Author: gatorgirl.outoftheswamp@gmail.com

Naked City Pizza – Las Vegas, NV

I visited Naked City Pizza in Las Vegas many years ago. I remember enjoying their pizza and the atmosphere. On a recent trip to Vegas I learned they opened another location. This one is off Paradise which is not that far from the strip.

      

Since they make pizzas to order as soon as my waiter came to the table I placed my order. I got a quarter sheet pie with pepperoni and sausage.

While I waited for my pizza, I ordered the poutine. I was surprised to see this on the menu. I did not remember this from my visit to the other location. This bowl was perfect to share. The French fries were natural cut with the skin still on. They were fried up till extra crispy.

They tossed the fries with fresh ricotta cheese. Then they smothered it all in brown gravy. The gravy had oregano cooked in, which gave it an herby, savory flavor. The gravy went extremely well with the ricotta cheese. This combination made the poutine have an Italian flare. This was a great bowl of comfort food.

Before I could completely fill up on the poutine, my pizza came out. Since their pizzas are cooked on sheets there is not crust. This style of pizza reminds me what I would get in grade school for lunch.

The dough was slightly sweet and a medium thickness. They used a generous amount of sauce and cheese. The sausage was crumbled nicely all over the pizza. It was loaded with Italian seasonings. The pepperonis were small slices and were cooked till extra crispy. I could not help but pull some of the slices off the pizza. It was a great “slice” of pizza even though it was a square.

I really enjoyed what I ordered at Naked City Pizza. There were a few tables that ordered some chicken wings that looked good. I would want to go back and try some.

Check out their menu at www.nakedcityLV.com

Visit one of their locations the next time you are out in Las Vegas.

Enjoy!

T

Sunset Grille – St. Augustine, FL

Driving along the coast in St. Augustine, Florida is beautiful. The tranquil sound of the waves is extremely relaxing. After spending some time on the beach, you can easily work up an appetite.

Just across A1A (the main road that follows the coastline) is Sunset Grille. The place was extremely busy so I figured the food had to be pretty good.

  

  

As always I started off with a tropical drink – The Captain’s Coconut. They blended Captain Morgan Rum, Malibu Rum, pineapple juice, and blue curacao. They accented the glass with a fresh orange. This truly was a tropical drink. It was the perfect drink to enjoy at the beach. The rum was strong but the pineapple juice calmed down the flavor.

It was time to order a few things off the menu. I ordered a cup of the Minorcan Conch Chowder. It was a great vegetable based broth that was full of flavor. The fresh conch was cut up into smaller pieces and as very tender. I just love fresh seafood.

 

I also tried a little of the clam chowder. Someone else in the group ordered a bowl and I got to have a taste (actually a few spoonful’s). It was very creamy. There was a nice amount of fresh clams throughout. I really liked the chunks of potatoes.

I ordered the appetizer size of the coconut shrimp. I love coconut shrimp so I always like ordering it when I see them on a menu. They are so much more interesting than just plain fried shrimp. The breading was not overly sweet because of the coconut. It was very crispy too. They tasted wonderful with the pina colada dipping sauce. It added an extra tropical taste.

One of the last things that I ordered was the chowder fries. The waitress recommended these. She says they are extremely popular, plus they are perfect for sharing. These French fries were covered in their homemade  clam chowder. Then they were topped with bacon and cheddar cheese. The cheese was a nice accent to the chowder. The bacon added a crispy element to the dish. I have never had chowder on top of fries before but it was a delicious adventure.

Sunset Grille was a fun place. It was an extremely busy, popular place. I would definitely want to go back and try something else from their menu. And to remember where they are located, just remember the sign they had on the wall “Somewhere on A1A”.

Check out their website at http://www.sunsetgrillea1a.com/

Enjoy!

T

Ice Plant – St. Augustine, FL

St. Augustine, Florida is the oldest city in the United States. It is extremely fascinating to think about the generations of people that have walked the shores and streets. It was cool to see a stone fort along the inlet that has protected Florida since before it was a state. Traveling this beautiful country is amazing.

St. Augustine is a magical city filled with the old and the new. Part of that new is the St. Augustine Distillery. There they make vodka, bourbon, gin, and rum. If you get there early enough you can take a tour of the distillery.

  

I did not make it there in time for the tour but luckily for me they also have a bar / restaurant located inside called Ice Plant.

