Not Your Momma's Kitchen

Real Chicago Beef in town, Cubbies in the Playoffs?? Hallelujah!

2015-10-19T16:35:00.000-04:00

Chi-Town 165 Dr MLK Jr Street North, St Petersburg Florida
Happy Happy me! My daughter went to pick up lunch so I could elevate my bum leg for awhile. She is as thrilled as I am with our Chicago beef sandwiches, wet with hot peppers. So good, absolutely delicious. Better than remembered and they traveled well. Little piggies that we are, we got 4 dogs for later. Three Chicago dogs through the garden and a Chili dog with mustard, cheese and onion. I had to try my chili dog, good snap, yummy chili and fixin's. I was threatened that if her Chicago dogs come up missing there will be h-e-double hockey sticks to pay. I'll feast on my dog later. Topped this fantastic lunch with some celebratory champagne. Meatballs, thanks buddy for a fine lunch. We are already planning which friends to bring next visit. You are a special kind of fun. Mini-me approved and she is a tough critic. Time for a nap.

In a former life time I was known as "Tina, the Tourguide." Maybe I gained my nickname because of my penchant for telling 'people where to go' or maybe not. My former employ as a resort front desk manager allowed me to indulge in tasting, trying and then recommending restaurants for our diverse base of guests. It was the favorite part of my job....investigating what was new, what was popular and what would be a good fit for the diner. I was not compensated then or now for my dining choices, it is purely my personal opinion on finding the best tasting restaurants, value or splurge, family or intimate, to recommend to either guests or friends. That being said, I do have a personal bias to the old St. Pete establishments as a life long resident of the city I love. I am drawn to visit and review the places that have been re-vitalized into something new from my recollections.

Time to Chill!

2015-10-17T21:53:00.000-04:00

I am in love with Chill in their new digs. Ruthie has done an admirable remodel to the space and the front dining area is open to the fine fall air. Very nice and good sidewalk seating too.
I was very fortunate to have a fine lunch with one of my favorite food bloggers, Denise Parker of the Epicurean Perils of Sweet Polly and WTFotk, at Chill yesterday. We were pampered by John, an affable, more than competent server with the most delightful accent. He could read the classified ads to me and I would be enthralled.

We pored over the menu and decided to share the Goat cheese, sundried tomato and fig terrine.

It was served with a basket of crisp bread for spreading the yummy cheese goodness. A nice combination of savory and sweet to awaken the taste buds. My gracious dining companion allowed me to order the Grilled Cheese 2.0 and she chose the Black and Blue salad. John assured my friend the kitchen would gladly modify the salad and would eliminate the tomatoes from her dish. I must hasten to add we were enjoying generous pours of the house wine, as well.

The grilled cheese was a very engaging taste explosion of melted mild cranberry cheese, sliced pears, bacon and a delicious orange marmalade aioli. The plate also featured lightly seasoned crisp fries.

The Black and Blue salad was topped with a perfectly cooked medium rare steak and a tasty sherry vinaigrette. (I adore sherry wine vinegar). A very fine lunch indeed,

It took only a little arm twisting to add a dessert to end our meal. The famous dessert combining a chocolate brownie and red velvet cake in a glorious dome of moist goodness. There was a crispy edge that yielded to a tender center. Topped off with a scoop of good ice cream and a caramel drizzle, it was a delicious morsel to share. Oh so good. It was very nice to have the kind and friendly Ruthie check on our satisfaction.

Our meal was a perfect treat on a Friday afternoon. I look forward to visiting Chill again. Might I add that John told us that the lovely brie appetizer on the dinner menu could be ordered at lunch. The kitchen would be happy to oblige, just ask. I find that willingness to accommodate the taste whims of a dining guest refreshing in this world of no substitutions. An appetizer, two entrees, a dessert and (ahem) six glasses of wine was a very reasonable 75.00 dollars, excluding the gratuity for the personable John. I urge you to visit Chill and do just that, chill out for a few hours with the company of a friend. You will feel infinitely better to face the rest of your busy day.

In a former life time I was known as "Tina, the Tourguide." Maybe I gained my nickname because of my penchant for telling 'people where to go' or maybe not. My former employ as a resort front desk manager allowed me to indulge in tasting, trying and then recommending restaurants for our diverse base of guests. It was the favorite part of my job....investigating what was new, what was popular and what would be a good fit for the diner. I was not compensated then or now for my dining choices, it is purely my personal opinion on finding the best tasting restaurants, value or splurge, family or intimate, to recommend to either guests or friends. That being said, I do have a personal bias to the old St. Pete establishments as a life long resident of the city I love. I am drawn to visit and review the places that have been re-vitalized into something new from my recollections.

Baroque Rococo, say yes to the exquisite flair in food and decor.

2015-08-02T21:57:00.000-04:00

A single roasted pearl onion with explosive flavor was the eye opener to our experience at Rococo. A single bite with that much taste showed the care and expertise of the kitchen with each delicious ingredient. A pearl onion to rival the "Girl with the Pearl Earring." My daughter and I had circled downtown St. Pete in the driving rain looking for dinner. Parking was at a premium and the long waits at some establishments were interminable. (The Mill, Brick & Mortar, Station House). We wanted a fine cocktail and food and we wanted it now. As the designated driver, my darling patient (ahem) child was getting increasingly irritated as I told her to turn left here and "trust me" one more time.

We were greeted warmly. Olivia gasped when she saw the dining room. "Simply stunning" were her words. It is singularly dramatic in decor and that defines baroque. The deep charcoal grey walls, red chandeliers, sconces, vibrant art and white upholstered chairs are striking. The upholstered banquettes were inviting. We did NOT have a reservation and the hostess was able to seat us before the bartender could complete our drink order. She with her favorite dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives and I with the Cucumber Fresca (tequila, muddled cucumber, mint and a splash of sparkle). We were seated in a comfortable room with vaulted ceilings that evoked a wine barrel. Glass window displays would rival Macy's with fabulous representative prime champagnes in various sizes from magnum to rehoboam. Talk about wish list! My girl said before we even ordered that if she were to get married, this would be her choice for the rehearsal dinner, We did raise her well. After all life is a matter of taste.

Our waiter, Dan, explained the many special items for the evening. Fresh East coast and West coast oysters on the half shell, available in any increment, the featured salad, fish and steak cuts not on the regular menu. He explained the ala carte service and menu selections. Grass fed and corn fed beef are available including the elusive bone-in filet.

My mini-me ordered the goat cheese pie and I chose the foie gras pain perdu. Her pie arrived with a deeply colored crispy crust and what I would describe as a goat cheese cake filling with a side of arugula and poached pears dressed most simply with a fig dressing. Mini-me swooned, as did I with the creamy dense tart savory pie. My torchon of foie gras was gently pan seared and served on top of a Grand Marnier toast of eggy brioche and sprinkled with salted hazelnuts, a drizzle of pomegranate balsamic enriching this delicacy. The floral note of the Grand Marnier and pomegranate stilled the slight mineral taste to the foie gras. The crisp hazelnut provided the perfect contrast in texture. Small as it should be with a power packed punch to the palate.

We could NOT pass up sharing a bowl of the corn lobster bisque. A personal Kryptonite for mother and daughter. The kitchen kindly split a portion of this warm bisque. It was quite generous. We laughed because we each dared the other to pick up the bowl and lick it. It was that good. It was intensely deeply lobsterly with undertones of sherry, mushroom and corn. One of the best that we have tried.

Service was quite competent and Dan was very apologetic at the slow pace for our entrees, we didn't mind the leisurely pace because we were so comfortable. We had a lovely bottle of Duck Decoy to sip and savor while we waited for the kitchen to catch up. Olivia ordered the 12 oz. Roasted Prime rib with au jus and horseradish cream. It was a perfect medium rare and the cut was lovely. The bite I had was seasoned perfectly with enough salt to enhance the beefiness. Sauce was not necessary. Now this is where that pearl onion entered the picture. She had two picture perfect roasted baby carrots and three pearl onions as garnish. I got a single onion and the deep caramelized flavor epitomized the simplest garnish done well. I ordered the wild wood grilled salmon with kale, boar bacon (!!!!) and lemon oil, medium rare. It was sublime. Rococo might have singularly converted me to kale. Naturally because we ALWAYS over order, we had a family style serving of creamed spinach and chef made potato coins (shreds of russet potatoes and herbs, a fat flat crispy tater tot). Olivia had been to Ruth Chris' Steak house last week and raved over their creamed spinach. Hand's down she said Rococo was better. RC can't come close to the Rococo version. It was incredibly creamy and cheesy. It ain't easy being green, but this was spectacular. The crispy "tots" were yummy. We brought most of each home. (I made a spinach omelette with tots for my hard working girl for breakfast).

Now at this point after packing up our to-go boxes, Dan cruelly (just kidding) suggested dessert. WTH, why not? In for a penny, in for a pound. My petite chou chose the chocolate peanut butter tower. It was flippin fantastic. The peanut butter mousse and graham cracker base was enrobed in dark chocolate and garnished with fresh barely sweet whipped cream. I picked the apple bread pudding which was a masterful representation of yummy. I was served a warm slab of moist apple brioche, caramel sauce and creme anglaise. As we sat back and sighed with pleasure, we topped off our meal with a snifter of Grand Marnier and Disaronno on the rocks respectively.

When an independent restaurant demonstrates extreme care in the minute details of a meal and you are prepared to wait for perfection, I highly recommend Rococo as a fine dining destination. Stylish, chic and delicious.

The manager was most gracious as we were leaving. He made sure we didn't melt in the rain. Please support the independent restaurants and when you want to pull out all the stops, visit and enjoy the romance of Rococo. $$$$ yes, but worth every restorative moment. Photo borrowed from website. My apologies for the lack of pictures, my camera ended up in a puddle earlier in the day.

In a former life time I was known as "Tina, the Tourguide." Maybe I gained my nickname because of my penchant for telling 'people where to go' or maybe not. My former employ as a resort front desk manager allowed me to indulge in tasting, trying and then recommending restaurants for our diverse base of guests. It was the favorite part of my job....investigating what was new, what was popular and what would be a good fit for the diner. I was not compensated then or now for my dining choices, it is purely my personal opinion on finding the best tasting restaurants, value or splurge, family or intimate, to recommend to either guests or friends. That being said, I do have a personal bias to the old St. Pete establishments as a life long resident of the city I love. I am drawn to visit and review the places that have been re-vitalized into something new from my recollections.

Stillwaters Tavern does run deep....

2015-07-11T23:11:00.000-04:00

Stillwaters run deep. 1.proverb~a quiet or placid manner may conceal a more passionate nature.
After very satisfying lunch at Stillwaters Tavern last week, I find that the Tavern does show their passion where it counts, in their service, sourcing of food stuffs and preparation of a lovely meal. I appreciate the calm aesthetic in the decor. The reclaimed wood and slightly nautical touches are soothing especially when the noon lunch crowd arrived. I particularly like the tall black booths. They give a sense of intimacy and you are not subjected to other conversations.

I had the delightful companionship of Denise Parker, blogger extraordinaire (The Epicurean Perils of Sweet Polly) and author of the WTFork column with the Tampa Tribune. We were seated close to the kitchen area and even though the restaurant became increasingly busy, having a conversation was easy. I liked the capped bottle of chill water presented by our waiter Paul. He was attentive and willing to answer questions about the menu. He knew when to offer a refill on our wine. (Immediately.) I like the offer of a large pour and the many choices by the glass.

We decided to share a plate of fried oysters as our appetizer. The oysters were lightly coated and extra crispy. They included a few deep fried vegetables such as carrot, cauliflower and hot cherry pepper. A mustard aioli was a spicy dipping sauce. The oysters definitely reminded me of an Italian fritto misto, mixed seafood and veggies deep fried. It was excellent.

Onto the main dish, since Denise was a repeat customer I listened to her comments on the Shrimp and grits and chose it as my dish. She chose the Airline chicken. Let me tell you THAT chicken was the single finest piece of chicken I've tasted in ages. Off the chart, flavorful, tender and juicy. Bless Denise for sharing some of the jalapeno cheddar cornbread as well. Be still my heart. Forgive me, I have to say it, "Winner Winner chicken dinner."

I was very pleased with my Key West pinks. The shrimp were firm and properly cooked. The stone ground cheddar grits beat the pants off any other grits in town. This was notyourmommas' baby pablum. There was a nice texture and heft to the grits and the flavor was delicious. Note that the shrimp has a mustard wine sauce. It was reminiscent of Eastern NC bbq sauce. It is not a typical sauce and I thoroughly enjoyed the mustard punch.

