Firefly, Key West

Fried green tomatoes with amazing fries.
Fried green tomatoes with amazing fries.

Several months ago, Firefly opened in the Bahama Village area of Key West, in a space formerly owned by Colombian Grace. The space is huge, with a second floor balcony overlooking Petronia Street, and is minimalist and lovely.  It has taken me a while to get there because, frankly, the menu always looks a bit hard to manage.

The Southern cuisine is loaded with fried food, and things that are not very friendly to my diet. Nonetheless, we decided to give it a whirl yesterday. At lunchtime, when Blue Heaven had a 30 minute wait, and Le Creperie was packed, there were only a few other tables taken.

Service was good, and friendly, although a little slow given how few diners they had at the time, but that is not a problem. I ordered the fried green tomato po’ boy, minus the bread. It was beautifully served on a tray with four slices of tomato, onions and jalapenos, a few pickles, a spicy remoulade and fries. The tomatoes were only okay, as the breading was very thick and dry. The fries, however, were some of the best I have had anywhere. They are loaded with seasoning and fresh garlic, and are hot, crispy and delicious.

FKGuy opted for the farmer’s salad with sauteed shrimp. It is listed on the menu as an “arugula salad with six-minute

Farmer's salad with sauteed shrimp and gooey, yummy eggs.
Farmer’s salad with sauteed shrimp and gooey, yummy eggs.

eggs, cornbread croutons and seasonal vegetables in a lemon-mustard vinaigrette“. The vegetables were fresh, the shrimp perfectly cooked and the eggs full of yummy gooeyness. But there was not a crouton or splash of dressing in sight and the fresh vegetables consisted of carrots and radishes. Despite the shortcomings, the salad was quite good, and very fresh.

Overall, Firefly has a unique menu for Key West, but one that I find a bit underwhelming. I have no doubt that their fried chicken is good, but it is found in several incarnations on the menu. So, the question remains, would I go back? Maybe. If the menu changes to include fewer fried things and some additional vegetables, I’d give it another shot. Firefly is located at 223 Petronia Street in Key West and is open daily from 10AM – 10PM.

Have you been to Firefly? What did you think?

One thought on “Firefly, Key West”

Comments are closed.