Two downtown Cape Coral restaurants pop up on popular HGTV show
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Two popular downtown Cape Coral restaurants debuted on the HGTV show “My Lottery Dream Home” on Friday, Aug. 25.
The show, in its 14th season, follows recent lottery winners as they search for their dream homes with the help of host David Bromstad.
Fish Tale Grill and its crabby Mary
Fish Tale Grill by Merrick Seafood made an early appearance in “The Wizard of Cape Coral” episode. Indiana couple Tony and Angie, who won $2 million in Powerball, initially met Bromstad at one of the SE 47th Terrace’s outside tables to discuss specifics of the home they are looking for.
“What in the world is that?” Bromstad asked when he saw Tony’s drink — a 28-ounce crabby Mary. “That’s insane.”
According to owner Kerry Krieg, the popular weekend brunch drink is available anytime.
That highly shareable bloody Mary — there’s a 16-ounce loaded Fishtale Mary too — comes with a lobster tail, Ahi tuna, calamari, snow crab legs, bacon-wrapped scallops, coconut shrimp, cocktail shrimp and more.
“Between both bloody Marys, I once sold 47 of them during a Sunday brunch,” said bartender/manager Macy Perez, who has been working at Fish Tale for seven years.
Krieg came to Cape Coral in 2008 to help with Merrick Seafood, a small (at the time) wholesale fish company her parents started in the 1990s.
She eventually bought Merrick from her parents and, with her husband Patrick, opened Fish Tale — also well known for its seafood tower — in 2013.
After a stop at Legacy Premier Realty to see Cape Coral Realtors Steven and Yeni Busic, Bromstad showed the lottery-winning couple three homes.
Cheers to Jungle Bird Tiki
The episode concludes with Bromstad and the couple meeting at Jungle Bird Tiki on Lafayette Street.
“They shot the episode a while ago,” said owner Jeremy Vincent. “We shut the restaurant down for it.”
The trio sat at an outside courtyard table where the couple announced which of the three homes they went with. (They ultimately chose a $348,000 home in northwest Cape.)
“I think they were drinking pain killers and Tahiti Mimis,” said Vincent.
Those $11 rum-based drinks are two of the Instagramable restaurant’s most popular, along with the signature Jungle Bird. Food-wise, Hoisin glazed sticky ribs and the crab wonton dip are best sellers.
Jungle Bird opened in 2020 in the spot previously occupied by Redfish Point. In early August, Vincent’s Front Porch Social made its debut on Vincennes Boulevard, just down from Fish Tale Grill.
“We will have a grand opening for that on Sept. 1,” he said. “We’ve doubled the size of that menu, added live music and hope to open for lunch next month.”
As of Saturday, Vincent still hadn’t seen the episode but planned on watching it.
“They gave us a two or three-week heads up,” he said. “Then they came in and used the space. It was kind of interesting.”
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Other Cape Coral, Fort Myers restaurants have been featured
This is the fourth time in the last few years Cape Coral and Fort Myers have been in the “My Lottery Dream Home” spotlight.
Cork Soakers, along with owner Bob Mulroy, and Fathoms in Cape Harbour were featured in the 2019 “Winning Big in Florida” episode.
In 2021’s “Seven Million Big Ones,” the Luminary and Oxbow in downtown Fort Myers played roles.
Also that season, Cape Coral’s Keg & Cow and Cork Soakers pop up in “From Portland to Paradise.”
New episodes of “My Lottery Dream Home” air at 9 p.m. Fridays on HGTV.
Merrick Seafood has been on national TV previously as well. In 2017, it was featured on an episode of CNBC’s “Million Dollar Buyer.”
Go to watch.hgtv.com/show/my-lottery-dream-home-hgtv for more.
Fish Tale Grill by Merrick Seafood, 1229 SE 47th Terrace, Cape Coral; (239) 257-3167; bestseafoodcapecoral.com or follow on Facebook
Jungle Bird Tiki, 1520 Lafayette St, Cape Coral; (239) 471-4111; junglebirdtiki.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram
Robyn George is a food and dining writer for The Fort Myers News-Press. Send news to rhgeorge@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fish Tale Grill and Jungle Bird Tiki appear on 'My Lottery Dream Home'
