RICHARD FRISBIE :: Fish Out Of Water

The South Walton beach town of Santa Rosa Beach is famous for its seafood, as the whole region is. I recently stayed at the next town over, Seaside, (Vera Bradley's Inn By The Sea) and bicycled next door to the WaterColor Resort's famous restaurant "Fish Out of Water". With a name like that I knew I  wasn't ordering a steak! Fish Out Of Water, one of the top 200 restaurants in Florida, is definitely the place to order fish.

We were set up to dine in the wine cellar, a misnomer in that it was on the second floor with a wall of glass doors opening onto a porch overlooking the pool and beach below. The other three walls were covered with wine bottles, creating the perfect environment for our dinner.

The restaurant's policy is to pair ingredients in season, serving the ripest foods available. They'll serve a whole fish, or any part, raw, sautéed or wood grilled. Our server suggested we start our dinner with a selection of seafood appetizers.

In no particular order he delivered:

• A combination plate of red snapper ceveche - sweet and tart with red onions and lemon juice, on a plate with raw sushi-grade tuna tartar and soy vinaigrette, separated by homemade potato chips
• Local raw Apalachicola oysters, briny sweet, with cooked wild shrimp on ice
• Escarole in a bath of warm herb broth, smoky with the taste of anchovies

During the incredibly fresh and delicious seafood appetizers our server explained that the restaurant is committed to serving locally sourced farm fresh and ocean fresh food. They even sponsor Farmer's Dinners with the growers and fishermen who supplied the ingredients sitting at the table talking about restaurant and consumer supported agriculture (RSA & CSA) while you eat.

Of all the salads offered: heirloom tomatoes and watermelon, a spicy radish, parsley and citrus wedge medley, and a Caesar, I had to have the Caesar. When it is done right, and this was - with raw egg, anchovies and loads of Parmesan - it is my favorite salad.

We drank two wines, beginning with a 2005 California Sauvignon Blanc, Star Lane, with its silky bright natural acidity - a star wine definitely! Next a 2007 California Chardonnay, Macon-Villages, smooth - not over-oaked - with hints of citrus and minerals lingering on the palate. Both were perfect with the seafood and salads, but I preferred the Star Lane.

There was a selection of fresh fish on the menu: triggerfish, shrimp, red snapper and pompano along with the usual pork, lamb, beef, pasta and chicken. (What they were doing on the menu of  a restaurant named "Fish out of Water" baffles me!) They all sounded great, but for my entree I chose the Panhandle soft shell blue crab, with a shredded fennel and herb salad and lemon puree. I hadn't had soft-schell crabs all season. Where else but on the coast could I break that fast? The crab was tenderly deep fried to such sweet and juicy crunchiness that I broke it apart and ate it with my fingers. Delicious!

A medley of desserts (if one should care for desserts): a flan, a chocolate soufflé, baked pear and a selection of Sweet Grass Dairy cheeses completed the meal. What a fabulous and beautifully prepared dinner to share - it was great!

Chef de Cuisine Philip R Krajeck
Fish Out Of Water
WaterColor Resort
Fish Out of Water - Water Front Dining in Santa Rosa
A Seafood Restaurant & Lounge Overlooking the Gulf of Mexico
http://www.watercolorresort.com/

Beaches of South Walton
http://www.beachesofsouthwalton.com
Email us: jcox@beachesofsouthwalton.com
Phone: (800) 822-6877; Fax: (850) 267-3943
P.O. Box 1248 Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459-1248

Richard Frisbie, FOOD Correspondent:

RICHARD FRISBIE is published twice a month to Gather Essentials: Food. It is a food junkie's take on growing, raising, preparing and - above all else - eating food. Together we?ll explore the trends, addictions, equipment and regional specialties that make up the sometimes mundane and sometimes sublime cooking and dining experience. You can keep up with my other postings and Gather activity by joining my Gather network -- I look forward to hearing from you.

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