dining out

HOW TO EAT YOUR WAY THROUGH SANIBEL’S RESTAURANTS — IN A PANDEMIC

Restaurant critic Jean Le Boeuf took a much-needed vacation on Sanibel. Eating their way through the island, in a pandemic, turned out to be delicious. | BY JEAN LE BOEUF

It had been 20-some years since I vacationed on Sanibel.

That is, prior to this month.

I’ve been to the island plenty, mostly to eat, sometimes to fish or lounge on the shelltrimmed beaches. But vacationing on Sanibel is something Minnesotans and Canadians do. Not us locals. It’s for Michiganders in their black socks and Teva sandals, and for Wisconsinites, their pale, northern skin branded pink by our sun.

Sanibel, in my head, belongs to them. Or it did — until the pandemic struck and vacations worldwide came to a screeching halt.

I had plans to slurp hand-pulled lamian noodles in Vancouver’s ChinaSchnapper’s Hots town and tear through beignets and etouffee in New Orleans, to be the out-of-place tourist in someone else’s TAKEOUT TO DROOL OVER city. Instead I was home, cooking for myself, boring myself to tears with Much of my Sanibel vacation was The first night we got in, I ormy same old recipes, my same reliably spent driving around and grabbing dered a 20-piece bucket with one of predictable flavor profiles, my same bags and boxes of food, which I was every side and pies galore. We ate as same same. happy to do. much as we could, then shoved the

As I drove myself crazy, a friend If I’d had my way, we would rest in our condo’s fridge for snacking proposed an island getaway on Sanihave eaten at The Pecking Order throughout the weekend. It was gone bel. Just a few days. A quick change of every meal, every day. I wrote a a few hours later. scenery. I’ve never been more excited little something about the restauOur next stop for takeout was the to pay $6 and cross the Causeway. rant’s handmade pies last week, but classic Schnapper’s Hots. There’s

How does a restaurant critic eat everything here deserves recognition: nothing fancy about this place. It’s a through Sanibel with a small, COVthe shatteringly crisp, fried-to-order counter with a few spots for stand-up ID-conscious group amid a pandemic? chicken; the leafy collard greens; the dining and a few picnic tables out Carefully. velvety black-eyed peas with their front. The prices — $4.95 for a hot

Here’s a closer look. richly savory kick. dog, $6.95 for a plain cheeseburger

— are about what you’d expect on a vacation island. But the food. This food gets me every time. Schnapper’s serves natural-casing dogs that snap oh-so satisfyingly with that first juicy bite. Its burgers are chargrilled. Its onion rings are dipped in a faintly sweet batter that crackles and crunches. The fries are good. The shakes are too.

This is post-beach food and prenap food — in all the best ways.

For takeout that’s even more creative, Paper Fig Kitchen came recommended by an island friend, a true Sanibel local. The 2-year-old catering company launched a cafe and to-go restaurant in January. It’s proven to be a pandemic savior for many islanders with grab-and-go, heat-when-you-like dinners and, for lunch, salads and hand-crafted sandwiches on scratch-baked breads.

From the fresh-squeezed lemonade and passion-fruit iced tea, to coconut shrimp po’ boys, Korean short rib tacos and the pecan-laced blondies for dessert, decisions don’t come easy at Paper Fig. But flavors do.

IF YOU GO

• The Pecking Order Fried Chicken & Pies: 2496 Palm Ridge Road, Sanibel; 239-472-2534; thepeckingordersanibel.com • Schnapper’s Hots: 1528 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; 239-472- 8686; schnappershots.com • Paper Fig Kitchen: 2003 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; 239-887- 0050; paperfigkitchen.com • Island Cow: 2163 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; 239-472-0606; sanibelislandcow.com • Sanibel Fresh: 1020 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; 239-472-0922; sanibelfresh.net • Sanibel’s Best Homemade Ice Cream: 362 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; 239-476-0796; sanibelsbesthomemadeicecream.com • Joey’s Custard: 2467 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; 239-472-7222; facebook.com/joeyscustard • Spoondrift Island Bowls: 2441 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; 239-472- 0875; sanibelspoondrift.com Island Cow

IF YOU WANT TO SIT DOWN AND BE SERVED

I have a confession: I’d never been on Sanibel Fresh’s patio, happily to Island Cow before this staycasilenced by a perfect stack of Key tion. lime pancakes. I chased each bite

The 18-year-old restaurant always with a stolen forkful of quiche from seemed to me like the ultimate tourone friend, a poached spoonful of ist trap, a faux Key West trimmed acai from another, a sneaked bite of in pastels and udders. But then house-made granola from a third. someone in the group said paella and Sharing is caring. watermelon-mint cocktails, and I I was surprised to see the was powerless to stop. 40-some-year-old Pinocchio’s ice

We ate in a seashell-shaped cream shop had closed, but happy booth on the front porch, blessedly to find another house-made creamsurrounded by swirling fans. Our ery, Sanibel’s Best, in its place. I’m masked server took great care of us: a sucker for Joey’s Custard, too, promptly coursing out our meals; and was thrilled to see it’s offering quick with refills; thoroughly sanitizHawaiian-style shaved ice in addition ing their other tables between diners. to its rich ice creams. And no visit

That paella wasn’t a technical of any length to Sanibel is complete Spanish paella, no crisp crust of rice without an insanely fresh poke bowl on the bottom, but it was still delifrom Spoondrift Island Bowls. cious. The watermelon cocktail could The beauty of this getaway was have been stronger. But what it that, right now, Sanibel is all ours. lacked in vodka it made up for with The black socks and Ontario lirefreshing ingredients. Not bad at all. cense plates are few and far between

While I’d hoped to stop into these days. I miss the tourists. I’m Sweet Melissa’s, a longtime favorite, sure the restaurants do, too. But it’s the timing didn’t work out, sadly. fun taking their place for a bit and Instead, a morning later, I ended up living that island-vacation life.

Jean Le Boeuf is the pseudonym used by a local food lover who dines at restaurants anonymously and without warning, with meals paid for by The News-Press and Naples Daily News. Follow the critic at facebook.com/jeanleboeufswfl or @ JeanLeBoeuf on Twitter and Instagram.