Of course we saved room for dessert. My dining companion chose the apple blueberry crumble with whiskey cream. Don't you want to have some now? It arrived in a small cast iron skillet. The aroma was intoxicating. There is something to be said of the aroma of cinnamon and brown sugar. The crumble was not soggy as some can be. A credible crumble in my book.

But I do believe I hit the chocolate jackpot with my dark chocolate cremeaux with peanut butter pretzel and chocolate caviar. It was chocolate nirvana. The cremeaux is denser than a mousse and we were instructed to dig down to get all the layers. It was divine. It was rich and decadent. Passion under Stillwaters, indeed.

A wonderful addition to our restaurant row and I look forward to visiting again soon. Plus, anytime sharing delicious food with a kindred spirit is a day brightener and a highlight of my week. Til we eat again, m'dear.

Promises fulfilled at The Maritana Grille at the Don CeSar

2015-04-24T22:52:00.003-04:00

I recently fulfilled a promise to my late husband, to follow through with a special dinner our daughters' 24th birthday. It had to be a special meal because we were trying to top a cruise for her 21st, (yes, we are those parents; the back story of our life does not equal spoiled girl, by any means). The restaurant of choice was where my love proposed to me 31 years ago, not with ring but the promise of a Persian kitten. (Okay, I'm a bit goofy). So we went to the Maritana Grille at the Don CeSar. We also stayed at a suite on our honeymoon at the pink palace. His surprise to me.

The food was beyond delicious. Jeff, our server, was knowledgeable in food and wine. Service was perfect white linen service, with fresh flatware per course, chilled when necessary. (Personal peeve, not getting fresh flatware and being chastised by the server, you need to keep it). I was furnished a black napkin for my dark dress to prevent any white pilling, Thank you. There are aquariums lining the walls, not the touristy Rum Fish size, but just big enough to provide entertainment without being overwhelming. The albino unicorn fish is cool.

The daughter and I each had a cocktail. a dirty martini for her and a blonde Cosmo for me. We were served an amuse bouche, a jellied cucumber melon caviar with tiny microflowers.

She ordered the crab bisque. "You can't eat this soup standing up; your knees will buckle." nee Seinfeld. Jeff gave us a detailed description of how the corn stock was infused with crab shells to provide the perfect briny touch to the reduced stock that thickened the bisque without cream. The bowl had crab, corn and chorizo that were a perfect marriage with the rich stock. She swooned. Jeff had a service trick that tickled her funny bone. Maritana, match point for clever service; her look was priceless, thank you.

I had the super fresh Wahoo crudo with crab, micro green salad and avocado mousse. It was sublime. The wahoo was torched slightly with a citrus soy glaze before assembly. Four types of bread (olive, baguette, sweet buns and pumpernickle) were offered with two flavored butter squares, one herbal and one with Parmesan.

We split a Caesar salad which was a completely unnecessary course. It was a tasty rendition but with the spectacular overload of what we were tasting, the Caesar was superfluous. Although this notyourmomma would eat three of the Parmesan fricos in 10 seconds if challenged.

My budding gourmand ordered the rack of lamb, medium rare, with gnocchi, sauteed mushrooms and a sherry demi-glace of lamb stock. She was astonished on how good the lamb tasted. (Perhaps, because I've only made lamb shanks from the Old Country and daddy only ate lamb rare doused in mint jelly, neither a favorite for her) This lamb was a definite knocked out of the park entree. The depth of subtle flavors were mesmerizing.

I had the Lobster pappardelle with melted brie, leeks asparagus and shaved black truffle. It was so rich, redolent of earthy truffle, a sauce seasoned deeply with ocean goodness, fresh spring vegetables and a tender noodle. It was served in a deep bowl and every single bite spoke volumes.

You would think we would throw in the towel at that point. But no, we soldiered on. We each ordered an espresso, took a deep breath and ordered Chocolate Sin and the Reveal. My daughter had a "When Harry met Sally" moment over the huge white chocolate egg that when a hot chocolate sauce was poured over, petals opened to reveal a ethereal peanut butter mousse and a crackle toffee peanut blondie.

I had a deliriously delicious chocolate truffle with a salted caramel ice cream, a tuile and a chocolate frico. It was sinful as advertised.

We shared a lovely bottle of red from New Zealand, a red blend, "Craggy Range" ($65,00). Jeff topped us off with a couple of raspberry truffles candies, The coup de grace were our snifters of Grand Marnier for me and Amaretto for the girl. This was not a cheap or even moderate dining experience but it was a necessary healing bonding meal between mother and daughter.

I'm happy I was able to give the child a special meal from her dear daddy. It was a one of a kind of meal. Our meal and tip came to $370.00 dollars. Meal, beverage, tax was $295.00. As a former server and the daughter as a current server, we tip according to the service provided; Jeff was worth it.

First genuine smile from my baby girl in months We have decided that we can hit the Maritana Grille for the crab corn bisque, bowl for each, share a cheese plate and get TWO Reveal desserts with a bottle of sparkling wine and celebrate life. The life we remember, the life we live and the life ahead. Rest in Peace, my beloved. Always in our heart and a promise fulfilled. Promises kept. I love you Fred, always and forever.

Here's the plan, Stan

2014-08-03T14:52:00.001-04:00

I do solemnly swear to start off this week with preparation and cook ahead meals to keep us on budget. Since I've been on short term disability leave and my paycheck is greatly diminished, I have to be creative with our freezer stash and pantry items to feed the family. It is far easier to prep ahead a few meals and resist the lure of the telephone dial to 727FoodNow or the local pizza delivery.

Step one of meal planning and preparation is figuring out the menu for the week.
I try to vary the protein and sides so that my loving husband does not have to endure chicken overload. He is a carnivore of the finest kind. I, however, love my veggies with a small side of meat. We are literally Jack Sprat and Wife. We shop the sales circulars and plan the meals for what is the best price.

Step two of the cooking process is read over the recipes, even those you know like the back of your hand. I can't tell you how often I've begun cooking only to find I'm missing a key ingredient. Brain fog is a terrible trait.

Step three is to process like items in bulk. If 3 of 6 items call for chopped onions, chop all the onions at once, divide and conquer! I utilize small bowls to assemble my mis en place for each recipe. The granite counter top may look like chaos, but it is my organized chaos.

Step four-fix any marinades and put your delicious dish in the refrigerator to wait for its turn in the dinner line up. (Mojo chicken thighs)

Step five-if you have items that need to salt and strain, put them in colander to do their thing. (eggplant and napa cabbage)

Step six-Assemble sauces (roasted red pepper pasta sauce, sassy Jezebel sauce). Cook the rice and portion out. Make the salad dressings, store in the refrigerator and have at the ready when a salad craving hits (strawberry vinaigrette). Fix the snacks for lunches (ham salad with horseradish pickles, pimento cheese with jalapenos)

Step eight-assemble dishes into storage containers, label and date. Group all items for a single meal together in your refrigerator. Print the menu and keep on the refrigerator. Note any fresh purchases needed. (Fruit salad night)

Step nine-assemble any batters or muffin mixes and refrigerate the batter to scoop and bake as needed in the morning. A hot bran muffin will move you out of the slumber into action.

Step ten-dial the pizza man and order in dinner, you are to tired to do anything else.......I'm kidding!!!

Menu for the week in no particular order:

Chicken thighs/sausage in white bean ragout. Roasted Ratatouille, mais oui!
Leftover ratatouille will fill a ramekin, egg added in the center and baked for an early easy morning repast.

Slow roasted pork roast, collard greens (smoked ham, onions/garlic) and Southern corn bread. Mom's Cukes/maters/slivered Vidalia onion salad in sour cream.

Roast Beef with garlic/rosemary rub, Salty Balls Maui Style, Those Blasted Tomatoes, Roasted brussel sprouts, mixed salad with strawberry balsamic vinaigrette (crumbled blue cheese and toasted slivered almonds for taste and texture).

Bibimpap using leftover pulled pork served with crispy rice cake and fresh julienned veggies (slivered cucumbers, carrot straws, sprouts, pickled red onion, daikon), poached egg and Tyler Florence's quick kimchee. Tapioca pudding with a brulee finish to gild the lily.

Smoked paprika/zatar rubbed chicken breasts grilled, rice pilaf with pistachios and cran-raisins, toasted pita bread. Shredded romaine salad with tzatziki sauce.

Eggplant Parmesan with roasted red pepper and basil tomato sauce. Sauteed Italian sausages, garlic bread. Tiramisu ice cream from the freezer, topped with homemade chocolate syrup.

Mojo marinated chicken thighs, roasted and served with Moros y Cristianos (Black beans and rice). Watermelon, pineapple, basil, green onion salad.

Eastern Carolina style slow smoked pulled pork, old fashioned pea salad, coleslaw with sassy Jezebel sauce. Dinner rolls.

Blinged out Bran Banana Blueberry Muffin mix.
Ham salad with horseradish pickles
Jalapeno Pimento Cheese spread
Leftover roast beef made into a sandwich on Chicago rolls with homemade Giardinaira
Leftover pulled pork on Cuban bread with ham/pickles/swiss cheese and mustard, pressed.

My increasing infatuation with The Big Rooster, El Gallo Grande

2014-07-23T22:44:00.000-04:00

As a lifelong urban girl, I've had very little experience with farms or homesteads. I've never been able to fully explain my attraction to farm animals, particularly chickens, roosters and goats. I can remember a vacation or two with my momma to West Virginia to visit my Great Aunt Mabel. I loved every minute with that no-nonsense practical woman. My sister and I played in the stream on the mud flats. We would climb trees and pick apples for her. She would have a big iron pot on a wood fire stirring down her homemade apple butter, we would watch the ash float in the deep brown apple cinnamon mixture and hear her say, "A little ash won't hurt us." She had us milking the cows and gathering eggs. I can still hear her hearty laughter over the "little city girl" afraid of a laying hen.

She was a dear God-fearing woman with a huge heart. Those are memories dear to my heart and over the years I've collected a rather large collection of ceramic, wooden, and iron roosters. They were displayed in nearly every room.....until my husband put his foot down and said, "Enough." So I can't bring any more big roosters home.

So imagine my delight when a short distance from our home, I heard of a new restaurant opening in the space formerly occupied by Basta's. (Basta's was a very romantic dinner spot for us and we missed them greatly when they closed.)
El Gallo Grande, The Big Rooster has officially opened and we have had two meals at the newly redecorated establishment.

The remodeled building is a treat for the eyes. There are hand painted murals inside and out, including some fine renditions of my favorite roosters. The outside rear wall by the parking area features a lovely painted poster of a Mexican movie star. Inside the walls are a bright shade of yellow with Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls and Mexican wrestler murals providing visual interest. The cove lighting in the ceilings is an ever-changing rainbow of colors. The main room features communal tall tables and a very busy bar.

Now to the most important part of any restaurant...the food and service. The menu is limited in options but never fear, my gringo friend, the food is fabulous. The offerings are a very concise accurate taste of true Mexico. This is not a Tex-mex restaurant, it is not an Americanized hybrid of Mexican flavors. The food is fresh and as vibrant as the colors overhead.

The basket of fried corn tortillas were fresh and crisp. The salsa presented with the chips was delicious. It was a bit thinner than the commercial variety from the jar salsas and the freshness was a highlight. We ordered the guacamole at both of our visits. It is the BEST guacamole I have ever tasted in a restaurant. As a matter of fact, it puts my own attempts of the dish to shame. The ratio of lime, cilantro, tomato and avocado chunkiness is far superior to any other version I've tried. We did order for my gringo hubby a dish of the hot cheese, fundido. He totally dug into that melty cheese with gusto.

At our late lunch visit, I had the chiles rellenos with the refried bean puree and rice. The chiles rellenos were excellent. The fresh poblanos were roasted, peeled and stuffed. One had a chorizo stuffing and the other was stuffed with cheese and deep fried in an ethereal light batter. El Gallo Grande did a very nice plate presentation and it was delicious on the palate. My dear hubby had the steak with poblano peppers. He was very happy with his skirt steak, cooked a perfect medium. He had some warm fresh tortillas to make his own barbacoa tacos.
The menu features chicken tinga tacos, carnitas, chicken mole and daily entree specials. A variety of tacos and tortas are offered lunch and dinner. Our lunch service was prompt and swift. Hubby had a bit of a hissy because they were out of his favorite beer, but once he found a suitable substitute he calmed down. I had a blast trying a few of the specialty margaritas. The Paloma, grapefruit margarita was my favorite. The house margarita was a fine rendition as well.

