The Hurricane

809 Gulf Way St Pete Beach, FL 33706
Tel: 727- 360-9558

The Hurricane restaurant stands stalwart and majestic amid the calm breezes of the cozy neighborhood of Passe a Grille in St. Pete Beach.  With views of the beach across the street, it is the spot to take yourself for a brief getaway from the stressors of real life.  The food is pretty typical seaside fare, but it is a good value for the quality and quantity. The grouper sandwich is surely something to write home about and no doubt a lasting memory for out of towners. We went there this weekend and just to be different, I tried the Shrimp Po Boy. Other entrees we sampled were the tilapia Fish and Chips and the BLT.  The Po Boy had a chipolte mayo that gave it a little zip, and the shrimp was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.  The fish had the same qualities and both dishes included cole slaw.  The cole slaw wasn't dazzling, but my son's choice of fruit was fresh and sweet.  The BLT was awesome with plenty of bacon. The cuban bread elevated this layered trio to a whole new level. A street music festival called "Pop Goes the Beach" was cranking up as we arrived.  It was fun, but I prefer walking along the beach, checking out the side street shops and relaxing with a cocktail at the Hurricane as a salty breeze wafts by. Prices are reasonable at the under $10.

The Frog Pond

16909 Gulf Boulevard, N. Redington Beach Tel. 727-392-4117

The Frog Pond is more than just a local hangout. Snowbirds soar in from far and wide to have a great big breakfast, brunch or lunch for less than $10. The food is good and it should be. Their specialty is breakfast and it's what American wives have been cooking for their families since eggs, bacon and pancakes became our Sunday morning specialty.

Service is good, maybe the boys are a little silly, but that goes with the whole beach, vacation atmosphere. Not to mention the frog decor. Every size, shape and color created from every material you can imagine is crowded on the dark green walls or sitting on the shelves.

The coffee isn't hot enough and one of my friends traded hers in for a tea, but our meals were fine. We all ordered scrambled eggs with different sides: corned beef hash, turkey bacon and real bacon on the side. Grits were okay and the toast was toast. The homemade strawberry jam, on the other hand, was very flavorful.

Always crowded, except maybe around 2pm on weekdays, but the wait is never a long one so take a drive up the beaches one Sunday morning, stop at this wellknown restaurant and experience a little Americana.

The Healthy Hut

595 Corey Avenue, St. Pete Beach, FL. Tel. 727-363-4488

What do you think about beer and wine in a healthfood store?

Let's see...healthy alcohol? Could that be considered an 'oximoron'?

I think so.

Anyway, I was over on the beach yesterday getting some sea air and decided to drop by the Healthy Hut to buy some ginger, the candied kind. Of course, I should have headed straight for the register but didn't. Silly me. Anyway, you know how it is when you're in a food store and it's almost dinner time, you're hungry but you don't really know it. So by the time I'd finished strolling around I was $18 lighter. My mistake was walking to the rear of the store where the prepared foods and cafe are located. If you haven't experienced the Hut and like to eat (doesn't everybody) the store is a short stroll or shorter ride on Corey west of the Beach Theatre. It's a good place to drop in for a healthy breakfast, lunch or dinner. The food is tasty and more than that, interesting.

What did $18 buy? A very small container of tabouli, a Napoleon (yum), a

3"x 3" square of vegetable lasagna for $6.87 and some ginger. That's it.

Out of my mind? Well, it was fun.

Guppy's on the Beach Grill and Bar

1701 Gulf Blvd. Indian Rocks Beach, FL. 33785 Tel. 727-593-2032

Since Dune has decided to review restaurants in North Pinellas let me chime in with Guppy's Grill. First, don't get your hopes up. They are NOT on the beach, rather across the street. Like so many restaurants in Florida, they would LOVE to be ON the beach, but alas.....

Now, about the atmosphere, very nice. I like to sit outside in their very casual and pleasant environment. White plastic tables and chairs, nothing fancy. I've spent many a lunch hour on Guppy's patio over the years and never once disappointed.

If you're into shellfish this is the place for you. Shrimp every which way, lobster, escargot AND lobster, cape cod sea scallops. It's all here and we're just talking appetizers. Moving down to entrees you'll find salmon, grouper, tuna, crab cakes and more. Cost is not prohibitive but very reasonable. Appetizer and entree together will cost between $17 and $30. There are also salads and sandwiches to choose from for just $9.

The food is very fresh and tasty, the staff is always welcoming and if you get there at the right time of year, sitting on the patio is the best. You can smell that sea air and feel the breeze, even if you can't quite see it.

Frenchy's Rockaway Grill

7 Rockaway Street, Clearwater Beach, FL
Tel: 727-446-4844

Having grown up in St. Petersburg, I always thought the Hurricane was the best place to eat a grouper sandwich. A recent trip to Clearwater Beach with a friend, who guaranteed my satisfaction, changed my mind completely. Frenchy's Rockaway Grill is perched directly on the beach, making a fantastic view for diners. I did a little asking around before the trek out there and heard more than once that I should order the She Crab Soup and either the grouper bites or the grouper sandwich. The soup was beyond my expectations and if I make it out there again will definitely be my first course. An appetizer not to be missed are the conch fritters. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and just a slight bite from something spicy in the mix. The grouper is available a myriad of ways. The one I tasted had delicious caribbean spices and was cooked to perfection. My side salad was fresh and dressed well. The atmosphere is as you would expect it to be with a casual, with a fun and flirty flair. We got there early and were seated right away, but by the time we left the lunch crowd was waiting in a winding line outside the door. Prices were reasonable for a seafood joint, starting around $5 and ending at $21. Now I feel like going out to Pass a Grille Beach for a comparison taste test.