Category: Florida

Salt Shack on the Bay – Tampa, FL

In the late 1930s there was an area in Tampa that was loaded with Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes. This area became known as Rattlesnake, Florida. Today tis is the area of Old Tampa Bay and the Gandy Bridge.

This is where you will find Salt Shack on the Bay.

This restaurant, right on the water, has beautiful views. The inside area has fire pits, tables and is complete with an old boat.

There is an open-air bar that you can grab a drink and sit at one of the many Adirondack chairs. It is a great place to just chill out.

Now if you are hungry there are tables both inside and outside. I got a table outside so I could enjoy the weather and the view of the water.

I ordered the Calamari Rings for a starter. The calamari were breaded and fried up nice and crispy. They also included some banana pepper slices that were fried up. They added a nice tangy flavor to the calamari, which was fresh and tender. They served a homemade “Island Sofrito Sauce”. It was a cross between a salsa ad marinara sauce. It added nice taste to the calamari.

For my meal I got the Coconut Curried Shrimp. This was sautéed shrimp with pineapple and peppers in a Jamaican curry sauce.

The shrimp were tender and soaked up the flavor of the curry. The sweetness of the pineapple complemented the slight hint of heat coming from the Jamaican seasoning in the curry sauce. The dish also came with sugar snap peas mixed in. It all sat on top of seasoned rice.

They included a pineapple salsa. This was delicious and I wish this was on the menu as an appetizer with tortilla chips. The pineapple was mixed with chopped tomatoes and cilantro. The overall flavor was sweet, but I did get some hint of sourness from the tomatoes. It was a nice contrast.

I also got to try the Fish Tacos. They used fresh Mahi that was blackened. They were layered in a flour tortilla along with shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro, jicama slaw, and tomato salsa. There was a drizzle of chili horseradish on top. The flakey fish was seasoned perfectly. He horseradish sauce helped pull it all together with the right amount of tanginess.

The food and the views were fantastic at Salt Shack. I was there in the afternoon during the week, so I was able to get a table. I hear that they get packed on the weekends.

If you want to learn more about the Rattlesnakes that were once in the area, check out their website at www.salt-shack.com

Enjoy!

T

Hula Bay Club – Tampa, FL

I love eating at restaurants that are on the water. It instantaneously makes me feel like I am on vacation, even though I might not be. Hula Bay Club is one of those places. They are located next to a marina, right off of Old Tampa Bay.

The views are spectacular from the back patio. There are tons of tables so that you can eat outside.

The day I was there I even got to see a Manatee swim by. That was the coolest thing.

To enjoy the view, I ordered the Conch Fritters. It came with a spicy Caribbean mango sauce. These fritters were loaded with fresh, tender, chopped up conch. The breading portion had great seasoning that gave it an herb flavor.

The fritter itself was moist so no dipping sauce was needed for that purpose. The sauce that was included added a nice spice to the fritter.

Another sharable that I ordered was the Kick’n Shrimp. This was fresh shrimp sautéed in a BBQ style butter sauce with garlic and Kona Beer. This sauce was amazing. It was creamy and rich. It was awesome with the shrimp but just as awesome on its own. They served this dish with a cheese bread. The bread was perfect for dipping in the buttery sauce. The bread was crispy because they melted cheese on top in the oven. I liked the extra saltiness it added to the taste.

For my lunch I ordered the Hula Bay Tuna Poke Bowl. It was a beautiful presentation. The tropical flower was a nice touch. They used Hawaiian Big Eye tuna that was tossed in a sesame dressing. This dressing was slightly spicy. Along with the tuna there was mango, edamame, crispy lettuce, carrots, and a cucumber salad. They also garnished it with seaweed and a house dressing.

I ate a few pieces of tuna before I mixed up all the ingredients together. Everything about this poke bowl was fresh. The saltiness from the seaweed complemented the sweetness of the mango. The lettuce and carrots added a crunch. The cucumber salad had an amazing sweet taste that accented the sesame dressing.  With all of these elements mixed together this dish was very filling.

Hula Bay Club is a fantastic place. They are always crowded. If you are not able to get a table check out Duke’s Beach Bar downstairs. They serve the same menu and the seating is all open.

