In a weekend open thread, a couple of valued commenters who plan to visit the Tampa Bay area soon asked for some restaurant recommendations. The site’s mobile interface made a meal of my lengthy, carefully considered reply. So here’s a response composed on a more stable format.
This post is also an open thread and invitation to provide your own restaurant and food recs for whatever cities or towns are your foodie favorites. Below the fold, Tampa!
Most iconic restaurant: If you only eat out once in Tampa, make sure you dine at the Columbia Restaurant in the Ybor City neighborhood. The food is good and the white sangria is exceptional, but the experience is the main attraction. The building is an architectural oddity with multiple dining rooms that are filled with marble surfaces, colorful tiles, fountains, statues, palm trees, paintings, etc. Bow-tied servers make sure guests never run out of fresh, warm Cuban bread from the nearby La Segunda Bakery. Consider the 1905 Salad, which is assembled tableside — a half of one is a meal all by itself. There’s also a dinner show in one part of the restaurant featuring flamenco dancers. It’s a lot of fun to watch, and you may suddenly find yourself in a conga line! And for all the that, the Columbia is surprisingly affordable!
Best boozy brunch: Gaspar’s Grotto in Ybor City has all-you-can-drink mimosas and bloodies Mary, plus a respectable brunch spread that includes a carving station, bespoke omelets, etc. It’s on 7th Ave., Ybor City’s main drag (as is the Columbia), and has indoor and outdoor seating. For the best experience, try to reserve the “Bullshit Corner” table at 11 AM sharp on Sunday so you’ll be seated by the windows overlooking 7th. From there, you and your dining companions can watch the walks of shame as Ybor revelers wake up and make their way home from Saturday night debaucheries. (Take an Uber there and back, obviously.)
Must-try local foods: Try a deviled crab if shellfish and fried foods are items you enjoy! You can’t really find authentic deviled crabs outside of Tampa, though there are items marketed as “deviled crab” elsewhere. True deviled crabs are football-shaped croquettes containing blue crab meat, tomato sauce and spices, often eaten with a sprinkling of hot sauce. You can find them at pretty much any restaurants that serve Cuban food, including Carmine’s in Ybor City, Liborio’s and La Segunda Bakery. You might even see them in local convenience stores hanging out with the drab rotating hotdogs and other classic convenience store food.
A tip: when you visit the Columbia, as you must, order whatever you want for lunch or dinner and also get some deviled crabs to go. They reheat well!
Cuban sandwiches are also a must-try. You can get them anywhere, including all the places listed above that serve deviled crabs. They’re not fancy. The standard version is ham, roast pork, Genoa salami and Swiss cheese on Cuban bread, with mustard, mayo and pickles, heated and flattened in a press. Doesn’t sound very Cuban, does it? The story is the sandwich evolved with worker demographics in the Ybor City cigar factories, where waves of immigrants came to make cigars — and signature contributions to the local sandwich’s ingredients.
Great seafood: Oystercatchers is pricey, but the great seafood and stunning views of Tampa Bay are worth a splurge. There’s indoor and outdoor seating, and the views are great from anywhere. They also have a terrific Sunday brunch. As far as I know, they pioneered adding a shot of pineapple juice to a standard margarita, and there should be a prestigious prize for such innovation, IMO.
But for my money, the best damn seafood in Hillsborough County (which includes the City of Tampa) is in the south shore town of Ruskin at a place near the end of Shell Point Rd. called the Fish House. The food is dispensed in plastic containers from a screened-in plywood shack surrounded by splintered picnic tables. The side dishes are simple: grits, slaw, fries or beans — pick two and add an extra for less than $3. We’re talking really basic stuff, but the shrimp, scallops, oysters, fish fillets, etc., are incredibly fresh, lightly breaded and fried to sheer perfection.
Fancy steakhouses: One of the best places for steaks anywhere is the legendary Bern’s Steak House in Tampa, but be warned: it is spendy, and it’s one of the few places in Florida where a casually dressed person might be banished to the lounge rather than seated in the main dining room. (Shorts, tees and flip-flops are acceptable pretty much anywhere else, including the opera.) Also, the interior looks like a high-end French house of ill repute that was decorated by Liberace, but the service is absolutely impeccable, and Bern’s has one of the best wine collections on the planet.
