Photo of Tataki Loin of Yellowfin Tuna by Wyatt Kostygan.

Ever been to the Pacific-blue waters of Hawaii? If you’ve eaten at Ophelia’s On The Bay, your taste buds sure have. From sea-to-table, much of the fish on the oceanic-centric menu is flown in fresh every day from the far-flung island state. Chef Daniel Olsen’s close relations with three fish companies on the Big Island allow him to provide the freshest seafood possible for this side of the U.S. “I get phone calls in the morning here, which is super early morning there. They tell me what they just bought in auction—tuna size, tuna quality and prices,” describes Olsen. From there, Chef places his order, and the companies ship out all the product overnight in state-of-the-art-packaging, which maintains cool refrigerated temperatures. By early the next morning, it's getting prepped for the day’s dining provisions at Marker 48 on Little Sarasota Bay.

Hula your way onto the waterfront patio for a prolific Mahi Mahi dish—baked in an ambrosial coconut and macadamia crumb crust and accompanied by a tropical fruit jam, served with fried sweet plantains and sriracha potatoes. “Our relationships with major wholesale fish and seafood distributors in Hawaii are crucial to our efforts in fresh product procurement,” says Olsen. “Cutting out the middle man and working directly with the Hawaiian distributors gives us a competitive edge on prices, fresh auction quality and worldwide reach to access global fisheries.” Mahalo, Chef Olsen for bringing the spirit of Aloha to Sarasota.

Ophelia’s On The Bay is a member of Nosh, the SRQ Magazine content marketing program for local restaurants.

Photo of Tataki Loin of Yellowfin Tuna by Wyatt Kostygan.

Ophelia's On The Bay is accessible by land or via water (Marker 48) 9105 Midnight Pass Rd., Sarasota, 941-349-2212.