Category: Florida

Lakeridge Winery – Clermont, FL

With things starting to open back up I was thrilled to see that Lakeridge Winery was open for tours and tastings. This is the sister winery to San Sebastian Winery in St. Augustine that I wrote about several months ago.

Because of all the social distancing that is in place, the tour of the winery was self-guided. I got to take my time and walk through the barrel rooms looking at all the tanks.

I got to see where they pack up all the cases and ship them off to stores.

The grounds are growing. They have several huge fermentation tanks outside filled with wine. They have rows and rows of grapevines. Most of them are the native Florida Muscadine grape.

For the tastings, they had different stations set up. You take your tasting cup and just move from station to station at your own pace. It is not rushed at all. The tastings started from dry to sweet.

The first tasting station was for the Cabernet Sauvignon. This red wine was slightly dry but was mild to me. There was a hint of oak flavor that is common in Cabernets. I could imagine myself eating a bowl of spaghetti while enjoying this wine. I bought a bottle of this to enjoy at home.

The second tasting was the Chardonnay. This was definitely dry. I thought this was much dryer than the Cabernet. When it comes to wine, Chardonnay is not my favorite but if you are a Chardonnay fan, this one could be great for you. This one would be great with some blue cheese and crackers.

My third tasting was their Chablis. They classify this as a semi-dry wine. This is one of their wines that is made from the Florida Muscadine grape. His is a mild wine to me. It would be a great compromise wine if one person liked dry and another liked sweet. I think both people would enjoy this, especially if enjoying some nice grilled chicken. I enjoyed this tasting so much that I asked for another taste just to be sure. And I am glad I did. This was another bottle that I bought.

Now it was time for station four, the Sunblush. This was classified as a semi-sweet. Their description of this wine evoked the image of a Florida sunset. Who wouldn’t feel like they were on vacation after hearing that? They used Muscadine grapes in this wine as well. Naturally, they said you could enjoy this wine with pasta. But I am convinced that all wines can be enjoyed with pasta. I enjoyed this as a sipping wine. I bought a bottle of this too!

Station five started off with their Southern White, a true sweet wine. This was naturally made with the Florida Muscadine grape, which does have a natural sweetness to it. The taste of this wine reminded me of a Moscato or a Riesling, which I really enjoy.  This was crispy and best served when chilled. I could imagine drinking this wine at the beach and joying some fresh tropical fruit.

The sixth station was the last of the main tastings.  It was for the Southern Red. They use the Noble variety of the Muscadine grape for this wine. It turns out that this is their best-selling wine. They also served tis wine chilled. I could see myself enjoying this wine with a big slice of chocolate cake or even a brownie, which is why I bought a bottle of this. It was just so smooth, and the sweetness was not that overpowering.

One of the things I love about Lakeridge winery us their tastings are free. It allows people to determine what they like and then purchase it downstairs in their store. It works because I left with six bottles.

 They offered something new in terms of tastings. They had two special made wines that were done in small batches. To taste these, it cost $5.00. So, I figured it would be worth it. Both wines were made from Napa Valley grapes but were produced 100% in Florida.

The first was a Cabernet Sauvignon. This was a full body wine. There was no harsh after taste. But this was much dryer than their main line Cabernet.

The second special batch wine was the Petite Sirah. This was another full body wine. This had more fruit flavors than I was expecting. I could taste a hint of blackberry.  Enjoyed this wine and thought it would go great with a juicy steak.

Now this ended the tastings that were upstairs in the winery. They were offering additional tastings at the main bar. I made sure to take advantage of this opportunity. I love being able to sample wins before making a purchase. That way I know I will enjoy it.

At the downstairs bar I started off by tasting their Pinot Grigio. This wine is produced in one of their many steel tanks. There was zero oak taste to this wine because of the process. It is semi-dry, definitely not as dry as their Chardonnay.

Next, I went for another sweet wine called Pink Crescendo. This is their sparkling wine. It is a rose and it was very bubbly. It would be perfect for a celebration. They did offer a tasting of this mixed with some pink lemonade. That combination was amazing. It made the taste both sweet and tangy, perfect for a party.

One of the last sweet wines I tried was their Proprietor’s Reserve. This is a bend of their Southern Red and their cream Sherry. It was definitely a dessert wine. It was amazing to me. The sweetness would pair so well with some Parmesan cheese because of the contrast in flavors. This is why I bought a bottle of this.

There are two specialty wines they off that I made sure to try. The first was the Port. This was what I had tried at San Sabastian Winery and loved. I still loved it when I sampled it here. I bought 2 bottles for home.

The other specialty was the Ruby Port. This was the blending of the port and their cream sherry. This was super sweet, almost too sweet for me. I am glad I tried it though.

