Field Trip: The Port

Amidst all of the Marina Island drama, I've felt a lot of guilt about not being a frequent patron of the businesses down there. So, when the Sanford Supper Club voted to eat at the Port this Tuesday, I immediately thought "FIELD TRIP TIME!"

Here's the thing. I started writing my review the next day, and a coworker who is married to a Port employee told me everyone was laid off that morning because the restaurant was closing.

....wahhhh?

I assumed it was because the restaurant was performing poorly (an assumption supported by the mediocre experience we had the night before) but evidently the owner was told his lease would not be renewed. Could it be that the lessee of Marina Island is actually beginning development on the property? We shall see. In the meantime, the Port is apparently still operational, but according to a sign on the door, opening only for lunch from 12-3 with a new, limited menu. As such, I'm publishing this field trip review, but it reflects the Port as it was the night we visited, Tuesday, October 21st, NOT necessarily the way it may be due to these recent changes.

Let's dive in, shall we?

The Port

Number of Visits: 2
(me and my family, me and the Sanford Supper Club)

Distance from Chez Sanford-Centric: a swift walk two blocks down Palmetto with beautiful scenery

Best Described As: the most gorgeous view in Sanford with a bonus generic seafood restaurant attached

Expectations
I've only been to the Port once, and it was decent. We sat outside and had some oysters and fish sandwiches. That's pretty much all I remember about it. Most of the people in the Supper Club have been there multiple times and liked the food. The building has played home to variety of restaurants over the years, and the place (like everything else on Marina Island) has a notoriously difficult time drawing a crowd due to the distance from 1st St.

Impressions
The restaurant was pretty much empty, but I didn't find this very unusual for that particular location on a Tuesday night. There was one table of six, and then us, a big long table of West End-ers and Celery Citizens, and what appeared to be only two servers. I've always felt the interior of the space was upscale and well done, considering the history of the property and the Port has added some "nautical" tchochskies to keep it within theme. Not exactly my bag, but I get it. I would even like to see them go a little overboard and cheese it up a little bit Margaritaville style, but I'm cheesy. So.

The restaurant's real asset is revealed the moment you walk outside. We came at the perfect time of day, when the sky was lit up in pink and blue over the lake, and the view from the patio was incomparable. Later on, the Rivership Romance passed by and we all agreed that would be an awesome trip to take together.

However, the food was very underwhelming. The menu is giant and generic, with a plethora of fried appetizers that all tasted about the same, fish platters with the usual slew of hushpuppies and baked potatoes. You know, white people food. We ordered the key lime Caribbean mahi, since it was the only fish we knew wouldn't be farm raised. It was coated in some really unnecessary honey mustard, and we had to cut it with a knife. The mashed potatoes were the best thing on the plate, enough said. One of our companions ordered a filet and lobster tail combo, also overcooked. She had the steak sent back, but the quality of the new steak just wasn't good enough to justify the $26 price tag.

Our server was really nice, but super timid. You could tell she was unaccustomed to seeing parties of our size (or people in general). I don't blame her for the lack of confidence, seems like a gap in training. The other server working was very perky and seemed to be on familiar terms with many in our group.

Bottom Line
This place follows the recipe for a classic corporate seafood and steakhouse-- hold the consistency. I know some people love it, but it's not my style at all, and I was reminded of this on our last visit. For the price, I feel my money is better spent at Shantell's or even La Sirena Gorda. Total shame, because the view rocks.

We are curious to see what becomes of the Port, because Sanford could really use a solid seafood restaurant on the water. Fingers crossed!

Let's keep an eye on the Port's Facebook and website for updates!

(Also, happy birthday, Marisa!)