It was a rather rushed day. Id given myself a 6 hour lay over in Miami to nip out and see a few things in the 1000 places to see before you die book. After going on a nice walk down South Beach, a detour to the new Soho House Miami (fabulous!), I went in search of lunch at Joe's Stone Crab, one of the 1000 places.
Joe's was opened as a small lunch counter in 1913 serving largely fish and chips. In 1921, as a result of a chance largely when one of the founder's friends built an aquarium at the foot of the Bay and 5th Street, a researcher brought along some stone crabs from the Bay to cook for lunch. And that was it-
Anyhow, at first it was a bit confusing. It seems it has expanded into two restaurants only one of which was open. There is one counter which is a takeaway - albeit set out in a very top end takeaway style with fresh salads, fish and trays and trays of stone crab.
On the other a sit down restuarant with a counter bar- which is where I sat myself down to a treat of medium stone crabs with slaw and fries. And it was good. Very good. But then I love crab!!
from seventy-five cents for four or five crabs, twenty-five cents for potatoes and twenty-five cents an order for coleslaw in 1921 they have progressed to about US$40 per four or five crabs and $7 for potatoes . Fedexed daily anywhere in America and, allegedly, a staunch favourite of J Lo and Madonna, Joe's Stone Crabs has become a firm family and celebrity favourite.
Joe's was opened as a small lunch counter in 1913 serving largely fish and chips. In 1921, as a result of a chance largely when one of the founder's friends built an aquarium at the foot of the Bay and 5th Street, a researcher brought along some stone crabs from the Bay to cook for lunch. And that was it-
Anyhow, at first it was a bit confusing. It seems it has expanded into two restaurants only one of which was open. There is one counter which is a takeaway - albeit set out in a very top end takeaway style with fresh salads, fish and trays and trays of stone crab.
On the other a sit down restuarant with a counter bar- which is where I sat myself down to a treat of medium stone crabs with slaw and fries. And it was good. Very good. But then I love crab!!
from seventy-five cents for four or five crabs, twenty-five cents for potatoes and twenty-five cents an order for coleslaw in 1921 they have progressed to about US$40 per four or five crabs and $7 for potatoes . Fedexed daily anywhere in America and, allegedly, a staunch favourite of J Lo and Madonna, Joe's Stone Crabs has become a firm family and celebrity favourite.
Now, everyone likes a home grown success story. Especially when it involves immigrants making it good in the US of A . A story of using something that was plentiful in the local surroundings but which no one before had thought to eat. A family that created a business that became succesful enough to provide a great living for fellow descendents. And dont get me wrong- the crab was also very good.
But I have to admit, Im failing to understand why this restaurant was selected in the 1000 places to see before you die. I mean its a nice, family run, quaint, cute and very clean, upmarket, well marketed takeaway.....of crabs.
But Im failing to see if I would travel to come and see this place. And that is what the 1000 places is all about I thought. I can think of quite a few restaurants Id travel to - Noma in Denmark, El Bulli in Spain when it re-opens, Fat Duck in England every quarter when they changed their menu, none of which feature in the 1000 places to see before you die.
For this reason...Im going to find....or not....a replacement entry for Miami in the 1000 places...let the hunt begin
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