Happy Halloween
Month: October 2019
Palace Italian Restaurant – Lakeland, FL
Italian food is very comforting with all the cheeses and sauces that cover everything from pastas to meats. After a busy day, I was in the mood for some comfort food. I thought that Palace Italian Restaurant would satisfy that mood.
I had never actually eaten inside the restaurant. In the past I have gotten take out. This time I wanted to eat there. They have amazing murals painted on the walls, many are of famous landmarks around Italy.
Once I sat down my waitress brought over some homemade bread. This was a flat bread that was topped with butter, garlic salt, and Italian seasonings. They also served it with a side of olive oil / chili oil mixture. This gave it a little heat. I preferred the bread by itself because of the great seasoning that it had.
The tortellini soup was the homemade soup of the day when I visited. They change it up every day. The soup was a great chicken broth base that was filled with vegetables, sausage crumbles, and large tortellini. It was a very filling soup; there was a nice comfort feeling to it.
For an appetizer I got the calamari fritti. These fresh calamari were breaded and fried up. The breading was light and crunchy. The calamari were extremely tender. They tasted amazing with the homemade marinara sauce that was served on the side. The bread absorbed the sauce well without making it soggy.
For my dinner I got the Chicken Sorrento. They served a huge chicken breast that was topped with sautéed eggplant, prosciutto, and mozzarella cheese. They covered everything with a plum tomato sauce and fresh leaves of basil.
The chicken was tender and still moist. The eggplant was still slightly firm which made it easy to cut. The prosciutto added a nice salty taste to the chicken, while the cheese added a creaminess.
As if the chicken and eggplant were not enough, this dish also came with a side of spaghetti tossed in their fresh marinara sauce. I tried it while I was there but naturally I could not finish it. It went straight to the doggie bag so that I could eat it for lunch the next day.
I also was able to try my friend’s dinner. He got the Veal Saltimbocca. The thinly sliced veal was topped with sautéed prosciutto, spinach, and fontina cheese. Then it was covered in a white wine sauce.
The sauce was extremely creamy and had an amazing flavor. They also put the same sauce on a side of spaghetti. The veal was very tender. The spinach added an earthy taste while the prosciutto added saltiness and texture. I am really glad I got to try this.
The dinner portions are large at Palace Italian Restaurant. They can easily be shared almost family style. The flavors were wonderful. Next time I visit I want to make sure I try one of their pizzas.
Check them out at www.palacerestaurantlakeland.com
Enjoy!
T
Boggy Bottom BBQ – Kissimmee, FL
I was helping my sister celebrate her birthday. We decided to go on an airboat ride to explore the Florida Everglades. We chose Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures since it was pretty close to her house (www.bcairboats.com).
While we waited for out time, we checked out their restaurant right there on the grounds. It was called Boggy Bottom BBQ.
It was a cute little restaurant, complete with a gift shop.
I went for the BBQ beef brisket plate. It came with one side, so I chose the sweet corn.
The brisket was extremely lean and very tender. It pulled apart easily with my fork.
They had six different BBQ sauces to choose from. I made sure I tasted them all.
- Original BBQ – had a slight peppery taste
- Mango Habanero – sweet and spicy
- Texas BBQ – had a smoky taste
- Sweet BBQ – very sweet with a small hint of smoke. This was my favorite
- Hickory BBQ – had a smoke aroma of hickory wood
- Mustard BBQ – had a strong mustard taste. This was not my favorite because I am not a huge fan of mustard.
This was a great, quick meal before the airboat ride, which was extremely fun. We got to see four alligators along the ride. Go enjoy a ride for yourself and grab some homemade BBQ either before or after.
Visit their website at www.boggybottombbq.com
Enjoy!
T
Black Sheep Coal Fired Pizza – Minneapolis, MN
There was a pizza place called Black Sheep that I heard had amazing pizza. I was not able to visit the restaurant in the city during my short trip to Minneapolis. However, to my surprise they had a location inside the airport. I was excited that I was going to be able to check them out before I flew out.
I did not have enough time to order a pizza. However, their meatballs sounded wonderful. They cook them in the coal fire oven, which created a char on the outside of the meatball. It also made them sizzle when they came out.
The meatballs had onions and peppers inside that added great flavor to the meat. They covered the meatballs in their homemade marinara sauce, which had a sweet taste. They sprinkled Pecorino Romano cheese on top and it melted nicely into the sauce.
The meatballs were slightly dense because they were filled with tender meat rather than a ton of fillings. They were extremely moist even with being cooked in the hot oven.
I had to get a drink to wash down these meatballs. I ordered the Sriracha Mary. This was a traditional Bloody Mary mixed with sriracha chili-garlic sauce. The drink was very large.
