Great report Dom! Isn't amazing what they eat in places as hot and muggy as Tampa or New Orleans? I'm very happy you focused a bit on the elusive Devil Crab.

By this point, America is awash in mojitos and Cuban sandwiches, but I think we can agree America needs to share in the tremendous result of poverty and cultural commingling that is the Tampa Devil Crab. I've mentioned it before, but I expect that your report will get others interested in this Tampa-only classic.

The Devil Crab (note, not "deviled", though that was clearly what was intended a hundred years ago) is the perfect Tampa food. It's a dish made from the leftovers, the crumbs, las migas, of the day. The history of this dish is much more airtight than that of the Cuban sandwich, but nearly identical. It was created as a cheap, filling, and delicious snack to be eaten out of the hand by cigar rollers and warehouse workers in Ybor City, using castoffs from the bakeries down the street and the crab processors nearby on Tampa Bay.

The filling is a cooked-down, thickened version of the Italo-Cubano-Hispano crab enchilado, which I mentioned above, stuffed into what amounts to an enormous croqueta closely resembling both Spanish and Italian fritters. The football shape is intended to mimic the shape of a crab. The filling is not unlike a drier, crab version of ropa vieja.

It is a way to use and stretch the ugly, "dark meat" pickings from the blue crabs that are abundant in Tampa's waters, though not much associated with the area beyond a few dishes (in contrast to, say, Baltimore). The blue crab is cooked down in a sofrito, usually with onion, tomato paste, pimento, bay leaf, garlic, Crystal hot sauce, vinegar, sugar, and possibly some cumin, black pepper, and other spices. The outer shell is, literally, day-old Cuban bread (Tampa style) soaked in water to create a new dough. Better devil crabs may have seasoning, including salt and paprika, worked into the dough. The devil crab, once filled, is rolled in bread crumbs milled from the leftover bread.

The devil crab cannot and should not be compared to a crab cake. This is not a simple dish that depends on top-notch produce, treated with a light hand. It is a complicated, labor-intensive dish that is based on leftovers spiced with a heavy hand. I think the Devil Crab mimics some of the best attributes of Mexican antojitos or Indian chaat that way. While I like a high ratio of filling to bread, as in the perfect-looking crab above, there's nothing wrong with a doughy Devil Crab in my book.

Devil crabs keep well and travel. Several of the better producers (Tropicana, eg) sell them uncooked, refrigerated or frozen, for practically nothing, so you can fry some up at home. I also have a recipe that nails the dish cold, which I can post later this week if anyone wants. I've used it substituting D'Amato's long loaves and breadcrumbs, plus frozen blue crab from Argyle. It worked very well. Maybe the Fourth of July will involve Devil Crab.....

I won't exaggerate: it's one of the great foods of my life. I never visit Tampa without eating several, doused with Crystal and a bowl of garbanzos on the side.

JeffB wrote:Devil crabs keep well and travel. Several of the better producers (Tropicana, eg) sell them uncooked, refrigerated or frozen, for practically nothing, so you can fry some up at home. I also have a recipe that nails the dish cold, which I can post later this week if anyone wants. I've used it substituting D'Amato's long loaves and breadcrumbs, plus frozen blue crab from Argyle. It worked very well. Maybe the Fourth of July will involve Devil Crab.....

This soulds like an ideal dish to bring to the LTH picnic!

If I can make the picnic, I'll try to meke the crabs.

Dom, by the way, Cubans (an Spaniards) really have a thing for mayo, in my experience. Traditionally, when Cuban sandwiches were sitting around all day in the heat, it likely wouldn't work to have mayo on them. These days, the guys at places like Teresita (who you'll agree ain't exactly gringos) likely just assume that you want mayo, despite tradition. Indeed, compared to the other places I mentioned, Teresita has many more newly arrived immigrants who are less interested in the tradition behind these sandwiches. I don't ever get Cubans at Teresita, since they have such a huge menu with some rarities, so I never experienced this.

That other sandwich you pictured is what has become known as a "Super" in Tampa. Basically, they add lettuce, tomato and mayo. I think it's a monstrosity, like a Mission burrito, but some folks apparently like it. Heating the lettuce in the press really screws it up, and releases a ton of liquid, I think. A similar, even more baroque sandwich shows up in Miami with bacon.

