Sam Visits Florida's Red Light Restaurant

March 25, 2009 — -- While in Key Biscane, Fla., Sam Champion visited the Red Light restaurant, which will be a year old in April and the brainchild of South Florida chef Kris Wessel. Wessel is originally from New Orleans, but his grandmother landed in Miami Beach in 1925 and built the restaurant inside of a notorious prostitute- and drug-filled motel on Biscayne Boulevard in the heart of Miami.

The restaurant is located directly on the banks of the Little River which is an ecosystem for freshwater-seeking mammals, such as manatees, as well as numerous waterfowl, fish, crabs, iguanas, and now dining patrons. The restaurant serves an eclectic blend of regional fare including local seafood, organic vegetables and tropical splashes.

On Saturday, March 28, Red Light will celebrate Earth Hour by having a no-electricity service where chef Wessel will cook on a wood-powered grill and smoker down on the banks of the river and patrons will dine by candles in recycled beer cans and guava jelly jars.

Dishes from the Red Light restaurant featured on "GMA":

Red Light Snapper, red lentils and organic red tomatoes
Pan-seared filet of red snapper perched atop a salad of red lentils with both fresh and pureed organic Florida tomatoes.

Conch ceviche with little river-green light hot sauce and plantains
Tenderized fresh conch marinated in lime, lemon and grapefruit. The hot sauce is made with only green chilies and is served with crispy plantains.

Key lime and mulberry parfait
A mousse of key lime pie-style filling, coconut cream and fresh, tree-picked mulberries all from Florida.

The Florida-based band Here II Here also performed. Click here to check out their Web site.