Review – Cigar City Brewpub
I’ve been a fan of Cigar City for quite some time now. The Tampa-based brewery has long produced some really great styles of microbrews. In fact their Autumn seasonal, Good Gourd, is one of my favorite pumpkin ales. When I heard they were opening a Brewpub in the Carrollwood area I was more than a little curious. So last Saturday a buddy of mine and I decided to head up there and check it out.
I made a reservation and it was a good thing I did, because it was extremely crowded and I’m assuming that was a good sign. The majority of the traffic seemed to be going in and out of the bar, as is to be expected from an establishment such as this, but there wasn’t an empty table anywhere else in the place and plenty of patrons waiting for a seat.
The decor was interesting with dark wooden panels, Key West-style shutters and lots of brass. It felt like a throwback to a pre-revolution Cuban jazz club, which isn’t surprising given Cuba’s influence on our city’s local culture. However there’s also a trendy contemporary influence such as the wall borders made from vintage beer cans.
Our server wasted no time taking our drink orders and we obviously chose the beer. I was a little disappointed that they did not offer any beer flights. They have so many unique beers on draft and I would have preferred a sampling of all of them rather than just having to choose one or two for the evening. She knew her beer and was able to answer questions on the fly with a complete knowledge of their catalog.
I started with the Maduro Brown Ale which I’d had before. I wanted to see if there was a consistency in their brewing and there was. This is easily one of my favorites among their standard offerings. Rich and hearty, it’s a deep brown ale with a nutty, oatty complexity. There’s faint hints of cocoa and espresso which is good, because I don’t like being overpowered by those flavors unless I’m drinking a desert beer. It’s heavier for an ale, but in the right proportions. Definitely a solid beer.
After the Maduro, I tried the Hotter than Helles Lager. As a Lager it’s a lighter brew which admittedly I don’t do as well with, but not a bad beer at all. There’s a citrus and strawberry note which mellows out into a light grassy flavor after a while. I didn’t expect such hints of fruit which may have caused my palette a little bit of confusion and ultimately I didn’t enjoy it as much as the ale but it still got the job done.
After a while we moved onto the food. This is where Cigar City Brewpub is a rousing success while simultanouesly being somewhat of a disappointment. Like Cigar City’s beer, the food is a throwback to the Latin influences of our city. The chef obviously did his research and it’s apparent in the menu.
As an appetizer I ordered the Devil Crab Roll. This was a breaded crabmeat roll infused with lime and spices and really packed a flavorful punch. It was served with a very spicy habanero sauce which complimented the roll perfectly. My sole complaint with this roll was its size, as can be seen in the photo. Yes, I’m aware I’m eating crab and crab isn’t cheap but this is not what I would consider proportionate at all. If they had brought me two of these for $14 instead one for almost $10 they would have made money and I would have been satisfied with the dish. Sadly this was not the case.
For dinner I ordered a Grilled Yellowtail with Root Vegetables and Sautéed Collard Greens. The fish was flavorful, moist and served under a brownish sauce that I couldn’t identify; it tasted very similar to an Asian fish sauce but with a slightly more Latin flavor. The root vegetables (which were not named but tasted like turnips and celery root) were crispy and not greasy but could have used a pinch more salt. The collards were excellent but I’m a sucker for my leafy green veggies so I may be biased. The flavors went well together and I was a little more satisfied with the portion size to cost than I was with the Devil Crab.
Ultimately I was left with a feeling of not quite enough food for the price I paid. I know portion sizes are a pet peeve of mine but this is doubly so when you’re dealing with a drinking establishment. If I’m going to sample their beer I want a solid base in my stomach so I can better avoid a state of inebriation and I shouldn’t have to break my wallet doing so.
Final thoughts: give this place a shot if price is no object as the food is worth experiencing. If not, I’d recommend eating somewhere else and just partaking of the beers at Cigar City Brewpub. It’s their forte and when it comes to beer they know what they’re doing.
Tried the Cigar City Brewpub or any of their microbrews? Leave a message in the comments section!
