Cool afternoon light filters through the open garage doors at Lefty’s Oyster and Seafood Bar. Outside is a formidable covered patio, the roof lined with string lights and the fenceline with palm trees, amarillas and aged oyster shells. On the table is the garden party, a cocktail featuring Empress Indigo gin, fresh lime juice, cucumber, mint and prosecco floated with a splash of Elderflower liquor and garnished with a cucumber twist. The cocktail, a delicate, bubbly affair, is rooted in detail—General Manager Dan Katz developed the drink as a nod to the patio’s lush landscaping and creates all of the syrups and concentrates that define his cocktails in house. In fact, everything at Lefty’s is rooted in detail and authenticity, from the framed black and white photos of oyster farmers and fishermen to the fried frog legs offered on the menu, courtesy of co-owner Chip White’s childhood spent gigging for frogs in Lake Okeechobee. Operating in the former location of the Rosemary District’s Mandeville Beer Garden, Lefty’s, the newest venture from Watershed Hospitality Concepts (WHC) is designed to be a destination, but not a “destination.” “We want Lefty’s to be a place for regulars, not a place for a destination dinner,” says White. “Especially here with the walkability of the Rosemary District, we want you to be able to walk to Lefty’s, get a fair price and then walk home afterwards.”

That choice, however, is not a compromise. The team at Lefty’s is dedicated to creating innovative takes on classic dishes, all with the intention of highlighting the food that makes the Gulf Coast special. Take for instance the soft shell crab BLT. Succulent Florida blue crab is battered and fried before it’s nestled in along with crispy bacon and crunchy butter lettuce straight from Sarasota’s Blumenberry Farms, which grows most of Lefty’s produce. The real kicker on the sandwich, however, is the roasted garlic aioli or Lefty’s sauce–whipped up in the kitchen by the maestro Chef Raul Rodriguez–which provides notes of lemon and red pepper that allow the buttery crab to shine.

The stars of the show are the raw oysters, St. James Virginia oysters, wild caught upstream from the Chesapeake Bay, where the salinity produces the desired level of brininess that Quillen and his team desire. The oysters adhere to the simple policy of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Straight from the sea, plump and mildly sweet, these delicacies are served chilled on a bed of ice. Pair with a squeeze of lemon for a citrus kick or a dab of horseradish sauce for a hair-raising kick. 

For those looking for something a tad more decadent, the pearls and parm appetizer is an indulgent spin on the classic oysters Rockefeller. The same Virginia oysters are broiled with parmesan breadcrumbs, bacon and cayenne pepper for a creamy concoction reminiscent of alfredo sauce. 

In the linguine with clams, sweet middleneck clams from Cedar Key burrow into a bed of pasta. Some concoction of linguine with clams is a classic dish, beloved by many, but botched by even more. All too often the dish feels heavy, a sopping mess of garlic and white wine, but not at Lefty’s. Chef Rodriguez is meticulous in his preparation of the dish—after sauteeing the shallots and fresh garlic, the pan is taken off the heat before adding white wine and butter. The result is a rich emulsion that lifts the delicate pasta, accenting the flavors of the clams with fragrant yet subtle notes of butter and garlic instead of overpowering it. Diners beware as the dish has the tendency to disappear quickly. 

If the oysters are the Michael Jordan of Lefty’s, then the scallops and grits might very well be the Scottie Pippen of the operation. Fresh sea scallops are harvested from Cape Cod, before being dry packed and shipped down to Sarasota, where Chef Raul gets to work. Pan seared scallops don’t need anything more than the salt Chef seasons them with, the tender white meat dissolving in one’s mouth at first bite. What makes the dish special is what the scallops lay on top. A bed of creamy, cheesy grits is accented by the signature smokiness of Andouille sausage and brought to life with the kick of red pepper. When merged together it creates a symphony that will have seafood doubters questioning their convictions. Chef Raul’s skills as a saucier are on full display with the lobster bites. Bites of Maine lobster, battered and fried to golden perfection are served alongside the decadent piña tropicale sauce. The sauce, which has pineapple, coconut, honey and sour cream puts a tropical spin on the lobster bites, packing a satisfying crunch and melts in your mouth upon entry. Like all of the ingredients that populate Lefty’s other sauces and cocktails, it is scratch made—what started as buying coconuts to create a coconut puree for cocktails blossomed into the foundation for a bright, sweet and citrusy sauce that is sure to be gone by the end of the meal. 

Balancing out the menu is Lefty’s drink list, curated by Katz and company to reflect the marine-based menu. The white-forward wine list features an assortment of blancs, pinot grigios and chardonnays to pair with the seasonal shell and fin fish. Amongst the craft cocktails is the Salty Dog Spritz, a smokey, nectarous take on the Paloma featuring Dobel Humito smoked tequila, salted lime cordial, grapefruit bitters, prosecco and a black salted rim.

“We’re lucky to be in a state that just has an immense amount of different kinds of shellfish, fin fish and vertebrates,” says White of the menu, which is subject to change depending on the season. “It’s fun to try and do some of the things that are off the beaten path, like grouper cheeks or our frog legs or gator tail. We want to create those experiences for people so they can go ‘Wow, I got to try that and I’ve never had it before.’”  

Photography by Wes Roberts.