The Thirsty Marlin - Largo, Florida

The Thirsty Marlin Grill and Bar
351 West Bay Dr. Largo, FL 33770
727 586-3474 http://www.thirstymarlin.com/

My wife’s Uncle Gilbert and Aunt Effie wanted to take her out to lunch to celebrate her birthday. Her cousins Alan and Kila would also be attending making it a pleasant family affair. Gilbert and Effie had selected The Thirsty Marlin, a restaurant in Largo they have frequented before. We arrived at Gilbert and Effie’s place at the appointed time. Alan and Kila were already there. We sat in their sun room that overlooks Lake Seminole. We had a pleasant interlude of small talk, catching up on the doings of the family. We were able to tell of our new dog, Chena, and Alan and Kila told us about their new and spirited canine, Daisy. Smaller and lighter cars are helping the environment but for six people it meant that we had to caravan in two cars; neither Janis or Kila or Effie would agree to ride in the trunk. Perhaps on that day we were not so green.

The Thirsty Marlin is an anchor store for a low-rise mini-complex. There is some parking in the small lot behind the store but additional parking is available on the brick paved street in the rear. The interior lighting is dim. Actually, it is dim enough that reading the menu was a chore for these old eyes and if I had not brought my reading specs it would have been impossible. There is booth seating along the walls and table seating in the aisle between. It is close quarters for maximum occupancy. As a result, in consideration of my dining companions and neighbors, I did not take any interior photos that required a flash. A flash would have been overpowering in those circumstances. Instead I used the camera’s movie mode and later extracted stills from the film clip. I apologize ahead of time, the images are of poor quality, grainy and with some color shifts but they do help to illustrate the story.

We arrived during the last of the lunch hour rush. There wasn’t any wait and we were escorted to our seats, two tables joined together in the center aisle. The waiter was quick to arrive and take our beverage orders. At that point the conversation from all the surrounding diners was animated. However, over the course of our lunch the dining room was vacated in the end of the lunch rush and conversation became easy and low volume.

We were six diners but I only have to report on three selections. Effie and Kila ordered the Cheeseburger In Paradise (Half pound fresh ground beef char-grilled on our mesquite wood fired grill, placed on a toasted onion roll and topped with !00% real Kraft® American cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion served hot with crispy French fries. Heinz 57® on the table. All sandwiches include chips, pickle, coleslaw and iced tea) from the Working Lunches Section, $6.99. It is a big sandwich and with the French fries and side of coleslaw it makes for a filling meal. It appeared to prepared well and had a nice open face presentation.

Gilbert and Janis also ordered from the Working Lunches section, Shorty’s Jerk Pork Sandwich (Fresh, slow roasted hand pulled pork. Done jerk style with a sweet and spicy taste of the islands. Served on a toasted onion roll with red onion slices. All sandwiches include chips, pickle, coleslaw and iced tea), also $6.99, $7.99 on the regular menu. The pork portion is large, more than adequate. I was able to sample the meat. Cooked tender, it has a nice sweet flavor with a slight tang as an aftertaste. Also, with the sides of French fries and coleslaw it makes a filling lunch. The two sandwiches, the cheeseburger and the pulled pork, are very tasty and filling meals at reasonable prices and helps to explain the lunch hour popularity of the Thirsty Marlin.

Alan and I ordered Thirsty’s Fish and Chips (Thirsty’s fresh catch, hand battered and deep fried until golden. Served with crispy fries and Bahamian dipping sauce.) A version of the dish was on the specials board and was less than the menu price of $15.99. The fish was well prepared; the coating was crispy and golden, the fish tender and flaky and had a fresh clean flavor. It was about a 6-ounce whole white fish filet. On the plate was a ramekin of coleslaw. The cabbage was crisp, the sauce mild; a dash of pepper helped to liven the taste. The French fries, a large serving, are served in a separate basket. They are golden brown and crispy. A carrier with many sauces was provided. I tried several but found the house tartar sauce, mild with just a slight kick, to be just right for this dish. It was a more than adequate portion for lunch or dinner.

Our server was attentive even though he was very busy at the beginning with the near full house. We were seated quickly, our orders taken in short order and the food delivered in a reasonable time. The server was about refilling beverage glasses as needed. We all had a good time and we managed to linger a bit but as the noon crown had abated but we didn’t keep anyone else waiting at the door.

I did notice one item on the menu of interest, The Marlin Challenge – The Grand Slam Burger. (A two pound version of our famous and most popular Cheeseburger in Paradise, served with coleslaw and hot crispy fries. A true Big Bob challenge. Eat it all… including the side items and your next Grand Slam on your next visit is on Thirsty. Good Luck!!! No sharing allowed on this one. $12.99.) Only two pounds…. Hmmmm. If I skip breakfast first I just might try this one on my next visit to The Thirsty Marlin.