I grabbed some dinner to go at this Puerto Rican restaurant on 17-92 on Tuesday. They close at 8pm. They open at 8am. Their daily specials are unbelievably affordable at $8. I grabbed two to provide you with more data. Each comes with two sides AND a soda. I tried corned beef with french fries and potato salad and chicken stew (guisado) with rice with pigeon peas (arroz con gandules) and tostones. The corned beef was a new adventure. I didn't love it. It was all minced up. I once tried (to see what the hell it was like) that junk next to the tuna and chicken salad at the market. Devil something? This was like that. They folded in potato rectangles into it. I ended up picking those out and adding them to the too mayo-ed potato salad. The french fries were also disappointing. Those startch covered grease tubes I hate. The trip home in a sealed container eradicated any crispness that may have existed. I will say that they helped me fine tune my chicken skin drying process. I bought a $5 chicken at Winn Dixie the next day and I put some of the fries in bowl and covered them with the chicken skin and nuked them for 2 1/2 minutes. The fries sucked up the chicken grease and created convection for better skin desiccation. Back to the meal. The chicken was ok. A little dry. Rough chopped sections of bone in chicken. About eight pieces. The rice was very good. Huge portion. Had it for two leftover meals. The tostones were the best. They didn't loose crispness. Four I think. Lightly salted. Some of the best I've ever had. They have around ten "specials" every day. Most meats. The usual sides. They also do breakfast. I think all day, They have seven sandwiches. But, they cost as much or more than the specials and don't come with anything. They also have platters and mofongo(s). All more than the specials. I remember soup and desserts and a kid's menu. They didn't change the decor. This place has been a Mexican and Italian spot recently. It's on a cross street one block to or from Lake Mary Blvd depending on your ingress. It's Lake something. Minnie? They have been open for a year. a Puerto Rican woman and her Indian husband. Most things are less tha $15. I think it's a great value.
*Travel Notes - Florida Keys and Gulf Coast: Here are some notes on a trip to the Keys through the Gulf Coast. I tried another route than 95 to see if it would actually be quicker and less traffic-y. I think it might be depending on the time of day. (also may be best way to south Gulf). I usually stop in Homestead or before Miami to cut the cost of one night Keys hotel prices and because you usually arrive after dark anyway. I took 1-4W to 27S through Haines City and Lake Wales to 60W to Bartow to 17S to Punta Gorda. I left at 11am and had little to no traffic throughout. It took me around two hours. Here to Palm Beach is usually two and a half hours. And then the traffic can start. On my way back (this way), the south bound traffic to Miami started here at 1pm. I slept here (PG). The plan. I took 75 to Naples the next day. No traffic. 60 minutes. I stayed here for a night. The plan. I took 41E to 997S to Key Largo. This bypassed the US1 part of east coast route. That took me two hours alone on the way back. I think this may be me new route
**Ok. The food. In Punta Gorda, I didn't Google the addresses of the three places I had written down and chose takeout Thai (Mint) near my Springhill Suites in Punta Gorda because I was hangry. A shame because the highly rated Asian (Perfect Caper) was right by me. I also drove by another (Farlow's on the Water) when I explored Gasparilla Island earlier in the day. Check that out btw. It's way cute. Gasparilla Inn was $270 on Expedia. Should have stayed there. At Mint I tried the crispy quail and Panang Chicken Curry. Quail was sour. Not sure if that is how it is supposed to taste. The next day I backtracked a mile or two on 17 and had blue crabs and clams at Peace River Seafood. The clams were chewy and a bit of a rip off. The crabs were the exact opposite. A treasure. So fresh! Only $20. In Naples I started my stone crab hunt. That's the reason I came back here so soon. Last time I was here they said this (and not the Keys) was stone crab catching central. I grabbed a pound of mediums at Captain & Krewe Seafood near 5th. They cost $24 a pound. Good. I next grabbed beer and corn holes (corn meal donuts with bacon jam and honey butter) and brisket potato at Industry Beer and Barbecue. I stayed at a place called Bayfront Inn 5th Ave (across from Tin City). This was in the same development. It turned out to be great. A huge selection of mostly Floridian beers and good food. The potato has all kinds of cheese and goodness in it and the brisket was good. The holes were also good. Both cost under $8. I was going to get more stone crabs on the way out. A place called Oakes Farms Market. They were selling for $20 a pound. I grabbed a turkey sandwich instead. Beer bloating issues. Naples was dead. I stayed at a Hampton Inn in Key Largo that had manatees right in the canal and ocean around them. I went back to Key Largo Fisheries (tradition) and they were selling them at $22 a pound. I also finally tried the lobster BLT at their Backyard Cafe. It was ok. Dry Caribbean lobster tail per usual. It cost around $24. Over rated. I had basted (covered to steam) eggs, hb and sausage at Bob's Bunz in Islamorada the next day. One barbacoa taco at Sinz in Key West. Oysters (really good Appalachicola's at Conch Republic. OK pizza at Duetto Pizza. I had drinks at Joe's Tap Room, Tattoos and Scars and the Tipsy Rooster. The cops were misrepresenting the State's mask (or lack of one) mandate. I stayed at a place called Alexander Palms Court on South St because they had parking. I had lunch at Firefly the next day. An in place. I had shrimp and grits. Grits were good. Shrimp were small. They are known for a scallop dish they don't serve at lunch. I grabbed roast pork, beans, rice, plantains and tostones for $15 at Fernanady's Food Truck. Huge portions. I drove through Big Pine Key the next day and had stone crabs for $15 (!) at Big Pine Key Market. A side of the road stand. The best tasting crabs to boot. And all kinds of fish, seafood and produce. A find. I had lunch at Bitton Bistro and Cafe in Islamorada. I had a Lyon salami and Gruyere sandwich and salad. The owner is Moroccan. I had dinner at a place whose name always cracked me up. Great Wall Taki Outi. Don't have a conniption (would a woke stroke be a stwoke?), they are Asian run. I just had some Moo Goo Gai Pan. The place looks beyond scary, but, I didn't get sick. I stayed at a place called Pines & Palms Inn. I try and try new places each trip. And ones that are at the biggest discount on that day. I had a bad Italian sub on the way out at Tower of Pizza in Key Largo. I've been down here quite a few times. I'm trying to try ALL the restaurants. Not all of these are worth your time. This time of year was perfect. I think it will be my new "go" time. No crowds. Perfect weather. X-mas vibe. Is nice!
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