Author: gatorgirl.outoftheswamp@gmail.com

Daylight Donuts – Johnson City, TN

The mountains in Eastern Tennessee are absolutely beautiful. I was visiting Johnson City and the campus of East Tennessee State University. While driving around I came across a local donut shop not far from the campus. Daylight Donuts was calling my name.

When I walked in, I could smell the sweet donuts in the air. I could not wait to get my hands on one. To my surprise, they also had kolaches that they made fresh. I would never have expected to find these in Tennessee.

I ordered a sausage, jalapeno, and cheese kolache. They warmed it up for me. The cheese that oozed out was nice and crispy. When I took a bite, I could taste the sweetness of the yeast roll. The sausage had a slight heat from the jalapeno, nothing overwhelming. The creaminess of the cheese helped calm down any sign of spice.

Since I was originally there for donuts, I made sure to grab two. The first one was the maple donut. This was a yeast donut that was light and fluffy. The maple icing was sweet and full of fresh maple flavor. It was perfect on a cool morning with a cup of coffee.

The second donut I shared. I was starting to get full. This was also a yeast donut and I selected the chocolate icing with multi-colored sprinkles. The icing had an awesome chocolate taste and the sprinkles gave it a nice crunch.

These donuts were very satisfying and the kolache was a great surprise. The staff at Daylight Donuts was great. They were really friendly. If you are in Johnson City check them out. Grab a donut or a dozen.

Enjoy!

T

55 South – Brentwood, TN

Several years ago I visited the original location of 55 South in downtown Franklin, Tennessee. Since that time they have opened up two more locations. I was looking forward to checking out their Brentwood location.

What I remembered about 55 South is they have influences from New Orleans in their dishes. They have chargrilled oysters on the menu, which can be found all over New Orleans. Plus these are one of my favorite dishes. Their oysters were topped with garlic-lemon butter and parmesan cheese. There was a nice salty taste from the cheese. The lemon in the butter gave it a nice zing.

The parmesan cheese was cooked to be a little crispy. I enjoyed picking it off of the oyster shells. The grilled toast they provided helped me soak up the extra garlic butter.

The other dish I ordered was the Garlic Parmesan Crab Fries. These were fresh, crispy French fries that were tossed in garlic butter. Then they smothered the fries in lemon mayo and lump crabmeat. These fries were addicting. The garlic flavor shined through and paired perfectly with the tangy taste from the lemon mayo. The crabmeat added sweetness. They used a generous amount of crabmeat. They did a great job combining all of these ingredients to make a unique dish that was very satisfying.

I really enjoyed the food as 55 South. There were several new dishes on the menu since my previous visit. I cannot wait to come back and try some other things.

Visit their website at www.Eat55.com

Enjoy!

T

Conforti’s Bakery – Brick, NJ

There is a family-owned Italian bakery in Brick, New Jersey called Conforti’s Bakery. They always have a ton of cars in their parking lot, so I decided to check them out.

They make fresh a full line of Italian breads, pastries, desserts, and cakes.

Because of the Covid restrictions that were in place, I was not able to actually go into the shop. That was a disappointment because I did not get to smell all those baked goods in the air. That is the fun part of walking into a bakery.

They did have a walk-up window that allowed you to order. It was a pretty efficient process.

They boxed up the sweet treats and then you are off on your way.

I ordered one of their cream puffs. It was larger than most cream puffs I have seen. They put a decent amount of powdered sugar on top to add extra sweetness.

The pastry dough was light and airy. This allowed for the vanilla cream filling to fill every nook and cranny. There definitely was a lot of filling. It was so smooth and creamy. I loved how the pastry added texture to the smooth filling. Because this cream puff was so large, I had to eat it with a fork. This helped me prevent a huge mess.

This stop for some dessert was great. I look forward to going back and trying something else. I am also looking forward to when everything gets back to normal and I can go inside the bakery.

Check them out at www.confortisbakery.com

Enjoy!

T

Boardwalk Hot Dogs – Brick, NJ

Nothing has made me happier than getting to travel again. The planes starting to get a little fuller, the roads a little more crowded, and the restaurants are opening (even if it is in just a limited capacity). I was happy to be back in New Jersey and getting to visit Boardwalk Hot Dogs, that has been around since 1982.

Now they have more than just hot dogs on their menu, but I was there specifically to try their Italian Hot Dog. I was not aware of what this style hot dog was, so I was anxious to try it.

They took a footlong hot dog and grilled it up on the flat top. Then they placed it inside a roll that looked almost like a pita pocket, but it was freshly made bread. Then inside the pocket they stuffed it with homemade home fries, which were nice big chunks of potatoes that were fried up till crispy on the outside. They then topped it off with sautéed peppers and onions. They were cooked till caramelized, and sweet which complemented the salty taste of the hot dog. This was the most filling hot dog I have ever had. It is perfect for sharing. And because its inside a pocket, it is not that messy to eat.

I could not leave without trying a classic Chili Cheese Dog.  The footlong hot dog was placed on a traditional hot dog bun. They smothered the hot dog with chili (which was meat only, no beans). Then liquid cheese was spread on top on the chili. The smoky taste from the hot dog paired well with the savory taste of the chili. It was extremely messy to eat this hot dog.

I was happy to get to travel and visit a new restaurant. Check out their website at www.boardwalkhotdogsnj.com

Enjoy!

T

Harry Waugh Dessert Room – Tampa, FL

After enjoying a wonderful steak dinner at Bern’s Steakhouse. I had two options for dessert. I could either eat there at my table in the restaurant or I could head upstairs to the Harry Waugh Dessert Room. Naturally I went upstairs for a unique experience. Luckily, we had a reservation, otherwise we would not have been able to get in.

We were seated in a semi-private space. It was intimate enough for small groups without making you feel like you are closed in.

Their menu was filled with dessert and dessert like cocktails. I orders one of each. The actual dessert was shared with the table.

The specialty drink I ordered was called Dreamsicle. The drink was vanilla ice cream that was blended with orange juice, orange liqueur, and a splash of Valencia orange vodka.

This drink was rich and creamy. The orange flavor was extremely impactful and paired with the ice cream perfectly. It truly reminded me of a creamsicle/dreamsicle that I would get from the ice cream man in the summer.

For dessert, as if the cocktails weren’t enough, I ordered the King Midas. This was a nut infused carrot cake. The moist, spicy cake was topped with a Macadamia Nut ice cream and a slice of thin chocolate. The ice cream was sweet, and the nuts gave it a unique flavor that paired well with the nutty carrot cake. As the ice cream melted, it got soaked into the cake, which made it even more moist.

I am so glad that I went to the Dessert Room for dessert. It was the best way to end my evening.

If you want to learn more about the Dessert Room check out the website for Bern’s Steakhouse: www.bernssteakhouse.com

Enjoy!

T

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