Fall Leaves at Darby Creek Metropark

Wow. The last few times I posted, I was in denial about Summer ending. Two months later and we’re quickly approaching Christmas. So where have I been? The short answer is working long hours, starting to train for a triathlon, planning a major vacation (This winter, we’re going a culinary tour of Oaxaca, Mexico!) and enjoying lots of good food and good times with family and friends. I’ve been so busy living life that I haven’t had time to blog about it. And now there are so many things I’d like to write about that I’m not sure where to pick back up. So I’m starting with a recap of the last few months.

A Fall day at Darby Creek

September:

• After all of the bridal shower festivities, my sister Ashley married her fiance Justin in a beautiful outdoor ceremony.


The happy Bride & Groom

• Jared and I did a lot of hiking at the Metroparks, biking on the Olentangy River Trail and brunching. All that exercise works up an appetite, right? To me, food and exercise go hand in hand. Aside from the obvious benefits, regular exercise lets me enjoy good food without gaining weight or sacrificing my overall health.


Our trusty old Schwinns at Scioto Audobon Metropark

• I went on a 9 day business trip to West Virginia. It was tiring, but I am grateful that I got to go. I was there to help train and organize another office. But I also learned a lot that I could bring back to my own office here in Columbus.


Sunset over the mountains of WV

• Of course, I also tried several new recipes. My favorite was a Vegetarian Lasagne that took 3 hours and 2 sauces (Tomato & Béchamel) to create. It tasted incredible but got a little overcooked on the top; so it didn’t look very pretty in pictures. I plan to make it again, very soon, and post the recipe.


Lasagna sauces simmering on my stovetop

October

• Jared and I attended Taste of Grandview Heights. This was our first “Taste of”. From what I understand, it is much more casual than most of these events. While we enjoyed trying new foods, one of our favorite things about this event was how the staff of restaurants we frequent recognized and chatted with us. Specifically, I’m thinking of Mazah Mediterranean Eatery, home of the best Falafel and some of the prettiest food around. We were also happy to see Old Bag of Nails Grandview, which we refer to as our Cheers bar and which we love for its laid-back atmosphere and friendly bartenders. Local businesses: make your customers feel special & we’ll stay loyal.


Somehow, the only pic I have of downtown Grandview is an old cameraphone pic from last winter

• I made these Apple Cider Doughnuts. I’m not posting the recipe because, for once, I followed it exactly. These doughnuts were perfect – soft and airy on the inside, sweet and crispy on the outside. They are a lot of work, but well worth it.


The best doughnuts ever

• Before venturing out to Highball Halloween (which I highly recommend if you haven’t been), I hosted a Halloween party complete with Halloween-themed food and drinks. Among other things, I made a Graveyard 7-Layer Dip and a Zombie Bride Cake (with from-scratch Devil’s Food, of course). Jared invented a Candy Apple Cocktail, my sister made a Bugs & Dirt Cake, and several of my guests brought goodies including Sangria and Halloween-sprinkled Chocolate-Covered Pretzels. While Christmas is my favorite food holiday, Halloween is a close second. Halloween food is fun. There aren’t really any expectations; so you can get really creative and kitschy. And while Christmas is a family holiday, Halloween is a great time for friends to get together, eat ridiculous amounts of sweets and enjoy one anothers’ company.


Zombie Bride Cake



Fun Halloween Food

November

• November brought Dine Originals Columbus Week. This is another event that I hadn’t attended in the past. My friends and I opted for a meal at Skillet. The food was creative and excellent, as always. My only complaint is that I don’t think Pumpkin Polenta was worth the $30 price. Another friend and I agreed that the $20 prix fixe is probably more fitting for such a casual restaurant. That being said, I’ll definitely be returning to Skillet very soon.


Skillet's Dining Room

• In other Columbus food news, Jared and I finally had a chance to try the lunch special at Venky’s Spice House. For $5.99 (I believe), you get an appetizer, two curries, daal, naan, rice and dessert. Venky’s is one of our favorite Indian restaurants. Their food is more flavorful than several other area Indian restaurants, and their prices are great. We were excited about this lunch special because we could try things we’d never had before. And the portions were so generous that we had enough for dinner that night.


