Category: Florida

Harry’s – Lakeland, FL

I did not expect to find a little piece of New Orleans in downtown Lakeland, Florida, but that I what I found with Harry’s. I was given a big “Crescent City” welcome when I walked through the door. I took a seat at the bar which was clearly the hot spot.

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I started off with one of Harry’s signature cocktails. They had several options that sounded good but I went for the “Big Easy”. It was a combination of spiced rum, whiskey, amaretto, banana liquor, Midori, and pineapple juice. It was sweet and the flavors of banana and pineapple are what shinned through.

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I glanced over the entire menu and they had all the classic dishes you would find in New Orleans: gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, crawfish Étouffée. I saw the boudin balls and knew I had to start with these. For those not familiar with this dish, boudin balls are ground sausage, rice, and Cajun seasonings rolled up in breadcrumbs and fried. These were delicious. The Cajun spice was perfect; they had nice heat that was calmed with the homemade remoulade dipping sauce.

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I was going to get another traditional dish, however, I changed my mind when I read about the Crab and Eggplant Napoleon on the menu. I have never seen this dish before. The slices of eggplant were covered in panko breadcrumbs and layered with fresh lump crabmeat. Then it was topped with a creamy parmesan basil sauce.

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Each component was perfect on their own. The eggplant was thinly sliced and only dusted with the breadcrumbs so that there was a slight crunch. The crabmeat was sweet and moist, extremely fresh. Now to combine both with that decadent cream sauce, the taste was magnificent. Because of the cream sauce the dish is a little rich, so I would recommend sharing this with someone.

The other callout that I had to make about Harry’s is their fresh, homemade bread. It is light and fluffy on the inside with a crispy crust. It comes out hot which makes it tasty. Be sure to try their garlic butter too. Smother the butter on the bread while it is still hot. You will not be disappointed.

Harry’s has a few locations around central Florida. Find a location at www.hookedonharrys.com

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Enjoy!

T

Green Parrot Bar – Key West, FL

Key West is not lacking on bar to check out. One important stop is to the Green Parrot. This is one of the oldest bars, dating back to 1890. I had to go visit and be a part of history.

I was excited when I walked in and smelt popcorn. They had a machine all set up and I was able to help myself. I love popcorn and it is a great snack while enjoying a drink and fun conversation with locals. Even the roosters walked in to enjoy the popcorn that fell on the floor.

They had a couple of unique cocktails on their menu. I chose the Parrot Punch. They used Sailor Jerry spiced rum, orange and pineapple juice, and a splash of grenadine. They even served it in a souvenir cup. The drink was sweet with just a slight tang because of the acid in the fruit juices.

This was a fun place to hang out. I was able to meet several locals who gave me even more suggestions of places to check out on my visit to Key West. This should definitely be a place to stop by if you are looking for a cold drink.

Visit their website at www.greenparrot.com

Enjoy!

T



Waterfront Brewery – Key West, FL

At this point on my trip to Key West, I had hit most of the hot spots in the main areas, like Duval Street. Now it was time for me to venture down to the marina area. There were several shops and restaurants around that area that I wanted to check out.

Waterfront Brewery was one of those stops. The open walls and windows created a wonderful cross breeze through the restaurant that really helped remind me that I was on vacation.

 This restaurant was perfect for the whole family. They had a large arcade in the back that was perfect for kids and the adults who are kids at heart.

They had a large selection of beers to chose from. It is a great place to try something local. I went for the Crazy Lady!

Now I had been trying conch all over the island. Waterfront Brewery offered something a little different from what I had been seeing. They created a Bahamian Red Conch chowder. This chowder reminded me of a Manhattan clam chowder with a savory broth and loaded with fresh vegetables. The chowder packed a bold taste from the cracked black pepper they added. The conch was cut up into small tender pieces.

This was a great stop for a quick bite to eat and some cold refreshments. The view is also spectacular. I would definitely go back to try something else.

Visit their website at www.thewaterfrontbrewery.com

Enjoy!

