Is It Really Grouper?

-Back in February, we tested 10 samples from Gulf Coast restaurants and markets. Only one D-N-A tested as real grouper. Read on to see what we reel in this time!

When Wintzell's Oyster House in Mobile put up signs like "Got Grouper. We do" and "G the Grouper Get it here," it was an open invitation to test. Bob Omainsky says he figured we would test his fish eventually. "I thought you would have tested us the first go round when you did your original sampling." So, we bought an entr-e and sent it to the lab. It turns out, Wintzell's grouper did D-N-A test as the real deal. Omainsky says they trust their supplier. "It's a reflection of our character. It's a reflection of who we are as a restaurant."

News 5 also found real D-N-A tested grouper at Boudreaux's Seafood Market in Gulf Shores. Randy Boudreaux was thrilled we picked his place! "I knew I wasn't the bad guy this time. That's why, when you did it the last time I was like I wish she would have came in here." He goes on to say that it might cost less to substitute but it's not worth it to him. "To save a little money, I could have bought a fish 4 or 5 dollars cheaper per pound and fooled 95 percent of the people."

We served up two real grouper samples. Now, it's time to hear about the rest that didn't pass the test. First, there's Fresh Market Seafood in Gulf Shores. Our D-N-A results show their sample was a snapper! Owner Hal Wallace showed us the box labeled grouper and says it wasn't his fault. "It would have to be the supplier mixing it up. It's coming out of Mexico. So it's a long way before it gets to us as far as being caught." Wallace points out that at least his sample is a Gulf Coast catch not a fish from the other side of the world!

We also bought grouper from Sidelines Sports Bar on Pensacola Beach, DIP Seafood Market in Mobile, Marina Oyster barn in Pensacola and Doc's Seafood Shack in Gulf Shores. They all D-N-A tested as Asian catfish!

Doc's owner J Schenck says they realized they were selling a substitute after watching our original report in February. "It was imported grouper is what we thought until ya'll brought the story up and then we started asking questions just like you did." Schenck has a handful of restaurants and claims they're in the process of changing the name of their product from grouper to white fish. "We changed our menus based on ya'll stories that's what I was doing so." News 5's Tiffany Craig says, "So it just so happened this was the last one you were changing and this is the one we tested-" Scheck replies, "Yeah."

Our next Asian catfish sample came from Sidelines Sports Bar. The owners wouldn't go on camera but say they're taking grouper off the menu too. They admitted knowing that we were testing again after seeing our camera outside the restaurant. Interestingly enough, they're also the owners of a place called Maria's Fresh Seafood market in Pensacola. If you recall, Maria's was the only sample that D-N-A tested as real grouper in February.

Dale Rooks from Marina Oyster Barn showed us his invoices and claims he had no idea it wasn't the real thing. "I don't feel like I am guilty of misleading the public because as I say, my invoices say grouper and I was under the impression that I was serving grouper." Rooks says he's grateful for our testing and promises to look into the problem. "I will either get a grouper I know is grouper or change the menu to say grouper cousin or something to that effect."

D-I-P Seafood Market had no comment even after several phone calls and a certified letter for reaction to our D-N-A test results.

Our final stop was Captain Ron's restaurant in Mobile. Their grouper item D-N-A tested as Asian catfish too! Owner Jonathon Tate agreed to talk about our finding. "I don't know what your complaint is. If you're insinuating that anybody is intentionally deceiving someone then you're bordering slander." Tate says his menu clearly spells out that they will substitute another fish if they run out of grouper. Tiffany Craig says, "When I showed you the results of the testing from what we bought here. Is that grouper or a substitute-" Tate replies, "It's a substitute." The only problem is that we ordered our entr-e over the phone; no one mentioned we might not get grouper! "So when Channel 5 came down here that day we just got luck of the draw-" asks Tiffany. Tate responds, "You just happened to get your order at a time that it was exhausted. I mean I buy a lot of fish. In the unlikely event, you just happened to be the unlikely time."

Three months after our first grouper testing, something is still fishy. This time, only two out of 8 grouper samples turned out to be the real deal.














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