Check them out at www.hulabayclub.com

Enjoy!

T

High Tide Harry’s – Orlando, FL

When in Florida, having fresh seafood is a must have. There is a restaurant in Orlando that has been serving up seafood since 1995 called High Tide Harry’s.

When you walk into the restaurant you are automatically transported to the beach. The ceilings and walls were painted with ocean scenes. There were huge fish hanging all over.

After sitting down, the waitress brought over some homemade Hush Puppies. They reminded me more of a fritter. The dough was a little sweet and soft on the inside. There was a nice crunch from the deep fryer on the outside.

They served a cinnamon butter on the side. When I spread some on the cut open hush puppy it melted instantaneously. It was sweet and creamy and now made the hush puppy more like a dessert. I loved how the cinnamon flavor paired perfectly with the sweet dough. I could have just eaten these and been full. They were a nice surprise, and I would come back just for these.

As an appetizer I got the Hot Blue Crab Dip. This cheesy dip was loaded with lump crabmeat. It was sweet and creamy. Tortilla chips accompanied the dip. It was a great way to scoop up the dip.

I was excited to try their Chargrilled Oysters. I only got a half dozen because I wanted to save room to try a few other things. The oysters came out pipping hot. They use a great amount of garlic and butter. There was only a little sprinkling of parmesan cheese, but they used a generous amount of Italian seasoning to help create a savory flavor.

The oysters were cooked perfectly that they briny taste was gone. They were tender and went down easy. They served some garlic toast on the side which was great to soak up the extra garlic and butter.

The Ahi Tuna was also a delicious dish. They seared Yellowfin Tuna and served it with seaweed, wasabi, and soy sauce. The tuna was so fresh that it melted in my mouth. There was a nice seasoning on the outside that added a salty taste. I added a little wasabi to the spy sauce to help give the tuna a little heat.

The last thing I tried was the Blue Stew. This was a tomato-based soup that was loaded with Blue Crabmeat, potatoes, and vegetables. It was a nice savory soup because of the seasoning they used. It had a little hint of Old Bay. I liked the chopped-up potatoes they used. It added a slight creamy texture to each bite.

I enjoyed everything I tried at High Tide Harry’s. The menu is huge so I barely scratched the surface. They had a nice crowd of both tourists and locals. They are not far from the International Airport so I would pop over again in the future. Visit their website at www.hightideharrys.com

Enjoy!

T

Harpoon Harry’s Crab House – Tamps, FL

In downtown Tampa, not far from the hockey arena, there is a seafood restaurant called Harpoon Harry’s Crab House. The restaurant is very large; there are tables on two levels. They have a great bar on one side of the restaurant. You can sit there and order from the full menu. I have done this a few times.

On this visit I was with a big group of friends, and we decided to get a table. We started off with cocktails while we looked over the menu. I got a red sangria. It was not super sweet, so it was refreshing. They had a nice amount of fruit mixed within to give it a natural sweetness.

We ordered almost every appetizer that was on the menu. We just passed them around the table so that everyone could have a taste. The Coconut Shrimp came out first. These shrimp were butterflied which allowed them to be a little crisper once they were fried. The coconut flavor shined through and had a nice sweetness. They served a pineapple red chili agave on the side for dipping. I love how pineapple and coconut blend so well together. It creates such a tropical flavor that is perfect when combined with shrimp.

The next thin out was the Tater Kegs. These sounded interesting. These were homemade tater tots made with mashed potatoes, chives, bacon, and cheddar cheese. They were formed into large tot shapes, breaded, and deep fried. They were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. There was a great bacon flavor in the potato and the cheddar cheese made the inside extra creamy. They served a chipotle aioli on the side to dip. That aioli made the flavor of the tots more like a twice baked potato.

The Crab Cake was just one. This one was slightly harder to share. We each cut off a little piece to try. They mixed a large amount a blue crab meat with different herbs and seasonings. The mojo aioli added a little tangy taste, but I really felt the sweet crab cake was good on its own.

Conch Fritters are a must have at a Florida seafood restaurant. These fritters were packed with fresh, tender Bahamian conch. These were also crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. These really stayed hot until I cut them open to cool off. The Cajun mayo added a little head. I really liked how much conch they had in these.