Interesting that you like the austere, open Tampa style of Cuban bread more. I think people who appreciate good bread usually do. But your average eater often prefers the denser, "shorter" Miami version. Kinda reminds me of the pizza debates.

Last but not least, why don't we see more mullet around -- smoked or fresh? Great stuff.

JeffB wrote:IInteresting that you like the austere, open Tampa style of Cuban bread more. I think people who appreciate good bread usually do. But your average eater often prefers the denser, "shorter" Miami version. Kinda reminds me of the pizza debates.

Personally, I like both varieties equally for what they are. I don't think it's an either or choice. I almost think of them as two separate things.

Like pizza I agree, actually, in both regards.

stevez wrote:

JeffB wrote:IInteresting that you like the austere, open Tampa style of Cuban bread more. I think people who appreciate good bread usually do. But your average eater often prefers the denser, "shorter" Miami version. Kinda reminds me of the pizza debates.

Personally, I like both varieties equally for what they are. I don't think it's an either or choice. I almost think of them as two separate things.

And it could just be that the one I've had wasn't a very good sandwich. I'd certainly want to try a few more before saying so definitively

I was in Tampa on Monday and Tuesday of this week and I can easily say that Bern's Steakhouse is the best steakhouse in the world. We ordered two "flights" of steak per night. The first night we had porterhouse for two and New York strip for four (there were four of us). The second night we had Chateaubriand for three and New York Strip for three. The porterhouse and strip steaks are dry aged for 10 weeks. They trim off all of the fat before cooking and supplement a bit of filet (aged about three weeks) to make up for the weight loss. For the price of a steak, you also get French onion soup, a salad, onion rings and a number of vegetables (carrots and green beans currently) with your steak order. We drank wines from the northern Rhone (Hermitage, Cote Rotie and Crozes Hermitage) our first night and Burgundy the second. The service was perfect. We had the same waiter, sommelier and table both nights. The first night we got a tour of the kitchen and cellar. There are 100,000 bottles stored in the cellar at the restaurant and 900,000 more across the street. We did not make it up to the Harry Waugh dessert room, as the four of us ate and drank for six and had no more room. I'm going back to Bern's as often as I can, as both meals were among the top meals of my life.

We also ate at PJ's Oyster Bar and The Columbian Restaurant. PJ's shrimp were very good, and the grouper sandwich did not disappoint. We ended up at PJ's because Ted Phillips smoked fish was closed on Tuesdays. The Caeser salad, Cubano and Ropa Vieja at the Columbian were all good. The restaurant alleges to seat 1,700. There was a 99th birthday party and a retirement party going on in a couple of the rooms while we were there.

Based on comments upthread, I sought out some Devil Crabs and thoroughly enjoyed them. I brought a couple home and had them for dinner last night. I wish I could find them here.

I would post pictures of our dinner at Bern's, but they would be too embarrassing.

If anyone ever wants to try an off line steak dinner at one of the best restaurants in the world, count me in. I'd be happy to organize it. I think it was all a dream.

Am currently NEAR but not in Tampa for a Bar Mitzvah. We got to Juan's Black Bean Cafe for dinner - it is very near where we are staying. The cuban sandwich was fine, but I think I've had ones in Chicago that I liked better. I am not, however, an expert. In any case, there was barely any lechon or pickles, it was mostly ham, and the bread had some serious burn spots. Service was very good, though. Maybe we shouldn't have had cuban sandwiches for dinner? Anyway, it's well loved in New Port Richey, there are a lot of raves in newspaper articles on-line.



Juan's Black Beans Cafe
5706 Main St
New Port Richey, FL 34652
(727) 844-0678

I'll be in St. Pete next week for Super Bowl.

I'm looking around for a place that will sell me a bushel of oysters at a reasonable price for an oyster roast (family tradition). Seems they're getting harder and harder to find these days. I usually buy from a place in Jacksonville when I'm in town, but since I'l be on the West Coast, I have to make it work.

Anyone have a ny ideas?

Oh man, too bad I didn't know all this the few times I was in St. Pete earlier in the decade. My girlfriend has family there and we used to stay on the Gulf, usually on Treasure Island. I remember going to Delosa's Pizza for great New York style slices.

http://www.delosaspizza.com/

We also had a great breakfast right next to the beach, but I can't remember the name of the place right now!

jnm123 wrote:Stever---

When you're down there, if you have a taste for fresh, inexpensive oysters, check out PJ's Oyster Bar. Very casual, but the best grouper sandwich around and...where can you get a dozen fresh oysters for $5.95? Maybe it's gone up to $6.95 but no more than that. It's at the end of the strip mall all the way down Gulf Blvd. where it intersects with Corey Ave.

