ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Hey, Foodies!
This favorite spot will put you in vacation mode with its fish and views, but it gets packed with people so First Coast Foodies is on your side with the best time to easily grab a table at Cap's on the Water in St. Augustine.
Owner Bernard de Raad says there are multiple items on the menu people cross miles and miles for that you must try. However, you'll want to look out for their specials and grab a bottle of wine since de Raad says they're a wine destination too.
"Some dishes have grown historically that you never can take off," de Raad said about their menu.
The first item you have to order at Cap's on the Water is the pear ravioli.
"We do three per order and I would probably say that we go through, I don't know, 500 of them a week," said Head Chef Chip Richard.
Get ready for a parmesan explosion of flavor. The homemade pear ravioli lay in a parmesan broth and are topped with more freshly grated parmesan and toasted pine nuts.
"Put a few more on there, make it extra happy," Richard said, adding more parmesan slices to the top as he made the appetizer.
"My favorite thing is always pear ravioli," de Raad said. "And sesame seed tuna probably."
The ahi tuna is cooked with a sesame seed crust and plated with fried spinach, wild rice, plantains, pickled ginger and wasabi.
Cap's on the Water has grilled and fried fish. Another unique fish plate is the grouper with banana curry sauce. It's plated with wild rice, pickled vegetables and fresh greens.
"[It] adds kind of a cool dynamic to the plate because we got the sweet and savory of the sauce, Richard listed. "Little bit of spicy with the fish and then it's got the little punch of the pickled vegetable there at the end."
Let your mouth water, foodies, but listen up to this First Coast Foodies advice. Cap's on the Water gets really busy. Their parking is valet-only and de Raad says they get busiest around sunset. You wait for your table on their pier.
"Usually within 15 to 20 minutes you are on the pier where we have servers," de Raad said. "Where you can have a great drink and a small appetizer if you're very hungry."
The sunset is beautiful from Cap's on the Water, but if you go at that time be ready to wait.
"I always say come early or come late," said de Raad. "The sunset hours are always the busiest."