Author: gatorgirl.outoftheswamp@gmail.com

Bern’s Steakhouse – Tampa, FL

For over 50 years Bern’s has been serving the Tampa area. What started as a small sandwich shop turned into a famous steakhouse. With their enormous wine cellar and a special dessert room, they have appeared many times on the Food Network and Travel Channel. I could not wait to check them out for dinner.

To start off the meal I ordered a bottle of Syltbar Prosecco. It is from Veneto, Italy. I love Prosecco and I never had this brand before. It was not very sweet, but it also was not overly dry. It was smooth to taste.

They brought out an assortment of breads. There was some fresh wheat bread that was soft. They also had these little crispy toasts. They had a garlic, buttery taste.

We started off with an appetizer of Tuna Tartare. This was the softest tuna that was diced into small pieces. It was then tossed with an array of spices, soy sauce, wasabi dashi (a wasabi dressing). It was topped off with tobiko (flying fish roe). They served crispy wontons on the side. The flavors of the sauces married perfectly with the flavor of the tuna. Because the tuna was so soft, the wonton crisps added a nice texture.

Out next was the French Onion Soup. There was a thick layer of cheese that was on top of the bowl. The edges were crispy and stuck to the rim of the bowl. As I took my spoon to open up the cheese, the hot steam from the soup poured out. I could smell garlic and the caramelized onions. The soup was loaded with them.

The broth was not too salty, just enough. The spelt toast that was in the soup soaked up a lot of the flavor from the broth. That softness of the bread went so well with the firmness of the melted cheese.

The house salad cam out next. This was a simple, classic salad. There were several dressings to choose from. I went for the White Balsamic Italian. The dressing had a nice tanginess to it that made the salad more exciting.

For my dinner I ordered the 8oz Filet Mignon. It was cooked to the perfect medium. Then it was topped with a garlic butter. The meat was so tender I could cut it with a butter knife. The garlic butter added a little extra herb flavor to the meat. There was a perfect char on the outside of the steak.

There were onion rings on the plate. These were more like onion straws that were fried up crispy. It was a nice textural element.

The vegetable for the evening was fresh green beans and carrots. They were cooked in butter to add a creamy saltiness.

And what side goes best with a steak? A baked potato of course. I got mine loaded with sweet butter, crumbled bacon, and chives. I splashed a little salt and pepper on top and I was ready to dig in. The bacon mixed with the butter made the potato moist and crunchy. It was a nice pairing with the juicy steak.

This was one of the best steaks that I have had in a long time. It was nice to visit a restaurant that has withstood the test of time. They are a must try when you visit Tampa.

Check out their website at www.bernssteakhouse.com

Enjoy!

T

The Rutledge – Franklin, TN

It has been a while since I have written about any restaurants. This terrible pandemic has limited so many things for everyone. Traveling and getting to experience new foods has been what I missed most. As places started opening back up, I have been excited to get out there. There are so many great restaurants to try and they need our help now more than ever.

So, I am doing my part and I want to kick it off by writing about a brunch I enjoyed at The Rutledge, in Franklin, Tennessee.

To help get me back into the swing of things, I ordered a mimosa. This was a classic orange juice mimosa at a great price. The juice was fresh and had a nice sweetness to it.

They have a great number of dishes to choose from. However, there was no doubt in my mind what I was going to order – Nashville Hot Chicken. They had a few options when it came to hot chicken. I went for the Hot Chicken Biscuits. I thought this would be a great brunch option.

They did offer hot chicken sandwiches. A friend at the table ordered that. I thought I would share a picture of that dish.

Back to my hot chicken biscuits. The chicken pieces were smaller but fit perfectly on the biscuits. The biscuits were freshly made, and they were light and fluffy. The chicken itself was spicy when I first took a bite, then it slowly mellows out. The chicken was drizzled with honey. This added a nice, sweet element to the spiciness. The honey was also wonderful on the biscuit.

Because the biscuit was so fluffy it did fall apart as I was picking it up. Plus having the honey made it slightly sticky. But even through all of that, I really enjoyed the flavor and eating this dish.

Since this was a brunch dish, it came with a side of breakfast potatoes. They had a nice crispiness. There was a little seasoning on them as well. They gave a generous portion too.

One of the side dishes at the table that I wanted to try was the Roasted Brussel Sprouts. These came out with a nice char on them, which made them crispy. There was also a great glaze on them that added a sweetness to the slight bitter taste of the actual Brussel sprout.

I also wanted to share with you another dish that was ordered during the visit, the French toast with bacon. For a traditional breakfast dish this was beautifully presented on the plate. And I was told the French toast was sweet and moist. The powdered sugar was a nice touch that added a little extra sweetness.

It was so nice to be able to get out there and travel again. I was so happy to help a local restaurant. I know they need it. If you are in the Nashville area, head a little south to Franklin and check out The Rutledge. Cheers!

Visit their website at www.therutledge.co

Enjoy!

T

Happy New Year 2021

Happy New Year everyone! Let’s hope this year is better than the last.

Enjoy!

T

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. Stay safe!

Enjoy!