PJ's Oyster Bar
595 Corey Ave Ste F
St Pete Beach, FL 33706-3681
727-367-3309

P.S. Ted Peters is a trip-and-a-half, definitely worth a trip. Believe it or not, the smoked mullet is sublime.

I ate at PJ's last night and a dozen oysters are $5.95. Fresh, plump, & delicious. Also had the grilled grouper. Fantastic place and priced right.

Any updates on Tampa? I'm going to a conference there at the end of the month. Any recs near the convention center would be appreciated.

Convention center is downtown. All picks in prior posts in Tampa proper remain good calls. Things don't change too quickly there.

You should try Bern's, a place or two in Ybor (Columbia, Tropicana, Carmine's, even Green Iguana for "beach food", or Demmi's Market for pizza), possibly Spain downtown very near the conv. ctr., and make a trip out to one of the beaches and/or Tarpon Springs. It's tough to hit more than one or two beach towns unless you have a ton of time on your hands. They are contiguous, but the driving is rough-going. Both Ybor City and Bern's (and Bern's neighborhood of South Tampa) are short cab rides. I think you can get to Ybor by streetcar too these days.

While you're in the area try to get some Cuban food since most places in Chicago can't really compare. Also go out for seafood and get some gulf shrimp and grouper which is currently in season and is delicious and hard to find away from the gulf. I don't know any seafood places in Tampa so you would have to travel to the beaches for any of my suggestions. We also have some very good steakhouses over in Tampa. Another interesting area is the docks in Tarpon Springs which will make you feel like you stepped into Greece. Any trip like this would require a cab ride or a rented car though because public transportation doesn't exist here.
Depending on what you feel like:
Datz Deli - fantastic deli food, great selection of beers and sandwiches, I can't say enough about this place really
Columbia - upscale Cuban and Spanish in the middle of Ybor City
La Teresita or La Tropicana - lunch counter Cuban, delicious simple items like a sandwich, puerco asado, or ropa vieja
Bern's - king of steakhouses in the area, really an experience in itself, the dessert room will blow your mind
Charley's, Ruth's Chris - other good steak options
Queen of Sheba, Abol Bunna - very good Ethiopian restaurants in Tampa
Ted Peter's - seafood option on the other side of the bay, best smoked fish I've ever had
Dockside Dave's - also on the other side of the bay, probably the best grouper filets you'll get anywhere and their other seafood options I've tried have been just as good
Mykonos, Hellas, Santorini, and just about any other place on Dodecanese Blvd. in Tarpon Springs

Hope that helps you some. In return for this information I'll have to ask you to bring me some Uncle John's BBQ, a six piece, mild sauce, fried hard from Harold's, and a few Italian Beefs from Johnny's. I'm desperately missing Chicago food, thanks in advance.

Hungrygator,

Welcome. If you take a look at the early parts of this thread, you'll see a tremendous consistency in our recos. So you clearly have good taste. Never tried Ethiopian in Tampa, which wouldn't have occurred to me, a native Tampeno, never heard of Datz, but will check it out when I'm down there next.

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I'm not sure how many beach towns I'll be able to hit but Cuban in Ybor is definitely on the list!

I'm back from yet another trip to the Tampa/St. Pete area. I had a chance to visit some old favorites as well as a few noteworthy new places. Unfortunately, I was unable to take any photos during this trip, so words alone will have to do this time except for a few pictures I have on file from previous visits.

As usual, my home away from home was the Don CeSar Resort & Spa, or the "Pink Palace" as we refer to it. The Don is a beautiful place, but like most hotels, food is not their strong suit. Other than a single room service club sandwich, I took all of my meals elsewhere. In fairness, they serve a black pastrami hash for breakfast that is actually very good and worth checking out. I didn't get a chance to do so this time.

