Well, Ocala - you have a new place to eat, should you or shouldn't you?

Fancy, really?

 We live on the NW side of Ocala, outside of town - just a little.  But just enough that a quick bite out isn't an option.  We are surrounded by horse farms, and don't get me wrong that is one thing I love about where we live, but we just wish there was a good place to go nearby, we dare to dream.  I enjoy sitting in our sun porch, AKA the "conservatory" and occasionally hearing a horse whinny in the distance - so the trade off is worth it in the end.

So, Ocala - your new place to try is...near I-75, on HWY 27, you know the place of many former names, most recently "Swampy's", one of those buildings that has a rather quick turnover in restaurants.  The newest owner to try and make ago is Murphy's Oyster Bar.  My husband love seafood, and we have been watching for the coming soon signs to be replaced with "now open".

Fried fish, fries and hush puppies

Yesterday was their grand opening, we went their today for lunch.  My husband ordered 1/2 dozen cherry stone clams, and 1/2 dozen mussels.  He liked, them, for me - it's a texture thing, but I always try one.  The fried fish, fries was my lunch - it was okay, but not something I would order again.  I love hush puppies so my husband ordered them as his side, and I swapped him my coleslaw for some - and they were again, okay even though they were over cooked.  It was a fried food fest on my plate and I don't know what I was thinking....especially seeing that my ketchup option was not a good one.

My husband ordered crawfish, which he seemed to enjoy - it certainly was good serving size!

Crawfish

They painted the outside, and added to the patio seating, and our hopes of the interior being redone were - well - they made a few changes, but not enough.  Hopefully some one will realize that the nasty carpet must go, I mean really if you go into a building that has as much turnover as this one has - don't you want to wipe the slate clean?  We have been in our home 8 years, we believe this is the 7th different attempt at success.  I wish them luck, because it would be nice to have someplace nearby - and they have TV's, to go watch a football game is a trek from our house, this would be convenient.  The waitress was nice and friendly, which made up for a couple things.

Do I recommend the place - well - not sure, we will go again for my husbands love of seafood and the convenience.  It's worth a try, but don't expect much of the interior...I can say that they at least cleaned the hideous carpet and there seems to be one less layer of grime on the woodwork of the booths....