Leaving Key West, driving north on U.S. 1. I thought this stretch of road looked like something out of Miami Vice
Tuesday morning in Key West came too soon. The last day of vacation always does. After a final breakfast at Duval Inn, a taxi took us to the tiny Key West Airport to pick up the rental car. The taxi driver had a lot of suggestions about our drive north on U.S. 1. Chief among these was that we veer of the main highway on to Old Card Sound Road and have lunch at Alabama Jacks. Alabama Jacks was, he said, the best place to get fresh seafood and an atmosphere that was unique, even for the Florida Keys. Not being one to argue when good food and interesting people-watching are at stake, we opted to take the detour.
Upgrade!
But before getting to Alabama Jack’s, Key West had one last treat in store. The compact we had reserved was not available. Since we couldn’t get the car we had been promised, Budget upgraded us to a Mitsubishi Eclipse convertible! Drive over the sea on a sunny day with the top down and the music up? Yes please.
Alabama Jacks, as seen from Old Card Sound Road
I am grateful for our taxi driver. If he hadn’t suggested the little detour, we never would have found Alabama Jacks. It is located at 58000 Old Card Sound Road in Key Largo, just outside of Key Largo Hammock State Park. The restaurant is built over the water on a couple of large, floating barges. The dining area is completely bordered by water on one side. If you arrived by boat, you could actually dock alongside the restaurant. Like B.O.’s Fish Wagon, it’s mildly surprising that Alabama Jacks is standing and in one piece. It is exposed to wind and water, giving it a weathered character that can’t be duplicated. It is decorated with nautical paraphernalia and has an area for a live band to perform. The service is friendly, but slow. I found this to be the case almost everywhere I ate in the Keys. Honestly, it was a good reminder to me to slow down, relax and enjoy the good things in life.
The view from Alabama Jack's dining area
The menu at Alabama Jack’s is heavy on seafood, much of which has been battered and deep-fried. Their alcohol selection is limited to beer and wine. Before this trip, my dad told me to eat a conch fritter for him. Since Jack’s claims to have the best conch fritters in Key West, I decided this was the place to do it. I order the conch fritter platter while Jared ordered (I think) a fish sandwich and fries. The conch platter was served with a salad (iceburg lettuce with a tomato wedge and ranch dressing) and lightly-seasoned fries.
Conch fritter, on a styrofoam plate with plastic utensils. I absolutely love how laid back Keys restaurants are
Having never eaten a conch fritter (at least, not that I could recall), I had no idea what to expect. I had thought that, being shellfish, it would have a fishy flavor and a chewy texture. I think I had fried calamari in mind, actually. This was nothing like I had expected. For one thing, the conch meat was sweet. And it wasn’t much chewier than any other fish I have eaten. I really enjoyed it. The batter was light and not greasy in the slightest. For condiment options, I was given ketchup, tartar sauce and lime wedges. While the conch was good on its own, it was even better with a little Tabasco sauce and a generous amount of fresh Key Lime juice. My only complaint was that it was so big I couldn’t finish it all.
After lunch, we split a slice of Key Lime Pie, relaxed and chatted before resuming our journey back to Ohio
Waiting for the plane. Call me crazy. But I absolutely love airports.
Shortly after lunch, we arrived at Miami airport, much earlier than we needed to be there. Not being able to resist a bookstore, I purchased a newer Tim Dorsey novel to read while waiting for the plane. For those that don’t know, Tim Dorsey writes satirical novels revolving around a Florida history buff/serial killer named Serge A. Storms and his pothead sidekicks. Dorsey’s zany novels have quickly become a vacation reading staple for me; and I’d highly recommend them to anyone who loves Florida and silliness. This book was especially nice to read after finishing The Devil’s Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea. (A quick aside, because it’s my blog and I can veer off-topic if I want to: Urrea is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors with his poignant fiction and nonfiction tales of life in Mexico and on the Mexican-American border. I love all of his work. The Devil’s Highway, the true story of 26 Mexican men trying to cross into the United States through the deserts of Arizona, is compelling but not exactly light reading. If you are going to read him, I suggest starting with The Hummingbird’s Daughter, a novel about Teresita, the Saint of Cabora and Mexican Medicine Woman). With a new book and my husband by my side, I ended my Key West vacation reading, people-watching and daydreaming about future travels to faraway places.
The sunset at Miami Airport. Not nearly as impressive as the sunset over the water. But still gorgeous in its own way.