Our dinner visit was a celebratory meal to welcome home our daughter, the traveling caregiver. (She was gone for 40 days to care for her godmother who was undergoing chemotherapy in the midst of a move between homes.)
We scarfed down the chips, salsas once they arrived tableside. We were voraciously hungry. However, our server was a bit scattered. He has obviously never learned to multi-task, he was the kind of waiter who would visit the adjacent table, run off to kitchen or bar and skip right over us without checking our needs on his way past. Working one table exclusively and ignoring the next table is inexcusable. It takes 30 seconds to acknowledge the next table and you can certainly piggyback the orders to the bar and the kitchen to prevent long delays in service. It took well over 25 minutes for the cervesa and margaritas to appear. The appetizers were delivered separately. We later found out the kitchen was out of guacamole and they quickly rallied and made a new batch which was delivered by the owner with his apologies. Thank you, sir.

We got the specials of the day recited by the owner and although I was set to have the chiles rellenos again, I was persuaded to have the skirt steak with the chimichurri sauce and skinny fries. It was so good. I'd slather that chimichurri on a flip flop and eat it. I had to slap hands to keep the daughter from dipping into my sauce. The other special was a fresh catch (I can't remember the fish~blame the margarita) with sauce Veracruz, freshly diced tomatoes, olives, poblanos and onions. I wanted one of my dining partners to try it but I couldn't persuade them. It just means I have to go back for the Fish Veracruz. The prodigal daughter had the chicken tinga tacos. She was very happy with her dish. The cabbage was slivered finely and the flavor of the chicken was just right. The hubby abandoned his steak for a chicken enchilada with verde sauce. He was most impressed with the filling and sauce. It did not blister his gringo tongue. Hubby said he was willing on the next visit to try the mole sauce. Javier, the owner, suggested that he would custom make the enchiladas with one each of the three sauces, red, green and mole. Very nice of him to offer a customized dish.

We had a great conversation with Javier and he explained in detail the preparation of the poblanos and how he has refused to use a "fresh frozen" product. His staff prepares the peppers fresh daily. It was a nice to see his pride in serving authentic Mexican food. He has convinced me to try the ceviche on our next visit. How can you judge the freshness of the food, well, by eating raw fish dish? What better test than a ceviche? I can't argue with his logic at all.

For dessert, we were shown a lovely flan with swirls of caramel and raspberry sauces, but we simply did not have any room to try a bite of the glistening beauty.

Even though we were unhappy with the service our second visit, the food was well worth the wait. The atmosphere, food and drink are a very happy addition to the South St. Pete scene. We will exercise our lessons in patience and give the Big Rooster our business. There are other dishes we want to try and the vibrant, fresh El Gallo Grande has us clucking like content hens.

Blueberry Ice cream Sundae

2014-07-03T00:06:00.002-04:00

I was recently gifted several Food and Home magazines to read. An indulgence or expense I don't allow in my budget constraints, much less having the free time to peruse said periodicals monthly. I could not keep up with the cascade of information on the printed page. However, since I've been forced into short-term disability until further notice, I can say that a paper periodical is infinitely preferable than trying to read a lap top while on bed rest. I don't worry if it will hit the floor or if a dog will accidentally roll over it and break it. A magazine can be set aside without worry. Perhaps that should be a marketing ploy by publishers.

Since I have an ice-creamaholic husband, who has never turned down an ice cream dessert, I was totally captivated with ice cream recipes that did not require eggs. I am simply incapable of standing at a stove and stirring a custard base as my mother did years ago for her hand cranked/churned ice cream. Suffice to say, to our PA and WV relatives, you have my deep apologies from the FL contingent. Weaving through the forbidden corn field to the desired peach trees in the dark of night is an adventure I'll never forget. Momma was totally smitten with those purloined peaches. I can't say my ice cream didn't have a bit of bitterness because my soul was ahurting for our midnight thievery. Guilty on all counts, constable.

We had a surplus of blueberries from our local Aldi's and I have a new Cuisinart Ice Cream maker. Farm meet function. Ice cream sans eggs it is.
My friend had shared a Paula Deen magazine that had a blueberry ice cream recipe that looked delectable. I amended the recipe slightly because I didn't want hard frozen single berries in my ice cream. I heated them with the sugar, water and a bit of lemon juice to soften, mashed them with a potato masher and chilled them overnight. The next day once the ice cream maker was cranking, I strained the blueberries (reserved the syrup) and added the blueberry mash. The ice cream is a lovely violet color and the flavor is truly integrated. No hard chunks. Served the ice cream over lemon bars. If I had mint, I would have gilded the lily, but it fine without any garnish other than a tiny drizzle of leftover berry syrup.

1 pint of fresh blueberries
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of water
juice of one lemon
zest of half lemon
1 cup of heavy whipping cream (chilled)
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (chilled)
1/4 tsp of salt
1 tsp of vanilla
2 cups of half and half (chilled)
Favorite lemon bar recipe (I cheated and used Krusteaz)
reserved blueberry syrup
Cuisinart Ice Cream maker, with the frozen insert and paddle

Wash and stem berries. Add to sauce pan with sugar/water, lemon juice and zest. Heat gently til berries start to pop.
Mash with potato masher. Chill overnight.
Prep Ice cream cylinder by washing and freezing at least 24 hours.
Strain berries and reserve liquid, separate from berries in refrigerator.
In a large chilled glass bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks are formed.
Add chilled sweet condensed milk, beat again on high until peaks are formed.
Add half & half, vanilla and blend gently to combine.
Assemble ice cream maker.
The ice cream maker MUST be spinning before you add the ice cream mix.
Add milk mix to churning ice cream maker, allow the churn to process at least ten minutes, add the reserved crushed blueberries and continue to process for another 20 minutes.
Be careful there might be a more mix than can fit in the canister. I reserved the extra creamy mix and will use it as a mix-in mascarpone cheese with instant coffee and Tia Maria for a tiramisu ice cream.....later, much later. Since there are no eggs in the ice cream mix, I feel it is safe to keep the cream mixture.
Pack the ice cream in an air tight container and put in deep freeze to cure and harden for three hours.
Will keep a month in deep freeze, if you are lucky.
Dessert time, cut a square of lemon bar, top with scoop of blueberry ice cream and drizzle with blueberry syrup.

A Personal Love letter to Parenthood; Parenthood and PAIN

2014-06-10T22:58:00.001-04:00

No parent is prepared to lose their child. You are blessed with the supreme gift of parenting, to guide, to love and to raise a child. It is unfathomable to love a being so much and have their life taken before it begins to blossom. Your heart grows fully at their birth to encompass the future of another precious life It is filled with the miracle of the unique being in your arms, full of promise and dreams. A part of your soul shrivels and dies...it shrinks to a hard bitter foul pit impossible to swallow when your child is taken from your arms. There is only faith in the word of your Higher Being that can save you from the bowels of overwhelming despair, it is impossible to defeat the fog of sadness without the hope and promise of a reunion of spirit and heart in another plane.

Just today, I questioned my own reasons for parenthood...why would I project my own unmet dreams on my child? For Olivia to do and be better than I ever accomplished, how unrealistic and unfair are my projected expectations for her life, it can result in an unhealthy unhappy relationship. Why should my success be based on how I raised my girl; to be the very thing that I could not be? One should never expect their child to be what the parent failed to be. Parenting is a responsibility that is daunting and is often fraught with a history of familial pain that can color the joy of THIS precious child in your life. I wasted years without a purpose in my own life. Really, a wasted life until our Tyler was born. Our Tyler was a lesson from God that was life-changing. A gift to share and not be forgotten.

Dearest Olivia, no matter how much I say I don't want you to "be me" I can't prevent you from making the same mistakes that i made. At some point, I have to let my expectations go and know that your life is what you choose and not what I expected it to be. You can't make someone be successful or accomplished as a substitute for your own inadequacies, your child must have that drive on their own. Parenting, empathy, compassion, classes, summper camps can be shown as an example of a full life, but that does not mean that your child will echo your values or exceed your failures. My own life disappointments should not be a pattern for another life based on the expectations of others. My mother felt this pain all her youth and she could not keep the insecurities in her life keep me from repeating them. Momma and I went to couples therapy at one point in our life because our relationship was so fractured and dysfunctional . I'll never forget the counselor asking me "Did I want to repeat the anguish and pain of generations of women before me? Did I have the guts to break free from this cycle of poor self esteem and being a doormat to life's curveballs?" And I fear that my insecurities from my young adulthood have created the same lack of self-esteem in you, my precious Olivia. Parenthood is not easy.

Our children are not a vessel to fulfill our own unmet expectations. They are God's gift to be their own unique beings with His plan for their life. The Greatest Love of All.....

My childhood friend has lost her daughter...my adult friend lost her adult son....we lost our son. Parents are not meant to see their children die before them. It is Hell on earth. There are no words to ease the pain. I was questioning the value of parenting today and then I get a big FACE slap reminder that there is no greater love than a parent to a child. And sometimes that is all there is, the love of child, pure and simple. It makes you human and connects you to life in its fullest. We are linked by our love of family. The love of your child is an unconditional love that encompasses all hurts and disappointments. You love with all your being, you forgive the unforgivable, you hope to instill your values, your dreams and hopes. Then,.at times, you realize most harshly that life with children is not what you planned but a lesson in how you deal with the challenges. This hyper-impatient perfectionist waited 9 1/2 years to hear an "I love you" from a boy with a heart of pure gold. I had to learn to cherish this child that was not whole. How unfair of me to apply a greater standard of perfection to his sister and expect her to be all that I was not, or to compensate for what was lost when Tyler passed away.

Our Children are our future let them lead the way.

I was most unhappy with myself for not funding the Camp Redbird Reunion Picnic this year, held in honor of Tyler. Fred's heart attack was the priority and it consumed my days and funds. It doesn't mean that we have forgotten to memorialize the life we lost. Ty's connection to Camp Redbird was his summer salvation. Once he gained a comrade in his nurse, Gordon, he loved the autonomy of a day without therapy and school. Supporting his causes has always been a comfort in spite of our loss.

I urge those parents to find and support the causes that meant something to their lost child. Lemonade for Cancer, Therapeutic Recreation for the Handicapped, Zap for Cerebral Palsy

Far from the Madding Crowd, Mad Beach Fish House is Beachy Keen

2014-06-07T13:45:00.001-04:00

After a relaxing bit of pampering (manicure/pedicure for moi and pedicure for the ever so ticklish Mister) our tummies were protesting the abnormal length of time spent soaking our toes in bubbly hot lemon scented mineral water. Our coupled thoughts were bubbling to the surface about our long delayed lunch. The gossip and chit-chat with Angie had centered around those crazy pedicures where the small fish attack the soaking feet and nibble away the flesh of your toughened callused feet. Hmm, hot steamy water and nibbling fish, excuse me, I mean nibbling ON fish...sounds like a steamed seafood bucket to me.

Didn't the esteemed Jon of the SOG City Oracle mention a nice seafood establishment in Madeira Beach? Hmm, this may take a bit of conniving to get the Mister to go along for this ride. After choosing a bright boiled lobster red nail polish (foreshadowing my desire perhaps a bit too literally) for my buffed and sanded tootsies...it seemed only natural to head to Mad Beach Fish House for a well deserved lunch. After all, one of my favorite bloggers had already done the reconnaissance for us. The Mister had tolerated his pedicure with a minimum of squirming and kicking. I did not have to tip extra for the hazard of cleaning his toes. Thankfully, this time no one took a karate kick to the chin for a foot massage. Plus, Mad Beach Fish House fit the Notyourmomma rules of good eats...a) it is not a chain, b) it is someplace new to us, c) we were halfway there, eliminating the bellyaching from the Mister about being too far away, d) gorgeous day, convertible, Madeira beach, easy as ABC 123.

It was bordering on the super-late lunch time or hyper-early early bird, that in-between time that can leave a hungry diner looking anxiously for their absent server on a break or busy with sidework for the next shift. This was not the case at Mad Beach, our server was very attentive and her cheerful attitude only added to the pleasure of our lunch. Gratefully for this Notyourmomma there is an elevator to reach the top level of the restaurant. Hey, no cracks about the elevator not going all the way to the top, I know who you are. This old lady is happy for easy access and no stairs to climb. We had our choice of tables and picked a lovely bench seat overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway.