And remember… the food abides…
New Beer Friday! – Laughing Skull Amber Ale
One of my best friends is a fellow zythophile and I was asked to work more posts about beer into my rotation. Since Friday Happy Hour usually affords me the opportunity to try a new brew, I’ll try to post some beer opinions more often. For now let’s start with Red Brick Brewing Company’s Laughing Skull Amber Ale:
I’m a big fan of amber ales. I tend to gravitate towards the darker, spicier brews that are usually prevalent during the Fall and Winter seasons but since they all but disappear just after January 1st, I’m left spending the other 8 months of the year searching for a darker beer with a good flavor.
Laughing Skull by Atlanta’s Red Brick Brewing Company is a good addition to the springtime lineup. It has a hearty bread aroma which carries over to a hearty bread flavor. It’s malty and slightly sweet with little hints of citrus. There’s a slightly hoppy note upon the first sip which mellows afterwards into a nice grassy undertone. The flavors strike me as simple rather than complex which in this case is a good thing.
As evidenced in the photo above, it pours a rich red with a white head that unfortunately dissipated before I could get my camera out.
Laughing Skull gets a thumbs-up in my book.
Tried Laughing Skull? Have another beer you’d like me to try? Leave a message in the comments!
Happy Friday! And remember… the food abides…
Review – Gallery Eclectic Bistro
Recently had some family in town for a quick overnight trip. On our way to the airport we had a couple of hours to kill before their flight so we decided to grab a little lunch and figured Bay Street at International Plaza would be a good idea due to the proximity. We had planned on just grabbing a table at the Cheesecake Factory but they were slammed even at 2PM on a Saturday afternoon and the wait would have left us cutting it a little close to their flight. After a quick scan of the local establishments we decided to try the Gallery Eclectic Bistro.
I must have walked past this place at least twenty times without giving it a second glance, probably because I’m usually making a beeline right for the Pub, one of my all-time favorite watering holes. I’d read a couple of reviews on Yelp and another in Creative Loafing and everything seemed to insinuate that this place could be a little bit hit-or-miss. Always one to form my own opinions unless a rabid majority is telling me otherwise, I went in with an open mind.
Gallery seemed to be an appropriate name as the entire restaurant looked like one big art gallery. The architecture is art-deco, there’s modern art on the walls of most of the tables and art lamps lighting them up which gives it a true gallery feeling. I have no idea if the art is local or if they switch it out every so often, but it makes for a pretty interesting environment.
I’d heard complaints about the service but found no such problems during our visit. Our server was attentive and took no time at all bringing us our orders. Additionally, I always consider it a huge plus when I ask “what do you like here” and the server doesn’t just rattle off random names but actually conveys personal favorites; our server did so with gusto.
I wound up ordering the Goose Island seasonal brew which I’d never tried before. Goose Island is a midwestern microbrew which is starting to slowly make its way into the bars and restaurants down here and this is a boon as I’ve found most of their other varietals to be rather flavorful. I’m glad the Gallery Bistro decided to carry it.
When it came to the food, “Eclectic” is definitely an apt title. I would consider this contemporary american cuisine with a little twist. Each dish had kind of a cool spin on what would usually be considered normal.
For an appetizer we ordered a plate of fried zucchini and blue cheese stuffed olives. It was quick-fried in a tempura batter rather than your standard flour and egg dredge (typical of pub food), which actually made a huge difference. I’d also never had a fried olive before but the flavors were rather unique. I’d recommend this app to anyone who is a fan of tempura.
Entrée was a caribbean jerk whitefish topped with an amazing pineapple, mango and jalapeno salsa with some raisins thrown in for good measure. These flavors melded together perfectly, with the sweetness of the fruit complimenting the heat of the jalapeno and jerk seasonings, giving an excellent taste to a usually bland type of fish.
My cousin ordered a sesame-honey cedar plank salmon (a bite of which she insisted I try can be seen on my plate) and her husband got the thai-grouper reuben wrap. Both noted that their dishes were excellent, with my cousin especially impressed that the salmon wasn’t dried out which sometimes happens when cooking on a cedar plank.
Portion sizes were spot-on and I left feeling full. If I had one nitpicky complaint it would be that they put a good amount of food on plates that are kind of gigantic which makes the presentation look a little empty. However, I suppose if they did it the other way around, smaller plates would give the illusion of skimping on food and that would probably be worse.