To my last surprise, the host behind the bar brought out one last treat for me to try. It was a wine slushie. It blended some of their Southern Red wine with a Wine-A-Rita mix and blended it with ice. I was a delicious summer treat. It would be perfect for at the beach or pool.

I had such a wonderful visit and experience at Lakeridge Winery. The entire staff was welcoming and friendly. I would go back in a heartbeat to enjoy another tasting.

Checking out their hours and their wines at www.lakeridgewinery.com

Enjoy!

T

Country Chicken ‘N Fish – Lakeland, FL

I absolutely love fried chicken. It is one of my favorite comfort foods. There is this little hole in the wall place in Lakeland, Florida that has been cooking up homemade fired chicken for decades, Country Chicken ‘N Fish.

You can just walk up to their window and place your order.

I had been passing this restaurant for years and always noticed a line of people waiting to order. I finally made a stop. I picked up an 8-piece bucket to enjoy at home. They have some picnic tables outside if you want to enjoy it there, but most people get theirs to go.

The chicken was piping hot when I got my order. It cooled off a little by the time I got home, which as a good thing. The breading on the chicken was super crispy. It locked in the moisture of the chicken, so it was very juicy. The flavor of the breading was your classic southern style, slightly salty with a hint of black pepper. Nothing fancy, just simple.

The wings were extra crispy and very meaty. They are the perfect kind of wing you want when watching football.

They have a few other items on their menu including fried fish. I definitely want to go back and try that. I can see why this restaurant has been around for a while. The food is great, and the staff was very friendly.

Check them out at https://www.yelp.com/biz/country-chicken-and-fish-lakeland

Enjoy!

T

A & N Italian Deli – Clearwater, FL

A while back I wrote about an Italian market called Felice’s Deli. They have amazing dishes and desserts that can be eaten there or taken home to enjoy. Well it turns out they have a sister location called A & N Italian Deli. It is in Clearwater, Florida. I was excited to check them out.

They are a little smaller inside, but they still carry all the desserts, deli meats and cheeses, and prepared Italian specialties, like meatballs and eggplant.

For my visit I wanted to get a nice, big Italian sandwich. I figured I would not go wrong with The Godfather. This sandwich was loaded with Genoa salami, capicola, pepperoni, mortadella, and provolone cheese. There was so much meat. Then they added a little tomato and lettuce. They drizzled Italian dressing across off the it. The dressing soaked into the fresh made sesame seed hoagie roll.

The bread was amazing. It really tied the entire sandwich together. The crust was crunchy and held together nicely. The meats were so tender and full of flavor. The saltiness of the meats were smoothed out by the creaminess of the cheese and the fresh juiciness of the tomato.

Knowing the meaty sandwich would fill me up, I got some desserts to go. The mini cheesecakes and mini cannoli would be perfect for later.

The cannoli were amazing. The shell was crunchy and had a hint of cinnamon. The filling was extremely smooth and creamy. There was no grittiness to it at all. The few chocolate chips added a little extra crunch.

The mini cheesecakes were also creamy in texture but firm. One was topped with cherries and the other with blueberries. That added a little extra sweetness to each bite. The graham cracker crust held it all together but did not take away from the cheesecake itself.

I loved my lunch and dessert from A & N. The flavors were wonderful. It is nice to find another authentic Italian deli in Florida. Check them out at www.felicedeli.com

Enjoy!

T

Got Dessert – Lakeland, FL

During the crazy time of the virus shutdown, being able to write about restaurants was impossible. But food trucks were open and rolling all around town. I was excited that I got to try Got Dessert two different times.

The first time I enjoyed them was when I visited a local blueberry farm. They were offering a few blueberry themed desserts.

The blueberry mini pie was delicious. It was both sweet and tart. It was slightly warm, which made the filling even better. The crust was crispy which went well with the soft filling.

But I could not settle for only one blueberry dessert. I needed to try their blueberry sundae too. The creamy, soft serve vanilla ice cream was covered in a fresh blueberry compote. It was also sweet and sour, but the sweetness of the ice cream toned down the sour taste.

A different day I was able to check out Got Dessert at a different location. They had a completely different menu for this visit.

I tired the mini chocolate pie. The crispy pie shell was filled with a creamy chocolate pudding. It was topped with a meringue that was firm to the touch but light and fluffy to taste.  It added texture to the pudding that traditional whipped cream would not have done.

I really liked that I was able to visit Got Dessert on two different occasions. They do have great desserts to satisfy any sweet tooth.

Check them out at www.gotdessertlakeland.com to find out where they will be next.

Enjoy!

T

La Imperial Bakery – Lakeland, FL

The pandemic that we have all been facing has affected every single person in one way or another. One area hit hardest has been restaurants. I have been trying to do my part by getting take out from local establishments. La Imperial Bakery is one of those local places.

This Puerto Rican restaurant was having a “Hard Times” menu with specials that I thought I would check out.

