Sanibel Island Vacation Diary - January 18, 2007We had lots we wanted to do today, so we made sure we got up early enough. 9 a.m. was early enough. Our first order of business was a final breakfast at Lighthouse Café. We got there about 9:45 a.m. and there was a wait. We walked to the shops next door and browsed a bit. In Tuttle's, which sells lots of neat Sanibel and nautically-themed stuff, I talked to the guy who was manning the store. I had seen him here many times before, so I asked if he was the owner. He was, and has been here for 37 years! He was a very friendly fellow who had visited years ago, and fell in love with the island. After talking with the proprietor of Tuttle's, we walked outside to wait on the benches in front of Lighthouse Café. About two minutes later our name was called, and we had our table. We both ordered the same meals we always get. When my pancakes arrived, they seemed even bigger than before. I was hungry, but there was no way I'd finish them here. Susan said her French toast seem larger than normal, although I would assume the bread they use is the same, day to day. Whatever the case, we both thoroughly enjoyed our meals and left with overly full stomachs. I also left with half my pancakes in a box. I would eat them tomorrow morning before we left for Atlanta. We quickly stopped by our condo, then went back out, driving to Sanibel Cottages to talk further with the real estate agent. Unfortunately, she was on the golf course, so our questions would have to wait. Apparently she didn't realize the world revolves around us. We did walk the grounds to see how the views were from different units. We also talked to a timeshare owner on the beach. He loved it so much that he had bought three weeks. Good feedback. We left there somewhat disappointed that our questions weren't answered, but encouraged by our discussion with the three-week owner. Back at the condo, Susan prepared to head to the beach, and I prepared for my final bike ride. The weather was good, and perhaps the coolest day of our trip (although still in the 70s). My ride took me past lots of other bikers, much more than I usually encountered during the summer. I guess the summer may be too hot for most people. I rode to the end of Sanibel Island, stopped at a convenience store, bought an Apple, and began the journey home. Round trip was about two hours. It was a good time to start packing our bags, so we both began the sad process. Once packed we both got showers and dressed for a nice dinner. Tonight, I really wanted to try a new restaurant, and we had planned to eat at Redfish, Bluefish, the restaurant we tried to visit on Monday. Susan wasn't thrilled about eating there after having looked at the menu, but I thought it looked good, so she was accommodating and we went there I guess I should have heeded the first warning and not eaten there: when we walked in, the greeter asked if we had reservations. When I said no, she pulled out a menu, showed it to us and said, "It's a three course meal, with small portions, about 4 ounces, like a tapas restaurant. Is that okay?" I should have known, when she asked "is that okay?" that it wouldn't be okay, at least not by my, or Susan's, standards. We said okay and were seated. We waited several minutes before anyone offered to get our drinks. There were only four or five other tables with guests. The restaurant is fairly small. We finally got our drinks, and struggled with the menu, trying to figure out what to eat. The dishes are eclectic. I would not recommend bringing children or people who don't like weird food. The waiter came to take our order and we both opted to skip the second course. Susan ordered a Caesar's salad ($9.00) and I got the Grilled Oman Lobster tail with a variety of veggies ($11.00). I have to admit my dish was flavorful, and I did enjoy trying something different. Susan's salad, on the other hand, was just an uncut stalk of romaine lettuce, with some dressing on it. Susan did like the flavor, but come on! At least cut the lettuce for me! And charge about five dollars less. When reading the menu, I noticed it said double portions available, so I asked if a double portion was double the price or if it was slightly less. It was double the price, so I just ordered one of my main entrée, which was pork tenderloin with grits ($11.00). Susan ordered short Kansas City short ribs as her main entrée ($12.00). The food did come fast, so I will give them good marks for quick service. I enjoyed my pork, although the grits were a little clumpy and cold. Maybe they were supposed to be cold, but I thought they should be hot. Susan liked her ribs, but she was still hungry when she finished. When the waitress came to clear our table, she asked if we wanted to order another dish. I guess people just keep ordering items until they get full, but at these prices we were done! The check came and I was charged for a double portion of the pork. The waitress corrected the bill, which still came to $57.51 plus tip, the most we paid for any meal on Sanibel. And it was the least satisfying. Redfish, Bluefish is an odd restaurant. The pretentious pricing is incongruous with the paper-lined tables and crayons for drawing on the table. At these prices, you'd expect top-notch service and linen tablecloths. We found neither. When we got home I was still hungry, so I ate my leftover ribs from Traders, along with half my potato and my leftover Dairy Queen Blizzard. Susan snacked on some food too. We packed a few more things and Susan went to bed. I tried to go to bed but couldn't, and ended up getting only about three hours sleep.
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