Running a one-man mobile aquarium service in the Tampa area, I'll often anticipate what might be the most rewarding munchable in whatever part of town I find myself on a given day--- hence the incredibly clever name of the blog...

Since my road time is mostly during business hours, usually I'll be goin' on about some lunchtime jam ----but often the best part of my day is when I get home and yank a Wusthof off the wall, so I linked up a home cooking page too...

I can have a lot of fun with a bad restaurant experience as long as it didn't cost too much, and it usually doesn't...
This is a pretty ego-free, blue-collar food blog that will hopefully reflect my love of good food & good people...
Both are monumental...

On occasion, this dog'll jump the fence when a more upscale place or a chef seems to be buzzin'...
Sometimes I'm inspired, but too often, surprisingly, I find myself concluding, 'they ain't got nuttin' on this mutton'!

Being an enthusiastic nose-to-tail guy, I usually seek out soulful, inexpensive, generously plated ethnic comfort foods, scanning a new menu for the most adventurous stuff first...
When on occassion I detect talent or love, it seems I'm compelled by the forces of nature to tell you about it!

Thanks for finding your way here... I get self-conscious imposing my details and diatribes on the public forums.
At least I know that if you come here we might be better tuned to each-other's frequency...
The shelves aren't very well-stocked at the moment but there will be lots of pretty pictures to look at and tales to tell...
I'm familiar with the term; 'brevity is the soul of wit', and I'm working on it... Blessings...

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Marley's Monster Grill & Pizza on US19


In preparing to talk about this jackpot new discovery, I feel like I'm getting ready to make an even greater public service announcement than when I normally share something I'm excited about---- but that's what's goin' on...
















Maybe partly because, to me, this place seems to surpass the common 'family restaurant' vibe, landing themselves in the downright 'neighborly' category---- and also because in my three visits in two weeks, they absolutely knocked Cheesesteak, Pepperoni Pizza, Buffalo as well as Garlic Parm wings out of the park!

Let me tell you, I really enjoyed this pizza on my first visit!
I think it was the first time I ever got a 'personal size' anything---- but I also had a Cheesesteak coming...
The sauce, crust, real cheese, quality pepperoni---- POW! POW! POW! POW!

Personal Size Pepperoni Pizza


















A few days later I brought my wife, and her Salmon Sliders with their green herbey home-made tartar sauce (on the side), and the light, thin, delicious onion rings were really good too, but were a little dainty for me considering all I accomplished on my first visit...

When I made the comment about the Salmon Sliders to my wife, she responded passionately; "NO, I LOVED THEM! THEY WERE PERFECT!"
Alright baby alright, I don't want no trouble...





































As Mexican places do with complimentary, often fairly generic chips and salsa, it was an unexpected gift to have a bowl of pretty excellent, fresh, warm, toasty, corny, tortilla chips and warm cheese dip placed on the table while I was waiting for my order to arrive...
I'm not a snack guy... I usually reserve my valuable real estate for food-food, but these were a highlight... They made my wife's eyes light up, which made me really happy 'cause she would eat every meal at home if it were up to her...
















I heard about Marley's when a friend whose 'buds I regard in high esteem posted on FB that he found a Cheesesteak that rivaled what he's had up north... It was an amazing coincidence that he mentioned this just a day before I was going to be cheating on my lo-carb diet!
Always on the lookout for the best burgers, wingies, pizza, and cheesesteaks ---- and being from Philly and New Jersey, I could barely think of anything else after his recommendation...

How many Cheesesteaks have I eaten in my life? A thousand?
I don't know if I've ever had one on a softer, fresher, lightly toasted, world famous Amoroso's roll---- and this was their 12" mac daddy, something I've rarely if ever crossed paths with... The pillowy perfection of that roll made it seem more like a first kiss than a first bite... Was that too much?

What?















What?























I ordered it with grilled onions, mushrooms, and American cheese... Following through on that first bite, I thought 'what the?' when I detected an additional deliciousness dimension that gave this cheesesteak a subtle but clear edge over my other favorite cheesesteak connections in the area, which surprised me, because my curiosity going-in was 'would this be as good'...  I deduced in a flash that it was the result of the toasty caramelization of the steak & onions on a hot-hot flat-top... I admit I only ordered it the one time, but on this day it rang all the bells that make the difference between some species of hot roast beef sandwich and a great Philly Cheesesteak...

