If you order smoked fish dip in Southeast Florida, you will receive a homemade fish dip—usually made with smoked kingfish, mackerel, trout, amberjack, or marlin—that resembles tuna salad but tastes even better: smoky and smooth, with occasional spice if jalapeños or pepperoncinis are tossed in. It is usually served with saltine crackers and lemon. This menu mainstay is a must if you see it, and you will—it’s seen just as often on pub menus as in seafood restaurants.
Where: Hurricane Alley (529 E. Ocean Ave., map) in Boynton Beach serves a fantastic marlin dip in fun, casual surrounds.
When: Sun-Thurs, 11am-11pm (kitchen closes 10pm); Fri-Sat, 11am-midnight (kitchen closes 11pm)
Order: The homemade smoked marlin fish dip ($9.95), made with generous amounts of jalapeños, is served with saltines and touted by the menu as “the real deal.” We agree. Also consider the mahi-mahi sandwich here.
Alternatively: Try it at the always-excellent Tarks of Dania Beach (1317 S. Federal Hwy, map), a divey seafood joint in Dania or, also in Dania, at the historic and very good Dockers Bar & Cafe (318 N Federal Hwy, map). Further south, try the Blue Marlin Fish House (2500 NE 163rd St., map) in North Miami Beach, where the dip is served with tortilla chips or in salads (and smoked fish in general, in platters or sandwiches, is a hot item).
