Sunset Charlie’s Spices Up Dining
By Colleen Coffield Sachs
Daily News Columnist
MIRAMAR BEACH – Sunset Charlie’s is all about view and value. It opened recently on the second level of the Surfside Condominium in Miramar Beach, and most tables offer a good view of the Gulf of Mexico.
The restaurant is large, and windows run across the front and one side of the dining room and bar area, also offering a view of the pool deck from some tables. The décor is pleasant. Tables are well-spaced and seating is comfortable. A sunset mural dominates the wall without a natural view (it is appropriately the west wall of the restaurant).
Sunset Charlie’s is located in Surfside Resort above the lobby in South Walton County on Scenic Gulf Drive. The restaurant has been open since May 2006. Photo taken by Daily News photographer Nick Tomecek.
The staff in the dining room was friendly, from the hostess to the wait staff to the managers. Servers did a good job of watching for when glasses needed to be refilled, and were helpful in offering suggestions as to what was best to order.
Sunset Charlie’s has an ambitious and lengthy menu, and prices are surprisingly low for a resort restaurant. It heavily favors a combination of Mexican and Asian food with an array of spice blends it calls Mexi-Chin Blendz.
A fried shrimp appetizer was seasoned with Yucatan Zing (a sweet and tart citrusginger blend), while spring rolls get flavor from Taipei Tango (teriyaki, chili peppers and mole).
Sunset Charlie’s did a respectable job with starters of calamari served with chopped garlic, pepper rings and basil; and the Cuban Crab Cakes with a crisp bread crumb crust and moist interior with a good crab to filler ratio.
If there is a rule of thumb at Sunset Charlie’s, it is order anything with bananas. We tried an entrée and a dessert that included bananas, and they were by far our favorite menu items.
The Caribbean Grill is a half chicken marinated with ginger and lemon grass, giving it a subtle and wonderful flavor. The moist and tender chicken was served with a chunky Caribbean slaw and perfect batterfried bananas.
The Banana Spring Roll dessert had a crisp pastry crust and bananas and chocolate inside. It was served with vanilla bean ice cream and a black rum caramel sauce. The entire dish worked, and one serving was enough to serve from two to four diners (a bargain at $6). We also enjoyed a mango cheesecake that was only slightly sweet.
For breakfast we had the rich Crab Benedict featuring two perfectly poached eggs and a spicy Hollandaise. Pancakes were slightly sweet and, as with everything at Sunset Charlie’s, the portion was more than ample.
One of the best dishes was one of the most simple. Listed under a section called Light Nibbles, the Pao Pao Chips were outstanding.
Freshly fried potato chips were dusted with the Chile Pao Pao seasoning blend (with ancho and chipotle chilies and lemon). While the seasoning can be overpowering on its own, these chips become absolutely addictive when teamed with the creamy lime dipping sauce that is served alongside. The sauce has the bright, bold flavor of fresh lime.
And while there were a few really good dishes, and a number of respectable dishes, some menu items didn’t work well. The meat in our fajitas was in chunks that were too thick to easily eat in a tortilla. The seafood platter was one of the few bland dishes, and the seafood was well overcooked.
There was also a communication issue from the kitchen to the wait staff. At two of our three visits a dish that was served was not as described on the menu. On both occasions when we asked about the difference we were told that certain items had not been delivered, and the kitchen had made a substitution. The substitutions were significant, and we were not asked if they would be acceptable before being served.
Sunset Charlie’s provides a great view in a comfortable setting. Good service and good prices add to the attraction. Until the kitchen adjusts to the ambitious menu, order carefully, and if something described on the menu catches your eye, be sure to let your server know you want what is described.
Colleen Coffield Sachs is restaurant reviewer for the Daily News. She dines unannounced at area restaurants for this column. You may write to her in care of the newspaper at P.O. Box 2949, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549.
Photo caption: Sunset Charlie’s is located in Surfside Resort above the lobby in South Walton County on Scenic Gulf Drive. The restaurant has been open since May 2006. Photo taken by Daily News photographer Nick Tomecek.
