Key West - Hog Fish Grill

I hope nobody has a heart attack, but this post talks about the most expensive lunch of our trip. We always hit this place every time we are in the Keys. It is just across the Cow Key channel bridge on stock island, too far to walk, but only minutes from Key West by car. It is called The Hog Fish Grill.

I guess this sculpture is what a hog fish looks like. I've never seen one up close and personal. A lot of folks love the fish caught in the waters around here but I'm not a real big fan, I've tried the grouper and the dolphin. (Carrie's mouth is watering. She loves those flipper sandwiches.)(Carrie edit: Well, I like mahi mahi, but it's not Flipper! LOL)  I prefer shellfish myself. That brings up to my favorite combination, lobster and shrimp.

I believe I have talked about Hog Fish's lobster bisque before.

It is the creamiest and richest tasting I have ever had. It has big old chunks of lobster floating around like icebergs in the North Atlantic.

Nancy had a Caesar salad and I had a garden.

We had both with some fat Gulf Coast pink shrimp on top. We sat at a picnic table on the dock in the warm sun slowly eating this lunchtime feast and throwing the shrimp tails in the water for the fish to fight over. Some other folks saw us doing that and started throwing bread in, The fish weren't interested in that. They were shell fish connoisseurs as well. The total cost was $55 with drinks and tip. This is a real local hangout but I don't have a clue how locals can afford to eat lunch there.

Next door is one of the local seafood retail/wholesale places. You can see the shrimp boat parked out front.

That is why the shrimp is fresh every day. You can have them ship you 5 pounds of shrimp on dry ice overnight to the Midwest for $75. We know, we checked. You can have fresh gulf pinks for your next cook out.

Bon  Ton  Roulett Y'All
Gene and Nancy

“Put it on the coconut telegraph
In twenty-five words or less” --- JB