Given that it seems a lot of people pass this place by and the reviews are so hit-or-miss, I have to say I’m a little confused. Gallery Eclectic Bistro was an excellent dining experience and my first visit left me with one hell of a positive impression. If you’re on the fence, give it a shot.
Tried the Gallery Bistro before? What did you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
And remember… the food abides…
Fish Night – Tilapia
I had the day off yesterday and indulged quite a bit when it came to my calories so I kind of wanted to keep it light tonight.
Cooked up some fresh tilapia tossed in the same seasonings that I used for fish tacos a few of weeks ago (celery salt, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, black pepper and sea salt) . Stayed light for my sides as well; grilled asparagus that I marinated in just a little oil, vinegar and sea salt along with some white mushrooms sautéed in a bit of worchestire sauce, white wine and garlic.
I never bought into that snooty “only white wine with fish” thing so I served this with a glass of 2011 Route 40 malbec and it went perfectly.
Not bad for keeping it light, huh?
And remember… the food abides…
Road Trip – Chicken Sandwiches @ Sam’s Bar and Grille, PCNY
Had to head up to Connecticut for my cousin’s wedding this weekend and since most of my family was at the rehearsal dinner, my two best friends volunteered to pick me up from the airport. I usually fly into New York and since one of them lives in Greenwich, we figured that general area would be a good place to stop for a little dinner and a couple of beers.
We wound up heading to Sam’s Bar and Grille. It’s just a tiny little dive bar right on the Port Chester NY/Greenwich CT line. The rumor was that this place supposedly had one of the best chicken sandwiches around.
They weren’t kidding. There’s usually nothing special about chicken sandwiches but this one is definitely the pick of the litter. The sandwich itself was huge (a plus because I was starving from a day of traveling on an empty stomach). It was crispy and crunchy and not greasy at all. The breading was fantastic and while they wouldn’t tell me what it was seasoned with, it’s not any chicken sandwich breading I’ve ever tasted before. We washed it down with a couple of really great ales that they had on draft which complimented the meal perfectly.
I doubt many Tampa readers will find themselves in that area, but if you do, it’s worth stopping in to try.
And special thanks go out to my boys, Trev and Z for the ride, the meal and the chill session. Always good catching up with you guys.
And remember… the food abides.
Chicken and Mushroom Orecchiette
I’ve been seeing these commercials for Carrabba’s advertising a dish called Chicken and Mushroom Orecchietti. I tend to avoid chain italian restaurants, but seeing these ads over and over again started to get to me. I figured I’d try my hand at my own version of the recipe.
I absolutely love mushrooms and I wanted them to be a major player in the dish rather than taking a backseat to a thick cream-sauce so I kept it very light. I cooked up some orrechietti and tossed it with some extra virgin olive oil then added the sautéed mushrooms, a little chicken that had been marinated in italian dressing, minced garlic, some shredded parmesan, asiago and romano cheeses and some finely chopped italian parsley.
Didn’t come out bad at all for something as light and simple as this. However this is still missing a little something to round out the flavor and make it a balanced dish but I haven’t quite figured out what that is yet. I’ll continue to tinker with the recipe and post when do.
Orrechietti isn’t the most common of pasta dishes so I’m curious if anyone else out there has a favorite recipe. If so, drop a line in the comments section!
And remember… the food abides…
Fish Tacos!
About 12 years ago I had to stop eating red meat for medical reasons and that would have sounded like a death sentence to someone who loved hamburgers as much as I did. However I grew up on the coast in New England and because of that, I have also been a fan of seafood for as long as I can remember. I essentially just shifted focus; at some point fish tacos became my new hamburgers. Living in the Tampa Bay area there is a boundless amount of restaurants that serve them and if I see them on the menu I’m almost guaranteed to try them out. Every so often though I get a hankering to make them myself and tonight’s experiment turned out pretty well.
I grilled up some fresh tilapia and coated it in a mixture of celery salt, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, sea salt and black pepper. As a side note the smoked paprika makes ALL the difference. Tossed the cooked fish in a soft taco shell with a little shredded cheese, a few ribbons of red cabbage and some fresh lime juice. As a side I made a some basmati rice with corn and cilantro and another squirt of lime juice and then a serving of black beans.
I have another favorite fish taco recipe that’s got more of a japanese flair to it which I will have to post at some point. But for now here you go. If you dig fish tacos, this traditional recipe is a great staple.
