WITH OVER 13 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, WE'RE HRT EXPERTS.
Did you know that more than 40% of adults in the United States suffer from obesity? Unfortunately, there is no miracle cure for this condition. Perhaps worse is that more and more adults and children are gaining weight across the country, choosing the convenience of fast and nutrition-deficient foods over healthy eating, exercise, and positive life choices. From an aesthetic standpoint, being overweight is a struggle - clothes don't fit right, people make uncomfortable comments about how you look, and everyday activities are less appealing.
From a health and wellness standpoint, however, being obese is much worse. Your life is literally on the line. The people who love you and depend on you to be in their lives could lose you sooner than you expect. With time, you have a higher chance of suffering from significant, life-changing issues such as:
While obesity is a serious problem, a new medication on the market is giving hope to millions of men and women across the U.S. This game-changing treatment is called Semaglutide in Rockaway, FL. This anti-obesity medication is unique because it treats obesity as a chronic metabolic disease, rather than a problem that can be solved through sheer willpower. The best part? Semaglutide and other medical weight-loss peptides are now available at Global Life Rejuvenation.
At Global Life Rejuvenation, we understand that losing weight is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Our medical weight loss clinic offers custom medical weight loss plans tailored to your body, rather than plans based solely on your age or weight. In fact, our team of doctors and practitioners provides personalized guidance to help you achieve real results and live a healthier life.
Because the truth is maintaining good health and fitness are crucial in the modern world. Research has shown that viruses and diseases are more likely to affect those who are overweight and unhealthy. At Global Life Rejuvenation, we take a comprehensive, custom approach to medical weight loss that includes peptide therapy and more. We then work with you to make positive lifestyle changes, so you can lose weight, get healthy, and boost your wellbeing permanently - not for a few weeks or months.
If you're ready to get back to loving your life with more energy, confidence, and positivity, medical weight loss with peptide therapy may be for you. But to truly understand the benefits of peptides like Semaglutide, it's important you grasp what peptide therapy is and how it benefits your body.
Many individuals turn to peptide therapy to enhance their overall wellbeing by boosting hormones. Different types of peptides can target different areas of health, such as collagen peptides that can help improve skin, hair, and gut health.
Other peptides, such as AOD 9604, CJC 1295, and Semaglutide in Rockaway, FL, are incredibly beneficial for losing weight. Compared to vitamin supplements, peptide therapy works differently as peptides are already part of the proteins in our bodies, making them easier to absorb and benefit from. Conversely, our bodies can sometimes fail to absorb all the nutrients present in multivitamins, leading to their excretion through urine.
However, it's important to note that weight loss is a complex process that involves various factors like age, genetics, lifestyle, exercise, and diet. While peptides like Semaglutide can provide much-needed assistance in achieving your weight loss goals, they are most effective when combined with healthy dietary choices, regular exercise routines, and overall healthier lifestyle choices.
If you've already tried different weight loss plans and diets but haven't had any success, medical weight loss with peptide therapy may provide that extra boost you need to realize your goals.
If you're looking to lose weight and keep it off, diet and exercise are important, but it can be difficult to stick to a routine. For busy adults and parents, Semaglutide can be a helpful tool for weight loss. This injection, approved by the FDA for diabetes and obesity, works by stimulating GLP-1 receptors in the brain to aid in weight loss and improve long-term health.
You may be wondering to yourself, "That sounds great, but how does this type of peptide work?" Semaglutide acts like glucagon in your body, which signals to your brain that you're full and don't need to eat anymore. When you take Semaglutide, and you try to overeat, your body waves a proverbial red flag as if to say, "That's enough."
Semaglutide also slows down digestion, reducing unnecessary snacking throughout the day. By reducing glucose spikes after meals, it reduces inflammation, which is important for overall health. Additionally, Semaglutide helps your pancreas secrete insulin, regulates the glucose levels in your body, and even has anti-aging and longevity properties. If you're struggling to lose weight, peptide therapies for weight loss like Semaglutide can be an invaluable addition to your weight loss plan from Global Life Rejuvenation.
