Elwood P. D.

It is so easy dismiss hotel restaurants. More often than not they have a hostage mentality....no other easy options so they give you what they want without much thought or promise. Oasis is a totally different kettle of fish. Located in the Holiday Inn Fort Meyers Airport I have never seen more than a couple of diners and had always figured the restaurant was an afterthought or an obiligatory accroutement for the hotel. Especially after sampling the extremely poor selection of alcoholic beverages from the bar, I assume the restaurant would be similar. How wrong I was. I decided not to be transported across the highway to eat at the Gulf Coast Mall and instead sat down in the Oasis. Opening the menu I was surprised by the promise of great dining. I immediately focused on the Grouper Sandwich as I always try to eat local specialties wherever I am (I mean, why drink Budweiser in Amsterdam?). I supplemented my order with the Corn & Shrimp Soup. The Grouper: It was presented open faced with a wonderfully crisp Dill Pickle, crunchy Red Onions and firm yet tender Lettuce. The sauce was served on the side as was a healthy portion of seasoned French Fries. The Grouper was grilled, light, flaky, tender and moist. I cannot imagine any fish better prepared than this. The flavor was superb and I had no doubt this fish had not been long from happily swimming in the ocean. The Soup: Ever wanted to take a bath in your soup? I did. The broth was creamy without being cloying. I did not attempt to count the Shrimp....they were plentiful and the sweetness of the Corn did not overpower. This soup was luxurious. I have been coming to Fort Meyers every week for the past month and am sad to think I have wasted time and money searching for a decent meal. (I actually thought about going to Chic-fil-a on this trip but it was Sunday). I know now, I have to go no farther than twenty feet from the lobby elevator to enjoy a quality meal at a reasonable price. I still think their bar sucks.