The Pink Palace


One of my coworkers had gotten a hot tip about a place located a couple miles up the beach called "Fetishes". She is a mature woman in her late 50's or early 60's, so I was a little surprised that she'd suggest going to a strip club, but she assured me that Fetishes referred not to what one would expect, but to "Food Fetishes" and that this was a white tablecloth fine dining restaurant. I figured what the heck. Doug T, my partner in dining, wasn't arriving until the next day so I took a chance. I'm glad I did, even though right up to the point where we walked in the door, I was lamenting the fact that I didn't have very many dollar bills in my pocket with which to tip the strippers. Fetishes isn't much to look at from the outside. It's located in a strip mall building whose main purpose, as owner Bruce Caplan quipped, is to act as a support vehicle for the Busch Gardens billboard on the roof. Once inside, though, things are quite different. Fetishes is a small, 8 table restaurant which is tastefully decorated in the style of an old country French restaurant.

Fetishes Dining Room (Photos from their website)




This restaurant is a two person operation which has been recognized numerous times by Wine Spectator and Bon Appetite. Owner Bruce Caplan runs the front of house (and by runs, I mean he does everything from seating the guests, to being the waiter, sommelier and bus boy) and a single chef in the back who does all of the prep work as well as the cooking. I'm not sure who washes the dishes, but I'm willing to bet that it's one of the two of them. The menu skews to Continental classics with a nod to the local bounty of seafood. The food itself was very good. We started with an order of crab cakes, which were every bit as good as those found in Baltimore. These were mainly lump crabmeat, with little or no filler. We also ordered Coquilles St. Jacques Gratinee which didn't fare nearly as well, though the scallops were as fresh as could be. I found myself wishing for a more simple preparation to better showcase the excellent scallops. For our mains, which included a small dinner salad dressed in an excellent house vinaigrette, we had Roast Duck, which was deboned and cooked to crispy perfection and topped with a subtle orange jus, as well as Redfish with Lobster Sauce which was lightly bronzed and topped with a Creole style lobster sauce, made with big chunks of lobster, grape tomatoes, green pepper, garlic and sweet sherry. Both entrees were excellent. For dessert we had a house specialty called Fleur d'Orange-Chocolate Chip Cake. The cake didn't work for me, but nearly every table in the place ordered it, so it appears to be quite popular. Fetishes was a real surprise. I enjoyed my meal there very much, although given the choice, I'd probably opt for Cafe De France Du Golfe Boulevard, which is another small French place a little further up the beach in Maderia Beach, where I had an excellent dinner last year.

The next day, I picked Doug T up at the airport and we headed for the boudreaulicious recommended Hugo's Spanish Restaurant. Hugo's, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, is located within spitting distance of Bern's Steakhouse. The menu is varied and includes some Italianesque items such as an Italian Sausage Sandwich and Spaghetti with Meatballs, but primarily it's Cuban focused. They claim to be famous for their Cuban Sandwiches which they make to order and serve either pressed or unpressed. As good as the Cuban sandwiches are (and they are pretty good), the Lechon Asado sandwich is the way to go here. It's a unique take on the old standby wherein the pork is shaved very thin, like Italian Beef, and served on some of Tampa's great Cuban bread topped with grilled onions and a bit of juice. This was one fantastic sandwich which made me imagine the stratospheric level a Johhnie's Beef could reach if only the bread were better. Hugo's Lechon Asado immediately rocketed to "don't miss" status for all future Tampa trips.

Dinner that night was at PJ's Oyster Bar, a place that I've posted about before. PJ's is good reliable seafood in a casual atmosphere and is a good default option when you don't feel like anything too exotic or fancy. They have a great beer selection and the prices are reasonable.

The next day, we made a mandatory stop for lunch at Ted Peters Smoked Fish. Ted Peters has been posted about before, so I'll just say that I had perhaps the finest piece of smoked salmon I have ever had in my life on this trip, and Ted Peter's Key Lime Pie is one of the two or three best versions in the world. Remember, Ted Peters is closed on Tuesdays. Here are a few pictures.

Ted Peters Restaurant


Ted Peters Smokehouse




Ted Peters Smoked Salmon Dinner


Ted Peters Key Lime Pie


Dinner that night was at Walt'z Fish Shack. I thought I had posted about Walt'z last year, but I can't seem to find my post. Walt'z serves the best fish in the Tampa Bay area as far as I can tell. You've got to travel to Tarpon Springs to find fish this fresh and well prepared. Walt's is very small and is a...well...shack. There are very few tables, so be prepared to wait or eat at the bar. The vibe reminds me very much of Burt's. It's Walt'z way or the highway and they are not afraid to turn you away if they feel they can't handle your party. Walt'z gets its fish directly from the dayboat fleet. On some days, if Walt doesn't like the looks of the fish caught that day, he doesn't open. Walt'z will run out of fish most days, so it's best to always call ahead to see if they are open and/or serving at any given moment. I called ahead and they told me that if I didn't get there by 7:45, they might be out of fish. Walt'z is located in a back corner of John's Pass, which is a tourist-focused area of shops and mediocre restaurants typical of such enterprises. I get the feeling that Walt'z was there first and the tourist complex sprang up around them. Don't be discouraged when you drive in. Just move right past all of the tourist crap and keep going till you get there. We had some outstanding "lightly fried oysters" and smoked fish spread for appetizers. For our mains, Doug had a shrimp pasta dish that featured some fresh-from-the-gulf pink shrimp in a light tomato cream sauce served over penne. I had black grouper that was grilled over hardwood charcoal. The grouper had just the lightest touch of wood smoke and was served simply with a squeeze of lemon. I can't say enough about Walt'z. If GNR's extended to Florida, Walt'z would be a shoe in. Both Walt’z and Ted Peter’s are must visit destinations if you are anywhere in the area.

The next day, we hit Dockside Dave’s for lunch. I remembered having some Country Fried Grouper Cheeks there in the past, but they have discontinued the cheeks and have started using chunks of grouper instead. The grouper chunks are still pretty good, but they were fried a little hard for my taste. We did try Dockside Dave’s crab cakes which were pretty good, but they used quite a bit more filler than Fetishes and had a strong Old Bay taste. I found them good in their own rite, but not as refined as the ones I had tried a couple of nights earlier. Clearly the star of the show at Dockside Dave’s is the grouper sandwich. This sandwich, served grilled, blackened or fried (get the fried), was the best example of a grouper sandwich I have seen in the area. It was not as greasy as the otherwise stellar version served at Keegan’s and was significantly larger. Also, if you like your beer cold, Dockside Dave’s won’t disappoint.

After lunch, we headed over to Mazzaro’s for some browsing and snacking. Mazzaro’s is the platonic ideal of what an Italian Market should be. They’ve got a full service butcher shop and a serviceable fish department right where you walk in. Next, you hit the area where they have beer wine and cheese, and then you hit the main area of the store where you can find just about any type of Italian cooking item you can imagine. Here is just a small sampling of the store. There is a lot more not pictured. In particular, they have a small, but nicely curated olive bar where I bought some Szechuan pepper cured green olives, which were really good!

Mazzaro’s Deli Counter


Mazzaro’s Pasta Department


Mazzaro’s Bakery


Mazzaro’s Olive Oil Selection


Bread is baked in house throughout the day and there is an extensive selection of coffee that they sell in any quantity from a cup to a sack. The deli counter, besides selling a huge selection of meats, also has an entire section of premade food items and will make sandwiches to order, which you can eat in their large patio area.

Mazzaro’s Coffee Bar


Mazzaro’s Italian Sub


Dinner that night was at Habana Café, a Cuban place in Gulfport that I had been to in the past. I had a Cuban sandwich, which they serve pressed. I enjoyed it very much, while I found the lechon sandwich that Doug ordered to pale in comparison with Hugo’s, which is my new gold standard. Habana Café is a nice neighborhood place with a cigar store attached. Their entrée dishes are very good and are probably the way to go as opposed to ordering sandwiches, though the Cuban is not too shabby and puts any version served in Chicago to shame. The restaurant is decorated floor to ceiling with hand painted murals that are quite surreal and need to be seen. If you’re in the beach area and don’t feel like driving all the way into Tampa for your Cuban fix, Habana Café is worth a visit.

The next night, we made it back to Crab Shack. I’ve posted about this place before, and not much has changed. It’s still a great seafood shack/roadhouse. The best things on the menu are the “Shack Mussels” and the seafood combo. I didn’t take any new pictures this time around, but I can never resist the opportunity to post this picture of a Crab Shack mussel, which is one of my favorite shots of all time.



On the way out of town, I met up with a friend who took me to a place called Three Birds Tavern, a British/Caribbean themed tavern serving typical bar food and brunch on Sunday. My friend had the full English breakfast, which was pretty authentic down to the baked beans. I opted for the Chesapeake Benedict consisting of toast topped with crab cakes, bacon, poached eggs and a remoulade cream sauce rather than traditional hollandaise. While I might have preferred hollandaise, the remoulade sauce was pretty good and the eggs were perfectly poached. The bacon in particular was thick cut and probably the best thing on the plate. This was a real neighborhood spot located near my friend’s house. I’m not sure it’s worth seeking out as a destination, but if I lived there I’d be glad to have it close by.

