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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
La Segunda is an institution in Tampa. The bakery has been operating since 1915, making fresh breads and pastries. I went to visit their restaurant and grab something to eat.
There was a lot to choose from. They had pastry cases full of pure happiness. I did get three desserts to go so that I could enjoy them at home later. They had so many things to choose from it was a hard choice for me.
I finally decided on the carrot
cake, the cheese danish, and the guava cheese turnover.
The carrot cake was extremely moist. The spice in the cake was great, it tasted like nutmeg. The cream cheese frosting was sweet and creamy. It paired well with the spice in the cake. There was also a lot of sweet raisins mixed throughout the cake. It was perfect with a cold glass of milk.
The guava cheese turnover was my favorite. The flakey pastry was moist and held in the filling nicely. The sweet cream cheese paired well with the semi-sweet and tart guava jam.
The cheese danish was huge. It is good to share because one person could not eat all of it. The cheese filling was creamy and super sweet. They used a generous amount that made the danish heavy in weight. The dough they used for the pastry was light and flakey.
I ordered the Media Noche. It is the ingredients of a Cuban sandwich on a special bread called Medianoche (a sweet, eggy bread). The bread was loaded with marinated pork, smoked ham, Genoa salami, swiss cheese, crunchy dill pickles, and a special sauce. I had the sandwich pressed so that it would warm up the fillings and make the outside of the bread crispy.
The pork was my favorite part of the sandwich. The shredded pork was tender and juicy. It was full of flavor from the Mojo marinade. The special sauce did have mustard in it but I could not make out the other ingredients, but it did help tie all the components together.
I loved all the pastries and the
sandwich that I got at La Segunda. I can see why they have been around for over
a century.
Downtown Lakeland does a fun food truck rally the second Thursday of every month. They close the main streets down and different food trucks line the streets around Munn Park. It is a fun way to get to experience all the local food trucks in one spot.
So over the course of a few months I have made my way to
downtown to experience a few of those trucks. I thought this would be a great
write up to talk about each truck I tried. The Lakeland food truck rally is a
fun time for the whole family.
The name of this truck says it all. They are all about
bacon. Who doesn’t love bacon. It was a hard choice for me of what to try, it
all looked delicious.
I went for the Fat
Tony Tater Tots. These were crispy fried tater tots that were smothered in
their homemade mac and cheese. Then they were topped with a ton of crumbled
bacon.
The mac and cheese was so creamy. They used so much cheese,
which is what made it so good. I also loved how much bacon they used. It was so
crispy. Each bite had bacon in it, adding a great crunch.
This is a Venezuelan food truck. I ordered the Arepazo
special. Arepa is a flat corn bread
that is stuffed with different meats and cheeses. The special arepa I ordered
came stuffed with pork, beef, and chicken along with gouda cheese.
The corn bread was like a shell. It was soft and had a nice
corn taste. It was a little sweet which paired well with the saltiness of the
meats. I also loved how much cheese they used. The creaminess went so well with
the corn bread.
I also got two of their empanadas. I got one pollo (chicken) and one carne (beef). Both the chicken and beef were shredded. The empanada shell was deep fried until crispy. The dough was slightly sweet. It helped hold in the heat, so each bite of the meat was hot. The meats were full of flavor from the spices they used to tenderize the meat.
The owners of this fun food truck are originally from New
Jersey. This inspired them to bring a bit of the Jersey Shore to Florida. And
when I think of the shore, I remember all the fun times I had on the boardwalk
eating French fries. So it was only fitting that I order one of their French fry
options.
The bleu cheese fries looked really yummy. They took crispy French
fries and tossed them with Buffalo wing sauce. Then they covered it in bleu
cheese sauce with extra bleu cheese crumbles. These fries tasted just like
chicken wings. The tangy vinegar taste from the wing sauce was minimized by the
creamy bleu cheese sauce.
This food truck offers up Nicaraguan cuisine. I do not remember
ever trying Nicaraguan food so I was looking forward to trying something. I
ordered the Cerdo Asado. This meal
included charbroiled pork in an achiote rub. It came with white rice, a tangy
slaw, and fried plantains. I also got a side of homemade Chimichurri sauce.
The pork was tender and the seasoning on it was fantastic.
It was very impactful. It reminded me almost like a blackening seasoning. I
drizzled the Chimichurri sauce over the pork and rice. The sauce added even
more flavor to the dish. It had a salty and herby taste.
The slaw was very interesting. It was very sour tasting. It reminded me of a Korean Kimchi. The fried plantains were very sweet. They were cooked up just how I like them. I enjoy ripe plantains in all cuisines, Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Jamaican. They are the perfect side dish.
I was not sure what to expect when I walked up to Spontaneous
Consumption. Their name did not really hint at what they would be serving. When
I saw their sign for loaded baked potatoes they grabbed my attention. I had not
had a loaded potato in a while. Then when I saw their Philly Potato on the
n=menu I knew this is where I was going to eat.
This one pound potato was covered with tender beef steak, grilled onions and peppers, tons of cheese, sour cream, and green onions. The potato was full of flavor. The beef was tender and tasted great with the onions and peppers. It was as if I was eating a cheese steak. I liked that they used shredded cheddar cheese rather than a cheese sauce. It prevented it from being messy to eat. The sour cream just added extra creaminess. Table
There is a shopping area on the south side of Lakeland that has several little local restaurants. This is where I found Thai Oishi.
They are a
fairly small inside, so they fill up quickly. They have an extensive menu that
offers Thai dishes as well as sushi options.
