In Clearwater Beach for a wedding, two friends and I enjoyed dinner at Sea-Guini inside Opal Sands Resort. Upon entering, it wasn’t the lure of the cuisine that captivated our immediate attention, but the impressive indoor sand sculptures in the lobby. Soon, however, it was the ambience, food and staff at Sea-Guini, serving fresh caught seafood and Italian-inspired dishes that commanded our full consideration.
Our server was exceptional; she helped us make some great food decisions and let us know where all the ingredients were sourced from, allowing us to consider local specialties. We started with three appetizers. We all agreed the crispy calamari, served with Calabria pepper aioli, crispy zucchini, sweet tomato chips and house pomodoro sauce, was the best we’ve ever had. The bruschetta — fresh, garlic-rubbed grilled brick oven farmers bread, fresh tomato and basil, creamy burrata cheese and balsamic drizzle — and the tuna tartare were equally tasty.
The hardest part was selecting entrees. As it was local, I opted for the pan-seared hogfish, served with Florida corn broth, sweet Gulf shrimp, a smokehouse bacon and potato hash (awesome!) and roasted cauliflower. While I enjoyed every bite, I had food envy for my friend’s ricotta gnocchi, flash seared and served with spinach, pancetta, winter truffles and sage-pecorino cream sauce. I’m not usually a gnocchi fan, but this ricotta version was delicious. My other dining companion opted Sea-Guini’s version of penne vodka, served with fresh broccolini, sweet fennel sausage, heirloom tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella. He started with a cup of the lauded lobster bisque, which lived up to the hype. We paired our meal with a bottle of Villa Maria, Cellar Selection, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand.
Despite being full, we had to complete our meal with the zeppole, tossed in cinnamon and sugar, and served with dark chocolate sauce and white chocolate mousse. They were sinfully delicious.
Sea-Guini is a must visit when in Clearwater Beach!
Opal Sands Resort
430 S. Gulfview Blvd. #100
Clearwater Beach, FL 33767
tel 727 450 6236
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