Diner that inspired Cheeseburger in Paradise to Close

[aparrotheadindenver]

From the Miami Herald: "Beloved pharmacy diner to shut doors soon"

The Dennis Pharmacy diner, a Key West institution that inspired Jimmy Buffett's Cheeseburger in Paradise, will soon close its doors."

<font color="red"><b>Update from Kelly:</b></font>

All good parrot heads know that Cheeseburger in Paradise was written about getting to shore after a rough crossing aboard the "Euphoria" to Tortola, and the marina that served cheeseburgers there. If you wouldlike to confirm this, I read it in the Coconut Telegraph volume 16 no. 1. page 3.

[CaptainP]

It's very debatable whether they actually "inspired" CIP, or just claim that since Jimmy used to go there...

[RinglingRingling]

It's very debatable whether they actually "inspired" CIP, or just claim that since Jimmy used to go there...

unless "horse" was the usual dinner meat in KW, and finding out that the Dennis actually served beef... yeah, I am going with the latter.

[land_shark3]

It's very debatable whether they actually "inspired" CIP, or just claim that since Jimmy used to go there...

I'm going with "claim". I seem to remember an interview that Jimmy did about that particular Cheeseburger in Paradise. It was a small joint in the islands. The burger was one of the worst ever, but he had been at sea so long that it seemed like heaven.

[CaptainP]

It's very debatable whether they actually "inspired" CIP, or just claim that since Jimmy used to go there...

I'm going with "claim". I seem to remember an interview that Jimmy did about that particular Cheeseburger in Paradise. It was a small joint in the islands. The burger was one of the worst ever, but he had been at sea so long that it seemed like heaven.

That's the story we use on OUR menus...the menus that Jimmy helped design....

[land_shark3]

That's the story we use on OUR menus...the menus that Jimmy helped design....

Oh yeah, I knew I had seen it somewhere.

[land_shark3]

That's the story we use on OUR menus...the menus that Jimmy helped design....

Oh yeah, I knew I had seen it somewhere... along with that Munster cheese.

[7lords]

It's very debatable whether they actually "inspired" CIP, or just claim that since Jimmy used to go there...

I'm going with "claim". I seem to remember an interview that Jimmy did about that particular Cheeseburger in Paradise. It was a small joint in the islands. The burger was one of the worst ever, but he had been at sea so long that it seemed like heaven.

Le Select in St Bart's claims it was inspired by them - at least that's what everyone told us when we were there

[Quiet and Shy]

Isn't that about 50 places that have made that claim?

[RinglingRingling]

Isn't that about 50 places that have made that claim?

and the Dew Drop Inn in Mobile... which does make a darn fine burger.

and a very spiffy T-shirt

[aparrotheadindenver]

If my memory serves me right, Jimmy names about a dozen
burgers in the "Parrothead Manual" that qualify for his "Cheeseburger
in Paradise."

Number one being the cheeseburger in St. Barts.

[aparrotheadindenver]

If my memory serves me right, Jimmy names about a dozen
burgers in the "Parrothead Manual" that qualify for his "Cheeseburger
in Paradise."

Number one being the cheeseburger in St. Barts.

Keep in mind my memory isn't the greatest anymore!

[RinglingRingling]

If my memory serves me right, Jimmy names about a dozen
burgers in the "Parrothead Manual" that qualify for his "Cheeseburger
in Paradise."

Number one being the cheeseburger in St. Barts.

nope.. The Dew Drop. His first. tho they are in no particular order by quality.

[aparrotheadindenver]

If my memory serves me right, Jimmy names about a dozen
burgers in the "Parrothead Manual" that qualify for his "Cheeseburger
in Paradise."

Number one being the cheeseburger in St. Barts.

nope.. The Dew Drop. His first. tho they are in no particular order by quality.

See Above

[NYCPORT]

Directly from Margaritaville.com

The myth of the cheeseburger in paradise goes back to a long trip on my first boat, the Euphoria. We had run into some very rough weather crossing the Mona Passage between Hispaniola and Puerto Rico and broke our bow sprit. The ice in our box had melted, and we were doing the canned-food-and-peanut-butter diet. The vision of a piping hot cheeseburger kept popping into my mind. We limped up the Sir Francis Drake Channel and into Roadtown on the island of Tortola, where a brand-new marina and bar sat on the end of the dock, like a mirage. We secured the boat, kissed the ground, and headed for the restaurant. To our amazement, we were offered a menu that featured an American cheeseburger and pina coladas. Now these were the the days when supplies in that part of the world were rather scarce-when horsemeat was more plentiful than ground beef in the tiny stores of the Third World. Anyway, we gave particular instructions to the waiter on how we wanted them cooked and what we wanted on them-to which little attention was paid. It didn't matter. The overdone burgers on the burned, toasted buns tasted like manna from heaven, for they were the realization of my fantasy burgers on the trip. That's the true story. I've heard other people and places claim that I stopped or cooked in their restaurants, but this is the way it happened.