When combined with healthy lifestyle choices like diet and exercise, Semaglutide can help provide:
There are multiple medications available to combat obesity by suppressing appetite and promoting weight loss. However, Semaglutide stands out as an exceptional option.
A recent study of 2,000 obese adults examined the effects of Semaglutide when combined with a diet and exercise program. The results were compared to those who only made lifestyle changes without taking Semaglutide. After 68 weeks, it was found that half of the participants using Semaglutide lost 15% of their body weight, with nearly a third losing 20%. In contrast, those who only made lifestyle changes lost an average of 2.4% of their weight.
It's obvious, then, that Semaglutide is a safe and effective supplement for your weight loss journey with Global Life Rejuvenation. But who is the ideal patient who should be taking it?
If you have a body mass index (BMI) of 27kg/m2 or higher and at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol, or if your BMI is 30kg/m2 or higher, the FDA recommends Semaglutide for weight loss.
As medical weight loss experts, one thing our doctors and practitioners know at Global Life Rejuvenation is that true weight loss isn't dictated by medicines. It's achieved by sticking to a combo of exercise, healthy life choices, and healthy eating habits. From there, peptides like Semaglutide in Rockaway, FL are great for taking your weight loss efforts to the next level of success.
One area where many patients fail in this process is with their diet. If you're considering Semaglutide treatment, keep these diet tips in mind.
To enhance your dietary habits, a practical approach is to concentrate on consuming whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. These food items are rich in nutrients and can provide a feeling of fullness and satisfaction while also promoting your overall wellbeing.
Eating mindfully involves being fully present and engaged during meals. This entails taking the time to enjoy the flavor of your food, being aware of your body's hunger and fullness signals, and avoiding distractions like electronics or television.
To maintain good health and support weight loss, it's crucial to drink plenty of water. It's recommended to drink at least 8-10 cups of water daily. You may also try adding low-calorie drinks like herbal tea or infused water to keep things interesting.
Planning your meals in advance is an effective approach to maintaining a healthy diet. Set aside some time each week to plan your meals and snacks, keeping in mind to incorporate a balance of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. This will prevent impulsive food choices and guarantee that you have nutritious options available when hunger strikes.
Unlike many medical weight loss clinics, which only offer cookie-cutter weight loss plans and one or two additional fat-busting solutions, Global Life Rejuvenation provides access to new, innovative supplements and medicines. If you're used to fad diets and "quick" weight loss plans, peptides like AOD 9604 and others may be new to you. To help build your foundation of healthy living knowledge, let's take a look at a few of the most popular weight-loss peptides and medicines available at Global Life Rejuvenation.
Often combined with Semaglutide regimens, AOD 9604 is known to promote fat breakdown, inhibit lipogenesis, and support tendons and cartilage. However, most recently, it has gained popularity due to its ability to boost metabolism and aid in burning fat.
What sets AOD 9604 apart is that it stimulates the pituitary gland without affecting tissue growth or blood sugar levels. Additionally, it can burn fat without causing overeating, making it a viable option for obese men and women who are trying to implement better eating habits.
Interestingly, AOD 9604 activates your body's fat-burning processes without requiring an HGH receptor. It also releases obese fat cells and reduces the accumulation of new fat cells. By helping to regulate blood sugar and manage insulin levels, AOD 9604 is excellent for weight loss but also for other maladies like inflammation.
Some conditions that this powerful peptide can help address include the following:
This medical weight loss supplement Is technically a combo of two peptides. These substances work by stimulating your pituitary gland to produce more of your body's natural human growth hormone, which is secreted during both waking and sleeping periods.
This results in increased protein synthesis and levels of insulin-like growth factors. As hormone secretagogues, they help release hormones into circulation while mimicking the pituitary gland's production. Extensive research has been conducted on the effects of CJC 1295 and Ipamorelin. As a tool for medical weight loss, it has shown very promising results.
That's because when growth hormone levels increase, nutrients are transported through the body faster, more fat is burned, and weight management becomes simpler. Additionally, because CJC 1295 and Ipamorelin increase the amount of growth hormone in your body, it stimulates the breakdown of triglycerides in adipocytes, leading to improved fat metabolism and reduced abdominal fat.
