Tag: Tampa

I love having brunch on the weekends. Having brunch in Tampa, on the water, is amazing. There are several places to check out, but American Social is one of my favorite spots.

It is on the water so you can watch the boats go by. There is both indoor and outdoor seating. They have a lively outside bar that is perfect for watching football in the fall.

We were there with friends visiting from New Jersey on a Saturday. Good thing we had reservations because this place was packed.

To start off brunch, a mimosa is necessary. The fresh orange juice mixed with the bubbles of the champagne made the start of the brunch just perfect.

We started off with an appetizer that we all could share. The soft baked pretzel was the perfect choice for everyone to enjoy. The pretzels were made into long pieces, almost like breadsticks. This made it much easier to share. The pretzel had a buttery taste to it. The inside dough was extremely soft. I loved that doughy texture.

They served freshly made beer cheese and honey mustard on the sides. The mustard did have a sweet taste to it, but the beer cheese was my favorite. It was creamy and had a slight tang to it from the beer.

The Poke Tuna Tower was also ordered. This dish had a beautiful presentation. The layers were extremely colorful. There was diced Ahi tuna, guacamole, crispy wonton strips, wakume (seaweed), sesames, soy sauce, and sriracha.

The tuna was immensely tender. It just melted away in my mouth. The soy sauce gave it a salty taste, but it was subtle. The guacamole added a creamy texture to each bite. The sriracha did not add any heat, just additional flavor. Each layer added texture and flavor to the whole dish. It was amazing.

I was excited to try the Hot Chicken Sliders. I love hot chicken and I was excited to see how a restaurant in Tampa interpreted a Nashville staple.

These were small bites, came as a set of 3. For me, it was a complete meal, however it could work perfectly as a sharable appetizer for others. They made homemade buttermilk biscuits. They actually started falling apart as I picked them up. After a while I ate the biscuit and chicken separate, which was fine by me.

The chicken were like nuggets. They fit perfectly on the biscuit. There was not as much spice on the chicken as I was use to but it still had great heat. What really had the heat was the hot honey that came on the side. It was warm and had red pepper flakes added which is where the heat came from. When added to the chicken it was definitely hot. There was also a sweet taste to it as well which was the perfect complement of sweet and heat. It was a great brunch item. You did not feel overly stuffed when you were done eating.

American Social was a perfect place for brunch, especially if you have out of town guests and you want to treat them to something special and unique. Make sure you get a reservation before you get there. It makes getting a table faster for sure.

Check out their menu at www.americansocialbar.com

Enjoy!

T

It is National Pina Colada Day and I knew that Hula Bay Club in Tampa would be a great place to celebrate.  Whether sitting inside or on the deck looking at the water, that fresh, Florida air is totally relaxing. And with a cold Pina Colada in my hand, I was in a happy place.

If you are in the area stop by Hula Bay for a drink and some of their great Hawaiian inspired dishes.

Check them out at:

https://hulabayclub.com

Enjoy!

T

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.

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

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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

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.

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

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

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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

In downtown Tampa, not far from the hockey arena, there is a seafood restaurant called Harpoon Harry’s Crab House. The restaurant is very large; there are tables on two levels. They have a great bar on one side of the restaurant. You can sit there and order from the full menu. I have done this a few times.

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On this visit I was with a big group of friends, and we decided to get a table. We started off with cocktails while we looked over the menu. I got a red sangria. It was not super sweet, so it was refreshing. They had a nice amount of fruit mixed within to give it a natural sweetness.

We ordered almost every appetizer that was on the menu. We just passed them around the table so that everyone could have a taste. The Coconut Shrimp came out first. These shrimp were butterflied which allowed them to be a little crisper once they were fried. The coconut flavor shined through and had a nice sweetness. They served a pineapple red chili agave on the side for dipping. I love how pineapple and coconut blend so well together. It creates such a tropical flavor that is perfect when combined with shrimp.

The next thin out was the Tater Kegs. These sounded interesting. These were homemade tater tots made with mashed potatoes, chives, bacon, and cheddar cheese. They were formed into large tot shapes, breaded, and deep fried. They were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. There was a great bacon flavor in the potato and the cheddar cheese made the inside extra creamy. They served a chipotle aioli on the side to dip. That aioli made the flavor of the tots more like a twice baked potato.

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The Crab Cake was just one. This one was slightly harder to share. We each cut off a little piece to try. They mixed a large amount a blue crab meat with different herbs and seasonings. The mojo aioli added a little tangy taste, but I really felt the sweet crab cake was good on its own.

Conch Fritters are a must have at a Florida seafood restaurant. These fritters were packed with fresh, tender Bahamian conch. These were also crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. These really stayed hot until I cut them open to cool off. The Cajun mayo added a little head. I really liked how much conch they had in these.

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The Truffle Mac & Cheese was a super-rich dish. They blended gruyere cheese with breadcrumbs and white truffle oil. The breadcrumbs gave it texture on top of the creaminess from the cheese.

The last appetizer that came out was the Shrimp Cocktail. This was very traditional, nothing out of the ordinary. The shrimp were jumbo in size and the cocktail sauce has a great tanginess to it.

