A Feast By The Miami River at Casablanca Seafood Bar & Grill

Eating with friends and family is a precious gift especially when enhanced by interesting views and smells, laughter and great conversation.

The Miami River drains out of the Everglades and runs through the Downtown and the city of Miami. Along its shores are some quaint restaurants, among them Casablanca which has been around for many years, It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and of course, we went for lunch. This time my dining companions were my sister, Miss N. and the chickens.

For starters we had Conch Fritters served with cocktail sauce, Fish Croquettes with garlic aïoli , Octopus Ceviche marinated in citrus juices and the Middleneck Clams steamed in white wine, garlic, shallots, butter and fresh chopped parsley. Everything was fresh and delicious, really-really good.

Of course, Miss Y. had to have the Chicken Fingers and Fries.

The Grilled Octopus was served over a mesclun salad and drizzled generously with aji Amarillo aïoli. The octopus was amazingly soft, the smoky flavor of the grill permeating the whole dish and making the salad irresistible.

Casablanca Grilled Seafood Parrillada was the pièce de résistance: shrimp, broiled lobster tail, bay scallops, calamari, oysters, mussels, clams and grilled fish filet served with onions, tomatoes and cilantro aïoli.

Desserts were Brownie & Ice Cream, Key Lime Pie and Home Made Flan, all shared and devoured way too fast by all of us.

Service was impeccable, friendly and more than accommodating to my mania of taking photos of the food: always a plus in my book.

There is a full bar on the outdoor dining room facing the river.

The seafood was really fresh here. Casablanca Seafood Bar & Grill also has a fish market: the catch is delivered daily via the Miami River on picturesque fishing boats.

The freshness of their products is the key to their success. The variety of their menu and fantastic atmosphere makes this restaurant a must-try when in Miami!