When my curry grows up, it wants to be like the curry at Venky's

• Since Jared and I like to try new, local restaurants, I am a loyal follower of Fudha. If you haven’t heard of it, Fudha offers half-price gift certificates for local restaurants. They donate $1 of the cost of each Fudha to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. This is a great way to try new places, or save some money at trusty favorites. The first time we went to Skillet, it was actually with a $20 gift certificate that had cost $10 through Fudha. When Venky’s offered one, I snapped it right up.


When I used my Fudha at Skillet, I meant to review my tasty meal. Obviously, I never got around to it.

• Of course, when November rolls around, so does The Food Holiday – Thanksgiving. We get together with our loved ones and give thanks for all of life’s blessings, then eat copious amounts of food. Due to my work schedule, I wasn’t able to go home to celebrate with my family. This was the first time Jared and I celebrated Thanksgiving alone together. It was a bittersweet day for me since I really missed everyone. But I did enjoy the chance to make my own, slightly nontraditional Thanksgiving meal, which I will be posting sometime this week.


Making Thanksgiving Dinner

Every day, I’m reminded of how thankful I am that Jared and I moved from a small town in Michigan to Columbus. We are both Ohio natives, from the Cleveland area. But being away from your home state for several years has a way of making you appreciate it. I don’t know that we’ll be here forever because I hate winter with a passion. But for now, we’re really enjoying our life in a new city and learning about all that it has to offer.

Downtown Columbus, seen from the Olentangy Trail

Super Torta II Taco Truck

I have made it a personal goal to try every taco truck in the city. That, along with my sister’s wedding shower, will be my culinary project for the summer. I have no idea if I’ll succeed. But it certainly makes finding cheap, tasty and quick meals a lot more fun. I inadvertently started this quest last month when I found La Popular truck while doing a few errands. Shortly after that, a few friends and I spent a Saturday afternoon driving around Columbus’ west side in search of some awesome Mexican food for lunch. We finally settled on Super Torta II, probably because its yellow paint and huge “open” sign caught our eyes.

This particular truck is parked in an empty lot on Georgesville Road. It appears to be an old city bus that has been converted into a taco truck. There are several chairs arranged alongside the truck, and a grassy area that is great for impromptu picnics. The menu has an assortment of tacos, tortas, burritos, quesadillas, huaraches and a few specialty items. They also offer Jarritos sodas and agua fresca. On the counter, there are a spicy red salsa and the green avocado-tomatillo salsa that I love. I ordered a pineapple agua fresca and a huarache al pastor.

I consider myself fairly well-versed in Mexican food. Yet somehow, the huarache is a fairly new discovery for me. A huarache is a type of sandal worn in Mexico. It is also the name of a similarly-shaped culinary delight. The base of a huarache looks and tastes like a thick, oblong, fried corn tortilla. It can be topped with any number of traditional taco and torta fillings and salsas. Finally, there is a layer of cheese and crema.

Huarache al Pastor

While I waited for my huarache, I sipped my agua fresca. It was refreshing, and sweet but not overly so. The first thing I have to say about the huarache itself is that it was huge. It was almost too big for the dinner-sized plastic plate that it was served on. It was topped with a thin layer of chunky refried pinto beans. On top of that was a generous amount of al pastor. The beans and meat were covered in shredded iceburg lettuce and diced tomatoes. Finally, there was a drizzle of crema and a sprinkle of crumbled cheese. Unable to make up my mind, I topped it with both the red and green salsas. The thing I like so much about huaraches is all of the contrast they offer. The base is soft, but not mushy. The meat is tender and salty, the lettuce crisp and the dairy products creamy. The crema helps cool the heat of the salsas. And the agua fresca is the perfect contrast to wash it all down.

Some days, good things just randomly happen. Today was one of those days. Since finding out that Columbus is home to several taco trucks, I have been obsessed with finding and eating at them. Last fall, my husband, two friends and I spent an entire afternoon driving around Columbus looking for the things. I had recently discovered the Taco Trucks Columbus website and had mapped out the locations of several trucks. Sadly, we never did find an open taco truck; and the weather was getting cold, closing trucks for the season.

Fast forward 6 months. Spring has come to Ohio, bringing with it warm weather, sunshine, and the re-opening of taco trucks. I was out on my lunch break today, stopped at a red light on the corner of Wilson Road and West Broad Street. And what did I see? La Popular taco truck!

