Up the Creek!

Well, when one is staying in a fishing port on the Gulf of Mexico, you would hope to be a seafood lover or be crazy not to dine somewhere that offered a variety of seafood options.  We arrived in Apalachicola Florida just in time for lunch…

I’d done some research and “Up the Creek Raw Bar” had some superior ratings on TripAdvisor.com.  The restaurant is located on the upper deck of this building…away from any hurricane storm surges.

This is a view of the ‘creek’ looking north from the upper deck.

This view is looking south from the deck with the bridge over the Apalachicola River in the distance.  FYI…the houseboats in the foreground can be rented by tourists, an interesting concept.  To learn more go to https://www.facebook.com/floridahouseboats.

There wasn’t too much waterborne traffic on the creek in front of Up the Creek Raw Bar but then again it was in late January, not exactly the height of the tourist season.

We decided to eat on the enclosed deck so we could watch the birds and boats on the creek and beyond that on the Apalachicola River.  There is also an outdoor dining area on the deck but it was a little cool when we arrived.

This is the inside dining area at Up the Creek Raw Bar.  It was well decorated and it included a full service bar.  Customers order their meals at the counter and the food is delivered to wherever you’re sitting.  There is a big menu board as well as some paper menus that you can peruse in order to determine what you’d like to order…

We both started out with a cup of Crab and Lobster Bisque. ($6.99) It came with a piece of crusty bread.  It was a bit pricy but it was excellent!

For her entry, Laurie ordered a Half Dozen Parmesan Oysters. ($7.99) These oysters were cooked lightly with parmesan cheese, butter and some light seasoning.  She thought that they were great!

Apalachicola Bay Oysters are very well regarded.  Several generations of Apalachicola residents have made their living working the bay's famed oyster beds.  Many lovers of oysters will tell you that Apalachicola Bay Oysters are the finest in the world.  In 2002 the New York Times reported that Apalachicola Bay oysters were "among the finest in the world, if not the finest."  The article went on to say that some of the best known chefs in the country prized these oysters above all others.

For my lunch I ordered a Shrimp Po-Boy “Appalach Style”. ($16.99) I decided to have my shrimp ‘blackened’ instead grilled or fried.  They were served on a toasted bun with house made Remoulade sauce along with a side of decent French fries.  The 6 shrimp were large and properly cooked.  It was an excellent if pricy sandwich!

Up the Creek Raw Bar lived up to its on-line reviews and reputation.  The seafood was fresh and well prepared.  This was a very nice start to our short stay in Apalachicola!

Up the Creek Raw Bar is located at 313 Water Street in Apalachicola Florida.  Phone: 850-653-2525.  They are open daily from Noon to 9 PM. This restaurant’s website is at: http://www.upthecreekrawbar.com/. 

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for some fresh seafood!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave