The Perfect Caper

I had the best calamari here. They used a sweet and sour sauce with a bit of heat drizzled over the perfectly fried squid! Also, had a very good pomegranate martini!

LESS THAN PERFECT!!! This restaurant is extremely overpriced. Calamari under portioned for price. Flounder was overcooled. A 44 dollar filet should melt like butter when you bite into it; not tough as eating leather. I had it cooked medium rare. Lobster Mac n cheese was okay. The Mac and cheese was good but the lobster was overcooked. Very disappointed in the food quality. For entrees to come out in 35 minutes which is fine but it better be perfect. The service was okay but they need to be trained on how to serve an entrée from the left. Beverages from the right. The owner from CIA SHOULD KNOW BETTER. I have a hotel restaurant management degree from Johnson and Wales and expected more from this establishment. Do not waste your money on this restaurant. You are taking advantage of people who do not understand a fine dining experience. You should be ashamed.

The food was a 4 Star! Most of the staff were excellent and were involved in pleasing the customer. Our waiter was pre occupied with? Out drink order was taken in about 5 – 10 minutes and brought to us shortly but then we waited 20 – 25 minutes for our appetizer and meal order. It was not that busy so we do not know what happened. We will be back but hope next time there is a little more attentiveness (our meal was well over $ 100)

I landed in Fort Myers planning to celebrate my mother’s birthday at her favorite restaurant: The Perfect Caper. As I was hungry after my flight from NYC– we called to ask if we could come in early. We were welcomed by the manager into the empty dining room at precisely 4:30 — fully ½ an hour before it usually opens… Thus began a most memorable meal in this outstanding venue.
Jeanie– the charming chef owner happened to be on site– an affectionate reunion was part of the celebration for Mom. She had a new offering: fresh Wasabi Rhizome which she ground for us table side to accompany our appetizer of meltingly delicious yellowtail sashimi and tartar. It was a unique presentation not only because of the freshly ground wasabi; the dish was garnished with a delicately tempura prepared Wasabi leaf, and oil scented with the rare tuber.
We also enjoyed a huge serving of Mussels prepared in a leek confit and cream sauce. My spoon was busy while enjoying the succulent crustaceans!
Our salad course was a Ceasar served as with perfectly grilled and dressed baby romaine.
Our entrees (so much food!) were both menu favorites: Miso Salmon and Crabby Scallops. Both were served on black rice as requested. Mom’s scallops were accompanied by a simple but elegant lightly sautéed bok choy, while my salmon was enhanced with a combination of sautéed Shitaki mushrooms and bok choy. We tasted both dishes and had to bring the remainder home (breakfast the next morning!)
Of course we had to have a wee bit of birthday dessert– our choice was a slice of decadently moist Banana Date cake garnished with a scoop of house made chocolate chip ice cream and drizzled with dark chocolate sauce. It was the perfect size to share to satisfy our craving, as well as to sing Happy Birthday!
I rarely enjoy a meal prepared by someone else so much. The décor of this slice of heaven is elegant and spacious. The waitstaff is in a class by itself. Each individual who contributed by our evening was professional, warm and clearly trained to exacting standards. I am so looking forward to my second visit this week!

I’m here on business and a colleague recommended this restaurant. I’ve tried calling for the last 40 minutes and the phone rings and rings, nobody picks up. I guess you don’t need the business, too bad because I’m in your parking lot. It is March 8, 2016 @5:38pm. Going someplace that answers the phone.

Love their lunch and dinner menu! Have had lunch there once with a friend and dinner with hubby for our anniversary. Great food and ambiance!

My husband and I went to the Perfect Caper this evening to avoid the «Valentines Day Rush»!
It was not a good experience! We felt that the service was poor, from having to wait for the wait staff to show up, to getting bread etc. from the time we sat down, it took 30 Min. for the wait staff to take our order. When asking for a change of starch (due to dietary needs) we were told that the manager as well as the chef had told the wait staff «No substitutions!» We were offered a $ 3.00 up change for a different starch, which we agreed upon, when the manager stopped by our table and offered yet another option, for no extra charge. The atmosphere is not what one would expect for an establishment that charges City prices. For example, the chef/​cook shouts out the name of the waiter when orders are filled. That’s something we would expect at a diner but not of an establishment like «The Perfect Caper»! It was a disappointing evening!

Holy Jamaican rum Batman, this was outstanding!!! I had duck in two fashions and I wish I’d been hungrier because I wanted to savor every sumptuous bite but it was a lot of food! Our cocktails were also amazing.
I wish I lived in Punta Gorda simply because I would done here as frequently as possible. You MUST try the Perfect Caper.

Wow is all I can say about this Resturant in Punta Gorda. I’m so glad I went on Unilocal to find a great restaurant in a unfamiliar area. There was eight of us, no problem said the manager, food was four star. The service impeccable. This is a gem, that insures a wonderful evening. Thanks to the staff and cooks great job all around.