The truck itself is simple – really just a trailer with a small kitchen inside. You walk up to the window and order your food. Seating is limited. There are a couple stools and a picnic table. Several men were standing around eating tacos, talking and laughing. I ordered my tacos al pastor. While I waited for my food, I broadcast my taco truck discovery to the world via Twitter and Facebook (I didn’t have my camera with me, which is why you’re getting crappy phone pictures with this post). The guys probably thought I was silly taking a picture of the truck. But I’ve never been afraid of looking silly. Besides, I was excited! Real tacos! Three minutes away from my office!

The tacos were delicious. The meat was moist and just a little sweet. They were topped with diced tomatoes and onions and fresh cilantro. The tacos were accompanied by sliced radish, lime, and tomatillo salsa. The salsa was nice and spicy, which isn’t usually the case with tomatillo salsas. My only real problem was that the corn tortillas were a little dry. I think the truck must buy them from the store rather than make them by hand. Still, I am not one to complain about a fresh and tasty lunch for under $5. I will be back very soon to sample their tortas and other taco offerings.

Since I’d already made plans to spend Saturday afternoon searching for tacos with my friends and husband again, I’ll have more taco truck reviews soon.

Location & Contact Information:
3545 W. Broad St.
Columbus, OH 43228
(Intersection of Wilson Rd. & W. Broad St.)

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.

The whole time I was in Key West, I had been craving Mexican food. Who am I kidding? I’m nearly always craving Mexican food. While I knew I wouldn’t find the most authentic fare in that part of Florida, I still wanted to try at least one Mexican place. After watching the sunset, we walked back to Duval Street for a Mexican dinner and a low-key evening. Having lived in Mexico for two summers, I am picky about Mexican food. So I approached Salsa Loca expecting Tex-Mex fare rather than authenticity. If you are a fan of real Mexican food, I recommend that you do the same.

Salsa Loca offers a laid-back atmosphere with mediocre food and service

As far as Key West restaurants go, Salsa Loca is large, rambling and a little chaotic. The entrance to the indoor dining room is at 623 Duval Street. Around the corner, there is a separate entrance to the outdoor dining area. Given the choice, I’ll always sit outside. So that’s where we headed. It is casual, a mix of bar-height tables, picnic tables and patio furniture. Dogs are welcome; and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that shoes are optional. A couple seated near us actually brought their dog with them. The waitress gave the dog its own bowl of water, which it lapped up happily before dozing while its owners enjoyed their dinner.

Salsa Loca’s menu is similar to that of most other Tex-Mex places. The sinchronizadaa, which is described as a tortilla sandwich, is the most popular menu item. I ordered that while Jared had a combination meal. Both meals were served with yellow rice and refried pinto beans. His chile relleno was acceptable, if a little light on batter and cheese. It, and the burrito were covered in a red sauce that tasted like it had come from a can. The rice and beans were just average. My sinchronizada was a little bland, but still pretty good considering my low expectations. It was filled with a generous amount of lightly-seasoned shredded chicken, cheese, onion and jalapenos and topped with sliced avocado. Everything was improved once it had been covered with some hot salsa. Overall, Salsa Loca was no better or worse than I had expected. However, I don’t understand why it got such rave reviews from our B&B owners as well as a few other people that we spoke to.

Chicken sinchronizada, margarita & combination dinner

After dinner, we returned to the Duval Inn for a nighttime swim before talking one last walk down Duval Street. It’s rare to find a place that keeps it pool open 24 hours. The Duval Inn does; and we had it to ourselves. I guess no one else was crazy enough to swim in the cooler weather. But I’ve always been a fan of nighttime swims, warm or not. When it got too chilly, we went back to Duval Street for a walk and a nightcap.

Palm leaves & the moon made for a beautiful nighttime swim

Several locals told me that, since Key West is so small, there aren’t a whole lot of “local joints”. Locals go to many of the same places as tourists. They just do it on different nights. This was evident as I walked down Duval Street on Monday night. It really struck me as Jared and I sat at a quiet bar talking with a stranger and watching the Winter Olympics. Spending more than just a weekend in Key West gives you a great feel for the island. I got to see the loud and crazy Saturday night and the low-key Monday night. It gave me a little bit of a feel of both the tourist and the local side of Key West.