The Truffle Mac & Cheese was a super-rich dish. They blended gruyere cheese with breadcrumbs and white truffle oil. The breadcrumbs gave it texture on top of the creaminess from the cheese.

The last appetizer that came out was the Shrimp Cocktail. This was very traditional, nothing out of the ordinary. The shrimp were jumbo in size and the cocktail sauce has a great tanginess to it.

After all of these appetizers, I ordered something a little lighter for my main dish. I got the Tuna Tataki. This was thinly sliced yellow fin tuna that was coasted with a sesame crust. They covered the tuna in a delicious pineapple ginger teriyaki sauce. A sriracha aioli was drizzled on top. This added a little heat. There was a seaweed salad on the side. The seaweed tasted great with the teriyaki sauce, it acted almost like a dressing. The tuna was extremely fresh and melted in my mouth. This is definitely a must order for anyone who loves fresh tuna.

I also got to try a little of the Grouper Shrimp & Grits. This dish had a lot going on. In addition to the flakey grouper and shrimp, there was grilled andouille sausage. The grits were in the form of a cheddar grit cake, which was very cheesy. There was a spicy tomato reduction on top. This did not add too much spiciness. There were also vegetables on the side. I really thought the grouper was the best part of the dish. The sausage was a nice surprise too, which had great flavor.

Finally, it was time for dessert. We only ordered one and we hared it around the table since we all had eaten so much already. We asked our server what the best dessert was, and the Banana Pudding was recommended. They served the pudding in a mason jar. It was layered with caramelized bananas, creamy vanilla pudding, and vanilla bean whip cream. The bananas were amazing. I could have eaten just a bowl of these. They were soft and sweet. The whip cream was also a nice touch; since it was freshly made it was light and fluffy.

Everything I tried at Harpoon Harry’s Crab House was amazing. They have so many things to choose from, including a full sushi menu. They get busy so try to make a reservation. If that is not possible just put your name on the list and head over to the bar for a cocktail while you wait. Check out their menu at www.harpoonharryscrabhousetampa.com

Enjoy!

T

Crafty Crab – Lakeland, FL

Throughout my travels I have noticed crab restaurants starting to pop up. There was one that opened in Lakeland, Florida called Crafty Crab. I thought I would check them out.

As soon as I walked in, I was transported to the beach. There was fishing décor everywhere. It reminded me of the seafood restaurants I visited as a kid on vacation.

I ordered a few appetizers to try. The fried calamari were the first to come out. These were thick rings that were extremely tender. The breading was very crispy. They served a marinara sauce on the side. The sauce was slightly salty. The calamari go perfectly with this sauce. It gives the dish a savory feel.

I also tired the crab bites. These were basically mini crab cakes. The breading had a slight hint of sweetness, like a hush puppy. It came with a tarter like sauce, but I did not try it. I really was enjoying the flavor from the crab bite itself.

I saw crawfish on the menu and decided to order that for my lunch. They serve all their seafood in boil bags. So, I got this giant bag filled with crawfish, red potatoes, and corn on the cob. There is a choice of seasoning for all the seafood ordered. I got the Crafty Cajun original seasoning.

When the bag came to the table I started laughing because it was so big.

I opened it carefully and put everything onto the metal tray. Naturally I was wearing a white skirt, so I had to be very careful not to get sauce on everything.

I made sure to wear the bib and gloves. It is messy to eat crawfish. The gloves helped prevent my fingers from smelling like the sauce all day.

The crawfish were jumbo in size. They were full of meat. I really got the hang of opening them up. I just kept repeating the phrase “Pinch, Twist, Suck”. The seasoning was perfect, it had a hint of Old Bay. It is amazing how well that seasoning goes with seafood. The crawfish was tender and sweet. That was a great complement to the saltiness of the sauce.

The red potatoes were tender and sweet as well. I made sure to soak them up in the sauce as well. The corn was the last thing I ate. It had all the spices mixed in between all the kernels. By this time the sauce started to get a little spicier to me.  It paired well with the sweetness of the corn.