Fetishes
6690 Gulf Blvd
St. Pete Beach, FL 33706
(727) 363-3700

Cafe De France Du Golfe Boulevard
15225 Gulf Blvd
Madeira Beach, FL 33708
(727) 392-8627

Hugo's Spanish Restaurant
931 South Howard Avenue
Tampa, FL 33606
(813) 251-2842

PJ's Oyster Bar
595 Corey Avenue
St. Pete Beach, FL 33706
(727) 367-3309

Ted Peter's Smoked Fish
1350 Pasadena Ave S
South Pasadena, FL 33707
(727) 381-7931

Walt'z Fish Shack
John's Pass
224 Boardwalk Pl E
Madeira Beach, FL 33708
(727) 395-0732

Dockside Dave’s
14701 Gulf Blvd.
Madeira Beach, FL 33708
(727) 392-9399

Mazzaro’s Coffee & Italian Market
2909 22nd Avenue North
St Petersburg, FL 33713
(727) 321-2400

Habana Café
5404 Gulfport Boulevard South
Gulfport, FL 33707
(727) 321-8855

Crab Shack Restaurant
11400 Gandy Blvd
St. Petersburg, FL 33702
(727) 576-7813

Three Birds Tavern
1492 4th Street, North
St Petersburg, FL 33704
(727) 895-2049

So glad you enjoyed Hugo's!! I'm headed back down to TPA in a couple of weeks and can't wait to try the Lechon with my favorite, the spanish bean soup, on the side. Can taste it already!!

Great report. I had forgotten about Waltz's, a place I'd only heard about before. Now you have me playing catch up!

BTW, I've long championed the pork sandwich you mention, which (for future readers) is not unique to Hugo's, though it is less ubiquitous than Cubans or medianoches. It's usually called "pan con lechon." It's on the menu at several of the Cuban spots in Chicago, though it's unlikely to be as good as the sandwich at even a middling place in Tampa. The Ambasador on Ashland and Addison (now occupied by Pizzaco) had a swell version back in the day. La Unica's can be OK. Cafecito has a modified version. As you mention, it's a much wetter sandwich than a Cuban.

JeffB wrote:BTW, I've long championed the pork sandwich you mention, which (for future readers) is not unique to Hugo's, though it is less ubiquitous than Cubans or medianoches. It's usually called "pan con lechon." It's on the menu at several of the Cuban spots in Chicago, though it's unlikely to be as good as the sandwich at even a middling place in Tampa. The Ambasador on Ashland and Addison (now occupied by Pizzaco) had a swell version back in the day. La Unica's can be OK. Cafecito has a modified version. As you mention, it's a much wetter sandwich than a Cuban.

The thing that set this version of the pork sandwich apart was the fact that the pork was shaved Italian Beef thin. I've had the pan con lechon in several other places in Tampa, but the pork itself has always been sliced much thicker. This one is really unique and something I've not encountered before.

True. It's usually more like pulled pork or sliced thick.

Hugo's must "cold slice" their lechon the way beef stands do and the way Philly roast pork places (DiNic's, Tony Luke's) do. Which reminds me: I just saw Philly roast pork on Man v. Food and damned if the process isn't identical to Chicago Italian beef. Same long-roast, followed by refrigeration, then thin-slicing, then reintroduction of the "gravy." Makes me wonder if all these guys came to the same revelation or if there is some proto-sandwich out there in Italy. I knew there was a reason I prefer roast pork to cheese steak. If I could only get rabe on a beef or giardinara on a roast pork, or either on a lechon.

Back down in TPA for a quick long weekend and only a few things worth posting on the culinary front.

