Maybe it was the ridiculously perfect hair, the ocean blue shirt emblazoned with sea creatures, or the fact that the dude pictured in the skyscraping poster -- I'm assuming it's that Harvey fellow -- is mimicking the "Here's your silver platter, sir" gesture of a butler -- but whatever it was that terrified me, I silently thanked my own neighborhood, as I often do, for sparing me from these kinds of eatertainment tourist traps.
But then I Googled Guy Harvey, and, well, shit: It turns out, the man's a marine biologist, conservationist, scientist, world famous marine life artist and restaurateur with a whole lot of fish feedlots on his bankroll -- a stand-up kinda guy, in other words. With a conscience.
And he's opening a new concept at the Shops at Northfield Stapleton in the fall, not far from Toby Keith's I Love That Bar & Grill, which is skedded to open in September, much to the chagrin, it seems, to just about everyone. Holy hillbilly, you people are mean.
But while there's no "Toby," the mechanical bull at Guy Harvey's Perfect Spot Bar & Grille, there's still shtick. The 5,500-square-foot restaurant, new to the Guy Harvey brand, will emphasize a fishing cabin theme (naturally) bedecked with fresh water fish mounts, Harvey's own fish art, 30 televisions, all of which will be tuned to A River Runs Through It sports, log walls and a fireplace to ensure warmth after a day hooking trout on the St. Vrain.
What I do like, however, about Harvey's forthcoming restaurant is his refusal to serve certain species of fish that are threatened by overfishing. By opening restaurants in several different markets, Harvey says he "aspires to educate and increase awareness of conservation both above and below our precious waters. We can continue fishing without depleting various species of fish for future generations." That likely means you won't find bluefin tuna, Nassau grouper or Chilean sea bass on the menu.
But fish fingers, fried calamari and clam strips? Oh, yes.