Only the right and best meat can be cooked to that point, and on their website they mention using only the best rolls, the biggest-freshest wings available, the best cheeses, and quality shaved ribeye, etc...
From what I've tasted so far, I'll rubber stamp that claim...

I loved how when I ordered the wings, owner/waitress Jacqui, asked how I'd like them, regular or well done?---- wet or dry?... On my second visit I ordered them well done and dry, and on my 3rd visit I ordered them regular and dry... Dry meaning no pool of 'slag' on the bottom... Don't get me wrong, I love me some slag... In my house, growing up, it was a beverage--- it's just that I was still on the clock and didn't wanna drip all over my cleanest dirty shirt... I loved them both ways, with a slight nod to the regular, which were a bit more succulent--- the bones cooperating, sliding out just like they should after my quick and impressive Ariel O'Brien half-twist to the left...

Buffalo Style, Medium-hot, Dry, Well-Done...
















10 Garlic Parm, and 10 Buffalo, Medium-hot, Cooked Regular...
















Probably one of the best compliments I could give them is I think they would have done well even in Philadelphia...

Who is they?
Insane I should get to them so late in the diatribe, but Alan & Jacqui Bredt, (Pop Pop & Granny) the lovable (middle aged) proprietors, are really nice folks who wanted to open up a restaurant in Philly but came down here to be closer to family--- mainly their grandson, Marley... The Marley Monster!
They fun-up the restaurant with a 50's and 60's Hollywood monster theme in honor of the munchkin, but the term 'monster', used as an expressive adjective, means a number of things to them...

Personally, if I had a restaurant I'd be shooting for monster flavors, I'd provide monster service, I'd keep the place monster clean, and I'd be monster appreciative for my staff and for the people who walked through my door! With that in mind, when I asked Alan about the name, it turned out we were on the same frequency...
Correct #$♥&!% answer! I thought...

Alan & Jacqui Bredt























Because Alan made so many trips to the kitchen and back on my first visit, and because I thought everything was so supremely exceptional, I asked him; 'do you have people back there or did YOU make my food?"
His response was; "We have a kitchen staff of 3 absolutely great cooks/kitchen workers. Sometimes Jacqui helps with the cooking, but Cayetano, our (and the world's) hardest worker, prepared your food".
Nice shout out, and I'm happy for the opportunity to relay it forward!
Cayetano! Dude!
 

There's SO MUCH unexplored territory on that menu!
People sitting behind me were going nuts over the chili, and I'm gathering the meatball sandwich is a signature---- which is another thing I'm always on the hunt for...
Blackberry BBQ and Sweet Chili Wings! What? Real Milkshakes, Burgers they're braggin' on, Horseradish-Dijon Encrusted Salmon Filet, big Caesar Salads with the option of adding char-grilled grilled chicken breast, grilled salmon, or grilled shrimp!
I LOVE a good grilled salmon Caesar salad! 

I wish I had some pretty dessert pics to post here, but it's your luck you got a stupid reviewer getting started on a lo-carb diet!
I just took that one day off for the Pizza and the Cheesesteak---- and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups a lil' later when I went to Publix... The big fat ones... The day was already trashed, you know how it works..

Actually, there are plenty of healthy things on the menu, and Jacqui told me that if they weren't swamped they'd be happy to make me whatever I wanted, which I thought was sweet, and awesome... I'd prefer they were swamped, but I do tend to visit at off hours...
A couple burger patties (no bun) and a big salad is a good lo-carb lunch, and wings are great... But don't think about that, EAT!
Live your life!
I'll catch up later...

