Huzzah! The monthlong ban on commercial fishing for grouper in the Gulf is almost over. Oh, what a time of Dickensian deprivation it has been, a time of trembling tourists lifting their pitifully empty cups to stern seafood chefs, and pleading, "Please, sir, may I have some more grouper?" And harder hearts than mine have broken at the site of so many beggars huddled along the roadsides, some waving empty fishhooks, others holding aloft crudely fashioned cardboard signs bearing the pathetic plea: "I have no grouper fingers. Please help!" Damn, damn the accursed ban that broke thus the spirits of our once-proud people!
Soon, all this hardship will be but a memory, and we can return, once again, to joyfully devouring all the denizens of the deep. So, in the spirit of seasonal celebration, I direct you to Snapper's, a St. Pete Beach restaurant that's been redesigned and is just now reopening (door handles and outside signs haven't even been installed yet) as a pretty little bistro packed with plenty of eye candy. The building design is infinitely attractive, from the stained-glass panel of frolicking fish that functions as a door, to the stunning brushed aluminum sculpture that divides the dining room into intimate spaces. Cobalt blue abounds, from glasses and plates to tiny lights that descend over each table, making sure you can read the menu even in romantic darkness.
Snapper's presents food with the same sure eye for beauty, dressing blue plates with bright spring greens and a sprinkle of carrot and red cabbage confetti, while painting white plates with broad brushstrokes of red, green and gold salsas and sauces. But beauty is only skin deep. It takes fresh ingredients and skillful cooking to catch my fancy, and Snapper's reeled me in like a big-mouthed bass. Chef/owner Dan Casey, who calls himself a "loco fisherman," has plenty of experienced help in the kitchen. Chef Troy McCoulagh, formerly of Native Seafood, and chef Kimberly Cox, formerly of Salt Rock Grill, helped prepare fresh Atlantic fish, like grouper, tuna, mahi mahi, red snapper — and, a nod to British tourists — haddock.
Gotta have grouper? It's stuffed with scallops, shrimp and crab and bathed in a mild white sauce that lets the seafood's own flavor be the center of attention. (Market price; I paid $16.95) but there's more than grouper swimming in the sea beyond our shores. My favorite choice was a daily special, a broad, thin filet of sweet mahi mahi, crusted with roughly chopped cashews and coconut, pan-fried and served on a plate painted with three zesty sauces ($13.95). It was sweet, crusty, crunchy, tender and oh, so "yum."
An entree of wild Atlantic salmon, iced, not frozen, and air-shipped ($11.95) included a big, juicy filet of flavorful fish grilled over an oak fire, served with a large mound of mashed potatoes and a salad of romaine with Caesar-style dressing and a sprinkle of Parmesan. The fish was delish. I've had enough salmon drowning under seas of unctuous sauces, thank you. Give me this simple preparation that amplifies the salmon's clean, fresh flavor.
The Fisherman's Trio ($13.95) includes a handful of tiny sea scallops, a large fillet of haddock and four shrimp, all broiled with a little butter and a sprinkle of paprika, then served on a plate painted with lemon cream sauce. The tiny scallops were a special treat, seared outside, sweet and moist inside.
Appetizers boast plenty of snappy flavors, all sized for sharing. Try broiled mushroom caps stuffed with crab, green scallions, white cheese and sour cream, then topped with a slice of sun-dried tomato ($4.95). An order of coconut shrimp ($6.95) was a treat to the eye and the tongue. A pretty-as-a-picture serving of four butterflied shrimp, fried till the coconut coating was toasted and tan, came served with a tangy fruit dipping sauce.
The best dish I had hides out under the appetizer category. It's four big strips of tuna, crusted with cracked pepper, seared over an oak fire, lavished with a delicious and imaginative blueberry teriyaki sauce. It's served with spring greens, cucumber slices and sushi-style pickled ginger, on a plate coated with a trio of sauces. ($7.95) The serving is large enough for an entree, delicious enough to order again and again and again.
Carnivores, fear not. You'll be suitably impressed with the veal and pork meatloaf, or oak-grilled steak. A commendable wine list offers good reserve labels, with many bottles between $21 and $35. Only four are currently available by the glass, but this will expand as the refitting is completed.
With only chocolate chip cannoli and Key lime pie currently available, I skipped dessert, but I won't skip returning to Snapper's to watch it develop. As with any new endeavor, some fine-tuning is needed, especially in timing. Entrees should not arrive in the midst of appetizers. Side dishes need to be as snappy as the food. Lose the plain mashed potatoes and Caesar-style salad. Both have grown boring and predictable. Show us something as fresh and snappy as the seafood, perhaps a cool, crispy Asian slaw or green papaya salad, and Bay area residents will gladly beat a path to this beach bistro long after the tourists have retreated.
Grab Your Glass! It's almost time for one of my favorite events, the annual wine festival at The Grapevine at Westchase, sponsored in part by Westchase Women's Club, and benefiting The Children's Home. You'll taste more than 60 wines, including many higher-tier labels, along with excellent food created by chef Ron Debonis of Luna Di Mare, the Wyndham Harbour Island Hotel's restaurant. The event takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 24, at Westchase Square, 12125 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, and tickets cost $20 in advance (two for $35) or $25 a person at the door. Call 813-818-9463 for tickets and directions.
This article appears in Feb 15-21, 2001.