Summer means seafood

By F.C. FOODIE

For many residents, the turning of the calendar page to May means getting ready for the annual trek to the beach. A recent study confirmed that many of the folks who make the journey to the the Florida Panhandle and their beach bungalows are from our corner of the world.

Last week, Foodie took a trip to the area and offers several dining suggestions to compliment the surf and sun.

• Bonefish Grill, across from The Destin Commons in Destin. Since it opened less than two years ago, this outpost of a small chain has been doing bang-up business. Waits of an hour or more are common, but here’s an inside tip. Although the restaurant doesn’t take reservations, call and asked to be put on the waiting list. They’ll give you an approximate time and arrive shortly before and you won’t endure a long line.

The seafood is wonderful, including wonderful salmon and swordfish. The “must have” item on the menu is Bang-Bang Shrimp. Served with a fiery sauce, the lightly-fried shrimp are amazing.

The staff is friendly, the decor is warm and it’s one of the better restaurants in the region.

• Angler’s on the pier at Okaloosa Island. Every beach town has one of these restaurants that shoot off the cannon at sunset so the tourists can applaud. This is a joint for you to walk in and share an appetizer or tow, along with a cold libation. The views of the Gulf are amazing and the boiled shrimp are decent.

Slightly east of Destin, lies one of my favorite places-Seaside. The Disney-esque village served as the backdrop for “The Truman Show,’ and it still inspires real-life fantasies to this day.

• Bud and Alley’s was one of the first restaurants to pop up in the village, and it serves one of the best amberjack sandwiches around. The atmosphere is great, and it also offers a stunning view of the emerald Coast.

My last pick is slightly outside Seaside, on the way back to Destin. The restaurant is Pandora’s in Grayton Beach, and it’s the sister restaurant of the original Pandora’s in Fort Walton Beach. The steaks are great, along with any of the charcoal-grilled fish specialties.

So, as you head to the beach, remember Foodie’s summer suggestions, and you won’t be disappointed.