Benefits of CJC 1295 and Ipamorelin for weight loss include:
A Methionine Inositol Choline (MIC) injection is a mixture of lipotropics that aid in fat breakdown. The key components - methionine, inositol, and choline - work together to metabolize fat cells and eliminate stored fat deposits in the liver and body. Methionine is an important amino acid, inositol contributes to proper cell formation, and choline is a water-soluble nutrient that promotes healthy liver function. When combined, these compounds may help reduce body fat.
When used in conjunction with a medical weight loss plan from Global Life Rejuvenation, MIC injections can be a powerful addition to reclaiming your health and wellbeing.
Request AppointmentLike other weight loss peptides and medicines on this page, Phentermine can help you lose weight when you stick to a medical weight loss plan that includes dieting, exercise, and smart life choices. It does so by reducing your appetite, which limits the number of calories you eat every day.
As is the case with Semaglutide, Phentermine has been approved by the FDA and is supported by clinical studies that show it can support weight loss. With time, patience, and healthy living, this supplement may help you reach your wellness goals sooner than you thought possible.
Request Appointment
In the body, 7-keto-DHEA is produced from dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which is a hormone made by glands near your kidneys. However, unlike DHEA, 7-keto-DHEA is not converted into androgen and estrogen in your body. Instead, 7-keto-DHEA is used orally or topically to boost your body's metabolism. It also helps convert more of your energy into heat, instead of storing it in your body as fat, which can accumulate with time and lifestyle choices.
Much like Semaglutide treatment in Rockaway, FL, 7-keto-DHEA has been shown to be very effective for weight loss as well as a host of other issues. Additional benefits of taking 7-keto-DHEA may include the following:
Have you tried everything under the sun to try and eliminate the cellulite on your legs, arms, and other areas of your body? If you're like most people, getting rid of cellulite isn't just difficult - it's nearly impossible. Fortunately, those days are over. Lipo Sculpt Cream from Global Life Rejuvenation can help reduce the unsightly appearance of cellulite while also refining your figure and firming up your skin.
The active ingredients in this product have the ability to reduce and prevent the growth of fatty tissue while also improving microcirculation. They work together to treat both adipose and aqueous cellulite, and aid in the elimination of fatty deposits and excess water stored in the tissues. This results in a reduction of dimples and an overall improvement in the appearance of your skin.
If you have experienced success with a medical weight loss plan and reached your target weight but still suffer from cellulite, Lipo Sculpt Cream is a fantastic choice to consider. A few of the most common benefits include:
Are you craving a productive life at a healthy weight? Are you ready to make a meaningful difference in your life and the lives of your loved ones? The pathway to wellbeing starts by contacting our office for an in-depth consultation, where we'll learn more about your weight-loss goals and needs.
From there, we'll create a custom weight-loss plan tailored to your body. This plan will map out the steps of your weight-loss journey, including peptide therapies like Semaglutide in Rockaway, FL. Though every person's weight management goals are different, when you're a patient at Global Life Rejuvenation, you benefit from dedicated doctors and practitioners committed to improving your weight and, in turn, your health.
Whether your health is on the line, or you don't like how being overweight makes you look and feel, our team is ready to guide you toward long-term health and happiness. This way, you can get healthy, stay in shape, and fall in love with your newfound body.
Call Us 866.793.9933
...
It awaits approval, but a lot at 106-02 Rockaway Beach Blvd. is slated to become Storage Fox, with a six-story, 135,719-square-foot facility in Queens, New York City (below). The NYC Building Department and the MTA are revisiting the building plans and construction may start in March.Plans include seven accessory parking spaces on the first floor, three loading docks on Beach 106th Street and 83 attended public parking spaces. Storage Fox previous sold its ...
It awaits approval, but a lot at 106-02 Rockaway Beach Blvd. is slated to become Storage Fox, with a six-story, 135,719-square-foot facility in Queens, New York City (below). The NYC Building Department and the MTA are revisiting the building plans and construction may start in March.
