08/22/2011 - QC Foodie - The Captain's Table

We had tried to get to the Captain's Table last weekend but Ahoy! We were stopped by barricades because of the flood so we tried again this week.  They were open and really busy for the first hour we were there.  We remembered eating there last year on Derby Day as well, coincidentally.  Last year, however, it was a beautiful warm day and the patio was brimming with outdoor diners.  This evening the wind was a'blowin and there were some whitecaps on the waves.  Shiver me timbers! We entered the ship complete with porthole windows on the port side and large windows on the starboard side to allow for a great view of the river.  We were fortunate that although the tables were all full, some people were leaving and we merely waited for the table to be cleared.  We started with drinks.  I had a Dirty S.O.B.  No, that's not me writing in more pirate talk, it was actually on the menu along with Ship Wreck, Shark Attack, Rum Runner and others.  My drink contained Sobieski vodka, olive juice, and olives.  Me hearty, er, my boyfriend ordered a Sangria that was made with red and white wine, grenadine, orange juice, pineapple and sour mix.  We ordered Fried Calamari with served with tomato caper aoili.  The calamari was a generous portion with a fabulous light breading that was lightly seasoned.  BF was seriously enjoying the calamari but I maintained some self-control because this wasn't my first visit to El Capitán.  I knew there would be a large salad and bread sticks headed our way so I didn't eat my fill. 

            The tossed salad with a delicious Itailian-esque dressing was good.  While the Goldfish crackers are a cute nautical-themed addition, I would have preferred croûtons.  Maybe anchor-shaped croûtons!  Just joking, regular shapes would be fine.  The bread sticks are similar to Fazoloi's but not salty nor dripping with butter.  We decided to try the two specials, I chose the Blackberry Salmon and BF chose the Pistachio-Encrusted Tilapia.  We sipped our drinks while we waited for our entrees.  The martini was overwhelmingly olive, which I suppose one would expect from olive juice.  Maybe it was just me but I don't remember having that sensation anywhere else I've had one.  I think blue cheese stuffed olives would have made a positive difference.  BF wasn't happy with his sangria because he couldn't detect the red wine. 

            The lights dimmed at 8:30 and the atmosphere became a bit more intimate.  Our entrees arrived and BF and I both looked at each other in alarm.  The risotto had previously arrived in a separate dish so that was the first noticeable change (more on that in a bit).  The salmon was good and the blackberry sauce actually worked well with the salmon as a raspberry sauce works with duck.  The sweetness and acid in the berries pairs well with the savory saltiness of the salmon.  BF let me try the tilapia and it was outstanding.  The fish was light, flaky and melt-in-your-mouth and the pistachios really complimented the fish well to create a rich, flavorful taste.  On to the risotto http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/808181/risotto-recipes.  We were disappointed to find our favorite seafood (creamy, garlicy) risotto replaced with a lesser imitation.  I'm guessing they didn't use arborio rice since the replacement was a lightweight rice that had small shrimp and crab.  Having slaved over a stove for long periods of time to make risotto, I understand the shortcut but this lass be whinin' about it anyway.  Sadly, I removed Captain's Table Seafood Risotto from my Foodie Favorite list.