Nestled on a quiet side street in Bahama Village is a restaurant unlike any other. Blue Heaven is a bohemian mixture of casual dining, island charm, and unforgettable atmosphere...
 |
| Need a shower? |
The experience begins when you enter through the wrought iron gates, and take the winding pathway past the dubious shower. You have passed into another world altogether -- you are now in Blue Heaven. There's often a wait of an hour or more for Sunday Brunch, but you're on island time, and there's no better place to escape the heat than in the shaded courtyard.
A cat is likely draped across the steps by the hostess stand, but this is no odder than anything else you're about to encounter. You give your name and make your way to the bar, where you can choose from a variety of morning stimulants -- coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice, or perhaps one of their signature Grey Goose mixes, like a Bloody Goose or Goosedriver.
You find an empty plastic chair in the shade of a century old banyan tree. A soft reggae beat drifts through the air as local musicians play on the weathered wooden stage, and it's not long before you're tapping your foot and singing along... Don't worry about a thing... cos every little thing gonna be alright... and you find yourself believing it.
If you prefer more active entertainment options while you wait, you won't be disappointed. The courtyard has a ping-pong table, hula hoops, and local artists displaying their work at a makeshift gallery. There's also an air-conditioned shop to get out of the heat and browse for souvenirs or gifts.
When your name is called, you are seated at a brightly painted wooden table beneath the branches of a tropical almond tree. The Sunday brunch menu offers such a variety of goodness that you struggle to choose between the avocado white cheddar omelet and the lobster Benedict, the house specialty. Either way, it's a no-brainer that a side of Betty's Banana bread is a necessary addition to any meal. One bite is all it takes to justify the word heaven in the restaurant's name. If that's not enough to fill you up, a huge slice of meringue topped Key Lime pie is the perfect end to a decadent brunch.
As you eat your meal, you may notice that cats aren't the only additional inhabitants here. Roosters, hens, and chicks of all sizes roam the courtyard, peacefully co-existing with the feline members of the Blue Heaven family. Some of the braver adolescent roosters beg for food like feathered dogs, but most just dart between tables, pecking for scraps. In the evening, entire family units roost in the trees surrounding the courtyard.
This unique restaurant has been serving up great food and atmosphere to locals and visitors since 1992, but the property itself is legendary. Ernest Hemingway used to referee Friday night boxing matches in the courtyard where you sit sipping your mimosa. This same courtyard is now paved with the slate pool table tops from the days when the building housed a billiard hall and ice cream parlor. At other times cockfighting matches were held in the courtyard; after the sport was outlawed in the 1970s, the roosters and chickens were released onto the streets of Key West. Their descendants are now keeping you company while you dine, providing a subtle reminder of the rich history that surrounds you at all times in Key West... and of the ethereal spirit of Blue Heaven.
Want to check it out for yourself? You'll find Blue Heaven at the corner of Petronia and Thomas, in the Bahama Village neighborhood of Old Town. It's a short walk from Truman Annex and just a quick bike ride away from most Old Town properties.
Come home to paradise today and turn your dreams of tropical living into a reality!
|
No comments:
Post a Comment