Plans include seven accessory parking spaces on the first floor, three loading docks on Beach 106th Street and 83 attended public parking spaces. Storage Fox previous sold its four NYC storage facilities to Clutter in 2019 for $152 million.
Source: The Rockawave
StoreNow, which owns and operates self-storage facilities in and surrounding Indianapolis, IN, hopes to expand by a little over 3 acres. The Hancock County Area Plan Commission met with Russell Brown, a lawyer for Store Now, last week. The commission is working with Store Now on the latter’s New Palestine Self Storage location at the corner of U.S. 52 and CR 400W. The plans call for eight new storage buildings totaling nearly 40,000 square feet as well as a nearby half-acre city pond. The expansion would almost double the size of the company’s location outside of New Palestine. Source: Daily Reporter
A Lock Up Self Storage building may be coming to Wellington, FL on land off State Road 7 that once had been zoned for medical offices. It would be a new three-story building behind Cheddar’s restaurant a mile north of Forest Hill Boulevard. The project goes before the Wellington Village Council soon. Also, 50-plus lockers would be made available for wine storage, with capacity from 16 cases of wine to more than 100. Source: The Town-Crier
In Pennsylvania, the Cumberland Township Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a final land development plan for Interchange Storage, which is for 13 self-storage buildings on 15.2 acres on Solomon Road. Source: Gettysburg Times
Bristol Pike Storage LLC, a developer, seeks to consolidate three land parcels in Bristol Township, PA into a 3.57-acre site with a four-story self-storage building, with 30,348 square feet of space on each level, totaling 121,392 square feet. Source: Levittown Now
Diversified Properties, based in New Jersey, broke ground on a seven-building, 495-unit self-storage facility in Montgomery, NY, about 80 miles north of New York City (above). The facility will have one two-story building totaling 39,000 NRSF plus six single-story structures, each with 6,900 NRSF. Morris Construction Management is overseeing the building project. It’s scheduled to be finished by October. CubeSmart is the proposed operator. Source: REBusinessOnline
Extra Space Storage has started redevelopment of a long-vacant former location of a Kmart store at 360 W. National Road in Englewood, OH into a self-storage facility. The store, built in the early 1970s, closed in July 2016. In late 2022, the developer pushed for retrofitting of the existing 84,000-square-foot building into self-storage units. It will include storage units with indoor accessibility plus an outdoor area for boat and RV storage. Source: Dayton Daily News
A new self-storage facility is coming to 850 Marietta St. in South Bend, IN. Holladay Properties is converting an industrial site there into a 39,990-square-foot building. Store Space Self Storage will manage the business, expected to open in Q2. It will have four buildings with 183 climate-controlled units and 165 drive-up units. Source: REBusinessOnline
Metro Storage opened a new self-storage site with 675 units at 3286 Barclay Ave. in Spring Hill, FL. It has a three-story building with climate-controlled units plus two single-story buildings with standard units and drive-up capability. It also has 114 parking units, with 83 for covered RV and boat parking spots, plus 31 car parking spaces. Metro Storage owns and operates more than 85 properties in 12 states, totaling more than 61 million rentable square feet. Source: Metro Storage LLC
New York City announced Rockaway Beach was closed Saturday because of shark sightings, just days after a 16-year-old surfer was bitten off Fire Island.The teenager was able to walk out of the water Wednesday after being bitten about 60 feet offshore at Kismet Beach, authorities said, with a four-inch laceration on his foot. The teen was the sixth Long Island beachgoer to experience a shark attack this summer.Shark interactions from Massachusetts to Florida have beachgoers — and local officials — fearful this summer....
New York City announced Rockaway Beach was closed Saturday because of shark sightings, just days after a 16-year-old surfer was bitten off Fire Island.
The teenager was able to walk out of the water Wednesday after being bitten about 60 feet offshore at Kismet Beach, authorities said, with a four-inch laceration on his foot. The teen was the sixth Long Island beachgoer to experience a shark attack this summer.
