Eat My Words

March 9th, 2010

A couple of months ago, I reviewed Abbondanza, on Simonton Street here. The first experience there was delightful. I am sad to report, however, that it seems that was a fluke.

A couple of weeks ago, we visited Abbondanza in hopes of repeating the same good meal we had the first time. Alas, it was not meant to be. After a 30 minute wait (we were told it would be 10-15 minutes) we were seated. Another 10 minutes go by and we are watching various servers shuffle around, yet not one of them comes over to our table. Another few minutes go by and a server appears. This is the conversation:

Useless Server: Are you ready to order?

Me: Excuse me? (At this point the U.S. had not so much said hello to us, nor offered us a glass of water).

US: (Notices the bottle of wine on our table, which we brought) Is that yours? You can’t open that here.

Me: Actually, we can. You have a corkage policy which allows it.

US: I’m going to talk to my manager.

Meanwhile, I realize this isn’t going to end well for us, and as I prefer not to waste my time on bad service, I asked the hostess to reseat us with another server. The hostess was quite snooty and explained that they serve over 300 meals a night and people seem to like it. Once again I realize, I’m not people.

Finally, we move to another table, and I ask to see the manager. She didn’t seem to care too much what our issue was but insisted that we stay and that we would have a excellent service, and she would waive the corkage charge, which was waived last time we were there just because, so I didn’t see how this was so great.

We stayed. The food was good, and we even had  good service. Alas, Matt the waiter is only there for the season, and is leaving in April. I will not be going back, and frankly, I would recommend you go to Mangia Mangia if you want pasta, as they always have excellent food and service. Skip Abbondanza altogether – there are too many other good choices around. Life is too short for bad restaurants.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

The Afterdeck

March 6th, 2010

Some people know Louie’s Backyard as a great dinner spot. Others know it as an outrageously expensive restaurant. Yet a few more simply know about it because Jimmy Buffett often mentions it in song. I have (gasp) yet to dine there, but I have had the pleasure of having drinks at the Afterdeck Bar.

There is no shortage of places to have a drink, or six, in Key West. The Afterdeck, however, is one of the best. Why? The Afterdeck is, as the name implies, a deck, over the Atlantic Ocean. There is simply not a better view around. My friends that live in Harbor Place in Truman Annex come close, as they overlook the harbor and have two balconies. With all of the boat parades, races and other goings-on, it is a mighty fine view indeed. In terms of places to live, it has the best view I’ve seen yet. Certainly it beats the view of the Apple Bank on 81st and 1st in Manhattan that I almost had once. I chose to move back to Florida instead.

Louie’s view is extremely peaceful. You simply sit, relax and look out onto the ocean. It didn’t hurt the low key, peaceful atmosphere that it was not particularly crowded when we have been there. If you want to go someplace civilized for a drink, where you can have table service, real glass and nobody slobbering on you, this is a great choice, especially in good weather.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

I Won!

March 5th, 2010

Thanks to the many people who voted for this blog in the Sun-Sentinel’s Best Of Blogs contest. Florida Keys Girl was voted Best Travel/Tourism Blog. I am now an award winning blogger.

I appreciate your support!

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Livin’ the Dream

March 4th, 2010

IMG_0313I listen to Radio Margaritaville almost exclusively in my car. One of the things I like about it – aside from the abundance of Jimmy Buffett music I get to hear every day – is that I hear new bands frequently. Some are clearly better than others. One song I found myself singing along with is Soundtrack of the Summer by The Massacoustics. Imagine my delight when I heard they were playing at the Hog’s Breath.

This band is actually a team of two brothers, Andy and Matt Thompson who are from Boston, hence the name (that, and Thompson Twins was already taken). They put on a good show, always to a larger-than-normal crowd. After seeing their show last year, I bought their CD for Florida Keys Guy for Chanukah (For the correct spelling, click here). After listening through the CD a few times, it was evident that (a) these are some talented dudes and (b) they have some built up resentment, particularly noticeable in the overly-sarcastic-but-still-quite-catchy, Livin’ The Dream. With lyrics like “you always wind up playing someone else’s favorite song…nobody wants to hear complaining…just shut up and sing, man” you know where they are coming from. I love a good dose of sarcasm, peppered with a bit of angst, so naturally, I love the song.

A few years ago, while taking a ski lesson (read: being gently coaxed down the mountain by a woman I was paying an exorbitant amount of money for…) I was completely terrified. I’m a native Floridian, have already had ACL reconstruction, and this is a big, snow covered mountain. Jen, awesome as she is, suggested I sing. Just pick a song and sing it, and that, in theory, would take my mind off of the fact that I was 9,000 feet above sea level and there were people whooshing by me in all directions. Yeah, right.