Inside is a beautiful, industrial feeling place. There are beams on the ceiling and walls. The bar was a tall wooden, decorative piece that reminded me of something out of a 1920s bar.

  

The bar staff was an entertaining group. When they made cocktails, they put a lot of care into each ingredient they used. Watching them shake cocktails in unison was funny.

  

The drink menu alone had six different options for ice. Each one was used in a different cocktail. The coolest thing I watched the bartender do was make an ice ball. A cube of ice is put into an aluminum press that melts the ice and molds it into a ball. I took a video to show the process. You can check it out on my Twitter page (@GatorGirl_Swamp).

Because I missed the opportunity to tour the distillery my bartender let me sample each one of their homemade liquors. They all tasted wonderful and were smooth. My favorite was the vodka.

  

They did have a menu with a few small bites to try. While they sounded wonderful, I had already eaten so I was not very hungry. However, the few items I saw looked delicious.

I wanted to try one of their hand crafted cocktails. I ordered the Florida Mule. It used St. Augustine Distillery vodka, ginger, lime, and soda. The bartender took a sprig of mint, slapped it on the bar, and then added that to my cup.

  

This was a great tasting mule that was extra cold because of the copper mug. The vodka was smooth and paired well with the tanginess of the ginger.

Ice Plant is a fun environment to enjoy food, drinks, and friends. I would definitely want to go back to experience the food and another crafted cocktail. If you are visiting St. Augustine I would recommend you stop by. I plan on going back so I can take the distillery tour.

http://iceplantbar.com/

Enjoy!

T

Central Tavern – Winter Haven, FL

There is a quaint local bar on the main street in Winter Haven, Florida called Central Tavern. While visiting them one evening I got to talking with the manager and he mentioned that the first Sunday of every month they do a special brunch. They offer a Bloody Mary and Mimosa bar along with some homemade food. It sounded like a fun time so I made sure to put it on my calendar for the next month.

     

So Sunday rolled around and I made sure to get to Central Tavern when they opened up. There was already a line when I arrived. It turns out that the brunch buffet is actually free. I was shocked. It was an assortment of homemade breakfast dishes and fresh fruit prepared by the management team. It is all first come first serve, so when they are out, they are out. It allows customers to enjoy a bite to eat while ordering a few custom made cocktails.

Naturally the menu of food items changes each month. This visit I got to enjoy:

     

  • Veggie quiche – The fluffy eggs were filled with fresh vegetables.
  • Sausage Balls – Spicy ground sausage was loaded with cheddar cheese.
  • Sausage & Cheese Hash Browns – The crunchy potatoes were topped with a ton of cheese. This was my favorite dish.
  • Shrimp & Grits – This was both creamy and cheesy. The shrimp were fresh and tender.

They also offered up some fresh fruit. It was the perfect blend of peaches, pineapple, and mango. I even put a few pieces in the mimosas I ordered.

The star of this Sunday brunch is the Mimosa and Bloody Mary Bar. They give you a menu and you get to select every aspect of your drink.

For the Bloody Mary, I picked spicy Old Bay on the rim for a little kick. For the ingredients I went for the classic – Worcestershire, celery salt, horseradish, and Tabasco. When it came to the garnish, I went a little safe – celery, bacon, bleu cheese olives, and pepperoni. I could have gone wild and add a pork rib but I passed. The flavor was just the way I like it with a hint of spicy.

The mimosas were a lot of fun to get to put together. Since they were not huge I was able to try three different versions.

The first I ordered was Peach. The peach juice came with fresh peach garnish. This was my favorite because it had such a fresh taste.

Up next was the Raspberry Lemonade. There was fresh raspberry garnish that gave this a great sour taste that made my lips pucker a little.

Finally I tried the Blackberry. The blackberry juice was accented with fresh blueberries. There was a slight tang from the juice but the blueberries were sweet.

Central Tavern was a really fun place to hang out on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Check them out on Facebook at www.linksterstaproom.com

Enjoy!

T

The Red Top Pit Stop – Lakeland, FL

When people think of Florida usually what comes to mind is South Beach, Disney World, and Daytona Beach for a NASCAR race. But there is more to Florida than these places. Florida is loaded with lakes, state parks, nature preserves, and wild animals that you would not expect. Located in Lakeland, Florida is the Colt Creek State Park that sits inside the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve. Here you can enjoy miles of walking and bike trails and hopefully spot a bald eagle or white tail deer.

