HUNGRY GERALD

Perfect beach day. Bright sun. Cloudless blue sky. Modest breeze making the heat comfortable. Inviting sea. Gentle waves and warm water. HG read Hemingway’s book about Paris, A Moveable Feast. Conclusion one: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ford Madox Ford, Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound were all certifiably crazy. Conclusion Two: HG admires Hemingway’s prose craftsmanship. His account of a trip with Fitzgerald is brilliant. His generosity toward that troubled man is admirable. Despite that, HG finds Hemingway personally unpalatable–homophobic, ludicrously suspect macho. HG/BSK, Haru, Teru and SJ spent much time carousing in the gentle sea. HG ended the glorious beach day with a soak in the hot tub. HG and family were ravenous after hours of fun. So, it was back to reliable Keegan’s in the Indian Shores neighborhood of St. Pete Beach. Seated immediately. HG had the stupendous sea scallop ceviche washed down with an icy beer, Followed by charbroiled octopus. Best ever. Superlatively tender and full of flavor. SJ had a cup of the creamy She Crab Chowder. The group devoured Prince Edward Island mussels, conch fritters, fried calamari, grouper sandwiches, loads of French fries and cole slaw. HG had a generous platter of warm Gulf shrimp dipped in melted butter and dotted with Keegan’s hot sauce. Finished with hearty gumbo. Wonderful food. Friendly, efficient service. Keegan’s never disappoints.

For the last days of HG/BSK/SJ and family’s Florida sun and sea extravaganza the restaurant of choice has been Keegan’s Seafood Grille in the Indian Rocks neighborhood of St. Petersburg’s Gulf Coast. This super casual place is perfect after a beach day. The atmosphere is laid back and joyous. The smiling waitpersons seem glad to see you. However, there’s nothing careless or slipshod about the food. Doing simple things perfectly takes discipline, And, Keegan’s got a disciplined kitchen staff. Oysters arrive perfectly chilled and perfectly shucked (these are the best Gulf oysters HG has ever encountered). “U-Peel-Um” shrimp arrive warm, firm and bursting with flavor, ready for a bath in melted butter enlivened with hot sauce. Grilled or blackened Grouper and Amberjack taste fresh from the sea. There’s succulent, tender octopus (a signature dish). The octopus is steeped in olive oil and garlic, “charbroiled” and finished on “a hot lava stone.” Some outstanding conch dishes: conch salad, cracked conch, conch fritters. An innovative snack of deep fried Jalapeño peppers stuffed with cream cheese and crab. A Greek influenced dish of shrimp, feta cheese and hot peppers served in a terrine. Fried soft shell crab sandwiches. Gumbo (HG found it equal to N’Awlins’ best). Georgia low country She Crab soup. Oyster stew. There’s very good India Pale Ale on tap (no hard liquor is served, alas). Low prices. High spirits. Honest food. Keegan’s got it all.