Key West: Louie's Backyard (May 2000)

In 1971, Louie Signorelli’s oceanfront Victorian home was transformed into Louie’s Backyard. The original restaurant seated only 12, and had one lone waiter. In 1983, Phil and Pat Tenney purchased and lovingly renovated Louie’s – with special attention to the maintenance of the buIlding’s historical integrity – and transformed it into the architectural delight it is today. Their efforts earned it a placement in the National Register of Historic Places. Today, Louie’s is a gourmand’s playground, a cafe-style restaurant with an oceanfront background setting – a must-do experience which has become a Key West tradition. Doug Shook has been the unseen genius behind Louie’s cuisine for 26 years, drawing on culinary influences from around the world. Doug’s relentless commitment to quality and his endless experimentation and exploration of tastes result in four to five menu changes each year. He is an artist; Whether it’s finding the perfect amount of calamondin juice to brighten the flavor of a yellowtail snapper or the creation of a new oriental salad, his skills are Louie’s palette; your table is his canvas. Each dish at Louie’s is prepared to order, with care and respect to each ingredient.