TERRY’S PICKY PALATE / Fantastic Fish Tacos at Mangoes on Duval Street
BY TERRY SCHMIDA
Some of the fondest memories of my misspent youth involve evenings spent wandering Duval Street, popping into this bar and that, and cruising for the action. And like it was yesterday I recall passing the corner of Duval and Angela where the savory scent of garlic caught my attention, and lured me into Mangoes for a fresh baked pizza.
Decades may have passed since my salad days in this town, but fortunately, Mangoes, at 700 Duval St., is still with us; a rare constant in Key West’s ever-changing culinary universe.
I recently met up with current co-owner, Jack Dingeman, and asked him what was good at Mangoes, circa 2018.
Local Catch Tacos, said he.
Bring ’em on, I replied.
In a city where fish tacos are plentiful, they have to be beyond good to make much of an impression on me, and Mangoes definitely delivered the goods. My three double-layer soft corn tortillas were filled with generous portions of delicious fresh yellowtail, blackened with Mangoes’ signature spices, and loaded with plenty of crumbled queso fresco, and chunky pico de gallo, made with . . . juicy mango!
Diners can also order this tantalizing treat grilled, or fried, and select coleslaw or yucca fries on the side, but I strongly recommend the yucca, which comes with a unique chili dipping sauce. Crisp on the outside, and flaky within, these frites were a perfect complement to the tacos, and left me more than satisfied.
“The tacos are one of our most popular lunch items,” Dingeman said. “It’s just a great combination of flavors, which I really like myself.”
I washed my meal down with soda, but Dingeman and his staff pride themselves on the five Mojito varieties they offer, and suggest them with south-of-the-border eats such as the tacos.
With recent renovations now out of the way, Mangoes has added some surprises to the menu, including a selection of Caribbean sushi rolls, which suggest a promising road ahead for this landmark eatery.
And as always, the bar is always a great place to sample the ample cocktail selection, people-watch, and enjoy the piano stylings of Dave Bootle, from9 p.m. to midnight, Wednesday through Saturday.
So, whether you’re a young man (or woman) on the make, a gourmandizing oldster like me, or just someone with an appreciation of Caribbean fusion cuisine, follow your senses, and pick Mangoes for your next night out on the town.
Mangoes is open from 11 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. Reservations are suggested. Locals receive a 10 percent discount. Active military personnel, police and firefighters receive 50 percent.
For more information, or to make a reservation, call 305-294-8002, or email [email protected], or visit http://www.
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