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TRIDENT
A marsh is a precipice between two worlds.
Where the sea greets the land with the ebbs and flows of its tidal waves.
Where grass grows in the sea and strange creatures crawl from its depths.
A seamless boundary between sea and sky is indistinguishable by day,
and evenings are ablaze with its fiery paintings.
Overlooking the bay in Panacea, Trident is perched on this pristine edge of Florida's forgotten coast. Low tide reveals oyster beds and the tops of submerged crab traps as they dot the landscape. Pelicans, cormorants, and the occasional bald eagle soar overhead. Jealous mullet jump for the skies to join them, but always make their splashes. Redfish tail in the shallows, incessantly chasing their prey. At dusk, crabbers skirt across the bay returning to home port after a long day's haul, and as sunset colors fade to the night sky, skiffs with bright lights set out to hunt for flounder.
This is the real, old Florida.
Southern food has always been about comfort, as it should be.
Trident aims to gently nudge your perspective.
Our vision is to showcase historically southern ingredients,
and present them in an interesting and unique way.
A southern spin on comfortable fine dining.
How did you find yourself at Trident; by land or by sea?
Dock your boat, park the golf cart, or lean your bicycle against the fence.
Step through the doors and find yourself under the sun or under the sea. Trident's walls are floor-to-ceiling windows, so whether you're seated at the pecan-top bar or submersed in the ocean dining room, every seat has a spectacular view to remember Florida's forgotten coast.
Trident is brought to you by the creative minds of brothers,
Jesse and Tyler Rice, along with their lifelong friend Taylor Harrell.
Panacea & Poseidon
People flocked to Panacea in the early 1900's; not only for the blue crabs, fresh oysters, and mullet seineyards; but also for the rejuvenating mineral springs found in the area. In honor of the curative properties of these natural springs, the community was named Panacea in 1893 after the
Greek goddess of universal remedy or "cure-all."
Legend has it Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, would create springs by striking the earth with his trident. So in the spirit of keeping mythology and tradition alive, we chose to name our little backwoods oasis TRIDENT.
The Legacy
Rice brothers, Jesse and Tyler, grew up on a 10-acre farm and spent their teens working at a local joint, Backwoods Pizza, in downtown Sopchoppy. They did everything from tossing dough to washing dishes. This eventually led to Jesse opening Backwoods Bistro in the same building in 2006 and serving the community for over 6 years.
After years of growth, in 2012 he moved the bistro to Tallahassee and their childhood friend Taylor Harrell joined the team. In Tallahassee, Backwoods Bistro featured local music on the stage and delicious food on the table.
Where nobody was a stranger, and reggae brunch was epic.
In 2016 the team expanded again when Tyler moved home from working overseas as an engineer, and the team created Backwoods Crossing on the east side of Tallahassee. The farm-and-table restaurant sits on a 4-acre farm which is home to chickens, turkeys, rabbits, abundant fruit trees, heirloom vegetables, and a dozen honey bee hives. The menu features locally sourced ingredients and focuses on sustainability.
In 2020 the crew decided to sell Backwoods Bistro,
and make their way back to their coastal roots.
TRIDENT is born