Just on the outskirts of the park you will find a little restaurant called The Red Top Pit Stop. This is the perfect spot to stop for breakfast before spending the day with nature.

The restaurant was packed when I got there. I was lucky to get the last table. The breakfast menu was huge and had all the usual breakfast essentials. I was wanting to try something unique and that is when I saw the pulled pork omelet. They smoke their own meat in the BBQ smoker out front, so I knew this was a great choice.

The omelet was big. I started out by tasting just the pork. The meat had a wonderful smoky flavor. The Red Top makes a homemade BBQ sauce, which is sweet and pairs well with the smoky meat.

My second bite was the combination of the egg, cheese, and pork. Prior to eating this combination, I would not have thought egg and pulled pork would work. I was completely wrong. It was an amazing taste.

The egg had a neutral flavor but added tons of texture to each bite. The cheese added a creaminess, the pork had the moisture and smokiness, and the drizzle of BBQ sauce on top added the sweetness. It all worked together and each flavor was balanced out. If you like bacon in an omelet, having pulled pork is similar. It added the saltiness but offers less crunch. It really made the omelet heartier. Keep in mind they give you a large portion so you can fill up rather quickly.

Each breakfast comes with a side. They have a homemade hash brown potato that looked good. However, I knew that would be way to filling to pair with the omelet. I went for the buttery grits. They were cooked perfectly, creamy and salty. A great breakfast staple.

There is more to The Red Top Pit Stop than breakfast. They have a large selection of sandwiches and burgers. I definitely plan on heading back to try one of their burgers topped with their BBQ.

Whether you are heading out to the park for a bike ride or coming back from a sunrise nature walk, you are certainly going to work up an appetite. The Red Top Pit Stop is a must visit along the way. Check them out their Facebook page at facebook.com/The-Red-Top-Pit-Stop

Enjoy!

T

Fish City Grill – Lakeland, FL

There are seafood places all over Florida. Sometime the decision can be really hard. When I decided to check out Fish City Grill it was because I saw they had char-grilled oysters on the menu. I was sold.

     

As soon as I sat down I ordered my oysters so they could start preparing them. They usually take a little while to cook properly.

Once I got my order in it was time to order a cocktail. I was curious to try the Grilled Peach Old Fashion. They used rye whiskey, St. Germain, thyme, bitters, a splash of lime, and fresh grilled peaches. There was a slight sweet taste to the cocktail and I could taste the hint of peach. It was not overly peachy.

As an appetizer the table ordered some fried calamari. This was a classic dish, nothing too fancy. The calamari was fresh, so the meat was tender. It shined through.

I ordered the crab bisque. I do not remember ever seeing this on a menu. Usually its lobster bisque. This soup was rich and creamy. It was topped off with a little Sherry. There were a few pieces of lump crab meat that settled at the bottom of the bowl. This bisque had exquisite taste. I just wish there was a little more crab meat.

Finally it was the shinning moment. My char-grilled oysters arrived at the table. They were still sizzling as if they were still on the grill.

There were a few different sizes of oyster from small to extra large. All were loaded with melted butter, garlic, and cheese.

     

As soon as they hot my lips I was in heaven. These were exactly what I enjoy when I visit New Orleans. It did not take me long to eat these morsels.

     

After the salty oysters I needed something sweet. I placed an order for the beignents. I figured I should stick to the New Orleans theme.

I was excited when they came out and I saw the piles of powdered sugar. But when I picked up the triangles of dough I realized they were very light. These beignents were made with a puff pastry. So they were not real beignents.  They were crispy instead of doughy. They were a nice dessert but not what I was hoping for.

The food and drinks were goof at Fish City Grill. They offered a nice variety of fresh seafood dishes. Check them out at www.fishcitygrill.com

Enjoy!

T

Peebles Bar-B-Q – Auburndale, FL

I love BBQ. From the smell of the smokers filling the air, to the sweet and spicy homemade sauces. I have written about so many restaurants from Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, North Carolina, and even as far north as Chicago. I was completely surprised to learn that there is a 70 year old BBQ joint in the tiny Florida town of Auburndale. This family run restaurant is a very unassuming on the outside. You could easily pass them and not realize it. You need to make sure to look for the sign for Peebles Bar-B-Q.

When I pulled up, their parking lot was already packed. They are only open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday so that definitely explained why they were so busy. I could only assume that people actually plan their day around a visit.

