Perched on a broad curve of crystalline sand, open to the air and overlooking the blue gulf, Frenchy's is almost always busy, maybe partly because its grouper sandwich is second to none. The reason? The restaurant's owners operate their own fishing fleet. The boats dock at Clearwater Beach each morning; you can watch them offload what later will be in your grouper sandwich. These guys know how to cook it, too. I prefer it fried, with a luscious, crunchy crust encasing mild fish, but you can also order it grilled, broiled, Cajun-style or pan-fried, or even Reuben-style, complete with sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing and Swiss cheese.
Frenchy's Rockaway Grill, 7 Rockaway St., Clearwater Beach, 727-446-4844 or www.frenchysonline.com.
This article appears in Sep 25 – Oct 1, 2003.