The benches were reminiscent of Adirondack seating and painted a lovely distressed pale teal blue. The walls were decorated with typical beach murals, sand tastefully done. The owners had just purchased the restaurant last October. They have been rehabbing and adding a large Tiki style bar to the bar and patio. There are plans to have a seafood market in the near future. All of this bodes well to enjoy a well made seafood feast.

After ordering the requisite light beer for the Mister and the tall Vodka and tonic for me, we quickly chose our appetizers while perusing the rest of the menu for our main courses. The Mister's six advertised Key West Oysters were actually nine per serving due to the smaller size of the oysters. The oysters were topped crab & parmesan, then broiled. He scarfed them down quickly. I was offered nary a bite.

Well, then! I couldn't resist the lure of fried lobster. I received light battered nuggets of sweet lobster. Not greasy, hot, tender and just yummy. It may be sacrilegious to fry a lobster, but it was way better than the ubiquitous gator or conch nugget.

The Mister was an easy sell on the lobster grilled cheese with tomato and grilled onions on sourdough. He chose some excellent hand cut fries as his side and a disappointingly small cup of sad slaw. (Note to chef...fix the slaw, give it a beauty makeover with red cabbage, carrot shreds and a bright tart dressing, lemon/mustard/honey/mayo combo or a chipotle mayo and slivered green onions?) His sandwich was phenomenal looking and just as drool worthy as the picture. He was in sandwich nirvana.

Okay, I contemplate the aforementioned bucket for one as my meal, but my appetite was whetted by the fried lobster to try a nibbler lunch approach. I chose a cup of the conch chowder, a side of red beans and rice, plus a half pound of the peel and eat shrimp in Old Bay shake. With a bit of a misstep with the conch chowder, I was a very happy beach bum.

The conch chowder lacked some serious heat, both in temperature and in seasoning. The little pieces of conch were chewy and it tasted as if it had possibly scorched on the steam table, but it was not steaming hot. Not worth a re-fire, I'll just chalk it up to the lateness of the lunch and it has suffered at the end of shift. There was a heavy tomato presence and only a slight hint of heat. (Note to chef...lose the super sweet tomato base, add some heat, develop a deep roux and you'll make that limp cup better by far).

Boy, oh boy did the red beans and rice make up for every spoonful of disappointment in the chowder. Those beans were creamy, flavored heavily with a Cajun kick, full of peppers, onions, sausage chunks in a slightly thickened broth. Tender rice underneath, I could have eaten two cups. Seriously, they were that good. Unctuous, tender to the tooth, rich, it needed not a drop of hot sauce, although I would offer a bottle alongside for those who care to incinerate their taste buds. Or a bit of pepper vinegar would be a nice tableside addition.

The size of the peel-n-eat shrimp were unbelievable. Talk about a perfect depiction of an oxymoron. Jumbo Shrimp does not do justice to the size of these behemoth crustaceans. They were perfectly cooked. I gladly ruined my freshly done manicure, peeling and dunking these beauties. I definitely needed a nail brush to clean the Old Bay debris from under my nails. Oh, yes, baby, we will meet again. I would dearly love to see those paper thin squares that barely qualified as a napkin to be replaced with a much better quality serviette. A wet nap after a finger staining, shrimp deveining, munch fest would be a lovely offering.

It was beyond cruel to offer us dessert after such a feast. We toddled our buffed and puffed selves to the mid-life crisis vehicle and took a slow ride home. I certainly look forward to visiting MB again to tackle one of those seafood buckets. I'm tempted to see their rendition of shrimp and yellow grits, after savoring those Cajun beans.

So good they get a second shot of fame!

The promise of a lobster roll sings a siren's song. Yes, this is a worthy rinse and repeat restaurant. With a couple of tweaks to the slaw and conch chowder, napkin issue and an offer of hot sauce or peppered vinegar, what is good now could be better.
Note: Breakfast is offered on the weekends. As well as a Bloody Mary Bar! I love a pickled salad in my drink. Our ample meal, two beers, two drinks with tax and well-deserved tip came to $83.00.

In a former life time I was known as "Tina, the Tourguide." Maybe I gained my nickname because of my penchant for telling 'people where to go' or maybe not. My former employ as a resort front desk manager allowed me to indulge in tasting, trying and then recommending restaurants for our diverse base of guests. It was the favorite part of my job....investigating what was new, what was popular and what would be a good fit for the diner. I was not compensated then or now for my dining choices, it is purely my personal opinion on finding the best tasting restaurants, value or splurge, family or intimate, to recommend to either guests or friends. That being said, I do have a personal bias to the old St. Pete establishments as a life long resident of the city I love. I am drawn to visit and review the places that have been re-vitalized into something new from my recollections.

The Accidental Moon

2014-05-20T23:14:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was one long day. I have been short on sleep and working lots of overtime. I've been accused of being a "stress junkie" and though I'm working very hard on correcting my bad habit of obsessing over life and foregoing sleep, I'm not always entirely successful. The Mister's myocardial infarction last month has not eased my stress, nor the Offspring's penchant for beaching it. Believe me, I know the allure of the beach bum lifestyle, I lived it . Back in the early 80's my life on the beach was one long party. Remind me to tell you about the dining party at Le Pompano who had obviously had been fishing for "square grouper" and getting the most awesome tip ever in my serving life. I don't want my Offspring to follow literally in my foot steps.

I digress, I was addressing the accidental moon. After a second eleven hour shift on 4 hours of sleep, I was weary and my eyes were blurry. My drive last night was a bit magical, the moon was low in the sky, bright and shiny. It hung low in the eastern sky, half seen and a gorgeous glowing orb, half shadowed but so luminescent, it was mesmerizing. I was so enchanted with the glow, my 1:00 a.m. drive home was nearly accidental because I kept glancing to my left to get a glimpse. For someone who preaches no cell phones in the front seat, it was ironic that the beauty of nature was my siren call to be so inattentive. I nearly drove off the road on the Interstate, near the 22nd Avenue South exit. Fortunately, I corrected the path of mid-life crisis convertible back into the left lane. The Mister did try to snap a picture of the moon after I got home. The cell phone, however failed to capture the magnificence of this evenings moon. Bless the Mister, he tries to get up to greet me late into the night, just to say hello and kiss me goodnight. Most times he scares the bejeezus out of me, who wants to see a shadowy figure lurking in her doorway as you walk to your front door? Our marriage has survived this many years because of our penchant for working odd shifts. Too much togetherness and our married bliss resembles thunder and lightning.

The accidental moon....well in my life there have been moments when my innate clumsiness and inattentiveness has resulted in another type of moon. Yeah, you know what I mean. While napping today, thinking of my boy, missing his laughter, I recalled a few full moon moments that provided him a belly laugh.

Long ago when I was working at Tierra Verde Island Resort (nee Guy Lombardo's Port of Call) as a front desk clerk, I had an unfortunate wrench of my right knee and had to wear a soft cast, thigh to ankle, until the wrenched tendons could heal. These were the days when the Mister worked nights guarding Manuel Noriega's evidence at the courthouse and I cared for Tyler. He watched Tyler while I worked the day shift at the Resort. We were two ships that passed in the night back then. My car was an ancient faded burgundy Chrysler Newport, Old Red. After my shift, leg aching and throbbing I was more than ready to head home. I turned Old Red off the Bayway and onto the Interstate heading north to our old bungalow in St. Paul/Euclid. Somewhere just south of the 26th Avenue south exit, my tire blew. BAM. Slide Old Red over to the right. Now, what? Mind you, these were the day long before cell phones were available for people as poor as we were. I'm leaning on the car, leg in a cast and looking desperate. A very kind woman pulled over, looked at my leg and said: "I'll drive you to a phone, but I don't know if you can get in the car?" Imagine the scene, I'm in the passenger side of her little Toyota with my right leg in its cast tucked under and hanging out her open car door. She made the exit and dropped me off at the old Pizza Hut on 34th Street South. The manager was so rude and he wouldn't let me use the phone, so I hobbled over to the decrepit ramshackle bait shop next door and bless that shop owner. He got me some ice water and let me use his phone. I called the Mister, "Hey, honey, the tire blew out...this is where I am." He loads Tyler and his convertible wheelchair into our beat up van and heads south to find me. He gets to me and he can't get the tire changed. Lug nuts were rusted. He drives back to a phone, calls AAA. Tyler, in the meantime, is in his chair with me and I'm walking him back and forth in the broiling hot sun. (August 5 pm in Florida is no picnic). I have my cold water from the bait man and I'm busy sprinkling him with the water and pacing if you can call my walking style with a cast, a pace. Soon I see the AAA truck and our van heading our way. Hoorah! Rescue at last. I turn Tyler just a little bit to head back to Old Red and I lose my footing in the gravel. Now we are on a fairly steep embankment on the side of the Interstate and should I mention that my uniform at the Resort was a wrap-around skirt? Guess who rolled down the hill showing her backside to her son, the AAA driver and her husband? That would be me. All the way down the hill, until the fencing at the bottom stopped my stop, drop, and roll. I opened my eyes to come face to face to the trash that people seemed destined to toss out their windows, a cigar butt or two and mulch.

My so-called wrap-around skirt was around my chest. Tyler was laughing, AAA man was laughing and Mister was laughing. I was not. I was the color of Old Red. A red full moon rising in the East. I was rescued from the bottom of the hill and we eventually made it home.

Soon after my roll down the hill, Tierra Verde Island Resort ceased to exist. We were blessed with a new child (the wee-one) and I became the full-time caregiver of our kids for the next fifteen years. The Mister started his employ with a mental health facility as an electrician and jack-of-all-trades. We were nearly normal. Yeah, right. Sometimes, we are oil and vinegar and not fully mixed. It is a hard adjustment and our life was a stress grenade in a field of land mines. Constant illness and surgery after surgery to give Tyler more function is taking it's toll. We are functioning but not on all cylinders.

After our darling Tyler grew beyond the swingapart wheelchair that you could disassemble and swing into a car and buckle up, he had a full use power chair that he could drive with a head array control. It weighed close to 200 lbs. by itself and even with the wheelchair carrier bolted to the back of Old Red, transportation became a real issue. I drove dear Tyler to therapy five days a week, for nearly ten years. We killed Big Red. At one point, the Generalissimo (MIL) decided that our mode of transport was too decrepit for her beloved grandson. The Generalissimo GAVE us a brand new Town and Country Mini-van. It served us well with just a modicum of alterations. We removed the small bench seat and created an anchor tie down dead center of the van with an automatic lift that folded into the rear from the side door. It was all well and good until our boy sprouted and grew so tall in his wheel chair that we could not fit his head in the van through the side door. Enter Phil of C&H van conversions, this man knows his stuff, he had made the tie down so Tyler wouldn't tilt during turns. This time, he figured out how to raise the roof, so Tyler would be able to keep his head. I love that man. He adored Tyler and has for the last 20 years sent us a Thanksgiving card. I digress again, we are talking about accidental moons.

Early on after the van conversion, I was still in the process of learning how to work the lift. Really, it wasn't difficult to learn, I was just in another time and space, sometimes, when I was getting Tyler to and from therapy. I was a head case, then and freely admit it. Stress can do that to you.

One day, we pulled up for Speech, Occupational Therapy with Clair and Jan on Park Boulevard, Pinellas Park. I'm ready to unload the Ty-guy and I jam the lift into the floorboard halfway. It won't go up and it won't go down. It is flat out stuck. I call C&H and Phil in his own wheelchair and adapted van drove to my rescue. That man took time out of his busy day and drove to Park and taught me a lesson in wheelchair lifts. Thank you Phil.

Oh, full moon rising, again I digress. Have you ever seen the traffic on Park Boulevard? Hundreds of cars passing in a given minute. A very busy boulevard of stores and restaurants, plus a main thoroughfare through Pinellas county east to west. Clair and Jan had their offices on the north side of the boulevard in a very small parking lot. The only parking spot available to me one day was the one closest to the boulevard. I get the side door open, reach in to unlock the center lock of the wheelchair harness and lower the lift when I suddenly feel a whoosh of wind and my gauze skirt has flown over my head and is caught in the lift gate over my head to my left. It is in the mechanism and jammed the movement. I am now stuck bent over inside a van with my rear facing Park Boulevard. Our son is laughing so hard that his wheelchair is shaking. I can not back up, I can't reach up, short of undressing, I was stuck. Thank goodness that I always heeded my mom's advice to wear your best undies. The cacophony of car horns is deafening. Even Phil couldn't save me now. It took a pair of Jan's scissors to free me. I have now given up any hope of modesty and sheepishly wheel Tyler into therapy. This too shall pass.