I really enjoyed the food I tried at Crafty Crab. I am looking forward to going back and trying another one of their seafood boils.

Check out their menu at www.craftycrabrestaurant.com

Enjoy!

T

Tropico Latino – Lakeland, FL

There is a little hole in the wall Latin restaurant in Lakeland, Florida that is nestled in the back of a small shopping center. Tropico Latino had lots of customers coming and going. I thought I would check them out.

There were empanadas on the menu that I wanted to try. They had the traditional kind as well as a Columbian version. The Columbian version used a shell made of potato verses the traditional flour shell.

The traditional empanadas were filled with seasoned ground meat. The shell was thick and crispy that locked in the heat. They served it with a homemade pico de gallo that was full of flavor. The tomatoes, onions, and cilantro added additional flavor to the meat. It really helped make the empanada stand out.

The Empanadoas Colombianas also came out crispy. These shells kind of puffed up when they were fired. The shell did not taste like potato. These were also filled with ground meat and onion. I used the pico de gallo on this empanada too. It just added so much additional flavor.

Another South American dish they had on the menu were Arepas. Arepas are a corn cake made from ground maize dough.

The first one I tried was the Arepa Con Queso. This was a warm corn cake stuffed with shredded cheese. It was like a Latin grilled cheese. The corn cake was crispy on the outside from the grill. It has a sweet, buttery taste. Not all the cheese melted right away. So, there was a nice contrast between hot and cold.

I also tried the Arepa Con Todo. This was the same corn cakes, but these were stuffed with shredded meat and cheese. The meat was tender and had an amazing savory taste. The cheese melted from the heat and created a nice creaminess that married well with the savory meat.

I really enjoyed this little gem. They are worth a stop in. Visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/tropicolatinorest

Enjoy!

T

The Deck – Miami, FL

There is a beautiful restaurant located at Island Gardens in Miami called The Deck. This restaurant has beautiful outside seating that overlooks a marina with exquisite boats. They have tables as well as cabana seating. There are flowers and greenery everywhere.

While waiting for our table to become available, we got a few cocktails to try. Now these are expensive cocktails than what I find at most places. And because the restaurant is in Miami, they automatically include an 18%-20% gratuity on the bill. Just keep that in mind before you order.

The first cocktail was The Islander. This tropical drink was rum, coconut sorbet, mint, pineapple juice, and lime juice. It was served in a coconut shell glass. It was definitely a vacation drink. There was a great flavor with the pineapple juice. The coconut sorbet gave the drink a creamy texture. It would be easy for this sip this drink quickly because it was so smooth. I needed to make sure I paced myself.

The other two drinks I was able to take a sip of but did not drink the whole thing. The Old Fashion was a classic cocktail that had a beautiful, dried orange on top. It was strong and should be sipped slowly.

The cocktail From St. Barths with Love was a mouthful of a drink name. It was a vodka-based drink that was blended with mango liquor, mango puree, lemon juice, and a touch of mint. The fresh mango slice was a pretty accent. This drink was sweet and full of mango flavor. It really disguised the taste of the vodka. It was a fun beach drink.

A few appetizers were passed around the table. The shrimp cocktail was a classic starter. The shrimp were jumbo in size. They served fresh horseradish on the side. The shrimp were tender, and the horseradish gave the shrimp a nice kick.

The Mediterranean Mussels were amazing. These were Manila clams in a tomato sauce. They served grilled sourdough on the side. The presentation on the wooden board was very pretty. The clams were tender, and the tomato sauce was tangy and had a great garlic taste. The sourdough bread was excellent for soaking up the extra sauce. If they had given a few more clams this could have easily been my dinner.

Another appetizer I tried was the Arugula and Prosciutto brick oven pizza. They used Pomodo Buffalo mozzarella and  prosciutto di Parma. The crust was crispy and had a nice, smoky taste from the oven. The prosciutto was salty and the fresh mozzarella added a sweetness with a creamy texture. The arugula added a little pepper taste.

For my dinner I got the Oraking Salmon. The fresh salmon was pan seared in a passionfruit brown butter. They served it over roasted hearts of palm and sliced oranges. The salmon was cooked perfectly, allowing it to flak apart. The butter sauce added a richness to the fish. The vegetables were a nice addition but it was not enough of a side.