One last thing... It sounded familiar and I did a double-take when I saw 'Monsterotti' on the menu... In Philly & New Jersey we used to get these things called 'Panzarotti'... A pizza folded like a calzone, but not ricotta filled, then deep-fried! Heaven on Earth! The saucy/cheesy insides were like molten lava, and we used to walk for miles outside in the winter snow eating them, alternating hands, exposing the next bite to the bitter tundra to cool it off, and they would keep us warm... I miss them, and I haven't had one in 25 years... I told Alan and he laughed, surprised to hear I knew the thing, and said; 'oh man they're good!'... I believe him... With the primo ingredients it's gonna be a scene man...























And if you think I'm not ordering a 'Godzilla' for my birthday in December (a 1 pound burger, cooked to order, between 2 gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches) you're gonna lose that bet, Babaganooosh!

Fun place---- go!

Address:                    29835 US 19 North, Clearwater, FL 33761
Phone:                       727.239.7208
Website:                     http://marleysmonstergrill.com
Hours:                        Monday - Saturday 11:00AM to 9:30PM


Wednesday, January 11, 2012

EL MOFONGAZO! Yeah you heard me!


I've never seen it before yesterday, and it's right around the corner, across the street from Cacciatore's Italian Market at Hanley Road & Paula Drive...
I needed stamps, and I dropped off some mail at the post office near Cacciatore's, and as I was heading back out to Hanley, around 3PM, I looked to my right and saw this!
















I've been falling in love with Puerto Rican food recently, and I've become a semi-regular at a couple other spots I want to make sure you know about as well... Soon...
After confirming that I had my camera with me, I swung around just to get a photo of the store-front to send to a few Chowbuds who, like me, love discovering these small family restaurants, ethnic or otherwise, that season-up the Tampa area itself as far as I'm concerned...
My excitement was elevated when I saw the sign's smaller print 'LA CASA DEL JIBARITO SANDWICH'...

The Jibarito was a great discovery by a friend who turned me on to it a year or two ago at another place... It's a sandwich, but there is no bread... I know!
Somehow they press & evenly flatten a couple unripe Plantains a lil' thicker than a tortilla and toss them on a hot griddle to cook, crisp, and color-up golden----then they're used as the bread, top and bottom...
Next visit I'll ask about the procedure...
I've only had it as a steak sandwich, but it's usually offered with most other meat or seafood options... Important words of advice that I'm passing on---- 'make sure you get the garlic sauce'!
Just to give you a visual, here's a photo I have of a Jibarito, but it's not from this place...
Once I try theirs, I'll switch out the photos...
OK, to be fair it's from Mi Pueblo on Lincoln, off of Columbus... Another treasure...

Steak Jibarito from Mi Pueblo















So as I'm getting ready for my drive-by photo, intending to pause for just a second, I figured 'WTH, I got time' and I pulled in to a parking spot to quickly grab a to-go menu if they had one... I got some warm hellos as I entered from a gentleman and a young waitress.
As a natural response to their hospitality I sat for a minute, halfway in the chair next to the door to look at the menu and to find out how long they've been there... One month to the day! Still, I'm surprised I haven't seen them sooner...

Hmmmm... Roast pork, rice w/gandules, and tostones for $6.95! Usually tostones are an extra $4.00 +/-...

They say you should eat smaller meals more frequently so that you never let yourself get too hungry---- that's why I'll often have two lunches spaced a couple hours apart----- and WTH, $6.95 probably couldn't spoil dinner...

I almost always take a Spanish restaurant for a test-ride by trying their roast pork... This was actually listed as roast pork with onions, and it was, simply that... Don't get me wrong, the pork was tender, moist, and tasted fresh & good... I may have expected more mojo, and maybe even hoped for a more intense flavor, but when I found the rhythm I concluded I wouldn't have changed a thing...

Rice and beans as a side dish, or in this case arroz con gandules (rice w/pigeon peas) rarely excites me unless the main dish is very juicy or saucy... That's been the case for a long time, until recently, when I first took some of that garlic sauce and mixed it in... Now it seems I love the beans & rice no matter what, but especially if there's a delicious sauce, of course...

Same with tostones! Now I get it!
And that makes me happy...



$6.95 with the Tostones!