T

Sandbar Sports Grill – Key West, FL

I headed back to Key West because I had such a blast the last time. I made sure to hit some places I missed last time. Sandbar was one of those places. I absolutely loved this place. I ended up visiting them three separate times during my trip.

My first visit I was just getting the lay of the land. They were a sports bar first and foremost. They had so many TVs throughout the restaurant, you would never miss a minute of any game.

They also had huge open doors. It let in such a wonderful coastal cross breeze. Those open doors also allowed for the local roosters to roam around. I never got use to that, especially when they crowed in the morning.

For this first visit I started off with a local Key Lime cider. I expected it to be full of lime flavor, but it really did not. But it was still refreshing.

For food, I had to try their Stone Crab chowder. I went for it because I was not conch. I had eaten so much conch it was nice to try something different.

I loved the chunky potatoes, carrots, and sweet corn they put in the creamy broth. The crab meat was sweet. I really wish there was more of it in the chowder. The garlic bread they served on the side went well with the flavor of the broth.

Since this was a sports bar, ordering some wings was a must. I went for the Joey Style wings. These wings were fried and coated with a hot buffalo sauce and bbq sauce. Then they chargrilled the wings for extra crispiness.

These wings were amazing. The skin of the wing was extra crispy just the way I like it. The meat was juicy. Creativity in the spice department came from blending buffalo sauce and bbq sauce. The heat and sweet had extraordinary taste.

These wings were so good I ordered them again when I went back for another visit. They were just as good the second time. The kitchen is very consistent with hoe they prepare these.

During this second visit I also tried their queso dip with French fries. The fries were hot out of the fryer, so they were nice and crispy. The queso came out in a tortilla shell bowl. The cheese was extremely creamy. There was a slight amount of heat from the jalapenos, which created a tango across my tongue. I really enjoyed eating the queso with fries verses tortilla chips.

My third visit was because of a recommendation from my previous bartender. She was explaining that each day they had a different food special. This day was the mac and cheese with bbq pilled pork.

The mac and cheese extraordinarily creamy. The pulled pork was loaded on top. I did not mix the pork into the mac and cheese. I just combined the two when I took a bite. It created the perfect smoky, smooth bbq flavor.

In addition to all the great food I ate at Sandbar, I also enjoyed some cocktails. They have a fun assortment of Hurricanes, all at different category strengths. It’s a fun play on the storms in Florida.

I did not make it all the way to a category 5 but I did enjoy categories 1,2 and 3.

Category 1 – This was a blend of light rum, triple sec, and the homemade Sandbar hurricane mix.

Category 2 – This one was slightly stronger. It was the same mix as the category 1 but with a shot of Spiced rum on top.

Category 3 – Once again this was even stronger. This one combined both light and spiced rum, triple sec, and it was topped off with a dark rum floater.

All the hurricanes were fun to drink. They were nice ad cold on a hot Florida day. They were definitely sweet so be prepared for that.

I cannot recommend Sandbar Sports Grill enough. I enjoyed every visit. The next time I visit Key West I am heading there first.

Check out their menu, specials, and activities at their website www.sandbarkeywest.com

Enjoy!

T

Skipper’s Smokehouse – Tampa, FL

After a long day of traveling to get to Tampa, I was looking forward to dinner. I was excited to get seafood. I always try to eat seafood when I am in Florida. Skipper’s Smokehouse topped the selection for this evening. They have been around for over 30 years, so I know they would be a good choice.

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I started off with their Cajun popcorn, which was a fun way to say fried crawfish tails. The crawfish was incredibly tender and sweet. They were lightly breaded so the crawfish took center stage. They came with a homemade tartar sauce that reminded me of a thousand island dressing. These bite size morsels were fun and easy to eat.

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I ordered a bowl of their conch chowder. It was a classic style vegetable soup with conch all mixed in. It was a wonderful tomato based broth and it was loaded with fresh vegetables.

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To wash down all the great flavors, I ordered a fun drink – “Swamp Juice”. I thought it was fitting on so many levels. The swamp juice was pretty much like a rum punch made with fresh juices. All that was missing was a cherry on top.

