St. Eaters-burg

While Miami grabs the headlines, St. Petersburg has been quietly building an Eden of another sort. This is Florida with a wealth of cultural attractions--museums, symphonies, Broadway shows, and myriad engaging restaurants--attending its 35 miles of beaches. Following are some dining highlights--the most ambitious or evocative eateries in and around the St. Pete beat.

We just made town in time for dinner at Hurricane Restaurant, across from St. Pete Beach, emphasizing abundant seafood and dazzling sunsets. We feasted on spicy chicken wings and perfectly grilled sea grouper. For breakfast, hit Skyway Jack's--the Tiffany's of all-day Breakfast and down-home cooking. Jack's bakes its own biscuits with sausage gravy, smokes its own salmon, and makes its own jam. Lunch at Guppy's, adjacent to Indian Rocks Beach, is a casual, fun affair that attracts couples and families for its al-fresco atmosphere and modestly priced eclectic menu. Another meal becons at the Lobster Pot in Redington Shores, a dinner-only destination that has been serving up good seafood for two decades under the same ownership. The restaurant is steeped in nautica, with one of the better seafood menus around.

For dinner, opt for Madame Ma's, an elegant oriental enclave in Clearwater's Bellevue Mido Resort Hotel, serving a menu of exotic Chinese seafood, beef and duck dishes, as well as decadent desserts.

A sampling of the restaurants in St. Petersburg's recently renovated Renaissance Vinoy Resort (an old-line establishment like they just don't build anymore) is well worth the while. For lighter fare, it's Al Fresco--pub goodies like coconut shrimp, crab cakes, and fruit platters, all nicely done--and the Terrace Room, where you have a more substantial brunch of pork loin, pesto scallops, and smoked trout while overlooking the pool. More serious diners have Marchand's Bar and Grill, the resort's signature restaurant which features Mediterranean cuisine with emphasis on roasting, grilling, and sauteing.

HOW TO GET THERE American Trans Air recently inaugurated flights to St. Petersburg from N.Y.. The route gets special attention, making the short flight a thoroughly pleasant one. For destinations and info call (800) 435-9282.

Nov. 28, 1997