Fast forward a few years… I still ski with Jen, I still need some coaxing – but now it is coaxing down the steeper blues, not the bunny slope, and I still sing (badly). I have decided that Livin’ the Dream is the perfect ski song – it fits with my sarcastic nature, proves that I only ski to appease Florida Keys Guy, and I can change the lyrics to suit my needs… Just shut up and ski, man. I’m already looking forward to my playlist for next year.

If The Massacoustics are playing in your town, check them out. Better yet, come down to Key West and see them at the Hog’s Breath.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Meat Your Match

March 2nd, 2010

IMG_0304I eat mainly fish, pasta and vegetables. Very rarely do I eat chicken or meat. But every once in a while, I break down. Take last week at Ben’s in Boca, for example.

I went with my cousins, and overwhelmed by the enormity of the menu, I ordered way too much. Starting with the fried kreplach (What? What did she say? Did she say krep-lach?). I could do a whole post on kreplach alone, but I will spare you, at least for the moment. Suffice it to say, it is like a beef filled wonton, and this particular batch was fried and smothered in onions.IMG_0300 MMMMM….

But that was just the appetizer (which I so graciously shared with the others at the table). Normally, I would go with a basic hamburger, or a pastrami sandwich. For some reason, on this particular evening, I opted for Ronnie’s Tastemaster, described on the menu as “Where the meats meet. Something of everything piled high on rye. With Russian
dressing and cole slaw
“. It turns out this is a corned beef, turkey, pastrami, roast beef and tongue sandwich. I opted out of the tongue and Russian dressing, and was on meat overload. You may notice in the photo at the top this is not a small sandwich, and it is delicious.

Also at our table was a pastrami burger. No, this is not a burger formed out of pastrami, but rather a juicy and delicious hamburger topped with heaps of warm pastrami. An instant classic, if you ask me.

Go to Ben’s - the sandwiches are awesome, the burger’s delicious. Overall, it is an artery-clogging dinner that is completely worthwhile.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Shaken or Stirred? Fried or Grilled?

February 27th, 2010

IMG_0192We have many choices in every day life: regular or decaf? Would you like fries with that? To stay or to go? It goes on all day. Most of us like having some choices, it makes us feel like we have control over our lives by managing the little things that go on.

Recently, on the drive from Hollywood to Key West with my parents, we decided to stop for lunch at Islamorada Fish Company. I hadn’t been there for years, because my last visits have not been memorable. My parents thought it was a good idea, so off we go.

Apparently we have very bad timing. We got there right after a tour bus arrived and 46 people were seated. We were told that instead of waiting (which clearly was not happening) we could go to the alternate restaurant above the store, Zane Grey’s. Fabulous.The place is small and has a very Tommy Bahama feel to it (in a good way).

We were seated, with beverages, and began to order. Then we left. Why? Because when I ordered the Caesar salad with fish on top, blackened instead of fried, they refused, saying they only make things the way they are on the menu. Although they had a blackened tuna on the menu, somehow they refused to blacken the mahi. Nor would they grill fish for a sandwich – only fried. It was quite odd, and makes me wonder if everything is prepared ahead of time and nothing cooked to order. Why else would they be so rigid? The story has a happy ending, as we left there and drove to Keys Fisheries in Marathon, which is always fresh, prepared to order and delicious. Fortunately we got there before the tour bus (really).

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Under the Boardwalk

February 25th, 2010

IMG_0290 Having lived in New York City for six years, and marrying a pizza-obsessed guy, I have had my fair share of pies: thick crust, thin crust, brick oven, Chicago-style and even surviving four college-filled years of that dreadful St. Louis style cut into squares (there is no good way to eat the middle of the pizza).

It is pretty difficult to find terrible pizza – one that is so bad you can’t eat it. Even the junk sold by the likes of Domino’s and Pizza Hut is edible, although not good by a long stretch.

After passing Boardwalk Pizza, at mile marker 88 in Islamorada, every weekfor the past six months, I finally decided to give it a try. It could have been the “Bikers Welcome” sign, or the sign from the New Jersey Turnpike that I found appealing, I’m not sure. There is plentiful outside seating (although packed the night I was there) and about 6 booths inside.

To say that New Jersey is the theme here would be a gross understatement. They are very proud of the Jersey heritage, which is evident everywhere. Thankfully, we were spared reruns of The Jersey Shore on the televisions. On the menu, in addition to pizza is cheese steaks, sub sandwiches and a couple of pasta choices. they have happy hour every day from 2-4PM, with $7.50 pitchers.