I put some roast pork and onions onto a garlicky tostone and I was in heaven...
Always considering them more fill than thrill I've never eaten a full plate of tostones in my life... I usually take them to go, then feed the wildlife a few days later... These were thin and crispy, not pasty and dry...
It really makes me wanna get in there for a Jibarito ASAP!

Such a simple thing was so delicious!




















Looking over the menu I mentioned I never had an Alcapurria before... The response was something like; 'oh man, they're delicious' so I ordered one for around $2.00... Wonderful!
Like a rustic croquette... Mashed plantain(?) and root veg masa, filled with chopped pork meat & porky bits, sofrito, herbs, peppers and other things... From the outside I had no idea what to expect...


Alcapurria



That's love in there...








A woman, the owner it turns out, came out of the kitchen and asked how I liked the food. She explained that the nice folks I've been talking with were her brother and granddaughter, and that they were helping out----  and I explained to everyone why I was taking pictures...

I need to get a smaller camera for this kinda thing! I have it because I shoot weddings and things sometimes, but nobody ever knows what the heck is going on when I break out this beast and point it at the food they just handed me... Putting myself in their shoes I know I'd be uptight that I might not have made the plate as pretty as I could have... I feel for them, but I imagine this is something restaurants are seeing more and more of, and are hopefully sharpening things up on their end...

I don't use the lens shade indoors
















Since we were talkin' about different things, in what I welcomed as a warm gesture because of the experience up to that point, she sat with me at my table for a few minutes. Some might feel that's unprofessional, but it was off-hours and I was the only one in there, comfortable as if I've known these nice folks for years... And I have... They possess a spirit that is familiar to me... One that I try to surround myself with as often as possible...
She wouldn't let me take her pic, saying she looked a mess--- but I told her; 'nah, you look like a cook,  you look beautiful'... With a grin she mumbled over her shoulder to her family; 'he told me I look like a cook!'...
I said soon we'll get a nice family photo, and she said OK...

She explained how most places charge extra for the tostones, but they decided to include them, to help keep prices down, because people were having a tough time these days...

Please, pop in there and order some food... It's their first couple of months and I bet hardly anybody knows they're there---- it's gotta be rough... I absolutely can't wait to try their other items... I have reason to believe there's a lot of love on that menu... Tell them 'el gordito con la camara grande' sent you...
(The fat guy with the big camera)























El Mofongazo Restaurant
5502 Hanley Road, Suite 106
Tampa, Florida 33634
813.280.2929

Although the website doesn't seem to be functional:
www.elmofongazotampa.com

I'd scan the to-go menu if I could find it...
I'll have to go back for another one...

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Tampa Burger Aficionados ---- ACHTUNG!

When I visit a new non-ethnic family restaurant, often I'll try their burger to see what type of effort is made... I do that all the time, but a couple years ago, for about a month, I bounced all over the area, and over all the bridges trying burgers from every recommended nook and cranny, and although some were OK, I can't say I hit many jackpots... Man, I sure miss Jimmy Mac's!
Some friends and I do that with Cuban Sandwiches too, but that's another topic we'll talk about soon... 

I still have yet to try a couple of the newer burger places that recently popped up, but because of the nature of my business, when I heard there was a specialty burger joint on wheels, I had to track her down because we'd inevitably be crossing paths from time to time...

A couple weeks before my standard New Years' resolution is no time to be planning the exploration of an interesting, newly discovered, but thankfully limited, menu ----- but I finally sought out the Burger Culture food truck at their supposedly frequent (lunchtime) location at Kennedy & Henderson, next to State Vacuum... 
















With food trucks, you can never be sure where they'll be so it's best to check their FB page... 























A few days ago I had a KILLER Gyro at Mr. Souvlaki on Pinellas Avenue in Tarpon Springs so I decided against the Greek Burger for now... I love love love a sandwich of Thanksgiving components, so I was excited to see a 'Thanksgiving Burger' on the menu, consisting of a Turkeyburger, stuffing, cranberry, and gravy!  
Yeah, it was just Thanksgiving--- and yeah, last week I made a big ol' 'Thanksgiving Wrap' that turned out surprisingly well---- and even though I'm not a turkeyburger kinda guy, I'll try their Thanksgiving Burger before the end of the week... If it's ANYTHING like what I got today I'll be getting another one to go...
Ya know, for my wife...

