Here’s an idea: Spend the day exploring underwater reefs during a scuba diving lesson, then bite down into the “Black & Bleu Mahi Sandwich” while enjoying a view of the Riverwalk Marina. Jupiter’s Dive Bar and Dive Center create this exact experience.
Dinner with a view
Flat-screen TVs border Dive Bar’s walls with calm, aquatic footage. But for a real view of nature, there’s no need to look too far. Upon entry, eyes are immediately drawn to a 2,000-gallon saltwater canister-shaped tank in the center of a circular bar. Inside, Hawaiian fish, lobsters and eels weave between sunken crates and decorative debris.
Diners can seat themselves indoors at the bar, which snakes around the tank and extends the length of the facility. Or, they can ask to be seated at a table on the patio outside, which hovers inches off of the water. So close, in fact, that boat owners can dock their vessels right outside and stop in for a bite to eat
Tastes of the sea
The Dive Bar is committed to serving the freshest fish, so it runs as many as three different specials daily depending on what shipments it receives. Some constants on the menu sous chef Justin Knight suggests include the Jumbo Sea Scallops, deep fried in Parmesan panko and served with a white wine butter sauce; and the Maine Lobster Roll, mixed with mayo, Dijon mustard and lemon juice, and served on a griddled roll. Diners can also visit the raw bar or order sushi prepped by chef Mike Jin, or as locals know him, “Sushi Mike,” who’s had nearly three decades of experience crafting raw fish. A popular menu item is Mike’s Lobster Roll, which combines shrimp tempura and fish eggs under a decorative topping of avocado and Maine lobster
It is the Dive “BAR,” after all
Start with dessert by ordering the Key Lime Martini, crafted with Smirnoff vanilla vodka, lime juice, pineapple juice and simple syrup with a rim coated with crumbles of graham cracker, or the Prickly Pear Martini built with Ketel One vodka, prickly pear juice, DeKuyper Triple Sec and lime juice. Also available are seven sake selections and nearly 40 wines options
Underwater excursions
Attached to the restaurant is the Dive Center with everything from snorkels, masks, regulators, suits, fins, gloves and tanks for sale. Diving enthusiasts may also buy lessons with certification, day excursions and travel excursions, which last up to seven days. This July, divers can sign up for a trip to Bonaire in the Caribbean to spot tropical fish in as many as 60 dive sites. Night accommodations, vehicle rentals, tanks and more are included for prices between about $800 to $1,000
Facebook Comments