We live on the east coast of Florida and are used to these type prices, but I was expecting more. We are planning a permanent move next year so we visit often. We had 6:30 reservations and there were quite a few tables open, but we were seated right on the edge of the traffic aisle in front of the kitchen. There were multiple booths and tables open along the side, and I overlooked it, thinking there must be a lot of reservations coming in for these tables.
No complaints on the service at all. However as the restaurant started to fill up, that pesky table location became an issue for me again as the plates coming out of the kitchen (dishwasher ?) going onto the shelves in front of the kitchen were constantly clanging. At 7:15, there were still booths and interior tables open.
My husband ordered the mussels that were great and an steak that he really liked. I ordered the shrimp and grits that boasted Jalapenos and my dish sported one small sliver of green. I was a bit overpowered by the amount of bacon bits, that would have been leveled out had there been more jalapenos. While the dish was good, I was underwhelmed after reading the reviews and perhaps spoiled by better versions of this dish elsewhere.
I received a Gift Certificate for this restaurant from a friend as I was excited about trying the «Bobby Flay» winner’s restaurant. Although it had no bearing on us that evening, I was surprised to see, that a gift certificate that had already been paid for had multiple restrictions on the bottom as to when it could/couldn’t be used. I get if it’s a discount certificate, or a Groupon type purchase, but this was paid for 100% in cash, and shouldn’t have those type restrictions.
We won’t be returning, and I’m glad we’ve found a lot of other really good restaurants in the Punta Gorda area for next time.

We went to the place and had the most amazing time. Noelle was by far the most professional server ever, the way she explained the wine to the food was amazing !
Food was amazing as expected, followed by the amazing servers.
Definitely coming back !!!

We decided to try the Perfect Caper again tonight for my birthday! It had been several years since trying this restaurant from a friends recommendation. We also recently watched Jeanie (the owner/​chef) take down Bobby Flay on «Beat Bobby Flay» so we were really excited to try this restaurant again. I am sad to report this will be our last visit to this restaurant. Once again we were underwhelmed by the food and service in this restaurant!
We started with the calamari = average
Our salad arrived and it was the wrong salad; when our correct salad arrived (Arugula & Waterman) it was over dressed with tiny chunks of watermelon & Feta (barely visible) and overdressed = below average
At our waiters suggestion we had the Grouper Special. Again, nothing special and for $ 35.00 for an entrée is was just again AVERAGE!
I expected an innovative, creative menu from someone that could beat Bobby Flay but it must have been an off night for Bobby!
This restaurant is old, tired, dark and the menu is outdated. In addition the amuse bouche was laughable and a poor attempt at trying to impress but it did the exact opposite!
I’m sorry I wasted my birthday on this restaurant!

We came in on a Wednesday evening for a birthday celebration and the restaurant was busy, which is great. The only tables available were in the bar which was fine with us.
On the menu’s they have some fairly unique dishes, the ingredients of which were somewhat «Greek» to us and with that few were appealing. Although pleasant, the Bartender was seemingly responsible for the entire bar area which was also busy. Combined with an ultra slow kitchen turned our outing into a hour and 45 minutes.
We ordered a side salad with aged vinegar, once received we could not detect the vinegar, except for a couple drops on the plate itself; we had to ask for more. One of us ordered their $ 14 hamburger and there was nothing special about it, meat on a bun — period, AND we had to ask for condiments! Another of us had «Momma’s Chicken» which turned out to be a very small/​single portion of meat surrounded by a large portion of spinach and cheese grits, again nothing special.
We had been to the Caper about a year ago and it was much better. Not sure what has happened in the interim but with this experience we most likely would not go back, as there are far better options in town, especially at this price point. Color us disappointed.

Great food, excellent service. Goat cheese appetizer was delicious, as were the scallops. Wine list is a little pricey but they also have a full bar with specialty cocktails. They also gave us a few freebies, like a salmon crisp and chocolate & peanut butter bite after dessert that was unexpected and a very nice touch.

We’ve been summer residents of Punta Gorda for more than 25 years and we are always looking for somewhere new to eat. Last night we stopped in here for the first time after checking it out on Unilocal.It’s hidden away with a small sign and a small parking lot so if you didn’t know it was there, you wouldn’t know where to look. We had a 6:30pm reservation but arrived early and were able to be seated right away. Points for being able to reserve through Open Table.
There was a very large party there of probably 20 – 25 people and unfortunately, most of the attention went to that party. Our server Shawna was very nice but did not mention the Pre Fixe menu at all to us. By the time we found out about it, we had already ordered appetizers (that actually were part of the pre-​fixe) but she said we couldn’t get it. It made no sense. The tables around us all had it explained to them very well so I am not sure why she chose not to inform us, but it was disappointing.
We started with the Warm Goat Cheese which was basically a deconstructed appetizer of goat cheese, garlic, red peppers, olive tapenade and eggplant with a few crostinis. We asked for more, but by the time they came we were pretty much done. We also got the Tomato and Motz «salad» which was a huge ball of proscuitto wrapped mozarella with a few sprigs of lettuce and various tomatoes. I tried the asparagus soup which came in a HUGE bowl but was actually a standard serving. It wasn’t the best I’ve ever had but it was decent. My sister got the chopped salad and loved it, except that the avocado was a bit underripe.
They bring around a basket of bread and the busboy places it on your plate and suggests pairing it with their olive oil, which was good. My sister got the fried chicken. She loved the grits, but said the chicken lacked flavor. My mom liked the lamb and I got the crab cake. The crab cake was ok, the asparagus it came with was very tiny and the cake sort of fell apart. The polenta it came with was good, though.
For dessert we got the donuts and the crème brûlée. Both were very good.
Our main problem, besides not being informed of the Pre-​Fixe menu, was the service. All the attention was on the large party. At some points all the servers were standing in front of the kitchen. We were rarely checked in on and it took forever between courses. We had to track people down anytime we wanted anything. My sister was also annoyed because she tried a sample of wine at the very beginning of the meal and then that glass was never cleared the entire rest of the night.
Next year we might come back, but hopefully on a night without a large party to take attention away from the rest of the dining room.