Malio’s is another good place for steaks. It’s almost as expensive as Bern’s, but the experience is completely different because it’s an understated, intimate setting whereas Bern’s is more of a plutocratic bacchanalia. Malio’s also has a respectable seafood selection. The restaurant has been around forever and used to be notorious as a mob boss hangout. It moved to a new location on the river a while back; I don’t know if the dons followed. But you’ll be safe there. If there’s a mob hit, you may be traumatized by what you see, but you’ll be physically unharmed.
Diners: Goody Goody in Hyde Park is a resurrected version of a decades-old Tampa landmark that serves uniquely sauced burgers as well as standard diner fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They make a fabulous butterscotch pie.
You also can’t go wrong with Trip’s Diner — three locations in the Tampa Bay area serve all the diner classics at an affordable price.
BBQ: Big John’s Alabama BBQ is off the beaten path but well worth the trip. The family-run joint has been serving up barbequed sausage, ribs, pork, brisket, chicken, etc., since the 1960s, and their mac and cheese side is locally famous. The people who run it are extra-churchy, so prepare to be blessed!
One of my favorite things about traveling is trying new food. I avoid national chains if I can, and if someone recommends a place that looks sketchy, I’ll probably still try it if it sounds interesting, which is why I’ve had several bouts of food poisoning.
I’ve been a road-tripper all my life, and one thing I’ve noticed over the years is that as chains push into towns, there are fewer local places and more homogeneity, which makes me sad. But you can always find the local stuff if you ask around.
To that end, does anyone know of great places to eat between Atlanta and Chattanooga?
Open thread.
Villago Delenda Est
I can’t help much in restaurant recommendations in the SE US, but if you’re in Tracktown, USA, by all means check out Tacovore on Blair Blvd. They also have joints in Corvallis and Portland. If you need a hangover breakfast, Brails at the corner of 17th Ave and Willamette St in downtown is the place to go.
Betty Cracker
@Villago Delenda Est: My Eternal Grad Student™️ lives in that region, so I will save this knowledge for my next visit — thank you!
Feathers
No SE restaurant recommendations, but if you are looking for fried clams near Boston, Celebrity Pizza in Watertown has surprisingly good ones. Apparently, the pizza is terrible, but the place serves both regular and soft serve ice cream and closes for the winter. My sister from Virginia loves that you can get a grilled cheese sandwich.
Over on Tumblr, found an excellent video that includes a cat, a sink, and FAFO: https://www.tumblr.com/ms-demeanor/727509786813399040
Almost Retired
Totally agree on Columbia Restaurant. Years ago, we ate at the one in St. Augustine. It was excellent (food, ambiance and experience). I suggested the Ybor City Columbia when I was visiting college friends in Clearwater area a few years ago. They dismissed it as “tourist chow” (even though they’d never been). But we went any way at my insistence. They loved it. A unique Tampa thing to do….
BTW, those friends are now desperate to get out of Florida after 20 years. One of that said “Why doesn’t DeSantis just move the state capital to The Villages and be done with it.”
Cameron
Should you wind up in central PA, please do stop in at Troeg’s in Hershey. If you like beer, that is. I’ll confess that I’m very prejudiced, but I think they brew the best beer in the world.
SiubhanDuinne
I love Bern’s and am thrilled to know it’s still in operation (and still has that French whorehouse decor). For some reason I was under the impression that it had closed down after Bern and Gert died. Not just fabulous steaks and wine, but incredible vegetables, and the best banana daiquiri on the planet. A meal at Bern’s would be the one thing that might tempt me back to Tampa.
Another Scott
For folks visiting Northern Virginia, Duangrats Thai Restaurant on Leesburg Pike in Falls Church is a excellent eatery.
Cheers,
Scott.
frosty
More Florida, even though I don’t live there. We have friends in Ocala and lucked into this place because it was next to a bike shop where we went to get some repairs.
This is the best Cuban food I’ve had anywhere in Florida! (Sorry, Columbia!)
https://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-havana-ocala
Timill
A bit off the direct route (you have to go up I575 to Canton; SR20 will take you back to I-75) we liked Riverstone Corner Bistro in Canton GA. Modern Southern food, as a look at the menu will tell.