Have a favorite fish taco recipe or a favorite version served by a local restaurant? Leave a message in the comments!
And remember… the food abides.
Road Trip – Inside-Out Chicken Pot Pie @ Prime Time Cafe
We headed up to Disney’s Hollywood Studios this weekend and for dinner we decided to eat at the Prime Time Cafe. Prime Time is a 50’s theme restaurant famous for their comfort food, black and white TVs on every table and servers who yell at you to get your elbows like your mother would.
Aforementioned comfort foods included classic staples like meatloaf, macaroni and cheese and pot roast amoung other choices. I opted for the Inside-Out Chicken Pot Pie:
Disney is not known for cheap meals, especially at most of the sit-down restaurants, but this was well worth the price. There was at least 1 and 1/2 chicken breasts worth of meat in this dish which was cooked perfectly in a creamy sauce filled with carrots, peas, celery and mushrooms. See that giant flaky pastry on top? Well there was another one on the bottom of the bowl sopping up all the liquid. The chefs there knew what they were doing when they came up with this.
For desert I had a Peanut Butter and Jelly Milkshake and yes it was as good as it sounds. It was served in a gigantic milkshake tin which unfortunately made a photo quite moot.
Prime Time is an interesting little restaurant so if you’re ever up in Walt Disney World, give it a shot…
Ciao Revisted
In November I reviewed the Ciao Bistro in Wiregrass Plaza and if you recall, even though I had a major problem with the portion sizes, I still resolved to give them another shot. Well I did so last night. Tried another shrimp dish, the Shrimp Provencal and as last time, it wasn’t bad at all.
Portion sizes were still a little bit less than what I would consider appropriate for the price but they’ve earned a stay of execution. I’ll give it a try one more time before passing final judgement. Hopefully they will continue to refine.
Want to judge for yourself? Give them a try and let me know what you think in the comments!
And remember… the food abides…
Boar’s Head Kosher Dill Pickles…
Hopefully talking about pickles doesn’t come across as trite, but I maintain that Boar’s Head makes the best Kosher Dill pickles you can buy outside of a New York deli. Vlassic may advertise their signature crunch but they’re still soft pickles, which is typically a result of mass-production.
As most readers know, I don’t have too much of a sweet-tooth but I am somewhat of a salt-fiend. Thus, I totally dig a good kosher dill. In my opinion, a good dill pickle should be crisp and snappy and you should be able to taste the garlic.
These bad boys from Boar’s Head are made exactly how they should be. Crunchy, not soft or soggy and full of flavor without being overpowering on the spice side of the equation. If you’re making a sandwich at home, trust me, this is the pickle you want to eat with it. These can be purchased at Publix in the Deli section rather than in the section with all the rest of the pickles. They’re a littl bit pricier, but totally worth the money.
If you give em a shot, let me know what you think in the comments section!
And remember… the food abides…
Super Bowl Sunday – Hickory Marinated Barbeque Chicken Nachos
Last night was the Super Bowl and while I had very little interest in either of the teams playing, I always enjoy the game mostly because of the commercials, the socialization and especially the food. My contribution to the evening’s festivities was a giant batch of Hickory Marinated Barbeque Chicken Nachos.
These started with a layer of tortilla chips then and then some shredded chicken that was marinated in a little Moore’s Hickory marinade. I topped that with some sliced pickled okra and then some shredded smoked gouda cheese. Added another layer of chips and repeated about four times. After the final layer I liberally poured some hickory barbeque sauce over the entire platter. These went into a 400 degree oven for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the cheese was melted.
Wouldn’t recommend that the health conscious consume these on a regular basis, but it’s definitely some good man food for game day. And that’s what the Super Bowl is all about.
Hope everyone out there enjoyed the game no matter what team you were rooting for.
And remember… the food abides…
Review – Blue Lagoon Island Grill
De-Christmas-ifed my house yesterday and since that took the majority of the day, I didn’t really have time to cook dinner. A buddy of mine was in the neighborhood so we decided to head up to Wiregrass and grab a bite. We decided to try the newest edition to Wiregrass, the Blue Lagoon Island Grill which recently opened in the space that used to be occupied by Cosi.