We ordered some sides to share around the table. The whipped potatoes were delicious. They were creamy and loaded with garlic butter and parmigano Reggiano cheese.

The other side was the grilled asparagus. These were jumbo stalks of asparagus tossed in a lemon vinaigrette and lemon zest. The flavor of the sauce was tangy. The asparagus was a little too thick. I ended up only eating the tips because the rest of the stalk were too chewy.

I also got to try another dish. It was the Wood Oven Roasted Cobia. Cobia has a few other names which might be a little more familiar – codfish or lemon fish might be more commonly used. It was served with a blue crab relish, roasted asparagus, and a sweet corn espuma. They placed it all on top of a pistachio crema that they creatively spread on the plate. The fish was flakey ad very mild in flavor. I loved the blue crab relish. It added a unique taste to the overall dish.

Before we ordered dessert, we were entertained by a flame dancer. It was amazing how she could twist and turn while holding poles on fire. It was great entertainment.

For dessert I got something light, since I had eaten so much throughout the evening. I figured the sorbet would be perfect. It was chocolate, raspberry, and vanilla. They were very creamy. It did start to melt pretty quickly in the Florida heat.

The dining experience at The Deck was nice. It is a pretty expensive restaurant. And if you are going with a group of people just know that they will not break up the bill base don what you order, so plan accordingly. Check out their menu at www.islandgardens.com

Enjoy!

T

Truluck’s – Miami, FL

Miami has so many options when it comes to restaurants. It comes down to what you might be hungry for or what you can get a reservation for. The group I was with wanted to go to Truluck’s. I have visited one of their locations in Texas years ago, so I knew I was in for a great meal.

I started off with ordering a bottle of wine to enjoy with the meal. I got a Merlot from Alexander Valley Vineyards. It went well with everything I ate. It had a great, smooth taste.

We ordered several appetizers to share around the table. When in Miami, getting Stone Crab Claws is a must. It is a sustainable food source. The meat is extremely sweet and very different from other crab claws.

I was excited to try the Crab Louie Cocktail. They used jumbo lump crabmeat and tossed it in a remoulade sauce. It is like the crab version of a chicken salad. The crab meat was extremely sweet. It complemented the slightly tangy taste of the remoulade.

Another appetizer that was shared around the table was the Salt & Pepper Calamari. The tender pieces of calamari were breaded and fried up to be crispy. On the plate they threw in a few vegetables like peppers, which they quickly fried to make crispy as well. There were two dipping sauces they included on the side – a sweet Vietnamese chili sauce and a special made mustard.  The calamari were tender and had a great crispy texture. I really enjoyed it with the chili sauce. It was my favorite.

The final appetizer that was shared around the table was the Prime Meatballs. These meatballs were a blend of prime chuck, brisket, and short ribs. They were cooked in a BBQ sauce. The sauce was sweet and tangy. The meatballs were moist. The seasoning they mixed in with the meat created a savory flavor. Cooking them with a BBQ sauce was a great choice.

I love Lobster Bisque so I made sure to order a cup. It was a creamy bisque that had only a few pieces of lobster meat. I really wish it had a little more. The bisque had the accent flavor of horseradish and a creaminess from the goat cheese.

For my dinner I ordered the Miso Glazed Seabass. It came with a crab fried rice and a chilled cucumber slaw on top. The seabass was flakey and moist. The glaze was sweet and went perfectly with the seabass. The cucumber slaw added a nice crunch. The crab fried rice could have used a little more crab. The pieces were sparce. The flavor of the rice was not as salty as I had expected with fried rice. It was missing something to send it over the edge. I would have preferred something different to pair with the seabass.

The table did order some roasted broccoli. This was much better with the fish. They used large florets of the broccoli and it had a great char on it from roasting.

I also got to try the Hawaiian Ahi Tuna. It came in a tamari wine sauce. The tuna was sesame crusted. It added crunch to the soft texture of the tuna. The tuna was extremely fresh. It just melted in my mouth. They paired the tuna with parmesan mashed potatoes. The potatoes were really creamy and I enjoyed them. However, I thought it was an odd pairing with the tuna. I would have thought the fried rice would have paired better.

