On the road, you don't always have a day in which every meal stands out. But Friday was such a day. And, even rarer, each meal got cheaper as the day progressed.
It began with huevos rancheros at the Casa Marina hotel in Key West, and moved on to crepes at La Creperie. The restaurant sits across Petronia Street from Blue Heaven, and was its own kind of paradise, serving authentic buckwheat crepes (included gluten-free ones). I had La Complete - egg, ham, and cheese - and it arrived in the classic square shape, though with the over-easy egg on top instead of inside. (So I missed out on the surprise of cutting into the pancake and releasing a yellow stream.) But the taste transported me to Brittany.
We left around 3 and stopped for dinner at Taco Beach Shack in Hollywood. We found a table as far from the band as possible, on sand that was whiter and smoother than what you find on the beach two blocks away. A group of young women lounged on sofas under a tent, and an older couple played ping-pong.
We ordered three Korean short rib tacos with kimchee slaw, and a carafe of sangria. The manager stopped by; he was from Mexico City and told us he made the salsa himself. The tacos arrived with black beans and rice and an ear of roasted corn that had been sprinkled with parmesan cheese. The tacos were delicious, as were the black beans. Represented on our small table, and mixing beautifully in our mouths, were the flavors of Mexico, Korea, Italy and Cuba - all refreshingly washed down with Spain.