As I got out of the car I could smell the smokers. There were chimneys on the roof of the restaurant that were pumping out that savory smell.

  

When I walked in I was greeted by the actual smokers. They were packed with ribs that were in several stages of readiness. It made me so hungry just looking at them.

  

You can sit wherever you want in the restaurant. There are menus already on the table. Glancing over the meat choices there was beef, pork, chicken, sausage, and of course ribs. They can be ordered as sandwiches, plates, or loaded on top of baked potatoes. Normally I order pulled pork because that is my absolute favorite. However, today I decided to make an effort to try something else.

I went for the chopped BBQ chicken plate. It came with homemade potato salad, coleslaw, and a choice of one other side. Naturally I went with the baked beans. Sometimes I can be so predictable!

The chicken was chopped up into great bite size pieces. I made sure to taste it before I put BBQ sauce on it. There was a fantastic smoky taste to the chicken. There was also still a nice juiciness to the chicken even though it had been smoked.

They offer two different BBQ sauces, an original and a sweet. The original was a little smoky and had a slight spice to it. Since I was not in a spicy mood, I went for the sweet sauce. It paired well with the smoky chicken. It also added additional moisture to the chicken. They include two slices of bread on the side. Once I put the BBQ sauce on the chicken, it was the perfect texture to then make a sandwich.

The baked beans were not sweet at all. They also had a rich, smoky taste. The coleslaw came on the side, but if you wanted to add crunch to a sandwich, adding this was the way to do it. I have noticed that people in Alabama like coleslaw on their BBQ. The homemade potato salad was exactly what you would expect at a 4th of July cookout. There were huge chucks of tender potato mixed with a creamy mayo mixture.

Now this plate I ordered did come with a lot of food, and I ordered the “small” plate. So if you are really hungry they do offer larger portions.

I had visited Peebles with some friends and one of them ordered the loaded baked potato covered in the BBQ pulled pork. It looked really delicious and I got to taste some of it, which I was grateful for. The potato was baked really well; it was tender but not too soft. It was loaded with butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and bacon. Then it was piled high with the pulled pork.

The pork also had that great smoky taste. It was moist but did not have a lot of that crunchy bark that I like. The combination of all these ingredients went well with their original BBQ sauce. I think the sweet version would have overpowered all the flavors.

I would never have expected to find this 70 year old restaurant off the beaten path in Florida. I am so glad I heard about them. I would highly recommend checking them out. But remember, they are only open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. And they close down for the months of July and August (Hey they need to enjoy summer too!).

Check put their website at http://www.peeblesbbq.com/

Enjoy!

T

 

 

The Meatball Stoppe – Orlando, FL

One of my favorite shows on the Food Network is Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. I was excited to find out when I was visiting Orlando that there was a restaurant nearby that was featured on the show – The Meatball Stoppe.

     

I got such a warm welcoming when I walked through the door. The entire staff said hello. I saw right away the signed poster of Guy hanging on the wall.

I also found the colorful stencil that the show puts on the wall of every restaurant they visit.

This restaurant lives up to their name. In looking over the menu I see they offer 12 different types of meatballs. There were several unique combinations. Luckily they offered a meatball flight so I was able to taste several of the meatballs.

     

While I was waiting for the flight to come out I enjoyed the fried calamari. They used a corn meal breading that gave the calamari a unique flavor and an extra crispy coating. They served a side of homemade marinara sauce. It was on the spicy side which went nicely with the calamari.

     

I also got a fresh garden salad. There was nothing special about the salad just that it was fresh and cleansed my palate as the meatballs were brought to the table.

So I got to try 6 of the 12 meatballs:

     

  • Nonna’s Traditional – This was a classic Italian meatball. They were very moist and light. The mea had great flavor.

  • Sausage Pepper & Onions – This was a ground sausage based meatball that was topped with peppers and onions. It was the meatball version of a traditional sausage on a hoagie roll.

  • Chicken Marsala – This was a ground chicken meatball that was tossed in s Marsala sauce and accented with mushrooms.
  • Spicy Pork – This ground pork was loaded with spices that really added heat.
  • Mac & Cheese – This reminded me of a rice ball. They added rice with a ton of cheese to form a ball along with a little meat. It had great creamy flavor.

  • Lamb – This meatball had a unique flavor because of the lamb itself. Plus it came with mint jelly. I am not a fan of lamb but I knew I wanted to try this to see how it all came together. It reminded me of lamb chops.