Alas, we don’t go there so often, as most of our friends there have passed (Don Cook, Samanda Jeude and Mary Francis, for them as know them); only Bill is left and I’m not commuting to Fort Lauderdale or West Palm Beach any more.
frosty
Baltimore: The Sip and Bite Diner in Canton, near the waterfront east of Fells Point. This is the only place I’ve ever been that serves you breakfast and a beer at 1:00 in the morning after a night of bar hopping. Good crab cakes too.
https://www.sipandbite.com/
ETA The best crab cakes in Baltimore were at Angelina’s on Harford Rd, which closed in 2008. Apparently they’re shipping them mail order and that’s all they do. New owners, supposedly same recipe. I haven’t tried them.
Jeanne
@Cameron: the food there is great too. Best grilled cheese and tomato soup.
Betty Cracker
@frosty: I’ve heard good things about that place but haven’t tried it yet — good to know!
frosty
@Betty Cracker: Glad to help! Be aware that they close at 2:00. It’s a breakfast and lunch place.
jobeth
@SiubhanDuinne: Is Bern’s the restaurant with the separate dessert room? Had a great meal at a steakhouse in Tampa but I really remember adjourning to a room with private booths for dessert.
S Cerevisiae
Thanks for all the great recommendations! I’ll definitely keep watching this thread for more as we will be down in St Pete for a while this winter. I wish I could remember the names of the great seafood places we tried last year but I know some were right by the beach or the intercoastal. I figured as long as we’re on the gulf take advantage of all the fresh seafood!
kalakal
@Almost Retired: Columbia also has an offshoot in Sand Key just down from Clearwater Beach. Very nice indeed with a lovely view over the Intercoastal.
SiubhanDuinne
@jobeth:
I don’t recall ever removing to a different room for dessert at Bern’s, but then I haven’t been there since 1975, so either (a) they’ve introduced the practice in the last 48 years, (b) my memory is failing me, or (c) it must be a different place.
kalakal
@S Cerevisiae: Island Way Grill does a very good Sunday Brunch. It’s half way between Clearwater and Clearwater Beach off the causeway
Michael Bersin
Right wingnut and former Kansas City Fox affiliate morning television newsreader, now U.S. Representative Mark Alford held an open public town hall in Warrensburg, Missouri on Thursday night.
Alford represents Missouri’s 4th Congressional District.
Part of an exchange with one constituent which illustrates the endemic right wingnut paranoid feedback loop. In this instance, immigration, the border, trafficking, the vast Biden family criminal enterprise, and impeaching Joe Biden (there’s audio of this entire exchange at the link):
==========
[on impeaching Joe Biden]
Mark Alford (r): “….It will be where you can watch it. I guarantee you that. Um, here, here’s the difference though, all right, I, let’s go back a couple years when the Democrats were, had their knives out for Trump and impeached him twice, right, on, on, stupid things that he should never have been impeached on. And yet the Democrats because they were in power and they controlled the House and the Senate, uh, they were able to do that. Um, they didn’t get a conviction in the Senate, so it was really control in the House. But my point is, is that, um, they made a mockery [“They did.”] out of the jud…, out of the impeachment process. We cannot, you know, I know that Republicans are always like the nice guys. But we’ve got to protect our republic. [voice: “Yes.”] And part of that protecting our republic is defending the Constitution. [voice: “Yes.”] And part of defending the Constitution is doing it the right way. [“it is.”] Congress has two big powers, to declare war, and to impeach. And if we don’t do it in the right way we’re not gonna get Democrats on board with us to see the truth and admit the truth. And to convict in the Senate. And we’re going to do, do a disservice to our future generations by continuing to make a mockery out of impeachment [inaudible]. Now we’re, we’re gonna have an impeachment inquiry. I’m ninety-nine percent sure of that. um, it, but it may take a while to get it done. There’s still new evidence that’s coming out. Uh, every day they’re interviewing someone new. They subpoenaed the IRS agents, the investigators who’ve looked into this. And they’re going to make them talk on Capitol hill.”
