PAST REPASTS

Azucar's Paella Valenciana

Azucar, 3326 Del Prado Blvd., Cape Coral; 549-02833

In Spanish, Azucar means sweet and that's just what a meal at this lovely little family owned restaurant is. Hearty fare, sinfully rich desserts and soulful Cuban coffee are served up by a friendly staff. An appetizer sampler platter was delicious, laden with fried shrimp, tamales, yucca, roasted pork, chicken wings along with three sauces - mango-mustard, Creole and pineapple coconut. The paella Valenciana was a faithful version of the classic, with lots of chicken, shrimp, mussels, fish and a lobster tail, all perfectly cooked in rice made fragrant with saffron and white wine. An entrée of roasted pork chunks with cumin-laced black beans and yellow rice was tasty and large. Dessert is a must here. Both the flan and a chocolate cake with a crunchy topping and a hint of anisette were superb, although it was hard to pick just two from the dazzling array in the bakery. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Beer and wine served.

Crave's 3-Cupcake dessert

Food: 4 stars Service: 3½ stars Atmosphere: 4 stars

 

Crave, Bridge Plaza, 12901 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers; 466-4663

What a great name for this unobtrusive little gem tucked into the Bridge Plaza not far from Nomiki's Plaka and Café Cibo. Try it once and chances are you'll return. With just 10 tables and three booths, a large chalkboard for daily specials and a minimalist décor, it's the food that shines here, just as chef/owner Sean Gavin intended. For breakfast, there are classic biscuits and gravy as well as shrimp and grits or corned beef hash. BLTs, burgers ers and the Wicked Fluffa Nutta (a triple-decker Marshmallow Fluff and peanut butter sandwich) are lunch fare; and dinner includes standards such as mac and cheese, roasted chicken and meatloaf. I liked the Crave dip, with shrimp, crab, spinach, mushrooms and cheese, as well as the goat cheese mac and cheese. The three-way duck is a tasty and imaginative entrée and the salmon was delicious with a raspberry berry vodka martini sauce. Don't skip dessert: the trio of cupcakes (red velvet, chocolate with raspberry sauce and vanilla with chocolate sauce) was a standout. Breakfast and lunch served Tuesday through Saturday, breakfast and lunch on Sunday, lunch and dinner Mondays. Beer and wine.

Delicious Things' creme brulee

Food: 4 stars Service: 3½ stars Atmosphere: 3½ stars

 

Delicious Things, 2262 First St., Fort Myers; 332-7797

This lovely little downtown restaurant has the feel and taste of an authentic trattoria. Dine inside or at sidewalk tables on impeccably fresh, flavorful Italian favorites, such as caprese salad, carpaccio, tender gnocchi and exceptional créme brulee. Specials often feature fresh seafood and vegetables in delicately seasoned sauces. There hasn't been a dish I've ordered here that hasn't looked and tasted terrific. And to top it all off: the service is good, too. Open for lunch and dinner. Price range: appetizers, $6.50-$11.55; entrees, $14.80-$28.90. Beer and wine served.

Food: 4 stars Service: 3½ stars Atmosphere: 4 stars

 

The Sandy Butler, 17650 San Carlos Blvd., Fort Myers Beach; 482-6765

It's a restaurant. It's a bar. It's a produce market, deli and bakery. The Sandy Butler is all of those things and a welcome addition to the Fort Myers Beach dining scene. An appetizer of blackened sea scallops over a ginger caramel sauce proved delicious, the large scallops cooked just enough and balanced out by a sauce that tasted of both ginger and caramel without overwhelming the delicate shellfish and its savory seasoning. A crab cake billed as sweet and spicy was also quite large, laden with big chunks of crab. I suppose that was the sweet part because the pink-hued sauce was fiery hot. Both came with lovely fuchsia orchids on the plate, creating a colorful contrast to the white plates and black granite tabletops. The rack of lamb crusted with hazelnut hazelnuts and Dijon mustard consisted sisted of five chops, delicately seasoned and cooked just to a blushing medium. Grouper topped with a sweet red pepper and balsamic sauce was good, although the wild mushrooms beneath were a bit chewy. From the hostess to the server to the manager, everyone was warm and hospitable.

Food: 3½ stars Service: 3½ stars Atmosphere: 4 stars