Taste Tampa Bay

We've Moved!

2006-10-02T08:45:00.000-04:00

Blogger has been a good home the past few months, but we've decided to upgrade and move to TypePad. We've also changed the blog's name from TasteTampaBay to FloridaFoodHound. We get more cool tools at TypePad and a direct domain name.

Please update your bookmarks to FLFoodHound.com. If you're subscribed to our Feedburner feed or email subscription, you don't need to do anything. You should continue to automatically receive new content. Click here if you'd like to subscribe to the FloridaFoodHound RSS feed.

Keep those emails coming to flfoodhound@gmail.com with your favorite restaurants around Tampa Bay. I'm particularly interested in hearing about your favorite sandwich shops lately.

Thanks and have a great week!

Tangelo's: Good Food, Gruff Service

2006-09-27T17:19:00.000-04:00

This past week we decided to try out Tangelo's Grille on First Ave. N. in downtown St. Pete for lunch. We had originally intended to try Tangelo's several weeks ago for lunch after reading a glowing new review of the long-time lunch joint by Chris Sherman in the St. Pete Times. However, we gave up and went to the Thai place down the bock instead after sitting for about ten minutes at a table in Tangelo's and not having anyone bring us drinks or take our order.

I'm all for giving places a second try, though, particularly one that is obviously doing something right with its food if it's crowded at lunch even when the service seems lackluster. So last Thursday we headed back to Tangelo's and grabbed a different table in the front then we had had on our last visit. Maybe a new table would change our luck. Indeed, the manager (I suspect she is also the owner) barked she would be with us soon after we sat down. Next thing I knew she was taking our order. Service wasn't friendly, but it was quick this time.

As we waited for our food, we couldn't help but watch in fascination as the manager (owner?) snapped at a customer standing at the counter waiting for an order. She also saracastically answered a customer that had asked a question about the menu who had sat down at a table next to us. I felt like we were watching the "Soup Nazi" at work on an old episode of Seinfeld. To be fair, the restaurant was again crowded for the lunch rush and looked like the kitchen was running behind and the place was short on servers. I get the feeling this is just "normal" here.

After waiting longer than we expected, our food came out. I had ordered Tangelo's Ybor City style Cuban sandwich with a bowl of black beans and rice and Traci had orered a Cuban with turkey and a bowl of black beans and rice as well. My pressed sandwich was very tasty and stuffed with generous portions of roast pork and ham. I also had a few bites of Traci's turkey Cuban and thought it was very good. The black beans and rice on the other hand were bland. They were only saved after Traci grabbed a bottle of what turned out to be a delicious hot sauce from another table. On its own though, these were black beand and rice I'd skip.

As we finished up our meal, Traci caught the manager berating another customer in Spanish as he was about to leave. One side of me actually enjoyed these theatrics, while the other part of me wondered why this lady was in the restaurant business? I am proud to say I wasn't verbally assaulted by her, at least to my face, when I went up to the counter and paid our bill. Speaking of the bill, Tangelo's doesn't break the wallet. The lunch specials we had were about six bucks.

Bottom-line: For good cheap eats in downtown St. Pete for lunch, Tangelo's fits the bill. Come prepared, though, for gruff service. I can't say I'll be in a rush to come back anytime soon.

Inspection Scorecard: Last Inspection - September 2006 - Critical (6), Non-Critical (5).

Alessi Woodstone Oven: Good Addition to Carrollwood

2006-09-19T16:32:00.000-04:00

On Sunday afternoon we decided to check out Alessi Woodstone Oven on N. Dale Mabry in Carrollwood for an early lunch. Alessi Woodstone Oven was opened last fall by Phil Alessi Jr., the son of Phil Alessi Sr., owner of the famous Alessi Bakery & Deli on West Cypress St.

Alessi Woodstone Oven's atmosphere and menu is across between chains Panera Bread and Maggiano's. Alessi Woodstone specializes in flatbread pizza (of course baked in a woodstone oven), pastas, paninis, salads and, as one would expect from the Alessi name, baked goods and dessert items. We arrived only a little after 11 am so the restaurant was just opening up.

For our starter, we ordered fried mozzarella triangles. For my main dish I went with Maxine's salad, which is touted as Alessi's signature salad and includes avocado, gorgonzola cheese, raisins, diced chicken, cucumbers, olives and plantain chips. Traci ordered a custom 10 inch flat bread pizza with pepperoni, red pepper and sun-dried tomatoes. The server also brought out a complimentary garlic flat bread which was delicious. We are suckers for warm bread with olive oil to dip in and the Alessi mixed peppercorn grinder at our table made it even better.

The mozzarella triangles were tasty and I particularly liked the shredded mozzarella that was sprinkled on top and around the plate. I wasn't as crazy about the marinara sauce for dipping. My salad was nicely presented and tasted even better. I had a few bites of Traci's flatbread pizza and we both agreed it was one of the better flat bread pizzas we've had. We were tempted to try one of the desserts, but we were already stuffed and had pizza left over to take home.

Our server was friendly and attentive. Of course, the place was pretty empty so there wasn't competition for his attention. This was in stark contrast to the IHOP next door which had people waiting outside (a line for IHOP grub, huh?). I hope we just caught Alessi Woodstone at its slowest time because it was clearly hurting Sunday (granted it was before a Bucs game). I do wonder if the location (set back in a corner with limited visibility from Dale Mabry) is hurting it.

The prices were also slightly higher than I expected, but then the food quality was better than I expected so this evened out. Overall, I had a good experience and hope they make it.

Bottom-line: I don't know how Alessi Woodstone Oven performs when it's busy, but during our weekend visit we had a good experience and the food lived up to the Alessi name.