Shark interactions from Massachusetts to Florida have beachgoers — and local officials — fearful this summer. From red flags on Long Island to closed beaches in Boston and shark patrols in Miami, the prospect of shark danger is enough to make even the most ardent shore-lover cautious about the water.
Last weekend, a 40-year-old woman was bitten on the leg, presumably by a shark, while wading in Daytona Beach Shores, according to the Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue. On Tuesday, all Rockaway beaches in New York City were closed following multiple shark sightings, police said.
"These people were probably just in or near the food source," Greg Metger, a researcher with the Shark Research and Education Program at the South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center in Long Island, told CBS New York. "These sharks are very used to bumping into large things trying to get their food."
Bites have been reported on both coasts, with five on Long Island reported in two weeks, one of which injured a surfer and another a lifeguard. A 62-year-old swimmer in California suffered major injuries to his stomach, arm and leg in an attack last month.
But the danger might not be what it seems.
Last year, only one person in the U.S. died from an unprovoked shark attack: A man who was boogie boarding in California's Morro Bay on Christmas Eve. Researchers with the International Shark Attack File recorded 73 unprovoked incidents last year, an uptick from the decade-low 52 bites in 2020 but closer to the five-year global average of 72 annually.
Unless you regularly worry about getting hit by lightning during a summer storm, thoughts of a vacation shark bite shouldn't prey on your mind. According to the Shark Attack File, 1 in 79,746 people will be struck by lightning and die — much higher than the risk of dying from a shark attack, which is 1 in more than 3.7 million. And data compiled by conservation group Defenders of Wildlife highlights that bees kill more people every year, as do cows — 53 and 22, respectively.
Historically, sharks haven't been anywhere close to the potentially deadliest part of your vacation. Many, many more Americans will die on the road — nearly 43,000 in 2021, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates, which put last year at the deadliest on record since 2005 for people on the roads. In 2020, the fatality rate for motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. was 11.7 per 100,000 people, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — ranging from 4.9 in Massachusetts to 25.4 in Mississippi.
The lifetime risk of dying from an auto accident is 1 in 84, according to the Shark Attack File, part of the Florida Museum. In comparison, people have a 1 in 5 chance of dying of heart disease and a 1 in 7 chance of dying of cancer, the organization calculates.
And water activities have other dangers besides sharks. Nearly 4,000 people in the U.S. die from drowning every year, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, many of them children. An additional 8,000 end up in the emergency room.
But there's a reason stories about shark attacks seem to be everywhere. More shark attacks are reported in the U.S. than any other country — 60% — and 38% of all the shark attacks globally in 2021 occurred in Florida, according to the Shark Attack File.
And experts say that's in part a case of mistaken identity. In a study published last October, researchers found juvenile great whites, for example, cannot significantly differentiate between humans swimming, humans paddling surfboards and prey like sea lions and seals, especially as they're still learning what constitutes food.
But a bite that doesn't kill a swimmer can still have tragic consequences. A Florida 17-year-old was scalloping off the coast of Keaton Beach near Tallahassee earlier this month when what witnesses said was a nine-foot shark approached and bit her. Though Addison Bethea's brother, Rhett Willingham, managed to pull her to safety, CBS Miami reported she was set to have her leg amputated above the knee.
As in Bethea's case, bites often don't kill.
"It's very common that the shark attack is not fatal," Christopher Paparo, manager of the Marine Science Center at Stony Brook-Southampton, told CBS News. "The reason for that is they're not trying to eat us."
And Bethea said she'll still venture into the water.
"Don't be scared of the ocean. I had so many people comment on my Instagram saying, 'I'm so scared of the ocean now'. But I'm still going to get in the ocean when I heal and get better. I'm still going to do what I love, don't just let fear overtake your life," she said.
Sharks might concern vacationers and tourists, but experts say they're a sign conservation efforts are working after shark populations crashed by the 1970s, thanks to overfishing and pollution.
"Beginning in the early to mid '90s, we started to work on this problem and say we really need to have the shark population back into healthy condition," Bob Hueter, chief scientist at OCEARCH, told CBS New York.
When top predators like sharks disappear, Hueter said, that has an effect on the ecosystem's other layers.
