By Jay Whipple
Trend Magazine Online™
Es Muy Bueno!
Trend Magazine Online™
Es Muy Bueno!
I found out about
this tropical delight while preparing for my visit to the South Florida
Lighthouse on Key Biscayne in Miami, Fl. I had been
here on many occasions but did not know that there was a restaurant located in
proximity to the beach and old location of the Crandon Park Zoo which
has since moved to Southwest Miami. I will be covering the lighthouse in
an upcoming edition of Trend Magazine Onlinetm and hopefully
by then I will be able to locate the many pics and vids that I took during that
visit. If not, I will simply have to make a repeat visit because, as the saying
goes, a picture/video is worth a thousand words.
They say that location,
location, location is the key to any successful retail operation and well this
place should have no excuse for failure being that it is a stone throw away
from a bona fide beach to the east of their property. That beach produces a
nice cool sea breeze that adds to the ambience of this patio-style designed
eatery that comes complete with plastic beach type furniture and ceiling fans
to help circulate the cool natural breeze.
They were playing
this smooth soothing music in the background which accentuated the already
pleasing milieu/atmosphere. As expected, their house was nearly full of mostly Spanish
speaking patrons and their children were having a ball playing in the adjacent fenced
in mini park. It made me wish that I was their age again especially since they are
not expected to pick up the tab for lunch. Smile! It was their ambience
that caused me to order in as opposed to a takeout as I typically do to enjoy
my meal in a solitary environment. It was just my luck that just as I decided
to stay a table became available next to the children's play area and where I
could observe all goings on during my meal. I enjoy watching people as they
interact with each other and their surroundings especially when they are not
aware that they are being observed.
My server eventually
arrived after being distracted several times by other Spanish-speaking patrons
whom I must admit have a distinct advantage over those of us that are not quite
versed in the lingo. Mi espanol es un poquito, lo siento. My server
eventually made his way over to my table and fortunately he was well versed en
ingles. I ordered the black bean soup, fish fingers/sticks, with a glass of
agua (water) since South Florida is well known for its seafood on the Latin
American community is well known for fixing up a delicious helping of black
beans. My total came to $29.10 with 20% gratuity which I consider
very pricey but not out of the ordinary for a tourist destination-oriented
location like Key Biscayne where former President Richard Nixon
once owned two beachfront homes from 1969 to 1974 that were once
known as the Florida White House. Learn more about this and other
intriguing tidbits of Miami history on the QCT Miami Daily City Toursm
I new that it
would be a while before my order was up considering the lunch crowd, so I took
this opportunity to take a bathroom break. It was tricky in that I was told
that the restrooms were located across the walkway and were actually part of
the beach property. I am not sure if that was because of COVID-19
(Coronavirus) or if that was the norm.but I did not ask. Anyway, it (the men's
room) was your typical beach bathroom that typically come complete with beach
sand on the floor and a stall or two that is not operational or pleasing to
utilize. Anyhow, it gave me an excuse to check out the nearby beach.
My order was up in about 25 minutes, again not considered long
considering the crowd. I was given a basket load of condiments which I really
appreciated because I am a fan of any accessory that adds to the flavor of my
meal. My fries were just the way that I like them, golden light brown on the
outside and soft and tasty on the inside. The black bean soup was not too hot
or cold and delicious with hints of two of my favorite vegetables, bell peppers
and tomatoes. The fish fingers/sticks were fried to perfection, light brown on
the outside and fluffy and not greasy on the inside. The cocktail sauce was a
great compliment especially since I decided to save the tarter sauce for
another day. My server was very attentive and to boot there were no pesky flies
or mosquitos on their patio.
All and all this was quite the memorable dining experience and I look forward to a repeat visit.
The Lighthouse Cafe' Key Biscayne is located at Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne, FL. 33149, there phone number is 305-361-8487, and website lighthousecafekb.com.
They say that location,
location, location is the key to any successful retail operation and well this
place should have no excuse for failure being that it is a stone throw away
from a bona fide beach to the east of their property. That beach produces a
nice cool sea breeze that adds to the ambience of this patio-style designed
eatery that comes complete with plastic beach type furniture and ceiling fans
to help circulate the cool natural breeze.They were playing
this smooth soothing music in the background which accentuated the already
pleasing milieu/atmosphere. As expected, their house was nearly full of mostly Spanish
speaking patrons and their children were having a ball playing in the adjacent fenced
in mini park. It made me wish that I was their age again especially since they are
not expected to pick up the tab for lunch. Smile! It was their ambience
that caused me to order in as opposed to a takeout as I typically do to enjoy
my meal in a solitary environment. It was just my luck that just as I decided
to stay a table became available next to the children's play area and where I
could observe all goings on during my meal. I enjoy watching people as they
interact with each other and their surroundings especially when they are not
aware that they are being observed.
My server eventually
arrived after being distracted several times by other Spanish-speaking patrons
whom I must admit have a distinct advantage over those of us that are not quite
versed in the lingo. Mi espanol es un poquito, lo siento. My server
eventually made his way over to my table and fortunately he was well versed en
ingles. I ordered the black bean soup, fish fingers/sticks, with a glass of
agua (water) since South Florida is well known for its seafood on the Latin
American community is well known for fixing up a delicious helping of black
beans. My total came to $29.10 with 20% gratuity which I consider
very pricey but not out of the ordinary for a tourist destination-oriented
location like Key Biscayne where former President Richard Nixon
once owned two beachfront homes from 1969 to 1974 that were once
known as the Florida White House. Learn more about this and other
intriguing tidbits of Miami history on the QCT Miami Daily City ToursmI new that it
would be a while before my order was up considering the lunch crowd, so I took
this opportunity to take a bathroom break. It was tricky in that I was told
that the restrooms were located across the walkway and were actually part of
the beach property. I am not sure if that was because of COVID-19
(Coronavirus) or if that was the norm.but I did not ask. Anyway, it (the men's
room) was your typical beach bathroom that typically come complete with beach
sand on the floor and a stall or two that is not operational or pleasing to
utilize. Anyhow, it gave me an excuse to check out the nearby beach.My order was up in about 25 minutes, again not considered long
considering the crowd. I was given a basket load of condiments which I really
appreciated because I am a fan of any accessory that adds to the flavor of my
meal. My fries were just the way that I like them, golden light brown on the
outside and soft and tasty on the inside. The black bean soup was not too hot
or cold and delicious with hints of two of my favorite vegetables, bell peppers
and tomatoes. The fish fingers/sticks were fried to perfection, light brown on
the outside and fluffy and not greasy on the inside. The cocktail sauce was a
great compliment especially since I decided to save the tarter sauce for
another day. My server was very attentive and to boot there were no pesky flies
or mosquitos on their patio.All and all this was quite the memorable dining experience and I look forward to a repeat visit.
The Lighthouse Cafe' Key Biscayne is located at Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne, FL. 33149, there phone number is 305-361-8487, and website lighthousecafekb.com.
