Fish On Hearth has been working on the lonely corner of Daetwyler Push and McCoy Road since 2004, nevertheless not continually, and not just since of pandemically pressured shutdowns.
In April of 2010, a hearth all but destroyed the construction, proving that the gods have a style for irony. But house owners Jay Herrington and John Mitchell rebuilt the restaurant, which sits in entrance of a motel throughout from the elevated Beachline Highway, and reopened it in 2011.
Other than for the absence of a close by entire body of h2o – Lake Conway Chain of Lakes is about a tenth of a mile away but that doesn’t count – FOF has all the trappings of a common fish camp, particularly in its overt rusticity. I did discover on my new excursion that the floors that were once bare concrete are now tiled, and galvanized buckets have been fashioned into overhead mild fixtures, a bit of whimsy that may well be thought of much too treasured for an true fish camp.
But there are the other requisite touches: the mismatched tables and chairs, neon beer symptoms and the occasional hanging fish trophy.
And the food, of program, which is properly seafood centric, nicely ready and presented simply.
Even these kinds of a hoity-toity dish as shrimp and grits, which my evening meal companion ordered. There were being loads of shrimp, although annoyingly served with the tails intact, interspersed with cash of sausage trapped into the grits, which were a bit underseasoned but perked up nicely with some salt shakes.
I ordered the mahi meal with the fish prepared blackened. It was nicely completed, the fish firm but moist and the seasonings not frustrating. And the tartar sauce was an apt accompaniment. The evening meal arrived with a option of sides. I selected the black beans and rice – yet again, a bit under seasoned – and the collards, which regretably had been gritty.
Just before our meal we nibbled on an order of hush puppies, which, however startlingly blond, had been pretty superior, particularly with the remoulade dip.
Company was a lot more than suitable, and I bought the perception that numerous of the team experienced been with the cafe for a long time, maybe even pre-fireplace.
By the way, there are no displays of fish really on fireplace, and the regrettable blaze that closed the restaurant in 2010 happened at evening when no a single was existing.
I try to remember pondering at the time that that would be the end of Fish On Fireplace. But I’m happy I was completely wrong. It is a great casual restaurant to have in this airport-adjacent element of city.
Fish On Fire is at 7937 Daetwyler Road, Orlando (map). It is open for lunch and meal day by day. The phone variety is 407-812-6881.
