Lion fish on the menu in the Bahamas?

[bdachow]

For some strange reason, I've been noticing an uptick in articles about restaurants serving lionfish. With the latest being the Chicago Tribune.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/...

It mentions a couple of restaurants in the Bahamas that serve it on their menu if it's available. I am curious what the local chowhounds think about it and what their favourite preparation method is? I'm coming into Nassau on a cruise ship closer to the end of the month and would be interested in trying that and conch (sadly I only have a Saturday in Nassau). I've seen the conch thread and am likely to try and hit the stalls under the bridge for maximum chow in minimal travel. Is it worth it to try and search out a place that serves lionfish as well or is it nothing special?

Thanks in advance!!

[Swamp Lady]

I realize you have taken your trip already however, for anyone that is looking for info on Lion Fish...it is great. Lion Fish are destroying the reefs and need to be controlled. The Bahamian government has put a bounty on the fish. If you go when fishermen are doing a large fishing trip they will have a fish fry on the beach. Last one I heard of was on Bimini.

[phelana]

I applaud anyone serving Lionfish. Keep in mind the Bahamian's who are killing the Lionfish are also killing the Grouper which presently is the only known predator OF the Lionfish so stop eating Grouper, please.

[Veggo]

I am not aware of any documentation that grouper prey on lionfish - can you provide an authoritative reference? Thanks.

[phelana]

http://www.floridasportsman.com/casts/10051/
http://www.bonairetalk.com/newsgroup/...

If you google it you will find many references...

[Veggo]

Interesting but not conclusive. More of a wish and a hope. In any event, adult nassau grouper are not the best for eating and I wholeheartedly agree with leaving them alone. They are like the mockingbirds of the sea, and fun to play with on dives.
My disconnect with lionfish is that something so spectacularly beautiful (and they are) can be such a menace.
I have friends in Trinidad & Tobago, www.sea2table.com, who supplied the lionfish to the Chicago restaurants in the OP article, and they sold well as a novelty experiment to the limousine liberals, but it is simply too expensive to develop a stateside market for their consumption.