Monday, October 19, 2015

Captain's Table, Rusty Rim & Coconuts - Gone!



On our first trip to Cedar Key (from Fort Lauderdale) in 1988, this was a two-story building housing a restaurant known as The Captain's Table. 

As years went by, The Captain's Table disappeared to be reincarnated as the Rusty Rim (restaurant - 2nd floor) and Coconuts (bar - 1st floor).  

We've eaten at The Captain's Table and at Rusty Rim on several occasions and it was always fun to sit and look out over the Gulf of Mexico.  Many people took advantage of the pier or dock off the end of the building as we did.  There is something special about sipping frozen margaritas while watching the sun go down.

About a year and a half ago, the Rusty Rim/Coconuts caught fire.  The top half of the building was severely damaged and it sat vacant for some time.  Then, on one trip to Cedar Key we noticed folks cleaning up the mess and we thought it was being renovated.

That obviously was not the case.  The entire 2nd floor is gone.  What will happen next is anyone's guess but I'm hoping it will continue in some fashion as a bar/restaurant on the dock at Cedar Key.

26 comments:

RedPat said...

There used to be a wonderful restaurant here down on a dock near a marina and it was a treat to go there for a meal. The whole marina disappeared and then condos sprang up on the spot! Your place looks like it would have been a terrific spot.

Pierre BOYER said...

Enjoy your day my friend !

Pierre

Sylvia K said...

Always sad to lose the good places!! I hope it will continue, too!! Hope you have a great new week, Lowell! Enjoy!!

Taken For Granted said...

With a setting and views this good their food only needs to be okay to be successful. WIth great food they will have lines out the door.

The 1950s was a more trusting time. Glad your Dad was able to get a car with no ID or money. He must have been able to talk to your Dad's banker before handing over the car keys. My Dad once took a car that rolled up in front of his agency in trade for a new car. He didn't realize until later that the car had no engine, and the guy had gotten a push from the gas station across the street. After that he always looked under the hood just to see if there was something there.

EG CameraGirl said...

oh dear! My fingers are crossed that a great new eating place will replace the old!

Bob Poris said...

Maybe they could move this place to Ocala and dig a water retention ditch and make it look like waterfront. That restaurant was good but a little too far for frequent use. We went for dinners and did enjoy it.

We tried the old Restaurant at the Ocala Airport the other day. They are under new ownership and open from 9 to about 7 now. The new owner is a very nice and a sharp young lady. Her menu looked good, with a wide variety of meals, salads, platters, hamburgers, Nathans’ hot dogs, sandwiches, etc. She was busy at lunch and I hope she does well. We used to like it for a quick meal and went in the evening, when they were slow, in the old days.

Let me know if you try it, as we like keeping it as an option.

We also liked both new Vietnamese restaurants, particularly the newer one on 200 called "The Taste of the Orient."

Kay said...

Too bad! Since we've been here we've lost two restaurants in the general area to fire. One is now a bare lot scraped clean and offered for sale. The second, about four years after its demise, is now being rebuilt. I'm told it's going to be an office building or something like that.

Linda said...

It is always so sad to see good places vanish. Here in Montreal there are so many condominiums being built and filled with buyers. I would prefer to see more low cost housing for people who cannot afford the regular high rents, and some more stores.

orvokki said...

What a lovely and very interesting buoldning.

magiceye said...

A pity if it gives way to a fancy restaurant

Bergson said...

a ship restaurant

Anonymous said...

Hopefully it will re-open, and you can continue to enjoy frozen margaritas as the sun sets for many more years to come.

Sharon said...

That is a shame. It certainly has a prime spot for watching the sunset while dining.

VP said...

Quite sad, I hope they will be able to come up with something nice!

EG CameraGirl said...

To answer your question about the Canadian elections yesterday - things are looking very good here! ;))

PerthDailyPhoto said...

With that super view someone will fix it up Lowell.. Hopefully!

Tanya Breese said...

such a great location for a restaurant/bar..hope they get it up and running soon.

Kate said...

Oh, Lowell, that is a sad story. Your description of past visits sounds like it was an ideal place to stop. Barring any unforseen mishaps, another watering hole will appear for your thirsty enjoyment!

cieldequimper said...

I feel like I've seen this before, surely you have shown it, right? It's sad and hopefully it'll become something again...

Pat said...

It's still an attractive place, in a bare-bones sort of way. I'd still like to sip a margarita or two there.

William Kendall said...

One wonders what the end result will be.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Oh I hope so too. Completely agree with you on the joys of watching the gulf while sipping that Margarita and eating something wonderful. That fresh air!! The sunshine (especially in the winter when you know that if you were in any other State you'd be sitting in the snow or cold rain....) mmm.... starting to dream about our favorite Florida 'dives" as I write.

Small City Scenes said...

Oh no! Hopefully it will become a wonderful place again. It is fun to eat over the water and watch the sun go down.
MB

Unknown said...

Such a great location! What a pitty.

stardust said...

Losing such a place with good old memories is surely sad. I like a restaurant by the bay. Hope a nice restaurant will open after renovation for you and the local people to make further good memories.

Yoko

Halcyon said...

I hope it comes back too. What a shame to lose these kinds of places.

"Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again." — Henri Cartier-Bresson