One of the items on the menu was a chicken and rice soup. The chicken broth had a great salty taste. It was filled with fresh carrots and onions, plus a ton of fresh chicken breast meat that was shredded. They served a slice of toast on the side. This was no ordinary toast. They pressed a slice of Cuban bread extremely thin until it got extra crispy and savory from the butter they added.

I also got the half Cuban special. This was a half Cuban sandwich served with a side of rice and beans. The Cuban sandwich was on the delicious, fresh Cuban bread. It was the perfect proportion of ham, pulled pork, and cheese. The rice and beans were full of flavor and the perfect accent to the sandwich.

They were also running a BOGO special on their homemade pastries. They had several to choose from.

The Guava and Cheese Pie was crispy and sweet. The filling of cream cheese and guava paste was very sweet together. The two different textures did go well together. The pastry shell was light and flakey. It reminded me of a turnover. I ended up warming it slightly in the microwave. This made the cheese a little softer and easier to eat than being cold.

The other dessert was the Cream Filled Horn. This was light and fluffy whipped cream stuffed in a crispy pastry shell. They sprinkled powdered sugar on top for added sweetness. I really liked the flavor of the cream. It was messy to eat, but totally worth it.

I am glad that I could help a local restaurant during these difficult times. I am looking forward to when everything gets back to normal and I can go to enjoy one of their many other dishes that they normally have on their menu,

Check out their website at www.imperiallakeland.com

Enjoy!

T

Stasio’s Italian Market – Orlando, FL

In the wake of the country’s new social distancing reality, it has been a challenge for a food blogger to write about restaurants. Fortunately, there are a few places open for take-out that I have been able to visit. Stasio’s Italian Market in Orlando, Florida is one of those places.

This is an Italian market that offers meats, cheeses, and homemade dishes that you can take home and enjoy.

They also have a little market area where you can get sauces, pastas, cookies, and some everyday cooking essentials.

I got a container of anti-pasta salad. This was a blend of pepperoni, cheese, salami, ham, peppers, olives, and celery. It was tossed in an Italian dressing that had hints of basil and oregano. It was very filling. They were very generous with the amount of meats they used.

I also got a container of pasta salad. They used tri-colored pasta and mixed it with carrots, cheese, and zucchini. They combined it all together with a little mayo and a little seasoning. The pasta was tender. I liked the raw zucchini they included; it added a nice crunch.

The final thing I ordered was their meatballs. They were huge in size which were perfect for sharing. The meatballs were tender and moist. There was the perfect ratio of meat and breadcrumbs. The flavor from the seasoning was spot on. Their marinara sauce was a little tangy and complemented the meatballs.

I was grateful that Stasio’s was open for takeout. I am glad I was able to help a local business during this time of uncertainty. The items I ordered were great. I look forward to when everything gets back to normal, so I can go and enjoy a few other items from their menu at their restaurant.

Check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/category/Restaurant/Stasios-Italian-deli-194418224503776/

Enjoy!

T

Rum Fish Grill – St. Petersburg Beach, FL – Visit #2

Well I made it back to Rum Fish Grill sooner than I expected. I really enjoyed my last visit, so I figured I would go back and try some other dishes. Plus, I needed to see the fish in the tanks again.

I really enjoyed the Banana Colada I got last time, so I ordered it again. I love the creamy texture and the sweet taste of banana and coconut. They are a great flavor combination.

I was looking forward to trying some new dishes. I ordered the crab cakes first. They use fresh blue crab meat and mixed it with seasoning and breadcrumbs. They used a lot of crab meat that was sweet tasting. There was an Old Bay remoulade that added nice spice to the crab cake. I really love the flavor of Old Bay on seafood. There was a shaved fennel salad and arugula on the plate that also tasted great with the remoulade.

I also ordered a flatbread. This was the caprese flatbread loaded with fresh mozzarella, fresh cut tomatoes, fresh basil, prosciutto, and drizzled with a balsamic reduction. The crust was extremely crispy and had a nice char from the oven. All of the toppings worked well together. The creamy cheese and the salty prosciutto were the best part.

Both of these dishes went perfect with my Banana Colada. I am glad I went back to Rum Fish Grill. This is a really good restaurant. I highly recommend them.

Check them out at www.rumfishgrill.com

Enjoy!

T

Rum Fish Grill – St Petersburg Beach, FL

Near the Tradewinds Resort in St. Pete Beach is a seafood restaurant called Rum Fish.

Inside the restaurant are these great fish tanks that are filled with an array of tropical fish. They were all different sizes and I even saw an eel hiding under some rocks. I could sit there all day just watching the fish swim back and forth. The tanks were built by the show TANKED on Animal Planet.