[Quiet and Shy]

Directly from Margaritaville.com

The myth of the cheeseburger in paradise goes back to a long trip on my first boat, the Euphoria. We had run into some very rough weather crossing the Mona Passage between Hispaniola and Puerto Rico and broke our bow sprit. The ice in our box had melted, and we were doing the canned-food-and-peanut-butter diet. The vision of a piping hot cheeseburger kept popping into my mind. We limped up the Sir Francis Drake Channel and into Roadtown on the island of Tortola, where a brand-new marina and bar sat on the end of the dock, like a mirage. We secured the boat, kissed the ground, and headed for the restaurant. To our amazement, we were offered a menu that featured an American cheeseburger and pina coladas. Now these were the the days when supplies in that part of the world were rather scarce-when horsemeat was more plentiful than ground beef in the tiny stores of the Third World. Anyway, we gave particular instructions to the waiter on how we wanted them cooked and what we wanted on them-to which little attention was paid. It didn't matter. The overdone burgers on the burned, toasted buns tasted like manna from heaven, for they were the realization of my fantasy burgers on the trip. That's the true story. I've heard other people and places claim that I stopped or cooked in their restaurants, but this is the way it happened.

Anybody know if this is the same adventure as the last of the "Tales from Margaritaville"? The TfM is nearly the same...except the cheeseburger craving is replaced by a sore elbow...if I recall correctly.

[RinglingRingling]

Directly from Margaritaville.com

The myth of the cheeseburger in paradise goes back to a long trip on my first boat, the Euphoria. We had run into some very rough weather crossing the Mona Passage between Hispaniola and Puerto Rico and broke our bow sprit. The ice in our box had melted, and we were doing the canned-food-and-peanut-butter diet. The vision of a piping hot cheeseburger kept popping into my mind. We limped up the Sir Francis Drake Channel and into Roadtown on the island of Tortola, where a brand-new marina and bar sat on the end of the dock, like a mirage. We secured the boat, kissed the ground, and headed for the restaurant. To our amazement, we were offered a menu that featured an American cheeseburger and pina coladas. Now these were the the days when supplies in that part of the world were rather scarce-when horsemeat was more plentiful than ground beef in the tiny stores of the Third World. Anyway, we gave particular instructions to the waiter on how we wanted them cooked and what we wanted on them-to which little attention was paid. It didn't matter. The overdone burgers on the burned, toasted buns tasted like manna from heaven, for they were the realization of my fantasy burgers on the trip. That's the true story. I've heard other people and places claim that I stopped or cooked in their restaurants, but this is the way it happened.

Anybody know if this is the same adventure as the last of the "Tales from Margaritaville"? The TfM is nearly the same...except the cheeseburger craving is replaced by a sore elbow...if I recall correctly.

that soreness is probably due to making enough money to buy Miami and squandering it away so fast...

[Quiet and Shy]

Directly from Margaritaville.com

The myth of the cheeseburger in paradise goes back to a long trip on my first boat, the Euphoria. We had run into some very rough weather crossing the Mona Passage between Hispaniola and Puerto Rico and broke our bow sprit. The ice in our box had melted, and we were doing the canned-food-and-peanut-butter diet. The vision of a piping hot cheeseburger kept popping into my mind. We limped up the Sir Francis Drake Channel and into Roadtown on the island of Tortola, where a brand-new marina and bar sat on the end of the dock, like a mirage. We secured the boat, kissed the ground, and headed for the restaurant. To our amazement, we were offered a menu that featured an American cheeseburger and pina coladas. Now these were the the days when supplies in that part of the world were rather scarce-when horsemeat was more plentiful than ground beef in the tiny stores of the Third World. Anyway, we gave particular instructions to the waiter on how we wanted them cooked and what we wanted on them-to which little attention was paid. It didn't matter. The overdone burgers on the burned, toasted buns tasted like manna from heaven, for they were the realization of my fantasy burgers on the trip. That's the true story. I've heard other people and places claim that I stopped or cooked in their restaurants, but this is the way it happened.

Anybody know if this is the same adventure as the last of the "Tales from Margaritaville"? The TfM is nearly the same...except the cheeseburger craving is replaced by a sore elbow...if I recall correctly.

that soreness is probably due to making enough money to buy Miami and squandering it away so fast...

Or getting whopped by a boom and nearly going for a swim....

[RinglingRingling]

Directly from Margaritaville.com

The myth of the cheeseburger in paradise goes back to a long trip on my first boat, the Euphoria. We had run into some very rough weather crossing the Mona Passage between Hispaniola and Puerto Rico and broke our bow sprit. The ice in our box had melted, and we were doing the canned-food-and-peanut-butter diet. The vision of a piping hot cheeseburger kept popping into my mind. We limped up the Sir Francis Drake Channel and into Roadtown on the island of Tortola, where a brand-new marina and bar sat on the end of the dock, like a mirage. We secured the boat, kissed the ground, and headed for the restaurant. To our amazement, we were offered a menu that featured an American cheeseburger and pina coladas. Now these were the the days when supplies in that part of the world were rather scarce-when horsemeat was more plentiful than ground beef in the tiny stores of the Third World. Anyway, we gave particular instructions to the waiter on how we wanted them cooked and what we wanted on them-to which little attention was paid. It didn't matter. The overdone burgers on the burned, toasted buns tasted like manna from heaven, for they were the realization of my fantasy burgers on the trip. That's the true story. I've heard other people and places claim that I stopped or cooked in their restaurants, but this is the way it happened.

Anybody know if this is the same adventure as the last of the "Tales from Margaritaville"? The TfM is nearly the same...except the cheeseburger craving is replaced by a sore elbow...if I recall correctly.

that soreness is probably due to making enough money to buy Miami and squandering it away so fast...

Or getting whopped by a boom and nearly going for a swim....

that happens outside the movies?

[TropicalTroubador]

that happens outside the movies?

Oh yes...don't ask me how I know...

Seriously...I've eaten at that lunch counter. The food and service were excellent, and Conchs outnumbered tourists at least two to one.

Ah well...Change Happens.

Loren