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While I was there I got to enjoy some live music from a local band. They have an outside stage area where you can grab a drink and listen. They have music almost every night so you can check out their website for a complete listing.

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If you are looking for a fun place for food and entertainment then Skipper’s Smokehouse is where you have to go. Visit their menu at www.skipperssmokehouse.com

Enjoy!

T

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Datz – Tampa, FL – Visit #2

Earlier this year I had written about the brunch I had at Datz. I was fortunate enough to get to go back for a second visit. This time I got to try something off their dinner menu.

I had forgotten that their menu was printed like a newspaper. My waiter said they had just changed a few things around. There were several things that sounded good. He recommended I try their Music City Chicken Tacos. They apparently are really popular.

I was very surprised when 3 tacos came out on the plate. It was a lot of food. The chicken was grilled not fried. It had some nice heat but if they were going for a “Nashville Hot Chicken” idea the chicken really needed to be fried. There was a fresh cole slaw on the top of the chicken that added crunch and creaminess. If the spice of the chicken was too much, this slaw calms that down.

Mexican rice and Mexican street corn accompanied the tacos. The rice was simple, nothing out of the ordinary. The corn was great. It was off the cob so it was easy to eat. The taste was sweet and really creamy from the cheese they sprinkled in. It was a perfect compliment to the tacos.

To wash this all down I enjoyed a strawberry mule. It was a subtle strawberry taste. It was sweet compared to a traditional mule. I loved the fresh strawberry they added on top. I saved that for the very end.

One of the things I remembered from my first visit to Datz was their assortment of desserts. I knew I wanted to try something but a slice of their cakes were way too big for me. I opted to go for a cupcake since it was slightly smaller. I went for the chocolate bourbon cupcake.

It was so pretty when it came out.

What I did not realize till I picked it up was that the chocolate on the top was a hard chocolate shell. I had to break it open to reveal the moose like cream icing.

It was layers and layers of chocolate. If you love chocolate this cupcake is for you. The cake was super moist. It was also quite light in texture. The icing was really sweet and there was a lot of it. I ended up scraping some of it off because it was so sweet. Having the cupcake was the perfect way to end the meal.

I was so glad I got to visit Datz again. I still recommend them for anyone visiting Tampa. Check them out at http://www.datztampa.com/

Enjoy!

T

The Oyster Pub – Daytona Beach, FL

The Oyster Pub has been serving up fresh oysters and seafood to the Daytona Beach community for over 30 years. They are also a great spot to watch your favorite sporting event on one of their many tv’s.

Whether you are waiting for a table or grabbing a seat at the bar – start your visit with a handful of fresh peanuts from their barrel. But please do not throw the shells on the floor; they provide containers for those.

After eating some salty peanuts, I grabbed a cocktail off their extensive drink menu. I went for The Beach Babe. It was loaded with fresh pineapple and orange juice, grenadine, and two rums – coconut and mango. This was the perfect drink for being at the beach.

  

The main reason I made a stop to The Oyster Pub was because of their chargrilled oysters. They are freshly shucked oysters that are placed on an open flame grill. Then as they are cooking, they are covered in their “secret sauce”.

I absolutely loved watching these oysters being cooked. Watching the flames get larger and higher as they cooked was memorizing.

  

When they poured on the “secret sauce” the flames grew even higher.

  

When the oysters were delivered they were still sizzling. I tried capturing this in the photos but it really did not do it justice.

  

The oysters were huge in size but they were extremely tender. The sauce added a salty taste and creamy texture to the sweet tasting meat. I could tell there was garlic and parmesan cheese on them, however there was still an element that I could not identify. It almost tasted like an Italian dressing. I tried finding it out from my waitress but I was not successful. I guess the “secret” in the sauce is still safe.

  

These are delicious oysters and I would recommend them to everyone. They also have several other options for oysters including raw and steamed. But if oysters are not your thing that is perfectly ok because they have a ton of other seafood options. So if you are in Daytona Beach, stop by The Oyster Pub and see why they have been around for 30 years.

