St. Pete Beach makes waves with a hidden-gem of a gourmet restaurant.

Tucked among the T-shirt and bathing-suit shops bordering St. Petersburg's shoreline strand is a restaurant that quietly serves exquisite meals in the midst of kitsch. About the only thing it might have in common with its playful locale is its name - Fetishes (which does, of course, give potential patrons pause for thought). But, here, they should think food. Rather "food indulgences," explains owner Bruce Caplan. "People obsessed with fine food."

That's easy to do in such an intimate space, an eight-table restaurant that simply glows with white tablecloths and eclectic-tearoom place settings. Alongside chef Don Kiker, Caplan has established at Fetishes Fine Dining a reputation for outstanding gourmet fare for more than a decade. It recently was named one of Florida's top 12 restaurants by Gourmet magazine, and it has achieved such status by featuring a well-crafted range of epicurean treats, from goose liver pāte to almond-crusted lobster. Almost all items are made in-house, Caplan says, and herbs are incorporated from the restaurant's container garden.

Those familiar with Fetishes' award-winning fare know its wine offerings are equally notable. A consecutive four-time recipient of Wine Spectator magazine's Award of Excellence, the restaurant lines its walls with racks of bottles, some vintage, numbering to more than 135 different selections for the most astute wine connoisseur. "Many assume that a wine list like this would automatically be accompanied by good food," Caplan notes. And it is.

Our recent visit there had us beginning with an appetizer-size portion of the house favorite, Maryland-style Crab Cakes ($10) as well as a generous bowl of Corn and Crab Bisque ($8.95). The crab cakes, accompanied by a tangy horseradish and mustard sauce, were brimming with fresh lump crabmeat, making each bite a velvety treat. The creamy bisque -- also with abundant crab combined with fresh corn -- was served with a shot of sherry in its own miniature goblet. The mixed-greens house salad, showcasing the sweet flavors of green apples and golden raisins, and with the added crunch of sunflower seeds and pungency of Gorgonzola cheese, was served with a honey-Dijon dressing and was complementary for each entree.

After devouring more than our share of warm French bread while waiting for our main courses to arrive, we were served the unexpected pleasure of a raspberry sorbet palate-cleanser by one of the two-person staff. This increasingly rare gesture seemed right at home.

Following soon afterward were our choices from Fetishes' signature dishes, including the Long Island Roast Duckling, served with a rich raspberry-Chambord sauce and garnished with mint ($26.95). The surprisingly generous serving of domestic fowl was prepared to perfection, with a nicely glazed skin covering succulent meat, and was accompanied with a "tower" of seasoned whipped potatoes. The second delightful entree, Lisa's Seafood Pasta ($20.95), featured half-dollar-size sea scallops and several jumbo Gulf shrimp, all sauteed with capers, artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes, on a bed of al dente spinach pasta.

As chocolate and java lovers, my dining companions and I completed the evening by sharing a newfound obsession of our own: Fetishes' homemade Espresso Chocolate Chip Ice Cream ($4.95). Served in a crystal goblet, it offered the earthy taste of a roasted blend of coffee combined with semi-sweet chocolate chips. We had fulfilled Fetishes' promise of indulgence.

Julie W. Martin
Tampa Bay Illustrated
January 2004