TAMPA Fla. Columbia Restaurant Group here has removed grouper from the menus of its seven restaurants in Florida in the wake of shortages and news of some suppliers and restaurateurs attempting to pass off other species as the popular white fish.
"We are taking a pro-active response to the difficulty in meeting the demand for authentic Florida grouper by taking all grouper items off of our menu," said Richard Gonzmart, president and member for the Columbia Restaurant Group. "We will offer grouper as a special only if we receive the entire fish from our supplier, not just a filet; this way ensuring that we know we are serving what we say we're serving."
Grouper is popular among because diners because of its mild flavor and white, flaky meat. Florida is known for grouper because it's caught in the coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico.
The Florida Attorney General's office recently tested fish sold as grouper at 24 restaurants in the Tampa area and found that 17 served a different fish.
"We will never compromise our family's name and reputation by serving our guests any kind of substitute item. If we say it is grouper, it will be grouper caught in Florida," Gonzmart said.
The family-owned Columbia Restaurant Group was founded in 1905. Besides the flagship location in Tampa's historic Ybor City, it has locations in Sarasota, St. Augustine, St. Petersburg, Clearwater Beach, Celebration and West Palm Beach.