Tabone's in Melbourne has more than po boys on the menu
What could be better than a fish fry?
Try an all-you-can-eat fish fry, such as the one Flavia Di Susa recently introduced at her downtown Melbourne restaurant, Tabone’s Po Boys.
“We don’t mess around here at Tabone’s,” said Di Susa. “We brought to Melbourne the biggest and baddest fish fry.”
Setting the fish fry apart from the rest is the house-made beer batter that encrusts the 10-ounce pieces of Alaskan pollock filet, fried to a golden brown and served with hush puppies, house-made cole slaw and French fries for $10.95.
Unlike most fish fries usually available on Fridays, Tabone’s is offered from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. To help those fishies swim in your tummy, Tabone’s prepares special sangrias for the occasion, and Bud and Bud Light can also be paired with the fry for $2 every Saturday.
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Di Susa’s culinary journey began not in New Orleans, but rather in her grandmother’s kitchen in Brazil.
“By the time I left Brazil at 12 years old, she had already taught me all the tricks of the trade,” she said.
Culinary school followed, and with her older brother as business partner, Di Susa took over Tabone’s Po Boys on her birthday last year. She rewrote the menu, expanding it from five Po Boys to 15-plus. The Hot Cuban Po Boy ($10.95), for example, features house-smoked pulled pork, ham. Swiss cheese and mustard, and like all the other varieties, is dressed with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and mayo and served with fries.
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The king of the Po Boy menu remains the 504, fried shrimp with House Sauce for $10.95, although the Fried Erster ($12.95), with its fried oysters and Voodoo Sauce, comes in a close second.
Guests can upgrade to sweet potato fries, onion rings, cole slaw or grits for an additional $2. Sauces include Voodoo with siracha mayo, House Sauce with horseradish, Cajun Ranch, Sweet BBQ and Remoulade.
“When I bought Tabone’s, my vision was to make Cajun-inspired home-cooked meals with a twist,” said Di Susa.
For starters, gravitate to the Pig Fries ($7.95), sweet potato fries, melted cheddar, smoked pulled pork, crispy bacon and a drizzle of sweet barbecue sauce and ranch, topped with scallions.
And in addition to Po Boys for the main deal, Tabone’s also features platters, accompanied with red beans and rice, cole slaw and protein of choice such as grilled, blackened or fried shrimp or fish, pulled pork, fried oysters, smoked chicken, sausage and more. Prices range from $11.95 to $13.95.
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“Of course, we still have the best shrimp and grits in town,” said Di Susa. “Bring it on, challengers!”
The shrimp and grits is one of Tabone’s bowls, all served with French bread for $10.95.
If the temperatures cool down in the coming weeks, more folks will be taking advantage of eating at Tabone’s quaint front patio. All pooches are welcome there, by the way.
Tabone’s offers a 10 percent discount to veterans and seniors.
Tabone’s provides a special ingredient not listed in the menu, but nevertheless priceless.
“You can really taste the love in our food,” said Di Susa.
Have you tried
What: Fish fry
How much: $10.95
Where: Tabone’s Po Boys, 601 E. New Haven Ave., in downtown Melbourne
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; fish fry is available 11 a.m-5 p.m. Saturday
Info: 321-536-8499 or Tabone’s Facebook page
Email toastofthecoastfloridatoday@gmail.com.