"When you cut that top layer off you end up losing things, sometimes even the whole habitat," Hueter said.
In recent years, efforts to restore the waters off New York City are bearing fruit. "Our ocean beaches, the Long Island Sound, a lot of these places have gotten much, much better in the last couple of years," said Paparo. "If there are sharks in your area, it means it's a healthy ecosystem."
...
Special for USA TODAYThe scene: Thirty-four years ago, a Quebec native went on vacation to Florida's beautiful Clearwater Beach, just north of St. Petersburg. Like many others over the years, Michael Preston fell in love with the sand, sun and surf, never looked back and never went home. Instead, he started cooking, specifically grouper sandwiches, and today "Frenchy" is the city's most beloved restaurateur, with five eateries and the hip, retro 15-room boutique Frenchy's Oasis Motel. Each of ...
Special for USA TODAY
The scene: Thirty-four years ago, a Quebec native went on vacation to Florida's beautiful Clearwater Beach, just north of St. Petersburg. Like many others over the years, Michael Preston fell in love with the sand, sun and surf, never looked back and never went home. Instead, he started cooking, specifically grouper sandwiches, and today "Frenchy" is the city's most beloved restaurateur, with five eateries and the hip, retro 15-room boutique Frenchy's Oasis Motel. Each of these six establishments is different and unique, but they share one important thing in common: Frenchy's famous grouper sandwiches.
Rockaway Grill is probably the most appealing to tourists, because it sits smack on the sand, with outdoor tables and the smell of salt in the air. You sit inches from the sand, and the shack-like building is an open-air structure by virtue of missing parts of the walls, with a stage for bands, things hanging from the ceiling and fake sharks and Corona beer signage hung as decorations. Inside, the tables are all colorfully hand-painted and outside, they are all simple white plastic. Lots of umbrella-laden mai tais, pina coladas and rum runners go by on trays and everything is pastel and breezy, inside and out. If you sit under one of the beachfront al fresco umbrellas, you can watch the scene on Clearwater's famous beach, and see the waters from which Frenchy's grouper came. It's the kind of place that screams "vacation" and there are many loyal customers who come to Clearwater for a week or two each year and make Frenchy's their first and last stop. They have been missing the taste for a year, and a week later it is the last thing they want to remember from their trip.
Reason to visit: Grouper sandwiches (Original, Cajun, Buffalo, Reuben), "she-crab" soup, fish spread, grouper eggrolls
The food: The menu at Frenchy's Rockaway Grill is huge, running the gamut from baby back ribs and surf and turf to burgers, fried clam baskets and several entrée-sized salads. But looking around, I didn't see anyone eating anything but one of the myriad variations on grouper sandwiches and their many very popular appetizers. These are equally diverse, from conch fritters to hot wings, cheesy fries to grilled octopus, but again, for the most part the grouper-based specialties sing. The unique grouper egg rolls, stuffed with the same seasoned fish as the Cajun grilled sandwich, along with black beans, corn, cilantro and Jack cheese is a very Southwestern take on the Asian eggroll. There are breaded fried grouper nuggets with tartar sauce and grouper tamales. Notable non-grouper exceptions include the seafood ceviche, a fresh and delicious towering mound of snapper, shrimp and bay scallops marinated in citrus juices with chopped onion, jalapeno, garlic and red peppers, plus the unusual addition of cabbage which gives it an interesting crunchy contrast. This comes topped with sweet potato chips, perfect for scooping the fish. In a similar vein there is raw marinated tuna poke, Hawaiian style.
Two must-try signature apps sans grouper are the house-made fish spread, a tasty seafood pate served with crackers, and the rich she-crab soup, the No. 1 seller here (at two other Frenchy's locations, gumbo and Cajun conch chowder are the most popular signature soups). It is actually made with snow crab, not she-crab, but in the style of the Carolina specialty, and very rich with a lot of crab, butter and cream.
