EATS // fork on THE Road Tasty insights and observations
THE RICHNESS OF
VINTAGE ON 5TH STORY+PHOTOS: MARY ANN DESANTIS
’S ED ITO R
PI CK 5 FORKS
(OUT OF POSSIBLE 5) VINTAGE ON 5TH 114 NE 5th St., Crystal River, FL 34429 352.794.0004 Tues-Sat. 5-9 p.m. (10 p.m., Fri. & Sat.) www.vintageon5th.com Dining reservations recommended.
FORK REPORT: Fine dining. $$$ // Seated: Immediately with reservations // Wait for meal: 30 minutes
The food, the ambiance, and the historic location make having dinner at Vintage on 5th in Crystal River a rich experience. I’ve never been disappointed by the advice to go where the locals go, and that mantra certainly rang true when I visited the Nature Coast. The recommendations were all the same: head downtown to Vintage on 5th, a locally owned eatery in a 1940s bungalow that was once a church. Be forewarned, though, this eatery is so popular that reservations are a must. Even on a week night, patrons are lined up for prepared-to-order
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OUT-OF-THE-ORDINARY STARTERS ($5 - $9): Escargot served in garlic herb butter; Hickory-smoked pork belly with a sweet chili glaze; fried green tomatoes ENTREES ($18 - $32): Hand-cut Angus beef, “Maple Leaf Farms” duck breast; fresh-cut Gulf grouper; rack of lamb; porcini & truffle ravioli (Served with trademark house salad, bread, and chef’s recommended side) FINE ENDINGS ($6 - $8): Old-fashioned root beer float; homemade Key Lime pie; Crème brulee
specialties that create a dining experience to be savored. The first item on the menu that caught my eye was the
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she-crab soup, a Charleston delicacy you don’t often see in Central Florida. The soup was creamy, flavorful, and
HOW FORK ON THE ROAD WORKS Our reviewers are objective and unbiased. This is not a paid feature. Our reviewer makes two unannounced visits, and we pay for our meals.
