June 8, 2002 – The Seafood Jungle appears to be another of those restaurants aimed at the tourist market.
The ambience is pseudo-something; I just cannot quite put my finger on what. The facility is a poolside, open-air porch with steel bars to keep out the intruders when the business is closed. The chairs are first-class deck furniture and really quite comfortable as long as you don't overload your fork, since you are sitting a bit low. The "jungle" atmosphere apparently is represented by some dried palm fans and many elongated wooden cat carvings tied to the roof columns. The "seafood" part speaks for itself.
We were greeted by a hostess who asked us to sit at the bar while she arranged some tables to accommodate our party. The owner came by before we had finished giving the place the once-over and asked if we were being taken care of. By the time we had completed our welcome dance, the tables were ready and we were seated.
A staff member immediately filled our water glasses and advised us that our waiter would be with us in a couple minutes — and he was.
I found the wine list interesting in that many of the listings were new to me. The prices were a bit upscale — a couple offerings at $6 a glass and the rest at $9 or so. I do enjoy wine, but a good $10 Shiraz or Burgundy is my idea of a joyful event. While I appreciate a restaurant's need to apply corkage, tripling the price of hock is a bit much.
We began discussing appetizer options, but upon reflecting on the prices for a four-course meal, we cut to the chase. A drink and a main course were going to run $35 to $40 per person, so we decided to err in opposition to gluttony.
We tried several fish dishes and a vegetarian entrée. Generally, the main courses came with either garlic potatoes or rice, plus a dollop of stir-fried veggies.
The vegetarian entrée was stuffed portobello mushroom with eggplant and goat cheese. The initial attempt was a disaster that had obviously caught fire in the oven. While it never should have been presented to the table, the waiter immediately returned it to the kitchen for a second try after the patron declined to continue after a couple of bites.
The replacement portobello was okay but suffered from too much strong basalmic vinegar, which overwhelmed the subtle flavor of the mushroom and even overpowered the hot goat cheese.
The fish was uniformly tender with a subtle flavor, and the five sauces offered for the catches of the day were a nice touch. Our group was particularly taken with the mango chutney, which we all recommend. The rice was a nice accompaniment with a very mild flavor, and the stir-fry was just past crispy. A nice meal if priced at about two-thirds of the menu listing.
The setting is very pleasant, and sound dissipates rather well, so you can talk as you eat without shouting. The restrooms are spacious enough and clean. The parking area is extensive, with an attendant sitting on the side yard watching to keep anyone from vandalizing your vehicle.
Seafood Jungle
Ratings — 5 stars possible:
Ambience: 4 stars
Food: 3 stars
Service: 5 stars
Value: 3 stars
Cabrita Point, Estate Nazareth
(340) 774-5957
Dinner nightly 6-10 p.m.
Seafood
Live music (guitar) Friday 7-10 p.m.
MasterCard, Visa
Editor's note: The Tottering Taster is a senior citizen dedicated to enjoying good food who periodically dines in local establishments to bring Source readers unsolicited assessments biased in favor of an ultimate eating-out experience. The individual uses a pseudonym so restaurant personnel will not be able to identify the reviewer and try to influence the review.
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