Even Irish Kevin's Bar, which is notorious for its debauchery and crowds, is quiet on a Monday night

Key West Pirate Museum

For my long weekend in Key West, my chosen cheesy tourist activity was the Pirate Soul Museum. Between my love of Buffett music & pirate movies, my interest in Caribbean history and my general (admittedly romanticized) fascination with pirates and sailors, I just had to check it out. The story is that the museum, located at 524 Front Street, started as a way to display Entrepreneur Pat Croce’s collection of pirate artifacts. Unfortunately, they don’t allow you to take pictures of these artifacts. I was a little disappointed about that; but I do understand that camera flashes can damage artifacts, and that this is a fairly common restriction in museums.

You're not allowed to take pictures in the Pirate Museum. But they never said the gift shop was off limits...

Lack of photo-ops aside, I enjoyed the Pirate Museum. There are displays of the weapons, medical equipment and navigational tools that were used by pirates. The museum also houses one of the two remaining Jolly Roger pirate flags and the only known surviving pirate treasure chest. There are interactive exhibits and a number of Blackbeard- centric displays. Everything is displayed with signs explaining what the artifacts are, mixed in with general anecdotes and blurbs about pirate life both on and offshore. Having recently read James Michener’s Caribbean, I found the descriptions of life in Port Royal particularly fascinating.

The charm bracelet I've been adding to since Christmas 2008. I wear it almost every day. The pirate charm resides happily between the pelican from a previous vacation to Florida and the graduation hat my husband got me when I received my MBA

Post-museum, it was time for shopping and lunch. I have a silver charm bracelet that I add to when I travel. I still hadn’t located the right charm from Key West. I was looking for a margarita glass. I never found one that I liked. But every time I looked, I was drawn to the skull & crossbones charms. On our way to lunch, I found a silver one at a little shop on Duval. The owner was even nice enough to weld it to my bracelet immediately.

View of Blue Heaven's courtyard from upstairs, indoor seating

I’m not sure really sure how we found Blue Heaven, located at 729 Thomas Street. Honestly, we probably just wandered off Duval Street until we found a promising restaurant. Like many Key West restaurants, it is located behind a tall garden wall in a courtyard with limited indoor seating. In the past, Blue Heaven has been home to a billiard hall, bordello, dance hall and gambling arena. Though it is currently a restaurant and bar, Blue Heaven pays tribute to its shady past. For instance, several of the tables have been decoupaged with cutouts revolving around jazz musicians and pinup girls. They also have live jazz in the evenings and a signature cocktail that is, of course, blue.

Decoupaged tabletop at Blue Heaven

Blue Heaven’s menu is similar to many of the other Floribbean-styled menus in Key West. This means it’s heavy on seafood, jerk chicken, black beans and fruits and vegetables. They’re open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We were there around 2:00pm; and they were steady but not overwhelmingly busy. While looking over the meal selections, I ordered the Blue Heaven martini (it’s 5:00 somewhere, right?) which had blue curacao, vodka and fruity mixers. While it was a pretty blue color, the drink itself wasn’t all that great. It was too heavy on the curacao, making it more bitter than sweet or tart.

Luncheon Tortilla with Jerk Chicken and Avocado

For lunch, Jared ordered the Jerk Chicken Plate while I chose the Luncheon Tortilla. His meal consisted of boneless jerk chicken breasts with black beans, rice and cornbread. My meal had the same jerk chicken (or tofu, if I had chosen that). It was served on a tortilla and topped it with black beans, rice, melted cheese, avocado and cilantro salsa. Jared found his meal bland. I thoroughly enjoyed mine. It was not as spicy or as salty as some jerk, but it was well-seasoned and went especially well with the tortilla and toppings. I also loved how cozy the restaurant was. We wound up conversing and laughing with other patrons while waiting for our meals, and lingering over our drinks after we had eaten. To me, this is the mark of a really good vacation meal – good food and drink, punctuated by fun conversation.

