Category: Florida

McGrath’s Irish Pub – Lakewood Ranch, FL

It’s Sunday and it is time for another brunch. This time I visited McGrath’s Irish Pub for something a little different. Located on Main Street at Lakewood Ranch, I was looking forward to checking them out.

To my surprise they offered several different drink specials. The bottomless mimosas was what hooked me; and it was such a great value at $10.00. They had several different juice options which is my favorite. I got to try four of the flavors.

The first flavor I tried was the Peach. It used a great peach puree that was full of flavor. They included a dried peach as a garnish. It was a little sweeter than a typical mimosa.

The second mimosa I tried was the Strawberry. This had spot on fresh strawberry flavor from the puree they used. It was refreshing. All that was missing was sliced fresh strawberries.

The third flavor was Raspberry. This was tart to taste. It actually made my lips pucker just a little. I thought I would enjoy this one a little more, but it was not as full of fruity flavor like I had hoped.

The last mimosa was Pineapple. I saved this for last since this is my favorite juice. The pineapple juice was not as sweet as I am used to. It was a little tart but not like the raspberry. The pineapple juice shined through the brut champagne they used to make the mimosas.

I did order some small dishes to enjoy with my mimosas. Since I was at an Irish Pub, I made sure to order the Scotch Eggs. I have not head these in a while. Scotch Eggs are hard boiled eggs that are covered with ground sausage, lightly breaded, and then fried. The outside was crispy with the inside sausage layer being tender and moist.

When sliced open the creaminess from the egg yoke offered a contrast from the crispy outside breading. The sausage had a great flavor of fennel. It came with a side of Pale Ale honey mustard. It did not have an overall taste of the ale, but there was a sweet and sour nature to the sauce. It went well with the taste of the sausage.

I also ordered the French Onion Shire Dip. This was a cold dip that had lots of chopped up onions. The dip was extremely creamy. They served this with potato chips and crudité vegetables. It was a great snacking dish that was easy to share.

This was a nice spot to pop in for drinks and a few bites to eat. I would check them out again to see what was on their non-brunch menu.

Check out their website at www.mcgrathsirish.com

Enjoy!

T

Munch’s – St. Petersburg, FL – Visit #2

If you are a fan of Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives, you may have seen Guy’s visit to Munch’s in St. Petersburg. It’s a diner that has been serving up breakfast since 1952. I was there several years ago and was back in the area, so I decided to pop in for breakfast.

I sat at the counter where I watched the food coming and going. I got a nice cup of diner coffee and looked over the menu.

I went for the two-egg breakfast. I got my eggs prepared over well because I wanted the yokes to be a little firm. It came with a bowl of grits with a lot of creamy butter mixed in. It is the perfect pairing with eggs. I also got a side of corned beef hash. It was nice and salty. I also ordered it extra crispy because I like when there is little extra crunch.

The restaurant was serving up homemade strawberry shortcake for free to everyone eating there. It was a really nice surprise. It was one half of their fresh made biscuits, which were light and fluffy. They topped it with strawberries in a sweet sauce. It paired well with the saltiness of the biscuit (from the butter they put on top while cooking). The whip cream they finished the dessert with was thick and creamy. It was totally homemade. It was a great way to end my breakfast.

I was glad I got to visit Munch’s again. They are a great place for a quick breakfast. Just one reminder I have for everyone is they only accept cash, so come prepared.

Check them out at www.munchburger.com

Enjoy!

T

The Rusty Pelican – Clearwater, FL

I love going to brunch on the weekends. It is a fun time to get together with friends and family and catch up on the past week events. I am always looking for new places to try out for brunch. The Rusty Pelican was one of those places that popped up on my list.

It is located on the water in Clearwater, Florida. Almost every room has a beautiful view of the water. There is no better way to enjoy brunch!

The restaurant is very large inside and can accommodate any size group. Rather than sitting in the bar area, I got a table in one of their rooms. The fireplace was going for ambiance and the sun was shinning that day. If you sat too close to the window you definitely would need to wear a pair of sunglasses.

The first thing I noticed on the brunch menu was their Bottomless Mimosas. They offered four different flavors to choose from. I was excited to try all four.

The first mimosa was my favorite, Pineapple Peach. I knew it would be my favorite even before tasting it because it was pineapple juice. The mimosa was sweet. The pineapple was the first flavor I tasted. Then when I took a second sip, this is when I noticed the peach flavor. This was for sure one of the mimosa’s I would get a second glass of.

