fake grouper all around
tommySo, which local restaurant serves the best grouper?
Seventeen of 24 Tampa Bay area restaurants tested last year by the Florida Attorney General’s Office advertised grouper on menus but served some other fish.
You just don’t know if it’s grouper any more - or maybe we never did. Thing is, we can’t really get mad at the restaurants. The fish suppliers are selling fake grouper to the restaurants. Or the importers are selling fake grouper to the suppliers.
A good sandwich with fresh grouper from the Gulf of Mexico is gonna cost you at least $10.00, and likely close to $15. If you pay less than that, you are probably eating something else.
You may just want to stick with the Cuban Sandwich.
Loading ...
January 31st, 2007 at 8:06 am
Or, you know, patronize the places that are honest.
January 31st, 2007 at 8:19 am
How about a listing of honest places?
January 31st, 2007 at 8:31 am
If you eat at Dockside Dave’s or Walt’z on John’s Pass you can watch the Grouper come in off the boat- that is a pretty good sign it’s real grouper and that it’s fresh! It does cost you but is oh so worth it! Beware of a $6 grouper sandwich.
January 31st, 2007 at 8:40 am
I have every intention of providing a list of places that were found to have real grouper. Once the AG is finished with the investigation, I would imagine they will share the information.
In the meantime, we’ll ask Matt to keep an eye on this subject, and we’ll ask you to let us know what you know, as “anonymous 8:31″ did above.
January 31st, 2007 at 9:03 am
I have been sorely disappointed with seafood generally in the Tampa area. Too few places are serving truly fresh fish. If it comes from Thailand, from an honest supplier, it may be Grouper but it isn’t fresh.
January 31st, 2007 at 9:08 am
WingHouse serves a “grouper teammate” sandwich that is swai, another Asian catfish.
Customers know that “grouper teammate” is not really a grouper, he said. “It’s all a fun joke.”
Wow, not only did WingHouse steal the wings, boobs, and uniforms from Hooters, they stole the Grouper’s Cousin joke off the menu! How has this place not been sued?
January 31st, 2007 at 9:31 am
grouper per se has absolutely no flavor, so why bother? those who say they like it actually like:
a/mayonnaise
b/tartar sauce (see a)
c/lemon
January 31st, 2007 at 9:49 am
The Hurricane on Pass-a-Grille, Frenchy’s in Clearwater Beach, Guppy’s in Indian Rocks, Dockside Dave’s serve real grouper. You will pay a $10-15 for it but it is worth it!
January 31st, 2007 at 11:57 am
Damn, I’m starting to get hungry, off to Frenchy’s.
January 31st, 2007 at 12:46 pm
At least you can tell whether a Cubano is for real. Hey Tim, WingHouse has way better food than Hooters, which already sued and lost.
January 31st, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Maybe I am not getting it but really if it takes a dna test to tell if it is real grouper you are eating maybe it doesn’t really matter? I mean if it tastes so similar that an actual test must be performed to see it you aren’t eating the real thing then why care if it is real or not?
January 31st, 2007 at 12:59 pm
“off to Frenchy’s.”
mmmm, woody’s sounds good right now too. The only place I eat everything fried.
January 31st, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Good point Jason. The most annoying habit of visitors to Hawaii from a kama aina (resident) point of view is hearing someone ask the wait staff about a fish dish “Does it taste fishy?” If you don’t want your fish to taste like fish, order chicken-it’s already been factory farmed into a tasteless mass for you.
January 31st, 2007 at 6:10 pm
My goodness…just when I think there’s nothing left in the world to worry about. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined this. Interesting post…now I’m starving…
February 15th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Woody’s rocks! The price is well worth the real grouper. Get the grouper nuggets!! It is sure to please.
February 21st, 2007 at 1:37 pm
The problem is, commercial fishing is attacked on all fronts in Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC) are regulating fishermen into extinction and reallocating the fish stocks to recreational fishermen. The FWC says “consumers are irrelevant” so you can break out the chopsticks for some chinese catfish which is usually what is substituted for grouper.
June 7th, 2007 at 11:24 pm
Went to Molly Goodhead’s in Ozona (6-7-07) and both my husband and I ordered the grouper. It was clearly NOT grouper. Left the resturant after informing manager.