by erin thursby scopes1925@msn.com
At Whitey’s Fish Camp, you can find all the things you need for a great Florida night out: waterside atmosphere, a helpful, well-informed staff and tasty Florida fare.
When it opened in 1963, Whitey’s Fish Camp was just a stop for boaters to fuel up and get a sandwich and drink. Owners Whitey and Ann Ham opened the actual restaurant in 1969 by converting an old storage room and a room that formerly housed a bait tank. The new Whitey’s Fish Camp & Restaurant was constructed by 1988, complete with a full-service sports bar, full-service kitchen and a dining room area. Of course, Whitey’s is more than just a restaurant, it’s also an actual RV fish camp from which boaters can launch and fish.
When an electrical fire burned the fish camp to the ground in 2002, it was a local tragedy. Much to the relief of Jacksonville fishing enthusiasts and boaters, Whitey’s was rebuilt within a year, complete with the addition of a new tiki bar.
Whitey’s certainly doesn’t lack for atmosphere, with murals of Florida waterside wildlife and fishing tackle decorating the walls. You can sit out on the deck and enjoy the nightly cacophony of frogs or go inside and enjoy the live band.
Our server recommended the loaded potato chips as an appetizer that’s different than most. It sounded pretty standard to me, until she mentioned that the potato chips are deep fried in-house. It is a massive mound of warm potato chips fresh from the fryer, loaded with cheese, shredded bacon, sour cream and green onions. Outstandingly fresh from the kitchen, the loaded potato chips also made for good leftovers. Out of all the appetizers I tried, this was the best suited for a group rather than as a personal appetizer or side.
The swamp onion is a signature appetizer as well. It’s a bit like a blooming onion, deep fried and served with Whitey’s own swamp sauce. The swamp sauce is creamy, with a bit of a bite. Made fresh from scratch, the swamp sauce has a ranch dressing base flavored with horseradish and cayenne. The complete ingredients are the kitchen’s closely guarded secret. The other sauce served with appetizers is the spicy ranch, which doesn’t have as much kick as the swamp sauce.
Of course I couldn’t come to an old Florida restaurant like this without trying the alligator tail. Dipped in batter and fried to a golden brown, the alligator tail was more tender than any I’ve experienced elsewhere and went well with the spicy ranch.
I ordered the soft-shell turtle because I’d never had turtle before. Deep fried in the same manner as the alligator tail, I expected it to be tough, but the meat was surprisingly dark and tender.
Try the fried oysters for a melt-in your mouth savory treat. Any oyster fan is sure to delight in them. For added zip, squeeze a slice of fresh lemon over your oysters. The fried oysters also come with the spicy ranch but are quite excellent naked.
For an entrée, you might want to give Whitey’s famed catfish a try. These catfish aren’t farm raised but are wild and fresh from the river. Catfish is a pleasure at Whitey’s — all you can eat for $13.95. It can be ordered by the half pound as well or as a basket with hushpuppies, fries, and slaw. Other fish dinners offered grilled, blackened, broiled, or fried include the “catch-of-the-day,” mahi-mahi and salmon.
The shrimp boil meal is a low country boil seasoned with the fish camp’s own seasoning blend called Florida Bay. It’s much like Old Bay seasoning except without the massive amounts of sodium. Veggies in the shrimp boil include squash, snap beans, carrots, broccoli and red-skinned potatoes. Creole sausage gives the shrimp boil just the right zing.
Even though Whitey’s specializes in seafood, there are options on the menu for those who don’t like seafood. Choose from steak or marinated chicken breast—both come with your choice of rice pilaf, au gratin potatoes or homemade coleslaw.
All dessert choices are homemade, consisting of yummy cake, triple chocolate cake, and Key West Key lime pie (made with real Key limes). The yummy cake is a sweet butter almond with amaretto and strawberry-flavored frosting separating the layers of cake.
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