Marco Island Dinner #1: Konrad's Seafood & Grille Room

Last night was our first night eating out on Marco Island.  We ate at Konrad's Seafood & Grille Room <http://www.konradsrestaurant.com/>, which used to serve mainly German/Bavarian cuisine (Konrad is the name of the German owner of the place).  They had a very diverse menu with many seafood and pasta options in addition to a few traditional German dishes and your standard Filet Mignon.  The circa 1980's decor might have deterred the unfamiliar customer from dining here, but my future in-laws assured me that the food would be outstanding.  I am pleased to report that they were not wrong... everyone loved what they ordered and vowed to return in the future.  Here is what we enjoyed:

Chilean Sea Bass with a pesto butter sauce, served over rice with a lobster cream sauce.

Knowing that I wanted to try seafood that is not available at many restaurants, I chose the Chilean Sea Bass instead of the Salmon Florentine, per the waiter's recommendation, and couldn't have been more pleased!  The Chilean Sea Bass is an over-fished resource, and therefore a bit pricey ($29.00), but it was perfectly cooked, and the combination of fish, rice, and sauce was melt-in-your-mouth delicious.  I couldn't have been happier with my choice!

Scallops Othello: succulent scallops served over penne pasta in a mushroom cream sauce with sauteed onions.

Both my Fiance and my future Sister-in-law ordered this entree.  After tasting it, I understood why they were raving about their meals.  The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, the scallops were tender, and the mushrooms and onions in the dish added the perfect amount of richness and flavor to the cream sauce.  I think we will be going back for more of this in the future!

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 & Merryvale Chardonnay 2009

After my Fiance and I had a 2008 bottle of the Hall Cabernet Sauvignon a week ago, which was possibly the best Cabernet we have ever tried, we decided to order a bottle at the restaurant as well.  We expected to be offered a bottle of the same vintage, but were pleasantly surprised when the server presented us with the 2004 vintage!  It isn't often that we have the opportunity to taste an aged Cabernet of such high quality.  This wine was filled with wonderful aromas and flavors of dark cherry, plum, and blackberry along with a lovely hint of spice and oak... it was deliciously rich and worth the $60.00 price-tag, which was only $12.00 more than the actual retail price for this bottle of wine!  We drank most of this bottle before our meal even arrived.  With all of us ordering seafood, we also wanted to choose a nice Chardonnay to compliment the flavors.  Aromas of citrus, pear, apple, and oak made this wine a winner, and these flavors were enjoyed best when the wine was at its coldest.  

Overall, Konrad's went above and beyond our expectations, most of which were influenced by the out-of- date ambiance featuring peach and mint green table linens and pastel floral upholstered booths and chairs.  I'm sure the older clientele to whom the restaurant caters highly impacts the changes, or lack there of, that take place here.  Having only been to Konrad's this one time, I am unable to assess whether this restaurant is able to provide consistent food and service to its many customers on the busiest of nights.  I hope Konrad's remains in business for years to come, as I believe it is one of Marco Island's many hidden gems that should not be missed!