I still had another job scheduled so I passed on the Santa Fe Burger after a future-flash of me squishing Guacamole & Pico de gallo all over my cleanest dirty shirt---- so I went for the 'Cajun Burger', just to order something already...

Do I want fries? Yeah, sure...
Near the bottom of the menu it said 'Add Patty $2.00' ---- "Excuse me, could you make that a double? Pink inside if possible?" 
She said; "Medium rare?"
I opened my eyes wide and shook my head yes...

Still, I wasn't excited about getting a Cajun Burger... I thought they were gonna overdo 'something'...
People have enough trouble getting a plain burger to taste good---- the odds were they were not going to nail it...

Have you ever ordered a Cajun type burger, or one of those other infrequent specialty burgers from Checkers? I love my salt, but the sodium, and whatever other over-the-top flavor boosters they use often hit my tongue like battery acid and cause a heartbeat in my left ear halfway thru the meal...

But everything was being grilled and made fresh... The burgers sizzled and the fries gurgled in the oil... While very friendly & professional, they moved like a machine putting my order together, and in a few minutes I walked to the passenger side of my van, hopefully facing away from judging eyes, small children, or security cameras, and I set up a towel like a tablecloth on the seat...
When I opened the burger-styro I giggled a little, like a maniac...

Sometimes people post pics of burgers or sandwiches and all you see is the bread...
I might not express it right then, but I get mean inside when a burger is smaller than the bun... I won't stand for it! ;-) Certainly that rule doesn't apply to backyard BBQs--- I mean from a burger place...
Man, I almost screwed myself out of years of invitations!

But look at this gift they made for me... And they were so casual about it... Like they were serving me something normal...
This post is getting crazy, I need to wrap it up... 






























The bun was soft and fresh and I immediately tasted a depth of grill flavor in the dripping- juicy- beefy- lightly cajun seasoned burger patties... The damn Chipotle secret love sauce (not what they call it) was gorgeous, the mushrooms were juicy, with some falling into the pool of captured burger juices in the styro, only to be scooped back up by the last few bites of burger...
When I was done I felt compelled to yell RAAHH! scaring flocks of birds from trees and telephone wires...

The fries were fine... Crispy, fresh, golden, well salted and peppered as you can see... For me, there's a slight flavor dimension that's missing, keeping them from being 'great', but it's not much of a tweak... Oil type or species of tater, I'm not sure...
Hell, some of that Cajun sauce would be the schniz!
--- but I'm not really talking about condiments...
















Now here's the thing---- normally I advise that for a truly transcendent  burger experience, often you'll need to order a double, medium rare---- but, but, I'm not going to say that you need to order this mammajamma...

This was advanced scarfage!
I think this burger was so well thought-out, and so tasty, no doubt it would be great even as a single patty burger... Not for me---- but for you...

Put it this way; if you get the double and you're with respectable company or on a first date, ask for a knife and a fork... Otherwise go by yourself, or with someone who will tell you without rolling their eyes in contempt that you have Chipotle love sauce on your ears...

To be honest, I didn't get a drop on my shirt...
It paid to stand up and lean forward like them boys in Chicago eatin' those beef sandwiches!
















Bye double Cajun Burger---- see you again soon...

Saturday, October 15, 2011

A mildly humorous experience at an Indian restaurant today...

I was passing by and spontaneously decided to pop in for the lunch buffet…
Maybe my 3rd or 4th visit…

I ate a fairly large plate with mostly Goat Curry & Veg. Biryani (seasoned rice & veg.), and a second smaller plate with shredded yellow sweet cabbage, Palak Paneer (spinach and cheese), and Tandoori Chicken ‘Wings'--- something I've never seen before... Nice big flat sections, which I prefer… They were excellent in that style and cooked perfectly... I took the advantage to celebrate the Goat Curry because it was much less boney than what I often find… Very soft rich meat, brown sauce, not too spicy --- just great…

I was pretty much at capacity, even leaving a few bites on the plate self-consciously, when a waiter appeared out of nowhere with a plate of Tandoori Chicken and placed it on my table... Two legs, two thighs…
I looked at him confused, quickly and clumsily removing my ear-buds so I could tell him he brought the order to the wrong table, when he said very humbly; "I remember from last time you didn't like how it was and I made this fresh to give to you"...
I responded with a smile; "thank you, I DON'T REMEMBER, but thank you--- that's very nice"...

