TERRY’S PICKY PALATE / “Tuna Tartare, Burrata Salad and more At Spencer’s by the Sea at The Reach”

BY TERRY SCHMIDA

You really can’t beat the view at Spencer’s by the Sea.

From its wood-paneled dining room, the venerable, local-friendly steakhouse, located at The Reach, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, at 1435 Simonton St., offers views of the Atlantic Ocean, out over Key West’s only natural sand beach. I decided to test its culinary mettle, by way of a small plate and drink.

My companion on this appetizing adventure is Anthony VanDaley, the Marketing Manager for The Reach, and its sister hotel, the Casa Marina.

He and Chef Jose Gomez offer a few menu suggestions, all of which are right on the mark.

We sit at the bar, and start with a glass of Spencer’s Ale, a Florida-brewed beer, with a refreshing, nutty taste.

Then the food arrives, and it turns out Spencer’s by the Sea has upped the ante.

Sitting before me are two perfectly prepared dishes, the Burrata Salad, with roasted baby beets and arugula, in a bacon-mustard vinaigrette; and the Tuna Tartare, with pineapple, pine nuts, mint, sesame oil, tuna, and togarchi, a hot Asian pepper.

The salad is delightful, with the sweet from the beets and the bitter from the arugula leaving a memorable, bacony taste in my mouth.

The tartare is the best I’ve had in Key West, and comes in cake-form, for easy dipping with the fried wontons provided on the side.

“It really does make your taste buds explode, doesn’t it?” VanDaley asks.

I answer in the affirmative.

Along the way, my host has sprung two other beverages on me: A Key West Cooler, made from Parrot Bay Key Lime Rum, coconut water, and lime juice; and the Perfect Storm, made with 23-year-old Ron Zacapa, spicy ginger beer, and fresh lime.

Neither VanDaley or I have ever tasted a coconut water-based cocktail before, and both of us agree that it is appropriately tart, tasty and refreshing.

The Perfect Storm is, as advertised, with the aged rum and ginger beer a perfect mélange..

“I see a lot of people ordering that drink, too, the helpful bartender says. “It’s very popular.”

I understand why.

I also understand why a growing number of locals are choosing to spend Happy Hour at the outdoor bar, listening to live local music from C.W. Colt and Friends, Wednesday through Saturday evenings and, of course, enjoying the locals only discount on all food and beverages.

Then there’s that breathtaking view . . .

Spencer’s by the Sea is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

For more information, call 305-296-5000, or visit http://www.reachresort.com/dining-en.html

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