Couple's 'no frills' eatery embellished with good food

It's interesting how Mark and Karen Bartlett got separately from Michigan and Virginia to the No Frills Grill, by way of the Florida Keys.

Mark, a restaurateur by profession, patented the sound system that goes in the roll bars of Jeep Wranglers. As it puts it, his system placed the music up high, "Because you don't have ears in your ankles."

Later, the system was used in other Chrysler and GMs. He became the vice president of Top Source, which sold after 10 years to a bigger company, and Mark retired from Fort Huron, Mich. to a floating house in Marathon, one of the Florida Keys.

Karen, originally from Roanoke, Va., was an American Airlines flight attendant stationed in Miami, and she had a sister in Key Largo.

At that point, Mark and Karen were still 50 miles apart. But then, they both got on the singles Web site Match.com and voila.

"We met for drinks at 5 o'clock," Mark said, at a piano bar and seafood restaurant called Bentley's.

"We ate a lot of appetizers," Mark said. In fact, they tried just about everything on the appetizer menu, and closed the place down.

"I laughed harder then than I ever have in my life," Karen said.

That was about six years ago, and they've been together ever since.

Lake Placid

Mark's floating house - built on a barge - was lovely. Since it was securely moored, it didn't rock like a ship on the ocean, it merely had a soothing, side-to-side motion. And life was good there.

But during the hurricane seasons and the real estate boom, the Keys got expensive. So Mark and Karen, who had always vacationed on the Florida coasts, decided to take a trip up through the heartland, which is where they found Lake Placid. They decided on a house in the middle-class subdivision of Placid Lakes.

Too young to retire for long, they began to search for a restaurant to buy. Placid Lakes didn't have its own restaurant, so they ate out in Lake Placid and Sebring - 15 miles away.

They kept passing by an empty Italian restaurant and sports bar, which had been vacant for years. It was just a mile from their home, and they began to realize, Placid Lakes has 4,000 people. So they made the owner an offer.

So, why the "no frills" concept?

People dine out, and they go out to dinner, Mark reasoned. But they dine out at upscale restaurants for special occasions, and they eat at cafes several times a week. So the No Frills Grill specializes in burgers, chicken tenders, lasagna, and the like. Only 10 menu items - steak and seafood - cost more than $10.

Live, with Regis

They've even found fame, of sorts. When "Live with Regis and Kelly" began a search for the best burger in America, a customer nominated No Frills. A producer called and asked for a one-minute video, which Mark put together with Larry Musgrave. The local entertainer impersonated Columbo and Elvis.

They didn't win the TV competition, but locals and customers from as far away as Sarasota, Tampa and West Palm Beach became aware of the grill, and it's brought in some business.

And even though a lot of people still don't know they're here, said Karen. She's Ms. Outside at the grill, handling the customers and the pubic relations. She's grateful to the supportive customers, especially the regulars who live in the subdivision. "They want us to make it."

"Fifty percent of them are locals," Mark said, "who come twice a week and bring their families." He's Mr. Inside, usually dealing with the kitchen operations.

As for Mark and Karen, they still dine out - usually on their Mondays, the only day the grill is closed.

"And because we have no food in our house," Karen laughed.

Getting there

No Frills Grill

1979 Placid Lakes Blvd.

465-1050

www.nofrillsgrill.net

From U.S. 27, turn west and follow Interlake Boulevard past the traffic circle out of town. Turn left on Catfish Creek Road. Turn left on Placid Lakes Boulevard.