Salute! On the Beach

Reviews

Name: March Cox
Occupation: Marketing Professional
Lives In: North Miami Beach
Restaurant Pick: Salute
 

I parked my car at the beach parking lot shared with the restaurant. It was a perfect evening – not cold, not hot, not windy – a perfect Key West evening. I brought my dog, and they gave him a bowl of water before they took my drink order! The waitress suggested a wonderful merlot called Red Rock, very milky and enjoyable in a large goblet. I ordered mussels for my appetizer and was surprised at how many there were and the size of them. They were cooked in a white wine with finely diced garlic, but no garlicky taste – just flavorful juice for mussels to cook in. I also had a crusty loaf of bread cut in half, and cut side down into the juice on the plate. The first bite of bread is saturated with the sauce, which makes you go ‘oh my!’ It was so good! I had Scallops Chablis on fettuccine for my entree. The scallops were seared perfectly. The fettuccine was not heavy, but just right to compliment the scallops and showcase them. For dessert, I had the best key lime pie – not too sweet. It was light with plenty of meringue – again not too sweet.

Tourists go to Duvan, but need to go just a short distance on the beach to discover this gem. If Salute has yet to win awards for its dishes and overall restaurant experience, it deserves to!

Name: Manuel Menendez
Occupation: Building Materials Dealer
Lives In: Miami
Restaurant Pick: Marker 88
Reviewed Salute: January 16th

Salute is located right on Higgs Beach and has a beautiful setting with a great atmosphere. The food might be the best on Key West despite not being as “fancy pantsy” as the Marquesa, or that sort of restaurant. I didn’t have to wait for a table, and my waiter, Marcus, was great and knew the menu well. I was surprised to see that the food was fairly priced, considering Key West is expensive and you are right on the beach. The restaurant stayed true to the area, and featured live music.

In particular, Salute struck me as a really nice place to go for a romantic dinner. As far as portions go, I only got three scallops for my appetizer. However, my main course of snapper fillet was nice and big. I thought the quality and taste of their foods was the best in Key West. I would recommend this to anyone who would listen as the best restaurant in Monroe County.

Name: Tony Bonvini
Occupation: Former part-time Key’s Resident now Radio Station Sales Manager
Lives In: Boca Raton, Fl
Restaurant Pick: The Fish House
Reviewed The Fish House: January 3rd, 2010

Salute is the perfect dining location for lunch, especially after a nice morning on the beach. It was great to wash off the sand and sit at a beach table and enjoy their lunch menu, while watching people play volleyball.

As for dinner, I was disappointed with my entrée, Frutti Di Mare with Scallops, Shrimp & Mussels, as it was too spicy. The bread served was like a glob of dough, and the Key Lime Pie had too much meringue. With so many Key West choices for dinner, I would say go to Salute! On the Beach for lunch…but avoid dinner.

Restaurant Information