There aren’t a lot of straight-up Caribbean restaurants around which makes Blue Lagoon Island Grill pretty unique. This isn’t Bahama Breeze which is essentially american food with a little bit of coconut sprinkled into the menu; Blue Lagoon is legitimate island cuisine. The menu is chocked-full of island fare and there are a good deal of dishes you’re not likely to find anywhere else like real jerk chicken, curry goat, oxtails, pumpkin soup and plenty of seafood and shellfish dishes prepared in distinct Caribbean styles.
Goat and oxtails are unfortunately out for me since I do not eat red meat so I stuck mainly with chicken and shellfish.
Ordered the Conch Fritters as an appetizer. There’s a couple of other Bay Area restaurants that serve conch fritters and they’re usually all breading. These were prepared perfectly and while quite large were still mostly conch.
Dinner was a Dominican Chicken Salad which consisted of a pepper and curry chicken tossed with walnuts, olives, banana peppers and goat cheese. For a dish that is pretty simple it was surprisingly flavorful, The curry mixed with peppers was the right amount of heat and it blended perfectly with the smoothness of the cheese.
Admittedly, this type of food isn’t for everyone but if you’re a fan, it’s definitely worth the visit. Should you decide to stop in and give it a shot, leave a note in the comments with your thoughts!
And remember… the food abides…
Happy New Year from the Food Dude!
Happy New Year From the Food Dude!
Was lucky enough to be able to ring in the new year with a little champagne, some good food and some great friends.
Just wanted to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year and remind you to make a food resolution! Try to have a meal or a drink with someone you haven’t seen in a long time. Try that restaurant, dish or recipe you’ve been promising yourself for a while. If you’re struggling with your weight, try some little steps like switching to diet soda or using low fat cheese in your cooking.
And above all, try to remember… the food abides…
Christmas Eve 2012
Christmas Eve with my Dad’s side of the family is chocked-full of even more culinary tradition than Christmas Day. The traditional italian Seven Fishes always make an appearance in one form or another, but the star of the show is always the crustaceans.
Lobster cooked in a spicy marinara sauce.
And nothing says Christmas Eve in our family without a big-ass pile of King Crab Legs. I’ve always enjoyed the crab far more than the lobster and this year was no exception.
I do my best to make sure the food is the star of my site, but I was so grateful to be able to spend Christmas Eve with my family and enjoy a meal with them, that I couldn’t resist posting a photo of our elongated dinner table. In fact, it was this very table that insprired me to write this Christmas Euphiction piece a couple years ago.
I hope you all are enjoyed your Christmas Eve, both your menus and your families.
And remember… the food abides…
Christmas Two-Days-Early
Merry Christmas from the Food Dude!
Yesterday my family had our annual Christmas Celebration (two days early to accommodate schedules). The day was filled with food, drink and Christmas cheer and you really can’t ask for anything more than that.
Our gathering totalled almost 30 people and we had a menu to match.
Spinach Balls with Honey Mustard as an appetizer.
Another appetizer of Fried Risotto Rice Balls. These were phenomenal.
And we’re italians, so an Antipasto tray is of course, a staple…
Dinner was Porchetta, Lasagna, Eggplant Rollatini, Stuffed Baked Chicken, Roasted Red Potatoes and Green Beans.
Porchetta was not something we grew up with but as of late it’s become somewhat of a staple at large family gatherings.
My brother made these roasted reds and I have to say, I’ve rarely had potatoes done this well.
On to desert. Making homemade struffoli has been a family tradition since before I was born. For those not in the know, struffoli is basically just deep-fried pasta with honey. As simple as that sounds it’s actually very complicated because it’s very easy to screw up if you’re imprecise. It’s usually done in the weeks before Christmas and made in large batches which is never a problem because struffoli stores very easily.
Cannoli nachos. Yes, you read that right. Cannoli nachos. This is a giant edible shell loaded up with Cannoli filling served with triangles of fried pastry dough for dipping.
As I’ve said before, food is always an important part of our holiday festivities and traditions and I wouldn’t have it any other way. What are some of your culinary holiday traditions? Let me know in the comments below!