The pizza overall was good. The crust was crisp, not overcooked, and the sauce was flavorful. I could have done with a little less cheese and a little more sauce. Boardwalk Pizza is not going to fare well in a comparison with many New York places, but if you are in Islamorada, or just driving through, it is a solid choice.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Breakfast Do

February 23rd, 2010

IMG_0208

I don’t want you, my dear reader, going around thinking that I cannot possible have a good breakfast in Key West. After having some impressive salmon tartare during the Key West Food and Wine Festival, we decided to try Blackfin Bistro. The brunch menu is an array of omelets, sandwiches, burgers and salads. The specials that day included a hogfish sandwich with avocado, salmon tartare and fried goat cheese. Additionally, you can order off of the back of the menu (the dinner section) at any time of day. I love that kind of flexibility. It is so unlike Turtle Kraals, who won’t serve you breakfast after 11AM even if you are seated prior to the cutoff time.

 The wine list at Blackfin is serviceable with some decent choices. However, the same wine being sold at Mangia Mangia for $45 is sold at Blackfin for $60. That’s a little greedy if you ask me, which I know you did.

The soup of the day was a delicious tomato ginger concoction. Not overly creamy, IMG_0210and velvety smooth. The hogfish sandwich special was perfectly cooked, with ripe avocado and aioli, all served with delicious fries. The omelet was well cooked, not the least bit runny, and had loads of filling. All dishes came with a side salad, which frankly, was a little gritty and could have used another washing.

Overall, Blackfin Bistro is quite good. The omelet at $9 is a bargain, but the $9 for a bowl of soup, not so much. I am looking forward to a return visit.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Breakfast Don’t

February 20th, 2010

You may have read here that finding breakfast with little wait can be problematic in the middle of the season. It’s true. So, when some friends were in town and wanted brunch, I thought we would try Camille’s. Although I hadn’t been there in several years, I was convinced that the food would not disappoint.

 When we got there and put our name on the list, there were many tables open, some of which were set and ready for customers. Alas, there were many people waiting. Apparently, they did not have enough staff to cover all of the tables. So we wait. When I asked about the many open tables and seeming lack of staff, I was told, “It’s like this every weekend”. I have to ask: if it is like this every weekend, why, oh why, would you not hire some additional servers and possibly another cook?

After a thirty minute wait of people tripping over us, not enough seating in the waiting area and nearly swiping some breakfast of the people unfortunate enough to be sitting near me while I was waiting, we were finally seated.

We were greeted in as friendly a manner as one can be when you are understaffed and getting yelled at (not by us, mind you), and we were able to order coffee. When the coffee was dropped off we were told our server would be back to take our order in a moment. By the time we needed refills on our coffee, our order had yet to be taken and our waitress yet to reappear. After another ten minutes of trying to flag her down with no luck, we decide to leave. All in all we were there for a long, miserable hour. Obviously, I can’t comment on the food, since we were not given the opportunity to eat any. If you’ve been there, I’d love to hear from you.

If Camille’s were in Glamour magazine, they would have a big black bar across them. As for us, we opted out and went to Chico’s on Stock Island, where there is always good food and service.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

A Good Cause and a Rockin’ Good Time

February 18th, 2010

IMG_0261 A chilly afternoon, and downright cold night could not deter people from the Lazy Lakes RV Resort last weekend. These were not just northerners on a camping trip. Lazy Lakes hosted a charity concert benefiting Habitat for Humanity with a full roster of well known acts. Not to mention the food and beer that was included in the $30 admission.

I will share some of my personal highlights with you, because you asked. This was outside, and basically the equivalent of a ten hour tailgate party where the concert comes to you, so there were many high points.

I’ll start with Chris Cook. I had never heard of him until Saturday. Now he is IMG_0264not only my FaceBook friend, but I will look forward to him performing in key West again soon. Chris has songs like Uncle Scam Blues about taxes, and another about cleaning up your dirty dishes before company comes over. He’s keeping it real (yes, I did say that in my head like Randy Jackson on American Idol), so it is hard not to like this guy.

Howard Livingston and the Mile Marker 24 Band is another fun one. In addition to being a good musician, with a sense of humor, Howard also won the “Guaranteed White Christmas” contest on the Weather channel where they dumped a whole bunch of snow on his front lawn in 82 degree weather. (That was front page news, and quite a story). Howard also happens to be quite a nice guy, as I had the pleasure of chatting with him for a moment in the green room (just the Lazy Lakes office, but it was heated so I was more than happy to weasel my way in).

Mac McAnally was up next. Mac is famous for being one of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefers, and has written songs with the like of Kenny Chesney (“Down the Road“). He puts on a great performance, so if you have the opportunity to see Mac, go for it. I had a moment to chat with Mac, and he was also happy to humor me.

Finally, closing the show was Jerry Jeff Walker, or as I like to call him, Mr. Bojangles. The conversation went like this:

FKG: Hi. I’m Florida Keys Girl

JJW: Hi. I’m Jerry Jeff.

FKG: I know, you’re Mr. Bojangles.

Then I had my picture taken with him. Good times all around.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post