The second mimosa was the Watermelon Fresca. This one was very light in taste and refreshing. The watermelon was front and forward. It hid the flavor of the champagne.

The third mimosa was the Apple Cider Pumpkin Spice. I thought the timing of this flavor was a bit odd. I would expect this one more in the fall. There was no pumpkin taste. It was all apple flavor with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg accents. It was not my favorite. This would have been better warmer for the holidays.

The last mimosa flavor I got to try was the Tangerine Ginger. The tangerine juice was sweet but slightly tart. Very different from a traditional orange juice mimosa. There was a hint of ginger flavor mixed in. It would have been nice if a little piece of candied ginger was included.

There were a few starters ordered for the table. The Key West Conch Fritters were amazing. It has been a while since I had conch fritters.

They were loaded with tender conch. The seasoning in the breading was sweet and salty. They were just like what I got when I visited Key West. They served the fritters with a Pina Colada dipping sauce. The coconut flavor paired well with the seasoning of the fritter. It actually enhanced the overall taste.

The other started was the Blackened Scallops. The scallops were fresh and large. The blackening seasoning was not overpowering. The meat was ender and melted in my mouth. They served the scallops with a blood orange preserve. The sweetness from the preserve married well with the sweetness of the scallops and toned down the saltiness of the blackening seasoning.

For my brunch I went for a three-egg omelet with tomato and cheese mixed in. They topped it off with slices of fresh avocado. The omelet was large and with the two starters I tried I was starting to get a little full. I had to start pacing myself.

They used a lot of cheddar cheese which contributed to making the omelet filling. The tomatoes were chopped up and added a freshness and helped break up all the cheese. I ended up eating the avocado slices by themselves.

On the side came a Tater Tot Smash. This was their version of hash browns. They came out nice and crispy. There was so much I could not finish.

I got to try their Hangover Hash as well. This hash was braised prime rib on top of the tater tot smash. Then they placed a perfectly poached egg on top, along with a homemade hollandaise sauce. This was a different type of breakfast hash for sure. The prime rib was cooked spectacularly; it just pulled apart as soon as I touched it with the fork.

The flavor was savory, and the hollandaise sauce added a creaminess. I did not try the poached egg, but I was told it was delicious. The tater tot hash added a crunch, but it also acted as a way to soak up the sauce.

Even with all the food eaten, I still left a little room for dessert. There was no way I could eat something by myself, but I knew I could share the Key Lime Pie. The slice came out cut as a square verse a triangle. This was perfect because it allowed for less crust and more filling. The filling was slightly tart and sweet. The meringue on top was firm and had a nice browning that created a slight toasted taste. It was the perfect Florida dessert.

The food was fantastic at The Rusty Pelican. I enjoyed everything I tired. I really like the assortment of mimosas they offered. I would go back any time for brunch, and I would also like to try something off their dinner menu.

Check out their offerings a www.therustypelicantampa.com

Enjoy!

T

Meat Market – Tampa, FL

There is a really popular restaurant at Hyde Park in Tampa called Meat Market. I had some friends visiting the area, so we decided to check them out. The place was packed and the only tables that were available were in the tent at the front of the restaurant. We really wanted to try this place, so a tent was ok for us.

While we looked over the menu the waiter brought us some “popped corn”. This is not what I was thinking it would be. These were corn pieces that were some how fried up till they got a little puffy, but still crunchy. They coated the corn with a slightly spicy seasoning. It was somewhat like a corn nut.

I ordered the Seabass for my dinner. This was a beautiful piece of fish. It was on a bed of wild mushrooms and a sweet corn puree. The Seabass was flakey and light. It was seasoned perfectly with a slightly peppery taste with a hint of salt. The wild mushrooms were interesting. They had a unique texture. They were a little chewy and hard to bite. I had to cut them with my knife. They did not have that much flavor, but the corn puree added a nice sweetness to the mushrooms. The puree was also fantastic with the fish. The sweetness was a nice contrast to the pepper seasoning on the Seabass.

For a side we shared the roasted Brussel sprouts around the table. These were nice and crispy and had a wonderful accent flavor from the bacon that was cooked along side of it. I love when Brussel sprouts are this crispy, it just enhances the overall flavor and cuts back on some of the bitterness that Brussel sprouts can have.

