Review: High Tide

REVIEW: Many driving towards the Florida Capitol along Apalachee Parkway may have noticed the former Pizza Hut location now has a bright blue roof, and flashy yellow neon lights glowing above. Just four days ago, the people who brought us our beloved Crystal River restaurants opened the doors to the first-of-its-kind High Tide concept.

So, what is High Tide you ask? As the name suggests, the concept is born of the sea, meaning here you can get the tasty fish, shrimp, crabs, scallops and various other seafood favorites you may know from dining at Crystal River, as the tide hits the shores so do some of the new dishes. New items on the menu sample favorites from popular southwestern favorites such as Tacos to the classic American steak.

Now that I've introduced you to the concept, you're probably wondering about the dining experience.

The restaurant can be accessed from either Lafayette Street or via the Apalachee Parkway service road. For now, there appears to be enough parking but knowing what I know about Tallahassee's dining patrons, once things catch on here, similar to the restaurants nearby, we may eventually see people parking on the street's edge to gain access to this place.

The dining room is open, with a mixture of booth and table seating. Nothing over-the-top fancy. There weren't even any aquariums or pirate ships inside. Just a clean gray, black and blue interior with accents of red and yellow. Around the perimeter of the room were letters on the wall that read: "L I F E A T T H E H I G H T I D E".

The hosts were quick to greet and seat me. And as I took my seat along a half-wall that separated the dining room from the kitchen/serving area, I was provided a colorful menu to review while waiting on the waitress to arrive to ask what I would have to drink. She came quickly, perky and friendly as can be. Southern Hospitality is not dead after all. She took my drink order then asked if I would like to have an appetizer. I declined the appetizer because I'd spied a 3 item combination meal on the menu that I planned to order which I hoped would take care of my entire appetite.

Fish, Shrimp, and Crab Cakes with a side of Cole Slaw and Rice was my order. It was priced at a fair $10.99. The order took about 15-20 minutes to be served and all boosting aside, when served it was delicious. The fried shrimp were butterflied, perfectly golden in color and evenly seasoned -- not to mention very fresh tasting. It worked well with the cocktail sauce on the table.

Same was the case with the small portion of fish I received. While obviously not fresh out of the ocean, it did not have the taste of frozen, flavorless fish often served in these type of combo platters. As the shrimp with the cocktail sauce, the fish partnered nicely with the High Tide tarter sauce on the table.

The crab cake was the big question mark for me. I do not often receive battered and fried crab cakes when I order meals, so I didn't know what to expect with this one. And while I would prefer one without the breading, the flavor added in the seasoning was an enhancement to the flavor of the entree. The Crab Cake was served with Remolaude sauce which was well appointed to escort the pieces of crab cake I put into my mouth.

For dessert, I ordered the Key Lime Pie which was super. A very light body almost as light as the whipped cream on top  crowned with a lime wedge which when squeezed over the pie added the perfect flavor.

Friday night I had myself a tasty seafood meal at High Tide, a new concept for the Seafood lover, with the beef and taco lovers in mind. Check it out! -- UT

Member Comments:

Re: Review: High Tide -- sdk1941

Thursday, 22 December 2011 07:59

High Tide SeafoodHigh Tide Seafood has been closed. The location had proven to be unsuccessful so we decided to focus our time and attention on our other two successful Tallahassee locations. Many of your favorite staff members are now working at the Crystal River Seafood on Tennessee Street.

[quote="sdk1941"] High Tide SeafoodHigh Tide Seafood has been closed. The location had proven to be unsuccessful so we decided to focus our time and attention on our other two successful Tallahassee locations. Many of your favorite staff members are now working at the Crystal River Seafood on Tennessee Street. [/quote]

Re: Review: High Tide -- tweeter

Wednesday, 07 December 2011 00:22

I like this place. I've gone a few times now. The food is good and reasonably priced. Oddly, I I found I like their burgers the best. The only thing I would change is the decor. The seats are recolored pizza hut seats and the floor is bare concrete. I'd throw some blue carpet down and maybe some wood planks on the ceiling to give it a ocean feel.

[quote="tweeter"] I like this place. I've gone a few times now. The food is good and reasonably priced. Oddly, I I found I like their burgers the best. The only thing I would change is the decor. The seats are recolored pizza hut seats and the floor is bare concrete. I'd throw some blue carpet down and maybe some wood planks on the ceiling to give it a ocean feel. [/quote]

Re: Review: High Tide -- tallynoles99

Thursday, 17 November 2011 17:10

Was ok, heard that they closed. We will continue to eat at the Wharf Seafood right up the street.

[quote="tallynoles99"] Was ok, heard that they closed. We will continue to eat at the Wharf Seafood right up the street. [/quote]

Re: Review: High Tide -- psmith930

Sunday, 17 July 2011 15:13

Had lunch their about 2:00 pm and there was not a big crowd. Friendly staff,and quick service. Food about the same as Crystal River (which we like very much). Hope they do well there.

[quote="psmith930"] Had lunch their about 2:00 pm and there was not a big crowd. Friendly staff,and quick service. Food about the same as Crystal River (which we like very much). Hope they do well there. [/quote]