None One Five: An Upper Duval Street eatery where you can come as you are

None One Five: An Upper Duval Street eatery where you can come as you are

BY TERRY SCHMIDA

It’s the king of Upper Duval Street restaurants.

For 14 years now, Nine One Five, located in a tastefully renovated Conch house at 915 Duval St., has been serving up imaginative food at reasonable prices to an interesting mix of adventurous tourists and hip locals.

“It kind of started as a tapas place, but we’ve evolved over the years,” said Josephine Kemp, who owns the eatery with her husband Stuart. “Our chef Andrea Benatti, who is Italian, helps us change the menu a few times per year, but we’re heavy on local seafood, and steaks. Everything here is made with love, for sure.”

Among the most popular orders, according to Josephine Kemp are the daily pasta specials, which are homemade daily, and sell out every night.

And then there’s the Crispy Florida Keys Whole Snapper, served with a sizzling Thai chili sauce, and basmati rice, and the slow-braised Chiplolte Pork Tacos, served with avocado, lime crema, and quesa fresco, both of which are also customer favorites.

“We like to think that we serve amazing food in a casual atmosphere,” Josephine Kemp said. “People should be able to go out and eat fantastic food, without having to get all dressed up. We don’t want the place to appear too fussy.”

Other menu standouts include the Soul Mama Seafood Soup, with shrimp, grouper, clams, and a Thai green curry, as well as a selection of raw items, such as Florida Keys Grouper Ceviche, with avocado, orange supremes, and coconut dressing, and a Wild Salmon Tartare, featuring Mojito-cured wild salmon, and a rice wine mustard vinaigrette.

There’s even a high-end, 8-ounce, grass fed burger, served on a brioche bun, with roasted tomato jam, truffled mozzarella, and fries.

Of course people don’t live by food alone, which is why Nine One Five boasts an array of interesting signature cocktails, and an impressive wine list, both in the main, ground-floor restaurant, and its upstairs companion, the Pont5 Lounge, which has its own menu selections.

The most popular cocktail with the locals, Josephine Kemp said, is the 915, crafted with St. George Chili Vodka, prickly pear liqueur, agave nectar, and lemon juice. The Key West Sunset features Deep Eddy Ruby Red Vodka, St. George Raspberry Liqueur, lime and club soda.

“We change our cocktail and wine list four or five times per year, to keep things interesting,” she added. “And we have held wine dinners as well.” Another strength of Nine One Five is its local staff.

“Most of them have been here since we opened,” Josephine Kemp said. “We’ve become like family at this stage.”

And the restaurant is happy to accommodate wedding receptions, private parties, and other gatherings, on both floors.

“We truly take pride in everything we serve,” she continued. “A great deal of it is made from scratch. And we fly in chocolate from Europe for our desserts. We really put our hearts into it.”