Blue Heaven dining room, where we sat after lunch and chatted with fellow travelers and Key West locals

The famous Key West Beach Sign shows the distance in miles from the beach to a number of other locations including New Orleans, London and Cancun

Several things about Ft. Zach’s beach surprised me. I had expected the beach to be crowded. It was relatively deserted, making for a peaceful atmosphere. I had also expected nothing but soft sand and warm water. While there is gorgeous white sand, the beach at Ft. Zach is also rocky. Since it was mid-February, the water was cooler than I’d expected. Fortunately, years of swimming in Lake Erie have made me used to swimming in cooler water and wading on rocks. And I absolutely could not resist how clear and sparkly the water looked. I splashed around, watched the seagulls and pelicans, and took lots of pictures before settling into that beloved beach pastime – reading & sunbathing.

Sometime in the afternoon, I began to get hungry. I checked out the selections at Ft. Zach’s concession stand, and decided against what were likely to be mediocre burgers & hot dogs. This turned out to be a good decision since it started to drizzle as we were leaving the beach, and because we stumbled onto the best fish sandwich I have ever eaten.

B.O.’s Fish Wagon, located at 801 Caroline Street, doesn’t look that great from the outside. It is constructed out of a random selection of planks, plywood, sheets of metal, and even old garage doors; and is decorated with fishing nets and license plates and graffiti left behind by past patrons. Honestly, the place looks like it could fall down at any second. Being the type of person who prefers holes-in-the-wall and little local joints to trendy restaurants and big, pristine chains, B.O.’s is my type of place. Upon arriving, you’re greeted by a sign that essentially says “if you’re in a hurry, prissy or whiny, this is not the place for you”. The girl taking orders sits on top of the cashier’s counter and answers questions about the menu. Behind her, you can see your food being prepared. Upon placing your order, you sit down at a picnic table or on a barstool or at an old cable spool and wait for your food to be delivered.

There is a lot of love for Ohio, especially Lake Erie & Put-in-Bay, in Key West

Jared & I both ordered the fried fish sandwich with fries. At the order-taker’s suggestion, we shared a “small” order of fries. This turned out to be more than enough for both of us. The fresh-cut fries were good, especially when seasoned with salt and malt vinegar, but nothing special. It was the sandwich that was the star of this meal. The snapper was battered and fried, and served on cuban bread with cheese, onion, lettuce, tomato and Key West Lime sauce. It was perfectly-fried and crispy without being greasy. One of my fried-food pet peeves is when there’s more batter than there is meat. This was not the case with B.O.’s sandwich. While it was coated in a generous amount of batter, there was even more fish, giving it the perfect fish-to-batter ratio. The sauce complimented the other toppings very well. Overall, the combination of soft bread, crispy fish, fresh lettuce and creamy-tangy sauce made for a perfect fish sandwich. I hear that their sandwiches are best when washed down with a beer. Not being a beer drinker, I had the Key Limeade which was also delightfully refreshing.

The one problem with B.O.’s is that its construction makes it a bit risky on a rainy day. We lucked into a table that was covered. Some of the others were not. This was fortunate because it rained harder as the afternoon went on, derailing my plan to return to the beach. Lazing around moved to our room at The Duval Inn, where we read, napped, and generally enjoyed being away from the snow and cold of Ohio and the stresses of work.

No sunset. But I did get to watch the boats on the water

When we decided to go to Key West, one of the things I wanted to do the most was go to the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square. Growing up on Lake Erie, I have seen more than my share of beautiful sunsets over the water. There is something magical about seeing all those reds, oranges and purples reflected onto the water. Being a night owl, I also like the sunset because it signifies the start of my favorite time of day. I knew that because of the clouds and rain, Sunday wouldn’t be a good sunset night. But we went to Mallory Square anyway. Sure enough, the sky stayed a steely blue that eventually faded to gray then to black. But that didn’t put a damper on anyone’s spirits. Several vendors, street performers, and tourists braved the drizzle to come out and bid the day goodbye.

Mallory Square in the rain

Once the sun set, it was time for dinner. The Upper Crust was not my first choice of restaurant. Pizza places never are. But if Jared didn’t care about things like eating a balanced diet and gaining 50 pounds, he would eat pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of his life. We had passed The Upper Crust, located at 611 Duval Street, several times while walking around town. We decided to give them a try that night.

