Friday, August 30, 2013

Seems we forgot to mention that we're relaxing in the Florida Keys for a mini-vacation and brought Carol's mom with us...

Today we went down to Key West, which is about 30 miles from where we're staying. We did a little shopping, gave Mom the nickel tour of the island, saw the sunset at Mallory Docks, then had a delicious dinner at El Meson de Pepe, a wonderful authentic Cuban restaurant we first went to with Lisa's sister, brother-in-law, their daughter Katie & son Scott.

El Meson de Pepe has a medium-sized dining area that feels much larger due to its high ceilings. The atmosphere almost feels a bit like you're in EPCOT. All servers speak perfect English but feel free to order in Spanish if you want to use your old high school Spanish.

After glasses of water were delivered (and no inquiry about whether we wanted other beverages), a basket of hot Cuban bread arrived. As is the custom in Cuban restaurants, the bread was split, buttered, and grillled on a flattop to crispy goodness. Also accompanying the bread were two small dishes of sauces...one was a garlic mojo-type while the other was rip-your-lips-off hot. The hot sauce was very tasty but not typical since Cuban food isn't spicy.

Mom wasn't too hungry so she had only a bowl of black beans, sided by white rice. She said the black beans were pretty salty but adding the rice cut the salt.

Lisa ordered ropa vieja (English translation is "old clothes" since the beef is shredded and resembles old clothes or rags), which came with black beans, rice (choice of white or yellow...she chose white), and sweet plantains. Ropa vieja is Lisa's "usual" when we go to a Cuban restaurant and she likes Pepe's version which contains red wine.

Carol had the "Completa Tradicional", a combination plate that included lechon asado (roast pork), a tamal Cubano, and the prerequisite sides of black beans, rice, sweet plantains, and yucca. The pork had been marinated in a cumin-mojo sauce and had been roasted perfectly...it was succulent and flavorful! The tamal was a Cuban version of a tamale...a cornmeal base with some meat, steamed in a corn husk. The menu stated these were "filled with roast pork" but Carol didn't find any meat at all! That was a disappointment... Yucca is something Carol has tasted before and hasn't enjoyed but she gave it one more try. She found it, as in previous attempts, to be kind of tasteless. Even the garlic sauce that came with the bread couldn't help it much.

We all enjoyed eating at El Meson de Pepe! Not only is the Cuban food great but you can't beat the location adjacent to Mallory Square!

El Meson de Pepe 410 Wall Street, Mallory Square Key West, FL 33040
305-295-2620
www.elmesondepepe.com