You know the old saw, laughter is the best medicine. If anything, I've learned to laugh at the moments in my past that shamed me previously. I've learned to embrace my clumsiness as a symptom of a mind otherwise occupied. I've learned that sometimes laughter is all you have got. Miss you my Ty-man, thank you for always appreciating the absurd and pointing out the humor in the bad spots. Thank you for always reminding me that things could be worse and that resilience and perseverance is a good thing.

Attention all, Whipper "Snapper's Sea Grill"

2014-05-13T23:28:00.000-04:00

Remember your granddad calling any overly exuberant youth a "Whippersnapper"? Well, granddad would be very happy with a meal at Snapper's Sea Grill, it is a throwback kind of meal. Not overly exciting in exotic offerings, but just the kind of meal a granddad would appreciate as well as his most appreciative family. The food is exquisite in presentation, fresh as it can be and service is top-notch. Another representation of a prime beach restaurants to titillate the taste buds and elevate seafood beyond the all-you-can-slop fare at other nearby establishments. Sometimes, excess does not equal success.

Snapper's Sea Grill

(727) 367-3550

5895 Gulf Blvd St Pete Beach, FL 33706

The Offspring recently celebrated a birthday. I'm happy to say that she will still go out to dinner with her old folks. The Offspring is a budding foodie. She may never cook a meal, but she has been a willing and adventuresome eater. I might have had to disown her if she was a picky eater. (Although the phase when no foods could touch on the plate was a bit rough, I'm happy to say it has passed.)

We chose Snapper's Sea Grill on St. Pete Beach as our dining destination. How fortunate that it was at the tail end of the Spring Break madness and our wait for a dining table was not interminable. It was still cool enough in the early night air to enjoy our wines by the glass in the patio area before being seated. Snappers serves beer and wine only.

I will say that the restaurant is much smaller inside than I expected. There was a bit of a logjam of servers at the hostess stand, however the room was clean and bright, the booth seating was comfortable. The decor was nice in a complementary marine grey blue and white scheme. There are bright paintings to please the eye. I don't remember any background music but there was a lot chatter and clatter this evening. It wasn't unpleasant but it did make conversation a bit difficult at times.

As soon as we were seated and perusing the menu, an appetizing nibble emerged as our pre-dinner snack. Roasted Brussel Sprouts with crispy fried leeks and ponzu glaze, enough for the three of us to share while debating our dinner choices.

We chose three different appetizers, our daughter will never tire of her tried and true seared tuna. She loves her tuna and will always order it. The Mister chose a half dozen of stuffed broiled oysters. I ordered the beef sate with a peanut dipping sauce. While our choices were not groundbreaking or off-the-chart extraordinary, they were a credible example of just what we expected. Her tuna was seared, she had wasabi paste and pickled ginger and enough soy sauce to make her wicked hot dipping sauce. The Mister enjoyed his broiled oyster and said the flavor was just as he liked it, bacon, tomato, onion and boursin cheese. (not spicy, not fishy, not new.) My beef skewers were cooked appropriately medium rare and the dipping sauce was not hot as I would like, but it was perfectly tasty with the beef skewer.

We were served a lovely tall cup of flatbread crisps with a tangy hummus as a gratis appetizer. It was a lovely lagnaippe and the crisps were enjoyed by all.

I will say our server was attentive and our food arrived promptly. There is a distinct advantage to have a daughter who works on the beach and has many friends who also serve. We get excellent service from her friends.

We thoroughly enjoyed the creamy garlic dressing on the salads. The salads were well chilled, fresh greens and garnished with crispy tortilla strips. A cut above the norm. (As a former salad girl, there are few salads that impress and I did like Snappers house salad.)

We were in splurge mode for the entrees. This dinner is a celebration and everyone was "all in" for the go big or go home meal. The birthday girl chose the Surf and Turf option with a filet and lobster tail.

The Mister chose twin glazed thick cut pork chops served with delicious sweet potato fries.

I had the Seafood platter that included a lobster tail and large shrimp curled around scallops, broiled and brushed with butter.

All dinners were plated with a standard stirfry of squash, carrot and onion and a delightful popover mashed potato cup, an inventive combo bread and cheesy potato option. All plates were beautifully garnished with bright blooms and looked exotic in presentation. Plating is a serious business at Snappers, there is extreme care in making the meal look as good as it tastes. Stunning to look at and delightful to eat.

Our meals were not a reinvention of the wheel. They were commendable versions of an upscale beach front fare. All the dishes were cooked to the perfect degree of doneness. If you are in the mood for a meal that represents seafood and meats in abundance and cooked well in a familiar, albeit non-adventuresome manner, then Snapper's Sea Grill is for you. Sometimes, good food expertly prepared is all you need, bells and whistles are not always required. To be absolutely fair, there are menu offerings that promise the spice and zing of chipotle and tiger sauce, if you so desire.

The Offspring visited Snapper's again, with her boyfriend recently. They raved over the Mussels Diablo, the house salads, the Wasabi crusted Tuna entree, Seafood (lobster, shrimp, scallop) platter and a special side order of risotto. She was very impressed with the risotto.

All in all, we had a wonderful celebratory old school dinner, filled with joking, laughter and memories. It was a very pleasant evening, spent in convivial spirits and just what the daughter ordered. We were served well and well fed. Happy Birthday, wee one. Love always.

In a former life time I was known as "Tina, the Tourguide." Maybe I gained my nickname because of my penchant for telling 'people where to go' or maybe not. My former employ as a resort front desk manager allowed me to indulge in tasting, trying and then recommending restaurants for our diverse base of guests. It was the favorite part of my job....investigating what was new, what was popular and what would be a good fit for the diner. I was not compensated then or now for my dining choices, it is purely my personal opinion on finding the best tasting restaurants, value or splurge, family or intimate, to recommend to either guests or friends. That being said, I do have a personal bias to the old St. Pete establishments as a life long resident of the city I love. I am drawn to visit and review the places that have been re-vitalized into something new from my recollections.

Chill out at Steam, bring on the tapas!

2014-05-09T19:01:00.000-04:00

I had worked a long shift and was ready to come home to a quiet evening. Fat chance, not your momma. When I pulled into the driveway, the Mister was sitting in the garage just waiting to spring into the car as I drove in. Really? I just spent a nail-biting 40 minute drive home, on gas fumes and needing a pit stop. I pleaded my case, handed him the keys to go get gas and give me a 10 minute breather. Then when I get in the car to chauffeur his Royal Highness to supper, I innocently asked, "Where do you want to go?" "I don't know, you pick something, but it can't be too far, it can't be too expensive and it can't be Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, seafood or barbecue!" Thanks for making it easy on me, Mr. We live in a restaurant wasteland on the southside of St. Petersburg. Head west on 22nd Avenue South, off to the beach, we go.

I have a list of restaurants on my wish list gleaned from the posts on Urbanspoon. Where to go, where to go? Hmmm. Turn left, SPB, turn right, Treasure Island. Straight ahead, I spot Steam. Yep. You are the winner, Steam/Chill on this night's restaurant lottery game.

There were only a few diners in the restaurant and we had the undivided attention of our server. The Mister ordered his beer and I chose a vodka cucumber mint libation. I have a new found admiration for boutique cocktails and martinis. The menu is a culinary experiment of small plates and appetizers. Each plate is lovingly described and are tantalizing temptations to the palate. There is a nice eating bar that overlooks the open kitchen and you can chat with the chef while he prepares your meal. There are some comfortable booths and tables. It is cozy and has lovely pendant lights throughout the restaurant. Another plus, was a lovely sound track playing stylish vocalizations with a smooth vibe. It added a nice musical ambiance to our dinner. There is a small selection of wines by the glass as well as a specialty cocktail menu.

Our first plates were the Hot stuffed olives, Stuffed dates wrapped in proscuitto, and the warmed Brie with mushrooms, shallots and brandy flambe with bread for dipping. Now bear in mind, you are ordering small plates to share...there is no rhyme or reason to a set progression of courses, you are served your tapas when it is ready. Fresh plates are supplied throughout our meal and extra bread was brought without request.

Now, ordering hot stuffed olives was a bit of a risk, with a non-olive eater at the table. Aha, the warm melting asiago and kasseri cheese spread over bread was more alluring than the fear of a colossal black olive. We both approved.

Dates stuffed with gorgonzola cheese wrapped in proscuitto, what could possibly top this nibble? Sweet, salty and savory in two bites. The soy drizzle was delicious and there was a lovely bed of spinach to anchor the plate.

Ohhhh, sweet heaven. The brie with the mushrooms, shallots, bacon and brandy flambe was out of this world good. It was everything you want in one bite, savory, herbal, cheesy goodness slathered over bread. There is a sweet brie version offered as well, perfect for a dessert option, maybe?

I am willing to admit I made a mistake with our ordering pattern, I should have mixed it up a bit so that all that cheesy goodness was not served in rapid progression. It was a live and learn tapas lesson. Next visit, I'll stagger the dishes between so many that are cheese heavy to a refresher salad and then a meaty option with a veggie choice. There is a good selection of items from the sea. There is a 'fresh is best' approach to the ingredients and it is evident in the careful presentation and taste of the small plates. I so want to try the liver pate especial plate, with capers. Capers are my culinary weakness. Those little sprightly pops of vinegary goodness always excite the palate.

Fred was very happy with his delicious filet once it was refired. He ordered medium and the first delivery yielded a very rare filet. No problem, our server promptly returned for a re-cook. The demi-glace sauce was delicious, smooth and savory. The truffle oil drizzle mashed potatoes were hot and promptly scarfed down by my spouse. I barely snagged a forkful. The steak was incredibly tender and flavorful.

I felt virtuous with my veggie order. Fresh cauliflower cooked, riced and served as a pilaf with a lovely assortment of extra veggie power added to the mix. It was garnished with a handful of cherry tomatoes. It looked like rice but it felt so much lighter.

The only odd moment was the tomatoes as the base on the Warm Pear salad. The rounds of tomato (not fully ripe) were garnished with beautiful piped mounds of whipped goat cheese. To my taste I would prefer a croustade as the base for the whipped cheese. It could have used a generous grind of black pepper and a pinch of salt to bring up the flavor. The warm pears, walnuts, fig compote and fresh spinach salad was delicious. Even with the slight disharmony with the tomato base.

By this time, we were appropriately stuffed and near comatose from the cheese. However, with a slight arm twist we were able to order a dessert. While the house award winning, red velvet cupcake (described as a dense cake cross between a cupcake and brownie) with vanilla ice cream and a caramel drizzle tempted me, the Mister frowned on the word "cupcake." So, our shared order would be their flourless chocolate cake to appease his massive chocoholic tooth.
The slice was garnished nicely with a strawberry and sauce drizzle. It was an incredibly dense, fudge-like melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cake. So very rich and quite decadent.

The Mister chose a glass of house merlot as his after-dinner drink and I had an iced Naughty Whipped mocha coffee. The restaurant serves Kahwah coffee and has a very nice coffee, espresso, latte selection. I love a good coffee and this was the perfect ending on a warm spring night.

Please note we had previously tried Steam/Chill for a late breakfast and while the food was most delicious, the service was incredibly uneven and slow. It was an interminable wait for a Bloody Mary and a Mimosa. The shrimp and grits still remains a favorite breakfast dish.

The shrimp were succulent, the grits cheesy awesomeness, with nice bites of Andouille sausage. The Offspring loved her eggs Benedict.

The girl can not turn down an Eggs Benedict. The Mister had the Philly Cheesesteak Scramble skillet and he was very happy with his choice.

The fellow is from Philly and he loves a cheese wit in every incarnation.

In a former life time I was known as "Tina, the Tourguide." Maybe I gained my nickname because of my penchant for telling 'people where to go' or maybe not. My former employ as a resort front desk manager allowed me to indulge in tasting, trying and then recommending restaurants for our diverse base of guests. It was the favorite part of my job....investigating what was new, what was popular and what would be a good fit for the diner. I was not compensated then or now for my dining choices, it is purely my personal opinion on finding the best tasting restaurants, value or splurge, family or intimate, to recommend to either guests or friends. That being said, I do have a personal bias to the old St. Pete establishments as a life long resident of the city I love. I am drawn to visit and review the places that have been re-vitalized into something new from my recollections.

