How to Order a Fish Sandwich in the Florida Keys

You can find tasty burgers in the islands, but beef isn't why you've come to the Keys. The islands celebrate seafood and nothing says lunch like a fish sandwich served with all the fixings including lettuce, tomato, onion and a cold dill pickle spear. Read on to learn how to order a fish sandwich in the Florida keys.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Hearty appetite

1. Choose your fish. The most common types of fish served in the Keys are grouper, yellowtail snapper and dolphin (mahi-mahi to some and dorado to others, but certainly not Flipper). All are mild and delicious with yellowtail being the sweetest of the fish. Grouper is a more heavy bodied fish, but mild and flakey. Dolphin is a firm fish, but still mild and delicious.
2. Try it fried. The traditional fried fish sandwich is battered and deep fried and served with tartar sauce. A variation on the fried fish sandwich is the coconut fried sandwich often served with a mango chutney sauce.
3. Understand that ordering your sandwich sauteed means it will be dipped in egg wash, coated with flour and pan fried.
4. Know that when served grilled, the fish is cooked over an open flame and served with tartar sauce.
5. Keep in mind that another popular choice is the blackened sandwich. The fish is coated with blackening spices, though rarely cooked in the traditional cast iron skillet.

Tips & Warnings

• Should you find yourself in Islamorada, stop by Lazy Days restaurant at Mile Marker 80 for a Lazy Days fish sandwich. The fish is coated with Japanese breadcrumbs, cooked on a flat top stove, topped off with diced tomatoes, scallions, Parmesan cheese and key lime butter. Delicious!