Category: Florida

Terrace Grill – Lakeland, FL

The Terrace Hotel is a historic hotel in downtown Lakeland, Florida. Inside the hotel there is a restaurant that I visited many years ago. Since that visit, the restaurant and part of the hotel have been remodeled. I was able to check them out for Sunday brunch. The lobby is beautiful when you walk in. There is so much natural light. The restaurant as also beautiful. With the tall ceiling, the restaurant seems much larger than it is.

They did update their brunch menu and they now offer a bottomless Mimosa and Bloody Mary bar. It is a great setup; the waitress or waiter brings a carafe of either champagne or vodka. Then you get to make the drink to your liking.

For Bloody Mary’s, they offer a regular and spicy mix. There are the assorted vegetables that you can add to your cocktail.

I went for the Mimosas. They had several juices to choose from:

  • Orange
  • Blood Orange
  • Pineapple
  • Grapefruit
  • Cranberry
  • Apple Cider

They had an assortment of fresh fruit to accent the cocktail. It was a nice setup. I had mostly pineapple mimosas but did try the blood orange for something different.

I ordered the Terrace Frittata. The egg was mixed with asparagus, red peppers, mushrooms, and gruyere cheese. The plate was garnished with an arugula salad and a crème Fraiche. The frittata was fluffy. The vegetables they included gave the egg a nice earthy taste. The asparagus had a little crunch. The gruyere cheese melted nicely throughout the frittata. It was creamy with a combination of sweet and salty. The arugula salad was a great, fresh element to the plate. The peppery taste of the arugula complemented the sweetness from the crème Fraiche that was drizzled on top.

I came to brunch with family so there was a variety of dishes ordered. I did not try these dishes, but I did make sure to take pictures and ask everyone how they liked what they ordered.

The first dish I wanted to talk about was the Lake Mirror Benny. This is their take on the classic brunch dish, eggs benedict. Their twist on this was using a toasted brioche bun rather than an English muffin. The brioche bun added sweetness to each bite. They used applewood smoked bacon that was cooked perfectly to have a crispness. They placed the perfectly poached egg on top with a creamy hollandaise sauce. The hollandaise sauce has a decadent creamy flavor.

The Open Face Sammy was a unique breakfast sandwich.  They started with a base of toasted sourdough bread. They layered prosciutto, gruyere cheese, arugula, and béchamel (béchamel is a sauce made of flour, milk, and butter). Then they placed a sunny side up egg on top. This sandwich was a blend of creamy and salty with all the ingredients. The runny yoke from the egg added a richness to the already creamy texture from the gruyere cheese and béchamel. The sourdough added a slight tanginess.

Another dish that was ordered was the Open Face Patty Melt. This burger patty was a combination of ground short rib and brisket. The patty that was cooked to a perfect medium, was topped with gruyere cheese, sautéed shallots, mushrooms, a house sauce, and of course a sunny side up egg. All of this was placed on a slice of marble rye bread. The patty was juicy and tender. The way the cheese melted on the meat created a wonderful texture. The shallots and mushrooms helped create a savory flavor.

There was a non-breakfast dish that was ordered by two people at the table. This was the Fish Tacos. The soft taco shells were filled with a battered, flakey fish. They topped the fish with shredded cabbage and grilled onions and peppers. Crispy French fries came of the side. The tacos were filling but both people thought the fish could have used a little spice. It was a little bland for them. Once they got some hot sauce to sprinkle on top, they were perfectly happy.

Brunch was amazing a Terrace Grille. The staff was wonderful and took great care in making sure everything was perfect. I would highly recommend visiting. They do change up some of their dishes seasonally, so check out their menu at www.terracegrillelakeland.com

Enjoy!

T

Hole in One Donuts – Lakeland, FL

I love freshly made donuts. There is something special about biting into a warm don’t and having it just melt in your mouth. These are the types of donuts that Hole in One Donuts makes daily. They open super early each day, before the sun even rises. They do close early in the afternoon, so it is important to get there early so they do not run out.

I got there a few hours after they opened. They will had a decent amount of donuts to choose from. Plus, they had a few other items too.

I tired one of their sausage rolls. These are very similar to kolaches that I get in Texas. Their yeast roll was so sweet. The sausage on the inside was not spicy but had a great flavor from the seasoning. The saltiness from the sausage complemented the sweetness from the roll.

Now the reason I came to Hole in One Donuts was for donuts. I did get a classic glaze. It was larger in size than what you would get from one of those national chains. There was a nice amount of sweet glaze on the donut. When I took a bite, I noticed right away how soft and gooey the dough was. The glaze did not crack and fall off as I continued eating the donut. It stayed attached to the dough. It showed just how well this donut was made.

The second donut I got was the éclair. I shred this one because it was so big. The soft donut was topped with a sweet, creamy chocolate icing. It was a nice, thick layer of icing. On the inside was a creamy vanilla pudding. There was a generous amount that was piped through the entire éclair. Every bite had the perfect ratio of dough, filling, and icing.

The donuts were amazing. The sausage roll was a great, warm breakfast item. I cannot wait to go back and get a dozen of each.

