Reviewed by Sara Matthis
Special Sections Editor

A Fish Sandwich Primer

For some people, visiting the Keys isn’t about taking a simple vacation. It's a quest
to find the perfect fish sandwich served in an authentic Keys restaurant on the waterfront.

The sandwich I’m talking can be blackened or grilled, but is usually best appreciated when it’s fried golden brown with just the right amount of breading and breaks open with only the smallest pressure to reveal moist and fresh grouper or dolphin.

There are many, many wonderful restaurants in the Keys. Some are fancy and some are landlocked. In the quest for the perfect fish sandwich, I’ve narrowed the field by imposing some parameters — otherwise we'd be here all day.

• The sandwich must cost around $7.
• The sandwich must be served to diners sitting at a wooden picnic table.
• The sandwich must be eaten in full view of the open water.

• Hogfish Bar and Grill, 293- 4041, downtown Stock lsland. Owned and operated by the same folks that bring us Geiger Key, Hogfish Bar and Grill is known for its hogfish sandwich — foodies say it has a lighter and brighter taste than grouper or dolphin. This place has plenty of local ambiance and live entertainment in a not-easy-to-be-found locale. Take MacDonald Avenue to 4th Avenue and make a right. Make a left on Front Street and drive almost to the end. Although this is the only restaurant on the list that doesn't have an open ocean view, its other qualities — good food, funny characters and working-class dockside vessels — more than make up for it.