It’s a good sign you’re in for ol’ time Florida fried seafood if your table has paper placemats featuring a map of Florida. That’s the Mid Peninsula Seafood Market and Restaurant (400 49th St. S., St Petersburg, FL 33707; 727-327-8309). Almost all Google reviews agree that fried fish is the specialty of the house; I concur. My last visit there, I had the farm raised fried catfish with hush puppies and rice pilaf (i.e. dirty rice, minus the chicken livers and gizzards). The fry was excellent: light batter, crisp, the fish moist within. This is the place I return to for southern fried seafood.
Mid Peninsula Seafood is a restaurant, but it’s also a fresh fish seafood market. That’s how I first made its acquaintance. I was looking for some crab to make crab cakes and this was where friends sent me. Mid Peninsula Seafood has a pretty large selection of seafood. Of course, as in any seafood market, it’s incumbent upon the buyer to give the cut a thorough sniff test. As I’ve heard countless times, “fresh fish should smell like the sea, not like fish.” Even though Publix, indeed, has pretty darned good fresh fish in its stores, I just enjoy going to a small, independent fish market to get my fish. Cooking isn’t just a matter of expediency, it’s also the totality of the experience. So, for vegetables I like a road-side veggie stand or farmer’s market; for fish, a fish market, especially Mid Peninsula Seafood.
The very informal eat-in restaurant portion has a definite New Orleans motif which fits well with the menu. In addition to fish sandwiches, tacos, and lunches of six different kinds of fish–fried, grilled, or blackened–plus oysters (fried), shrimp, clams, scallops, and chicken (is your mouth watering yet?), they have calamari, crab, gator, and conch. You can get beer and wine in the restaurant. They also have a number of “big orders” for feeding large crowds like tailgate parties. They take major credit cards (important to know, since many St Pete independent businesses do not). Everything is Dine In or Take Out, and they’re open Monday through Saturday, 11 am til 9 pm, closed Sundays…or, as their card says, “Sunday: Gone Fishin!”
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Ahhh, Hilton, now you’ve got my mouth watering for some fried fish. My mama raised me on fried fish — catfish, bass, shellcrackers, and mullet — and I miss having it. Hushpuppies, too, of course. So when I’m in Florida next I’ll have to make a trip to Mid-Peninsula. Maybe you can haul me along with you some time.
I’m wondering if you can even get mullet anymore? Most folks I know think mullet is pretty nasty but I love it. At least the way my mama fixed it.
Marty
Hey, Marty
Oh yeah, mullet is still down here. I’ve not seen it on Mid-Peninsula’s menu that I remember. That may be because I’ve usually seen it smoked and I don’t think they have a smoke-house. I go to Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish for my mullet. Mullet now has tightly regulated seasons when it can be caught and served. What’s a shellcracker? Never heard of that one.
Well, I’m glad to know that mullet can still be had. Something else to look forward to on my return.
Shellcrackers are smallish freshwater fish. I found out their real name is Redear. Who knew?
http://www.dunnsfishfarm.com/fish_types.htm#reddear
I liked fishing when I was a kid but was too squeamish to clean them, but my dad would do that for me. Biggest one I ever caught was an 8 pound bass in Lake Panasasoffkee. He was tasty!
Marty
Reminds me of one of the restaurants I went to with my grandmother when she lived in St Pete
Thanks for dropping by, Bill. Yeah, Mid Peninsula is definitely old St. Pete. Very comfy.
I checked out your website about Michigan City. I’ll bet you’re feeling a bit of cold right about now!
Hilton