Story and photos by Melanie Kopacz
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this month, Bimini Twist restaurant is a popular destination for fresh seafood, hearty steaks and more. The award-winning eatery — an institution on Okeechobee Blvd. — is a fan favorite for both locals and visitors.
Bimini Twist shines all its own with twinkling lights that beam for all to admire from the road. Illuminated palm trees create an island appeal.
“You can’t help but notice the restaurant from the outside, because it’s so stunning to look at,” General Manager Cheryl Averta said. “And you don’t realize how big it is until you walk through the door.”
When you arrive, you’re certain to be struck by the sound of everyone having a great time at a high-quality restaurant that features a vast menu of offerings from sea or land, as well as several new specials, like escargot. The Blue Point oysters are also widely popular.
“All of our shellfish comes from the cold water of the North Atlantic. Our oysters come from Long Island,” Averta said. “They’re crispy and clean. If you want to eat an oyster to define what it tastes like, this is the first one you’d want to try.”
The Chargrilled Octopus is also a must-try, deliciously meaty, yet light.
“It’s Mediterranean inspired. We marinate, grill and serve it over roasted potatoes with a lemon-inspired dressing and a few red pepper flakes,” Averta said. “I tell people that if they want better octopus, they have to go to Santorini, Greece. While we’re predominantly a seafood restaurant, we have something for everybody.”
That includes fresh delicacies like hog snapper when in season. It’s Bimini Twist’s overall top seller, coming fresh from the Yucatan Peninsula and served with a butter and white wine sauce, or piccata style, with capers over linguini.
“For people who’ve never heard of it, I describe it as God’s perfect fish. It’s the richness of grouper, the sweetness of scallops and the flakiness of mahi,” Averta explained. “It’s caught with a spear. I tell people if they don’t like it, it’s on me. That’s how confident I am that they’re going to like it.”
Their yellowtail snapper is also a fan favorite. White, flakey and mild, it’s sautéed in lemon, white wine and butter. Lobster lovers can get their fill with the Twin Lobster Tails entrée. “Our lobster tails come from Maine,” Averta said. “You get a full pound of lobster on your plate.”
For a hearty taste of both worlds, mix it up with a 7-ounce lobster tail and a 12-ounce prime New York strip steak from the “Land & Sea” selections.
“There’s something for everybody — shrimp scampi, ribs, pork chops, Alaskan king crab, a full pound of it. We serve it open split, so all you need to do is take your cocktail fork and pull the meat right out of the shell,” Averta said.
The Seafood Pescatore is a bright and colorful dish full of flavor. It includes a half a lobster tail, mussels, shrimp, scallops and calamari atop red seafood sauce over imported Italian linguine.
Choose either an appetizer or entrée of the Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna. The beautiful color and texture make for an uplifting presentation.
There are also a few pasta dishes, like the Chicken Florentine served with linguine over an alfredo sauce with spinach. For the steak lovers, there are a number of choices, including a 16-ounce Delmonico ribeye or the 36-ounce Porterhouse served with bacon shallot butter.
The sides are incredibly tasty too, like top-pick Spinach Maria encrusted with breadcrumbs. “If you like creamed spinach, it’s like creamed spinach on steroids. The best you’ll ever have,” Averta said.
For kids, the menu has a variety of offerings, from fried fish to pasta.
When all is done, there’s dessert. Shareables are popular, including the apple crisp, which is served warm with praline pecan sauce and three scoops of vanilla ice cream, or the white chocolate bread pudding, also served with ice cream and a raspberry drizzle.
A delicious culinary experience is what this longtime staff of 60 strives for with traditional and elevated creations from Executive Chef Charles Wright, whether for an event or a weekly dinner.
People line up daily before open to get their favorite table and a taste of their beloved meals. Special events are hosted almost daily with private table service available for parties.
Complimentary valet parking is offered Fridays and Saturdays, and Thursdays in season. Catch the early bird menu Sunday through Thursday. Order before 6 p.m. and get 20 percent off several popular items.
The bar, which is the cornerstone of the restaurant, serves up an extensive drink menu with new twists on old favorites, like the Passion Fruit Martini, or the Bourbon Berry Smash, made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon. Beer on tap is ice cold and poured to perfection.
There’s seating near the open kitchen for those who enjoy watching the action. For a quieter area, request a table “under the fish.”
The ambiance is relaxed with low lighting, greenery creating privacy, bamboo-style woodwork throughout, and a playlist of music that took years to curate to the customers’ liking. The fun atmosphere extends out to the patio.
“We have people who want to stay because they want to sit through a song,” Averta said. “That’s when you know you have a good playlist.”
Bimini Twist as a destination is expanding with new experiential businesses that are part of what’s now called “Bimini Boulevard.” All are connected in the same plaza, allowing people to enjoy a broader experience.
“We wanted to make this strip a destination where you can come out for dinner and have other things to do while you’re here,” Averta said.
Enjoy an after-dinner cigar at Stogies Cigar Lounge. Indulge in a macaron and espresso at Merci Bimini French Café. Anchored on the end is a breakfast and lunch place, Portside. Then grab some flowers for your special occasion at Flagler Floral.
They’ll all be celebrating Bimini Twist’s 20th anniversary Saturday, Oct. 22 with a family fun day to include pumpkins, a hay maze and live characters, as well as two car shows. The weekend will be topped off with a formal dinner gala, with two seatings on Sunday, Oct. 23 with a live tenor singing. A portion of all proceeds will benefit the MiniMe Foundation, which helps children battling cancer.
“We’re like a family,” Averta said. “A key ingredient when we hire is kindness. It’s not every day a restaurant gets to be 20 years old.”
Bimini Twist is located at 8480 Okeechobee Blvd. Reservations are highly recommended. For more information, call (561) 784-2660 or visit www.biminitwistwpb.com.
