Rain or Shine, Cedar Key Is An All-Weather Destination…by Dawn V. Perez

This was our second trip to Cedar Key for the day and this is the second time it rained the whole time!

You know what, it didn’t matter, the town is amazing rain or shine. We had the best day. Aside from being foodies, my husband and I love to shop. After an early dinner at 83 West, we hit the streets and walked amongst the stores along the water. But let us first talk about this dinner. Oh my gosh, it was perfect. We went back, and as it was the time before, it was excellent, from the service to the food. This time, we tried the steamed clams as an appetizer. These succulent, tender clams were drenched and steamed in a delicate garlic butter and wine sauce that was so delicious. Had my husband literally spooning the remaining sauce and soaking it up with his bread. Very enjoyable. He could not bear to be here and not order the buttermilk chicken tacos, which he thoroughly enjoyed last time. I on the other hand decided to try the crab cakes, which did not disappoint. The crab meat was fresh and tender with just enough extras included without overpowering the taste of the crab. My hubby’s tacos, which he shared with me were delicious! The corn salsa on the buttermilk chicken was full of flavor, a combination of sweet, tangy and a bit spicy. The entire meal was perfect. The atmosphere was enjoyable, with a beautiful view of the Gulf of Mexico where we watched boaters traveling in from a day of fishing. Last time we were so full that we did not have the room to try the key lime cake we had heard so much about, but my hubby said there was no way we were leaving without it this time. This cake was nothing like I was expecting. It was moist, fluffy and not too tart like I’ve experienced before. It was accompanied with a raspberry sauce that I found to be such an unusual but perfect and satisfying combination. I’ve been a writer most of my life, but I’ve found it hard to come up with the right words to describe this cake. It’s just something you have to experience yourself. When we were finished, we decided to walk to a few shops along the street to look about. There is a nice variety of shops with all kinds of gifts, collectables and novelties. I could not leave Cedar Key this time without trying a cup of clam chowder from Tony’s Restaurant, home of the World Champion Clam Chowder. I’ve heard about it for years. We wound up taking it home with us, so when we arrived later that evening, we enjoyed a little snack. It was by far the best clam chowder I have ever had. Creamy, flavorful, a little spicy with an abundance of tender clams. What a satisfying ending to a great day. Our plans for next time are to stay the weekend exploring, most likely kayaking and yes, trying some of the other amazing restaurants. Stay tuned!

Visit www.83westcedarkey.com for more information about 83 West, www.tonyschowder.com for Tony’s or www.cedarkey.org for more information about Cedar Key!