Eat: Food Porn from Longboat Key, Florida

I mentioned in my last post that none of the food from our week in Longboat Key was phenomenal, save that from Jose’s Real Cuban Food. That isn’t to say that the food wasn’t enjoyable, because it all really was. In the grand scheme, none will stay on the “memorable food from travels” list that I keep loosely organized somewhere in my brain.

Here are some of the other meals I had:

The Old Salty Dog on Siesta Key - a busy, waterfront dining experience. This is the quintessential beach bar and grill, with outside seating and an open-air bar. Would I return? Absolutely. Kid-friendly? Definitely.

Shrimp Poppers with Spicy Raspberry Sauce

The sauce on these shrimp poppers was much more sweet than spicy and it tasted like a store-bought bottled sauce, not homemade. It worked well with the shrimp poppers, though, which were quite good. They were filled with soft cream cheese and fried to perfection: crunchy and golden without being greasy.

Ok, this amazing wiener wasn’t mine but I kind of wish it was. My brother, Aaron (a cool cat currently attending York College – sorry, ladies, he isn’t available), ordered this handful of heaven. “The Salty Dog” is a beer-battered and deep-fried meat tube, primed and ready to pop in your mouth, you dirty dog. It looks like Aaron ordered his with fried onions, melted cheddar, and ketchup. Good choice, brah, good choice.

Firecracker Wrap

Meet the firecracker wrap. It consisted of blackened grouper, greens, tomato, and crispy tortilla strips. It was decent but there are definitely some things I would change if it were on my menu. The fish was spot-on, nicely cooked and tender with a lovely seasoning that was spicy but not overwhelming. The greens and tomatoes were fine on the wrap, although I think a salsa would have worked better than just chopped tomatoes. My major issue with this wrap was the crispy tortilla strips. They weren’t crispy when the basket was brought to the table because they were wrapped with hot fish. They were soggy and kind of wasted in this wrap. I like the idea of something crunchy in there, though. Perhaps cucumber would be a good substitution as it would also balance the heat in the blackened seasoning.

The Lazy Lobster - a step above The Old Salty Dog in terms of classiness. The menu prices reflect this, as did the general appearance of clientele. We sat outside (generally an excellent idea when dining with toddlers) and there were no tables large enough to accomodate our party of 7 adults and 2 kids. We split up with the ladies and little girl at one table and the gentlemen (ahem) and little man at the other. We all thought the food was overpriced for what it was but my meal was good and I have no complaints. The service was outstanding with an attentive waiter who was wonderful with Lotus. Would I return? Possibly, maybe for lunch with a group of girlfriends. The Plantation Punch I had was strong and delicious. It reminded me of St. Lucia. It was suitable for our kids who were well-behaved during dinner. There were some older kids running around outside and climbing back and forth over the cordon between the patio and the landscaped area and no one seemed to mind, although I wouldn’t let my own do it.

Stuffed Flounder & Shrimp Norma

The stuffed flounder at The Lazy Lobster was cooked well and not dry at all. The stuffing itself was just okay – I would have preferred it to have more discernible seafood in it as the menu said it was “seafood-stuffed”. It seemed more diced veggie and breading than anything else. I ate the entire stuffed flounder so even with that minor critique, you know it tasted good. The shrimp Norma were interesting and enjoyable. They were shelled shrimp (with the tail intact), wrapped in puff pastry dough and stuffed with feta and blue crab. It was all served on a lobster cream sauce (delicious) and with rice that tasted of saffron. I couldn’t taste much of the feta and blue crab inside the shrimp Norma, but altogether they were adorable little packages of shrimpy goodness. I ate one and took the other in a doggie bag. It did not reheat well in the microwave, perhaps the oven would have been a better idea. The green beans were prepared just as fresh produce tastes best: lightly cooked and lightly seasoned.

Rotten Ralph’s – another typical oceanfront restaurant with outside dining on the pier. I enjoyed the view of sailboats bobbing happily in the harbor and fat seagulls crying for handouts overhead. Like they needed it. The food we ordered arrived quickly and the service was peachy. I would definitely eat here again and it is very kid-friendly (again, outside dining).

Rotten au Gratin

Alright, I actually loved this rotten au gratin. The menu says it’s a shrimp and crab casserole with alfredo sauce and smothered in melted cheese. I tasted more krab (or imitation crab meat) than any shrimp or crab – both in texture and flavor – but I don’t care. It was good. Rich, creamy, decadent, and I would order this over and over again. I split this meal with my husband, who ordered popcorn shrimp. They were fried well but I could have eaten this entire dish all by myself, which would have worked well since my husband wasn’t fond of what I ordered. Also, the fries were so good.

Beachhouse Restaurant - this was the only outside dining that was not only waterfront but beachfront. The service was excellent (a common trend with every single place we dined) and it was also kid-friendly. I would go back here again.

Conch Fritters

These were decent conch fritters. They weren’t quite as conch-full as some I’ve had in Key West but it was still there. I liked the bits of vegetable in them, they added flavor and texture. The fritters were fried well and served with cocktail sauce.

Fish Tacos

I loved these fish tacos but I’m a huge fan of this meal in general. The fish was cooked to delicious perfection, the vegetables were fresh and flavorful, and the spicy cream sauce drizzled on top complimented everything well. I especially enjoyed the red onion for the crunch it provided. My only critique with this meal was that the flour tortillas were kind of dry along the edges like they were sitting out for awhile. Quite tasty, overall.

As you can see, I enjoyed all the food I ate, even if I have a few ideas of how I’d make it differently. Are you the type of person who critiques meals or do you typically like dishes as they are served?