I hadn't been this excited about a menu in along time.A very long time.
Oysters grilled in black-miso butter, finished with a drift ofgrated Manchego. Octopus with jerk pineapple and crispy chickpeas. Fried Moroccan-spiced chicken thighs served overclove-cardamom couscous with pistachios, pomegranate seedsand a hot-honey sauce infused with sage.
Hummina hummina.
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Just reading the menu at Malia Island Fusion on Sanibel had me giddy. Eating it— seeing this kitchen deliver so brilliantly—had me in awe.
At least for one night.
If that one night had been the extent of my Malia experiences you'd be reading a perfect review. But while this 2-month-old restaurant is very, very good, it has kinks.
A Thai-style noodle salad drowned in salty dressing during a recent lunch raised an eyebrow. As did ahealth and safety inspection from last week where the restaurant was cited for a whopping 27 violations. To Malia's credit, the vast majority of them were minor.
This place has promise— and work to do.
MORE:7 offbeat restaurants you NEED to find — JLB Picks
SEARCH:Comb our database of restaurant inspections from eateries around Florida
On that one brilliant night, it wasn't just the kitchen shining. My server nailed it, too. He was efficient and charming, witty, kind, knowledgeable.
He explained Malia's all-organic wine program, bringing out a glass of pinot noir that paired perfectly with my Iberico pork loin. His team swept away empty plates and drinks at that exact moment when it feltright. He askedus to please save room for the house-made desserts, another area where this kitchen so brilliantly delivered.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let'sgo back to appetizers.
Chicken wings are just chicken wings, until Malia slathers them in a sticky Thai glaze and then showers them in leafy cilantro and chopped macadamia nuts that add an almost buttery crunch.
Gulf shrimp is sweet and lovely on its own, but infinitely better in Malia'scumin-scented, citrus-brightened sauce.
Even a bowl of bean soup impressed, for its warm and savory depth, and for the fact it was vegan. All the comforts of a great soup, no animals harmed.
On the other end of the comfort spectrum, that Iberico pork loin perched atop a bed of gigante beans that ate like massive, creamy cannelini. A date-cream sauce brought balance to the starchy base, while cubes of pork belly added chew, with sage and shallots singing sweetly in the background. Excellence all-around.
Same forblack-garlic shrimp teamed with polenta, two styles of corn (creamed and charred), blistered shish*to peppers, queso frescoand a bright green cilantro crema.
There was a coconut mojito made with gratedfresh coconut and a hearty jigger of rum. And an Old Fashioned that had me tipping my hat to the barkeep.
Maybe if that same barkeep, or that same stellar server, had been around for my follow-up lunch, things would've gone differently? It's a big maybe.
That day I lingered near the host's stand hoping for someone to acknowledge my group. No one did, so wemade our way to the barwhere wesat for another spell. The server was polite but preoccupied with dinner preparations. That overdressed Thai salad went mostly unfinished, save for an excellent strip of salmon on the side. An order of Korean short rib tacos tasted like leftover meat had been thrown into char-grilled tortillas. They weren't bad, but they also were not Korean.
The other issue Malia has is its prices. With entrees from $22 to $46, this place is not for the faint of pocketbook. When the kitchen's being brilliant, it's easy to overlook cost. When two lunch items fall flat, butyou're still out $50— then you start wondering.
As for those inspection violations, I've worked in enough kitchens to not to be overly concerned. Malia shares this former Blue Coyotebuilding with the clubhouse for Sanibel Island Golf Club. There are things outsideits control. Most of its errors, noted by the inspector and from myself,were ticky-tacky.
If Malia can get those little things under control, it will become an outstanding restaurant. As it is, it's an excellent one. One that still has me very excited.
Jean Le Boeuf is the pseudonym used by a local food lover who dines at restaurants anonymously and without warning, with meals paid for by The News-Press. Follow the critic atfacebook.com/jeanleboeufswflor @JeanLeBoeuf onTwitterandInstagram.
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Malia Island Fusion
1100 Par View Drive, Sanibel
•Food: ★★★☆
•Atmosphere:★★★☆
•Service:★★☆☆
JLB's stars AREN'T like Yelp stars, here's why...
•Price: $$$$$
•Web:maliafoods.com
•Call:239-472-9222
•Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Sunday
•Noise level: Moderate but lively when busy
•Etc.: Full bar, kids menu, reservations encouraged for dinner, takeout available, recommended desserts include Mexican-chocolate tres leches
•Inspection report: Cited for 27 violations, including three high-priority on Jan. 25
Unmasking Jean Le Boeuf, a look at JLB over 39 years
Samplemenu
Appetizers
• Crispy ahi tuna balls, $12
• Island crab cakes, $14
• Grilled octopus, $16
Entrees
• Portobello couscous, $22
• Jerk lamb chops, $36
• Miso-marinated black cod, $42
What the symbols mean
★ - Fair
★★ - Good
★★★ - Excellent
★★★★ - Exceptional
$ - Average dinner entree is under $10
$$ - $10-$15
$$$ - $15-$20
$$$$ - $20-$25
$$$$$ - $25 and up
