Big Easy at Harry’s

Every time you go to downtown Gainesville – whether you’re watching something at the Hippodrome, filing paperwork at the Alachua County offices, or shopping at one of the several stores, it’s almost impossible to miss this week’s restaurant – Harry’s Seafood Bar and Grille. Located right across the street from the Alachua County offices and Hampton Inn just off Main Street, it might have one of the best locations in downtown.

Harry’s features New Orleans-style cuisine in an upscale environment. Diners can choose to eat inside or at one of the patio tables outside. I’m usually a fan of eating outside, but it being afternoon on a perfectly clear and humid day, a dining experience in the comfort of air conditioning sounded more appealing. So we decided not to take it outside.

The lunch menu featured various kinds of seafood and soups; we had calamri to start, and I ordered the Bourbon salmon. The bread came pretty quickly and it’s worth mentioning how good it was. I’m not a bread connoisseur of any sort so I can’t name the kind, but it was very crispy on the outside, and was served with butter with herbs.

The starter kept the trend of goodness going. Served with fried green beans, the fried calamari came with “Remoulade Sauce”. Not long after came the salmon, with a side of mashed potatoes and a lemon on top. One word – amazing. The sweet sauce made for a cajun-like taste, and the grill added a unique flavor, all of which combined for a great plate.

The salmon, drink (coke with about unlimited refills) and split calamari all came out to about $19, which was good, considering the quality of the food and how it was just enough. I’d say that quality combined with the nice feel of the place make it a great choice when celebrating a special occasion.