Barracuda Grill

Barracuda Grill - Firearm

Rachel Bowman showcases a few of Barracuda Grill’s wines.

With five years under her belt serving at Barracuda Grill in Marathon, Rachel Bowman said the local “date-night” restaurant is celebrating 22 years this week. “We like to keep everything the same, except the menu,” she said showing off the night’s specialties, which is printed nightly.

The eatery constantly features new wines. Bowman says a couple of her favorites include the Riglos Malbec, Alma Negra blend, and Petite Petit, a syrah-verdot blend that isn’t sweet, but has a big cherry finish. “I like big red wines that have a lot going on like the Spanish blends,” she said.

The wine connoisseurs, a.k.a. servers, at Barracuda are encouraged by the owners to try the new wines (after hours, of course) to help customers make important vino decisions. It’s one of her favorite parts about working at the restaurant, along with the fact that she gets to celebrate anniversaries, graduations, and weddings along with the customers, who sometimes become her good friends. “I’m lucky because I am constantly dealing with people who are on vacation. Everyone is already in a good mood, so it’s nice,” she said.

Bowman said the wines mentioned above pair well with the 16-ounce New Zealand rack of lamb, sliced into lollypop chops and finished with a blackberry sauce. “The calamari and shrimp —  bathed in the Barracuda Bites Hot Sauce made in house — is also very popular to start with,” she said, adding the condiment makes a fantastic stocking stuffer.

When she isn’t working at Barracuda, which is open Wednesday through Saturdays for dinner starting at 5:55 p.m., she is out diving, reading, or hanging out with her “exceptionally gorgeous boyfriend.”

Kristen Livengood is a Marathon High School and University of South Florida grad, mom of two beautiful little girls, and wife to some cute guy she met in a bar. She enjoys red wine, Tito's, Jameson, running (very, very slowly), and spearfishing.