Upper Crust Pizzeria, Key West

Upper Crust is a casual restaurant with hardwood floors, stainless steel tables and TVs showing the Olympics. We decided to split a pepperoni pizza with bacon on one half for him and jalapenos on the other half for me. This was another beer-only place, so we both got pop to go with our food. The Upper Crust is yet another place that you wouldn’t want to eat if you were in a hurry. I think that by this time, I’d decided that if you wanted food quickly in Key West, your best bet was Denny’s or Wendy’s. Being in no hurry, we settled in to watch the employees toss our pizza crust, top it and bake it.

Eventually, we were presented with large pizza. From looking at the pizza, it’s obvious that Upper Crust pays some attention to the quality and freshness of their ingredients. They use full strips of bacon instead of the crumbles that so many places use, and freshly-sliced jalapenos. The sauce had a strong tomato and garlic taste but wasn’t sweet at all. The crust was on the thin side, but airy and perfectly cooked. All-in-all, it was a good pizza. It wasn’t the best I ever had. But it certainly wasn’t the worst (that dubious honor goes to Gino’s soggy deep-dish in Chicago).

Post-pizza, we passed another relaxing Key West night exploring the nightlife, making random friends and enjoying life and one anothers’ company.

At night, Duval Street is a mellow, beachy version of Bourbon Street

Our trip down U.S. 1 ended at the Key West airport where we dropped off the rental car. Here’s my second Key West travel tip: stay on the west side of the island. The east side has a small airport, several hotels and a waterfront view, but not much else. The west side is where most of the restaurants, shops, bars and attractions are located. Now, Key West isn’t that big (2 miles by 4 miles). So you could taxi, bike or walk across it. But it’s much nicer to be close to the action. That being said, I don’t imagine that actually staying on Duval Street is very nice either.  My recommendation is to stay a block or so off Duval.

The Duval Inn has rooms available in the main house, the yellow cottage, and the bungalow

When traveling, I prefer to avoid large chain hotels. I adore bed & breakfasts and am a sucker for cheesy old-school motels. If you’re like me, I recommend staying at one of Key West’s many B&B’s or inns. I found The Duval Inn on Tripadvisor, where it gets rave reviews for its location, price and service. This B&B is located on Angela Street, within a block of Duval Street. It offers a range of room options, from basic rooms to suites. We opted for a cozy and very affordable poolside bungalow room. The only downside was that it had a shared bathroom (which was really not a big deal at all). And for $129 a night, the room was a steal.

One of my favorite things about B&Bs is that they’re a lot more social than hotels. The Duval Inn’s amenities enhance the social aspect. There is a complimentary happy hour every night with good cocktails, music and company. Breakfast, which consisted of bagels and pastries, hard-boiled eggs, fruit, yogurt, coffee and juice, is set up in the B&B’s registration area. Guests often choose to eat their food in the courtyard, sharing travel tips while they enjoy their meals.

After enjoying a nap, a margarita and some laughs at happy hour, Jared and I headed out in search of El Siboney. This Cuban restaurant was recommended to us by one of Jared’s friends whose family owns a house in Key West. The taxi driver who took us to the B&B also had good things to say about it. This brings me to a couple more travel tips – Taxi drivers are a great source of information and dining recommendations. Also, you’ll find some of the best and most affordable meals off of Duval Street.

My sangria & bistec de palomilla from El Siboney (told you the portions were huge!)

El Siboney is located at 900 Catherine Street, in a residential area. It is a local favorite that we probably wouldn’t have found if people hadn’t told us to seek it out. From the outside, the restaurant is unassuming. Once inside, you are greeted by the aroma of roasted meat and garlic, and the sight of happy people enjoying huge portions of good Cuban food. El Siboney has a fairly small selection of menu items; but they do them all very well. Jared ordered the Puerco Asado (roasted pork). I ordered Bistec de Palomilla (grilled steak). Both meals were served with Cuban bread, black beans, saffron rice and fried plantains. The meal was amazing. The meat was tender, well-seasoned and covered with a generous portion of grilled onions. The Cuban bread was soft and sweet, the beans had a rich meaty flavor, and I don’t think I could ever say anything bad about fried plantains.

