You’re probably asking yourself how I ended up in Melbourne, Florida.
As part of my job, I travel the Southeast.
Most of the time, the trips are short but each time I arrive in a new city, I try to get in a few restaurants by asking locals for recommendations.
My last visit to Florida was this past September. I was there for three days, driving from city to city. My final destination was the riverside city of Melbourne, located on the Indian River.
“I came from Tampa and people told me that Melbourne is excellent for sea food, so where can you send me, maybe a shack on the beach?” I asked the bell boy at the hotel on arrival.
“Hop on the shuttle,” he responded. After a 10 minute drive, the driver dropped me off in the middle of nowhere. “You see this shack there on the river, go there, call us when you’re finished and we will pick you up.”
“Welcome to Bonefish Willys” the faded sign said with an arrow pointing to the entrance.
I followed the arrows to the back of the shack and found myself on the patio leading straight to the river. A fisherman on the back deck, standing near an old lady, welcomed me in.
Since I moved to Atlanta, I wanted to try Crab cakes, but people told me it wouldn’t be worth it in the city. “Bonefish Willys” felt like the right place.
Two crab cakes landed on my table with a cold local beer.
The view, the wind in my hair, the smell of the sea that I miss every day like a typical Israeli girl, and the food created the perfect bite. I can’t really be objective about it because it was my first Crab cakes, but OMG, it was so good. SO GOOD!
I thought to myself, as I waited for my main course, this is one of those places you see in the movies, don’t really think that they actually exist, but here it is.
A grouper Willy sandwich arrived at my table.
Fried fresh grouper straight from the water, on toasted bread with butter and a sweet glaze all topped with coleslaw.
Melbourne, Florida, you made me very happy girl with that sandwich.
See you soon,
Hagar
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