Inspection Scorecard: Last Inspection - April 2006 - Critical (3), Non-Critical (2).

Maritana Grille: Good "Special Occasion" Choice

2006-09-11T10:58:00.000-04:00

In a break from barbecue and burger joints, Traci and I had dinner last Wednesday at the Maritana Grille at the Don CeSar resort on St. Pete Beach. We had decided several weeks earlier that we'd splurge on a meal to celebrate our anniversary and had picked the Don.

While the Maritana Grille consistently makes the lists of the top restaurants in Tampa Bay, I was still a little concerned that the place wouldn't live up to its rep. Restaurants inside hotels, even high-end ones, can sometimes be more style than substance. This certainly wasn't the case, though, at the Maritana Grille. We had a high-quality, very enjoyable experience.

The Maritana Grille is located right off the Don's main lobby towards the front of the hotel. One entire wall of the small restaurant is lined with impressive fish tanks filled with tropical fish. The overall style of the restaurant is clean and classic without feeling stuffy and overly formal.

We each started off with a Maritana Caesar salad and I decided to also order foie gras with caramelized onions and bleu cheese for myself. The foie gras was delicious and the blue cheese flavor wasn't overpowering. The salad was tasty and was neatly served in an edible cheese bowl. We also munched on a great selection of fresh bread (don't miss the bread sticks!). Our server also brought out a chef's sampler of carrot curry soup that was surprisingly good.

For our main course, I ordered pan seared scallops with lobster rissotto and Traci ordered a grilled filet mignon with truffle mashed potatoes. The scallops were excellent, although the rissotto was bland. Traci's filet was nicely done and the truffled mashed potatoes were knockout. Our server also brought her out vanilla bean mashed potatoes which were delicious.

We were already stuffed from dinner and had debated passing on dessert, but eventually gave in. We ordered the Maritana ice cream tasting, which on this night included scoops of poppyseed and pecan ice cream and a scoop of raspberry sorbet. The three scoops were lightly drizzled with chocolate sauce. Two glasses of a dessert wine finished our memorable evening.

Service was very good and attentive (our server brought me out an extra scallop because he said one that came with my entree "looked too small"). We don't regularly splurge on high-end restaurants, but when we do we want to be impressed and Maritana Grille didn't disappoint.

Bottom-line: If you're a fan of high-quality Florribean cuisine and are looking for a "special occasion" place in a historic setting, Maritana Grille at the Don CeSar is a good choice.

Inspection Scorecard: Last Inspection - December 2005 - Critical (3), Non-Critical (3).

Fourth Street Shrimp Store: Good Lunch Spot

2006-09-06T10:56:00.000-04:00

Last Friday afternoon we decided to visit Fourth Street Shrimp Store on, you guessed it, 4th Street N. in St. Pete. While I've only lived in Tampa for a year now, my bride-to-be Traci used to live in St. Pete Beach and works in St. Pete so I was introduced to this long-time local joint by her several years ago. It's a place we still hit every few months, generally for lunch.

4th Street Shrimp Store is hard to miss from the outside with its bright funky colors and the large painted mural on the side of the restaurant. Inside the quirky warehouse-style restaurant is decorated with old-time St. Pete and Key West paraphernalia. There is also a small outside deck area for dining that is nice in cooler weather, but still to be avoided this time of year.

We sat up at the bar on our last visit to take advantage of a lunch special which included a free drink (no, I didn't order a beer, but the thought crossed my mind) if you dine at the bar. I went with the chipotle shrimp salad wrap, which the bartender said is a new addition to the menu, and Traci ordered a blackened chicken sandwich. We also split an order of onion rings.

The onion rings as usual weren't spectacular, but were solid. My one gripe with the onion rings is that they don't come with a sauce for you to dip them in unless you ask. My wrap was very tasty (full of plump shrimp and just enough spice). Traci was happy with her blackened chicken sandwich, which was blackened just enough for that extra flavor without drying the chicken out.

I should point out that on one previous visit about two years ago Traci's chicken sandwich came out undercooked. We told the server, she apologized profusely and then fixed our order. If this was our first visit to Fourth Street Shrimp Store it could have been our last, but we had already had several previous positive experiences so we gave the place a partial pass. I'm glad we did.

Let me know about your favorite (and least favorite!) seafood restaurants in the Tampa Bay area. From fancy seafood restaurants to local dives I want to hear about them.

Bottom-line: While Fourth Street Shrimp Store has some rough edges, for affordable seafood (under $10 for lunch) in a relaxed setting, this long-standing local restaurant fits the bill well.

Inspection Scorecard: Last Inspection - July 2006 - Critical (3), Non-Critical (1).

First Choice BBQ: King of Tampa Bay 'Cue

2006-08-27T19:15:00.000-04:00

Thanks to persistent praise from Sticks readers, we drove over to Brandon this past Friday to check out First Choice Southern BBQ for dinner. We thought we had arrived early enough to beat the dinner crowd, but instead found the line already out the door when we walked up.

The first thing we noticed while waiting in line, besides the great smells coming out of the kitchen, was that people were being friendly to each other. One guy turned around to the lady in front of us and said this was "the best bbq he's ever had." She agreed. Maybe great food puts everyone in a good mood. Whatever the reason, it was nice to see strangers getting along.

Listening to the chopping of the meat and the buzz of the kitchen just made me hungrier as we waited in line. The line moved quickly and after getting to the counter I ordered a pork and beef combo plate with sides of spicy macaroni salad and cole slaw. Traci ordered smoked turkey with fries and macaroni. Service is fast and next thing we knew we were paying for our orders and grabbing an open table. From our table we watched as the line built even further out the door.