Brought in some lunch from the Tampa outpost of Pappas (not sure where or even if there are others these days--the flagship used to be in Tarpon Springs and was a big deal in its day.) The Tampa version is a cafe in a strip mall and pretty disappointing. The "greek" salad is still the classic--huge bed of savory mayo-only (no mustard) potato salad topped with lettuce, cukes, green peppers, green onion, olives, tomatoes, pepperocini, beets, feta and a few pieces of shrimp and anchovy. We made a key mistake in agreeing to have it "chopped"--never recall being asked that before and it made a pretty watery mess of the greens part which was NOT an improvement. Yet another example of our society's search for convenience ruining an otherwise delicious food item! The other items we ordered from there were pretty forgettable--the trio of dips (hummos, tzatziki and whipped garlic and feta) were fine. The chicken gyros were forgettable. The "grilled" pita was steamed. And they charged us $3.99 for a dry cup (not even sure it was actually a cup--might have been half a cup!!!!!!!) of rotini noodles that my sister-in-law ordered for her 5 year old (see below for why I'm not really sure why she did that but it's her kid...) Sheesh! Next time, Greek salad ONLY, no chop.

Chick-fil-a for lunch today--wow have things changed there. What used to be a very small and pale, but tasty fried (?) piece of chicken with pickles on a slightly buttered bun (as I remember from my childhood) is now a typical steroidal looking piece of pressed garbage, heavily coated and brown between a bun. Couldn't even eat it. Bummer. No good takeaway lessons here except stay away.

Finally, BERNS!! With five year old twins and a seven year old. You may say--dear goodness, what were they thinking?? But at 5:30, with a table in the wayyyy back, we had a lovely time. All three tried the steak tartare and all agreed that the "second version" (we mistakenly ordered the "new" tartare which, inexplicably, has sweet relish and red peppers in it instead of the traditional caper and anchovy which they were nice enough to bring us after we realized our mistake) was the best. They all quietly slurped onion soup--not the cheese but the actual soup!! They all ate steak or grilled chicken. They all tasted the lovely Clepoatra dressing (Bern's version of Caesar, complete with floating anchovy) and pronounced it good and "tangy". They all agreed that the green beans sauteed in soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and olive oil and the sweet ginger and vanilla carrots were their favorite parts of the meal. "Dessert" was a tour of the kitchen and the dessert room followed by dad's homemade blueberry ice cream at home.

I've had many, many other, more luxurious dinners at Bern's. I've never purely enjoyed the food so much as this trip with the kids and their excitement over discovering their love for a GREAT restaurant. The capper was the older couple who had the (mis)fortune of dining next to us in what would have otherwise been a VERY quiet room. She said she had to come over and commend all three kids on being so well-behaved and that it was a pleasure sitting next to us. Fantastic!

Last stop tomorrow--the lechon sandwich and Spanish Bean Soup at Hugo's!

So, I've gone through this "meta-thread" and looked at some of the other ancillary threads. I need info on the south side of town. We'll be staying on Anna Maria Island for the week. This NYTimes article from a few years back seems promising, enough so that I'd be happy enough with little more than those recs as a guide.

We do have a day on either side in Tampa, and certainly aren't restricted to the island, but I don't see more than one day's worth of road tripping. My wife found a promising bakery in Sarasota called Le Macaron.

We may well do Columbia and/or a more divey Ybor City stop (Teresita, Tropicana, Florida Bakery). I could see a St. Pete's trip around Mazzaro's, Keegan's, and Ted Peter's.

But any other island, Sarasota, or Bradenton input is appreciated.

Aaron,

As the crow flies, Anna Maria Island might be "the South Side of Town" in Tampa. However, to make a fairly close analogy, the 60 mile, 1:20 drive from TIA to a quiet resort town on the beach is similar to going to the New Buffalo MI from the Loop. My own focus, like most Tampenos', from has always been west to Clearwater and St. Pete. So even though I'm head of the Tampa Chamber of Commerce on LTH, I got nothing for you down there in Bradenton. Generally expect solid seafood places on the beach (look to mini malls on the channel side, not the beach side for better family run places), a smattering of ex-NY/NJ pizza, Greek diners, and outlets of regional empires (Bonefish, Columbia).

If you do make it into Tampa, Ybor is a good call (though South Tampa/Hyde Park is really nice and worth driving through to see Bayshore Blvd). (NB: Ybor on weekend nights really is not family-friendly these days, unfortunately.)

Late breakfast or lunch at Tropicana or Carmines (or Columbia) is a solid way to see Ybor and also get in a Cuban fix. I know everyone likes sandwiches, but you must also get garbanzos ("Spanish bean", though I dislike that cracker name because the other 2 great, common soups in these places are fabada (made with beans) and Caldo Gallego (ditto)). Whether you go to Carmines or Tropicana has to do with what you are drinking. Carmine's is more of a bar and will have a good tap selection. Tropicana is the place for coffee. Columbia is beautiful and historic. The kitchen has its ups and downs. They are making a run at having great food again, but I understand they are getting mixed results. Definitely worth walking in for a look around. They have a nice gift shop with some imported grocery items (good paella rice, cheap, eg).

