‘Watts for Dinner’ Takeout Edition: Island Gypsy serves up amazing reopening

[Editor’s Note: This week marks the second week in over a month where you can pull up a table and truly dine out. But since restaurants are restricted to 25% occupancy, we’ve decided to review takeout and delivery a bit longer, freeing up seats for those of you who prefer eating on location.]

Our next dining destination was on Isles of Capri, The Island Gypsy, a friendly on-the-water outdoor eating establishment that typically draws a crowd, and this reopening weekend was no different.

The staff were wearing masks and gloves but having been distancing for a while now, this was the most people I’ve seen in one place in a while; it says a lot about both the food and atmosphere here.

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I was just there briefly, picking up my takeout order, freeing up seats for loyal patrons.   

We started with two salads to share, the Calypso chicken chopped salad ($15) and the lobster salad plate ($16.50).

The Calypso features a chopped blend of bacon, pears, gorgonzola, tomatoes and chicken with a Key lime honey vinaigrette dressing.

In addition to lobster, the other salad featured mixed greens, tomato, cucumber, red onion, the Key lime honey vinaigrette and is served with flat bread crackers.

Both salads were fresh and delicious, and it was hard to pick my favorite of the two. I know, the lobster. But I have a weakness for chopped salads, because … well … bacon! On the lobster, the crackers were a nice touch.

We also shared two entrees, the fried shrimp wrap ($13) and the shrimp and scallop pasta ($22.95).

The wrap features lightly battered fried baby shrimp topped with coleslaw, shredded lettuce, tomatoes with a sweet Thai chili drizzle served in a wrap and with French fries.

Although as amazing as it sounds, if I were to put by critic’s hat on, I’d say it packs a lot of different flavors into one wrap and may not be for everyone. But I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The pasta dish features sautéed jumbo Gulf shrimp, arid scallops tossed in a garlic parmesan cream sauce with mushrooms, tomato and spinach on a linguini pasta and served with garlic toast points.

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Incredible! Lots of shrimp, tails intact. The sauce shines. The perfect balance. Yum! We highly recommend this dish.

To top things off, dessert! The Island Gypsy’s famous and gigantic carrot cake. So rich! So moist! So amazing! And the candied walnuts, OMG! A quick word of warning, if there’s two or three or you; one slice is still enough – it’s the size of two large slices. Don’t pass this up.

The Island Gypsy is one of the pearls in the Isles of Capri community.  

As always, support local restaurants in their time of need, if you can. Stay healthy and eat well.

This newspaper pays for all meals related to dining reviews. We do not solicit or accept free food.

If you go

The Island Gypsy

• 292 Capri Blvd., Isles of Capri
• 239-394-1111
• theislandgypsy.com