The pork and the beef were both excellent (juicy and moist) and I loved the spicy macaroni, which was indeed spicy, but not too much bite to ruin things. I was tempted to order some macaroni to go. The smoked turkey was some of the best I've ever had. The coleslaw was good- not too sweet, but not bitter either. My only complaint was that the two sides of bread that come with each meal tasted like ordinary hamburger buns. I would have preferred garlic toasted bread, but the great barbecue and macroni on the side more than made up for it.

We left First Choice stuffed and only a little lighter in the wallet. While I haven't tried Big John's yet, I'm willing to go out on a limb and say First Choice is the best barbecue in Tampa Bay. This comes after trying Jimbo's (still good in a pinch and I like the inside dining room), Hickory Hollow (good food overshadowed by poor service), Kojak's (food was disappointing, but cool atmosphere), Fred Fleming's, and yes even Sonny's a few years ago.

I know I've reviewed a lot of barbecue places lately and that barbecue isn't for everyone. So drop me a line and let me know what restaurants around the area you'd like me to check out.

Bottom-line: When I first heard about First Choice, I thought the place was over-hyped. After eating there, I actually think this place isn't talked about enough. Simply great barbecue!

Inspection Scorecard: Last Inspection - August 2006 violations - Critical (0), Non-Critical (1).

El Toro Negro: Hidden Gem in Kenneth City

2006-08-23T13:07:00.000-04:00

This past Saturday for lunch we decided to check out El Toro Negro in Kenneth City. I had previously read an online message board debating the best "real" Mexican restaurants (no Tex-Mex) in Tampa Bay and El Toro Negro was a consistent favorite. For those of you scratching your heads about Kenneth City, it's a small town between St. Pete and Pinellas Park.

Let me say up front there is nothing fancy about El Toro Negro. It's a no-frills neighborhood Mexican restaurant and grocery. After grabbing a booth, our server greeted us, took our drink order and invited us to help ourselves to the complimentary chips and salsa bar in the back. Traci and I are both fanatical about sauces so we were quickly in pig heaven at the bar trying the different salsas. While the salsa set-up at El Toro Negro is very humble, Tijuana Flats, Moe's and Chipotle could all take lessons from El Toro's great selection of flavors.

I ordered beef enchiladas in red sauce (each plate also comes with rice and refried beans) and Traci ordered three chicken gorditas (get the bastardized Taco Bell image of gorditas out of your head, read about the real deal here). We also shared chicken quesadillas as an appetizer. This ended up being more food than we could eat thanks to all the chips and salsa we scarfed up.

My enchiladas were very tasty and I had fun trying more of the different salsas on my rice and enchiladas (I told you I am a sauce junkie!). Traci's gorditas came out piping hot and were delicious. Each gordita was stuffed with chicken, beans, lettuce, sour cream and cheese. I think the gorditas taste best when they're still hot and before the corn tortilla has had a chance to cool.
Service was friendly and the owner checked on us after we were served to make sure that we were happy. Happy was an understatement. Great food and big portions for a small price in an authentic setting- what's not to like. We'll definitely be back. When I hear Kenneth City now I'll think of El Toro Negro (before all I thought of was Kenneth City's notoriously ticket-happy cops).

Let me know what other Mexican joints in Tampa Bay you think I should check out.

Bottom-line: If you're looking for authentic Mexican food made with lots of love in a no-frills setting that is light on the wallet and big on taste, check out El Toro Negro in Kenneth City.

Pane Rustica: Good Food, We'll Be Back

2006-08-22T14:09:00.000-04:00

This past Friday we decided to try Pane Rustica Bakery & Café on S. MacDill Ave. in south Tampa for dinner. I had always heard good things about Pane Rustica. After eating there this past weekend I now understand why and am glad we checked it out.

Pane Rustica started out in a small space on MacDill where the bakery developed a strong following. After moving down the street into bigger digs, Pane Rustica expanded last year beyond bread, coffee and sandwiches into a full dinner menu with table service.

While Pane Rustica is nondescript from the outside, inside the place is deep and open with hints of trendiness (but not over the top where it would turn me of). After taking in the menu and surroundings, Traci and I both ordered a bowl of gazpacho (a chilled tomato based soup) as a starter and split a mixed green salad with apple slices, pecans and a sweet vinaigrette dressing. For our main course we shared a flat bread pizza topped with sausage, mushrooms, onions, peppers and mozzarella. We gobbled up the complimentary fresh bread with olive oil and a creamy hummus as we waited on our order.

The pizza and the salad were both enjoyable. The gazpacho was solid, but the taste was a little on the bland side. Our favorite gazpacho is at The Columbia. My only other minor gripe was that, in the area where we sat at least, the other tables are practically on top of you. A little more privacy would have been nice. The couple next to us bickering got annoying very fast.

I've read some comments about Pane Rustica's servers being slow and disorganized, but at least on our visit last Friday the server was friendly and attentive. My favorite meal over the past few months remains Red Mesa on 4th St. N. in St. Pete, but Pane Rustica comes in a solid second. We definitely plan to eat at Pane Rustica again and explore more of its menu.

Bottom-line: We had an enjoyable meal on our first visit to Pane Rustica last week and look forward to going back. Prices are reasonable for the food quality and we didn't run into poor service.

Inspection Scorecard: Last Inspection- June 2006 violations - Critical (6), Non-Critical (7).

Hickory Hollow: Crotchety Servers Overshadow Food

2006-08-13T23:03:00.000-04:00

We had been hankering for some good barbecue so Friday night we decided to try out Hickory Hollow, a barbecue joint best-known for its east-Carolina style barbecue. Hickory Hollow is located in Ellenton, a small town north of Sarasota that's best known for its outlet mall. A few months ago, Hickory Hollow made USA Today's list of the Top 10 barbecue joints in the U.S.