I started off with two appetizers. They were small so it allowed everyone at the table to enjoy the taste. The coconut shrimp came out first. They were slightly butterflied. They were covered in coconut flakes that fried up very crispy. There was a nice sweet taste to the coconut. The sweet chili sauce for dipping was amazing. The slight hint of heat paired well with the sweetness of the coconut.
The other appetizer was the steamed dumplings. These wonton wrappers were filled with ground chicken, mushrooms, water chestnuts for a slight crunch, carrots and peas. They steamed the dumplings up in a bamboo steamer.
Then they
were topped with fried garlic and scallions. A ginger soy sauce was served on
the side. The ginger added extra flavor to a generic soy sauce. The filling for
the dumplings was tender and very moist. I enjoyed them more when I dipped them
in the ginger soy sauce.
Rather than getting my usual ginger salad, I decided to change and try something else. I ordered the cucumber salad. This was fresh cucumber chopped up with tomatoes, scallions, carrots, and onions. A sweet tangy Thai dressing was drizzled on top.
The
cucumbers and tomatoes made this salad extremely fresh. The flavor of the
dressing went so well with these vegetables. It was sweeter rather than tangy.
What I
really enjoy about Asian restaurants is that their dishes can be shared family
style. That is exactly what was done on this visit.
The Thai fried rice came out first. This stir fired rice was cooked up with egg, scallions, carrots, tomato, cucumber, and broccoli. I got pork added in for extra flavor and a little protein. The flavor of the rice was delicious. There was a slight smokey taste from being cooked up. The vegetables helped make the dish filling.
The second dish was the Lad Na. This was a stir-fried rice noodle. The rice noodles were a medium thickness and it absorbed the flavor from the sauce. They loaded this dish with broccoli, carrots, and diced up chicken. The chicken was very tender. The sauce that they put on this dish had a nice garlic taste with a hint of soy sauce and ginger.
I really enjoyed my dinner at Thai Oishi. I would want to go back to try a few other dishes as well as some sushi. Check them out at www.thaioishirestaurant.com
I love going to wineries when I travel. It gives me a chance to try something new. When I was visiting the beautiful city of St. Augustine I came across the San Sebastian Winery. I had arrived just in time for their winery tour, and to my surprise this tour and the tasting that followed was free.
The tour started off with a video talking about the history of the winery and how they were able to get a hybrid grape to grow in the Florida climate. I also learned that there is a native grape in Florida called the muscadine grape. They also have a sister winery in Central Florida where many of the grapes are grown.
After the video we took a quick walk through the tank room. Here they explained how many gallons of wine the metal tanks hold.
After the tour we headed downstairs to their tasting room. We were going to get to try pretty much everything they make. Our tour guide did a fantastic job describing the wines as we tasted. I tried the best I could to make notes about everything I tried. I ended up buying 6 bottles to take home.
Here are the wines I tired, all in order.
Pinot Grigio – this was not a sweet wine
nor was it dry. I felt this was mild. It was recommended to enjoy this wine
with some fresh Florida seafood.
Chardonnay – Now I am not usually a fan
of Chardonnay because they tend to be really dry to me. I was willing to try
this one. It was smooth and not that dry. I could see someone drinking this
with a nice chicken dish.
Rosa – This was a sweet wine that is made
with the native Florida muscadine grape. I felt this was perfect for sipping,
no food is needed to enjoy this wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon – This is a very
classic dry red wine. It did have some oak flavor. It had a great aftertaste.
When I tasted this, I could see myself eating some pasta while enjoying a
glass.
Vintner’s White – This was another sweet
wine. It was sweeter than the Rosa. It had a fruity taste. It is recommended
that this wine be drunk within 2-3 days after opening the bottle. This wine is
also made with the Florida muscadine grape.
Vintner’s Red – This is the red version
of the white wine I wrote about above. They make the red version from the Noble
variety of the muscadine grape. They served this wine chilled. It would be
perfect to make a sangria out of this wine.
Proprietor’s Reserve – This is a special
blend of the Vintner’s Red and sherry. This is a true sipping wine that is
sweet. It would be good after dinner with some cheese.
Cream Sherry – This is the perfect
dessert wine. It had almost a caramel taste to it. It was recommended to enjoy
this sherry with an assortment of cheeses. This is good for 8-10 months once it
has been opened.
Ruby Port – The port I got to try had
been aged 6 months. It was fresh and had a hint of nuttiness. It was light and
the perfect dessert wine. This port is also good for 8-10 months once the
bottle has been opened.
Blanc de Fleur – This
is their sparkling wine. The create these by the traditional method called Methode Champenoise. This means that
each bottle is fermented individually, aged and rotated by hand until it is
ready to be sold. This bubbly wine was sweet and full of fruity flavor. It
would be perfect for any special occasion.
Mulled Wine – This
was a special treat right at the end. They have a blend of spices that include
cinnamon and cloves that they let simmer in their Vintner’s Red wine. They do
this until the flavors are amerced into the wine. The smell and the taste of
the mulled wine feels like Christmas in a glass. It would be perfect to serve
on a cold winter night. You can buy their bag of spices and make it with any red
wine.
The wine tour and tasting was a fabulous experience. Now it
was time to head upstairs to their roof top bar. There you can order some food,
enjoy a cocktail or a bottle of wine, and look out over the city of St.
Augustine.
I decided to order a sangria. They used the Vintner’s Red wine, chilled it and added some fresh slices of fruit. It was very refreshing and sweet. It was perfect for a warm Florida afternoon. My friend got a glass of port since he enjoyed it so much during the tasting. The roof top was a fun place to hang out. We left before the band arrived but I am sure everyone there had a blast.
If you are in St. Augustine and you enjoy wine, then
stopping by San Sebastian Winery is a must. And the good thing is they can ship
the wine to you.
