We took the Access Auburn foodie road show to Destin, Florida, this week and sampled some beach cuisine so you won't get burned on your beach trip this summer.

The bad news is you can expect to pay a 20% to 30% premium "resort" rates at every restaurant in the area. The good news is there are many choices and with the trusty smart phone apps, we located dozens of likely candidates nearby and had great luck. We would go back to any of these:

Tommy Bahamas Cafe • Menu

WE HAD: World Famous Coconut Shrimp • Crab Bisque • Bungalow Salad • Macadamia Nut Encrusted Snapper • Key Lime Pie

I have a couple of Tommy Bahamas shirts. I like them. They are comfortable. I did not know Tommy Bahamas was a restaurant, but there is was on my "smart" phone less than a mile from my current location and some unknown reviewer had given it four forks. Actually, we picked another place but a scan of the menu left us cold and we settled for the nearby Tommy B's.

The food was outstanding, the service impeccable, the decor tasteful and relaxing, and the ambiance understated. The prices were more New York, L.A. or Vegas than Destin, but Destin is an upscale town these days. I am ambivalent about Tommy Bahamas Cafe. The food was very good, but it felt more like a carefully tested corporate formula than a chef's vision.

Boathouse Oyster Bar • Menu

WE HAD: Seafood Gumbo • Steamed Shrimp • Crab Claws • Cajun Boiled Peanuts

This place is a dive. This waterfront bar favored by locals has intimate garments draped from the rafters and some of the best seafood anywhere. We are repeat customers and will be back again. The beer is cold, the waitresses have attitudes and it gets loud and raucous as the evening progresses. There is a band some nights. This is a fun dive.

La Famiglia Ristorante • Menu

WE HAD: House Chianti • House Salad with House Italian Dressing • Spaghetti Bolognese • Meat Ravioli with Arrabbiata sauce • Tiramisu

This is another place frequented by locals. La Famiglia Ristorante is Italian for "The Family Restaurant" and that is exactly what this place is. Mama was in the kitchen and daughter Mikela was our server. The family moved to northwest Florida from Rome, Italy. Needless to say, the food was authentic. It was also quite tasty. This is Italian comfort food and we could have had the house salad, the house wine and the delicious hot bread and been satisfied. The entrees were ample and flavorful. We split the dessert and it was still decadent. Anything that good has to be sinful.

Whale's Tail • Menu

WE HAD: Cold Beer • Peel 'N Eat Shrimp • Fish Tacos

The Whale's Tail is on the beach. I mean ON the beach. Come early for dinner. Bring your beach chair. Have a cold beer or something with an umbrella. Take a stroll on the beach. After a while, grab a front-row seat upstairs on the deck to eat some good food and watch the sunset. This is the perfect place to end the day.