Now, I don't know how USA Today compiled their list and maybe we just caught Hickory Hollow at the wrong time, but after our visit last Friday this certainly isn't a place I would put on any Top 10 list. While the 'cue was tasty and the vast selection of 25-plus side items was a neat surprise, the service was poor and the atmosphere (what is the deal with butterfly decorations all over the walls in a barbecue place?) was just average. Overall, I didn't dislike Hickory Hollow, but I wouldn't drive out of my way for it. It's okay if you're already in the area.

I ordered the east-Carolina style pork with cheese squash and creamed spinach as my two sides, while my fiancee Traci went with smoke turkey, roasted corn and steak fries. Both meals came with delicious corn fritters. I was happy with the pork and the squash, but the creamed spinach was missing something. Traci's turkey was very good. While the food was above average, it was overshadowed by the poor service from the moment we walked in the door. We've eaten at lots of barbecue joints and these aren't the kind of places where you expect to find award-winning service, but that doesn't mean we should feel like we're bothering the waitstaff for eating there.

The level of service was night and day between Hickory Hollow and our visit to Newberry's Backyard Bar-B-Q a few weeks ago. I am still looking for an excuse to go back up to Gainesville to eat there again. While Hickory Hollow didn't knock my socks off, I still have high hopes for reader-suggested Big John's Barbecue in Tampa and First Choice in Brandon. Both are on my list. I still think Jimbo's on Kennedy is a good choice for 'cue in a pinch.

Bottom-line: Good food was overshadowed by poor service with the net-result being I can't see myself eating there again unless I already happen to be shopping in Ellenton and am in need of a major barbecue fix. Maybe if you're with USA Today you get treated a lot better.

Inspection Scorecard: Last Inspection: April 2006 violations- Critical (4), Non-Critical (1).

Island Flavors and 'Tings: A Severe Disappointment

2006-08-07T10:50:00.000-04:00

After having a great meal last week at Red Mesa, thanks in part to sampling the restaurant at the Taste of Pinellas food festival, we decided to give another Taste of Pinellas restaurant a try. On Saturday, we stopped by Island Flavors and 'Tings on 49th St. S. in Gulfport for lunch. Big mistake. I now wish we would have kept driving and made lunch at home.

I was quite optimistic when I got out the car. Island Flavors has the hole-in-the-wall look on the outside that can often signal good eats. Inside there is a small Jamaican grocery in the front and a counter to order food in the back. We decided to dine-in (there is a set of tables down one wall), which probably only made our experience worse. A trickle of customers came in to pick up orders.

My bride-to-be Traci and I both ordered the jerk chicken salad. The server never asked us for drinks so we settled for glasses of water with meager ice which weren't refilled until the end of the meal. Since the server warned us it would take 10 minutes for our salads and the plaintains we ordered to come out, we ordered two meat patties (one beef and one supposedly chicken) out of the case at the counter. The beef was okay, while the chicken was in fact a vegetable patty. This was not a good start.

When our salads finally came out Traci's had chicken on top while mine was chicken-less. The server apologized and said they had just forgotten to put chicken on my salad. Huh? After my salad came back out with chicken, we realized that they had also forgotten about our platains. However, after tasting the salad (the presentation was beautiful at least), we decided it wasn't worth bugging them for the plaintains. The salad was average at best with the jerk chicken surprisingly lacking in flavor. I could have gotten this chicken at Boston Market.

The server didn't clear our plates after we were done eating; we eventually walked up to the counter to pay. I am all for a laid-back Carribean attitude and I've dined at many a hole-in-the-wall, but come on. Even paying was a drawn-out process. I don't know how they're still open.

Bottom-line: Maybe we just caught Island Flavors on an "off day" and salads aren't their thing, but I can't recommend anyone check this place out. Get your Carribean food elswhere.

Red Mesa: A Southwest-Style Surprise!

2006-07-31T23:34:00.000-04:00

Last Friday we decided to try Red Mesa on 4th St. N. in St. Pete for dinner. My interest in Red Mesa and its self-described "regional Mexican & Southwest cuisine" was piqued after I had sampled some of their food at the "Taste of Pinellas" food festival back in June (If you've never been to Taste of Pinellas before, it is a great way to sample lots of area restaurants all at once).

I can't thank Taste of Pinellas enough for introducing me to Red Mesa. Our dinner at Red Mesa was easily one of the best, if not the best, meals we've had in Tampa Bay in the past few months. It's easy to see why Red Mesa has been in business for nine years and regularly makes the lists of top Southwest-style restaurants in the area. These guys know what they're doing.

For our appetizer we ordered stuffed artichokes to go along with our chips and salsa. For dinner I ordered two appetizers as my entree- crab cakes and Ceviche Mixto (a mix of grilled seafood) and my bride-to-be Traci ordered the Chicken Fernandez (chicken marinated in oil and garlic with a chipotle cream sauce). The Ceviche Mixto was top notch and the crab cakes had just the right kick to them and not too much breading. I also tried the Chicken Fernandez and loved the sauce.

Our server wasn't overly social, but was knowledgeable, polite and very busy. Prices aren't cheap, but worth it. My only gripes would be that the hostesses appeared disorganized when we first walked in and the tables in the back room where we sat were a little too close for comfort (granted the place is pressed for space). The great meal, though, more than made up for these minor issues.

Bottom-line: Next time you're in the mood for good Southwest-style cuisine, you owe it to yourself and your taste buds to give Red Mesa a try. We certainly plan to be back soon.

Inspection Scorecard: Last Inspection: May 2006 violations - Critical (2), Non-Critical (0).

