The other day online I saw a friend, Jacquelyn Ekblom, post how she enjoyed her time at the Twisted Shrimp. Ekblom is incredibly involved in our community and a busy woman to say the least. I couldn’t help but smile when I saw such an influential person take the time to express how much she loves that roadside restaurant.
I feel Twisted Shrimp is underrated in every sense of the word. Don’t get me wrong, I completely understand how locals might be unfamiliar with their show-stopping bites.
The previous owners had a terribly unpredictable schedule. You basically never knew when your plans to go to Twisted Shrimp would be halted by the surprise of them being closed for the day. I couldn’t even get mad because they had the leverage, they had the shrimp. I’m happy to report the most amazing, down-to-earth and sweet family has purchased Twisted Shrimp. Clara Correa along with her two sons, Mateo and Santiago, now have Twisted Shrimp’s future in their hands and that future is looking very bright.
First order of business for them was establishing a consistent and dependable schedule. You’ll find them there cooking and welcoming you every day of the week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. I walked in, beyond nervous, hoping they would be able to replicate the preceding owner’s confidential recipes. Not only did they not disappoint, they exceeded my expectations.
I’m really at a loss for words on how to describe these crustaceans. I’ve never had anything like it anywhere else in all of my travels or in the Keys. They’re fried, but only for a brief moment. They don’t taste unhealthy, which may be due to their use of rice oil over vegetable oil. The breading is so thin, so light, you can actually see through it. There are no bells or whistles, they let the shrimp shine with simple quality ingredients. You can say they keep it “shrimp-ple.”
When you go, please do me the favor of asking them to switch out the cocktail condiment for their remoulade sauce. It has a light pink hue and it matches the sweetness of the seafood on such a deeper level, in my opinion.
I first had their shrimp appetizer at an event in Founders Park pre-pandemic. My family and I ended up purchasing two more baskets. We all just couldn’t stop saying “are you tasting this?” Here is a small insight to my love for the fried shrimp there; if I find I’m heading south, I’ll often call ahead and order it to go. It’s ready by the time I’m pulling up to the Twisted Shrimp in Islamorada. This also gives it time to cool down since everything is cooked to order and comes out piping hot. I’ll indulge myself in some shrimp before whatever appointment I have in the area or have it as a road trip snack with my family on our way to Key West. Any reason we have to drive to Islamorada or south involves a quick stop at Twisted Shrimp.
I wish I could give more advice about the other items they have available but I still haven’t made it past their namesake dish. My next visit I’ll be sure to practice all the willpower possible and not order the shrimp so I have room to try all their other food, which I’m sure is equally delicious. So stay tuned and keep an eye out because there are big plans for Twisted Shrimp. They already have daily specials but their future goal is to include happy hours, deliveries and even catering. Give them a try and support the new owners. One bite in and you’ll find yourself saying “they’re shrimply the best!”