It was not spicy when it first hit my lips. However, as soon as I swallowed it I could feel the heat in my throat. It was one of the hottest Bloody Mary’s that I have had in a long time.
My quick visit was worth it so I could try Black Sheep. I would like to come back to Minneapolis to visit their main location because I was to try their pizza. Visit them at www.blacksheeppizza.com
Enjoy!
T
Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge – Minneapolis, MN
While visiting Minneapolis I heard about an old school tiki bar that was a must visit. With a name like Psycho Suzi I could not wait to check this place out.
As soon as I walked up to the building I was greeted by a wooden tiki statue. I knew I was in for fun experience.
I followed signs for the tiki bar. I was passing an assortment of tiki statues, Easter Island statues, tropical plants, and even wicker chairs for photo ops.
They have an entire menu filled with classic tiki cocktails. They all come in fancy ceramic tiki glasses (all of which are available in their gift shop). It was hard to narrow down which one I wanted to try.
After reading through each one I decided to try the Native’s Cruse. This cocktail was full of rum, passion fruit juice, coconut, and citrus juices. It came in a huge glass, almost like a fish bowl, complete with a little tropical umbrella.
Thank goodness it came with a straw because there was no way I could drink from the cup itself.
The flavor of the drink was great. It was strong from the rum, but the passion fruit was the main ingredient I could taste. The coconut flavor came more as an after taste.
I had a sweet tooth while I was there. I checked out their dessert menu. I ordered an ice cream sundae. I thought that would be fun. It too came out in a tiki glass. This one was plastic though. The creamy ice cream was covered in chocolate syrup. It was really good. It made me feel like a kid again.
Psycho Suzi’s was a fun place that transports you to another place. Check them out at www.psychosuzis.com
Enjoy!
T
The 1029 Bar – Minneapolis, MN
I heard about a little neighborhood bar that was popular in Minneapolis called The 1029 Bar.
I popped in for a quick drink just to see what it was all about. I did not get anything special, just a vodka tonic.
It is a popular place among local police officers. There are badges all over the walls. They are from all over the country. It was fun to look and see where they were from.
I got to speaking to some of the locals and they gave me a few suggestions of other places to check out.
I was also excited that they had a popcorn machine. I love popcorn. It is my favorite snack. When they popped fresh stuff, the aroma filled up the bar. I ended up eating 3 bowls of the fresh popcorn.
They had a menu of bar food that included lobster rolls. I was not hungry while I was there, however the food did look tasty.
This was a nice little pit stop for a quick drink. Check them out at www.the1029bar.com
Enjoy!
T
Matt’s Bar – Minneapolis, MN
Many cities across the US are famous for certain foods or dishes. Philadelphia has cheesesteaks, Nashville has hot chicken, Chicago has deep dish pizza. In Minneapolis they are famous for the Jucy Lucy. I had never had one of these specialties, so when I visited the city I had to make sure I stopped by Matt’s Bar. They are famously known as the home of the original Jucy Lucy.
For those who are not familiar with the Jucy Lucy, it is a cheeseburger. But not an ordinary cheeseburger. They take two beef patties and put the cheese in the middle of the patties. This way when you take a bite the cheese oozes out.
Naturally Matt’s Bar is famous and when I got there a line was already forming.
I waited patiently for my seat. It gave me an opportunity to watch them cook the burgers on the flattop. I could not wait to order mine.
The wait was not as long as I thought it would be. I got a seat at their bar, which of course I prefer for better and faster service.
I placed my order for their Jucy Lucy. Plus I got fries on the side. While I waited I got a Mike’s Hard Black Cherry Lemonade. I had never had this flavor before. It was both sweet and tart.
My burger came out all wrapped up. It was like opening a Christmas present. It was super hot. I could smell the grilled onions that were on top.
I got ready to take a bite. I knew the cheese would be pipping hot inside so I made sure not to burn my lips.
The burger was so juicy.
The meat had a great grilled flavor. The cheese was creamy and each bite was loaded with cheese. It was exactly what I hoped for.
It did not take me long to scarf down this famous burger. Once I finished I knew why they always have a line to get one.
There may be other places to get a Jucy Lucy around Minneapolis but a stop to Matt’s Bar first is a must. And make sure you bring cash because that is all they take.
Visit their website at www.mattsbar.com
Enjoy!
T
Surly Brewing Co – Minneapolis, MN
I have really enjoyed visiting local breweries lately in my travels. My stop in Minneapolis was no exception. It was highly recommended that I check out Surly Brewing Co.