Interbay Meat Market: Really Good Sandwiches

2006-07-31T16:24:00.000-04:00

On Saturday we ventured South of Gandy (S.O.G.) to Interbay Meat Market at Interbay and MacDill Ave- about a stone's throw from MacDill Air Force Base. I had never been to Interbay Meat Market before but knew it was well-known for its sandwiches. I did some quick reading before our trip and found out that Interbay is owned by the Shoubaki family and has been a S.O.G. staple for the past 20 years.

Now if you're looking for an upscale deli in a fancy neighborhood then Interbay Meat Market is definitely not your place. However, if you're looking for oversized and tasty sandwiches at great prices (one of the specials on Saturday was a large fried chicken sandwich, fries and a drink for $4 bucks!) than you'll love Interbay. The place is a combination grocery/butcher shop/deli and it was busy on Saturday when we stopped by for lunch.

I ordered a grouper sandwich "all the way" in Interbay lingo (with everything on it) and my fiancee Traci ordered an Italian sausage sandwich. We also split a side order of black beans and rice. The crispy Cuban bread Interbay uses is some of the best I've had and the black beans and rice were tasty. Next time I plan to try one of their Cuban combo plates. I had a few bites of Traci's sandwich and thought it was good too, although the sausage was milder than I like. Both sandwiches were stuffed and for being "regular" size were more than enough to eat.

My grouper sandwich was easily one of the best I've had since I've lived in Tampa (keep in mind I've been here about a year now after living in Orlando for seven years), although I must admit that I'm just not a big fan of the grouper sandwich. Fish sandwiches to me in general tend to not have enough flavor and are too mild. Now fried shrimp, oysters or soft shell crab poor-boys (on French bread of course for this New Orleans native) are a different story.

Bottom-line: This no-frills sandwich shop & deli serves up great sandwiches at equally great prices. Most people get their sandwiches to go, but there is also picnic tables outside.

La Creperia: Lousy Service Ruins Experience

2006-07-25T11:24:00.000-04:00

On Sunday we decided to stop in to La Creperia, a relatively new French bistro on 7th Ave. in Ybor City that specializes in crepes. The restaurant is located between the old Italian Club and La Terrazza. We had eaten at La Creperia two times before (on the first visit we sat up at the bar and met the extremely nice owner). On our last visit with a large group some months ago the service had been wholly underwhelming. I'm all for giving places second chances, though, especially a unique and potentially tasty concept like La Creperia. However, after our experience last Sunday I'm sorry that I did. Service was again a mess and the food was just average.

In addition to traditional desert crepes, La Creperia offers a huge selection of crepes as entrees stuffed with almost anything you can imagine. I ordered an Oppa Mexicana crepe (the server plainly told me she had "no idea" what items on the menu were spicy, umm ok) and a Caesar salad while Traci ordered a Prego (roast turkey) crepe. The Caesar was overloaded with dressing, used iceberg lettuce (no romaine), and had a few lonely croutons. My crepe was okay, but no flavors stood out and it was overwhelmed by the sour cream and salsa on top. I had a bite of Traci's crepe and thought it was okay, but she pointed out that a different cheese was used than what was on the menu. We would have ordered a desert crepe, but after the slow and clueless service, my patience was shot. A couple at a table near us looked equally frustrated.

Bottom-line: La Creperia may have a unique concept, but the execution has been muddled on my last two visits. I wouldn't go back for more than a final try at a dessert crepe (the Romeo Y Julieta - nutella, banana and strawberries - was tasty).

Inspection Scorecard: Last Inspection: October 2005 violations - Critical (3), Non-Critical (0).

Jimbo's: Good Barbecue in a Pinch

2006-07-24T16:26:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday my fiancée Traci and I were craving some barbecue so we headed to Jimbo's Pit Bar-b-que on W. Kennedy Blvd in Tampa. Now Jimbo's isn't the same caliber of 'cue as we had last week at Newberry's Backyard Bar-B-Q, but Jimbo's has usually been good in a pinch. Saturday was no exception. Jimbo's has been serving up good no-frills, home-style barbecue in the same location on Kennedy since the seventies. There is a sister location in Lakeland. I was told on a previous visit that Jimbo's was started by two brothers- one opened and managed the Lakeland location, the other opened up the Tampa location a few years later.

On this visit I ordered a Jimbo's salad with barbecue chicken on top (I like using Jimbo's warm barbecue sauce as my salad dressing but their homemade blue cheese is good, too), while Traci ordered an oversized hamburger and fries. I've tried their barbecue pork, beef and many of their side items (the hush puppies are particularly tasty, gotta love fried dough) and all of them are pretty good, although the homestyle fries are mediocre. The menu is simple, as any good barbecue place should be, prices are inexpensive and service is quick and friendly. Again, Jimbo's won't knock your socks off, but it does the trick when we're in the mood for barbecue.

Other Tampa Bay area barbecue joints that are on my list to check out are Big John's Alabama BBQ on N. 40th St and Hickory Hollow in Ellenton. One local place that barbecue-wise I found mediocre was Kojak's House of Ribs on Gandy near Bayshore. The outdoor patio seating at Kojak's is nice and I know the place has been there forever like Jimbo's, but the food needs to at least be above average and Kojak's certainly wasn't.

Bottom-line: While Jimbo's barbecue may not be award-winning, it's better than average and certainly does the trick in a pinch. There's also a drive-thru if you'd rather get your 'cue to go. Keep in mind the drive-thru isn't "instant", which is a good thing.

Inspection Scorecard: Last inspection: May 2006 violations - Critical (4), Non-Critical (4).

Burrito Bros: What's the Big Deal?