After such a filling meal, we definitely needed to go for a walk. Fortunately, Key West lends itself very well to walking. Jared and I wandered through El Siboney’s neighborhood, down Duval Street and to the waterfront at Mallory Square. We spent several hours people-watching, wandering in and out of shops and bars, and just talking and relaxing before heading to the Margaritaville Cafe for live music and a late-night snack.

I’ve been to several of the Margaritaville restaurants and have always liked them. They’re full of Jimmy Buffett-related items and serve decent pub grub with a Floribbean twist. This was my favorite Margaritaville experience though. The Key West Margaritaville is a lot smaller than the others, giving it more of a local bar feel. We lucked into a seat front and center of the band and ordered a plate of  Volcano Nachos and a couple drinks. The nachos, while huge, are nothing special. They are covered in cheese sauce, melted cheese and all of the standard nacho toppings (guacamole, sour cream, green onion, jalapenos, etc). But then again, I don’t think you go to Margaritaville for incredible food. You go because you are a crazy fan who enjoys the atmosphere and the experience.

When we arrived, we hadn’t intended to spend the whole night at the Cafe. But the drinks were good, The Key West Band did an excellent job of covering Jimmy’s songs, and we were surrounded by fans of all ages singing along. So we passed a pleasant Saturday night  “wastin’ away again” with a soldier who was about to be deployed to Afghanistan, a bachelorette party, businesspeople on vacation, a guy who lives on his boat and several old hippies and beach-bum types. This is what I love so much about the Parrothead community – you meet people of all ages and backgrounds and instantly become friends with them, if only for a night.

This is one of the many pictures I took as our car sped along U.S. 1 to Key West

Here’s my first Key West travel tip: Don’t fly to Key West. Seriously. Flights to Key West are stupidly expensive; and the drive down U.S. 1 onto the island is one of the best parts of the trip. You don’t want to miss it.

Friday afternoon, we left work and got on a plane. By midnight, we were in Miami. This was a great time to arrive because everything – the airport, the car rental shop, the highways – was empty. We avoided Miami traffic by driving about 40 minutes south to Florida City, where we stayed the first night. The motel, a Days Inn, wasn’t in the greatest area. There wasn’t much to do, nor did the neighborhood strike me as the safest. But we were just looking for a bed for the night, so I didn’t care. The motel was old, but clean with a super friendly staff. And, they have free WiFi.

Normally, I don’t care a whole lot about the internet during weekend getaways. It’s handy if I want to look something up, but not necessary. But Saturday morning was an important day in the life of every Parrothead – Jimmy Buffett tickets went on sale at 10:00am! His concerts sell out in 10 minutes; so it was important that I have a good internet connection. After frantically refreshing Ticketmaster.com, I scored 4 tickets to his Noblesville, Indiana show by 10:04am. It was a great start to an island vacation.

After that was taken care of, we hopped into our rented Ford Focus and began our little road trip. I had heard and read about U.S. 1 in the Florida Keys. But it’s one of those things you have to see to believe. The road runs along the eastern side of Florida, and, once you get into the Keys, it’s completely surrounded by water. In many places, it’s simply a two-lane bridge over nothing but water. You can see the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. The only things separating you from the water are some small walls and the road underneath your tires. From this highway, the views of the glittering blue waters, vibrant green plants and colorful islands are breathtaking.

Even when it’s not passing over the water, U.S. 1 offers plenty to see. It’s lined with hotels, marinas, stores and random little shops. U.S. 1′s homes and businesses seem to have embraced their tacky tourist reputation and run with it. They’re painted an array of colors and decorated with flamingos, fish, nautical paraphernalia and tiki masks. In Key Largo, one of these businesses caught our eye as a perfect place to stop for lunch.

Outdoor dining area at Marley's

Marley’s Bayside Grille is officially located at 99530 Overseas Highway in Key Largo. But if you’re not careful, you’ll miss it, since it’s actually below the road and must be accessed via a ramp off U.S. 1. While it has nice indoor seating, it’s true highlight is the outdoor bar and dining area. In addition to traditional tables, the deck railing along the water is lined with barstools. Jared and I took two of these, ordered Diet Cokes, and settled in to watch the boats and the birds while we enjoyed our first meal in the Keys.