For dessert I went for their homemade cinnamon roll. This was absolutely delicious. The dough was sweet. They loaded up each layer with cinnamon and sugar. There were a ton of sugared pecans throughout each layer as well. These added a nice crunch to the cinnamon roll.

They also topped the roll with fresh vanilla ice cream and a little caramel drizzle. As the ice cream melted the dough soaked it up and acted like a sauce. It made the dough extra moist.  This dessert was very sweet, but it was great to share. And a perfect way to end the meal that was so savory.

The food was fantastic at Meat Market. The staff was very attentive and never forgot about us in the tent. Hopefully next time I will be able to eat inside. Check out their menu at www.meatmarket.net

Enjoy!

T

400 Beach Seafood – St. Petersburg, FL – Visit #2

St. Petersburg, Florida is a beautiful place. The entire city is growing quickly. There are so many places to enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. During this visit to St Petersburg, I wanted to get brunch and I decided to check out a restaurant I had visited years ago called 400 Beach Seafood.

You cannot enjoy brunch without a mimosa and bloody Mary. They were not bottomless, but they were still a great price. The mimosa was made with Brut champagne and fresh orange juice. The sweetness of the juice helped cut down the sharpness of the brut. The bloody Mary was made spicy, just the way I like it. It had a wonderful horseradish flavor. It was a drastic contrast to the mimosa.

I started off with a bowl of Clam Chowder. It was extremely creamy. They loaded it up with tender, fresh clams and big chunks of potatoes. It was a good ratio of clams to potatoes. The soup was seasoned perfectly.

I also tried a little of the Island Seafood Chili. This was extremely hardy. It was thick but not like a traditional beef chili. It was more like a stew. They used a variety of seafood which was nice. Each bite had a different texture.

For my brunch meal I ordered the Crab Cake Eggs Benedict. They took an English muffin and laced a fresh crab cake on it. They then put a traditional poached egg with hollandaise sauce on top of the crab cake. They accented it with a few pieces of fresh spinach. The egg was light, and the creaminess of the yoke soaked into the crab cake, which added a rich texture to the crab meat. The crab was sweet tasting and there was a lot of it.

A potato hash came on the side. These were diced potatoes mixed with onions and peppers. There was also fresh fruit. Both were the perfect complement to the filling breakfast.

I also was able to try the Fish Tacos. These were blackened Mahi Mahi pieces topped with avocado, a fresh made mango salsa, and queso fresco. They drizzled a charred lime aioli on top. The few bites I got to try highlighted the fish. It had a great spice to it from being blackened. The mango salsa was my favorite part. It added a complementary sweetness.

I really enjoyed the dishes I got to try at 400 Beach. Even the season visit have me several surprises. This is definitely a place to would continue to come back to.  I loved seeing how busy St. Petersburg was. Life has been getting back to normal and it feels great.

Check them out at www.400beachseafood.com

Enjoy!

T

Fancy Q Sushi – Lakeland, FL

I love sushi and it had been a whole since I had some. I wanted to try a different restaurant. There was a little place that had gotten great reviews that I decided to try, called Fancy Q Sushi in Lakeland, Florida.

It is not very big inside, so I am glad I got there when I did. Otherwise, I would have been waiting for a table. When I got seated at the table, the waitress brought over a fried sushi roll as a welcome appetizer. It was a nice surprise. It was really tasty. It was a crab and shrimp roll that was tempura fried. They drizzled a yum-yum sauce and soy sauce on top.  The sauce was sweet and creamy. The soy sauce was not overpowering and added a slight salty taste.

The miso soup came out next. This was a simple broth that helped cleanse the palate before the sushi came out.

I ordered the sushi plater that is perfect for sharing. It offers up a little bit of everything to try. This platter had a spicy tuna roll, a California roll, and fresh cuts of fish – mackerel, tuna, salmon, and white fish.

The spicy tuna roll had the seaweed wrap on the outside. There was a nice amount of wasabi on the inside, which gave it a kick.

The California roll is the simplest roll that actually is simple in taste as well. I like to add a little wasabi to make it spicy. They also have extra yum-yum sauce at the table, so I made sure to drizzle that on top of the roll. It helps give extra sweetness.

