You Are Here

When you visit a large office complex, shopping mall, or amusement park for the first time it's always helpful to find that big map with the 'YOU ARE HERE' dot to get your bearings. This is where you are RIGHT NOW. Now how can you get to the doctor, store, or ride you are looking for?

I was thinking about that 'YOU ARE HERE' dot the other day while I was driving around the island running errands. Some groceries from Publix, a deposit at the bank, and some fresh herb plants from the nursery at Home Depot. Loading the car and then unloading it in front of my house, just like everyone does, in every city and town all over the country. But why do I feel differently doing those things here, in Key West, than I did when I ran the same errands in Maryland? It hit me that I am happiest when I remember where I AM.

I get to see the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico, palm trees, blue skies and sunshine while I am out and about doing those things that we all need to do to run a household. When I drop the girls off at school the scent of the gardenia blooms from the bushes at the entrance really just amazes me....heady and tropical, with flowers as big as my fist. Charming Conch houses and cottages line the streets as I cut through mid-town back home each morning. I love not leaving 'town' to get the girls to and from school. It has made me appreciate the island in a new way. If I want a coffee, it's Sandy's not Dunkin' Donuts....why would I drive the whole way out there?

The photos below show the Florida Keys. Separate from mainland Florida in more ways than one, small land masses connected by many bridges. After driving those bridges for three hours you get to Key West. We are far away from the mainland. Closer to Cuba than Miami. A small island surrounded by the bluest waters. Just being here is a gift, in my opinion. It's not perfect (no place is perfect) but it is unique and beautiful. It's where I AM. RIGHT NOW.

Abbondanza

When the sun goes down, Abbondanza restaurant on Simonton Street literally glows. The combination of the yellow exterior and warm lighting from inside is welcoming. You'll notice the music right away....all those old Italian songs from 'GoodFellas' and 'Married to the Mob.' It's like someone's nonna is inviting you in for dinner.....'come, eat!' as she puts  'Hey, Mambo' or 'That's Amore' on the stereo.

Abbondanza is open nightly from 5 to 10:30. And depending on the season, it's usually pretty busy, with a mix of locals and visitors staying at the hotels at that end of Key West. You can eat at the bar or in one of several dining rooms. The space is much bigger than it looks from outside.

Your meal will start with some really good crusty bread, perfect for sopping up the olive oil/balsamic vinegar combo your server will provide. All pasta entrees come with a small house salad dressed lightly in the house vinaigrette. The salad is the last thing you will see that can be described as small....portions are large and perfect for sharing. You will probably leave with a few to-go containers as well.

Abbondanza is part of the restaurant group that operates Duffy's, Pieces, and The Commodore. Fresh seafood is a major focus of the menu at each. 

Linguine al Pesto con Gamberetti is a local favorite, arriving in the restaurant's signature white bowls brimming with pasta, pesto sauce and fresh shrimp. If you prefer red sauce with your seafood, go for Linguine Pescatore with shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, and fish in the house marinara. And you can never go wrong with linguine in clam sauce, available with red or white sauce, of course.

There are filled pastas, including cannelloni stuffed with ground veal and ricotta and topped with tomato cream sauce, and manicotti with ricotta and spinach, topped with marinara. Veal , chicken, or eggplant parmigiana with a side of spaghetti? Check. Lasagna with meat sauce? Of course. Classic stuff, done well. 

One of the most popular items, and the one that we order the most, is the Spaghetti Abbondanza. Basically a big bowl of spaghetti with marinara, meatballs, and fresh basil. It's enough for my family of four to share, plus an extra side of meatballs so everyone gets their own. When we  are really hungry we start with the restaurant's generous Antipasti platter to eat with that crusty bread. Italian meats, cheeses, olives, pickled vegetables....fuhgetaboutit.

Antipasti Abbondanza

Spaghetti Abbondanza

Local Sources

For a small island, we have some great resources for locally made foods, fresh produce, and specialty items. In the last year or so, Key West's non-restaurant food scene has really taken off.

When I first moved here, Annie's Buying Club (www.anniesbuyingclub.com) was the first thing I found. For a really reasonable price (especially compared to how much something like this would have cost in Maryland) you can choose from the various boxes of organic produce (fruit only, paleo, whole or half share, etc) for weekly pick up at sites around the island.

Next I discovered Help Yourself (www.helpyourselffoods.com) on Fleming Street. This natural-food restaurant and shop has really expanded since then, with the retail space now offering a selection of fresh organic produce daily. Plus I can find many of the things I used to purchase at my beloved food co-op in Frederick, The Common Market, like organic vitamins, teas, cleaning products, etc. And their smoothies and juices rock.

Sugar Apple (www.sugarapplekeywest.com) on Simonton Street has been in Key West the longest, and it's a place I need to explore more, especially the tiny cafe/juice bar attached. They offer every type of supplement/vitamin/herbal remedy you can think of and the staff is very knowledgeable.

The entire island was thrilled last year when the Restaurant Store started filling their large parking lot area with food purveyors, vendors, and crafters on the first Sunday of the month. This Key West Artisan Market (look them up on Facebook) is like a little party, and I just love it. Taste some wine and cheese, shop the local crafters (Kdub Designz, Guilded Peach, SALT Provisions, etc), and have some lunch. There are several vendors each month selling food to eat there or take home, including some really great barbecue from Tennessee Steve's, tacos from Death by Tako, and special soups and sandwiches from Cole's Peace.

The fresh produce has really expanded at this event (they drive up to the markets in Homestead and Plant City for pick up), and the flower vendors make it feel like a big-city market to me. I never leave without some flowers for the table, some killer mozzarella from my friend Mozzarella Mark, fresh-made pasta from Pasta Pailloux, pantry items from the Pickle Baron, and whatever else strikes my fancy.My husband's friend Mundy the Pirate sells  local shrimp and fish and if he's got the big red shrimp, I always get some.

When I first heard about the Key West Green Market (look them up on Facebook) last spring, coming to Bayview Park every other Thursday, my first concern was for the Artisan Market....oh no, can little KW support two similar markets? Well the answer is a resounding YES to that - locals love them both and have supported them so well that both have grown and expanded.

Key West Green Market has become so popular that is is now open EVERY Thursday from 9 to 2. Bring some shopping bags for fresh Florida produce, the basics plus some unusual Caribbean stuff. And bring an appetite for Indian, Greek, Conch Ceviche, Gumbo, Pulled Pork and much, much more. The Empanada Lady's empanadas are outstanding, with the blue cheese/caramelized onion/walnut version our personal favorite. The new Italian cheese/meat/olive vendor has some great stuff too. It's all great stuff, really. Served up with a smile and a hug for the regulars in true Key West style.