I WANT MY MTV, oops I WANT 727FoodNOW

2014-05-01T01:10:00.000-04:00

So okay, there are moments when this overworked mother and underpaid family nurse is just too overwhelmed to cook, what is a mother to do? A). dress for real dinner out. Tight shoes, are you frikkin kidding me? B). face another generic take-out pizza delivered barely warm and just barely edible with too much salt and too much fat? C). Or if I had the stamina and energy to exhume a freezer dinner by me, can you believe that I not have enough energy to reheat? Have you ever had a day that the effort of bathing is an aerobic exercise? I'm just whipped and ready to call it in. Tired meet Tina, Tina meet Tired.

727Foodnow offers a great selection of restaurants that for an amount a bit bigger than nominal fee + tip, you can have a fresh hot delivery of good food to your very own front door that is not the pizza norm.

We have successfully ordered from a number of the restaurants for our zip code. The food has ALWAYS arrived in a timely manner. We have never had a misorder where we received some one elses' dinner. The only misfire we had was from Gratzi where the seafood the linguine pescatore that was way past the seafood prime. It was so fishy and repellent that I gagged. 727FoodNow gave us an immediate credit. It has been a great service when you do not want to do the norm. I'm not lazy, believe me, I routinely cook marathon days of investment cooking, saving meals by freezing or do ahead prep. Bulk food cooking is my specialty. I am proud of my cooking days and we happily eat for weeks off from my advance preparation. However, sometimes life is so overwhelming that the home delivery service is God sent....and I have routinely used 727FoodNow as our only option to cheese and crackers.

Convenience is expensive, but there are times that convenience trumps cost.
An illness in the family, a house remodel, a schedule that can't be adjusted, "I'm just too tired" are all the reason to justify our 727FoodNow orders....no one has ever rejected the food when presented. We have ordered enough to know what is a value and what is not worth the price.....you need to choose. There are many options and all should be applauded for adding this service to their options.

I would recommend 727 Food Now as a momma's best secret friend.

Take the hand offered, even if you don't know the need, yet.

I have my Fetish, do your have yours? Fetishes delivers in style

2014-04-30T22:35:00.000-04:00

We went to Fetishes for first time after experiencing a terrible, no-good horrific week. It was the perfect evening of delicious food and wine to ease our tattered & battered nerves. Fetishes is a lovely restorative, an impressive throw-back to the continental dining style that nourishes our soul. We were impressed from the calm, quietly elegant interior to the impressive cork bar laid by hand by Bruce, the cordial owner. Fetishes has an excellent wine list, offering many two glass pours, which is a lovely option when you have divergent tastes at the table. We sat at a quiet table, in the corner, it was delightfully semi-private. Jenn was our more than competent and attentive server, along with tableside service from Bruce.

My apologies, this is the only photo available from our meal....I neglected to charge the phone, hence the camera was not available. It only means that we have to return to Fetishes to correct this abomination of a blogger error. There is a method to my madness. Did I say that? Oops, need to use my inside voice.

I was thrilled to see blonde Lillet as an aperitif (now I want Lillet rouge). I rarely see this offered in restaurants. I can remember many a supper with a former beau, that started with a glass of Lillet with fresh radishes, soft butter, salt and toasty baguettes. I digress, again, where is that pesky inside voice when I need her? As a former fine dining server, back in the day, I have to confess that the tableside service was my culinary weakness at first. I used to carve and flambe tableside, with my own horror stories to share of my initial mistakes. I once flipped a rack of lamb to the floor and in one (151 rum) flaming mistake took off my eyebrows and lashes. Remember, a mistake is never a mistake as long as it isn't repeated. Errors are lessons learned as my motto and I'm sticking to it. That said, I love the intimacy and cordiality of fine dining with the host/owner as your guide. Tableside presentation is truly an art, not only in preparing the food, but in having the patter, and personality to engage your diner. I have to say that Bruce "does it right." It was downright delightful to exchange our collective memories of our serving past. Bruce has impeccable "street cred." We do share many friends and that just added to the "feel good sensation" at Fetishes.

While discussing our dinner choices for the evening, Jenn overheard my concern with the Mister regarding the escargot appetizer and the possible garlic overload content. She quietly mentioned to us that since the food is not pre-made, accommodations can be made to the dishes to adjust the sauces to the particular taste of the guest. Hooray! It sure bets the "no substitutions or alterations" decree printed on other menus. It is nice to know that special orders don't upset us at Fetishes.

My husband indulged in the Lobster Newburg as his appetizer, while I had the lump crab cake, appetizer portion. Both were delicious and the Mister could not stop scraping up the delectable sauce from the gratinee dish. To my chagrin, he threatened to lick the plate. (If the dish is offered with a few bread slices, we could the avoid the threat of dish licking and finger scraping). There were huge chunks of lobster and it was worth every cent. My Maryland crab cake had no filler evident to the eye. (Bruce is from Baltimore, who would question his crab integrity?) I only questioned how it stayed in shape with a crispy crust. It was served with a tangy Dijon sauce that was a perfect accompaniment. We had a most impressive salad with a delightful mustard honey dressing, sliced green apple, romaine and pine nuts. As a house salad it was superb. I must return for the Caesar, it requires two for service. I'm trolling for takers. The Mister does not like Caesar, silly man.

I chose to have two appetizers as my entree. The duck liver pate served with a tangy relish and seeded flat crackers. It was superb. (I'm a liver pate snob from my days at Rollande et Pierre; spreadable and Le Pompano; loaf style and sliced.) My second was the bisque, a velvety creamy, intensely lobster flavored heavenly creation. There was a sherry shooter to add to the bisque and it was wonderful. The Mister chose to have the steak Diane. The filet with the mustard, brandy, veal stock, cream sauce was spectacular. It was beyond tender and flavorful. This supper was plated with Duchesse potatoes and sugar snap peas and carrots. To say the Mister inhaled his dinner would be an understatement. We did have nice crusty French rolls with soft fresh butter topped with a sprig of dill. We also indulged in a lovely bottle of Cote de Rhone. Jenn was attentive but not intrusive, our water glasses were never empty and our wines were decanted to allow each wine time to bloom into a more fragrant tasty libation. I concur that a wine decanted tastes infinitely better than the wine left in the bottle. A lesser wine becomes much more open to the nose and it tastes better. Bravo Bruce for adding the decant service to your wine presentation. Truly how can a wine breathe through a bottle neck? It needs the delicate pour into a decanter to breathe life into the captured grape. I am also, impressed with the delicate touches of real herbs added to the foods. There is a lovely little herb garden just off the kitchen and it is nice to see the dinner plating includes these touches of freshness that are delightful to the see and taste.

I have to mention that the music tracks that played during our meal was an eclectic mix and a perfect background to a superb, or as the Offspring says, phenomenal dinner. There was even a touch of Bob Marley, thank you. People do not appreciate a good background music. Bruce, thank you for adding another delightful dimension to the fine dining experience.

Jenn brought over the dessert and port/sherry selection. I had a bit of a struggle because the Mister again said, "I'm too full for another bite." I ordered the Key lime parfait and when Jenn brought my decaf espresso and dessert, he perked up and started eyeing my dish with ardor, nearing on passion! Bless Jenn, she was prompt with another spoon so he could taste (eat half) of the parfait. It was light and delicious. Enough tartness to finish the meal with a punch to the tastebuds. I must return for the Bananas Foster. I'm trolling for takers. The Mister will again, be too full to partake. Hmmm, bring the extra fork and bowl early, please? Our Offspring stopped by after our dinner to share a glass of wine. She was burnt to a lobster red crisp from her day at the Alden Beach Resort and she enjoyed her two-glass pour of wine. It was a celebratory ending for the three of us to be together, so the Mister and I topped off our meal with a nice 1/2 bottle of Piper Heidsieck. Nothing can make this girl happier than a sparkly champagne finish.

Please note that the restaurant does have a small side room, perfect for 8 to 10 people, that has a TV/monitor for presentations. It is a private area that can accommodate the higher rung business meeting or a lovely private birthday party. Also there is a 17% gratuity added to the tab.

In a former life time I was known as "Tina, the Tourguide." Maybe I gained my nickname because of my penchant for telling 'people where to go' or maybe not. My former employ as a resort front desk manager allowed me to indulge in tasting, trying and then recommending restaurants for our diverse base of guests. It was the favorite part of my job....investigating what was new, what was popular and what would be a good fit for the diner. I was not compensated then or now for my dining choices, it is purely my personal opinion on finding the best tasting restaurants, value or splurge, family or intimate, to recommend to either guests or friends. That being said, I do have a personal bias to the old St. Pete establishments as a life long resident of the city I love. I am drawn to visit and review the places that have been re-vitalized into something new from my recollections.

Tarzan - Phil Collins - You'll Be In My Heart to Fred and Tyler

2014-04-29T00:04:00.000-04:00

Fred, remember, always. No more heart attacks, please. You are using up your nine lives way too fast for me. I hope I can bring you home tomorrow.

A Tomahawk Chop to feed the world....Seared 1200 does it like no other

2014-04-28T22:01:00.001-04:00

Seriously, my daughter and her boyfriend went to Seared 1200 Chophouse last night for their supper. She came in bearing leftovers. The box contained so much food that I didn't think they had eaten anything.

There was a huge chunk of prime rib meat, perfect medium rare, crusted in the most wonderful peppercorn crust. SEARED!! They had added a side of the crab and shrimp "Oscar topping" and bearnaise sauce from the twin filets to their Tomahawk. The rib bone was huge. It was taken home to a very grateful German Shepherd. The meat even as a leftover was fantastic. I don't know how they did the seasoning, but the freshly cracked pepper crust was so good. Not at all hot, but most beautifully complementary to the meaty goodness of the rib meat. I have never tasted a bearnaise sauce that was as well prepared as their version. It was lightly lemon tart, yet creamy, nearly a foam, with just enough anise flavor to keep it interesting. It was perfection.

So the "kids" had the yummy house salads, the Tomahawk, the Oscar topping, those good dinner rolls, a nice bottle of wine and it was $128.00 without tip. They sat at the bar and watched the kitchen action.

Considering, I didn't get the full dinner experience, I feel a little weird writing a review. However, since my darling daughter saw fit to share the wealth and it was "good," I can justify the post. I trust her judgement, her boyfriend is a chef and when they visit a restaurant repeatedly, I'm in.

Deep in the Jungle, tasty tapas emerge....The Black Palm

2014-04-22T01:50:00.000-04:00

In a former life time I was known as "Tina, the Tourguide." Maybe I gained my nickname because of my penchant for telling 'people where to go' or maybe not. My former employ as a resort front desk manager allowed me to indulge in tasting, trying and then recommending restaurants for our diverse base of guests. It was the favorite part of my job....investigating what was new, what was popular and what would be a good fit for the diner. I was not compensated then or now for my dining choices, it is purely my personal opinion on finding the best tasting restaurants, value or splurge, family or intimate, to recommend to either guests or friends. That being said, I do have a personal bias to the old St. Pete establishments as a life long resident of a city I love. I am drawn to visit and review the places that have been re-vitalized into something new from my recollections.

I never had the honor of eating at the Black Palm at its former location, therefore I have no preconceived notions of the intimate setting in Pass-a-grille.

I have had several dinners at the Jungle Prada, in many of the other guises and establishments. I am very happy to report that the Black Palm has graciously taken root in the historic building. It is lovely to see the building, scrubbed and restored to glory. The terrazzo floors and the arches are uncovered and beautiful to behold. The bar is generous in size and sparkles with lights. The room evokes an understated elegance with an old world panache that feels organic. It honors a long ago treasure polished for newcomers to embrace.

The day was wet and blustery and just plain dreary. We wanted, nay, we required a pick-me-up to lift our sodden spirits. Aha, let's try the Black Palm.
I would have put the top down on the convertible to make the drive but the skies were too grey.

The parking lot was jam-packed and we were worried about getting a table. It was five thirty pm. We entered and lo and behold, we had a beautiful vision of multiple tables for the taking. Apparently, the savvy owners of the Black Palm realize the benefit of schmooze and had the homeowners association meeting for the tony Jungle Prada area in their banquet room. Smart move.

We were seated in the back corner (our choice) on one of the banquettes. It allowed us full view of the dining room. Our drink order was taken swiftly. We were offered a bottle of sparkling water or tap. I love Pellegrino, you know I chose that bubbly crisp water to quench the palate.

On to the menu, now this took a bit of explaining to the Mister. The idea of tapas is quite foreign to him. (Bar snacks at Hooter's require no explanation, hmmm).
There were so many choices, but we persevered and chose a number to share.

The Pinchos-Beef skewers

The Mister ordered TWO beef skewers and I had to fight for one bite. That man!

