Jack's Farm To Fork At Pink Shell Resort Rocks And 'Roars' With New Lionfish Menu Items

Spearheading an effort to help eradicate the lionfish population in Florida waters, a Fort Myers Beach restaurant is ready to hook residents and visitors on its newest menu delicacy.

Lionfish has just made its debut in several dishes at Jack's Farm To Fork at Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. The eatery is known for serving the freshest seafood, locally raised meats, fruits and vegetables with its farm-to-table philosophy. Diners can now choose the pan-seared lionfish served with a pea puree, fiddlehead ferns and a lime beurre blanc or the pan-seared lionfish served over coconut curry, lentils and basmati rice. The species is also being featured in ceviche and a crudo. When cooked, lionfish fillets have been compared to flounder, sea bass or hogfish with a mild, non-fishy taste and firm, white flakiness.

"This is an excellent quality fish that we are proud to serve here," said Chef David Rashty, Chef De Cuisine at Jack's Farm to Fork, which recently won the People's Choice Award in the 21^st annual Taste of the Beach. "Since I'm constantly in search of unique ingredients to use on my ever-changing menu, the lionfish afforded us the perfect opportunity not only to offer our guests a tasty new dish but also to help Florida's ecosystem by eradicating a non-native fish doing it harm."

The population of lionfish has exploded in the waters throughout the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea in recent years, posing a threat to native marine life. The state's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has encouraged residents and visitors from all over the world to harvest the species.

With May temperatures averaging 89 degrees during the day and 69 degrees at night, now is the ideal time to head to Jack's Farm to Fork to sample the lionfish or any one of Rashty's plates, salads and award-winning desserts. The Fort Myers Beach eatery offers indoor and outdoor seating overlooking sugary-white sand and the calming waves of the gulf. Fine wines, creative cocktails, refreshing beers and an assortment of spirits are available to pair perfectly with every dish.