Rumrunners charts course for long-term success

When the former wizards of the successful Bistro 41 decided to head west into what was then considered the uncharted culinary territory of Cape Coral, many fans were dumbfounded.

Five years later, the question "If they build, will they come?" has long been answered. Lots of people crossed the bridge — some for the very first time — to dine, trekking to the city's western fringe to find Rumrunners, the creation of chefs Todd Johnson and Ralph Centalonza and their front-of-the-house partner Jeff Gately.

Cape residents enthusiastically embraced this new city standard, too, drawn by the setting — a sprawling but stylish waterfront restaurant at tony Cape Harbour — and the reputation for creativity that Mr. Johnson and company had built at Bistro 41 in Fort Myers, and in Naples at Aqua Grill and Bistro 821.

No one questions the enterprising restaurateurs any longer. Not only is Rumrunners a success, they've gone on to launch The Joint, a small-plate and big drinks establishment on the opposite end of Cape Harbour's retail district, which also appears to be thriving.

A red snapper special with sofrito rice pilaf, tequila lime butter sauce and scallion foam allows Rumrunners' kitchen to show its artistic side. PHOTOS BY KAREN FELDMAN

Rumrunners is a place that's fun to show off to visitors, especially those whose exposure to Cape Coral has been limited to the commercial thoroughfares of Pine Island Road, Del Prado Boulevard and Cape Coral Parkway.

Even if the food wasn't good (which it is), Rumrunners would be worth a visit. It sits amid a lovely Mediterranean style complex of waterfront shops, businesses and condos, beckoning visitors with its appealing exterior dressed in an array of tropical hues — mango, aqua and rich mangrove green. Inside, high ceilings give the rooms an open feel, and tables are set well apart in two dining rooms, the bar and two covered . patios — one for smokers, one smoke-free. With the exception of the bar, all of the spaces have views of the water, a fairly broad canal that empties into the Intracoastal.

The menu bears a passing resemblance to those of the partners' previous ventures. There's the Bistro salad (an inspired mix of greens, Portobello mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, Gorgonzola and Bermuda onion in pesto-balsamic dressing), Todd's meatloaf (made with ground veal, beef and pork) and classic vodka penne.

Rumrunners' Key lime pie has a slightly tart lime flavor and a creamy texture.

But there are also plenty of new dishes, including lots of seafood dishes, which make sense considering the waterfront location.

We sampled a number of these, including the Rumrunner coconut shrimp and crispy oysters. The latter were crunchy and firm, and went well with the jicamaapple slaw and mild remoulade sauce. The shrimp were butterflied and expertly fried, with just enough coconut, accompanied by creamy sweet Thai chili sauce.

The seafood potpie contained rock shrimp, scallops, crab, carrots, potatoes, celery and onions in a creamy lobster sauce topped with a large puff pastry.

It was a comforting meal, as a potpie should be, and far too large to finish in one sitting. The leftovers made for a satisfying lunch the following day.

The nightly special, a crispy onionencrusted red snapper over sofrito rice pilaf, was also well prepared and set off nicely with a tequila lime butter sauce and scallion foam.

The evening's special drink, a frothy wild berry-infused pina colada, received high marks from the member of our party who ordered it. The rest of us enjoyed a bottle of Seghesio Home Ranch Zinfandel '06, a lush, fruity Alexander Valley wine made from old-vine grapes.

If there's one thing that's improved at Rumrunners over the years, it's service. When the restaurant opened, it was hit or miss, but that's no longer the case. With the exception of the server attendant who auctioned off our appetizers — "Who gets the crispy oysters? The coconut shrimp?" — service was excellent.

Either one member of our party had failed to order a Caesar salad or the server hadn't heard because the room was full and the volume high. When we brought it to her attention, she quickly headed into the kitchen and returned in less than five minutes with a delicious salad and an apology.

Our vigilant server also noticed that I didn't eat much of the Buffalo chicken appetizer, which consisted of boneless pieces of chicken swathed in hot wing sauce and gorgonzola creme. Within seconds of her departure from the table, a manager appeared and asked me what was wrong with the dish. I told her the chicken was soggy and too salty for my taste. She apologized, thanked me and took the item off of our bill.

A Maine lobster tail was nicely presented but somewhat undercooked, while a juicy 16-ounce cowboy steak was a hit, served with garlic-mashed potatoes, tender crisp broccolini and a Madeira wine smoked bacon-mushroom demiglace.

Our desserts — intensely flavored raspberry sorbet, warm chocolate bread pudding with cinnamon ice cream and a slice of Key lime pie — all served to end the meal on a satisfying note.

Rumrunners may be a bit off the beaten track, but its waterfront setting, convivial atmosphere and fresh fare have won over boatloads of customers who have no problem navigating their way to enjoy its many charms.