Quesadilla de Mer

This was another tug of war dish. Tortilla with seafood filling, avocado and crema topping. So good.....do not nibble that jalapeno garnish. It will make you cry.

Maduros

Lovely soft sweetly starchy plantains, fried and topped with a light crema. The slight sweetness balanced the heat from our other choices.

Fried Chorizo slices on unripe fried plantain chips, topped with a garlic aoili

The chorizo slices were delicious. We loved the sauce and it was not overpowering in garlic, a nice complementary tidbit to our selection of little bites.

Pretty Huevos de Diablo

Okay, this was a bit of miss, it did not live up to the Diablo name....a good egg, but it lacked the spice I had hoped for.

Raiz

A wonderful beet salad, complex and earthy, a salad of my dreams.

Alambre

A saute of tender steak tips with onions, garlic and peppers, served with black beans and rice. We found the flavor to be spot-on and the beans were aromatic and earthy, with cumin and onion. A very nice dinner entree.

Volcano lava cake...it was the coup de grace for the Mister.

Natilla

Oh there are no words to describe the beauty of a "Natilla," a Grand Marnier brulee. It was so good, I nearly moaned aloud. Maybe I did. The table adjacent asked "what are you eating?" Hmmm.

Our dinner was very good, service was impeccable. There is a team of servers and each is efficient, swift and personable. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and look forward to visiting the Black Palm again. Our meal with drinks, dessert and tip was $180.00. Worth every cent!

Urban Brew and BBQ is a shiny new penny on the block!

2014-04-14T02:14:00.002-04:00

Dang, this new brew pub on the block just hit all the vibes with a huge Ka-Bang for this native St. Petersburgian. Really, there is nothing better than seeing an establishment honor the rich history of Central Avenue in my beloved home town. Back in the day, my daddy owned Buddy Hill's Auto sales just a block or two west from 16th Street World Liquors (yep, the one with the black and white globe). The same Buddy Hill who once set huge blocks of ice on the corner of Central Avenue and 4th Street and as they melted they revealed advertising for his Auto Sales. He got fined, of course but he foiled the signage prohibition at the time. I love the sense of history preserved in this tiny spot on Central. From the reclaimed Augusta bricks that line the wall behind the bar, to the 30 foot back-lit mural with historic buildings accurately painted, to the copper pennies that make up the bathroom floors. It is just a delight to the eye.

Now let's talk food and brew. I love the large chalkboard with prices for full pours and half pours. A nice touch if you want to try a few new brews and not commit tummy space to a full pour each. Believe me, you want to leave room for the food.

The Mister and I share a delightful little iron skillet of kielbasa wrapped in proscuitto and sprinkled with brown sugar. The little nuggets were perfect as an appetizer. A little sweet, a little salty and a good bit of fat to make that perfect Beach Blonde from Three Sisters Brewery all the more delectable. Mr. Boring did his usual Miller Lite as his brew of choice.

Cameron was a terrific server, she was attentive and can pour a perfect pint. She gave us the lunch specials and we were immediately drawn to them. The Mister chose the Beef brisket with sweet bbq sauce topped with an overeasy egg on a huge pillowy bun. (Don't tell his cardiologist). He upgraded his side dish for the house special mac n' cheese (another piping hot skillet topped with crispy bread crumbs, yum).

I chose the SML sandwich....what is an SML? Why it is a smoked meat loaf sandwich with smokey bacon, your choice of sauce (make mine spicy) topped with house made cole slaw. I chose my side of collard greens. Good heavens, I will always worship a sprinkle jar of vinegar full of full of peppers and garlic. What better sprinkle can anyone have for greens? The greens were perfectly tender and the hot vinegar made them sing! Our lunch specials were served on 1/8 sheet pans lined with a paper liner. It harkens back to the day when your favorite bbq came on butcher paper with a few slices of wonder white.

Hubby declared he was absolutely too full to indulge in a dessert. I was intrigued with the Sweet Potato Souffle that Cameron had mentioned, so I ordered one for us to share. "Oh no, Tina, I won't eat any I'm too full." Famous last words from Freddie. I went to use the facilities and marvel at the penny floor and when I returned, Mr. I'mtoofull had eaten half of the sweet hot dessert. It was served in the mini-piping hot cast iron skillet, the sweet potatoes were topped with brown sugar crumble, walnuts and marshmallows. It was delicious. All the guilty goodness of the Thanksgiving table in a fun dessert. A half pint of Bet Red with a perfectly creamy head was a good match with the sweetness of the dish.

We had a perfectly fine afternoon at this nice addition to the burgeoning Central Avenue scene. Nothing can make me happier than to see our downtown shake off the sleepiness of the past and embrace the vibrancy of good food and cheer. Here's looking at you, kid.

In a former life time I was known as "Tina, the Tourguide." Maybe I gained my nickname because of my penchant for telling 'people where to go' or maybe not. My former employ as a resort front desk manager allowed me to indulge in tasting, trying and then recommending restaurants for our diverse base of guests. It was the favorite part of my job....investigating what was new, what was popular and what would be a good fit for the diner. I was not compensated then or now for my dining choices, it is purely my personal opinion on finding the best tasting restaurants, value or splurge, family or intimate to recommend to either guests or friends. That being said, I do have a personal bias to the old St. Pete establishments as a life long resident of a city I love. I am drawn to visit and review the places that have been re-vitalized into something new from my recollections.

Ah, the memories of camping.....do you like it rough?

2014-04-13T03:15:00.000-04:00

Okay, I grew up with a Daddy who sold used cars and at one time, Open Road Campers. We had the best camping trips...with the near luxury of home if you count cramped drop down beds from the ceiling and cans flying out of pantry cabinets to hit you in the head when daddy made a sharp turn a luxury. It was great fun to explore many of the campgrounds in Florida, we hit all the springs and parks in the Keys. Dad would get us every other weekend and would plan a terrific outing during our spring and fall seasons. During the summer he would rent houseboats and we would spend our vacations on the water. We endured hideous truck-sized mosquitos and treacherous rip tides, but there is something to be said about being anchored in a cove and diving from the top of a houseboat to cool off in the dog days of summer. Yeah, we really roughed it with the Open Road frig, stove, shower and toilet. Dad's camping was upscale and was devoid of any surprising animals. Remind me to tell you about saving one of the houseboat mate by pulling him from a riptide while he was being pulled under the boat. NO FEAR, I heard Jimmy call for help and jumped off to the opposite side of the houseboat, caught him in my arms and swam against the current to the bow of the boat. Jimmy was my friend then and is a friend in my heart now.

Now with my momma, we actually camped in a tent on the ground without benefit of a mattress at a piece of property we owned. We built our campfires with cinder blocks and roasted our meals over coals. I can not forget the oyster roasts on sheet metal, squirted with generous amounts of garlic butter. We would carry up a bushel of oysters from Cedar Key, use a couple of cinder blocks to support our sheet metal and dump those briny beauties over a roaring hot fire and pop those shells and slurp the finest salty plump oysters, the finest the Gulf offered! And lest any one forget, isn't S'mores over a campfire a decadent dessert? Camping with my momma meant we roughed it without the luxury of a toilet. (My mom grew up in WV and an outhouse was the usual and nothing to be concerned about). We would practice pistol shooting, aiming miserably for the soda/beer cans on the huge bent magnolia tree. We would bathe and brush our teeth in the waters of Lake Tsalapopka with nary a worry, it was always cold. We would fish off the "Phylron", our 18 foot outboard in the lake, momma would clean the fish and fry it in cornmeal in cast iron skillet and make her "famous" hush puppies. Her surprise foil packet dinners were always a treat. I simply could not tolerate the ghost stories told by the light of a Coleman lantern, especially the man with the hook. I remember the shivers listening to the sounds of the woods around us and trying really hard to be the brave one. We endured the huge mosquitos in the woods, but somehow, it never seemed to be an issue in a tent versus a camper.

We had so much fun and this is a memory that brought cheer to my heart. The oyster roasting technique served me well when I used to drag race my 1972 Dodge Dart with the 340 4 barrel souped-up orange/red racing car with mag wheels, black leather seats and air shocks on the flats of Apollo Beach before it became a suburb. We had many an oyster roast over a cinder block set up, with old refrigerator racks, cold PBR Tall boys, mingled with sand, sand flat races and long slow summer sunsets. Aw, memories.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/8469/hush-puppies.html

2 cups of white water ground corn meal

1 tablespoon of flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1 egg

3 tablespoons of chopped (fine) yellow onion

1 tablespoon of finely minced jalapeno, seeded and deveined

2 tablespoons of plum tomato flesh chopped in a fine dice-no seeds and as dry as you can make them

1 cup of buttermilk

Mix all the dry ingredients.

Add chopped onion, jalapeno and tomato bits.

Then add the milk and beaten egg.

Drop by spoonful into deep hot oil (375).

Turn over and allow to cook until lightly brown.

Drain on plain brown paper bags.

Serve at once.

Mom's hush puppies were never mundane, hard as a rock, without flavor. Mom's hush puppies were ethereal, flavorful, with onion, bits of tomato, and enough jalapeno to waken the palate but not deaden the tongue. Always, tasty enough to be front and center as a tasty nibble that can assuage our hunger for what was yet to come.

Jack's London Grill ~ Not a Call of the Wild spot

2014-04-03T15:52:00.000-04:00

Jack's London Grill is a spot-on nice pub and grub. Cold beer, hot fish and chips, roast beef sliders, Scottish eggs, great onion rings and good service makes this family happy. Add a fun game of trivia and the night becomes even more enjoyable.

Located on north 62nd Avenue North, just off 10th Street, (St. Petersburg) in a nondescript closed Pizza Hut. Jack's London Grill has quickly become a delicious addition to the pub scene. The decor is comfortable, the lighting is dim, the TV's in the corner are set to the sports channel. The waitresses are sincere and caring. The menu is dominant with the favorites from over the pond. There are specials offered nightly. I want a Sunday visit for Yorkshire pudding and Roast beef....emphasis on the Yorkshire pudding.

My grumpy spouse wanted to go out desperately and was going to give me his regular directive "not too far from home, two miles tops." I'm designated driver and I get to choose, dear heart. That's how I roll. We put the top down on the convertible and I headed due north. He started to complain once we passed Tropicana Field...whine, "Where are we going?" Shush, honey, you'll like it.

We chose a comfy booth. Looking over the menu, I was immediately drawn to the fish and chips. A personal favorite because I don't fry at home. Our waitress gave us the specials of the night. Fred was drawn to the 12 ounce sirloin with mushrooms, spuds and gravy. We had to start with a couple of appetizers of course. We ordered the Scottish egg with mustard and a couple of Roast beef sliders. They were served quickly and were yummy. The roast beef was delicious and tender. The roll was fresh and tasty.

Fred was very happy with his first Scottish egg.

The tempura light battered onion rings were half price and we added an order to our dinner order. The onion rings came with a Thai chili sauce that was a nice change of pace. Our beers were cold and swiftly refilled by the staff.

My fish and chips were delectable. The fish was huge and curled up nicely over a pile of thick cut chips.

Fred enjoyed his sirloin with spuds and the mushroom gravy was too die for.

After the appetizers and entrees, you would think we would have sense enough to stop there.....but no, as professional chow hounds, we had to try dessert. Fred had to have the chocolate mousse...and I was enamored with a red wine poached pear. Freshly unsweetened whipped cream was the perfect garnish to bring down the intense chocolate. I will have to try the bread pudding (apple & cranberry)next visit.

Prices were very reasonable, the food was good, the atmosphere while a tad spartan, was warm and comforting because of the friendly staff. Of course, the Tuesday night trivia game was an added bonus. We stayed to listen to the questions and had a blast with the trivia host. Much fun to be had by all present.
To quote Ah-nold, we'll be back.

In a former life time I was known as "Tina, the Tourguide." Maybe I gained my nickname because of my penchant for telling 'people where to go' or maybe not. My former employ as a resort front desk manager allowed me to indulge in tasting, trying and then recommending restaurants for our diverse base of guests. It was the favorite part of my job....investigating what was new, what was popular and what would be a good fit for the diner. I was not compensated then or now for my dining choices, it is purely my personal opinion on finding the best tasting restaurants, value or splurge, family or intimate to recommend to either guests or friends. That being said, I do have a personal bias to the old St. Pete establishments as a life long resident of a city I love. I am drawn to visit and review the places that have been re-vitalized into something new from my recollections.

