Does this city make me look fat?

There's something slightly schizophrenic about eating at an English pub in a place called Punta Gorda. It's kind of like having Mexican food in Vladivostok.

But during my time in the Port Charlotte, Fla., area, The Ice House Pub across the harbor in Punta Gorda quickly became one of my favorite hangouts along with co-worker Paul Fulop, who knows a thing or two about pubs.

The pub is actually located in an 1890s ice house that provided ice for the fish industry back in the day. The building itself, while perhaps not really pub-like, is still architecturally interesting. The vaulted ceiling in the main bar area floats 30-40 feet overhead, giving ample room for the giant projection TV screen that is almost always tuned to a football game, and we're not talking about the football involving a pigskin. We're talking football to the rest of the world — a.k.a. soccer.

Other than the high ceiling, though, the inside of The Ice House is English pub all the way (or at least it seems like what an English pub would look like to someone who hasn't actually ever been in a true English pub).

The dark wood tables and bar await pub crawlers, and if you can't find an open table, just take a seat anywhere and make some new friends.

If you're into sports, head toward the back where dart boards line the wall or you can pick up a friendly game of snooker or foosball. Apparently more people than I realized play darts. The last few times I've visited the Ice House, there have been dart "leagues" competing. These people have their own darts, which is almost as weird to me as people who have their own bowling shoes.

Of course, the measure of any great pub is the beer selection. According to my friend Paul, who, I think, qualifies as an expert, the Ice House makes the grade. On your first visit, you'll want to see a copy of their Beer Bible. It tells you all the beers they offer, as well as lots of interesting information about different types of beer. The good news is that it's less complicated than learning about wine.

I've sampled several dishes at the Ice House, but my favorite is the Beer-battered Fish and Chips. The batter is made with Guinness, and while I don't normally care for fried fish, the Ice House version is excellent. The batter is light and the fish flaky. This being America, the chips are actually French fries, but we'll let them slide on that one.

If fish isn't your thing, you might try the steak sandwich, which you can get with mild, medium or hot peppers. It's basically a Philly. I've also tried the fried pickles, which are as weird as they sound and hard for me to recommend. Paul's had the Bangers and Mash and the Cottage Pie, but in truth, he prefers what he calls the "barley sandwich" (also known as beer). He's partial to Smithwick's, pronounced Smittiks, which they have on tap. I prefer the bottled Sam Smith Oatmeal Stout.

Punta Gorda features a number of other good places to eat. Laishley's Crab House offers great sushi and is situated right on the water. In nicer weather, you can dine alfresco on their second story deck. Tonight, I ate at a nice Italian restaurant called Spazzi. The Manhattan Style Penne Vodka was some of the best I've had.

A couple of others worth mentioning are Dean's South of the Border, where the Mexican food is about average or a little better, but it's the live music that keeps me going back. The other recommendation is River City Grill, a more upscale restaurant with a fairly creative menu.

Punta Gorda was nearly destroyed in 2004 by Hurricane Charley, so much of it has been rebuilt. That gives it a new fresh feeling, and there seems to be a lot happening "downtown." It's definitely worth pulling off I-75 to explore and take in a meal.

I wonder if the plethora of good restaurants is why they call it Punta Gorda, which loosely translated means "Fat End."

When the Shark bites …

People in the Panhandle know sunsets.

Our sunsets are famous. In fact, you can even see one at the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade when the heroes ride off into the you-know-what.

Let's face it. When you can see almost all the way to California, you're in a prime area for sunset watching.

But as beautiful as our sunsets are, there's a big difference between the sun setting into the dust of a western feedlot and the sun setting into the ocean.

There's something sublime about seeing that reddish-orange orb gradually "sink" into the sea, and you almost expect to hear the sizzle as it appears to make contact with the water. If you watch closely, you can even see how surprisingly fast it seems to slip beneath the surface.

That experience is made all the more special when you're watching from the deck of a nice restaurant sipping on an icy frozen drink.

It's tough work doing the research for this blog. Don't think it's all fun and games. I hope those reading will appreciate the sacrifices I make.

When I dined at Sharky's on the Pier in Venice, Fla., recently, it wasn't exactly warm. While the temperature was listed at a reasonable 53 degrees, the 15-20 mph winds made sitting out on the deck uncomfortable in the light jacket and khakis I was wearing. Of course, drinking a Bait Bucket Margarita, right, didn't really help warm me up.

In the summer, Sharky's deck is a happening place, and age doesn't seem to be a deciding factor. You'll find young and older adults rubbing shoulders as they sample Sharky's selection of frozen drinks, which includes the aforementioned Bait Bucket Margarita made with blue curacao, a traditional Piña Colada, the Bushwacker, Deck Runner, Mango Bango and Miami Vice (half Piña Colada, half Deck Runner).

In an effort to bring you the most complete review, I sampled several of the frozen concoctions (OK, I had three). Besides the margarita, I also tried the Mango Bango, left, and the Miami Vice, right.

Despite the inclusion of blue curacao, which is more of a gimmick than an enhancement, the Bait Bucket Margarita rates pretty highly. Those who know me know that I'm kind of a margarita connoisseur, so for me to like their offering says a lot. I can't give the same recommendation, though, to the Mango Bango or Miami Vice. Both are rum-based drinks, and both left the same bitter aftertaste. Other than coconut and pineapple juices, the only ingredients they share are rum, but regardless of the cause, I think I'll stick with the margarita in the future.

I could only take the cold temperatures for so long before I moved into the plastic-enclosed dining deck, where space heaters make the outdoor dining tolerable. Of course, Sharky's also has an interior dining room, but who wants to eat inside when you're sitting on the beach?

For dinner, I ordered the Seafood Aruba, which is Gulf shrimp, North Atlantic sea scallops and lobster meat in a garlic parmesan sauce with mushrooms and red peppers served on a bed of fettuccine.

Yes, it was as good as it sounds.

While there was no trouble getting a table last week, we waited three hours for one earlier in the year when the weather was a little more agreeable. That was outrageous and well beyond what the staff estimated. The food is good, but it's not that good. If you go during nice weather, you'll want to call ahead for reservations.
Sharky's is definitely worth visiting if you find yourself between Tampa and Fort Myers. Try to arrive in time to enjoy a Bait Bucket Margarita (or three) and watch the sunset.