The tuna and salmon were extremely fresh. They were tender and melted in my mouth. The white fish was interesting, it is not something I would have ordered on its own. It was light and had a mild taste. I did dip it in some soy sauce that I mixed wasabi in. I really like when there is a little heat. It added some additional flavor to the fish itself.

The mackerel was also very interesting. I had never had it before, it was a little oily and did have an oily taste. It was a little too fishy for me. Even with adding the yum-yum sauce, it did not care for it. The texture was also different from the other fish I normally eat.

I had also ordered a side of shrimp fried rice. It was so good. I dove in as soon as it came to the table. I did not even remember to take a photo. The shrimp were grilled up and had a great ginger flavor. The rice was perfect with a slight salty taste and a few crispy edges from the grill.

This was a great place to sushi. They have many other things on the menu, including some Thai dishes. I am looking forward to going back. Check them out at www.fancyqlakeland.com

Enjoy!

T

Omusubee – Lakeland, FL

It was a beautiful Spring morning and I headed to downtown Lakeland for the Saturday Farmers Market. It is a great place to go help support local businesses.

Each time I go I find something, and this Saturday was no exception. I saw a sign for a Japanese rice ball, and I was curious what that was all about.

They had a pretty large crowd around their booth. It seemed that everyone was interested in these rice balls. These are made with Japanese sushi rice that is stuffed with different filling and then wrapped in a seaweed sheet. It was also not in the shape of a ball but a triangle. The entire item was fascinating.

I took a chance and ordered a tune rice ball. Even the wrapping around the rice was unique.  You needed to pull the red arrows on the wrap in order to remove it, otherwise the seaweed might all have come apart.

It was creamy tuna salad in the middle of the soft rice. The rice did have a slight vinegar taste just like sushi. The seaweed wrap added a little crunch when I took a bite and it kept the triangle shape. It acted almost like an editable napkin.

The entire item was delicious. All three of the elements worked so well together. It was super easy to eat and easy to walk around the market.

They do have a website where you can order some other flavors. Then you can pick them up at the following weeks market. This is exactly what I did. I ordered another creamy tuna since I enjoyed it so much. I also ordered the eel. This was strips of cooked eel (just like I get when I order sushi) topped off with the sweet eel sauce. Then it was covered with the seaweed.

It was like eating a jumbo sushi roll. I actually popped it in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up. That made it a little easier to bit in to the eel.

I am so glad I found the at the Farmers Market. These rice balls are a nice snack and very easy to eat. Check them out and order a few at www.omusubeefl.com

Enjoy!

T

Harry Waugh Dessert Room – Tampa, FL

After enjoying a wonderful steak dinner at Bern’s Steakhouse. I had two options for dessert. I could either eat there at my table in the restaurant or I could head upstairs to the Harry Waugh Dessert Room. Naturally I went upstairs for a unique experience. Luckily, we had a reservation, otherwise we would not have been able to get in.

We were seated in a semi-private space. It was intimate enough for small groups without making you feel like you are closed in.

Their menu was filled with dessert and dessert like cocktails. I orders one of each. The actual dessert was shared with the table.

The specialty drink I ordered was called Dreamsicle. The drink was vanilla ice cream that was blended with orange juice, orange liqueur, and a splash of Valencia orange vodka.

This drink was rich and creamy. The orange flavor was extremely impactful and paired with the ice cream perfectly. It truly reminded me of a creamsicle/dreamsicle that I would get from the ice cream man in the summer.

For dessert, as if the cocktails weren’t enough, I ordered the King Midas. This was a nut infused carrot cake. The moist, spicy cake was topped with a Macadamia Nut ice cream and a slice of thin chocolate. The ice cream was sweet, and the nuts gave it a unique flavor that paired well with the nutty carrot cake. As the ice cream melted, it got soaked into the cake, which made it even more moist.

I am so glad that I went to the Dessert Room for dessert. It was the best way to end my evening.

If you want to learn more about the Dessert Room check out the website for Bern’s Steakhouse: www.bernssteakhouse.com

Enjoy!

T

Bern’s Steakhouse – Tampa, FL

For over 50 years Bern’s has been serving the Tampa area. What started as a small sandwich shop turned into a famous steakhouse. With their enormous wine cellar and a special dessert room, they have appeared many times on the Food Network and Travel Channel. I could not wait to check them out for dinner.

To start off the meal I ordered a bottle of Syltbar Prosecco. It is from Veneto, Italy. I love Prosecco and I never had this brand before. It was not very sweet, but it also was not overly dry. It was smooth to taste.