The Tap Room at the Hollander (revisit)

2014-03-12T03:15:00.000-04:00

The female offspring decided to treat her old momma to a momma/daughter meal. We debated between several downtown options.....#9 Bangkok, Beaks merge into Butler's BBQ, Urban Brew and BBQ (I admit I want to see the copper penny floor in the facilities), The Avenue Eats, Lemongrass, The Burg, Engine#9, so many options and so many diverse menu and dining experiences.

We happily settled on the Tap Room at the Hollander. I love their ambiance, dog friendly confines. superb signature cocktails, diverse brews on tap and simply delicious food. Yes, it is bar food and sandwich fare, but it excels for what it is.
The Cuban quesadilla continues to capture the essence of a Cuban in a wafer thin quesadilla tortilla. The Jalapeno wontons are exceptional. My Buffalo chicken fried sandwich on kaiser bun with blue cheese crumbles was wonderful. Female offspring was very happy with her chicken Caesar salad.

We saw some yummy looking glazed pork chops from the kitchen at an adjoining table. Our server, Jen, was spot on with her timing and she was a delight as a conversational friendly competent staff member. My daughter was enamoured with her dirty Stoli martini and I was equally in love with my handcrafted cocktail, "Fire in the Hole" premium bourbon, muddled ginger/strawberries and gingerale. It went down smooooooth. Our dinner entrees were hugely successful. We had after dinner drinks that hit the spot beautifully. There was a lovely array of sweet treats at the adjoining coffee and bakery. We were too full to be swayed, but the temptation was monumental.

All in all, once again the Tap Room delivers a fine meal. There were a number of guests lounging the lobby in this lovingly restored "Boutique hotel and Tap Room" Bravo! An individual "hot" spot that oozes charm and delight.

Work asked for it...I wrote it.

2014-02-28T11:12:00.001-05:00

As Black History month closes, we were asked at work (PSCU) to write about which one of the featured influential individuals made an impact on us. I chose Maya Angelou for my inspiration. Her poetry reaches out and grabs you and holds you enthralled.

"I know why the caged bird sings"…..” speaks to me on the most personal level. As a woman who has lived with great misfortune and endured the repression of many generations, Ms. Angelou’s words are a song of survival and grit. Ms. Angelou has captured the intensity of living a life with challenges and rising above the hurt and anguish to proudly proclaim her spirit is free. She has captured the essence of the lowest of lows in her verse and has vibrantly shown the resilience of the human spirit. I can never claim to have her experiences, however, her words are meaningful and beautiful to me. At one point of my life, I felt like a caged bird, railing against the bars of self-imposed imprisonment. Bound to a newborn child I had yet learned to love, unable to cope with the shattered dreams of a life with healthy active children. It is often said that the birth of a handicapped child is like preparing for nine months for a trip to Italy, researching, planning excursions, learning the language and realizing when you get off your long plane trip that you are in Norway, a colder harsher reality than what you planned on, still a beautiful country but not what you expected. When Tyler was born, we were handed a child with exceptional needs and told, “He could experience some weakness on his left side, or it could be worse.” We did not anticipate how hard “worse” could be. Our family grew by the dozens in a few short months, there were therapists, physicians, caregivers, nurses and one special child. Tyler did not have an easy infancy, everything caused him duress, bright lights, noise, temperature, texture….all of them made him cry. Eighteen months straight of non-stop crying. I sat in a rocking chair with him in my arms rocking and holding him close and begging for an answer to ease his pain. It took me time beating my wings against the cage of disability before I accepted the honor given to me. I was truly blessed to be his mother and the lessons that he taught me are with me today. Life is not always what you plan and you can find the joy and the song in what you are given. Tyler was the catalyst to propel his family into fighting the injustices and prejudices that plague our special needs population. We were isolated, shunned, treated poorly in restaurants by patrons and our Tyler was abused by many in a system that was meant to care for him. They simply chose not to see the child trapped in a body that did not work, but dismissed his existence to be of less value because of perceived intelligence. Those that mistreated him were the ignorant ones who lost the opportunity to meet a truly unique special being capable of love, friendship and laughter.

Ms. Angelou’s poetry about the ignorance of the uninformed and those that chose to sling rocks and demean a human to be less than valuable because of color of their skin, or a perceived level of intellect will always speak for me. Still I Rise ....Repeatedly we had to argue and fight for those who are unable to speak for themselves, unable to communicate or walk. Our advocacy began at home and since his death at 15 we have continued to find an avenue to fund his memorial at Camp Redbird. Tyler’s greatest joy was to belong, to be part of an active vibrant life, to transcend the broken body, to communicate his special sense of humor. Camp Redbird remains our favorite way to honor his life. He loved his Camp Redbird and the joy he had in making friends was palpable. Every year at the memorial picnic, it breaks my heart to hear his friends say that they miss Tyler's smile and laugh. Ten years later and his friends still talk about him and they hug us so tightly. It is bittersweet to attend the picnic, but the money we raise helps other children and young adults have extra outings and treats during summer and that helps assuage the pain in my heart.

Yes, I heard the caged bird sing……I remember the laughter bubbling up from his heart and his joyful song, my darling son. Trapped in a compromised body but with the heart, soul and mind of any human. I see him in Heaven as the free bird, soaring and dipping through the clouds, whole at last. And still I rise….from grief so profound that I found life was not worth living…..I rise, I rise, I rise in remembrance of what was and what will be.

I will Tap DANCE my way to the Tap room at the Hollander again and again

2014-02-12T16:51:00.000-05:00

A unique boutique hotel in St. Petersburg, wonderfully restored and delightfully refurbished, The Hollander on Fourth Street is a beautiful addition to the burgeoning glory of my favorite downtown. The former Bond hotel has like a phoenix has risen to new glory.

Hollander Hotel
421 4th Avenue North
St Petersburg, Fl 33701
727.873.7900

The Tap Room at the Hollander is a great addition to our lively downtown scene. The Tap Room offers many craft beers and cocktails that pair beautifully with a menu of sliders, sandwiches, small plates to share. There is enough diversity on the menu to please any palate. The Tap Room is adjacent to the Hotel lobby and the decor is eclectic. There is a lovely long porch with a brick facade that is perfectly suited to our year-round comfort. The outdoor seating is pet-friendly and water bowls are provided for our four- legged friends. An organic coffee shop, Brew D Licious, features a daily grind is part of the Hotel package experience. Check the Tap Room at the Hollander website for the many different entertainment options featured nightly, i.e. trivia playing, piano stylings, open mike night etc.

Don't get between this man and his fried mac and cheese.

There are some wonderful cocktails..one featuring gin and cucumber! So wickedly good. The craft beer list is long and varied.

No lie, a one lb. meatball stuffed with cheese

That beauty shot of the one lb. meatball fed Fred for two days. Seriously he had to take the leftovers home and he ate the rest as a sandwich.

Cuban Quesadilla with mustard sauce

Absolutely a wonderful marriage of cuban and quesadilla, why didn't I think of this before? The sauce is delicious and the crispy flour tortilla is a perfect carriage to get the pork and ham/cheese filling to your mouth.

A pretty daughter with a plate of fried wonton!

A jalapeno wonton is a fun spicy update of the cream cheese version. Nice to share with a table of friends. Same to be said of the cuban quesadilla, seen above.

Perfectly crispy crunchy crust on a creme brulee

Missing the beauty shots of the daughter's hummus wrap, suffice to say, it was a delightfully veggie friendly meal for the kid. My trio of sliders were very nice, if a bit on the small side. But after the surplus of appetizers, a smallish entree of yummy sliders is enough. Plus we had to have the creme brulee. We ordered the last one of the evening and it was good enough to convert the kid to a creme brulee fan.

My Karma hit my Dogma, miscellaneous musings on a long day.

2014-02-05T17:29:00.000-05:00

I'm putting another napa cabbage and bok choy on my list for tomorrow. I ate kim chee every day for lunch last week and I have to have more for next week. It is Tyler Florence's low carb kim chee. http://www.grouprecipes.com/group/i-made-it/1006/thread/quick-spicy-kimchee-low-carb-tyler-style/20922 However I have http://www.grouprecipes.com/136028/sweet-spicy-giardiniera.html in the frig, two big jars

Have to make a roast beef so we can have giardiniera on beef sandwiches.....hmmm, maybe I can McGuyver it into a sandwich Fred would like. It's a thought. Toasted onion buns, roast beef and giardiniera...a little melted muenster. That would be worth a try. I wonder if I could use giardiniera as a pizza topping?

SuperBowl at work was fun. It was slower than Christmas Day. Apparently football reigns supreme and people don't worry about their credit cards when there is a game on, The company gave us subs from Publix, popcorn, cookies and sodas. One of the supervisors made chocolate covered strawberries with football lacing in white icing, so good!! They put two sheets up on the wall and streamed the football game so we could watch. They didn't do any of this last year. I didn't win any of the raffles. But I did get to collect my overtime gift cards and that was a nice help with the budget. The worst holiday of the year is coming soon. St Patrick's Day is a nightmare. The volume of lost card calls is incredible. All the wannabe Irishmen that can't handle their p's and q's.

Angie did my nails purple and lavender with leopard spots and bits of gold adornment and a pretty gold polish. My toes are bright teal. Angie gave me another lovely pedicure...ten dollars. I soaked my toes, she trimmed my nails, pushed back the cuticles, polished them...rubbed on oils and lotions to my legs She was so worried about how swollen my feet are....they were lobster red in the hot water soak. Really, just give us a vat of drawn butter and there you have the visual. Honestly, she is worth more than she is paid. She charges me 35.00 for nails and toes. I haven't missed an appointment in two years and I am a loyal Angie customer unlike her other customers. She gets tipped very well.

Liv and Scotty had lunch at one of the beach shacks and brought home peel n eat shrimp in Old Bay seasoning and wings that are AWARD WINNING. They were crispy in parmesan, garlic and hot sauce. Yummy to both of them. I've told the family, it is scrounge night....if they want it, they can buy it, or find it. I'm going to bed.

The house next to us is in foreclosure (the mean neighbors that threatened to beat my husband to a pulp, right after he got out of a 3 month hospital stay). The bank has the yard men coming at 7:00 a.m. to mow the lawn and do the upkeep. They woke Liv and me far too early today and I'm still cranky. Liv is only slightly less cranky. I can see our neighbors point about barking dogs disturbing your sleep, mea culpa. It is no fun but not enough to kill the dogs which they threatened to do or to light off firecrackers and toss them over the fence to scare our dogs which they did do. This is the neighbor who after she realized how compromised Fred is intellectually from the strokes, seizures and coma sent over a meal for us. And she taught me how to brine and barbecue a phenomenal chicken. They hated my dogs and I get upset at the yard man. Karma strikes again. Tit for Tat.

Then, we had the mystery woman on our front porch from two weeks ago. She was sitting on our purple bench, unable to speak, barefoot in freezing cold. She could not say her name or tell us who she was. We called the police to help find her family. Don't you know we found out it was the wife of the neighbor behind us. (the vindictive one who tore down our mutual back fence in one day because we didn't cut down our 200 year old pine upon his request) The wife that was so nasty to us for years was sitting on our porch in the freezing cold and didn't know she was a house away from her home. I never would have recognized her, disheveled and barefoot. Her husband came by to say thank you for getting her home. He never knew she had left the house and was wandering the neighborhood. He was very grateful for her safe return. And that tree he said he would pay to cut down.......could be transplanted and it is worth several thousand dollars. He would have collected a mint off of our tree. Karma strikes again, Tit for Tat.

It looks like Fred and I are the bad neighbors, or is it just bad luck to have had two out of three that drive you crazy where we live now. In our old neighborhood, we had such a congenial mix that we remain friends to this day twenty years later. It was a remarkable neighborhood and our parties were legendary. Christmas decorating was competition (I had seven trees in 1100 square feet of house) The house kitty korner to us had tours of their decorations and there wasn't on inch of their house that didn't reflect Christmas, Debbie had her house decorated like a ginger bread house, complete with a candy garland we made along the eaves. (Sprite bottles wrapped in cellophane twist looks like giant candy, plastic disposable plates painted in red/white peppermint swirls made a great garland) Halloween was a block party, creepy food, spooky music and a keg of beer, Easter was Brunch picnics and egg hunts (400 eggs for 20 children) and of course, when the neighborhood would flood we were the goofs that pulled out the canoe to paddle to the next house for booze, Oh my, don't forget our theme parties around mysteries. We loved do the parties where everyone dressed in period costume, did a pot luck supper and tried to solve the mystery. So much fun.