Grilled Fish with a Side of Sand

I had not been to the beach in almost a month. So I was eager to get into my swimsuit, tee shirt, sarong and flip flops and get out there.

We decided to go to a different beach today. This beach has umbrellas, tents, lounge chairs and a restaurant, so it's a little more populated. My iPod and I went for a long walk while Aaron and the kids tested the waves (warmer now, but too wild) and dug into the sand. Without their usual group of friends, the kids got bored and started asking for food.

We'd heard good things about the restaurant, and thought we'd give it a try for dinner. It's essentially a shack, made up of clapboard and straw walls and a tin roof. You eat in a somewhat enclosed area, but your feet are still in the sand and the wind off the ocean is relentless. The little tables are covered with worn vinyl cloths, stapled on or else they'd fly away. The chairs look like they were part of someone's patio set, circa 1979, with rusting metal and sad, sagging cushions. I did not get a look into the kitchen, and I'm not sure I ever want to. Some things are best unknown.

The menu was promising - until we found out that they were out of beef, lamb, chicken, and most fish choices. We ordered three fish dinners - one dourad and two capitane, and as Aaron said, "We'll just see what we get. " We got the dourad; not sure what the other two fish were. Still, I can't complain. For about $8, you get a huge plate with grilled fish, rice, lots of vegetables and French fries. And a little sand. It can't be avoided.

Alex's face lit up when the server gave him his plate; the fish were whole - head, tail and all. He fell out of his chair laughing. "He still has a head!" he shrieked. Then he proceeded to have a conversation with the fish, picking it up and moving the mouth. "Now I am going to eat you!" he said with an evil laugh, and dug in. He picked up his fork and knife and went to town on the fish tail before Aaron stopped him. "Let's start with the middle, ok? That's where the meat is."

I know plenty of kids who would turn up their noses at a fish staring at them from their plate, but not our little boy. It was a proud moment.