T

Texas Cattle Company – Lakeland, FL

A special occasion calls for a good steak dinner. That is exactly what I got at Texas Cattle Company in downtown Lakeland, Florida. I got a table by the window so that I had a nice view for dinner.

A steak dinner needs to start off with a good bottle of wine. The Amici Cabernet Sauvignon was mild in flavor, without a dry aftertaste. It paired perfectly with steak.

We got one of their starters, the Blue Chips. These were homemade potato chips with a blue cheese cream sauce drizzled all over. Then it was topped off with extra blue cheese crumbles. All that blue cheese gave the crispy chips a sharp taste. They were delicious and it only helped enhance the flavor of the wine.

Every meal comes with a salad and homemade cheese garlic bread. The bread was amazing. The cheese was baked on till it was crispy. The bread itself was sweet and the cheese added a salty element. The garlic added a nice tanginess.

The salad was delicious. The lettuce was chopped up which made it much easier to eat. They tossed it in a house dressing. It tasted like an Italian dressing. You can get refills on the salad if you want. Although I could have eaten more salad, I passed on refills because I wanted to save room for my steak.

They were running a special on a 16oz bone in filet. I went for that because I have never had a filet still on the bone. It is supposed to help add additional flavor to the meat.

I got it prepared medium so it would be pink in the middle. The steak was extremely juicy which I noticed as soon as I cut into the meat. I got a little truffle butter on top. It melted overtop of the hot steak and that added additional earthly flavor to the meat. The seasoning on the steak was very satisfying.

I also got grilled shrimp on the side. The shrimp were tender and a great accompaniment to the steak, it is the whole surf and turf idea. The steak was just too big, so I had to take the shrimp home. I figured those would be good for lunch the next day.

The best side dish to go with a steak are potatoes. They offered loaded mashed potatoes. They bring out creamy mashed potatoes and they let you select what toppings to go on top. Naturally, I loaded up with butter, cheese, and bacon. It was the perfect choice.

My meal at Texas Cattle Company was delicious. Every dish was comforting and filled me up. This is a great place to go for a special occasion or just to spend the evening with someone special.

Check out all they have to offer at www.texascattlecompany.net

Enjoy!

T

Hoss’ Loaded Burgers – Nolensville, TN

There is a food truck in Nashville called Hoss’ Loaded Burgers. They became so successful that they finally were able to open their first Brick & Mortar location.

All their burgers are stuffed, their take on the “Juicy Lucy” that you will find up in Minneapolis.

You order at the counter when you enter the restaurant. Then they make it all fresh to order and bring it to your table.

I ordered The Hoss. The fresh beef patties were stuffed with cheddar cheese. Then the burger was topped with crispy bacon, a hickory smoke BBQ sauce, cilantro, and onion straws.

The burger bun was soft. It allowed me to get a great grip on the burger. The meat was extremely juicy. When I took a bite the melted cheddar cheese poured out. It made the burger even juicier. The bacon was not super crispy, but it added a salty element. The BBQ sauce was sweet and went well with the seasoning that was on the burger. The onion straws were a subtle touch that added a crunchy texture. It was the perfect size burger.

And what goes best with the cheeseburger? French fries of course. They offer a couple of different variations of fries. I went for the queso and bacon loaded fries. The crispy fries were covered all over with creamy queso. They made sure it was not just a top layer of cheese. The crumbled bacon added a salty and smokey taste. These were messy fries and needed to be eaten with a fork.

Hoss’ Loaded Burgers was a great spot for lunch. I am so glad they have a free-standing restaurant now. Check them out a www.hossburgers.com

Enjoy!

T

Captain Woody’s – Hilton Head, SC

This was my first visit to Hilton Head, South Carolina. It is a wonderful beach town that gets extremely crowded on the weekends. But who could blame anyone for wanting to spend the weekend at the beach.

My friends told me I needed to visit Captain Woody’s. It is a local place that has been serving up drinks and seafood for over 30 years.

They were packed when we arrived. Luckily there were seats open in the bar area. And if you have ever read my blog before you know sitting at the bar us actually the best. You will always get better and faster service at the bar.

When we got there to my surprise it was still happy hour. It seemed like everything was on special.

I tried a bottle of the Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale. It was like a beer cream soda. The hints of vanilla were wonderful and really hid the taste of the hops.

The other part of happy hour were a few menu specials.

I went for a few to share:

  • Fried Calamari
  • Buffalo Shrimp
  • Fish Tacos

The calamari was lightly fried. It was a combination of body meat and tentacles. The calamari was tender and I could tell it was fresh. I ate most of them plain but I did dip a few in the sweet and spicy dipping sauce for some additional flavor.

The buffalo shrimp were jumbo fried shrimp. They had a great crunch but I was a little disappointment that they were not as spicy as I was expecting.

The bartender highly recommended the fish tacos. She said they are a fan favorite. So I ordered one. The fish could either be grilled or fried. I went for fried.

This one taco was huge. It was so packed with fish and veggies that it was impossible to pick it up. It was loaded with fried Tilapia, tomatoes, onion, cabbage, cheese, and covered in a chipotle cream sauce.