Food was only good, not great
Service was bad waiter had far too many tables to give quality service
Prices are too expensive for service comparable to Cracker Barrel
Better luck next time
Glen M.

Solid perfection, my tastebuds happily report! Dinner was a shared starter of absolute delicate doneness, calamari crispy coated w rice flour! Being celiac, haven’t been able to order this since diagnosed in Jan. so to my surprise, the wait staff, kitchen, and manager nailed this delight! We further grazed greedily on rack of lamb, $ 45… And more affordable, the duck, $ 29. Yes, it was a splurge. We believe it was worth it and although it can’t be repeated too often, it is a comfort to know fine dining flourishes in the quaint and cozy village of Punta Gorda.

As my husband & I were wrapping up a quick little getaway to Punta Gorda, we had time for one more lunch before heading back home. I decided to hop on Unilocal for some suggestions, as I usually do in am area I’m not familiar with, and up popped The Perfect Caper.
Tucked into this little strip that you could easily mistake for a lawyer’s office building, there it was. Whole driving over there I had spotted on the menu a Foie Gras blt, which I knew I could put the menu down & look no further. The decision was made. They had me at Foie Gras.
We got there and noticed they had a couple tables available out front which was perfect because we had our dogs with us. I went inside to ask if they could accommodate us at one of their outside tables. Not only did they say they would (apparently they don’t normally provide meal service outside, but those tables are primarily used for guests who come out to smoke) but they took our collapsible doggie water bowl, filled it with water, wiped our table clean and set the mood for what was a most enjoyable afternoon dining experience.
When looking over the menu, I noticed the Foie Gras wasn’t listed and my heart began to sink. I asked about it and was told that is on their dinner menu. But instead of giving me time to get disappointed, the gentleman quickly offered to speak to the Chef to see if he could whip it up for me for lunch. Kudos to him for taking the initiative & yay to the Chef for helping to satisfy this foodie’s craving. It was so decadent. I savored each & every bite.
Great place. I will definitely be back and would recommend to anyone reading this review.

I’ve been to this restaurant on a few special occasions and have always had a great meal. However on this visit The Perfect Caper only gets 3 and I’m being generous. Saturday night reservation. When we first arrived (6:30pm) I noticed that the head chef (co-​owner) was running the front of the house. We were seated promptly by her and our waiter recognized my dad who dines here with friends on occasion. We ordered drinks and bread was brought to the table. Waiter dropped off a tasty sampling of crustini with ahi tuna on it. Restaurant was about ²⁄₃ full.
Ordered the Sweet and Spicy Calamari and it was wonderful. Main courses ordered were the lamb chops and tenderloin with lobster mac & cheese. The main course took it’s time getting to the table but we were not in a hurry.
When the orders did arrive the plate presentation was great. However I ordered my 8oz tenderloin med/​rare and it arrived only seared and raw. Same for the lamb chops. Mac&cheese was hot baked right out of the oven but it was dry and only contained 3 chopped pieces of lobster claw. I ate a ¹⁄₃ of my meat before I had to send it back (and I HATE sending back food and and most of the time suffer through it) but for the $ 44 price tag someone in the kitchen should know how to cook pricey meat! Sent it back and it came back cut up in pieces and not cooked too much more but at least it was hot. My pop ate his even though he said it was almost raw.
As 8pm seating started our waiter was too busy to bring the check. Probably not his fault but it was 8:30 and I was not interested in anything else but getting up out of my seat and leaving.
I think we’ll try another place before we go back here again… sorry.

EXCELLENT LUNCH
We were in Punta Gorda the other day and decided to give this restaurant a try based on the very good reviews it had. It is, indeed, a great place.
My wife had the Tenderloin Tacos, and they were served with a beautiful piece of tenderloin — I mean a nice chunk over 1 inch high and about 2 inches in diameter. Nice.
I had a superb Bean Soup and a ½ Chicken Salad Sandwich. Delicious.
Any downers? Well, the décor is a bit tired and retro. It clearly needs some perking up.
Service — 4 STARS
Food — 4 ½ STARS
Ambiance/​Décor — 3 STARS
Location — 4 STARS (difficult to find)
Value — 4 STARS