I got my stamp at the door and I was ready to go.
They were absolutely packed when I was there. They have tons of seating inside, whether at the bar or at one of their long picnic tables.
Plus, they have a huge outside seating area with lots of fun outdoor games to play. It was the perfect weather to be outside and enjoy the sun before the harsh Minnesota winter arrives.
They have an enormous selection of beers to choose from. No matter what your tastes are, you will find something to satisfy your taste buds.
I went for two sour beers. Sour beers are unique and hard to find. There is something about that punch of sour taste that I really enjoy. It’s almost like a piece of sour candy.
The first sour was the Signal Process. This had a hint of strawberry flavor. It really was like sour candy with w hint of sweetness.
The second sour was the Pentagram. This had a sour cherry taste. It made my lips pucker when I first took a sip, but I got use to the taste.
To help enjoy these beers I ordered a few things from their menu. Their kitchen was really buzzing the day I was there. I started off with the Aki’s Breadhaus Pretzel. This was a large fresh made pretzel. It was piping hot when it came out. The dough they used was sweet and kind of light in texture.
They served a spicy ale mustard on the side, which was a little tangy. They also served a side of homemade pimento cheese. I am not a big fan of pimento cheese but this one was tasty. It was creamy and not as sour as other ones I have tried. It was really good spread on the pretzel. I certainly did not expect that.
I also got a plate of their pierogies. They were filled with potato and gruyere cheese. They popped them in the deep fryer briefly so that the outside got crispy. The combination of potato and cheese was rich and creamy.
They served a horseradish crème fraiche on the plate. The heat from the horseradish added a unique taste to the pierogies that was calmed down by the creamy cheese.
I would definitely stop by Surly Brewing Co again on a visit to Minneapolis. Their pizza and Polish kielbasa looked really popular among the other guests. Plus they have so many other beers to choose from.
Check them out at www.surlybrewing.com
Come by for a beer or catch a movie on their lawn at night.
Enjoy!
T
Angel Food Bakery – Minneapolis, MN
I recently visited Minneapolis for the first time. I was really excited to explore the beautiful city and to eat and drink my way around town.
I started off my day by visiting Angel Food Bakery. As soon as I got to the door I could smell the fresh donuts.
They had a large assortment of unique flavors and combinations.
I went for two different ones. The Maple Bacon was calling me. It was a yeast donut with fresh, creamy maple icing. Then they put two slices of crispy bacon on top. It was the perfect blend of sweet and salty. Bacon always seems to go with everything.
The other one I got was called the Dough-napart. It was a donut and croissant combination. It was much heavier than the other donut. It had a great sweet glaze covering the outside. It actually reminded me more of a fritter. It was sweet and had a slight cinnamon taste to me. It was the perfect option for sharing because if all the layers.
They have so many donut options to choose from. I only scratched the surface. Check out their offering at www.angelfoodmn.com and stop in to buy a dozen.
Enjoy!
T
Jim’s Steaks – Philadelphia, PA
When people think of Philadelphia some people might think about the Liberty Bell or Independence Hall. However, I am guessing most people think about cheesesteaks. And choosing where to get a cheesesteak can be a daunting task. There are plenty of famous places that all the tourists go. I did not want to do that. I wanted to go where the locals go.
Throughout my trip I would ask all my waitresses and bartenders where their favorite place was. It was almost unanimous that Jim’s Steaks offered the best. So, I headed to South Street to check them out.
There was already a huge line when I showed up. Just seeing the line made me realize that I made the right choice to check them out.
The lined moved fast. Everyone knew how to order properly. I made sure that I figured out how to order before I got up to the window.
A “Wiz With” is what I ordered. This gave me a cheesesteak topped with fresh grilled onions and cheese wiz liquid cheese.
The bread was soft to begin with but with all the cheese it because squishy. The meat was chopped up really fine. It mixed together with the grilled onions. The cheese help bind it all together.
The flavor was fantastic. I could taste the sweetness of the onions, along with the salty cheese. The meat had a great savory taste. It was a messy sandwich to eat. Glad I grabbed lots of napkins.
On my way out of the restaurant, I passed the machine that slices all of the rolls. It was amazing how fast it sliced.
Plus I saw the machine that slices all the meat into the thin slices. That machine can take off your hand if you are not careful.
The line was out the door and around the block by the time I left. I hit them at the right time, around 11:30, right before the prime lunch time.
If you are headed to Philadelphia and want a cheesesteak I would recommend trying Jim’s Steaks. They were fantastic plus all the locals recommended them too. Make sure you bring cash, because that is all the accept.
Visit their website at www.jimssouthstreet.com
Enjoy!
T
