CUAISR ITNE
GLORIOUS DINING
Fountain Grille at the
Safety Harbor Resort and Spa
By Margaret Word Burnside and Aaron R. Fodiman
MARCH/APRIL 2019 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 171
T he Fountain Grille at the Safety
Harbor Resort is one of our favorite
places to dine for lunch and dinner,
so when we learned they had
expanded their menu, we were excited to
try the new offerings. For decades we have
known Francois Deforges, their director of
food and beverage, and were eager to meet
Jeremy Rogers, who also has been with the
resort for years, and is now its executive
chef. The new menu is a delightful
experience. Every dish is exciting in taste
and presentation. The Tuna Tartare stack
with avocado, fried wonton, cucumber,
sour cream and citrus ponzu is incredible,
as is the deconstructed guacamole and the
lettuce wraps with jerk chicken. There are
all types of appetizers from simple oysters
in the half shell to Mediterranean tapas of
roasted garlic hummus, dolmades, olives,
feta, spanakopita, roasted peppers, tzatziki
and pita. They also offer lobster bisque and
a soup of the day. Salads include a Greek,
a Caesar, a Mozzarella Caprese, a beef and
delight. The service here is top-notch and
the atmosphere casual and comfortable.
Dining here is a joy, since the staff is
trained to make your meal as quick or as
leisurely as you would like.
The lunch menu has the same soups
and basic appetizers, plus a few more
salads and a bevy of lighter offerings.
It includes sandwiches of every variety
from a corned beef Reuben to blackened
grouper, along with specials such as
crab stuffed portabello, shrimp scampi,
French Signature Carved Steak Frites,
Grecian Grouper and Salmon Athena.
Whatever you choose here, you are
bound to be pleased. Chef Jeremy and
Francois have worked hard to make
dining at the spa a great experience. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Fountain Grille at
the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa is located
at 105 N. Bayshore Drive at the end of
Main Street in downtown Safety Harbor,
(727) 726-1161.
blue cheese, and our personal favorite,
the grilled octopus over a bed of greens.
It is marvelous.
There are five pasta options that can
be enhanced with chicken, salmon or
shrimp. Other entrées are a vegetable
stir-fry, a mushroom steak burger, a
chicken roulade that is stuffed with
spinach and cheese, and three steaks
– a New York strip, a rib-eye and filet
mignon. There is also grilled shrimp with
minted zucchini and Sicilian quinoa;
pan-seared bronzed grouper; grouper or
chicken piccata with white wine cream
caper sauce; Asian sea bass; and a panseared
pork chop covered in mushroom
Marsala that is topped with provolone
and served with smashed bacon and
cheddar potatoes. Side items include
choices such as a roasted sweet potato
mash, broccolini, asparagus and other
vegetable combinations.
For dessert, there are seven delicious
options, and we tried them all to our
NORRA
The pan-seared pork chop at the Fountain Grille is sautéed, topped
with mushroom Marsala and provolone, and served with green beans
and smashed bacon and cheddar potatoes.