The view from our barstools at Marley's

The menu at Marley’s is pretty standard for Keys restaurants. It consists of a selection of salads, burgers and seafood with Caribbean, Cuban and Mexican influences. I opted for mahi-mahi tacos. Two large flour tortillas were filled with shredded red cabbage, pico de gallo and mahi that had been seasoned with salt and pepper. They were served with a lemon wedge, which I promptly squeezed over my fish, and sour cream. This was one of those meals that was incredible because it was so simple. It relied on good, fresh ingredients rather than intricate flavors. Jared had a fish Cuban, which was similar to the traditional sandwich with melted cheese and dill pickles. But instead of pork or ham, it had the same grilled mahi that was in my tacos. It was served with rice and black beans, which were good enough, but far from the best we had on the trip. The sandwich was interesting; but I preferred the tacos.

Marley's Bar

On our way out, we were lucky enough to run into the owners. They were friendly, asking us how we liked the food, talking about Ohio, and introducing us to their two Shelties. They were thrilled that we were so pleased with our experience. It turns out that Marley’s has partnered with its neighboring boat rental company, PonTunes. I could picture myself spending a day out on a boat, then stopping at Marley’s for a cold margarita and some fresh seafood. But that would have to wait for another trip. Key West was calling.

So we got back on the road. During this part of the drive, I saw one of the more interesting parts of U.S. 1. Before U.S. 1 existed, Key West was accessible via the Overseas Railroad. While it was partially destroyed in a 1935 hurricane, portions of the Overseas Railroad bridges can still be seen from U.S. 1 today. The old bridges are a popular spot for fishermen, bikers and pelicans. Watching the birds, the people, and the increasingly watery lands go by kept me occupied for the rest of the beautiful drive into Key West.

Pelicans along U.S.1. I have a charm bracelet that I add to every time I travel. When I went to Ft. Myers, Sarasota & the Everglades in March of 2009, I added a pelican charm to the bracelet.

Jared and I decided to order an appetizer and sandwiches. To start, we split an order of Flash Fried Sweet Plantains. Shortly after ordering, a basket full of plantains arrived. They had been coated with a thin layer of seasonings (I think this was salt and cumin with a dash of cinnamon and maybe something else) and fried. Being a fan of salty/sweet combinations, I liked them right away. The plantains were great on their own, and even better when dipped in the accompanying Ya-Ya sauce. This was a sweet sauce with a strong habanero bite. The end result was a spicy, sweet, salty flavor that was full without being overwhelming.

Jared ordered the Little Havana Cubano with a cup of black bean soup. The pork, ham, swiss and pickle sandwich was served on pan cubano. The pork was sliced thickly and had a slight citrus flavor. The bread reminded me of focaccia in both taste and texture. It wasn’t the most authentic Cuban sandwich; but it was satisfying. The soup was even better. It was a thick black bean soup garnished with cheese, sour cream and green onions. The meaty, earthy flavor makes it a definite comfort food. My only complaint is that it could have used a little more heat.

I had the Calle Ocho sandwich with sweet potato fries. This sandwich also had thick pork slices, which were complimented by a salty olive and caper salad and a smattering of manchego cheese. It was served on the same thick bread as the Cubano. The pork and cheese tempered the salad’s saltiness quite well, making the sandwich quite flavorful. I preferred this sandwich since it had less meat and a more interesting flavor. The sweet potato fries were crinkle-cut and slightly salty. They were nothing special, but were perfect alongside the sandwich. Both sandwiches were large. Neither of us could finish them after the heavy plantain appetizer. We took the leftovers home to eat for lunch the next day.

I’m now two for two on satisfying trips to this restaurant. Too often, foods revolve around only one flavor. They’re either really hot or really sweet. Even worse, they are just plain bland. Combining salty, sweet and hot flavors into one dish can be a tricky business. The Banana Bean manages these somewhat unexpected combinations very well. Their food combines flavors so that they compliment one another and taste good without being overwhelming. Since their menu is full of tempting items, I’m sure I’ll be back very soon.

Banana Bean Cafe Info
Location: 340 Greenlawn Ave. Columbus, Ohio 43226
Phone: (614) 443-2266
Website: http://www.bananabeancafe.com
Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-9pm, Sun 9am-3pm
Type of Food: Floribbean cuisine and cocktails