For dessert I got to try some Baked Alaska. It had been years since I had this dessert. There was a small blue flame on top of the meringue when it arrived at the table. There was a nice char on the meringue – just like a toasted marshmallow. The Neapolitan ice cream was very creamy and was melting quickly.

The food was good at Truluck’s even though there were a few odd pairings. I really enjoyed the appetizers. They are great for sharing. Check out their website at www.trulucks.com  to see where the closest location is to you.

Enjoy!

T

Texas Cattle Company – Lakeland, FL

I have written about Texas Cattle Company previously. It is a fantastic steakhouse, and I was looking forward to going back for another visit. The restaurant was very crowded, so I was glad I had a reservation.

We wasted no time ordering. We started with bleu cheese potato chips to munch on. These homemade chips were extra crispy. They were covered in a bleu cheese sauce. There were also big chunks of actual bleu cheese. I oved the tangy flavor from the cheese.

All meals come with their chopped salad. There is a homemade dressing, that is like an Italian dressing, that the salad is tossed in. I love that they chopped up the lettuce. It makes it much easier to eat. It is extremely fresh, and you can get as many refills as you want. It easily could be a meal.

The other item they bring to all the tables are homemade cheese bread. These are fluffy dinner rolls that are topped with a ton of cheddar cheese. Then they are baked, and the cheese gets melted and crispy. They are delicious. You cannot eat just one. It is very easy to fill up on these rolls.

For dinner I ordered the bone in pork chop. This pork chop was extremely thick. The chef was able to cook it perfectly. It was very juicy. The savory flavor was spectacular. Although the pork chop was thick, the meat was tender. It was so big I was not able to finish all the meat, so I got a to-go box to enjoy it for lunch the next day.

I got the mashed potatoes as my side. These were sweet, red potatoes. They were extremely creamy with a few chunks of potatoes throughout. It was the perfect accompaniment to the pork chop.

The food lived up to the expectations I had from my last visit. I still recommend a visit to Texas Cattle Company. Visit their website at www.TexasCattleCompany.net

Enjoy!

T

Datz – Tampa, FL – Visit #3

I have been to Datz in Tampa a few times. Their food is great, and they are always busy. Whenever people come to visit the area, Datz is a fun place to bring them too.

This last visit we were there in between breakfast and lunch. I felt more like breakfast, so I ordered the Datz Good Hash. This is homemade corned beef. It was big chunks of tender beef. It was not as crispy as I like it but that could be because of how large the pieces were.

They piled shredded hash browns on top of the corned beef. My two over-well eggs were placed on top of the hash browns. It gave me the option to eat each item separately or cut through and eat it all together.

The fresh toast was great with a little strawberry jam. This added a sweet element to the overall salty dish. I got a side of their grits. This southern breakfast staple was blended with cream cheese and cheddar cheese. That made the grits very rich. They are also thicker than traditional grits because of all the cheese. They too were salty so breaking it up with bites of the jam toast was perfect.

We tried an appetizer of Mac Bites that we shared around the table. They took their bacon-jalapeno mac and cheese and fried it up. They had a nice crispy breading on the outside. Inside the mac and cheese was gooey. There was a slight hint of heat because of the chopped-up pieces of jalapeno. They served a firecracker dipping sauce on the side. This added a little more heat along with a slight sweetness.

The main attraction of the visit to Datz was their Double D burger. Now I did not order this but someone at the table did. This is two burger patties made with beef brisket and short ribs. Then they melted Swiss and American cheese over the patties. They layered it with all the fixings you typically get on a burger. But what makes this burger so unique and special is that the bun for this burger is two full sized glazed donuts.

This thing was massive when it came to the table. Plus, it came with a side of homemade potato chips with blue cheese. It looked very messy to eat but in no time this burger was devoured.

The blend of salty and sweet from the donuts all married well together. It is not for everyone; however, it does give Datz something special to look forward to.

The food was great at Datz once again.  I highly recommend checking them out if you are in Tampa. Visit their website at www.datztampa.com

Enjoy!

T