Pier 36 Fish Camp, Casselberry - Closed

I had dinner (only open for dinner as of now) at this new (three weeks) seafood (says oyster bar outside) restaurant on 436 across from the roller rink. It used to house a Hooter's (the first restaurant I ever ate at in Orlando). It has been empty for a LONG time. I'm glad someone finally did something with it. I had a dozen raw (Victoria Bay - Jacksonville) oysters and a half dozen fried oysters (with side). The "raws" cost $14. They were probably as good as southern oysters can be. Nice medium sized white shells. Salty and bland. A hint of meatiness. The shucker did a pretty good job. He/she didn't dump all the liquor or leave a lot of "shell dust". The fried oysters ($12) had an offensive batter. It was sour and spicy and salty. Made it seem like the oysters were bad. And the remoulade dipping sauce was almost an exact copy in liquid form. No contrast. The batter looked properly fried, but, it wasn't fried all the way to the oyster. More unpleasantness. Surprisingly, the salad (that they let me sub in instead of slaw or fries) was really fresh. Fresh spring mix and fresh onions and tomatoes. Even the sweet balsamic dressing wasn't that cloying. They serve most things from the sea. Prices were in line for seafood. The guy next to me had a head on fish. They have shrimp and grits and oysters steamed, raw and fried. Mahi was around $16. Grouper $17. They did a total refurb. Giant fish tank. Assembly line ceiling fan. Big TV's. High ceilings. Stuffed fish. Raw bar. Bar bar. The place seats about one hundred. It was near capacity. They have a volleyball court outside that I believe was a relic from the Hooter's days. A guy was wandering around the place "singing" with a guitar. I think he may have been part of ownership. No joke., Large parking lot. Service was good. Worth watching. I liked it better than that supposed oyster legend near 50 and Kirkman. I forget the name of that town. Probably, not as impressive as that place in College Park (near the lake ) that I just reported on. Lakeside? Simply because of the scale of the other place. The place will be a real hit with families, Florida locals and the blue collar set. In other words, it's not pretentious.