And it was unbelievable... A really nice gesture...

A Man vs Food moment, I took a few deep breaths and got to chewin'...

But here's the kicker...
I'm pretty sure he had me confused with some other magnificent bastard, because I don’t remember ever complaining at this restaurant---- but coincidentally I do have an opinion on the potential beauty and potential ugliness of Tandoori chicken...

There's a timing balance that has to be achieved for it to be right, and juicy...

It's marinated in a spiced yogurt, and if it's left too long the yogurt can over-soften the chicken to the point of mildly sour pre-digestion... When that happens it gets pasty, you really can't taste chicken, and it's not juicy... 

The Tandoor chicken wings and thigh pieces I had moments earlier were excellent --- clean, smoky and juicy, but this special delivery was the ol’ lip-twitcher... Gloppy and wet with the marinade and mushy on the inside... I wanted to wipe it off with a napkin, but didn’t want to offend, because the waiter was real close by… I still don’t, and I’m hesitant posting this at all, so please allow me to be vague…
I’ll do another post for this restaurant soon, with pretty pics of a few unusual items, because I love the place…

It’s just that it felt like an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm and I wanted to share…

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Gulf Coast Po' Boys--- Largo, Florida

A job fell through and my schedule loosened up on a recent rainy, grey afternoon. I posted a Facebook invitation asking if any friends wanted to get together for lunch and order too much… It was last minute, and as expected I got a few ‘wish I coulds’, and one suggestion by a friend with an increasingly solid history of recommending good things, that if I haven’t yet,  I should try the Oyster Po’ Boy at Gulf Coast Po’ Boys in Largo… He wrote that their signature Dirty Roast Beef Po’ Boy was real good too, but the Oyster hit home for him…

Being an oyster fanatic, I was a little startled by what I felt was an inspired recommendation...


I remembered reading an enthusiastic posting on Chowhound about this place; the killer Po’ Boys, the warm casual vibe, and the friendly owners, so I tapped the coordinates into VZ Navigator and followed the hood ornament  to 312 West Bay Drive in Largo
Everyone mentions that it's a small place, and it sure is… But many of my ‘owning a restaurant’ fantasies involve a small cozy space like this, and it ended up being just as I imagined it could and should be--- a couple guys behind the counter obviously enjoying what they do, yappin’ with regulars, expressing appreciation, while moving fluidly thru the motions of putting orders together, with gloved hands--- thank you… Not that I’m preoccupied with goyms--- I’m so not… It was simply my first evidence that these guys are continuously honing their edge, and answering questions before they’re asked…

Anthony & Michael

My next clue was that as orders were being taken, even during banter, long rolls were splayed and lined up cut side down on the big flat top to be toasted lightly and brought to life--- thank you again…

Every now and then I’m served a sandwich on a roll seemingly right out of a bag, which almost always diminishes the experience… The bread will always remain a separate entity if it’s dry, flavorless, and cold… Of course if the bread is carefully chosen, fresh, and fairly moist, you might get away with minimal to no treatment, but not a generic mass produced hoagie roll...
‘Course that wasn’t the case here… Their bread was great...