2006-07-16T22:35:00.000-04:00

Back in April the local papers reported that Burrito Bros. Taco Co., the fresh-mex hole-in-the-wall across from the UF campus in Gainesville, was opening its first ever franchise location in Carrollwood. There is reportedly also plans to open another location in South Tampa. While I haven't eaten yet at the new Carollwood location, I did have a chance this past week to eat at the original Burrito Bros. - well sort of. It turns out that Burrito Bros is currently operating out of a temporary location, while the building that has housed the restaurant for nearly 30 years is renovated. I was curious if the food was really as good as former UF students rave about or if their passion for Burrito Bros. was more of a nostalgia "memory lane" thing. My lunch experience last week (granted this was at the temporary location) suggests the latter.

The food was simply good, certainly not great. I ordered three crunchy tacos (two beef, one chicken), my bride-to-be Traci had a chicken burrito and we split an order of corn chips and guacamole. While the guacamole was some of the best I've ever had, the tacos were only average. I had a bite of Traci's burrito and thought it was fairly average, too. While I normally go with independents over chains, I'd choose Chipotle next time over Burrito Bros. I've eaten at multiple Chipotle locations well over a dozen times, and while I have my occasional gripes, the food is always tasty. I hope the new Burrito Bros location in Carrollwood does well, but I think they're in for a tough fight with Chipotle, Tijuana Flats, Moe's et al popping up everywhere.

As a side note, we also ate at Satchel's Pizza and Newberry's Backyard Bar-B-Q (Newberry is a 20 minute drive from Gainesville) while we were in town. Satchel's was worth the 40 minute wait- their house salad was delicious and their thin crust pizza was a winner. There is also a cool "junk store" behind the restaurant. As for Backyard Bar-BQ, I love good barbecue and this place is now definitely on my list of favorite down-home barbecue joints.

Bottom-line: I'll cut Burrito Bros. some slack because they're in a temporary location right now, but I still don't see what all the fuss is about. The food was good, but not great. There's other independent taquerias (TQ's in Hyde Park comes to mind) they can take lessons from.

Inspection Scorecard: Last inspection: April 2005 violations - Critical (8), Non-Critical (2).

El Cap: Good Burger, Mediocre Chili

2006-07-10T15:59:00.000-04:00

After enjoying my first dripping-good Chattaburger at The Chattaway last week, this past Saturday night my fiancee Traci and I headed to El Cap which, like The Chattaway, is well-known for its burgers. El Cap, which is located on 4th St. in St. Pete, also regularly makes the list of best burger joints in Tampa Bay. I had eaten at the well-loved neighborhood sports pub once before for lunch and came away happy, but hadn't put one of their burgers to the test.

So naturally this time I went all out and ordered a cheeseburger with bacon and side order of fries to share. Traci went with a bowl of chili and crackers and the friends we were with ordered a burger, chili and a grouper sandwich. Like The Chattaway, my El Cap burger wasn't huge, but it was tasty and the fries were respectable. The chili, though, which apparently is a favorite of allot of El Cap regulars, was bland and didn't do anything for more. We've made better chili at home. I did get a kick out of the 8oz draft beers in their "mini-glasses" for just $1.20 a piece. Can't beat that.

While our service was decent, we watched two other groups sit down at tables in the back near us, only to walk out a few minutes later after no one cleared their table or took their order. Granted the place was busy and there seemed to be only one server assigned to the room we were in, but this wasn't the "treat you like family" attitude I expected. On an unrelated side note, El Cap looks like a cool place to watch a ball game (the Rays-Yankees was on) with its worn baseball memorabilia covering the walls (try as they might most new sports bars just can't recreate this authenticity).

Bottom-line: My Chattaburger was tastier, but my El Cap burger was still a winner- the same can't be said for the chili and the mediocre service. I'm sure I'll be back, but won't be in a rush.

Inspection Scorecard: Last inspection March 2006, violations- Critical (2), Non-Critical (4).

Chattaway's: Dripping Good Burgers

2006-07-03T11:08:00.000-04:00

Saturday afternoon we stopped at Chattaway's on 4th Street in southeast St. Pete for lunch. If you've never passed by Chattaway's or eaten at the place before (we sat outside up at the bar) it sort of reminds me of a tree house without the tree and the ladder- if that is possible for a restaurant- with its likable ramshackle-and-homey look. How can I not like a place that wryly announces on its menu that it is "the alternative to the Don" as in the luxurious Don CeSar resort on St. Pete Beach. Chattaway's, which has been going strong now for 55+ years, regularly makes the list of best burger places in Tampa Bay. Of course, this meant I had to put the place to the test.

In addition to ordering a Chattaburger for myself (Traci ordered the "big red"- a spicy chicken sandwich), we decided to get an order of onion rings, too. I'm glad that we did. The onion rings were a meal in themselves and the batter and taste reminded me of hush puppies. Traci enjoyed her "big red" (it was spicy and dripping with hot sauce which always wins points in our book). I now understand why Chattaway's is praised for their burgers. This wasn't the biggest cheeseburger I've ever had, but it was one of the tastiest. When your burger is such a dripping mess that it gets on your shirt (this does happen fairly often for me) you know it's good. Service was friendly, the food is great, prices are inexpensive, just come prepared for cash-only.

Bottom-line: For dripping-good burgers and lots of great-tasting compliments in a cool, laid-back outdoor garden, Chattaway's in St. Pete is the ticket. Not for health nuts!

RattleFish: Still Tasty, But For How Long?

2006-07-03T10:21:00.000-04:00

On Friday night we headed over to RattleFish Raw Bar & Grill which is tucked away off Westshore and Tyson in south Tampa. RattleFish is located on the edge of the planned NewPort Tampa development and is also next to the new WestShore Yacht Club. In June, the Trib reported that the owners of RattleFish are selling the popular restaurant and the marina, which has only been open a few years, to a developer who plans to turn the spot into a high-end "dockominium" for boaters. The developer reportedly intends to make RattleFish into a private restaurant/club house within 16 months. The restaurant plans at least sound foolish.