NB, Mazzaros isn't at or near the beach. And Keegan's is a long beach drive from Ted Peter's. Keep in mind that moving from beach to beach or back and forth between beach and mainland is a pain due to small, congested roads, retirees, pedestrians, speed traps and bridges. But once you are on i75, things move fast. I think you have to go to Ted Peter's. As much as I like Keegan's, consider some other closer grouper places on the beaches nearer the smoked fish place -- Dockside Dave's (south), Gators, Philthy Phil's, all pretty interchangable fried grouper/burger places on the beach. Don't forget Skyway Jack's, which is on your route from AMI to anywhere north.

Awesome, thank you for the intel.

JeffB wrote:As the crow flies, Anna Maria Island might be "the South Side of Town" in Tampa. However, to make a fairly close analogy, the 60 mile, 1:20 drive from TIA to a quiet resort town on the beach is similar to going to the New Buffalo MI from the Loop.

That's certainly been my sense from reading through the material here, so hopefully I can add something to the database.

My in-laws, with whom we're traveling, bought the Columbia cookbook on a recent visit (to St. Augustine branch maybe?), so there is some family love in addition to the iconic nature going for it. Very much looking forward to the trip!

JeffB wrote:I think you have to go to Ted Peter's.

Seconded. I hate to declare a winner given that I had so much great stuff on that trip, but... yeah, Ted Peters was it.

Dmnkly wrote:

JeffB wrote:I think you have to go to Ted Peter's.

Seconded. I hate to declare a winner given that I had so much great stuff on that trip, but... yeah, Ted Peters was it.

I agree, although I'd call it a tie between Ted Peters and Walt'z. Don't miss either place if at all possible.

I grew up in Tampa and my family has had a place in Longboat Key for 25+ years so I called "home" and got the update on places to go...I've only been to a few of these myself (noted) so some of the rec's are secondhand...can't wait to hear what you enjoyed.

Places I've been recently:
Bridgetender--Longboat Key--casual, good sandwiches, great place to have a beer and chill...
Moore's----Longboat Key, very old time seafood house--casual but a classic--fried fish options probably the way to go as well as Stone Crab claws when in season.
Columbia at St. Armands Circle--a bit of a hike from AMI but worth it...a classic that you can read about on these threads. Don't miss the 1905 salad and Spanish Bean soup.
Dry Dock--Longboat Key--this is literally a restaurant built into the boat storage facility! Good grouper sandwiches, laid back atmosphere, good lunch or after boat snack place.
The Sandbar--AMI: used to be THE place to go for drinks, casual food, party atmosphere. Haven't been in MANY years but I'm sure it's still a fun place to go for drinks and a bite.

Places recommended by mom and dad (who split there time between LBK and Tampa):
Madison's on the river in Bradenton--eclectic upscale menu wth outdoor dining on the dock.
Pattigeorge's--Longboat Key--disclaimer--my parents love this place--I'm ambivalent--menu is eclectic, not necessarily in a way that I enjoy (pad thai to pizza)--I liked it better when they were a mid-price light italian joint. Nice owners, good bartender, decent food--great view of the bay.
Lazy Lobster--Longboat Key--very good seafood.
Mar Vista--good pub grub.
Maison Blanche--Longboat Key near the Publix shops--supposed to be very good--parents have heard great things but never been.
The Waterfront on Anna Maria Island--excellent seafood, pretty views
Michael's on East in Sarasota (downtown)--M&D's favorite...
Davino--good Italian in downtown Sarasota
Beach Bistro--AMI: used to be my parents (and one of my) favorite places anywhere...at some place they drifted away. Very high end (with prices to match). No idea what it's like anymore but worth getting some intel from the locals if you have the opportunity. It really was a terrific restaurant back in the day and it's still owned by the same guy so likely still very good.

Please report back--maybe you can find something new that I can share with Sam & Ellie!!

I went to Tampa for two nights this week so that I could dine at Bern's. If I lived in Tampa, I would go to Bern's every night. I would explain this in further detail, but what happens at Bern's stays at Bern's.

Sure you are talking about Bern's an not some other world-famous Tampa establishment?