Thistle Lodge at Casa Ybel Resort

Thistle Lodge at Casa Ybel Resort Restaurant Review:

Despite the toll fee to drive to this venue, the ante is worth it. There is a sense of Old Florida elegance here, and the menu has both expected and surprise flair. There are two very unusual Food Martinis offered. One is a jumbo shrimp cocktail with rock shrimp and a brandied cocktail sauce. The other is a Maryland jumbo lump crab cake martini with rémoulade. Appetizers range from crackling coconut prawns with Thai-orange chili sauce to a seafood tower made with Prince Edward Island mussels, crispy fried calamari and coconut shrimp. There is also seared Hudson Valley foie gras with warm fruit compote---a rare menu appetizer in Florida. Entrées feature prime cuts on the grill, from an 8- or 10-ounce center-cut filet to a 12- or 14-ounce New York strip. Choice of toppers include béarnaise sauce, wild mushroom sauce or red wine demi-glace. Other entrées include seared snapper and breast of chicken.