FoodFash

Adventure Begins in the Kitchen

Florida Misconceptions

by

A Dallas friend, Justin, was in town for business and I felt it was my duty to show him a proper meal after days of conference food.  He requested somewhere scenic, probably thinking that would be easier to come by than it actually is.

So that takes me to Florida Misconception #1: cities on the water have lots of waterfront restaurants.  I could only think of two (off the top of my head) that had outdoor seating, Hula Bay and Rick’s on the River.  Hula Bay was the obvious winner.  I was later reminded of Jackson’s, but I think given the option, I still would have chosen Hula Bay.

Derailing for a moment to discuss Florida Misconception #2…  Earlier this week, Chrissie mentioned her sister had an interest in flying from Southern California to visit Key West.  I asked “Really?  Has she ever been??”.  The answer was neither of them had been and she was SHOCKED when I informed her that Key West is bar-full, but oh so beach-less.  Florida has a gazillion beautiful beaches, none of which are located in Key West!

And back to the meal.  I hadn’t eaten at Hula Bay in a while, it’s kind of far and the first five times you drive there, you’ll feel like you’ve taken a wrong turn.  It’s that far.  It’s the BFE of Tampa proper.

But after this meal, it’s back on my radar.  I sampled some of Justin’s ceviche, partly because I was starving, but mostly because I’m having a difficult time resisting fresh seafood as summer approaches.  I don’t see myself being a full on seafood eater again, but being flexible does make the lives of my loved ones a little less annoying when dining out.

And that brings me to my meal.  I saw that they offered grilled portobellos as a side and asked if I could substitute beef for shroom and create my own “burger”.  So glad they said yes!  My grilled portobello and pineapple burger with citrus BBQ sauce was divine.  I ate the whole thing and all I can think about as I write is how soon I can head back out there and order another.

PJs Please!

by

As someone who has promoted Ella’s American Folk Art Cafe at every possible opportunity, it’s a little embarrassing to admit that tonight was my first time eating there.  And being one of the more veg friendly places in town…  Ugh I don’t even have words, I’m just glad I can finally back up all the talk.

The place was bustling, so we snacked on some hummus at the bar while we waited for our table.  Pita then bread, it’s a safe bet that I was full well before my meal arrived.  And word on the street, and by street I mean my table, was that the butter had hints of basil and honey.  I’ll have to remember to recreate that combo at home with a little Earth Balance.

The boys started their glutton fest with Fat Japs: jalapenos stuffed with pulled pork, cheddar and cream cheese, then beer battered, fried and served with a horseradish cream sauce.  A man snack if I ever saw one!

It wasn’t long before I began my glutton fest.  A mondo veggie burger with a mountain of sweet potato waffle fries, both insanely good.  The veggie burger was of the best I’ve ever eaten.  It was super flavorful and wasn’t trying to be meat, it was proud to be a veggie.

I finished half and then the full set in.  Not the slightest bit comfortable full either, Thanksgiving full.  I looked around the table and could tell I wasn’t alone.  At that point, I think all six of us had a common goal in mind: rushing home and putting on the loosest, most comfy pair of pajamas possible and sleeping off the full!

Urban Ma Dinner

by

My mom originally planned her big trip over the bridge to be followed by some stand up paddle boarding and then Pizza Fusion, but a lack of planning on my part led to just pizza.  Can you tell I didn’t mind??

We managed to fit in some exercise by walking the Birthday Tourist route.  As much as I enjoyed that solo adventure, it was nice to walk the walk with my ma!

Starting with the Flatbread and Dip Trio was a good idea.  It came with artichoke-like tapenade, olive tapenade, and marinara sauce.  Next time, I’ll Kristin complicate my order by asking for an extra olive tapenade in place of the marinara.  We used some of the leftover dip on our pizza and it was ridiculously delish.

This was my second time ordering the Very Vegan pizza, but this time I added roasted red onions and forgot to order multi-grain crust.  The upside to ordering the wrong crust is that now I can say with certainty that the multi-grain crust is the tastier of the two!

 

BeeTizzle

by

I woke up this morning knowing it was in the cards to go to Restaurant BT for lunch today.  I tossed my point and shoot in my purse, rushed out the door, and texted Robbie the second I landed at my desk.

Unless I’ve exhausted a lunch spot (cough, Cafe Hey) he’s usually up for whatever I suggest, making him the ultimate partner in lunch-time crime.

After my first BT visit last year, I couldn’t get enough of the place.  So when I heard that the Hyde Park Village location was closing, to say I was heart broken was an understatement.  Shortly after closing, news about a new Design District location surfaced and I was overcome by a sense of relief.

This was our first time dining at this location and we were both curious to see what it was all about.  My overall impression was that, although still very hip, it was less stiff than the prior operation – it matured, finding an unassuming confidence.

Then the food arrived and we spent less time spectating and more time noodle slurping.  Robbie had the Hanoi Beef Pho and I had the Tofu “Bun” Noodle Salad Bowl.

I’m pleased to report that we were both uber satisfied with our meals.  BT’s quality is undeniable and I still maintain that it’s the freshest fancy restaurant in town.  And!  Having a variety of intentionally vegetarian dishes on their menu makes me crush on this hip spot even harder.  I’ll be seeing ya soon, BT!