Sunset Sam's Fish Camp

by Martha Hollis and Anthony Scaggs

The main event here is the seafood, but there is also pure entertainment without sacrificing any culinary splendor. Executive Chef, Tiffany Sawyer, captains a tight galley and runs wild with the wind in her creations. When you can show off, why not? Take the calamari for example. She starts with huge white, tender filets from Australia and delicately carves them into strips. These are very lightly breaded and sautéed and presented with sauces. As our waitperson, bragged,

"Once you have tried these, you will be spoiled for all the rest of the calamari in the world." She is right.

Bright, festive colors are splashed on the plates, waiters' costumes and cuisine. Whimsically, the water glass is designed to tilt at an angle of 45 degrees, appearing that the ship in listing. Worry not, all is calm. Have one of the house specialty rums infused with flavor. Yes, that certainly improves the list.

The bartenders have invested many hours perfecting uniquely flavored drinks. The frozen Jimmy's Green Parrot is described as "See the man jumping around, flapping his arms like a parrot. It is called brain freeze. Be very careful. Cuervo Gold Tequila, Cointreau and Midori." You might be tempted by the Tropical Storm, "Batten down the hatches? We're in for a wild ride? This is Sam's famous concoction…at a minimum, more than 10 sold nightly! Myer's Dark Rum, DeKuyper Blackberry, Crème de Banana, pineapple and grenadine."

If you have sagaciously checked into the Gaylord's luxurious accommodations (try the 300-room boutique, the Emerald Bay with balconies overhanging the regions of Florida) or don't have to drive then go right ahead and experience the Category 4. A tropical storm of fruit flavors-orange, pineapple and grapefruit-is just the beginning. Hang on! The hurricane is brewing. We top it off with four liquors: Mount Gay Rum, Malibu Coconut Rum, Blue Curacao and Midori."

A triple tower of seafood for two started our onboard adventure. Giant "cigar" shrimp, ahi tuna tartar, scallop ceviche, conch fritters, and lobster medallions wrapped around thin sugar cane skewers awed all onlookers-even taking attention away from the star magician. And if you are going to present such a braggadocio of fresh delicacies from the sea, then matey, you just had better up the bounty with sauces found in different ports of the seven seas. Inspirations are from the Pacific Rim with a lively ponzu of soy, dark roasted sesame oil, and zingy ginger, and a punched up lemon grass; and from Europe with a classic rémoulade delightfully blessed with scotch bonnet (Habenero) peppers. For the all-American seafood taste, cocktail sauce was left in the mix.

While Chef Sawyer hails from the Boston area, she has developed a fanatical love of the Florida and regional seafood. Note that she does remain true to her origins by using the giant and luscious George's Bank Scallops. Its presentation as an entrée is on top of a treasure chest of fresh Swiss chard filled with golden butternut squash puree, napped with a beurre-blanc sauce.