Summer's almost here, and a hungry man's fancy turns to... barbecue. And maybe cracked conch too.
If that's your fancy, Sheila's Famous BBQ, Conch and More in Lake Worth (S. Dixie Highway at 12th Avenue; 561-951-2723) is your place. Local restaurateurs Sam and Dania (AKA Sheila) Johnson opened the modest, little eatery almost exactly one month ago, dishing up big portions of their respective culinary specialties. Sam tends the big drum smoker in back, perfuming the air with the sweet, irresistible smell of barbecued pork, ribs, and chicken, while Dania, a native of the Bahamas, prepares a variety of conch specialties, from cracked to fried.
Though portions are big, prices are not, with sandwiches going for around $5 and complete dinners averaging ten bucks.
The newest Sheila's is the second of the couple's restaurants, though
they had to temporarily close their 3-year-old West Palm location
due to the crush of business in Lake Worth. They hope to reopen the
original Sheila's in about six weeks, Sam says, when relatives from
other parts of Florida arrive to take over its operation.
Oh,
and about the name. Sheila is actually Sam's grandmother, but customers
called Dania Sheila so often that she took it as her culinary moniker. Sheila's is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., for takeout
and sit-down dining.