Question: “Well, they had whistle blowers from the IRS. They’ve already come forward. [“Yep.”] And they were threatened. They were threatened.”
Mark Alford (r): It goes very deep and, uh, so, you know, the scary part is somebody asked them, what, what happens when you, uh, get rid of Joe Biden. Well, it’s like, you know, you get rid of Tweedle-dee, I mean you’ve got Tweedle-dum as President. [laughter] So, I don’t think it’s gonna be any better, but, that’s not my issue. That’s not the issue in the House. That, the issue in the House is to secure America. And right now our nation is insecure, unsecure, because of a President who is compromised to the Russians and the Chinese. [“I agree.”] [applause]…”
Mark Alford (r) – Town Hall – Warrensburg, Missouri – August 31, 2023 – a self-sustaining information feedback loop
The entire town hall (two hours) went just like that – on the totality of right wingnut dogma, grievances, and paranoia.
Paul in Jacksonville
@jobeth: The Dessert Room at Bern’s is upstairs from the main floor. The private booths are wine barrels that were shipped to the restaurant from wineries in the state. I know that the Foppiano Winery, in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, was one of the wineries that donated the barrels.
Alison Rose
Well, I haven’t been to a restaurant in probably five years, and some of these recs in particular much longer. But I still stand by them!
In Berkeley, my favorite spot was Cha-Ya, which serves vegetarian Japanese cuisine and is absolutely delicious. (There’s also a location in the Mission District in San Francisco.)
I sadly can’t rec my favorite SF place, U.S. Restaurant in North Beach (stood for Unione Sportiva) because it closed in 2021 after having been in the City since the 1890s. (Yes, 1890s!) So instead I’ll offer Sears Fine Food on Union Square. Go for a late breakfast and get the 18 Swedish pancakes (they’re small) with syrup and whipped butter and lingonberries.
If you find yourself in the North Bay, Risibisi in Petaluma is a terrific Italian restaurant. Not a ton of veggie options, but the vegetable panino is great, and my mother (and father, from beyond) would highly recommend the whole menu.
And if you ever end up in my city of Santa Rosa and want coffee and a quick sweet snack, Criminal Bakery in addition to having sandwiches and salads and such, has some of the best pastries ever. I would cut a bitch for one of their brown-butter brownies.
Michael Bersin
Oh, and the food at the student union, the location of Mark Alford’s (r) town hall, is institutional fast food. Drive the 50 miles to Kansas City and get some BBQ instead.
Redshift
@Another Scott: My favorites in Northern Virginia are Meaza for Ethiopian, Shamshiri for Persian, and Duck Chang’s for Chinese (which looks like a hole in the wall, but is run by the family who invented the process for making Peking Duck so you don’t have to order it 24 hours ahead.) Peter, the current owner and a good friend, is great at recommending wine pairings for different dishes.
Paul in Jacksonville
Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish, on South Pasadena Avenue in St. Petersburg has, imho, the best smoked fish on the planet. A cash only business that is as laid back as any place Jimmy Buffet ever sang about. Well worth the drive from Tampa.
kalakal
Not a restaurant but if someone made you this could you bring yourself to eat it or would you just gaze in wonderment?
Mike in NC
Been a few years, but you probably can’t go wrong looking for good Cuban restaurants in Ybor City. Our Tampa friends took us there and we hit a few places on a weekend afternoon. They said it can get sketchy after dark.
hueyplong
@Alison Rose: I’ve been to Sears many times. Glad it’s still there.
Do you remember a place called The Hunan? The original was condemned after the ’89 quake, but by then they had opened a second location on Broadway.
FelonyGovt
@Alison Rose: Continuing with Northern California recs: In San Francisco, our favorite Italian restaurant, in the Union Square area, is L’Ottavo https://www.lottavosf.com . We found a great Mexican restaurant near Oracle Park, UCSF, etc.: Mercado http://www.merkadosf.com. And of course, many great restaurants in Japan Town.
As to the Southeast US, I haven’t been on the East Coast in many years, although I did have one of the best Cuban sandwiches ever in the Tampa airport!
Redshift
@Michael Bersin: That’s insane, sorry you have to suffer with that. The one possible saving grace is GOPers seem less and less able to appeal to anyone who isn’t already in the bubble, which should make it harder for them to swing districts.
