The Conch Life
Conch salad. Conch chowder. Conch fritters. Conch curry. Scorched conch. Conch sashimi.
I’m all conched out. HAHA… So, why am I writing about conch? I barged in on a family vacation. The Lam family vacation to be exact. They plan an annual trip to the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas (good life). This time, they were stuck with me (thanks Teresa). Back to conchland: their all time favorite culinary delight in the Bahamas is conch salad.
This salad is not your typical salad with leafy greens, nuts, cheese, vinaigrette, etc. The conch really takes over in this one. Consider it a conch ceviche if you will.
Here’s how everything comes about:
1. McKenzie (aka Conch Guy) pulls a fresh conch from the seawater (below the shack)
2. McKenzie cracks the shell and pulls out the meat
3. McKenzie cuts off all cartilage and inedible parts
4. Onions, tomatoes, and green Peppers (HOT) are chopped up very well
5. Conch is sliced by “x” formation slashes and chopped up very well
6. Conch and vegetables are mixed up and separated into serving portions
7. Oranges and limes are squeezed over the mixture to cure the conch
Conch is something you’ll be hardpressed to find in New York City. The best conch preparation is definitely the conch salad, and the best place to have it is at McKenzie’s. Most tourists to the Bahamas probably don’t know about this place or have never heard of it, but luckily, I was traveling with some seasoned pros. Might as well call the Lam family half-bahamian.
I’m not sure how they found this place, but it’s not on Paradise Island (Atlantis) which requires two bridges to reach (enter/exit). It’s actually located right at the foot of the exit bridge, which made it easy for us to climb it without having to spend extra moolah on expensive cab fares (and boy were they expensive).
If you guys ever go to the Bahamas, GO TO MCKENZIE’S.
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