I could live without some of the try-too-hard-to-be-trendy crowd that frequents RattleFish (particularly the bar area), but the place consistently has good food and a relaxing island vibe that doesn't feel like Tampa. Too bad the food quality is likely poised to head downhill when the place gets converted (how many really great meals have you ever had at most country clubs? I've had very few!). Anyway, I guess we can enjoy the "real RattleFish" while it's still here.

On Friday night we had warm crab and spinach dip with chips as an appetizer. I ordered the chopped salad with grilled shrimp and Traci had a blackened chicken sandwich (the bun was soggy, not good) with slaw and fries. My salad was tasty and the New Orleanian in me loves that RattleFish's croutons are spiked with Tabasco. My favorite dish out of our several visits to RattleFish has been the fish tacos (not unique anymore, but tasty) and the seafood margarita (a delicious chilled salsa and seafood dip). The outside deck area is great for drinks and sunsets.

Bottom-line: Check out the "real RattleFish" sometime soon for good seafood and a relaxing island vibe before it gets absorbed into the latest South of Gandy upscale development.

Harry's in Lakeland: St. Augustine Location Was Better

2006-06-26T12:59:00.000-04:00

On Saturday evening we drove over to Lakeland to meet up with some friends for dinner at Harry's Seafood, Bar & Grill in downtown Lakeland next to Munn Park. One of our friends recently landed a teaching position with a college in Lakeland and we agreed to help him check out some of the restaurants and bars in the area. We had eaten at the Harry's location in St. Augustine a couple of times before and always had a good time. The Harry's in St. Augustine has a nice outdoor garden/dining area that reminds me a little of the French Quarter. I'm sure Harry's would be happy to hear this as they call themselves "a New Orleans style restaurant."

In addition to the St. Augustine and Lakeland locations, Harry's also has several other locations including a restaurant in Citrus Park (Tampa), which I haven't been to. I would love to say that the food was as good Saturday night at the Lakeland Harry's as it was in St. Augustine, but it wasn't. That said, we still had a good time, the service was excellent (everyone we met in Lakeland was very friendly) and it's a cool location. Lakeland's downtown is beautifully restored and a great slice of small town America. I suspect the "small town charm" would wear off for me after a while, but you're still only about an hour or so drive away from Tampa and Orlando.

Back to Harry's, for an appetizer, I shared the fried calamari (healthy I know), which was good and I also had a small cup of gumbo. I can't say the gumbo was more than decent. I'm probably a tougher critic than most on Harry's since I grew up in New Orleans and know what "the real thing" tastes like. For my main course, I ordered the Shrimp and Scallops Orleans, which was shrimp and scallops in a cream sauce over a grits cake (a Northerner at the table didn't know what grits was which I got a kick out of) with a side of red beans and rice. Unfortunately, the red beans and rice were dry and didn't have any seasoning, but the shrimp and scallops were tasty. Everyone else at the table didn't seem to have any complaints with their orders. I should also mention that everyone gorged on Harry's warm fresh bread and tasty garlic and chive butter.

Bottom-line: The food at the Harry's in Lakeland didn't knock my socks off, but I still think it's a good choice if you're already planning on being in the area. At least as of a year ago or so the Harry's in St. Augustine was very good.

M.R.
Taste Tampa Bay

Kahuna's: Fun Neighborhood Dive, Good Food Too

2006-06-26T11:44:00.000-04:00

On Friday night we headed about five minutes down the road to Kahuna's Bar & Grill, which is directly across from Derby Lane (the venerable greyhound dog track in St. Pete for the out-of-towners). Loosely tropical-themed Kahuna's is your classic dive bar and I mean that in a good way- cheap eats and drinks, darts, pool table, video games, and an always blaring jukebox- what else do you need. In the evenings, Kahuna's attracts it share of families for dinner, while at night the crowd does shift to being a little more rough-and-tumble- I'd call in the "anti-SoHo crowd."

We started out just going to Kahuna's for drinks and then one night decided to order an appetizer- we were pleased with it- and from there we became bold enough to order an entire meal - and surprise, surprise it was very good bar food. This past Friday, I ordered a pound of the warm peel-and-eat shrimp and Traci ordered the chicken quesadillas, which is her favorite Kahuna's dish. The shrimp tasted fresh, were all a nice size and had some spice to them (I hate bland shrimp). Of course I had to sample the quesadilla and it also received a passing grade. Another good choice at Kahuna's is the chicken fajitas, which come out piping hot and have all the requisite side fixings. I think pretty much everything on the menu is under ten bucks.

Bottom-line: For those of you who enjoy good bar food in a fun dive bar setting once in a while (and who doesn't), then check out Kahuna's next time you're in the neighborhood of Derby Lane.

M.R.
Taste Tampa Bay

La Tropicana: A Great Taste of Ybor

2006-06-18T09:57:00.000-04:00

Yesterday for lunch we went the La Tropicana, which has quickly become our favorite lunch spot in Ybor City. While The Columbia restaurant is top of mind for most folks when it comes to good food in Ybor, and I've eaten at various Columbia locations many times before, La Tropicana is tops in my book for authentic Cuban food in Ybor. Compared to The Columbia, La Tropicana is the new kid on the block. The Columbia dates back to 1905, La Tropicana since 1963.

I ordered "the special" which is half of a Cuban sandwich (a good sized portion) and a bowl of black bean soup. I tried to order a chicken salad, which they were out of so I was forced to have a Cuban instead. Traci had a greek salad. Every meal comes with warm Cuban bread with butter. La Tropicana's Cuban bread is out of this world and reminds me of New Orleans french bread. We sat up at the counter which puts you more in the mix of the hustle and bustle of the wait staff. Service is quick, prices are great (cash only, though, this is old school and family run) and the food is consistently top notch and authentic as it comes. A great no-frills lunch spot.

