If you are headed out the Fort Pierce inlet for a day of offshore fishing, your first stop might well be the 12A buoy, about 10 miles southeast of the inlet, where a friend tells me fishermen often find the baitfish needed to pursue larger catch.

Or, if – like me -- you want to catch a great snapper or grouper dinner without spending a day at sea, you might simply book a table at the 12A Buoy Offshore Grill at the foot of the South Bridge in Fort Pierce, which is currently serving some of the best fresh seafood in these parts.

This restaurant, which opened this past winter in the building previously occupied by 22 Fisherman’s Wharf, is certainly nothing fancy, even by “family restaurant” standards. But some of the simplest dishes prepared by Chef Owen Hartley are so good they make this restaurant almost a “must excursion” for those spending the summer here on the barrier island.

One can start the raves with the appetizers. On our first visit, the bubbly waitress insisted that we try the lobster mac and cheese ($8), a table-sized appetizer of macaroni and asiago cheese baked in a personal-sized skillet with chunks of lobster.

Having never been a big macaroni enthusiast, I tried unsuccessfully to demur. Suffice it to say that on subsequent visits, I have been sorely tempted to order this appetizer as an entrée. It is the best rendition of macaroni and cheese I have ever had in my life, bar none.

Another very tasty appetizer is the shrimp grit cake ($10), which a month ago took second prize in the Best Seafood Cook-off, a fund-raiser staged by the St. Lucie Fishin' Chics. This dish consists of an asiago grit cake topped with succulent shrimp wrapped in apple wood smoked bacon, and finished with a tomato gravy.

Having not realized the size of the appetizers, we also ordered cups of chowder ($3.50). I had the conch chowder, a very nice preparation, and my husband, of course, ordered the New England clam chowder. ‘Twas a good thing he did.

On our first visit, he awarded this creamy, clam-filled concoction a solid 9 – the first given out since the start of this column – and he has ratified his initial impression by sampling it twice more on subsequent visits. Simply put, he says this is the best New England clam chowder he has found in Florida.

For entrees, on our most recent visit I had the blackened scallops ($19), wonderful plump, juicy scallops dredged in blackened seasonings, pan seared and finished in a lobster ginger cream sauce. On previous visits, I enjoyed the offshore pasta ($17), clams, shrimp, and scallops sautéed in wine, garlic and fresh tomatoes served over linguini, and a special-of-the-day dish aptly named “gluttony,” which consisted of excellent fresh grouper and scallops in a tomato cream sauce over pasta.

My husband on our most recent visit had the ahi tuna ($19), a beautiful piece of sesame encrusted tuna, seared and served rare with ponzu sauce, wasabi and ginger. On an earlier visit, he ordered the yellowtail snapper ($20), a butterflied snapper pan seared and then roasted in a lime basil oil blended with wine, garlic, olives, capers, scallions and sun-dried tomatoes.

Incidentally, if you decide to visit 12A Buoy and one member of your party is not into fresh seafood, you should have no hesitation about the steaks. My husband on one visit had the 12 ounce Black Angus New York strip ($17) topped with compound butter, and pronounced it first rate.

That also augers well for the surf and turf, because our companion on two visits had the Florida lobster tail ($20), a beautiful tail which on both occasions appeared to well exceed the promised 8 ounces.

For dessert, on all visits the choice was the homemade key lime pie ($4), a nice, tart mousse-like mixture set atop a thick graham cracker crust. (The other dessert choice is a homemade peanut butter pie.)

One other item worth noting is the interesting, though very limited, wine list. On two occasions, we chose the most expensive chardonnay offered – a Louisvale Reserve ($32) – and on one occasion the most expensive cabernet sauvignon on the menu, the Miguel Torress Santa Digna from Chile (18). Both were quite decent.

Helped by the wine prices, a family of three can have an excellent dinner, including appetizer and dessert, for about $100 before tip. A great value. And oh, did I mention the lobster mac and cheese.

I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at tina@verobeach32963.com .

The reviewer dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.

Hours: Wednesday through Monday (closed Tuesdays)

Open for lunch from 11, dinner from 4:30

Bar: Beer and wine.

Address: 21 Fisherman’s Wharf, Fort Pierce

Telephone: 772-672-4524

Review first published: June 4, 2009