Owners pride themselves on authenticity
Amigos means “friends” in Spanish, but Amigos, the restaurant at 425 Greene St. in Key West, is the perfect place for mingling and meeting them.
“The seating is conducive to talking to your neighbor,” said co-owner Eric Sindone, of the counter-like seating throughout the restaurant. “And it gives customers a chance to people watch while eating.”
If tacos, burritos, quesadillas, fajitas, enchiladas and nachos, are something you are looking for, then look no further.
“I’ve been here almost every day for the past five years,” he said, “and, we just are happy to make people happy eating food.”
Two years ago, Amigos partners Eric, with Jack and Jesse Anderson, brought in Chef Lisa Esposito after a tour of South America to research and revamp the menu. The goal was to bring in the most authentic Mexican recipes they could find. “We wanted a place that we were excited about and proud of,” said Sindone. “We make everything from scratch.”
Amigos is also a great breakfast stop, opening at 8 a.m. with huevos rancheros, breakfast burritos and tacos, and migas. The latter is scrambled eggs cooked with crispy tortilla bits, mild salsa and onions and topped with shredded cheeses — served alongside bacon or sausage and potatoes.
If you are looking for gluten-free options, Amigos’ menu is 85 percent gluten-free, including gluten-free beer, with Florida craft beers and Mexican favorites also on the menu. Fizzy Mexican sodas are also available.
Top it off with dessert of flan, or compare the two top competing brands of Key Lime pie in Key West — Kermits or Key West Key Lime Pie Company. “A lot of people will order one of each,” said Jacque, a server. “One is tart and one is dense, so it’s fun to see whose pie they like the most.”
——
What’s a square taco?
Through the Amigos owner’s travels, they noticed that the most popular taco stands at the Central Mexican markets were those who made their tortillas fresh throughout the day. They took this idea and developed a tortilla machine that cuts the “masa harina” into a square shape — more filling, less spilling.
