The new owners took over and have preserved many of the menu items that made the Catfish Place a beloved instution.  The biggest change is the tremendously expanded menu.

I have been in many Florida restaurants with good food and surly staff; I have been in others with bad food and friendly staff. 

Nauti Lobstah has great food and a super friendly staff; this tells you right now I will visit the place again - and soon.

I had arranged to meet Miss X here for a late lunch or early dinner.  When I first walked in I was greeted by a lovely lady named Shannon.

She offered me a comfortable seat at the small bar while I waited for Miss X.  I had a delicious Bloody Mary (with two shrimp and two olives) while I waited.

I enjoyed watching a very quiet model train making its way around a wooden track at the top of the room.  It's a nostalgic reminder of the old Catfish Place days.

Not long after I arrived, one of the owners named Cara came by to chat with me.  These two friendly ladies were a good sign of the dining delights that were to follow.

Miss X arrived and we were escorted to a booth.  The first Bloody Mary was so good I had another while we studied the extensive menu.

Some of the tempting items included several lobster offerings of course, but also oysters, shrimp, calamari, mussels, crab cakes and crab legs, little neck clams, and even quahog shells stuffed with chopped clams.

The above items can also be found on the appetizer menu along with fried green tomatoes, onion rings, and a ratatouille bake that includes zucchini, squash, tomato, onion, and much more.

There is no way I can describe all of the entrees from the menu;  just let me say the list is extensive.  Many lobster dishes, of course, sometimes combined with a Seafood Newburg including shrimp, scallops, and more.

And I won't forget lobster rolls;  they have a Connecticut version and a New England version.  I'm from Florida and will have to rely on Yankees for the definitions.

They have all kinds of seafood in addition to lobster.  You can try haddock, salmon, flounder (they call it floundah), corvina, and many more.

The Nauti Lobstah menu is not limited to offerings from the sea.  They have a great selection of beef entrees, chicken, pasta, and sandwiches.

These include ribeye steak, filet mignon, grilled chicken breasts, Porterhouse steak, and a bone-in ribeye that is 24 ounces of Angus beef with sauteed mushrooms and Bearnaise sauce.

I was especially interested in trying the fried smelts, so I ordered that as a starter.  Miss X ordered fried Cajun Grouper Bites served with banana peppers and a remoulade sauce on the side.

My fried smelts were delicous and reminded me of the Friday night fish fries I loved so much during my youth in Upper Michigan and Wisconsin.

Miss X said her grouper bites were delicious, so I ordered those after finishing my smelt.  She was right:  they were delicious.

We had to try desserts so I had Key Lime Pie and Miss X had Warm Molten Lava Chocolate Cake.  We shared half and half and unanimously pronounced these offerings as magnificent.

Our gracious server was very efficient and helpful as well as being friendly.  In the old days I would have called her a waitress. I am old and sometimes miss the old days.

Miss X loved her meal and dessert and says the next time she visits she might try the Surf and Turf entree.

I recommend you try Nauti Lobstah.  I am confident you will enjoy the experience from the minute you walk in until you happily waddle out with a super full stomach.

LEARN MORE ABOUT APOPKA, FLORIDA

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