An extended stretch of pleasantly warm days and cool nights called for some open-air dining. Plus I found myself in the mood for fish.

It wasn’t hard to find two qualified candidates: Salt Shack on the Bay in Tampa and Trophy Fish in St. Pete. Both restaurants feature dining areas that are covered but not enclosed. Both boast fish from Gulf waters caught that day.

It was our first visit to each place. Enough setup. Let’s do this.

SALT SHACK ON THE BAY

We pulled into the Salt Shack parking lot at 6:30 Tuesday under full darkness. That didn’t last long because the sprawling waterfront complex near the eastern end of the Gandy Bridge is bathed in light. The place is essentially a well-tended, big-ass beach bar.

Our party of three sat at a high-top in the main dining area. We couldn’t see the sand, but we had a nice view of the bridge off to the north. A stiff breeze made me glad I brought along a light jacket. I asked our server — an impressive young woman named Ivana — what the restaurant’s capacity is. She came back in minutes with an answer: 546. That’s … a lot.

The joint was busy, especially for a Tuesday evening. That could’ve had something to do with the Salt Shack making this year’s New York Times list of America’s 50 best restaurants. I ordered the Fresh Fish Basket (grouper, $20), which came with fries. Out of curiosity, I also ordered a side of Jicama Slaw ($4.99), ’cause I’d never had it.

Appearance

About what I expected. A fetching huddle of grouper nuggets and fries, with the requisite lemon wedge and container of tartar sauce — in a basket.

Texture and Taste

Ivana told us that Salt Shack procures its fish fresh everyday from an outfit on Indian Rocks Beach. These nuggets certainly tasted like it. The grouper was superbly moist, not overly flaky, with a mild but substantial flavor. The light breading held together throughout.

The tartar sauce was a nice surprise. It transcended the ordinary by including what my tastebuds told me was horseradish, which added punch.

The fries, long and medium-thick, were adequate. After the first two or three, they were cold — or should I say room temperature — which was curious because the food came out quickly.

The Jicama Slaw combined julienne-cut shafts of the root vegetable with slices of red and green peppers and onions. The dish was remarkable in that it was virtually flavorless. All texture (crunchy), no taste.

TROPHY FISH

When I first saw this restaurant crop up in St. Pete’s Grand Central District, with it high hedges and understated sign, I figured it for fine seafood dining. Turns out, Trophy Fish is anything but.

Behind those hedges lies a ramshackle courtyard with a large, covered bar area and an array of simple tables under umbrellas.

Trophy Fish had a come-as-you-are, boho vibe, but without the hipper-than-thou attitude. The staff oozed affability. At 5:30 on Wednesday, it was agreeably warm. No jackets needed.

We ordered at a window in a “shack” near the back of the courtyard. An adjacent chalkboard touted “Dayboat Fresh” fish. I ordered the Fresh Catch Nuggets (a combination of grouper and mahi, $16) with Blackened Fries and Pineapple Cabbage Slaw (both $6.50).

A friendly woman delivered the food to our table within 10 minutes.

Appearance

Lying on one of those plastic trays made to look like wood was a hefty helping of fish nuggets with a darker coating than the competition’s. The burly fries were dusted with blackening seasoning. I instantly knew that I’d like the colorful slaw here more than the flavorless slaw at the Salt Shack. Not exactly a bold prediction.

Texture and Taste

The fish — moist, tender, indisputably fresh — had a denser coating than that of Salt Shack. That meant more crunch to the bite, and also less integration of the breading and the meat.

A key benefit of this meal was that the food was hot. Better-let-it-cool-down hot. This was especially advantageous for the fries, which never came near dropping to room temp and thus turning gummy. I appreciated the hint of blackening, which added just a smidge of spicy heat.

The slaw had an interesting blend of pineapple sweetness and slight bitterness that appeared to result from the inclusion of kale. I liked it, didn’t love it.

And the Winner of the Tampa vs. St. Pete Fresh-Fish Nugget Taste-Off Is …

… A very close, split decision.

While I preferred Salt Shack’s milder version of fish nuggets, Trophy Fish’s was also really good — and the portion was bigger. Further, the St. Pete spot took the fries prize and easily won the battle the slaws.

In terms of atmosphere, Salt Shack had that bracing breeze that allowed me to pretend it was actually fall, and a lovely view of the Gandy Bridge. It also had a kind of eye-popping grandeur. On the other hand, Trophy Fish had a laid-back, no-fuss vibe that made me feel at home.

So, enough suspense. The winner, barely, is …

Trophy Fish.

What ultimately tipped it was how hot Trophy Fish’s food arrived, and how warm it remained.