Restaurant review: Kyle G’s Oyster & Wine Bar in Port St. Lucie a hit by local restauranteur
PORT ST. LUCIE — Our Treasure Coast-born restaurateur has opened another establishment to add to his repertoire. Kyle G’s Oyster & Wine Bar is a gem located in Port St. Lucie West, and the food is wonderful.
The restaurant feels like a beautiful calming oasis. The colors are soft turquoise and white with airy drapes, frosted glass and muted lighting. My first reaction was that I had walked into an elegant spa and expected to be told that my luxurious mud bath and massage would be down the hall. Instead, a hostess greeted us, sat us at a high top in the bar area of the restaurant and handed us menus.
The bar is faced with white subway tile and light blue under-counter lighting. Gold speckled pendants hang overhead and simple cushioned stools provide ample seating. The main dining room is light and spacious with white brick walls, colorful artwork and a restaurant-long leather banquette. I also noticed a few lucky diners seated at a short counter with a view into the kitchen.
As we pored over the menu, we were served house-made spiced oyster crackers to nibble with our drinks. The oyster menu includes several east coast choices and enhancements such as Dirty, Shooters or Rockefeller are $1 extra per oyster. Clams and chilled seafood are also offered. Two out of four of us were eating oysters, so we ordered two Wild James River, Virgina, ($4 each) and two Mystic, Noank, Connecticut, ($4 each) with no enhancements. I confess that I lack the palate to distinguish much between the two oysters, but they were both meaty and briny and perfect. We vowed to return and order nothing but fresh oysters next time.
Starters include salmon crostini, boneless chicken bites, and pork wontons. We chose the boom boom shrimp ($14). The just-spicy-enough, lightly fried shrimp were glazed in a sweet chili aioli.
For entrees, you can choose salads, sandwiches or fresh fish from the daily market with your choice of preparation. The helpful flavor profile for each fish is included in the description. Non-seafood choices include 8-ounce sirloin, pork or chicken.
My friend ordered the Peruvian shrimp chowder ($10). It was a flavorful creamy pink broth with potatoes and vegetables but only a modest amount of seafood. She also ordered the roasted and chilled peach and burrata salad ($16). Beautiful crisp fresh greens were dotted with grilled peaches and a large portion of soft, rich burrata topped with chopped almonds. The salad comes with a Thai basil pesto dressing, but she chose the Green Goddess, and it was all divine.
Another friend ordered the North Atlantic Salmon ($26) with brown butter and fried capers. The salmon had a wonderful crust, thanks to the spices and the butter, and was tender, moist and flavorful.
Hubby ordered pork tenderloin medallions ($24) which were sauteed with a caramelized onion marmalade and served along with asparagus atop buttery hollandaise. The pork was splendid. Creamy (and tangy) macaroni and cheese ($10) on the side was, apparently, required for the table.
My dinner was Atlantic cod ($26) prepared with coconut curry and rice. These are by far my favorite flavor combinations. Large chunks of sweet, flaky fish were smothered in a rich, savory and spicy sauce and accessorized with sweet bell peppers and broccoli on a bed of rice.
No spa treatment was offered, but we did have wonderful cocktails and a lovely meal. Knowing we had an enjoyable evening, a delicious dinner, and great service, at the end of the evening, our waitress, Tiffany, asked us if we would write a Yelp review. Here’s one better.
Kyle G’s Oyster & Wine Bar
Cuisine: Seafood
Address: 1724 SW St. Lucie West Blvd., Port St. Lucie
Phone: 772-807-1220
Hours: Dining room – 4 to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 4 to 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Bar hours differ.
Alcohol: Full Bar
Online: KyleGoysterandwinebar.com
Lucie Regensdorf dines anonymously at the expense of TCPalm for #WhatToDoIn772. Contact her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Review: Kyle G’s Oyster & Wine Bar in Port St. Lucie a hit