After all of these appetizers, I ordered something a little lighter for my main dish. I got the Tuna Tataki. This was thinly sliced yellow fin tuna that was coasted with a sesame crust. They covered the tuna in a delicious pineapple ginger teriyaki sauce. A sriracha aioli was drizzled on top. This added a little heat. There was a seaweed salad on the side. The seaweed tasted great with the teriyaki sauce, it acted almost like a dressing. The tuna was extremely fresh and melted in my mouth. This is definitely a must order for anyone who loves fresh tuna.

I also got to try a little of the Grouper Shrimp & Grits. This dish had a lot going on. In addition to the flakey grouper and shrimp, there was grilled andouille sausage. The grits were in the form of a cheddar grit cake, which was very cheesy. There was a spicy tomato reduction on top. This did not add too much spiciness. There were also vegetables on the side. I really thought the grouper was the best part of the dish. The sausage was a nice surprise too, which had great flavor.

Finally, it was time for dessert. We only ordered one and we hared it around the table since we all had eaten so much already. We asked our server what the best dessert was, and the Banana Pudding was recommended. They served the pudding in a mason jar. It was layered with caramelized bananas, creamy vanilla pudding, and vanilla bean whip cream. The bananas were amazing. I could have eaten just a bowl of these. They were soft and sweet. The whip cream was also a nice touch; since it was freshly made it was light and fluffy.

Everything I tried at Harpoon Harry’s Crab House was amazing. They have so many things to choose from, including a full sushi menu. They get busy so try to make a reservation. If that is not possible just put your name on the list and head over to the bar for a cocktail while you wait. Check out their menu at www.harpoonharryscrabhousetampa.com

Enjoy!

T

I have been to Datz in Tampa a few times. Their food is great, and they are always busy. Whenever people come to visit the area, Datz is a fun place to bring them too.

This last visit we were there in between breakfast and lunch. I felt more like breakfast, so I ordered the Datz Good Hash. This is homemade corned beef. It was big chunks of tender beef. It was not as crispy as I like it but that could be because of how large the pieces were.

They piled shredded hash browns on top of the corned beef. My two over-well eggs were placed on top of the hash browns. It gave me the option to eat each item separately or cut through and eat it all together.

The fresh toast was great with a little strawberry jam. This added a sweet element to the overall salty dish. I got a side of their grits. This southern breakfast staple was blended with cream cheese and cheddar cheese. That made the grits very rich. They are also thicker than traditional grits because of all the cheese. They too were salty so breaking it up with bites of the jam toast was perfect.

We tried an appetizer of Mac Bites that we shared around the table. They took their bacon-jalapeno mac and cheese and fried it up. They had a nice crispy breading on the outside. Inside the mac and cheese was gooey. There was a slight hint of heat because of the chopped-up pieces of jalapeno. They served a firecracker dipping sauce on the side. This added a little more heat along with a slight sweetness.

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The main attraction of the visit to Datz was their Double D burger. Now I did not order this but someone at the table did. This is two burger patties made with beef brisket and short ribs. Then they melted Swiss and American cheese over the patties. They layered it with all the fixings you typically get on a burger. But what makes this burger so unique and special is that the bun for this burger is two full sized glazed donuts.

This thing was massive when it came to the table. Plus, it came with a side of homemade potato chips with blue cheese. It looked very messy to eat but in no time this burger was devoured.

The blend of salty and sweet from the donuts all married well together. It is not for everyone; however, it does give Datz something special to look forward to.

The food was great at Datz once again.  I highly recommend checking them out if you are in Tampa. Visit their website at www.datztampa.com

Enjoy!

T

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

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

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.

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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

I am a huge fan of Mead. Not many people are familiar with that mead actually is, or that it has been around for centuries. It dates back all the way to Ancient Greece long before what we know as beer and wine. So what is mead? It is fermented honey that can be blended with fruits and spices.

To my surprise there is place in Ybor City that makes their own mead – Cigar City Cider & Mead. I could not wait to check them out.

They have a huge selection of meads, ciders, and craft beers. They have chalkboards on the wall that lists everything they have available. You can tell which ones are ciders because they have apples on the sign. The meads are noted with a bee.

Cigar City offers meads in flights so I was able to taste a few of them. I went for the following three:

(1) Braggot – 8% ABV

(2) Blind Eye – 7.5% ABV

(3) San Juan Hall – 11% ABV

The Bragott was not sweet like I was expecting. It was thicker in texture but smooth. It went down easy. By the third sip I tasted the coconut that was blended in.

The Blind Eye was very sweet. This one was light in texture. I could really taste the wild flower that was in it.

The San Juan had the highest alcohol content. When I sniffed it, I could smell the hint of pepper.  By the second sip the taste got spicier. As I continued drinking, the after-taste became sweeter.

It was a really fun afternoon visit. I would definitely go back not only to try additional meads but to also take one of their tours of the facility.

   

To plan your visit, go to their website at http://www.cigarcitycider.com/

Enjoy!

T