Key West Café in Westlake offers a variety of dishes such as Cuban sandwiches, jambalaya with jerk chicken and andouille sausage, Caribbean jerk pork porterhouse and more. The restaurant is located on Sperry Road, in the former Tony Roma’s location. (West Life photos by Kevin Kelley)

A taste of the tropics comes to Westlake
By Cynthia Schuster-Eakin
Insights
Published March 28, 2007

Key West Café brings a welcome taste of the tropics to Westlake’s restaurant row.

The new dining establishment, open since Feb. 12, occupies the space on Sperry Road that formerly housed Tony Roma’s. It is the second Key West location. A downtown location, in the Galleria at Erieview, has been in existence for seven years. Both restaurants are owned by the same group of investors who own Houlihan’s restaurant in Westlake.

A visit to Key West Café will transport you right to the islands. The interior of the restaurant has been redecorated in a tropical motif. Smoothies and tropical fruit drinks are a specialty. Live entertainment is featured every Thursday through Saturday night.

An acoustic guitar player had an appreciative audience in the capacity bar crowd on the evening of our visit to Key West Café. The restaurant offers a number of appetizers that can be shared over an after-work beverage. Rum and coconut shrimp ($8.99), served with a horseradish remoulade, is the most popular appetizer, according to Key West Manager John Gaynor. We enjoyed the crab and shrimp cakes served over sautéed spinach with Cuban mayonnaise ($9.99), and the Key West quesadilla, filled with jerk chicken, peppers, and Asiago and jalapeno cheeses ($8.49). The quesadilla appetizer was large enough for two people, or as a light entrée for one. Other appetizers on the menu are grouper nuggets ($8.99), jerk chicken wings ($8.99), herbed cream cheese and crabmeat dip ($9.49) and mini Black Angus burgers with a variety of toppings.

The red bean diablo soup is spicy and delicious. The chicken and corn chowder and classic Cajun gumbo ($3.99) are also very tasty.

Sandwiches, salads and personal pizzas are offered for both lunch and dinner. Gaynor said their Cuban sandwich is something a little bit different than you would get at other neighborhood restaurants. The sandwich is layered with jerk pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and Key West’s Cuban mayonnaise and served on crusty Cuban bread ($7.99). Other sandwiches are fried grouper ($9.49) and grilled mahi-mahi topped with cucumber, tomato and bean sprouts ($9.49). There is barbecued pulled pork ($8.49), and a half-pound Key West burger seasoned with jerk spices and topped with pepperjack cheese, salsa and chili paste ($8.99).

The Caribbean cobb salad features citrus-marinated chicken, pineapples, strawberries, bleu cheese and smoked bacon ($9.99). The Oriental tuna salad is seared sushi-grade ahi tuna on a bed of fresh greens and Oriental vegetables ($10.99). Pizzas include four-cheese, roasted vegetable, chicken and goat cheese and the “Sloppy Hog” with Cuban ham, pork, double-smoked bacon and grilled pineapple tossed in barbecue sauce.

Gaynor recommends the jerk chicken pasta with Asiago cream ($12.99). Rasta pasta ($12.99) is fettuccine noodles tossed in a slightly spicy red sauce with peppers, onions, mushrooms and grilled chicken. Grilled shrimp can be substituted for the chicken.

Tilapia stuffed with crab and shrimp ($16.99) and macadamia nut-crusted grouper ($19.99) are the most popular entrees, according to Gaynor. We thought the jambalaya with jerk chicken and andouille sausage ($14.99) was very good. Caribbean jerk pork porterhouse ($17.99) is grilled and accompanied by apple chutney and mashed sweet potatoes, while grilled chicken is prepared with your choice of citrus marinade or jerk marinade and mango salsa ($13.99). Schooner Wharf skewers are barbecued shrimp, top sirloin and chicken served over Key West rice ($14.99).

Definitely plan on dessert when visiting the Key West Café. The key lime pie and pineapple cheesecake are made from scratch daily. Other desserts are fresh fruit in rum cream, flourless chocolate torte, Key West rum cake with fried banana chips, and a fried tortilla filled with banana cream and served with vanilla bean ice cream and hot caramel.

Key West Café is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, until midnight on Friday and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. Major credit cards are accepted. The patio will soon be open for alfresco dining. Phone (440) 808-0606. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible.