Star Fish Company Market & Restaurant

Years ago, Sean Murphy of Beach Bistro and eat here fame introduced me to what Old Florida is really about: fishing. In the little enclave known as Cortez Village lives a gem with outdoor picnic tables and one heck of a good, fresh grouper sandwich. It's called Star Fish Company Market & Restaurant.

Best grouper sandwich I know.

On a recent visit with a friend--who first discovered the conch fritters after a diving lesson--the fresh grouper sandwich with homemade tartar sauce was exactly as I remembered. Fresh off the boat, served on delicious roll and accompanied by the smell of fresh water and a view of pelicans swooping by in hopes that nearby jumping fish will make it to their dinner table.

Star Fish Company is a quintessential hole-in-the-wall (make that whole in the dock): Cash-only (no credit cards here) and worth the drive out for the freshest grouper I know of in the area. The conch fritters are addictive and the coleslaw is just darn delicious. I am not a fan of Star Fish's fried food (for which my cholesterol is grateful), other than the soft shell crab sandwich, but the fresh fish, peel-and-eat shrimp and cheesy grits are incredible.

Star Fish Company Market & Restaurant, 12306 46th Street,W. Cortez Village

You'll find British comfort food and amazing scones at Cafe Continental on Siesta Drive.

Also worth noting: Café Continental just opened on Siesta Drive, in the same strip mall as the post office and Andrea's.  While the restaurant is just getting its game on, and the first Sunday it was open for business was a little shaky, the scones are as wonderful as ever and the owners offer true British hospitality and a cozy teapot to boot. There is an English breakfast of bangers and bubble and squeak and fried bread--and did I mention those scones? Leave it to Jack and Beth Littman-Quinn to ride their bikes eight miles to enjoy those scones. I took the car and two pounds on my hips.

Beth and Jack Littman-Quinn rode eight miles for scones!

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