Better and Brighter

Since returning home from California we have started to visit some of the newer places in Punta Gorda that made their appearance while we were away.

A week ago we took a stroll in the new Laishley Park. While construction had started on the Crab House near the marina, we were still able to meander along the new walk way on the harbor past the pavilion joining the older paved walkway around the Harbor Walk Condominiums. How pleasant.... And from here you can also vision as to what this fabulous promenade will be like once the walkway is connected under the 41 Bridge enabling you to walk along the Harbor through Laishley Park to Gilchrist and onto Fishermen's Village hopefully with many stops for refreshments along the way --- the now Benedetto's with its massive deck (a new addition to the town, the deck that is) with marvelous views; the Crab Shack to come; and hopefully a restaurant in the new hotel planned on the west side of 41.

We've also recently visited a few times because it's so much fun the ICE HOUSE -- a sports pub with a room devoted to darts and other games that is housed in the Old Punta Gorda Ice House. To start it is a stunning reclamation of space with the ice storage area and its extremely vaulted ceilings housing the main bar which was built by the creative new owner. Not only does the new pub offer a abundant choice of brews but they also have a tasting selection whereby you can buy 6 4 oz. glasses of various imports and domestic beers for a very reasonable price. We also took time to play some darts -- I think there are 8 boards all together. I hadn't played since I was a kid so I am just getting back into this, but enjoyed the game a lot. The ICE HOUSE has a nice mix of stuff -- large TVS, games, entertainment on some nights (JIm Morris was there on a recent visit), large choice of beer at good prices, and decent food --- excellent fish and chips.


This week we crossed the harbor to explore the new/remodeled Portofino restaurant complex that had been slowly developing across the river and whose promise with its abundance of windows facing the water had been luring us for quite awhile --- it partially opened while we were in California with another section opening recently. Certainly exceeding expectations the lower casual restaurant reminded me of casual fish restaurants on the Mediterranean -- lots of dark wood -- floors, furniture, bar area with sliding glass doors providing floor to ceiling views of the harbor. And because the place is staggered in large platform steps, views can be had from just about every area of the restaurant. We dined here and concurred that our entrees were very good (meatballs and spaghetti and chicken abrozzo). The upper restaurant --The Tuscany -- with its high ceilings, marble floors with mosaics, and crystal chandeliers is very grand for our area, but something much needed. A special occasion place which has the feel of a grand old restaurant in another time and place that might be found in an Excelsior Hotel The menu here is more upscale and expensive but appropriate for fine dining. We also were given a tour of the about to be opened deck area with a large floating pavilion and massive bar area. I was told that there would be flat screen TVS everywhere for viewing sports -- this will be very popular come season.