($10.99). Inside: gator meat so tender and mild that I was glad Chatterbox gave me a heaping pile of the stuff.Įven the sides, which are so important but so often forgotten at most eateries of Chatterbox's stature, are made fresh in-house. Peppery breading crumbled and crunched on the outside. Let's just say I'm smitten for that sauce.Īnd then here came an order of thinly sliced gator tail with a side of Creole dipping sauce ($12.99). Add caramelized onions, fatty bacon bits and melty cheddar and mozzarella cheese into the mix and that chicken becomes all the more flavorful.Ĭhatterbox smothered its sweet, housemade barbecue sauce here, too, and just about everywhere else on the menu - on the bacon BBQ burger, on the smoked pulled pork, on the ribs, on the brisket. I got that tender pulled chicken, with charred strings sticking out on top, on the smoked barbecue chicken pizza ($17.99 for a large). Traditional bar fare has left me disappointed too many times before, with its sickeningly limp french fries and "fresh" fish that you just know has been in the freezer for too long.īut when you learn that Chatterbox smokes its own babyback ribs, chicken, pulled pork and brisket right out back, then it's a whole different story. Despite its name, the restaurant is actually more than a mile from the beach, but I can let that go when a Man at the Bar buys me a free beer and I can sit out on the patio and watch the skies start to turn purple and orange.Īnd I guess I can't help myself: I judged a book by its cover. Before that it was Happy Hour Grille, Futuro’s and The Movable Feast, among othersĬhatterbox is painted yellow and there's a thatched porch for outdoor seating, giving it a laid-back, island vibe. It replaced the Polish-German Taverna and Hot Space Pizza Bar & Grill. Chatterbox on the Beach opened in January in a colorful, chickee hut-topped building off Bonita Beach Road in Bonita Springs. ![]() Philadelphia-native Ted Rosenweig is the guy behind the new restaurant and bar serving all-American fare. In the Know: Preston's Steakhouse closes in Naples I'd say so.ĭining in Naples: Five of the best things we tasted in Aprilĭining review: Downtown Claw Bar sets a tsunami standard for seafood "Just like Mama used to make," the menu promised. My expectations for the food so far? Pretty low.īut when I cozied up to a bowl of chicken and dumplings the size of my face, things changed. The good 'ol boys at the bar with a beer and wide-screen television in front of them have all the makings of "just another sports bar." And then one Man at the Bar wearing a Master Bait & Tackle T-shirt buys a round of beers for everyone in the room and then my early fears are really starting to solidify now. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |