Author: gatorgirl.outoftheswamp@gmail.com

Rum Fish Grill – St Petersburg Beach, FL

Near the Tradewinds Resort in St. Pete Beach is a seafood restaurant called Rum Fish.

Inside the restaurant are these great fish tanks that are filled with an array of tropical fish. They were all different sizes and I even saw an eel hiding under some rocks. I could sit there all day just watching the fish swim back and forth. The tanks were built by the show TANKED on Animal Planet.

I grabbed a seat at the bar and ordered my first happy hour cocktail, the Mango Rum Runner. This was mango rum, blackberry brandy, banana liqueur, orange and pineapple juice, and a splash of grenadine. This drink definitely made me feel like I was on vacation. It was sweet, and I enjoyed how refreshing and tropical tasting it was.

This cocktail went really well with the Tuna Poke that I ordered. The tuna was marinated in a miso dressing which was sweet and salty.  The tuna was tender and just melted in my mouth.  I love fresh tuna. They served it on top of sliced cucumber and some arugula. The cucumbers added a crunch while the arugula added a peppery taste. They also served some crispy wontons on the side. These were great when I loaded up pieces if tuna on them. It added extra crunch to the soft tuna.

Since the tuna was so good, I also ordered the Peppercorn Tuna. This tuna was thinly sliced and seared on the outside. I could taste the pepper, but it was not overpowering. It blended well with the salty soy sauce they poured on top as well as the hot mustard. They also included arugula on this dish for extra pepper taste. They topped it off with some pickled ginger. This added a nice tangy bite in between eating the slices of tuna.

The last dish I ordered was the Crab Dip. It came out sizzling hot. They blended together creamy cream cheese, parmesan cheese, spinach, and artichokes. Then they loaded it up with lump crab meat. They used a generous amount and it was extremely sweet. They served pita chips on the side. They were perfect to scoop the rich crab dip.

For dessert I ordered another cocktail. The Banana Colada sounded like the perfect way to end my meal. This drink was amazing. They blended banana rum, pineapple juice, pina colada mix, and topped it off with a dark rum floater. I could taste the banana flavor, which I loved. The other juices helped make the cocktail sweet.

I totally enjoyed everything I ordered. The food was fantastic and the drinks were fun and flavorful. I would recommend Rum Fish Grill to everyone. I plan on going back soon.

Check them out at www.rumfishgrill.com

Enjoy!

T

Happy Easter 2020

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter.

Enjoy!

T

Keens Steakhouse – New York, NY

Keens Steakhouse is a famous restaurant in New York that has been around since 1885. Everyone who visits New York must go there at least once. It started as a smoking lounge. To this day there are wooden pipes lining the walls and ceiling around the restaurant. Back in the day smoking lounges were for men only but in 1905 they opened their doors to the first female patron.

While looking over then menu, the waiter brought over fresh veggies (olives, pickles, carrots, and celery) along with a homemade bleu cheese dip. This was perfect to snack on while deciding what to order.

There was an appetizer that caught my attention on the menu. It was simply thick bacon slices. I figured fresh bacon in a steakhouse was going to be amazing. And I was absolutely correct. They grilled this bacon until it was crispy. It was very meaty and not a lot of fat the way pork belly usually is. If this was not shared it could easily be someone’s meal.

I ordered a bowl of lobster bisque. The broth had a nice creamy texture. There were a few pieces of lobster meat but not a lot. I would have liked a little more meat to go along with the flavorful broth.

For my dinner I ordered the 8oz filet mignon. They prepared it to medium temperature. It was a little rarer in the middle than I would have preferred. Nonetheless, the seasoning on the steak was great, both savory and salty. The steak was juicy as well.

Since this is a traditional steakhouse all of the sides are A La Carte. So, we ordered a few for the table to share. Creamed spinach is a traditional steakhouse companion. The spinach was chopped up very fine and mixed with creamy cheese. It was almost like a spinach dip. I wished there were tortilla chips to accompany this dish.

What else goes with meat but creamy mashed potatoes. And these potatoes were extremely creamy.

The last side was the steamed asparagus topped with hollandaise sauce. The sauce was great. However, I did not enjoy the asparagus as much because it was steamed. I prefer it to be stir fried or grilled up. It adds a little more texture.

Now it was dessert time. There were classic options to choose from, but I ordered something unique. I ordered the Berry Bibble. It was partly because the name made me laugh and partly because I was interested in what this was. It was a blend of cherries and raspberries in a sauce that was topped with whipped cream. It was like a cobbler just without the crust. The fruit and sauce was sweet but extremely tart. The cream helped smooth that out.

The meal I had at Keens Steakhouse was great. The bacon was probably my favorite part. Check out all of their history at www.keens.com

Enjoy!

T

Boulevard Burgers – St. Petersburg Beach, FL

I was told by a friend if I was ever visiting St. Pete Beach in Florida, I had to go to Boulevard Burgers because they had the best burgers on the beach. So when I was there a few weeks ago I made sure to stop in. That weekend I actually visited two different times.

The restaurant and bar were pretty busy both times I was there. I grabbed a seat at the bar. The staff was amazing. They waited on me right away and were attentive the entire time.

The first night I ordered The Boulevard, which is a double patty burger with American cheese. It also came with my choice of sides. I went for the French fries.

The French fries were thick cut. They were crispy but definitely needed some ketchup since they were so thick.

The cheeseburger was extremely juicy. The ground meat was tender and extremely fresh. They used two slices of American cheese, one on each patty. The cheese was so creamy and just oozed down the sides of the patty. The cheese also added extra moisture to the burger. It was the perfect blend of meat and cheese.

Later in the weekend I went back to Boulevard Burgers. I really enjoyed them, so I thought I would get another burger. I got The Boulevard again. This time I shared it and got tater tots.

The tots were crispy and had the right amount of salt on them. The burger came out with the American cheese but this time the cook only put the cheese on one of the patties. This made the burger not as moist as my first one. The meat had good flavor from the seasoning. I was just disappointed it was not oozing with cheese.

The second night I was there they were having a chicken wing special. So I ordered a couple of wings in medium Buffalo sauce. I made sure to get them well done and extra wet.

The wings were plump and full of meat. They were crispy when I took a bite. The sauce was very tangy with a hint of spice. It was a really nice surprise to be able to get wings. These would be perfect for an afternoon of watching football.

The burgers are really good at Boulevard Burgers. It was definitely worth the visit. If you are hungry for a burger, this is certainly a place I would recommend.

Check them out at www.blvdburgers.com

Enjoy!

T

Toasted Monkey – St. Petersburg, FL

St. Petersburg has many fun beach bars to check out. Toasted Monkey is one of those. Thy have the main bar in the front and the actual beach bar in the back.

The day I visited it was cold, so sitting outside at the beach bar was out of the question. Yes, it does get cold in Florida. I stayed nice and warm inside enjoying a cocktail.

While there I also ordered a few starters to snack on. The calamari  was a given to me. We were so close to the water I knew it would be fresh. The calamari was breaded and fried. It came out crispy and tender with a hint of pepper. I did not even need to use the marinara sauce on the side. The flavor from the pepper and the salt I added was enough.

I also ordered the zucchini sticks. This was zucchini that were cut into stripes, breaded, and deep fried. The zucchini was fresh and tender, and the breading was crispy. It was a light breading, not taking away the texture of the zucchini. There was a nice salty taste to the breading. They also sprinkled a little parmesan cheese on top that added extra flavor.

Toasted Monkey was a fun little local place to hit in St. Petersburg. The staff was friendly and there seemed to be a lot of locals who visited. I would want to go back on a warmer day to check out their beach bar.

Visit their website at www.TheToastedMonkey.com

Enjoy!

T

La Segunda – Tampa, FL

La Segunda is an institution in Tampa. The bakery has been operating since 1915, making fresh breads and pastries. I went to visit their restaurant and grab something to eat.

There was a lot to choose from. They had pastry cases full of pure happiness. I did get three desserts to go so that I could enjoy them at home later. They had so many things to choose from it was a hard choice for me.

I finally decided on the carrot cake, the cheese danish, and the guava cheese turnover.

The carrot cake was extremely moist. The spice in the cake was great, it tasted like nutmeg. The cream cheese frosting was sweet and creamy. It paired well with the spice in the cake. There was also a lot of sweet raisins mixed throughout the cake. It was perfect with a cold glass of milk.

The guava cheese turnover was my favorite. The flakey pastry was moist and held in the filling nicely. The sweet cream cheese paired well with the semi-sweet and tart guava jam.

The cheese danish was huge. It is good to share because one person could not eat all of it. The cheese filling was creamy and super sweet. They used a generous amount that made the danish heavy in weight. The dough they used for the pastry was light and flakey.

I ordered the Media Noche. It is the ingredients of a Cuban sandwich on a special bread called Medianoche (a sweet, eggy bread). The bread was loaded with marinated pork, smoked ham, Genoa salami, swiss cheese, crunchy dill pickles, and a special sauce. I had the sandwich pressed so that it would warm up the fillings and make the outside of the bread crispy.

The pork was my favorite part of the sandwich. The shredded pork was tender and juicy. It was full of flavor from the Mojo marinade. The special sauce did have mustard in it but I could not make out the other ingredients, but it did help tie all the components together.

I loved all the pastries and the sandwich that I got at La Segunda. I can see why they have been around for over a century.

Check them out at www.lasegundabakery.com

Enjoy!

T

Food Truck Rally – Lakeland, FL

Downtown Lakeland does a fun food truck rally the second Thursday of every month. They close the main streets down and different food trucks line the streets around Munn Park. It is a fun way to get to experience all the local food trucks in one spot.

So over the course of a few months I have made my way to downtown to experience a few of those trucks. I thought this would be a great write up to talk about each truck I tried. The Lakeland food truck rally is a fun time for the whole family.

Enjoy!

T

The Bacon Boss

www.facebook.com/TheBaconBossFoodTruck/

The name of this truck says it all. They are all about bacon. Who doesn’t love bacon. It was a hard choice for me of what to try, it all looked delicious.

I went for the Fat Tony Tater Tots. These were crispy fried tater tots that were smothered in their homemade mac and cheese. Then they were topped with a ton of crumbled bacon.

The mac and cheese was so creamy. They used so much cheese, which is what made it so good. I also loved how much bacon they used. It was so crispy. Each bite had bacon in it, adding a great crunch.

Bacon Boss really lives up to it’s name.

The Arepazo Grill

www.thearepazogrill.com

This is a Venezuelan food truck. I ordered the Arepazo special. Arepa is a flat corn bread that is stuffed with different meats and cheeses. The special arepa I ordered came stuffed with pork, beef, and chicken along with gouda cheese.

The corn bread was like a shell. It was soft and had a nice corn taste. It was a little sweet which paired well with the saltiness of the meats. I also loved how much cheese they used. The creaminess went so well with the corn bread.

I also got two of their empanadas. I got one pollo (chicken) and one carne (beef). Both the chicken and beef were shredded. The empanada shell was deep fried until crispy. The dough was slightly sweet. It helped hold in the heat, so each bite of the meat was hot. The meats were full of flavor from the spices they used to tenderize the meat.

Boardwalk Vibes

www.boardwalkvibes.com

The owners of this fun food truck are originally from New Jersey. This inspired them to bring a bit of the Jersey Shore to Florida. And when I think of the shore, I remember all the fun times I had on the boardwalk eating French fries. So it was only fitting that I order one of their French fry options.

The bleu cheese fries looked really yummy. They took crispy French fries and tossed them with Buffalo wing sauce. Then they covered it in bleu cheese sauce with extra bleu cheese crumbles. These fries tasted just like chicken wings. The tangy vinegar taste from the wing sauce was minimized by the creamy bleu cheese sauce.

These were perfect for sharing.

Fritan’ Go

www.facebook.com/Fritango

This food truck offers up Nicaraguan cuisine. I do not remember ever trying Nicaraguan food so I was looking forward to trying something. I ordered the Cerdo Asado. This meal included charbroiled pork in an achiote rub. It came with white rice, a tangy slaw, and fried plantains. I also got a side of homemade Chimichurri sauce.

The pork was tender and the seasoning on it was fantastic. It was very impactful. It reminded me almost like a blackening seasoning. I drizzled the Chimichurri sauce over the pork and rice. The sauce added even more flavor to the dish. It had a salty and herby taste.

The slaw was very interesting. It was very sour tasting. It reminded me of a Korean Kimchi. The fried plantains were very sweet. They were cooked up just how I like them. I enjoy ripe plantains in all cuisines, Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Jamaican. They are the perfect side dish.

Spontaneous Consumption

www.spontaneousconsumption.com

I was not sure what to expect when I walked up to Spontaneous Consumption. Their name did not really hint at what they would be serving. When I saw their sign for loaded baked potatoes they grabbed my attention. I had not had a loaded potato in a while. Then when I saw their Philly Potato on the n=menu I knew this is where I was going to eat.

This one pound potato was covered with tender beef steak, grilled onions and peppers, tons of cheese, sour cream, and green onions. The potato was full of flavor. The beef was tender and tasted great with the onions and peppers. It was as if I was eating a cheese steak. I liked that they used shredded cheddar cheese rather than a cheese sauce. It prevented it from being messy to eat. The sour cream just added extra creaminess. Table

Zia Maria – New York, NY

I was staying in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York recently and it was dinner time. I took a walk around the area to see what I could find. I came across a small Italian restaurant called Zia Maria.

I popped in to see if they had a table and good for me they did. It was a cute little restaurant inside. It was perfect for me to get a quick dinner for myself.

I saw they had arancini on the menu. Naturally I had to try these. Four little rice balls came out with a homemade pasta sauce.

They were crunchy on the outside. Inside the tender rice was covered with creamy cheese. There was no meat or peas in the middle of the arancini. I was a little disappointed by that but they were still good. I did love how much cheese they used. The homemade pasta sauce was full of flavor.

The served up freshly made bread. It was light and fluffy. It was perfect to scoop up the extra sauce on my plate from the arancini.

For my dinner I got the Gnocchi Alla Bolognese. The portion size was huge.

On top was melted mozzarella cheese. It was nice and crispy from the oven. The gnocchi were tender. It was covered in a traditional beef ragu sauce. The meat in the sauce added a heartiness to the dish. This was a very filling dinner.

Zia Maria was a great neighborhood restaurant that was perfect for a quick dinner. Check them out at www.ziamarianyc.com

Enjoy!

T

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

I hope everyone has a lucky day!

Enjoy!

T

KOI – New York, NY

It was a cold winter evening in New York and it was dinner time. I bundled up and headed over to the Bryant Park Hotel. Inside this beautiful hotel is KOI, an upscale Japanese restaurant.

This place was packed because they are pretty popular. As always I had a reservation. You really can’t go anywhere in New York without one.

The great thing about KOI is all their dishes are small so they are ideal for sharing. This also allows for tasting more things.  So first out was the Koi Crispy Rice. This was slices of rice that were deep fried to be crispy on the outside. Then it was topped with spicy tuna. The tuna was pureed until smooth. There was a little hint of spice in the tuna. They also included a slice of jalapeno on top of the tuna. This added some crunch and additional heat. The combination of the rice and tuna went really well together. They were bite size too so it made it easy to eat all at once.

The next dish was the seared tuna. The tender tuna was served on top of a seaweed salad. There was crispy garlic chips in the center of each slice of tuna. The garlic added crunch and extra flavor to the tuna. The dish was very light and not overly filing. It meant I still had room for more items.

The Kobe Style Potstickers were delicious. These potstickers were pan fried until they were crispy. They served a scallion Ponzu sauce for dipping. This was basically a sweet soy sauce. The flavor of the sauce went perfectly with the tender filling in the potsticker.

The Edamame Dumplings were unique.  The tender dumplings were stuffed with mashed edamame. It created a smooth texture that was very creamy. The dumplings were placed in a mushroom Mirin broth. The mushrooms were chopped up to make them easier to eat. They tasted amazing in the very savory broth. I could have eaten these all by themselves.

The chef’s tempura selection was great. They offered up sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, broccoli, and onion. All of the vegetables were extremely fresh. There was great crispiness to the tempura batter. They served a sweet soy sauce that was great for dipping. The sweet potato was my favorite because it was soft and sweet. The green beans were my second favorite.

Finally the last item out was the grilled skirt steak. The steak was extremely tender. The flavor from the Shiso Chimichuri sauce was amazing. It had a savory, salty taste.

They served a side of ginger shitake fried rice. The rice was full of ginger flavor throughout. It was different from any other fried rice I have ever had.

KOI was an amazing restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious. I want to go back right away. Check them out at www.koirestaurant.com/new-york

Enjoy!

T