Old Town Bakery

I've fallen in love!! I've found the love of my life. Oh man, the butterflies, the giddiness, the excitement!  And sorry, it ain't The Hubs I'm talking about here. It's Old Town Bakery.

Oh sweet, yeasty goodness that falls upon my tongue, caressing my delicate taste buds and making me fall evermore in love with the deliciousness you bring into my life. Sigh.

If ya can't tell by my prose, this is good stuff. This, my friends, is a bakery--like a real bakery. Like a they-bake-their-stuff-fresh-every-day, the-baguettes-are-ready-in-the-morning-at-8:30-bakery.  It's a true treat.

On the corner of Eaton and Grinnell stands Old Town Bakery; a humble-looking building with curious vines wandering along the outside walls. Step inside and you will see a simple shop that sells the most beautiful looking (and tasting, mind you) danishes, croissants, cookies, loaf cakes and more.

When The Hubs and I stepped into the shop, I eyed the Chocolate Croissant. He got the Blueberry Cheese Danish. The Chocolate Croissant was deliciously flaky and layered in a way that I had never experienced a croissant before. The chocolate was chunky and bitter-sweet, matching the already butter-rich croissant.

I took a bite of The Hubs' danish and not only was the danish's freshly baked bread taste delightful, the blueberries on the cheese in the center of the danish were fresh--as in not frozen! Imagine that!


We went to eat lunch, but immediately after, we came right back to Old Town Bakery..........we had to get some for the kids.. ;) I indulged in a few of the other types of danishes they had, and I also got a cappuccino. I know what you're thinking: "They serve coffee too?!" I know, I know, try to keep calm.

Get this: not only do they serve a good cappuccino (the foam was delicious), but it's so affordable that a chain (like Starbucks) would be put to sssoooo much shame. You would think this being a locally run shop in Key West, the prices would be far from modest, but oh no, it's better than I could have imagined--which is why we came back.

But wait, there's even more! Not only do they serve fresh pastries and coffee, they sell their own cheeses, meats and other goodies! Such deliciousness-es as Sun Dried Tomato Pesto and House Marinated Artichoke Heart. They even make their own pickles for goodness sake! Not to mention, you could totally stop here instead of your trip to Publix or Winn Dixie or wherever--because not only will it taste a whole lot better, it'll probably be more affordable too. Ha!

The Hubs even mentioned that it reminded him of the great sweet bread and other pastries they had in Venezuela while growing up. It's simply childhood memory-inducing. I mean, look how many exclamation points I've used in this post!

Ok, ok, let's get to it..

So,
The Bottom Line:
Food: uh-mazing. Just go there.

Price:  Very nicely priced. I know that the (not even) comparable Starbucks further down the road is waayy more expensive--and it surely doesn't taste as good.

Service: Service was great. We asked questions, the young lady answered them no problem and with enthusiasm. We even left a tip.

Overall:  Great experience.  If you love freshness, if you love baked goods, if you just love anything that tastes really good, then go there. Simple as that.

The menu:

Shanna Key Irish Pub

Today for lunch, The Hubs and I decided to try a restaurant that we pass frequently, but have never gone to: Shanna Key Irish Pub & Grill.  It's on the corner of Flagler and Bertha--pretty out of the way of the cruise ship-ers that come in daily.  So, if you are a cruise ship-er you'll likely need a taxi if you want to give this place a try.

This picture provided by Google Maps

You can't miss this big yellow and green building at one of the busiest intersections in KW.  After we parked in the back of the restaurant and started walking towards the building, there are picnic tables lining the wall outside with umbrellas providing ample shade for those who want to eat in the cool heat of the city.

When you walk in, you seat yourself in typical pub/bar fashion.  There is a nice sized bar that displays the completely stocked plethora of all of the liquors, liqueurs and mixers that you could ever need.
The decor is........lacking?  There's typical bar stuff: posters, signs, football (soccer) flags, tv's, etc.  They're a "Steelers Nation" pub, so prepare yourself.  The best part is the big time projector and screen that's there, ready to capture the most riveting sports moments right. there.

But it also leaves a bit to be desired.  It's green. Yes, it's an Irish Pub--I get it. But the carpet is green, the walls are green, the moulding bordering the entire room is green.  The worst part, however, is that there are foiled party streamer shamrocks hanging from the ceiling....sigh.

Enough of decor! This is a food blog!

There's a simple menu.  If you're thinking typical Irish/English pub food, you're spot on:  Shepard's Pie, Fish and Chips, Corned Beef and Cabbage...you get the idea. BUT it is a sports bar too, so wings, burgers and fries with somewhat of an Irish flair are there too.

I ordered the Fresh Fried Wings with the Jalapeno and Garlic sauce. 10 wing for 10 bucks. The Hubs got the Shanna Burger with "L.T.O" and opted for a fried egg in addition to the standard way it is dressed.  Oh, and you can't go to an Irish pub and not get a beer, so we both got Miller Lite on draft. **No Guinness for me. Guinness is for those who have the gonads that I do not.**

These wings. were. huge. And freshly fried they were indeed! Nice and hot, with crispy skin and juicy on the inside.  I enjoyed the wings so much that the lacking jalapeno garlic sauce didn't bother me so much. The sauce just seemed to be crushed jalapeno peppers, butter and garlic powder--nothing spectacular (there are three or four other sauce options too). But, oh, the chicken!

The Hubs was very pleased with the fact that he could get a fried egg on his burger.  He reports that it was "tasty and delicious" and that he would recommend it to someone else. Those were all the words I could muster from him about his food..

I included the menu. Just click on it to make it bigger. 

 

So,
The Bottom Line:
Food:  The food was pretty tasty. Although, we went the typical bar food route instead of taking the Irish experience.

Price:  The prices are pretty legit. They offer a 50 wings for $30 (during games and happy hour). Not typical KW pricey-ness; worth the money. And there is a small local discount.

Service:  The service was pretty good. Greeted when we walked in, served quickly and the food got delivered quickly.

Overall: A good experience. Good music. Seems like an excellent place to be on Sundays and Monday nights, or for any big sports event. Oh, and there's Karaoke on Saturdays :)