USS Nemo: Luscious, Globally-Inspired Fin Fare by Renowned Chef Nicolas Mercier in Naples, FL

Local Clams from Pine Island Sound, near Fort Myers.

Fish Tacos are excellent!

USS Nemo, the legendary upscale Naples seafood-centric establishment has built its reputation delighting diners for 14 years with some of the most innovative preparations of the freshest seafood in the area.Chef/Owner Nicolas Mercier, a native of Montreal, Canada, always wanted his own restaurant, drawing on the passion his mother had for cooking in the home. As a child in Canada, Nicolas sought opportunities to work in restaurants and learn the trade.

Nicolas was fortunate to work under the great chefs of Canada, and credits his mentors, and his mother for taking his love of cooking, desire for perfection and discriminating taste to the next level, where he would showcase his own brand of flavorful cuisine with a personality all its own.

Chef Nicolas opened his first restaurant in Quebec City at age 23 in 1989. Drawing on that success, the partnership opened a second restaurant few years later.

After 10 successful years, Nicolas sold his partnership interest looking to establish a restaurant and new life in the United States. After an extensive search for locales where his talents would be appreciated, Nicolas and his wife, Nathalie Savoie, decided on Naples. U.S.S Nemo was opened in 2000.

A recent menu featured the following, in addition to daily specials:

Soups: Corn and Fish Chowder with fresh fish, clam juice, bacon, and vegetables, and Creamy Maine Lobster Soup with saffron, sherry and lobster.

Appetizers included Blue Crab Cakes with yogurt-dill raita sauce, and mango chutney, Veal Sweetbreads, Tuna Tataki, Seafood and Seaweed Trio (three seaweed salads topped withsea bass, lobster tempura and salmon), Goat Cheese and Tuna Tartare with avocado, and garlic crouton, Seafood Ceviche with sea bass, shrimp, salmon, grilled pineapple and lime, Sauteed Calamari with tomato sauce, Seared Day Boat Scallops, Foie Gras, and Pacific Oysters with sweet and sour, amuzu-ponzu sauce, fresno chilies, among others.

Signature dish, the Sea Bass.

USS Nemo features steamed King Crab Legs, local clams from Pine Island, and a selection of Mini Tacos, including Spicy Tuna with wasabi guacamole, Fish Taco, Braised Pork, and Peking Duck with hoisin sauce, cucumber and scallion. A personal favorite are the Salmon Tartare Bites on Belgian endive with lemon, Dijon, and capers.

Smaller Salads include: Seaweed with wakame, cucumber and hijiki, rice vinegar and sesame oil dressing, Tomato and Blue Cheese with red onion, oregano, extra virgin oil and red wine vinegar, Goat Cheese and Pears with spring mix and caramelized nut, honey and tarragon dressing, Caesar, and more.

Famous Dinner Salads include: Grilled Snapper with baby greens and herbs, tomato, olive, parmesan cheese, and dijon mustard dressing, Tuna Tataki Salad with spinach, orange, cucumber, ceviche, seaweed beans sprout and a creamy Asian dressing, Sashimi Salad with tuna and salmon sashimi with spinach, cucumber, tomato, watermelon, orange and kimchee dressing, Grilled Swordfish Milos with cucumber and tomato, onions, feta cheese, spring-mix, watermelon, olives, oregano red wine vinegar dressing, Indian Spiced Shrimp with baby lettuces, grilled mango, papaya, red peppers, and tamarind fruity dressing, and Grilled Salmon Salad with crisp spinach, bean sprouts,carrot, Belgian endives, miso dressing and tomato oil.

Nemo also features a selection of “Cru” “Raw” Plates “Crudo” in Italian, essentially Mediterranean-style Sashimi, including: Tuna with Green Apple, Black Garlic, Fleur de Sel, Truffle Oil, Salmon with Watermelon, Daikon Sprouts, Tobiko, Wasabi Mayo, and Sea Scallops with Grapefruit, EVOO, Fleur de Sel, Radish, and Fennel Pollen. Yum! Light, exquisitely fresh, and delicious!