Check them out of Facebook at www.facebook.com/holeinonelakeland

Enjoy!

T

Doc Fords – St. Petersburg, FL

The St. Petersburg Pier is a wonderful place to visit. The offer great views of Tampa Bay. You can watch boats float around and people fishing from the pier.

                        

There are several places to eat around the pier. I headed to Doc Fords for some fresh Florida seafood.

Doc Fords offers lots of seating options. You can sit inside or outside.

There is a huge aquarium right at the door when you walk in. If you are lucky, you can say hello to Nemo and Dory.

I sat outside on the patio to enjoy the fresh sea air.

I looked over their cocktail menu. I saw a Dirty Banana listed. I normally do not see this drink on menus. This is my go-to vacation drink when I travel to the islands. I wanted to make sure that I ordered one. If you have never had one, it is a blend of light rum, dark crème de cacao, banana puree, and a chocolate syrup drizzle. This is basically like an adult milk shake. The coolness of the drink was refreshing. The flavor of the banana and chocolate paired so well together. It really enjoyed tis drink.

One of the appetizers that came out was the Calamari. It was lightly breaded and fried. The calamari was tender. They served it with a homemade cocktail sauce.

Instead of the cocktail sauce, I used their three sauces that they had on the table. They were perfect on the calamari. They offered three different flavors:

Colombian Gold Pepper – This is a mango sauce with a mild, sweet heat

Chipotle Pepper – This has a smokey flavor with a mild heat

Amazon Sauce – This was made with habanero peppers and is very hot

Another appetizer was the Captiva Crab cakes. The jumbo lump crabmeat was pan fried so that a thin crispiness was on the outside. They served it with a jicama slaw. This is like a water chestnut. It added a nice crunch. They finished it off with a key lime butter sauce. The sauce made the crab cake delicious with a rich and creamy taste.

I ordered the Seafood Paella to share. I figured it would be a large dish that I could not eat all by myself. They loaded up with jumbo scallops, shrimp, mussels, and fish medallions. Their unique take was adding chorizo sausage. This added a little heat.

All the seafood was placed on top of tomatoes, peas, and saffron rice. The mussels, scallops, and shrimp really soaked up the flavor of the saffron. The fish medallions were flakey and tender. I ended up dipping the fish in the Colombian gold pepper sauce. I liked the sweetness of the sauce with the fish.

I also got to try the Panko Crusted Grouper. The grouper was pan-seared and served on a bed of brown rice. The grouper was flakey and moist. They also served julienned vegetables, spinach, and mushrooms. They topped everything with a honey papaya rum sauce. The tropical flavor of the papaya went perfectly with the grouper. It was not heavy although it was sweet. The spinach and mushrooms added an earthy flavor to the dish.

The food and views were amazing at Doc Fords. I was there during the week so there was no wait for a table. I can only imagine that this place is packed on the weekends.

Check them out at www.DocFords.com

Enjoy!

T

Chef T’s Garden Grill – Lakeland, FL

There is a cute old house in Lakeland that has been converted into a restaurant called Chef T’s Garden Grill.

When you walk in, each room of the house has tables set up for an intimate dining experience. I was there with a small group of friends, and we had a room all to ourselves.

We had a special dinner that was set up with a wine paring. Each wine was selected to go with the foods we were eating. It was a great combination of reds and whites, along with some sweet wines for dessert.

The menu that was put together for the winy pairing was delicious. It started off with the Beef & Barley Soup. This soup was amazing. The broth was thick and savory. It was almost the texture of gravy. The pieces of beef were extremely tender. The potatoes captured the flavor of the broth. The small cup was not enough; I could have eaten a big bowl.

For my dinner, I got the Shrimp Scampi. These fresh shrimp were sauteed in garlic, white wine, butter, lemon, and red pepper flakes. They sprinkled fresh parsley on top. All of this was served on top of fresh linguini.

The sauce was amazing. It was light but still had a creamy texture to it. The lemon gave it a slight tangy flavor that helped enhance the flavor of the garlic and white wine. They used a generous amount of sauce, so it coated the pasta perfectly. They included a side of vegetables that included cauliflower and carrots. They were delicious with the garlic butter sauce as well.

Meatloaf was the other option on the menu for dinner. I did get to try it. The meatloaf was moist and light. It was not dense at all. The herb seasonings they mixed in with the meat created a savory taste. The gravy was also fantastic on the mashed potatoes.

For dessert we got a slice of homemade Chocolate Cake.  It was a double layer of moist chocolate cake. In between the layers of cake was a creamy custard. On the outside was a rich and creamy chocolate ganache.

This dessert was spectacular. The chocolate flavor of course paired well with the red dessert wine that was served. The custard in the layers was light and fluffy. It was not overly sweet. The ganache was rich but also not overly sweet. It was the perfect dessert to end the meal. It helped tie the whole experience together.

The food was amazing at Chef T’s. The intimate setting was nice and helped me enjoy what I was eating even more. I would love to get to go back to try something else on the menu. It does change based on what ingredients are available.

If you are in Lakeland, check them out. Visit their website at www.cheftsgardengrill.com

Enjoy!

T

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