Conch Fritters

[MTcruiser]

Anyone know where i can get the best conch fritters in key west? I had some great ones Nassau last year.

 

Thanks !

[Host Star]

yummy yummy... there is a guy with a mobile fritter cart that is usually nearby where you get the trolley's back to the pier.. at the end of duval street.. he's been there for YEARS,, even before the cruise ships invaded

[MTcruiser]

I'll keep my eyes open for him.

 

Thanks !

[ruthie0704]

Crabby Dick's Seafood Restaurant (I think on Duval St.) has wonderful conch fritters. Try the conch chowder - it's wonderful! Enjoy your trip.

[MTcruiser]

Thank you, i will have to give them a try :)

[KreinKrunker]

How about conch salad?

[shayshay]

Can someone please tell me what is Conch Fritters. I have nerver heard of this type of food before. I will be in Key West on July 4th and would be intereseted in trying some as I like to try things that I have not had before.

[MTcruiser]

It's a hush puppy like thing with chopped up conch in it...the ones i had in the Bahamas were spicy...very good

[shayshay]

Thanks for the info. I can't wait to try them as hush puppies is one of my favorite foods.

[m steve]

I have tried conck fritters in several places in Florida and they don't comparte to the ones I had in Nassau long ago. The ones here are too spicy, too much filler and no interesting dipping sauce. The ones at the Nassau Beach hotel bar came with a mango or papaya salsa and were mostly meat.

Earlier this year in New Zealand we tried abalone fritters (paua) and they were black, slimy and tasteless. Ugh!

[MTcruiser]

mmmm...only 5 weeks to go....i can almost taste them now :)

[donato]

Well they are not conch fritters, but they are real old time key west eating. Bollos (balls) are made from ground chick peas, garbanzos, gandules, call them what ever you want.

 

You can get them at 5 brothers grocery.

5 BROTHERS GROCERY, 930 Southard, Key West, 305-296-5205

There used to be an old man who made and sold them outside the aquarium, but you would need Mr. Peabody and the "way back machine" to get them from him.

[MTcruiser]

Well they are not conch fritters, but they are real old time key west eating. Bollos (balls) are made from ground chick peas, garbanzos, gandules, call them what ever you want.

 

You can get them at 5 brothers grocery.

5 BROTHERS GROCERY, 930 Southard, Key West, 305-296-5205

There used to be an old man who made and sold them outside the aquarium, but you would need Mr. Peabody and the "way back machine" to get them from him.

 

Sounds interesting...i will give them a try, thanks for the info.

[parrotthead]

Love Conch Fritters!!! Just make sure to pronounce to correctly...

its 'Conch' rymes with 'Honk' :D :p ;)

Love those little suckers!!!:p

[MTcruiser]

Anyone had em at the half shell raw bar? I think i'm going there for lunch.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Just drove back from Key West today. For whatever it is worth, we passed a water side restaurant on Card Sound Road just north of the toll bridge. That rustic restaurant, callled Alabama Jack's, claims to have the "Best conch fritters in the Florida Keys."

 

Card Sound Road connects Key Largo to South MIami Dade county and the Florida mainland. It is too far to drive for cruise ship passengers who have just a few hours in Key West.

[MTcruiser]

We'll be in miami for a couple days so maybe we could still check it out.

 

thanks

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

We'll be in miami for a couple days so maybe we could still check it out.

 

thanks

 

The place is rustic, but I did read something in the Palm Beach Post that sang high praises of Alabama Jack's in a recent feature of best places to eat in the Keys.

 

If you are coming from Miami, take Card Sound Road to your left as you head south. It is right at the point where the Overseas Highway one begins...just a minute south of Florida City.

 

The restaurant will be on your right as you head south. It sits right on, maybe even over, a deep channel running right beside Card Sound Road. You will see it just before you reach the toll bridge.

 

P. S. I just did a little research. Evidently the place was featured on the Food Network a couple years ago. It is said that their blue crab cake sandwiches are the best thing on the menu, which also has other typical Keys fare.

[donato]

Alabama Jack's is famous among the locals here in Homestead, FL.

We used to joke that you would get "double your money back" if you found any crab meat in your crab cake sandwich.

Jack had a younger wife who inherited the place after his death. She later had a jealous boyfriend who murdered her in their living quaters above the restaurant.

In those days Alabama Jack's was on a barge next to the Card Sound bridge.The barge sank on what would have been the birthday of Jack's widow after her death.

Alabama Jack's is now a more modern building on the side of the canal adjacent to the bridge and is still a great place to go for a beer and a crab cake.

It is a 3 hour drive north of Key West .

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Thanks for that fascinating story. It woud make a great one for City Confidential on A&E. What ever happened to the murderer? I hope he was appropiately punished.

[MTcruiser]

thnaks for all the info...very interesting

[Pecoraro]

How about conch salad?

 

The absolute best conch salad you have ever had - Turtle Kraals. When you are done with that they also have the absolute best key lime pie.

[MTcruiser]

where is Turtle Kraals located? and do you know what hours they are open?

 

thanks much

[bhopal21]

they are located directly across the parking lot from Half Shell Raw Bar at the end of Margaret Street. Both the Half Shell and Turtle Kraals are owned by the same corporation.

 

Both open around 11am and close about 10pm

 

Mike:)

[Pecoraro]

Both open around 11am and close about 10pm

 

Actually the Kraals is also open for breakfast - with a mean bloody mary to go with the conch salad!!!!!!!!