The Turtle Club at Vanderbilt Beach

Cleverly disguised as a casual beach club at a small resort, the Turtle Club exceeds all expectations to dwell in that vaunted culinary territory known as a local secret. To start with, there's the location, which deserves to be described in triplicate: location, location, location. Not because it's all about location, but because there are gorgeous gulf views from every table of the small, intimate dining room and sunny patio. You CAN order meat here, but the seafood rules. Choose from magnificently crafted temptations such as roasted Chilean sea bass with grilled pineapple, lightly blackened scallops with apricot horseradish glaze and roasted grouper with lump crab and citrus beurre blanc.