I got there soon after they opened at around 11:45. There were a couple people inside eating, and a couple people in line… Lucky for me, because the place is so small, if I got there any later there might not have been a place to sit down and it would have been difficult for me to take pictures. After ordering I sat on a bar stool at the small counter by the front window, and ended up with an Oyster Po’ Boy and a Dirty Beef Po’ Boy in front of me (with small sides of Cole slaw ‘and’ potato salad) with the idea of eating half of each there, and finishing somewhere down the road… But these sandwiches looked magnificent, I was by myself, and I was on ‘E’… Empty, and also Embarrassed that I was taking up like 3ft of the 7ft (+/-) counter---- but at this point I had it to myself…

Part of me would truly prefer to be an anonymous mystery restaurant guest and sometimes food reviewer, but when I break out my big Canon DSLR and begin arranging the food, it almost always leads to an interaction, often warm and friendly... That was certainly the case this day, with owners Anthony and Michael standing only a couple feet away smiling with curiosity... Michael asked what all this was about…  Probably a little red-faced, I explained that  I was a crazy food guy who was slowly putting together a food blog, and that I talk about food and fun places on the online forums with a bunch of other crazy people--- a couple of whom recommended I come here…
Did I use ‘whom’ correctly?

A minute later Mike walked over to me with a smile and a generously filled container and said; ‘if you’re gonna be talking about us, you have to try our Red Beans and Rice’!

Red Beans & Rice

Of course I was appreciative and touched by the generosity, and as I continued arranging and taking a few pictures he talked a little about how they utilize specific breadings, coatings, seasonings, and techniques to  best complement the various meats, seafood, and other items… 

People started showing up so he got back to business…
A couple came in, smiling and waving, obviously regulars, and pulled up a couple barstools next to me at the counter…  I moved my camera and my ‘Creosote-esque’ abundanza closer to me to give them some room, when the woman looked at me and asked what all this was about--- and I told her what I told Michael… She asked who I was on Chowhound, and when I replied she laughed and got happy--- because she knew me, and I knew her…  It was her enthusiastic thread I remembered reading recommending this place…

So grey and drizzly as it was, this was quickly turning into one of those really special days… The kind of day that might convince me the forces of nature were in reality NOT conspiring to snuff me out…

It’s taken me a couple months to share this great lil' lunchtime adventure, mostly because I‘ve been battling my initial impulse to make it into something bigger…
When I drove off I was practically ready to start a cult, and that rarely happens when there's no alcohol involved...
The past few years I’ve been meeting so many great folks from the worlds of food and drink,  tuned close enough to my frequency, that I don’t think I know what the word ‘stranger’ means anymore…
I'm thinking of dumping it!
----if the Chinese can do without a word for ‘cheese’ for the love of Pete!

But after all the talk, the attention, and the spectacle of me and my camera, I have to do what I said I was there for if I want to go back for the infamous Shrimp Po’ Boy, Catfish Po’ Boy and the Fried Chicken Po’ Boy, and whatever other fun things are on the menu----- and I do want to go back, like, ASAP… 

So, let’s wrap this up with the best part--- the delicious food--- and it was delicious…

Oyster Po' Boy

Oyster Po’ Boy:
The pillowy, fresh, lightly toasted long roll was wonderful, obviously carefully chosen…  
It was served piled with fresh, full-favor, moist, lightly fried, oysters--- dressed with a diced tomato & chopped veg relish, some lettuce, and served with a small container of remoulade… I say full-flavor because all elements of the fried oyster spoke out, stood up, and held their own on the big sandwich… 
It’s that concern, that the feature components of a sandwich might get lost or be diluted by lettuce and tomato that I’ll often order it without, or toss it aside…
But DAMN, if I didn’t love that sandwich ‘as presented’ with just a lil’ extra remoulade, which I had in my hand 3 seconds after requesting it--- a benefit of the place being the size it is…
Flavors, textures, tanginess, spiciness, hot & cold----- I’m goin’ nuts here reliving it…

Dirty Beef Po' Boy


That impressive balancing act was even better articulated with the Dirty Beef Po’ Boy, which when placed in front of me just made me giggle quietly like a maniac…
I was all; ‘really’?
And he was all; ‘yeah, really’…

The portion of meat, I didn’t expect…
The reason the balancing act was so impressive here was because when I picked at the beef on its own, it hit my buds as possibly being too tangy, spicy, and too highly seasoned---- but when I tucked in, getting a big bite with all the elements, suddenly the lighting dimmed, the room slowly spun, and ‘Dreeeeam Weeavah’ filled the air…

I even utilized, and adored, the condiment of ’debris’ served on the side for drizzlin’…
Debris = a bold, clean, concentrated liquid pot roast essence that you’d think would be greasy, but was not…


And that’s how this beef seemed--- like yo’ gran'mama’s best pot roast cooked soft and juicy, coarsely chopped, then tossed on a hot flat-top till slightly blackened, with Cajun spices… 
This is only what I imagine they'd do to achieve this result--- I didn’t actually see it…
I wondered to myself if maybe they made mine extra pretty because I was taking pictures, but since then I’ve seen a couple other images and they all look like mine!

