SARASOTA – Owen’s Fish Camp, located in the cozy Burns Court area of downtown, is a throwback to the Florida fish camps of old. These fish camp restaurants, once plentiful, were but shacks with porches, plentiful portions and a focus on a few key dishes that had local origins, either vegetable or fish.
Owen’s, which opened in early 2010, is named for early Sarasota pioneer Owen Burns. The stand manages to be deliberately nostalgic without being affected. It’s the quality of the experience. On a packed Friday night, everyone seemed to have time and attention for everyone else. Patrons included families with grandchildren, couples on dates, retired folk, and young singles. No group so ruled the roost that they turned the place into their own territory. Instead, it was all about everyone.
Located on a back street under a banyan, it’s owned by the Caragiulo brothers, who run the successful Caragiulos on Palm Avenue. It’s a basic seafood menu, all reasonably priced, with some inexpensive sandwich items. Fish come three ways, with a few basic sauces, all well prepared. With a fish dinner, I got corn on the cob, served with mismatched corn-cob holders. Now that’s authentic Florida.
Menu items run to the retro, but not annoyingly so. Including menu items such as greens and rhubarb strawberry pie can quickly turn cliche, as if these items could be seen as somehow gimmicky. But they both were obviously on the menu for a sensible serious reason; they taste good, and give patrons something different.
My former co-worker and Florida food connoisseur Silly Goose loves the place.
Creating a hit restaurant that captures a moment and place is always a difficult thing; it’s even more difficult at the height of a desperate recession, but the reasonable prices and restrained atmosphere suit the times.
See Owen’s Fish Camp, 516 Burns Ct., Sarasota Fl 34236, call (941) 951-6936 or owensfishcamp.com
