Wicked Good

My time in Key West is at an end. This is a fantastic little town and a great place to visit. The weather is great, the people even better, and the food is outstanding.

I haven’t had seafood this good in years – probably since the last time I was in Southeast Alaska. It’s fresh and man do they know how to cook it. From grilled to fried to steamed – every piece of seafood I had here in Key West was a treat.

The first fish spot that really knocked my socks off was B.O.’s Fish Wagon on Caroline Street. I got a recommendation for this place from a local – it didn’t disappoint. B.O.’s appearance is a little on the shabby chic side – but don’t let that fool you. They are serving up some great items from their street-side wagon. From fried grouper to a deep fried hot dog – they have it all.

I actually went to B.O.’s twice during my stay in Key West – after my first visit I couldn’t resist a return trip. On my first stop, I had the Fried Cracked Conch and a small order of Conch Fritters. It was a Conch-a-poolooza. I do love me some Conch – which is a large sea snail that is found locally in the Keys and other Caribbean islands. The cracked conch was fresh, sweet, and fried to perfection. Just the right amount of cornmeal breading made these little morsels perfect. Next up were the conch fritters – these were by far the best I had in the island. The debate rages on over who has the best conch fritters. For me, BO’s wins. First, they were cooked perfectly. Crispy on the outside and moist in the inside – just enough spice to gleams your tastes buds up and lots of sweet conch pieces mixed throughout. Yummy. The prices at BO’s really didn’t disappoint either – I was able to eat for under $20 including tip. This included my two conch dishes and a beer.

The next place on my list was D.J.’s Clam Shack. D.J.’s is up Duval Street a little ways from all the hustle and bustle down by Sloppy Joe’s. It’s a tiny unassuming place that advertises itself as the place where “Northern and Southern Seafood Meet.” I am not one to pass up a chance to get a lobster roll – so I made it a point to get to D.J.’s on my last night in Key West. Again – Key West seafood and I got along swimmingly.

I ordered the overstuffed Maine Lobster Roll – it was a little pricey at $24.95 – but it turns out it was soooo worth it. When it was delivered to my street-side bench, I thought they had forgotten to put it in a roll. D.J.’s doesn’t lie about overstuffed – it looked like a bowl of sweet and tasty lobster meat. Eventually, I found the toasted roll buried way down under the pile of chopped lobster claw and dug in. Amazing. Really no other word for it. Unless you’re Guy Fieri – then the word is “bananas.” Bananas is good. This lobster roll was perfect. Not too much mayo, but enough to let you know it’s there. Some nice crunch from a little celery and some spice from a little old bay seasoning. The bun is nicely toasted and buttery – just like the ones you would get up north. But the star of the show was the crustacean. The lobster was tender and juicy and just melted in my mouth. As my Boston friends would say – it was wicked good lobstah. A little spendy – but you get what you pay for – lots and lots of lobster.

I followed this lobster roll goodness up with another piece of heaven. It’s not seafood – but it doesn’t matter. Chocolate Dipped Key Lime Pie on a stick is amazing. When it’s 100 degrees in the shade – something this cool and refreshing is just the ticket. I highly recommend it.

I really enjoyed my time in Key West. Even being here on a work trip was extremely satisfying. The food was great, the beer was cold and the town was out of this world. One of the most memorable quotes of the trip was from a bartender at The Porch named Lando (Huge Star Wars fan) when I asked what brought him to Key West. “Poverty and happiness. I found them both here.”

Long live the Conch Republic, it’s wicked good seafood, and amazing attitude about life.