For many visitors to Key West the big deal is to do what the locals do as the locals do it. I'm not sure that eating at Miami Subs is going to be such a desirable thing even after I have pointed out this is a favorite local's hang out. It's not a warm and fuzzy place to get dinner, and its not dripping with Keys ambiance, but Miami Subs serves up an honest plate of food for a decent price and one doesn't have to hang around to get it either. You can even do the whole drive through thing if you don't want to get out of your car:
Key West was in the grip of yet anther cold front one evening recently and I was fresh from my chiropractor's office as the sun went down. My wife suggested dinner and Miami Subs came instantly to mind. Cheap cheerful and efficient, two gyro platters, double salad no fries, a shared bottomless fountain drink and twenty dollars out of pocket:
A gyro platter (pronounced
hero because them Greeks are a tricky bunch, what with their particular alphabet and all), hits the spot and even though the dining hall isn't particularly warm and romantic we enjoy eating there:
Clearly this isn't someplace fancy but you still have the choice to sink a ton of cash at Louie's Backyard or Sarabeth's or the Marquesa House, but Miami Subs in Key West is the local's haunt.
Noel likes their grilled chicken sandwich their milk shakes and fried mozzarella cheese sticks. His boyfriend Matt is partial to their wings and the Breyer's ice cream. Me? I like the crunchy bread they put around their hamburgers but whatever it is they seem to do it well at the Key West store.
I've eaten at Miami Subs in Homestead and in Miami but neither place comes up to the standard set by the store in Key West. The food here just seems better, besides which it has parking no small thing in Key West, and they also make room for motorcycles:
Beside if you aren't driving you can get beer or wine to go with your meal, alcohol is an important contribution to happy Keys dining. The chain was founded by a Greek immigrant entrepreneur in Miami which is why it has a smattering of Greek inspired dishes. In 2001 Konstantin Boulis was murdered in a Miami ambush by persons unknown and for motives only hinted at. The belief was that his sale of his SunCruz gambling boats to notorious Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff might have had something to do with his killing which was quite spectacular apparently. Boulis was in his car when another vehicle cut him off and a second car pulled alongside and shot him to death in best mobster style. Weird but true.
The other handy thing about Miami Subs in Key West is that it's easy to locate on the Boulevard next to the Circle K convenience store at First Street.
Eat like a local...at Miami Subs. Bet you weren't expecting that?
11 comments:
Thanks for this post - I'll take a gyro and the fried chicken kaiser to go, please! Oh, can you add an order of mozzarella sticks to that?
Looks like good food, at a reasonable price!
Another odd this about the murder of Gus Boulis is that after he was shot his car continued on for a bit before coming to a rest in front of a Miami Subs.
Many years ago I used to have lunch, nearly daily at a small, local place called: Paul's Submarine. They probably made the best "hot" steak subs in town. It was a "hole in the wall" very small, had about 4-5 petite tables. Hmmm, boy they were good.
bob
bobskoot: wet coast scootin
They're actually pronounced "year-o".
D
Dear Sir:
I couldn't do it.. I couldn't go into a place like this in Key West. First of all, it is nearly impossible to get a good Gyro 50 miles outside of Manhattan... The same holds true for a bagel.
I understand your need for culinary variety, but there are limits to one's expectations. Speaking of which, they are expecting six inches of snow here again tonight, and I am turning into a werewolf.
Fondest regards,
Jack
Twisted Roads
No need for geo-bigotry here, New York by no means has the patent on good Gyros (and I had my first one just off Times Square in 1974). Those at Miami Subs may not be world-class, but they're a good meal.
And MS serves good portions -- my wife and I do fine by splitting a Gyro platter, making dinner for 2 under 10 bucks out the door...
We, too, always understood them to be called "year - ohs". But whatever is cool with the one who speaks. It's even fun to hear somebody at the counter say "give me one 'a them J-EYE ROWS"....
Key West- come as you are.
I can't quite figure why Dion's gas station fried chicken strikes me as more appealing than this sub joint.
Mmmmm Miami Subs mmmmmm
I agree Miami Subs is decent fast food. Dions is good too but it's picnic food which is tough to deal with when riding a motorcycle on a 60 degree night- short of eating at the police station kitchen table and I try to avoid work when not working.
The first time I ate at Miami Subs, yes, a gyro, it was at the store that used to be where the downtown CVS is now, corner of Front and Duval. I miss that now.
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