Check out their menu at http://www.oysterpub.com/

Enjoy!

T

 

The Red Top Pit Stop – Lakeland, FL

I have written about The Red Top Pit Stop before. The last time I visited I was there for breakfast. This second visit I was there for lunch. As soon as I got out of the car I could smell their BBQ smoker and it made me so hungry.

Because of that smoker I knew I wanted to try some BBQ. I ventured out of my normal routine. Normally I would order pulled pork if it is on a menu, but this time I went for the chopped beef brisket.

The brisket was chopped up extremely fine. It was piled high onto the bun. When it came out there was no sauce on the meat. I liked this because I got to taste what the beef is like when it comes out of the smoker. The bark from cooking was chopped up with the rest of the meat. That bark carried extra smoky flavor throughout the brisket.

After eating a little of the brisket plain, I put the homemade BBQ sauce on my sandwich. The sauce added a sweetness to the meat. It was a great complement to the smokiness.

I got two of their homemade sides that I knew paired well with BBQ. The first was the mac and cheese. This was great, cheesy goodness. There was a crispy cheese layer. I just needed to add a little extra salt to taste.

The other side was the green beans. They cooked the beans with bacon. This added extra flavor to the beans. This side too needed just an extra pinch of salt for my taste.

I am glad I got to go back to The Red Top Pit Stop. It was just as crowded as my first visit. They are an awesome hidden gem in Lakeland that serves amazing comfort food.

Follow them on Facebook at The Red Top Pit Stop

Enjoy!

T

Sloppy Joe’s – Key West, FL

If there was one place I needed to visit when I was in Key West, it was Sloppy Joe’s.

This place is an institution on Duval Street since 1937. They say Ernest Hemingway use to frequent this establishment. The place was packed with people. It was hard to get a spot at their bar. They had some great bands entertaining the crowds.

Since I had been eating all day at other places I just ordered a cocktail. I went for the Hemingway Mojito. What makes this mojito special is that they use Papa’s Pilar Rum. Pilar rum is made right there in Key West. You can go on a tour and do a tasting of the rums. It is just a few blocks away from the restaurant.

This mojito was sweet and full of fresh mint. Plus, I got a souvenir cup.

While I was enjoying the live music, I ordered another cocktail. This time I went for the Sloppy Rita. This was tequila, Gran Gala, sour mix, orange juice, and a splash of club soda. This was not as sweet as the last drink. It had a nice kick to it because of the tart taste.

This was a fun, lively place. I would want to come back on an empty stomach so that I could try their actual sloppy joe.

Check them out at www.sloppyjoes.com They have live cameras at the bar so you can check out what is going on.

If you are interested in the rum distillery head to www.papaspilar.com

Enjoy!

T

Key Lime Pie Co. – Key West, FL

Key lime pie is synonymous with Key West. When I was walking the streets, I counted at least three key lime pie shops. Plus, every restaurant has the pie on their dessert menus. However, I was on a mission to find a specific shop, the Key Lime Pie Co. I had seen this shop on the television show, The Profit.

When I walked in I was greeted by a huge glass window that allowed me to watch them prepare the pies. It all started with them filling the pie pans with the graham cracker crust. They moved so fast. They clearly go through dozens of pies each day.

They offered two kinds of key lime pies – regular or extra tangy. The friendly woman behind the counter allowed me to taste a sample of each. I was planning on buying an entire pie to take home, so I wanted to make sure I got the perfect flavor. I really liked the extra tangy one. It had a great tart kick that made my lips pucker up. It was then calmed down with the fresh, smooth whipped cream that they put on top.

Since I was taking the pie home and was not going to eat it right away, I was able to get a frozen pie. This way it could stay fresh till I got home and could share it with my friends. The bad part is I forgot to take a picture of the pie before we dove into it.

So you need to check them out for yourself. Visit their website at www.keylimepieco.com

Enjoy!

T