A fun factoid is that President Bush stopped by La Tropicana for lunch when he was in town a few years ago. La Tropicana proudly displays a picture of the visit up at their register.

Bottom-line: Great Cuban food at extremely affordable prices in a historic setting. No visit to Ybor during the day is complete without grabbing a bite to eat at La Tropicana.

M.R.
Taste Tampa Bay

Jackson's Bistro: Great Views and Good Food

2006-06-17T11:59:00.000-04:00

Last night we battled the torrential downpours and decided to go to Jackson's Bistro on Harbour Island for dinner. Jackson's, which opened almost a decade ago, is located in the heart of downtown, on the water. We camped out at the outside bar and deck to watch the Gasparilla "invasion" earlier this year (it was the first time I've been to Gasparilla) and I thought the view was great. For those of you not from Tampa, Gasparilla is the city's own smaller and tamer version of Mardi Gras. There's parades, a pirate invasion, music, food, drinks, etc.

We hadn't been back to Jackson's since Gasparilla and thought it was worth giving the restaurant part of the place a try (Jackson's also had an attached bar area with annoying club music blaring). For our starter, we had the seafood strudel, which was essentially two flaky pastries stuffed with seafood and lobster cream in a plate drizzled with a tangy sauce. Neat execution and worth trying. For dinner, I had the sauteed lump crab cakes and Traci had the oak grilled chicken on focaccia toast (fancy chicken sandwich). My crab cakes were a nice size, had good flavor to them, weren't dried out and weren't heavy on the bread crumbs (a crab cake cardinal sin!). A winner in my book. I tried a bite of the chicken, which was good as well.

Our funny observation of the night is that Jackson's is probably the first and only restaurant we'll ever go to that prominently has olive oil and vinegar on the table as well as an extensive sushi menu. The two just don't mix. I like my share of sushi and I'm sure Jackson's does a nice job in this area (they have an extensive sushi menu and the restaurant seems to cater to groups, which sushi is good for), I just think the "bistro, bar & sushi" is sort of an odd mix. Guess I'm old fashioned. Anyways, we enjoyed our meal and can now confirm that not only does Jackson's have excellent waterfront views and a great deck area for Gasparilla, but good food to match.

Bottom-line: Good food, great views (when's there not pouring rain!) in a stylish setting. Also a good base camp for watching the Gasparilla pirate invasion each year.

Estela's: Tasty Mexican on Davis Islands

2006-06-15T16:47:00.000-04:00

If you're looking for tasty Mexican at a good price, check out Estela's. I had lunch today with a friend at Estela's on Davis Islands (downtown Tampa) and came away pleased as usual. Estela's also has locations in south Tampa (S. Dale Mabry) and in Brandon and St. Pete. I've been to the south Tampa location more than a couple of times as well, but like the surroundings of the Davis Islands location the best. Outdoor seating (sat inside today- too hot!) and pet-friendly.

I don't think I've ever ordered anything here I wasn't happy with. We had chips and salsa with queso as a starter. Estela's queso uses a white cheese, which is fine, but could definitely be kicked up a few notches. I had the beef chimichanga today and my friend had a chicken chimichanga. Very exotic I know. I usually order their taco salad when I'm in a healthier mood and have been happy in the past. Service is fine, prices are good, food comes out pretty quickly, tastes fresh and what's supposed to be crispy is crispy (nothing is worse than a soggy chimichanga or lukewarm rice or refried beans).

Bottom-line: Worth checking out when you're in the mood for quality Mexican fare. The Davis Islands location definitely adds to the experience.

So What Is Taste Tampa Bay?

2006-06-15T09:18:00.000-04:00

I started Taste Tampa Bay because I had kicked around the idea of starting a blog entirely for fun (a break from business) for ages. It was high time I got off my keister and made it happen and food is a topic I'm naturally passionate about (I'm not ashamed to admit I look forward to my next meal!). It's hard to grow up in New Orleans (well, actually Metairie, LA) and not love food and start to learn at an early age what's really good food and what's not.

I've lived in Central Florida since 1998 (I'm a UCF grad) and have lived in south Tampa since last summer. While I don't think Tampa Bay is a sleeping giant on the culinary scene and I'll always crave New Orleans cooking (fried shrimp poor boys top my list!), there are lots of good places to eat here – if you know where to look. And I'm not talking about the ultra expensive "break your wallet dining" establishments. Some of the best places to eat I've found in the area are moderately priced little local restaurants that concentrate on great food, not the décor (of course, there's exceptions, but you get the idea). Zagat material they’re probably not.

I enjoy reading restaurants reviews in the local papers and getting dining tips from friends and family as much as the next guy, but there's nothing like experiencing a place first hand. There's been countless times when I would have liked to have shared some quick off-the-cuff thoughts on a restaurant – sometimes high praise and other times a rant- and now with this blog I have a way to catalog and save my rants-and-raves- all in one place.

My hope is that I'll post to this blog a couple of times per week (time permitting) and only if I have something new and interesting food-related to talk about. I'm not going to post just to post and take up space. Comments and feedback are welcome and you can reach me directly at: tastetampabay@gmail.com. Keep in mind that I don't consider myself a foodie nor do I want to be a foodie. What does this mean? While I love food and you'll get my unbridled opinions on local dining joints, don't look for long-winded, pretentious reviews. Food snobs annoy me. And they wouldn't be caught dead in many of the places I love. So they can stay on their side of the schoolyard and I'll stay on mine. Fine by me.

Let the eating begin!