An ocean of choices at area seafood restaurants

Visit with friends at one of the Coastal Bend’s many seafood restaurants.

Charlotte Plummer’s seafare restaurant
   From the whale-shaped weather vane to the crispy-fried shrimp, Charlotte Plummer’s Seafare Restaurant has the feel and flavor of the Gulf Coast.
   The menu offers an ocean full of choices from daily specials featuring fresh catches to traditional seafood dishes like stuffed flounder and fried shrimp. A smorgasbord of fish, shrimp, oysters and crab cakes also can be ordered family-style.
   We tried a recent special, pepper-crusted tuna, and enjoyed the tender fish steak that was more than an inch thick. Bits of black pepper covered the generous serving, which was accompanied by a baked potato and sauteed zucchini, yellow squash and red onion.
   Don’t skip the homemade desserts. The key lime pie is plain yummy — a sweet-tart combination topped with a dollop of whipped cream and a wedge of lime.

Pelican’s Landing

A sampling of the dishes served at Pelican’s Landing in Port Aransas.

   There is a Caribbean tourist aura about Pelican’s Landing in Port Aransas. Bright, tropical colors at the entry blend with the coastal décor and simple wood tables and chairs inside. Calypso rhythms bounce through the air.
   My entree was the Pelican’s combo with three different dishes. I chose beer batter shrimp, fettuccine with vegetables and broiled fish. The beer batter shrimp had a pleasing taste and texture.
   The fettuccine with vegetables was delectable with noodles, broccoli, shredded carrots and mushrooms in a luscious, light garlic sauce.
   The broiled fish was enticing. The chef had met the challenge with this dish as the filet was firm and retained just the right amount of its own juices.
   The seasoning was a mouth-watering blend of ground pepper, lime juice, paprika and other spices. Chocolate cheesecake, key lime pie and a large, warm brownie with a scoop of ice cream are available for dessert.

Irma’s 2 Seas Bar & grill
   Three outside showers to rinse those sandy feet say a lot about a restaurant. At Irma’s 2 Seas Bar & Grill, they say, "Come as you are." The casual atmosphere in this restaurant, located a beach ball’s throw from Padre Balli Park and J.P. Luby Surf Park, make it a perfect refueling spot for beachcombers and Padre Island day trippers.
   Entrees run the gamut, from Philly cheese-steak sandwiches and chicken fried steak to boiled shrimp and snow crab claws. Local favorites are the homemade, half-pound cheeseburgers on Texas toast and the seafood boil, which includes stone crab claws, shrimp, sausage, new potatoes, corn on the cob, coleslaw and Texas toast.
   Want something that’s not on the menu? Don’t worry. Owners Modesto "Mo" and Irma Herrera take pride in serving off the menu.
   You don’t even have to eat to enjoy yourself at Irma’s 2 Seas Bar & Grill. Shuffleboard, pool, video games, volleyball and horseshoes are a few of the games visitors can play inside or outside near the sun-drenched, 10,000 square-foot patio.
   Live music is featured five nights a week, and karaoke is held on Wednesdays and Sundays. There are also full bars inside and outside.