They brought out an assortment of breads. There was some fresh wheat bread that was soft. They also had these little crispy toasts. They had a garlic, buttery taste.

We started off with an appetizer of Tuna Tartare. This was the softest tuna that was diced into small pieces. It was then tossed with an array of spices, soy sauce, wasabi dashi (a wasabi dressing). It was topped off with tobiko (flying fish roe). They served crispy wontons on the side. The flavors of the sauces married perfectly with the flavor of the tuna. Because the tuna was so soft, the wonton crisps added a nice texture.

Out next was the French Onion Soup. There was a thick layer of cheese that was on top of the bowl. The edges were crispy and stuck to the rim of the bowl. As I took my spoon to open up the cheese, the hot steam from the soup poured out. I could smell garlic and the caramelized onions. The soup was loaded with them.

The broth was not too salty, just enough. The spelt toast that was in the soup soaked up a lot of the flavor from the broth. That softness of the bread went so well with the firmness of the melted cheese.

The house salad cam out next. This was a simple, classic salad. There were several dressings to choose from. I went for the White Balsamic Italian. The dressing had a nice tanginess to it that made the salad more exciting.

For my dinner I ordered the 8oz Filet Mignon. It was cooked to the perfect medium. Then it was topped with a garlic butter. The meat was so tender I could cut it with a butter knife. The garlic butter added a little extra herb flavor to the meat. There was a perfect char on the outside of the steak.

There were onion rings on the plate. These were more like onion straws that were fried up crispy. It was a nice textural element.

The vegetable for the evening was fresh green beans and carrots. They were cooked in butter to add a creamy saltiness.

And what side goes best with a steak? A baked potato of course. I got mine loaded with sweet butter, crumbled bacon, and chives. I splashed a little salt and pepper on top and I was ready to dig in. The bacon mixed with the butter made the potato moist and crunchy. It was a nice pairing with the juicy steak.

This was one of the best steaks that I have had in a long time. It was nice to visit a restaurant that has withstood the test of time. They are a must try when you visit Tampa.

Check out their website at www.bernssteakhouse.com

Enjoy!

T

Texas Cattle Company – Lakeland, FL

A special occasion calls for a good steak dinner. That is exactly what I got at Texas Cattle Company in downtown Lakeland, Florida. I got a table by the window so that I had a nice view for dinner.

A steak dinner needs to start off with a good bottle of wine. The Amici Cabernet Sauvignon was mild in flavor, without a dry aftertaste. It paired perfectly with steak.

We got one of their starters, the Blue Chips. These were homemade potato chips with a blue cheese cream sauce drizzled all over. Then it was topped off with extra blue cheese crumbles. All that blue cheese gave the crispy chips a sharp taste. They were delicious and it only helped enhance the flavor of the wine.

Every meal comes with a salad and homemade cheese garlic bread. The bread was amazing. The cheese was baked on till it was crispy. The bread itself was sweet and the cheese added a salty element. The garlic added a nice tanginess.

The salad was delicious. The lettuce was chopped up which made it much easier to eat. They tossed it in a house dressing. It tasted like an Italian dressing. You can get refills on the salad if you want. Although I could have eaten more salad, I passed on refills because I wanted to save room for my steak.

They were running a special on a 16oz bone in filet. I went for that because I have never had a filet still on the bone. It is supposed to help add additional flavor to the meat.

I got it prepared medium so it would be pink in the middle. The steak was extremely juicy which I noticed as soon as I cut into the meat. I got a little truffle butter on top. It melted overtop of the hot steak and that added additional earthly flavor to the meat. The seasoning on the steak was very satisfying.

I also got grilled shrimp on the side. The shrimp were tender and a great accompaniment to the steak, it is the whole surf and turf idea. The steak was just too big, so I had to take the shrimp home. I figured those would be good for lunch the next day.

The best side dish to go with a steak are potatoes. They offered loaded mashed potatoes. They bring out creamy mashed potatoes and they let you select what toppings to go on top. Naturally, I loaded up with butter, cheese, and bacon. It was the perfect choice.

My meal at Texas Cattle Company was delicious. Every dish was comforting and filled me up. This is a great place to go for a special occasion or just to spend the evening with someone special.

Check out all they have to offer at www.texascattlecompany.net

Enjoy!

T