Again, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and always remember… the food abides…
Pumpkin Mousse
Pumpkin Mousse
Apparently some folks saw the Thanksgiving Day post the and the desert caught their eye because I’ve been getting a lot of questions about the Pumpkin Mousse. This recipe was given to me by a friend right after Halloween and turned out to be my go-to desert for the holiday season. People tend to devour it everywhere I bring it, so I take that as a good sign.
1 (16 ounce) can of pumpkin
1 (1 1/2 ounce) box of sugar free instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (8 ounce) container of Cool Whip Free
Pumpkin Pie Spice to taste
Combine each ingredient in order. Chill for 2 hours. Serve in individual desert cups or in a large serving bowl with ginger snaps for dipping. I chose to lower the fat and sugar content by using healthier ingredients, but feel free to use the full versions if you so choose.
If you give this a shot, let me know how you feel about it in the comments section. Special thanks to my friend Meghan for passing on the recipe!
And remember… the food abides…
Review – Ciao Italian Bistro
Was up at Wiregrass this past weekend with my special lady friend doing a little shopping. We wanted to catch the Symphony in Lights Christmas show but we had a little time to kill before the next one started so we decided to grab a bite. Since Ciao had just opened a couple weeks earlier, we chose to give it a shot.
Cards on the table, I will fully admit to the fact that I am more critical of italian restaurants than most, probably due to my heritage and upbringing; nothing can hold a candle to what my Mom, Dad or Grandmothers cooked for dinner on a Sunday evening. However even adjusting for the inherent bias, Ciao didn’t impress me, mostly because they broke one of the cardinal food sins that I’ve mentioned multiple times before.
Located in the Shoppes at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel, Ciao currently occupies the space that was once filled by Pagelli’s, another Italian restaurant which, interestingly enough, I throughly enjoyed. They did no remodelling whatsoever so you still feel like you’re sitting in Pagelli’s, at least until the food comes.
The staff was friendly and our server was polite, attentive and surprisingly knowledgable about all the dishes we inquired about. I have to assume since they just opened, the menu training was fresh on his mind but I was still glad he was able to answer every question without hesitation. The food came out quickly which again, was a good thing considering they were quite crowded due to the Black Friday weekend.
I decided to try the Shrimp and Lime Tortellini which was cooked in a pinot grigio and fresh tomato sauce while my special lady friend ordered the Mushroom Ravioli. We shared and I can honestly say the food was not bad but it didn’t floor me either. I really enjoy any dish that uses lime as it’s one of my favorite infusion ingredients. However I didn’t taste much lime at all and it was curiously served with a lemon on my plate. Barring that however, Ciao had one major flaw: the portion sizes.
As you are well aware, I’m a stickler for portion sizes. I’m not expecting King Henry’s feast when I go to a restuarant, but I do expect the portion sizes to match the pricing, especially in a bad economy. I don’t mind paying a little extra for a large portion of food, nor do I mind small portions if the price is equally reasonable. Ciao’s portion sizes were just way off. 19 dollars for five normal sized shrimp and a what amounts to a ladel-full of tortellini is not kosher. My date claimed her Mushroom Ravioli was sufficient but her six little pasta pockets looked awfully sparse on the plate as well.
Perhaps it was an off-night. It’s possible that because they’re new, their chefs aren’t quite used to making the dishes yet and are moving foward sparingly as a result. Maybe they had high patron turnover due to the Black Friday shopping weekend and they needed to make their supplies last until their Monday delivery. I don’t know.
What I do know is that I will probably give Ciao one more try to see if they’ve adjusted but until then I would not recommend it. There are plenty of other great restaurants at Wiregrass like Cantina Laredo, Prime Bar, Grillsmith and Yamato where your dollar will go much farther and you will still leave satisfied.
Have you tried Ciao? If so, what was your experience? Leave a note in the comments section!
And remember… the food abides…
Thanksgiving 2012
Happy Thanksgiving from the Food Dude! I’d be remiss of my duties if I didn’t make a post on the biggest food holiday of the year.
In my opinion, traditional fare is the way to go when it comes to the Thanksgiving feast. To that end, we enjoyed turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn souffle, cranberry sauce, green beans and candied carrots.
The Roast Beast with fresh thyme and sage and the signature stuffing.
