Best Beach Shack, Bien Rico

They may not look like much from the road, but the famous kioskos off of PR-3 in Luquillo, Puerto Rico, will surprise you with the quality and quantity of food. Some 60 stalls, mostly food, are lined up side by side; serving everything from vegetarian cuisine to fried Latin favorites. I was lured to kiosko #12 by the promise of a mouthwatering appetizer that included bacon and dates. Say no more.

#12 is also known as El Jefe Burger Shack. It appears to have taken over two spots, with a small bar and patio seating facing the beach. I sat at the bar and introduced myself to my new best friend for the day, Ivan.

Bacon wrapped dates

When I mentioned the dates he paused and said let me check.  There had been an unexpected and rather large party the night before which pillaged the kitchen and bar of a few staples. WHAT!!! I did a silent chant asking the restaurant Gods to accommodate my one request of the day, it worked.  The dates ($8.95) were not only wrapped in bacon but stuffed with an almond, drizzled with a balsamic reduction then sprinkled with blue cheese. I could not have been happier. The salt and the sweet, the crisp and the creamy, all came together beautifully.

Slider Trio

Since I was at a burger shack, I figured I should get one of those too but couldn't decide which to try. Thank God for the sampler. My mini stuffed burger sampler ($12.95) consisted of burgers stuffed with short ribs, short ribs and jalapeños and the third with chorizo.  Ivan warned me it could take a minute to get my food because everything is made to order; the meat ground fresh every day. The ribs were slow-cooked overnight in a 150 degree oven.

No one could tell me which burger was which when the plate arrived. Three different gentleman, I think the chef was one, shrugged and said it will be a great surprise for you. It was indeed.

Lemon Ginger Mojitos

The sliders had that nice char on the surface and moisture in the middle. Small bites are hard to get right and chef at El Jefe did. The plate was perfect with my glass of Tempranillo.

I watched Ivan skillfully make all kinds of rum cocktails including refreshing pitchers of Lemon Ginger Mojitos. He tasted each creation to make sure it was perfect before leaving the bar for a table. A beer is a natural thing to drink at the beach, however, I can't stand how quickly a brew looses its cool outside. At El Jefe, each individual beer was served in its own cozy ice bucker. Brilliant! If I drank a lot of beer, I would keep one of those mini buckets in my beach bag for these occasions. Maybe more bars will jump on the bucket bandwagon.

On to the next kioskos. Cheers.

Back To The Beach, Manasota Key Part 2

I was officially introduced to the Lock 'N Key Restaurant in Englewood about a year ago.  My first experience was so good that I was excited to go back and see if things had changed. Thankfully, I was just as impressed with the hospitality, the food portions and the quality, as the first time.

The greeting was just the kind I like, hugs rather than handshakes. This time I tried some of the new menu items like the Boom Boom Shrimp; lightly breaded and covered in a tangy, spicy secret sauce that owner Susan Atamanchuk admitted the staff had worked on perfecting for months. It was a heaping plate for $9.

The thick pieces of Calamari were lightly battered, not a hint of grease. The shrimp in the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail ($12) were twice the size of my thumb and tasted like they had just been caught.  The Oysters Rockefeller ($12) were rich and flavorful.

I was most excited to try the new Shrimp Vera Cruz ($20), because of the sauce; sliced jalapeños, red onion, black olives, diced tomatoes, cilantro and garlic in a wine butter served over a bed of rice with some freshly steamed broccoli. I loved the heat from the jalapeños, the salt from the olives and you can never go wrong with garlic and cilantro, in my humble opinion. Great dish!

The other new menu item that I would recommend to any seafood lover is the Tuna San Juan ($23). It is a lightly blackened hunk of Tuna, pan seared and served over a cusabi sauce, then topped with a  cucumber, tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil salsa.

Although seafood is the bomb at the Lock 'N Key, there are some great options for the meat and potato lover. We tried the Black & Bleu New York Strip ($24). It was devoured in minutes; a 14 ounce piece of meat blackened and pan seared, then topped with Bleu Cheese. The homemade desserts are famous locally. We split a piece of Peanut Butter Pie, it was like sharks going at a piece of bait. We couldn't get enough but didn't dare order more.

Go early for a great happy hour and "pull-tab" drink specials. Then walk across the street for a spectacular sunset on the beautiful white sand beach before returning for more food, fun and music. The Lock 'N Key is a hidden treasure for locals. It's worth discovering for the rest of Southwest Florida and the rest of the world when visiting the area. You will leave with a full belly, a smile on your face and a warmth in your heart.

Best Beach Food: Manasota Key

Dining in a beach town is always fun; wondering if you're going to hit the jackpot or be stuck with tourist prices, poor service and/or mediocre food. I hit the jackpot at Lock N Key Restaurant in Englewood, FL on Manasota Key.

I went to Lock N Key (LNK) for a live broadcast, promoting their entertainment, quirky happy hour and fabulous food. As the sun set, a table was pulled  under our broadcast tent outside, the continuously filled with food.

LNK is right across the street from the beach, with a long front porch full of bar-stools. They are almost always full. Don't be deceived into thinking that is the wait to get in, people love to sit outside at the beach. The restaurant is quite large inside and has a separate outdoor dining area, under cover.

The popular Pull-Tab Happy Hour is a game of chance that can score you big discounts on your drinks. You can see by the Pull-Tab on the left, that my drink was only 50-cents. The prices are good for ANY drink, even the premium stuff. Other pull tab options include, half-off and full-price to name a couple.


Once our drinks came, we set our sights on appetizers. Out came delicious discs of mozzarella in marinara sauce ($10), crispy Coconut Tempura Shrimp ($12) and messy Pulled Pork Nachos ($12). The cheese on the nachos is a special, creamy cheddar blend, made fresh to order.

We got the Spicy Maryland Style Crab Cakes ($11) sauteed instead of fried. Don't be scared, the spice was mild. I particularly enjoyed the Oysters Manasota ($12) made with bacon, onions, peppers and swiss. The Shrimp Belvedere had our mouths watering. It was stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon, with a little broccoli on the side to make us feel more healthful.
.
The fish we tried was outstanding. The blackened Hogfish with mango salsa had a great kick. The Snapper Provencial had the perfect balance of herbs, cheese and veggies. The one pound Lobster was almost too beautiful to eat but we dug in like champs. Speaking of champs, the 16oz Prime Rib ($21) was some of the best I've had; juicy and buttery. The seasoned New York Strip was sprinkled with a homemade blend of salt and pepper that was the perfect accompaniment to my glass of Shiraz.

Whatever you do, save room for LNK homemade desserts. People from across the country come back for pumpkin bread, Cocount Cream Pie, ice cream pies and other signatures. The Coconut Cream is full of sweet creamy custard on a flaky homemade crust. The Keylime pie's tart custard is on a walnut, graham cracker crust. Put a fork in me. I'm officially done!

This beach restaurant has it all; a casual outside for those in beach attire, a classy inside for those who've showered, live entertainment, affordable prices, quality food, a caring kitchen staff, attentive servers and gracious, fun-loving owners. Bravo!