I grabbed a seat at the bar and ordered my first happy hour cocktail, the Mango Rum Runner. This was mango rum, blackberry brandy, banana liqueur, orange and pineapple juice, and a splash of grenadine. This drink definitely made me feel like I was on vacation. It was sweet, and I enjoyed how refreshing and tropical tasting it was.

This cocktail went really well with the Tuna Poke that I ordered. The tuna was marinated in a miso dressing which was sweet and salty.  The tuna was tender and just melted in my mouth.  I love fresh tuna. They served it on top of sliced cucumber and some arugula. The cucumbers added a crunch while the arugula added a peppery taste. They also served some crispy wontons on the side. These were great when I loaded up pieces if tuna on them. It added extra crunch to the soft tuna.

Since the tuna was so good, I also ordered the Peppercorn Tuna. This tuna was thinly sliced and seared on the outside. I could taste the pepper, but it was not overpowering. It blended well with the salty soy sauce they poured on top as well as the hot mustard. They also included arugula on this dish for extra pepper taste. They topped it off with some pickled ginger. This added a nice tangy bite in between eating the slices of tuna.

The last dish I ordered was the Crab Dip. It came out sizzling hot. They blended together creamy cream cheese, parmesan cheese, spinach, and artichokes. Then they loaded it up with lump crab meat. They used a generous amount and it was extremely sweet. They served pita chips on the side. They were perfect to scoop the rich crab dip.

For dessert I ordered another cocktail. The Banana Colada sounded like the perfect way to end my meal. This drink was amazing. They blended banana rum, pineapple juice, pina colada mix, and topped it off with a dark rum floater. I could taste the banana flavor, which I loved. The other juices helped make the cocktail sweet.

I totally enjoyed everything I ordered. The food was fantastic and the drinks were fun and flavorful. I would recommend Rum Fish Grill to everyone. I plan on going back soon.

Check them out at www.rumfishgrill.com

Enjoy!

T

Boulevard Burgers – St. Petersburg Beach, FL

I was told by a friend if I was ever visiting St. Pete Beach in Florida, I had to go to Boulevard Burgers because they had the best burgers on the beach. So when I was there a few weeks ago I made sure to stop in. That weekend I actually visited two different times.

The restaurant and bar were pretty busy both times I was there. I grabbed a seat at the bar. The staff was amazing. They waited on me right away and were attentive the entire time.

The first night I ordered The Boulevard, which is a double patty burger with American cheese. It also came with my choice of sides. I went for the French fries.

The French fries were thick cut. They were crispy but definitely needed some ketchup since they were so thick.

The cheeseburger was extremely juicy. The ground meat was tender and extremely fresh. They used two slices of American cheese, one on each patty. The cheese was so creamy and just oozed down the sides of the patty. The cheese also added extra moisture to the burger. It was the perfect blend of meat and cheese.

Later in the weekend I went back to Boulevard Burgers. I really enjoyed them, so I thought I would get another burger. I got The Boulevard again. This time I shared it and got tater tots.

The tots were crispy and had the right amount of salt on them. The burger came out with the American cheese but this time the cook only put the cheese on one of the patties. This made the burger not as moist as my first one. The meat had good flavor from the seasoning. I was just disappointed it was not oozing with cheese.

The second night I was there they were having a chicken wing special. So I ordered a couple of wings in medium Buffalo sauce. I made sure to get them well done and extra wet.

The wings were plump and full of meat. They were crispy when I took a bite. The sauce was very tangy with a hint of spice. It was a really nice surprise to be able to get wings. These would be perfect for an afternoon of watching football.

The burgers are really good at Boulevard Burgers. It was definitely worth the visit. If you are hungry for a burger, this is certainly a place I would recommend.

Check them out at www.blvdburgers.com

Enjoy!

T

Toasted Monkey – St. Petersburg, FL

St. Petersburg has many fun beach bars to check out. Toasted Monkey is one of those. Thy have the main bar in the front and the actual beach bar in the back.

The day I visited it was cold, so sitting outside at the beach bar was out of the question. Yes, it does get cold in Florida. I stayed nice and warm inside enjoying a cocktail.

While there I also ordered a few starters to snack on. The calamari  was a given to me. We were so close to the water I knew it would be fresh. The calamari was breaded and fried. It came out crispy and tender with a hint of pepper. I did not even need to use the marinara sauce on the side. The flavor from the pepper and the salt I added was enough.

I also ordered the zucchini sticks. This was zucchini that were cut into stripes, breaded, and deep fried. The zucchini was fresh and tender, and the breading was crispy. It was a light breading, not taking away the texture of the zucchini. There was a nice salty taste to the breading. They also sprinkled a little parmesan cheese on top that added extra flavor.

Toasted Monkey was a fun little local place to hit in St. Petersburg. The staff was friendly and there seemed to be a lot of locals who visited. I would want to go back on a warmer day to check out their beach bar.

Visit their website at www.TheToastedMonkey.com

Enjoy!

T