TinRoofRusted
Depending on how you get to Chattanooga from Atlanta there are some very good restaurants in Blue Ridge, GA. The Black Sheep is wonderful for dinner and also brunch. I highly recommend the red velvet waffles with Nashville hot chicken. The Dogwood is also delicious. Both of those are in downtown Blue Ridge. If you like beer the Grumpy Old Men Brewery is a must stop. Not in downtown BR is Mercier’s Orchard. It is actually a store but these also have a restaurant. I can also highly recommend their fried pies and other pastries. These are just the places that pop into my head. Blue Ridge has many more excellent places to eat and drink. Luckily we have a lake house there so I swim off all of the calories consumed.
Added: The General Ledger is also delicious
Anyway
@Betty Cracker:
Heh, I resemble that remark. Some of us are stuck there and never grow out of it …
Alison Rose
@hueyplong: Hmm, I don’t know that one, though it’s been so long since I lived there that it’s very possible I saw it and just don’t recall.
@FelonyGovt: There was a place in Japantown I loved but I’m pretty certain it closed and I cannot for the life of me recall the name. But you can’t really go wrong, especially if you avoid Benihana, LOL.
Nukular Biskits
@Betty Cracker:
Damn! Thanks for this, Betty!
Bishop Bag
Open Thread??? Yay!!! My daughter texted me at 8:30 last night letting me know that they had managed to to get out of Burning Man yesterday afternoon and were just leaving Reno headed back to Chico. She had been there since Sunday and had a blast with all her friends from the Chico Music and Art Community, Then it started raining on Thursday and rained all day Friday. They only had to be pulled out of the mud one time but got out okay. She and her boyfriend had a blast together. I told her after going through that nightmare that she and her boyfriend would either be much closer friends for the rest of their lives or curse the Day of Their Birth of each other for the rest of their lives… So glad they had a good time in spite of the weather! My friend called it one of those Make or Break Vacations!
hueyplong
@Alison Rose: Haha, I get the impression that Benihana is to Japanese as Olive Garden is to Italians.
TheOtherHank
Another California Bay Area recommendation: If you like Peruvian food, La Costanera in Princeton (just north of Half Moon Bay) on Highway 1 is really good. I especially like their arroz chaufa
mrmoshpotato
@kalakal: I would sic it on Dump’s cult to eat their faces.
Hoodie
If you’re in SE Ga, Captain Stan’s Smokehouse in Woodbine is worth a stop. Decent ribs, pork butt, garlic crabs and sides, but mostly go for the ambience. Stan has been, among other things, a Calvin Klein underwear model, ski instructor, tugboat captain and boar hunting guide.
Anyway
@Alison Rose:
Few years ago I was dragged ( reluctantly) to the one in the Mission district and wow, mind-blown. I love vegetables but am not a fan of vegetarian restos –this was an eye-opener. I hate mushrooms and vege restaurants tend to be fungi-heavy.
Bobby Thomson
Ice cream in Delaware:
Woodside Creamery – Hockessin, Delaware. A family-owned operation for generations with its own grazing cows in a nearby field. Multiple picnic tables. Occasional tours on Ice Cream Day or agriculture events. They supply ice cream to many local high end restaurants including the Green Room (rebranded as Le Cavalier but I’m curmudgeonly) at the Hotel DuPont.
Ice cream in SEPA:
Perry Dell – York, PA. Not as much outdoor seating as Woodside, but always has dairy calves for sale out back in individual pens.
La Michoacana – Kennett Square, PA. Run by a group of local Mexican-Americans with interesting tropical and other flavors (one of the most popular is corn), all hand made. Features a large photo of one of the owners posing with the 46th POTUS, natch.
Lots of other great local choices, too, but I consider these the best of the best.
cmorenc
Cameron
@Jeanne: Didn’t mean to slag on their food. LOML and I have been fans since the bros first opened with used brewery gear in Harrisburg
Phylllis
if you’re in the Columbia SC area, the Blue Marlin in the Vista for seafood or Hometeam BBQ in Five Points.
