Secret to ‘best shrimp scampi ever’ is in the Gulf
Q: I recently dined at the Swan River Seafood Restaurant and Fish Market in Naples. I experienced the best shrimp scampi ever. Would it be possible to get the recipe for the sautéed shrimp scampi? It was the tastiest dish I have had in a while, and the flavors just combined well. — Rich Holewa, Davie
A: Joe McLaughlin, co-owner and general manager of Swan River Seafood Restaurant, Raw Bar & Fish Market (3741 Tamiami Trail North, Naples, 239-4037000, swanriverseafood.com), says a lot of his clientele comes from Fort Lauderdale and Miami. He, on the other hand, does the reverse commute for weekend getaways to his condo in Sunny Isles Beach. McLaughlin and his partners, Executive Chef Matthew Ferreira and Dining Room Manager Jayne Meinert, were all company employees that took over the operations 15 years ago when the previous owners retired. It’s obvious they are all very handson, as their website job descriptions also include part-time host, busboy and clamoyster shucker.
Perhaps this approach is part of their success. McLaughlin says, “We are the fish market in town. Because we are very particular about what we let in our back door and insist on the highest quality fish.” The 100-seat restaurant feeds off the retail fish market, enabling the chef to offer 16 kinds of fresh fish daily.
“People can actually go to the market and see the fish they want to order in the restaurant instead of being served some frozen, mystery fish from a large full-service food distributor,” McLaughlin says. He describes the retail shop as a “New England style fish market” offering northern species such as cod, sole, halibut and haddock and a variety of shellfish, in addition to native snapper, grouper and Pacific Northwest king salmon, among others.
Aside from their following of local regulars, their broad seafood selection attracts private chefs and the yachting industry stocking galleys. McLaughlin was surprised at the scampi request as their signature dish is jumbo lump crab cakes. In season, they will go through 200 per day. He credits the scampi’s appeal to the domestic Gulf shrimp used in the recipe, unlike many restaurants that opt for Asian imports to lower costs.
When it comes to seafood, it’s all about the quality. In case you’re planning a Naples holiday or weekend escape, Swan River Seafood Fish Market is open daily, and the restaurant serves dinner only.