On a rainy Saturday evening Features writer Kellie Abernethy and her husband Brian ventured down to Flagler Avenue in New Smyrna Beach to check out a new restaurant by the water – The Crow’s Nest Bar and Grille.
What’s the place like?
The Crow’s Nest is newly built, and it feels like it. The Crow’s Nest opened in fall 2017, and compared to most of the older restaurants on Flagler Avenue, The Crow’s Nest is spacious and open. Upon walking in guests are greeted with floor to ceiling sliding glass doors facing the ocean, with only the Flagler Avenue parking lot separating the ocean from the restaurant. The second-floor of the restaurant offers an even better unobstructed view of the ocean framed by ceiling to floor windows. On this rainy yet warm evening the windows were open and an ocean breeze wafted through the restaurant as live music played.
What’s on the menu?
The menu features a little bit of everything. From pizza to Mexican food to sandwiches and baskets, the restaurant tries to please diners of every taste. Most notable might be the entire section of the menu devoted to steak burgers, ranging from Black N’ Bleu to Tex Mex Chili Burger. The menu states that all of the burgers are a half pound of fresh Angus beef served on a grilled butter bun. For those seeking something a little lighter, the menu also features soups, salads an ample selection of “munchies” also known as appetizers.
What did you have?
Tempted by the variety of appetizers, we ordered the Fish Dip to start. The Fish Dip had a little wave symbol next to it, signaling it was a Crow’s Nest favorite. The Fish Dip arrived with tortilla chips and crackers on the side and was a nice balance of smoky flavor with just a touch of spice.
Brian couldn’t resist a good burger and ordered the Angus Cheeseburger, opting for onion rings instead of fries for a side. After one bite he said that it was the kind of burger that reminded him of the Fourth of July and a steakhouse all in one. He was also impressed with the onion rings, which he said were cooked just right and not overly crunchy or caked in too much batter.
Kellie ordered the Po’ Boy Shrimp Sub with a side of vegetables of the day, which happened to be zucchini squash, carrots and yellow squash marinated in butter. The Po’ Boy featured large hand-breaded shrimp on a toasted hoagie roll with a savory garlic aioli sauce with tomatoes and lettuce. The garlic aioli sauce added the perfect touch of zing and was reminiscent of something you would find off the beaten path in New Orleans.
For dessert the two split the Key Lime Bomb, a unique twist on the traditional pie. The dessert arrived in a compact oval tower with alternating layers of key lime and sponge vanilla biscuits glazed and garnished with white chocolate curls and a key lime drizzle.
What did it cost?
The bill came to $39.34, including one soft drink.