Alison Rose
@Anyway: I also hate mushrooms, which is frustrating as a vegetarian because most regular restaurants assume “vegetarian = mushrooms”. I love how inventive their menu is, and everything was really tasty. Even the steamed edamame tasted better!
Betty Cracker
@TinRoofRusted: Perfect — thank you!
Gin & Tonic
If you find yourself in Newport, RI, skip the tourist traps in that town, go past Easton’s Beach just over the border into Middletown, and eat at Flo’s Clam Shack. If you’re in RI but not Newport, the Matunuck Oyster Bar is a must, but be warned that it’s jammed pretty much all the time, for good reason.
frosty
@hueyplong: Was that the Hunan in San Francisco? A friend took me there in the late 70s and said it was the hottest food he ever ate. He was right!
Kirk
I lived in Ft Oglethorpe and worked in Dalton for 8 years a decade ago, and never found a restaurant between the two that made me want to share it with others. Now once you’re across the state line into Chattanooga there are several places. I always enjoyed the Akropolis, for example.
pieceofpeace
@Betty Cracker:
In Portland, I used to like Milo’s, excellent, tasty food for reasonable prices. In the NE on Broadway. Casual.
Doc Sardonic
A favorite of mine in Ybor City is La Teresita, the food is good, reasonably priced and portion size is good. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, breakfast is around back at the lunch counter which I believe, if memory serves, was the original part of the place. Anyhow, it’s been there since ‘72 and I have been going there since it opened when I am in Tampa, which happens quite often. Also, if you want baked good the aforementioned La Segunda, there is also the Florida Bakery and dozens of hole in the wall small Cuban bakeries.
john (not mccain)
La Nova in Buffalo is the best pizza I’ve ever had. And it’s been mobster-owned since the 50s so it’s authentic.
Betty Cracker
@Doc Sardonic: Second the rec for La Teresita, which is excellent. They have the best cafe con leche in Tampa, IMO.
Betsy
I posted this comment last night long after the related thread went stale (as is my habit):
hueyplong
@frosty: That’s it, the hottest I’ve ever had as well. Absolutely loved it but don’t know if I could handle it now, after all these years.
Michael Bersin
@Redshift:
It wasn’t unexpected. But, still, the insanity is overwhelming. They really believe it all.
Once you witness this in all its glory, there’s no going back to thinking “bipartisanship” and “can’t we all get along” are possible.
I was wearing an N-95 mask, so it was much easier to hide my attempts to suppress my reactions to the insanity – in a range from laughter to horror.
They’re out for absolute power and control. The truly believe they can convince their opposition of the error of their ways, but if they can’t…
JMG
Here on Cape Cod, the best fried seafood IMO is at Kream n’Kone (there are two, one in Dennis, one in Chatham). Scallops, clams, oysters, it’s all great. They make good burgers, too, the thinnish kind. Their fries and onion rings (I’m very fond of onion rings) are excellent. For something fancier, there’s PB Boulangerie in Wellfleet. It’s a bakery by day and a French restaurant by night. You’re lucky if you’re there when quenelles (fish dumplings) are a special. And of course, Wellfleet oysters are the best in the world, too good for cooking, just for shucking and slurping.
BeautifulPlumage
In southeast Seattle near the south end of Lake Washington is Pizzaria Pulcinella making Neopolitan style pizza in a wood fired oven. The oven is the only cooking appliance, so veggies, etc are all roasted in it. It’s very small with a casual bistro feel and not very pricey.
Jay
https://nitter.net/joncoopertweets/status/1698763908914245936#m
https://nitter.net/pic/orig/media%2FF5M4xWYWsAAOxSN.jpg
Betty Cracker
@kalakal: Good lord, that’s amazing!
laura
I’m experiencing severe cravings. Flat cuban bread, cafecito, black bean soup, a Cubano, a greasy paper bag full of empanadas- savory & sweet, ropa veigha, chicken ala plancha, another greasy bag of empanadas, the full cuban breakfast. Want!
Villago Delenda Est
It’s “resettlement in the East” time!
UncleEbeneezer
Downtown LA: Thien Huong- some of the best Vietnamese food we have had outside of Vietnam. Pho Ga and BBQ pork banh Mi are both amazing.