The grouper sandwich is a local specialty on the Gulf Coast of Florida, where the fish, always wild-caught, thrives. Grouper is a meaty white fish, but it is very light in texture and mild in taste, and its key culinary characteristic is that it absorbs seasonings very well – it's sort of the tofu of the ocean. When Frenchy arrived from Quebec, he did not invent the genre, but he perfected it.
There are three important things that set Frenchy's apart from myriad other grouper dispensaries in the region. First, because of its flavor-absorption qualities, it is perfect for the seasoned butter he fries the original version in, which adds richness and taste. Secondly, he added his signature soft, large onion roll, a transplant from his Montreal deli childhood, which works far better than the standard hamburger or bulky roll, with the right tender texture for the delicate fish and just enough roasted onion flavor. But most importantly, Preston realized early on that he had to control the quality of his own ingredients, and started a seafood company, with his own fleet of between 8-11 boats under exclusive contract.
"Farm to table is a hot concept now but it's what we've been doing forever," says Preston, adding that "some things are just regional: lobster tastes better in Maine, and grouper tastes better here."
Recently, the news has been full of horrific stories of widespread seafood fraud in this country, and grouper is one of the most commonly faked fish. In what became known as the "Florida grouper scandal of 2006," investigators found that of hundreds of tons of farmed, frozen and quite possibly drug- and chemical-laced Asian catfish had been used widely in area restaurants as a cheap substitute for the advertised grouper. Even today grouper remains a highly suspect species, and one of the big appeals of Frenchy's eateries is that they are generally considered above suspicion – and it shows in the flavor. He can trace every fish from the moment it is caught to when it is served, and doesn't stop there. Despite the humble shack appearance, the specialty here is from-scratch cooking, and everything from the tamales to tartar sauce to the habanero hot sauce on the table is made in-house. The cole slaw, also made fresh and offered as a side, is very good as well.
The original grouper sandwich that put Frenchy's on the map is the same as it was in 1980, fried in seasoned butter and served on an onion roll with cheese. It is delightful, a thick but light slab of fried fish. Throughout the decades many new variants were introduced – and I tried them all. In terms of popularity the original runs neck-and-neck with the grilled and Cajun grilled models, and of these three, the Cajun was my favorite, with the original a close second. Because grouper is so conducive to seasoning, the slightly spicy and deeply flavored Cajun is perfect. While less popular, I also loved the Buffalo-style, which is batter-fried and topped with hot wing sauce and bleu cheese dressing.
While they sell less of them, nothing on the menu has the cult-like following of the unique grouper Reuben, whose loyal fans order nothing else, and this seems to be the favorite of the annual vacationers who make a Frenchy's pilgrimage an essential part of their visit. It is grilled grouper on toasted marble rye with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing, and while I don't like Thousand Island dressing, it is very good (and messy) and I can see the appeal. All the sandwiches come with high-quality kettle chips, and you can upgrade to fries, but these are pretty bland so sticking with the chips is a better bet. If you are not in the mood for a sandwich but want to see what all the fuss is about, there is also grouper jambalaya, grouper Santorini, jerk grouper filet, and baked stuffed grouper.
Frenchy's is as much a beachfront bar as restaurant, and has a separate and elaborate menu of tropical cocktails, from Bahama Mama to Goombay Smash, frozen or on the rocks, plus a full slate of beer and wine. It's the kind of place where you might linger long after your grouper is gone, especially if you can score a table around sunset.
Pilgrimage-worthy?: Yes, if you are in the greater Tampa/St.Pete/Clearwater area: this is THE place to try a very popular regional specialty.
Rating: Yum! (Scale: Blah, OK, Mmmm, Yum!, OMG!)
Price: $$ ($ cheap, $$ moderate, $$$ expensive)
Details: 7 Rockaway Street, Clearwater Beach; 727-446-4844; frenchysonline.com/locations/frenchys-rockaway
Larry Olmsted has been writing about food and travel for more than 15 years. An avid eater and cook, he has attended cooking classes in Italy, judged a barbecue contest and once dined with Julia Child. Follow him on Twitter, @TravelFoodGuy, and if there's a unique American eatery you think he should visit, send him an e-mail at [email protected]. Some of the venues reviewed by this column provided complimentary services.