I’m not a potato salad guy but this was creamy, yellow, eggylicious, and I scarfed it! Loved that Potato Salad!
Same with the Cole Slaw… Loved it… Fresh, crisp, clean & perfect with the meal…
Michael told me they were family recipes and on the menu to pay tribute to his parents…

My wife is going to shake her head in condemnation when she reads this, but I put away both of those Po’ Boys and their sides--- and I was pretty darn full when I tunnel-visioned on the fairly generous portion of Red Beans & Rice, but I took it down… 
It was mildly spicy, the beans were creamy, the rice was perfect, it was saucy enough, herb & vegetable flavors were very bright, and I thought it was delicious---- but to be honest, being a 260lb party of one, I thought it tasted just 'a bit' too healthy… 
Michael and Anthony are intensely good looking guys in pretty good shape, and I’m sure they’re lookin’ out for you... I admit I’m not an expert on Red Beans & Rice, I just felt it could have used a lil’ more pigfeets or something for some additional collagen richness & silk… Just a minor tweak…
When I order it again, possibly this week, if I feel the same way, I’m going to stir-in a shot or two of that ‘debris’ and see how that tastes…

Over-all impression?


Food, service, warmth, camaraderie, hospitality? Aces!
Lots of unfinished business--- I’ll be popping in regularly…
I hope you won’t be--- an infrequent patron… 


Hours: Monday through Friday 11:00AM to 8:00PM... 
Saturday 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM...
Closed on Sunday...

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Excellent lunch at Tokyo Sushi Bar at Fowler and 56th in Temple Terrace..

A couple times recently when I was out in the Temple Terrace area preparing to hit Cilantro or Jai Ho, I remembered that one of my Chowhound buds highly recommended a sushi place in the area that served something called a 'CD Roll'... That it was a scene, man...

So after a Facebook friend tortured me with cellphone sushi pics the night before, finding myself cruising down 56th Street around 1:30PM I decided I'd seek it out, and I texted for the coordinates... I was 9 seconds away!

It's a pretty little place and everyone was welcoming and nice...
As usual, there's lots of gossiping and giggling 'at me' by the staff and other diners when my big ol' camera comes out...
I asked if it was OK and my excellent waiter said 'sure!'...
Sometimes I'll just smile and mime to the other tables that 'I'm crazy'...


I didn't see the CD Roll on the menu, on the sushi order sheet, or on the multiple boards on the wall--- but when I asked about it my waiter enthusiastically made a point to tell me that the Sushi-dude working that day invented it, and they both asked how I knew about it since it wasn't on the menu... They got a kick that the Chowhounds were talking about it...
I don't know if he made my food extra good because he knew I was going to be photographing it and most likely reporting back, but it was excellent---- and it arrived in a big boat! I LOVE THAT!
All for me---- and the one roll filled it up! $17.00...


Each slice was 3"-4" in diameter and was a decadent, barely managable mouthful... Crab salad, Cuttlefish, Fried Fish, Shrimp, Tuna, Seaweed or Herb Salad...
Sorry I don't know which... I assumed it was seaweed, but in looking at these photos it appears to be a parsley scallion thing... The bow of the boat was filled with a spicy remoulade with 'CD' written in eel sauce!


It really was an inspired combination of textures and flavors...
I ordered a double order of Yellowtail (Hamachi) nigiri as well, since it's been a while since I've had that...
The perfectly fresh, slightly oily, and totally delicious slices were very generous as you'll see in the photo below... Loved it all!


Tokyo Sushi Bar
5711 E Fowler Ave
Temple Terrace, FL 33617-2398
(813) 983-1822