I ended up eating the pieces of fish dipped in the extra cream sauce with a fork. The rest of the filling I ate like a salad. It was pretty good on its own – probably because of the cream sauce acting like a dressing. That left the tortilla shell as the only thing on the plate. It had soaked up all the flavor from the filling, so I ate it all by itself. It was great.

Captain Woody’s was a fun place to hang out. It is a great place for families to go. If you want to eat outside, they have a huge patio. Just be aware of the temperature. I am planning on going back when I visit Hilton Head again.

Check out their website at www.captainwoodys.com

Enjoy!

T

Nero’s Waterfront Café – St. Augustine, FL

So, it is Sunday in St. Augustine and I was ready for brunch. What better was to enjoy brunch the along the water. That is what Nero’s Waterfront Café offered. I was able to get a seat on their patio.

Their menu offered an array of breakfast and lunch type items. I made sure to try their corned beef hash and eggs. They make their own corned beef. It was shredded, almost like pulled pork. It was tender and juicy. It was cooked well done so it allowed it to get a little crispy. It was fresh hash with great flavor.

My meal was the fish and chips. The fish they used was a fresh Mahi Mahi. They breaded and fried the fish in a seasoning blend that was slightly spicy. The entire thing reminded me of fried chicken.

The flavor of the seasoning was amazing. It was the right amount of heat. There was a nice crunch and the breading sealed in the moisture of the fish. The Mahi Mahi was till so flakey even after being fried.

It came with French fries on the side. They were crispy, having just come out of the fryer. They were good with the ketchup but even better with the homemade tarter sauce.

It was such a nice brunch at Nero’s. I would want to go back and try some of their other dishes. If you want a nice and relaxing meal, you will get that at Nero’s Waterfront Café.

Check them out at www.neroswaterfrontcafe.com

Enjoy!

T

Columbia – St. Augustine, FL

I have loved the Spanish restaurant Columbia for years. I have written about two of their locations in Clearwater and Ybor City in Tampa. While I was visiting St. Augustine, I wanted to make sure I checked out this location too. It was in the Historic District which is a wonderful experience.

They were busy the evening I was there, so I was not able to get a table. I was able to get a seat at the bar.

As with every visit to Columbia, it starts out with the waiter bringing out fresh baked Cuban bread. It comes out wrapped up, which makes me feel like I am opening a yummy birthday present. Since the bread is so warm, as soon as the butter is placed on, it melts into all the nook and crannies of the bread. The crust of the bread is crispy and inside is so soft. It is a carb-lovers paradise.

I also love the fresh made sangrias they make right in front of you. They had a new version on the menu, a Sangria de Rose. They used Rose wine along with Torres brandy and fresh citrus juices. Of course, they added cherries and fresh orange slices. This sangria was not too sweet or too dry. It was right in the middle and felt kind of light.

I also split their famous 1905 salad. If there is one thing that you must try on the Columbia menu is this 1905 salad. It is so filling it can be your entire meal. They chop up crispy iceberg lettuce to make it easier to eat. They then toss in julienne style ham, turkey, and swiss cheese. Not to be outdone, they add tomatoes, olives, grated Romano cheese, Worchester sauce, and their famous homemade garlic dressing. Every aspect of the salad gets coated with the dressing.

The garlic flavor shines through. The Worchester sauce added a nice salty, savory taste. The meat and cheese help to fill you up, while the lettuce adds a fresh crunch.

There are so many great dishes on the Columbia menu. But there is something so simple about a salad and a pitcher of sangria that makes me so satisfied.

I highly recommend you check them out. They have seven locations across Florida, so make sure to find one near you.

Visit their website at www.columbiarestaurant.com

Enjoy!

T

Mimi’s Famous Crepes – St. Augustine, FL

St. Augustine is a magical city, filled with a rich history. From wineries to ghost tours, St. Augustine has something for everyone.  Walking along the historic streets downtown, I came across a little crepe shop called Mimi’s Famous Crepes. I decided to check them out for dessert.

They had an assortment of savory and sweet crepes. Since I wanted dessert I went sweet. I ordered the Banana Cream Pie crepe. What was fun about this place is I could watch my crepe being made.

I watched as the crepe batter was poured onto the hot grill and moved around to create a perfect circle.

Once it was perfectly golden brown, it was folded and filled with a vanilla pudding, sliced bananas, and crushed up vanilla wafers.

Then it was folded again a topped with a caramel drizzle, more vanilla pudding, and whipped cream.

I could not wait to try this crepe. They had a beautiful garden, so I went there to sit and enjoy my dessert.

The crepe was still warm, so the pudding melted around the bananas. This created a rich bite. The whipped cream added a cool element and the caramel sauce added extra sweetness. With the addition of the vanilla wafers for crunch, this really did taste like a Banana Cream pie. They captured this beautifully.

This crepe was so satisfying. All the ingredients went perfectly together. I would recommend everyone going to Mimi’s for a dessert crepe. You will not be disappointed.

Check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mimisfamouscrepes/

Enjoy!

T