The aforementioned stuffing; this is what I wait all year for. Cornbread stuffing with a sage turkey sausage and fresh cranberries. Loaded up with a little turkey gravy this stuff is out of this world. This is one of the best combinations of sweet and savory that my palette has ever had the experience of enjoying.
New menu item this year was a corn souffle which was actually pretty amazing.
Topped everything off with a little bit of pumpkin mousse. This is a new recipe I tried this year and I was actually really impressed with how it came out.
I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday as much as I did. Remember to be thankful, remember those less fortunate and above all remember…
…the food abides…
Farewell October…
Tomorrow is Halloween which means that October is drawing to a close. No other month has so many of my favorite seasonal flavors available all at once.
Nothing beats a good Octoberfest or Pumpkin Ale on a Friday night just as the weather is starting to get a little cool out. Followed closely of course, by a big bowl of Monster Cereal on Saturday morning (or afternoon depending on how many pumpkin ales were consumed the night before).
I also really dig those little mellocreme pumpkins. Yes, I realize they’re essentially the same things as candy corn, but the pumpkin shape just adds to the festivity of the season I guess.
Farewell October… I hardly knew ye…
Review – Boca
Last night I had plans to meet some friends down in South Tampa for drinks at their place in Hyde Park and then we were going to grab some dinner at a local restaurant. When they suggested Boca I was ecstatic as I’ve been looking forward to giving that place a try for quite a while now. I was not disappointed.
A couple of months ago, I reviewed the Refinery which is somewhat in the same vein as they both tout local ingredients. Indeed, when you enter Boca there is a wall-sized blackboard listing the local farms they are currently purchasing from. The main difference is that both establishments change their menus based on the ingredients they can obtain, but Refinery has a completely new menu every week and Boca does a partial rotation combined with certain fixed items.
Upon entering the establishment I noticed a distinct difference. Where the Refinery’s style is very hipster and trendy, Boca goes after more of a classy feel. They occupy the same place where the open-air BBQ joint, Smoke used to be. They did a really good job converting the building to a more upscale, enclosed area while still retaining some of the unique architecture. The clientele seems to be a little older and the staff slightly more serious. Not to imply anything negative about the Refinery, they’re just two separate ideas.
I chose to stick with the Samuel Adams Octoberfest, because I know the season is drawing to a close, but some of my friends tried some of their crafted cocktails. Some of the more eclectic libations were the Thai One On, (coconut, lemon grass, lime and gin), the Georgia on my Mind (grilled peach and honey with sour mash whiskey) and the Indian Summer (watermelon, apple shrub, basil and Bombay).
The menu was on the smaller side but very diverse, with apps, salads, signature flatbreads, main entrees and deserts. Every item appears to be a slight twist on a standard dish.
For an app, I tried the Fire Roasted Mussels with fresh herbs in a Sambucca and garlic reduction sauce. I’ve never seen anyone use Sambucca in a seafood dish before but the fennel/black licorice taste of the alcohol mixed with the mussels was a wonderfully unique melding of flavors. They served it with a couple hunks of crusty italian bread, which was perfect for sopping up the sauce.
For my entree I chose the Penne & Prawns with wild mushrooms and baby heirloom tomatoes in a truffle butter and parmesan reggiano sauce. The penne was a whole wheat, organic and gluten-free variety of pasta and did a good job holding the incredibly rich sauce. The prawns were cooked in a blend of spices that almost made them taste like they were smoked.
Boca’s portion sizes were spot on. Some of my party finished their meals feeling full while others had leftovers to walk away with. I’m a stickler for portion sizes, especially when the menu is a little pricey; I’d rather order a dish and take home what I don’t finish than walk away still feeling hungry. Plus, I like to enjoy a few cocktails when I’m dining with friends or family and with a full stomach I can safely enjoy one or two without worrying about becoming inebriated. I chose to skip desert but there were a few items that caught my eye. Most notably, the local berry tartlet with vanilla bean ice cream and what appeared to be some kind of pistachio fritters with candied bacon.
The staff was friendly and professional. Our server was weeded to begin with and then they stuck him with our party of eight, yet he did an excellent job attending to us. I noticed the wait staff was in such synchronization that other servers helped him out if it looked like he was going to be fall behind. An attentive manager walked around ensuring guests were satisfied. In an interesting little twist, the checks were delivered on a cedar plank rather thank those vinyl bill folders which I thought was a nice touch.
