Burgers on the water: a marraige of food and view
5/25/2004 8:11:59 PM by Natalie P. McNeal
On a hot and sticky Sunday, an occasional cool breeze relaxes the crowd gathered at Shooters Waterfront Cafe in Fort Lauderdale. Cigarette boats lines the dock at Shooters, a restaurant that's rumored to never have met a boater it didn't like.
"Dock at Your Own Risk," a sign warns the hundreds of people who a re eating finger food on boats or sipping Coronas on the dock. Posters advertising cosmetic surgeons hang f rom the decks.
Indeed, Shooters, 3033 N.E. 32nd Ave., attracts quite the hodge podge of people: beautiful women with flat stomachs and enhanced breasts, old men hoping to meet those beautiful women, couples who are watching the beautiful people, and families looking for a good meal."
We came here for the bathing suit contest,"' said Don Kijewski, 40, of Fort Lauderdale, as he stood on the Enjoy, a 96-foot long, 24 foot wide beauty of a boat with five bedrooms and bathrooms. "But the same girl wins every time."
Welcome to life dining along the waterfront. Just as sure as people love to play in the water, they love to eat along the waterfront as well. Wa t e rf ront dining is a perfect marriage: food with an ocean view; A friendly "Cheers"' sitcom-like atmosphere while watching the waves go by.
South Florida, with its vast beaches s t retching from Palm Beach County to the Florida Keys, provides many different types of waterfront dining. From the upscale places on Brickell Key in Miami Dade County to down home watering holes such as Le Tub in Hollywood.
Robert Beaver, 48, of Palm Beach, has been a regular at Shooters for 20 years.
"This is what Florida's all about," said Beaver, who also enjoys riding Harley-Davidsons. "It's the lifestyle of the water, the boats and the people."
Linda Ruslander, 43, of Palm Beach, who joined Beaver for a day of sipping on Budweisers, agreed. "The people here are more friendly than they are in Annapolis (MD)," said R u s l a n d e r, referring to another major boating community. "This is the perfect way to spend the day."
Shirttail Charlie's, 400 SW 3rd Ave. , in Fort Lauderdale provides water taxis between the restaurant and the Broward Performing Arts Center. Depending on the time of day, the restaurant has everyone from the local drinkers to diners fresh from an off Broadway play.
Bob Pope, 48, of Fort Lauderdale says that waterfront dining at places such as Shirttail Charlie's is perfect for boaters: "It's a source of service for the boats, '' Pope said. "There's food here and it's a common meeting place," Pope said. The restaurant's location on the New River is an "easy reach" for most boaters to get to from Port Everglades . The restaurant is also full of characters.
On this Sunday afternoon a man, who would only go by the name B ruce, sits at the downstairs bar, sipping drinks made of rum and pineapple. A frequenter of Shirttail Charlie's, he often watches the boats and ponders .
He gives random thoughts about why he enjoys going to waterfront restaurants . "I enjoy looking at the boats I can't afford," Bruce says. Bruce says he's been going to Shirttail Charlie's for about 6 years. Friends come by and g reet him while he sits on a bar stool. He tunes them out and watches the water.
"Why do people name their boats? Do you name your car?" Bruce asks as a boat named The Rock cruises by.
Another favorite pass time of Bruce's is watching the "Weekend Warrior" boaters knock into the railroad nearby or narrowly miss hitting other boaters. "They only sail on the weekends and they don't know what they are doing," Bruce laughed. "It's hilarious. "
Natalie P. McNeal is a writer for the Broward edition of The Herald. She can be contacted at nmcneal@herald.com.