Enjoying National Shrimp Day at Texas Cattle Company. I ordered the Dang Bang Shrimp. This is crispy shrimp in a sweet and spicy cream sauce.
Check them out at www.texascattlecompany.net
Enjoy!
T
National Shrimp Day
Dough J’s Chicken & Donuts – Webster, FL
Florida has a lot of small towns that offer unique experiences. One of those towns is Webster, Florida. They have a large farmers market and a huge flea market. I have driven through Webster many times but never stopped because I was always driving somewhere else.
This time I decided to stop and check out a little, local shop called Dough J’s Chicken and Donuts.
They open really early in the morning, which means they sell out quickly on their donuts and pastries. By the time I got there, that is what happened. They only had a few donut choices left. So, for my next visit I need to get there sooner.
So, I decided to try some of their breakfast items. The Breakfast Bowl was the perfect layering of ingredients for easy eating. They started off with creamy grits that were topped with shredded cheese. Then they layered scrambled eggs and crumbled breakfast sausage. I loved all the layers because I could take one big spoonful and get every component. The grits were my favorite because they were so creamy. My next favorite part was the sausage. It had a great savory flavor.
I also tried the Chicken Biscuit. The biscuit was freshly made. It was flakey and had a great buttery taste. The fried chicken was juicy and crispy. It was a generous piece of chicken. It actually was hard to eat this chicken biscuit because it was too big to take a bite. Nonetheless I enjoyed it. The chicken biscuit also included a side of breakfast potatoes. These were perfect bite size pieces of potato that were fried up and seasoned. They were great with a little ketchup.
I am glad I finally stopped in Webster. Dough J’s was great for breakfast and I look forward to trying one of their donuts on the next visit.
Enjoy!
T
Siro – Orlando, FL
Inside the Marriott World Center in Orlando, Florida is an Italian restaurant called Siro. They call it Urban Italian because they take classic dishes and put an updated spin on it.
I was there for a large group dinner, so the restaurant put together a fixed menu for us to choose from. They did offer a good number of choices. There were a few appetizers that came out to all the tables.
The Charcuterie Board was well put together. The presentation was beautiful and made my mouth water. They offered three meats: salami, prosciutto, and soppressata. They offered three cheeses as well: brie, parmesan, and sharp cheddar. It was great to make different combinations of meat and cheese with either the stone ground mustard or berry jam. The am was my favorite because it paired perfectly with the salty meats and cheese. The jam and brie with the prosciutto was my absolute favorite combination because the brie added creaminess.
Another appetizer that came out was meatballs. These large, homemade meatballs were juicy and moist. They were covered with a fresh marinara sauce. The parmesan cheese sprinkled on top melted nicely. The meatballs were seasoned well. I would have enjoyed these as a meal with some pasta.
The calamari rings were an easy appetizer to pass around the table. They were lightly breaded and fried. They served the same freshly made marinara sauce on the side that came with the meatballs. The calamari pieces were extremely tender.
For my dinner I selected the Seared Scallops. These jumbo scallops came on top of a sweet corn risotto and pickled Fresno peppers. The scallops had a beautiful sear on the edges that created a slight crispiness. The scallops were tender and extremely sweet. The sweet corn risotto was a unique take on risotto. It did not have a strong corn taste – just a sweetness like creamed corn. The risotto was tender and cooked perfectly so it would not be mushy.
I also got to try the Seafood Pasta. They made fresh spaghetti, which helped make this dish special. They coated the spaghetti with a white wine cream sauce with lobster and shrimp. It was so creamy and rich. The lobster added a sweetness to the dish. It was crave worthy comfort food for sure.
For dessert, we were given a few options. I went for the Gelato. This was a homemade vanilla gelato. It was sweet and creamy. The fresh vanilla flavor made this dessert refreshing after such a rich dinner.
It was a great dinner at Siro to enjoy with a wonderful group of people. The meal was great and even with a pre-fixed menu the choices were excellent. I would go back again just to try their regular menu.
Check them out at the Marriott website at:
Enjoy!
T
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
National Beer Day
Enjoying National Beer Day at Swan Brewing. They have a great assortment of local craft beers to choose from.
Check them out at www.swanbrewing.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