Pasadena: Fuji & Vi’s Detroit style pizza. We got it last night. Great!
Highland Park: The Hermasillo- brewery with excellent fried chicken sandwich, smash burgers and fried pickles. WE ARE THERE NOW!!!
trollhattan
@Betty Cracker:
Could a butter lamb ride a chocolate leopard?
Villago Delenda Est
@kalakal: It’s dessert for a litter of 250!
Mr. Bemused Senior
Henry Chung’s restaurant. I have a signed (in 1979) copy of his cook book.
When my daughter was about 2 years old we went there and thought we had ordered a non-spicy dish for her. Oops. She took one bite, cried out, we told her “eat rice,” which she did, then she wanted another bite.
Alison Rose
@UncleEbeneezer:
In honor of the passing of the lead singer from Smash Mouth?
Alison Rose
@Mr. Bemused Senior: Yeah, if it’s known for spicy food, I definitely never went there. I’ll start crying in pain if there’s more than a dozen grains of black pepper on my food.
Anonymous At Work
“Between Atlanta and Chattanooga” isn’t that far. There are some great places in both places. For my money, in Atlanta, Louisiana Bistreaux, just north of the airport. Went with a Cajun who also uses “eaux” instead of “o” and they were impressed. Best cajun food outside of Louisiana I’ve had.
UncleEbeneezer
@trollhattan: As long as the chocolate leopard gives consent.
TinRoofRusted
@Betty Cracker: You are most welcome. If you drive from BR to Chattanooga you should go through McCaysville Ga/Copper Hill TN. One of those towns that the state line divides. TBH not much in the way of good food is in either town though Buck Bald Brewery is very good as is the Rum Cake Lady. And there is the McCaysville Drug and Gun. Where as they say you can refill and reload. Depending on your GPS and tolerance for windy mountain roads you can drive parallel to the Ocoee River and stop at the 1996 Olympic site for kayaking. There are some serious white water rapids and several companies to take you down them.
Grumpy Old Railroader
@Alison Rose:
Since you are in that area, our go to fav in Bodega Bay is The Fishetarian on Lucas Wharf. Get good seafood without getting soaked! Tis a hole in the wall but fish (fresh grilled cod) tacos and fried calamari never disappoint
hueyplong
@Mr. Bemused Senior: I am envious.
Mr. Bemused Senior
@hueyplong: Google informs me his grandson runs one location now. I haven’t been there in years.
hueyplong
@Mr. Bemused Senior: Glad to hear it still exists. Last ate there in ’89 and last lived in SF in ’85.
If/when I return will definitely go there. As of now, use up my west coast runs seeing the daughter in Seattle.
Alison Rose
@Grumpy Old Railroader: Haha, well, besides not being able to go out, I’m a vegetarian. (And you know, a real one, not the kind that should be called pescatarian, and yes I do hate it when people call themselves vegetarian but eat fish because then that makes omnivores think all vegetarians can eat fish. But I digress.)
However, Bodega Bay is a lovely little place and we used to go out there a lot when I was a kid, and my favorite thing was the candy store that sold probably 50 or more varieties of salt water taffy.
Delk
No diners?
Alison Rose
@Delk: If it still existed, I’d have recced The Saturn Cafe in Santa Cruz. Kitschy little vegan diner open late and home of my beloved ollalieberry pie.
Same for Mama’s Royal Cafe in Mill Valley, which served pancakes the size of a dinner plate. Sadly also closed, although they do have a location in Oakland, I believe.
JaneE
My favorite Mexican restaurant is in Fontana, La Cascada on Valley Blvd. Looks more like a dive than not. Fresh cooked corn tortillas. Good Baja Norte style plain foods. Some seafood. Great breakfasts anytime. If you ask for the hot hot sauce it is hot. The regular stuff they put out for gringo-looking customers is not. Probably not for the overly fastidious, unless they have just renovated. It happens about once every 20 years or so.
Citizen Scientist
@Cameron: and the food’s good too!
Barbara
@kalakal: Gaze in wonder. No way is anyone eating that.
pieceofpeace
I’m going to New Orleans next year. Any eating spots and/or things to do in the area that aren’t the usual, but unique to the area (not plantations). I may be too late for this thread….