For land-lubbers, your ship has come in too at USS Nemo! The extensive menu features Sauteed Veal Sweetbreads with leek fondue, portobello mushroom, carrots, mashed potato, bourbon-molasses natural sauce, Duo of Lamb (Braised lamb and roasted lamb chops) with creamy polenta, Moroccan spices roasted vegetables natural jus, Bearnaise emulsion, Asian-Style Admiral Tso’s Chicken (tempura or sautéed) with marinated chicken breast in sweet and sour sauce, steamed rice and wok stir-fry vegetables, Vegetarian Dinner with Miso glazed tofu, steamed rice, Asian vegetables stir-fry, water chestnut, and ginger-soy reduction, New York Strip (grilled, blackened or Pittsburgh style) served with mashed potato, grilled asparagus, onion tempura and your choice of Bordelaise, peppercorn or olive oil emulsion béarnaise, Grilled Beef Tenderloin with mashed potato or hand cut French Fries, braised vegetables.

The extensive seafood selection includes: Nemo’ signature dish: Miso Broiled Sea Bass with citrus-ginger butter sauce, steamed rice, asparagus , carrot tempura (can be done with Salmon as well), Seafood Fettuccine with lobster, shrimp, clams, tomato sauce, wine, Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, Grilled Swordfish Cioppino with saffron crab risotto, scallops, shrimp, chorizo in a grilled tomato and red wine broth with bok choy, asparagus, spinach, and shiitake, and Pan Seared Grouper with a mushroom crust, sauteed chard, risotto and a silky natural and grape sauce, Volcano Grilled Swordfish grilled filet topped with a melting Asian aioli, natural sauce, wok vegetables, and steamed rice, Wood Grilled Branzino with sauteed artichokes, pesto potato , feta and a tomato, olive and pine nut warm vinaigrette, Grouper Mixed Grill with grilled calamari and shrimp, asparagus, fennel grilled tomato sauce, feta, and balsamic glaze, Macadamia Nut Encrusted Mahi-Mahi with papaya- rum butter sauce, sweet potato gratin,coconut green beans, and grilled pineapple salsa, Seared U8 Diver Scallops with leek fondue, goat cheese polenta, bitter cacao, pork belly, black garlic emulsion, and citrus beurre blanc, Blackened Tandoori Fish (salmon or mahi-mahi) with yogurt-cumin and dill sauce, rice, mango chutney, sauteed green beans and cherry tomatoes, Homemade Lobster Ravioli with butternut squash and cream truffle sauce, pecorino cheese and butter poached lobster, Sauteed Filet of Mediterranean Bass with beans cassoulet, seared foie gras, apple tempura and pomegranate infused veal reduction, Grilled Scottish Salmon red wine-star anise reduction, vegetable risotto, braised pearl onion and sautéed spinach, Florida Keys Hog Fish artichoke, sundried cherry, tomato, olive, capers ragout, cheese quinoa cake, and French haricot, Grilled 1 1/2 Pound Maine Lobster with crab risotto and braised bok-choy & mushrooms, drawn butter & our best dipping sauces selection, and Prime Tuna with warm goat cheese, roasted tomato puree, grilled asparagus,lobster risotto and balsamic reduction, and Seared with three choices of seasonings: EAST: pan seared, Asian crust, baby bok choy, shiitake, fruity miso-soy sauce and side of steamed rice, WEST: peppercorn crust, mushrooms, asparagus mashed potato, sauteed garlic spinach, and cognac demi-glace, and INDIAN: blackened tandoori spices, yogurt raita and dill sauce rice, mango chutney, and sauteed green beans.

USS Nemo is without question one of Florida’s finest seafood establishments, with global and most notably Asian influences to the freshest seafood imaginable.