Now I also tried two of their sides. The fresh polenta was creamy and soft. It reminded me of grits that I get at breakfast places.

The other side was a white bean Ragu. It’s a bean dish but it reminded me of a bean soup. There was amazing flavor. It had a creamy texture full of savory notes. I could have eaten a whole bowl just of this. It was very hearty.

There was one last thing I had to try – the homemade cannoli. It had a great crunchy shell that was filled with the creamy filling and chocolate chips. It was the perfect ending to the meal.

I really enjoyed everything I ate at The Meatball Stoppe, plus the staff was so nice and clearly they enjoy working there. I would recommend checking them out at www.themeatballstoppe.com . Make sure to try all the meatballs.

Enjoy!

T

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frescos – Lakeland, FL

I have eaten at several restaurants around Lakeland, Florida. There was one placed located downtown that I had been wanting to try for a long time called Frescos. They are known for their weekend brunches and I was excited to get to experience it for myself.

One of the best things about brunch at Frescos is their bottomless mimosas. These are not just your standard orange juice and champagne mimosas. They offer a variety of different flavors and you can try them all. There were champagne glasses being served all around the restaurant.

The first mimosa I ordered was the pineapple. I wanted to start with my favorite juice. I knew I could not go wrong.

The second flavor I ordered was the mango-strawberry. It was sweet; I tasted more of the strawberry than mango, but there still was some mango essence.

  

The third flavor was strawberry. This was even sweeter than the previous one. However, it worked well with the saltiness from my food.

Finally, the last flavor I tried was the prickly pear. This was a unique taste. It was a little on the sour side.

Now after reading all about my mimosas you might think that is all I had at Frescos. Not true. I ordered a wonderful breakfast bowl called the Ranchero bowl.

It had these wonderful cheesy potatoes that were like a hash brown casserole. Those were topped with slices of chorizo sausage, pico de gallo, and scrambled eggs (but you can get your eggs however you want). It was suppose to come with avocado however, to my disappointment they were out of avocado that day.

Each element of the bowl was delicious. I liked that type of chorizo they used because it was not too spicy and it was sliced instead of crumbled. It prevented the dish from being too oily. The pico was fresh and tasted great with the eggs. The potatoes were my favorite part because they were so cheesy.

While I was enjoying my last mimosa, I decided to try one of Frescos desserts. They had a large selection of sweet treats to choose from. They were all displayed in there case for everyone to see.

It was a hard choice but I went for the carrot cake.

It was a huge slice. The cake was moist and had the right amount of spice. The inside cream between each layer was the classic cream cheese icing. The outside icing reminded me more like a butter cream frosting.

If you love brunch then you must got to Frescos. They also have a wonderful menu for dinner. They are also the only bourbon bar in Lakeland and have live music throughout the week. Check them out at http://www.frescoslakeland.com/

Enjoy!

T

Brew Hub – Lakeland, FL

If you have ever driven on Interstate 4 between Tampa and Orlando you have certainly seen a giant industrial building with a big sign that says Brew Hub. I finally decided to check them out and see what they were all about.

When I walked in I was overwhelmed with the size if the tasting room. There were tables all around and a nice huge bar. I pulled up a seat and started talking with the bartender.

What makes Brew Hub different is they offer brewing machinery, space, and bottling to local craft breweries. This allows these local businesses to get their product out to the public. It is a very fascinating concept.

Brew Hub also has a pretty decent food menu filled with bar munchies. And they always have a local food truck on site serving up some of their specialties.

I looked over the beers and ciders they were offering. The Pineapple Hula caught my attention. It’s a pineapple cider that is 5% ABV. This cider was made by Ciderboys Hard Cider.

I have never had a pineapple cider. The flavor was amazing. The pineapple taste was strong but not overpowering. The citrus after tones made this cider very refreshing.

To go along with my drink I ordered the pretzels and beer cheese. The pretzel sticks came out extremely hot. They needed to cool off a little before I could eat them.

The pretzel dough was slightly sweet and it paired well dipped in the salty beer cheese. The cheese also had a slight tangy taste. It was the perfect snack to enjoy at the bar.

I had a great experience at Brew Hub. I only scratched the surface to what they offered. I joined their rewards program so I plan on going back. Plus I want to get their early enough to take the brewery tour.

Check them out on Facebook and at their website http://brewhub.com/

Enjoy!

T