Chef T’s Garden Grill – Lakeland, FL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy!

T

Salt Shack on the Bay – Tampa, FL

In the late 1930s there was an area in Tampa that was loaded with Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes. This area became known as Rattlesnake, Florida. Today tis is the area of Old Tampa Bay and the Gandy Bridge.

This is where you will find Salt Shack on the Bay.

This restaurant, right on the water, has beautiful views. The inside area has fire pits, tables and is complete with an old boat.

There is an open-air bar that you can grab a drink and sit at one of the many Adirondack chairs. It is a great place to just chill out.

Now if you are hungry there are tables both inside and outside. I got a table outside so I could enjoy the weather and the view of the water.

I ordered the Calamari Rings for a starter. The calamari were breaded and fried up nice and crispy. They also included some banana pepper slices that were fried up. They added a nice tangy flavor to the calamari, which was fresh and tender. They served a homemade “Island Sofrito Sauce”. It was a cross between a salsa ad marinara sauce. It added nice taste to the calamari.

For my meal I got the Coconut Curried Shrimp. This was sautéed shrimp with pineapple and peppers in a Jamaican curry sauce.

The shrimp were tender and soaked up the flavor of the curry. The sweetness of the pineapple complemented the slight hint of heat coming from the Jamaican seasoning in the curry sauce. The dish also came with sugar snap peas mixed in. It all sat on top of seasoned rice.

They included a pineapple salsa. This was delicious and I wish this was on the menu as an appetizer with tortilla chips. The pineapple was mixed with chopped tomatoes and cilantro. The overall flavor was sweet, but I did get some hint of sourness from the tomatoes. It was a nice contrast.

I also got to try the Fish Tacos. They used fresh Mahi that was blackened. They were layered in a flour tortilla along with shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro, jicama slaw, and tomato salsa. There was a drizzle of chili horseradish on top. The flakey fish was seasoned perfectly. He horseradish sauce helped pull it all together with the right amount of tanginess.

The food and the views were fantastic at Salt Shack. I was there in the afternoon during the week, so I was able to get a table. I hear that they get packed on the weekends.

If you want to learn more about the Rattlesnakes that were once in the area, check out their website at www.salt-shack.com

Enjoy!

T

Hula Bay Club – Tampa, FL

I love eating at restaurants that are on the water. It instantaneously makes me feel like I am on vacation, even though I might not be. Hula Bay Club is one of those places. They are located next to a marina, right off of Old Tampa Bay.

The views are spectacular from the back patio. There are tons of tables so that you can eat outside.

The day I was there I even got to see a Manatee swim by. That was the coolest thing.

To enjoy the view, I ordered the Conch Fritters. It came with a spicy Caribbean mango sauce. These fritters were loaded with fresh, tender, chopped up conch. The breading portion had great seasoning that gave it an herb flavor.

The fritter itself was moist so no dipping sauce was needed for that purpose. The sauce that was included added a nice spice to the fritter.

Another sharable that I ordered was the Kick’n Shrimp. This was fresh shrimp sautéed in a BBQ style butter sauce with garlic and Kona Beer. This sauce was amazing. It was creamy and rich. It was awesome with the shrimp but just as awesome on its own. They served this dish with a cheese bread. The bread was perfect for dipping in the buttery sauce. The bread was crispy because they melted cheese on top in the oven. I liked the extra saltiness it added to the taste.

For my lunch I ordered the Hula Bay Tuna Poke Bowl. It was a beautiful presentation. The tropical flower was a nice touch. They used Hawaiian Big Eye tuna that was tossed in a sesame dressing. This dressing was slightly spicy. Along with the tuna there was mango, edamame, crispy lettuce, carrots, and a cucumber salad. They also garnished it with seaweed and a house dressing.

I ate a few pieces of tuna before I mixed up all the ingredients together. Everything about this poke bowl was fresh. The saltiness from the seaweed complemented the sweetness of the mango. The lettuce and carrots added a crunch. The cucumber salad had an amazing sweet taste that accented the sesame dressing.  With all of these elements mixed together this dish was very filling.

Hula Bay Club is a fantastic place. They are always crowded. If you are not able to get a table check out Duke’s Beach Bar downstairs. They serve the same menu and the seating is all open.

Check them out at www.hulabayclub.com

Enjoy!

T

High Tide Harry’s – Orlando, FL

When in Florida, having fresh seafood is a must have. There is a restaurant in Orlando that has been serving up seafood since 1995 called High Tide Harry’s.

When you walk into the restaurant you are automatically transported to the beach. The ceilings and walls were painted with ocean scenes. There were huge fish hanging all over.

After sitting down, the waitress brought over some homemade Hush Puppies. They reminded me more of a fritter. The dough was a little sweet and soft on the inside. There was a nice crunch from the deep fryer on the outside.

They served a cinnamon butter on the side. When I spread some on the cut open hush puppy it melted instantaneously. It was sweet and creamy and now made the hush puppy more like a dessert. I loved how the cinnamon flavor paired perfectly with the sweet dough. I could have just eaten these and been full. They were a nice surprise, and I would come back just for these.

As an appetizer I got the Hot Blue Crab Dip. This cheesy dip was loaded with lump crabmeat. It was sweet and creamy. Tortilla chips accompanied the dip. It was a great way to scoop up the dip.

I was excited to try their Chargrilled Oysters. I only got a half dozen because I wanted to save room to try a few other things. The oysters came out pipping hot. They use a great amount of garlic and butter. There was only a little sprinkling of parmesan cheese, but they used a generous amount of Italian seasoning to help create a savory flavor.

The oysters were cooked perfectly that they briny taste was gone. They were tender and went down easy. They served some garlic toast on the side which was great to soak up the extra garlic and butter.

The Ahi Tuna was also a delicious dish. They seared Yellowfin Tuna and served it with seaweed, wasabi, and soy sauce. The tuna was so fresh that it melted in my mouth. There was a nice seasoning on the outside that added a salty taste. I added a little wasabi to the spy sauce to help give the tuna a little heat.

The last thing I tried was the Blue Stew. This was a tomato-based soup that was loaded with Blue Crabmeat, potatoes, and vegetables. It was a nice savory soup because of the seasoning they used. It had a little hint of Old Bay. I liked the chopped-up potatoes they used. It added a slight creamy texture to each bite.

I enjoyed everything I tried at High Tide Harry’s. The menu is huge so I barely scratched the surface. They had a nice crowd of both tourists and locals. They are not far from the International Airport so I would pop over again in the future. Visit their website at www.hightideharrys.com

Enjoy!

T