A New Twist on an Old Favorite

A new twist on an old favorite...

I love coming back, from an incredible weekend in the Keys, to this little piece of heaven known as the Whale Harbor Inn, in Islamorada. My friends and I have religiously stopped there from our many outings down to the Keys, with one thing on our mind, all you can eat Crab Legs. Don't get me wrong, the place is packed with delicacies as far as the eye can see, its buffet style, with a raw bar, a dessert bar, carving stations and other fresh catch or cooked options. But low and behold the raw bar, where my friends and I enjoy all the mouth watering steamed for you crab legs you could ever imagine. The memories of the trips from the past are discussed over eating along with the fun that is being had discussing the craziness of the most recent trip, the sharing of pictures, the laughing and playing, makes this one of my favorite places to end our trip. The place is packed with visitors from all walks of life, and it just so happened that on our last trip down we noticed something new, something that would change the way we would enjoy our fun little Sunday afternoon spot - forever. Garlic sautéed crab legs; that is it, four little words that have changed our experience forever, without a doubt, one of the best ways on the face of the earth to eat crab legs, is sautéed in globs of wonderful garlic along with the sensual underlying of butter. Although, most people would be perfectly happy with just ordinary, all you

Villapiano 2

could eat steamed crab legs, this has given new meaning to deliciousness. The chef prepares them atop a hotplate, where he creates his magic. Three to four generous globs of freshly chopped garlic, three to four globs of butter, a hint of spice if you desire, and then covers them until they are melt in your mouth delicious. Of course, I for one do not just dive into the crab legs, I venture off for my fill of the other enjoyable delights that the Whale Harbor Inn has to offer, whether it be a half dozen or so freshly shucked oysters, to the fresh catch of the day over some of the most buttery noodles, topped with a dash of parsley. My friends and I look forward to our trips to the Keys, to play and to shop and to catch a magnificent sunset, but the real story is being able to stop at the restaurant and share in a "recap" of the weekend over some of life's most enjoyable pleasures. In just writing this brief story, I am drifting away, envisioning my next trip down to the Keys, I can close my eyes and taste the crab legs and that brings such a smile to my face.

When our trip winds down and we are on US 1 heading North, I can always feel a little piece of heaven knowing that we are approaching the Whale Harbor Inn, a place where