Boca is a perfect place for dinner and drinks in an intimate, classy environment and I can’t recommend it enough. I spent the evening with a group of friends, some of whom I do not get to see as often as I would like. The amazing experience we had at Boca was a perfect end cap on a great night.
Eaten at Boca before or interested in trying it? Drop me a line in the comments section!
And remember as always… the food abides…
Das Boot!
Tonight a couple of friends and I headed up to Mr. Dunderbaks a local Bavarian biergarten, market and delicatessen to catch their Oktoberfest celebration. In addition to experiencing the traditional music, cute girls in lederhosen, plenty of marzens and Oktoberfest beers on draft and some out of this world pierogies and pommefrites, I managed to snag a prize from their balloon-pop raffle.
Behold… Das Boot! This Warsteiner traditional-style beer-boot is the type of thing I would never have purchased for myself . However, now that I own one, I’m very proud and it will likely be displayed prominently in my home like the leg lamp in A Christmas Story.
Mr. Dunderbaks holds their Oktoberfest celebrations nightly during the month of October and I recommend giving them a shot as it’s a really enjoyable experience and about as close as you’ll be able to get to that kind of authentic cultural experience without taking a trip to Europe…
Octoberfest Milkshakes @ Red Robin
Headed up to Red Robin for lunch with my buddy so we could try one of their new signature drinks, the Octoberfest Milkshake!
This bad boy is made with vanilla ice cream, caramel, vanilla syrup and Samuel Adams Octoberfest beer. It’s an interesting comination of flavors and textures. The beer itself is a marzen-style ale which has plenty of caramel brewed into it so it goes really well with the vanilla.
I won’t say it’s good or bad, but I will say that I think you have to like the Octoberfest beer in order to get any real appreciation out of this concoction.
Scallop and Mushroom Chowder
Tried a new recipe tonight. It’s a slightly modified version of Sandra Lee’s Scallop and Mushroom Chowder
The main difference is that I have removed the celery as I really dislike the taste and consistency of cooked celery and upped the seafood seasoning to 2 teaspoons to make up the celery flavor. I also add a splash of heavy cream just to make it a creamier chowder
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter, divided use
1/2 pound bay scallops, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup white wine, preferably Chardonnay
1 (10-ounce) can condensed cream of potato soup (recommended: Campbell’s)
1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
2 teaspoon seafood seasoning
1 splash of heavy cream
In medium pot, over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Dredge scallops in flour. Shake off excess and saute in butter for 3 minutes, or until opaque and starting to color. Use a slotted spoon to remove scallops from pan and set aside.
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in pan. Saute mushrooms for 5 minutes.
Stir in wine, potato soup, clam juice and seafood seasoning. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in scallops with any accumulated juice add the splach of heavy cream and simmer for 3 minutes.
Served this with a bottle of Harpoon’s UFO Pumpkin Ale. The heavy nature of the ale complimented the thickness of the chowder and the pumpkin and spices really brought out the sweetness of the bay scallops.
Enjoy!
And remember… the food abides…
Blue Moon Caramel Apple Spiced Ale
In truth, I don’t particularly care for Blue Moon’s standard Belgian White Ale; there’s too much citrus, the bouquet is overpowering and if stored even the slightest bit improperly, it skunks very easily. However they always do a phenomenal job with their seasonal offerings. Last year I tried their Harvest pumpkin Ale and was pleasantly surprised. While not the “champagne” of the available pumpkin offerings, it can hold its own among them and has the advantage of being more readily available in grocery stores, at least here in Tampa.
So last night I was hanging out with some friends and my buddy pours us a couple of glasses of another one of Blue Moon’s autumn seasonal beers, the Carmel Apple Spiced Ale which I had yet to try.
Incredible beer! It’s much sweeter than a standard ale and the spice and caramel notes are definitely there, but what this beer does very well is add the flavor of apple without it tasting like a cider (neither my palette or my stomach are a fan of ciders). You actually get the subtile hints of a candy apple which is a perfect fall flavor.
Solid seasonal offering from Blue Moon. This is autumn in a glass!
Have you tried this? If so, leave your thoughts in the comments section!
And remember… the food abides…
Tampa Food Dude 