Thank you….
WaterGirl
@kalakal: Holy cow-ski!
Grumpy Old Railroader
@Alison Rose:
Ahhh yes. The Tides Restaurant and Gift Shop at the Wharf. They still sell taffy and other goodies. I’m so old I remember when they had a 6 room motel that backed up to the road and the old Tides restaurant was across the parking lot on the wharf (you can see that slice of time if you have ever watched Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds) We paid the extortion price of $20 per night back in the early 70s
RAVEN
We (my nephew) caught one wahoo on an 11 hr trip on the Outer Banks last week. I got a third, vacuum froze it and followed one of a million instructions for transporting. I put the cooler in the fridge over night, wrapped each piece of fish in paper, put a towel in the bottom of the cooler and the fish in an insulated bag, put it all in the cooler and jammed as much paper as I could on top. I taped the cooler shut and hoped for the best on a 24 hour trip. When I got home most of the fish packet were frozen but a couple, while cold, had softened. I don’t kn ow if ya’ll have noticed but most vacuum frozen fish has warnings on the package to NOT thaw it in the package. I’ve asked all kinds of folks and the answer ranges from “when in doubt, throw it it out” to, “you’re gonna cook it anyway”!! So I did the remove it in the package and put it in another zip lock and thawed it in cold water. I’ve marked the piece I’m going to eat and, if I die, will instruct my wife to throw the other piece out!
Alison Rose
@Grumpy Old Railroader: Right, that was it! I don’t even want to think about how much taffy I consumed there. Especially the Neapolitan kind, my favorite.
p.a.
In Portland ME, J’s Oyster just off Commercial St. doesn’t do fried fish, just rawbar, baked, broiled, chowders, and sammies. Sit at the bar for lunch, where the locals congregate, and you’ll get all the info you want about other restaurants in town.
Local 188 Congress St Portland also.
Timill
@pieceofpeace:
Preservation Hall
Vaut le detour, as we say back home.
pieceofpeace
If you want an old-fashioned, French food-type restaurant on San Francisco peninsula in Belmont, go to the Iron Gate for souffle desserts, Tornedoes Rossini, Steak Diane, cherries jubilee, and much more. It’s filled with French menu items once standard 50-60+ years ago in SF, has a room or two for 10-20 people and is priced as you’d expect it to be. I’m not certain there are many others left in the area.
Doesn’t everybody have Belmont, CA on their bucket list……
Jay
@RAVEN:
vacuum packed meats have warnings about thawing in package, because many people use a microwave to do it and many of the vacuum pack plastics are not microwave safe, (melting, off gassing, etc).
Ruckus
@Betty Cracker:
OK this is going to be off the beaten path for you (and me for some time) but there is/was a BBQ joint in southeast Austin, TX that is the best BBQ I’ve ever had. And I had a great aunt from Italy and her family owned a chain of supermarkets around Santa Barbra and she used to have family cookouts on a rather regular basis.The supermarket raised the beef and chickens they sold. I like most things BBQ’ed but this was by far the best steak I’ve ever eaten. Whatever is way above prime, that’s what this was. Of course, as I am the oldest person in the family line now, I’ll never see anyone or any part of this again – all of it no longer exists.
realbtl
If anyone comes to Glacier NP next summer I highly recommend The Laughing Horse Lodge for wonderful dinners and as a possible base. About 1.5 hours from the west entrance but totally away from the madness once back. http://www.laughinghorselodge.com/
RAVEN
@Jay: That ain’t this
ChiJD_Doug
In southwest Michigan The Southerner in Saugatuck is worth a detour or even a journey. Divine fried chicken, biscuits, NC style barbecue. Food of the Appalachian diaspora which came to Detroit for jobs. Trust Me.
https://thesouthernermi.com/
Ruckus
@Alison Rose:
For very good Mexican food in the North Bay area I’d recommend
Taqueria Real 354 Bel Marin Keys Blvd, Novato, CA 94949
Spanish Moss
Our favorites in the Cambridge/Somerville MA area are:
brendancalling
For pizza, I tell people to go to New Haven, CT for Modern Apizza or the original Pepe’s.
For cheesesteaks, I tell people to go to Philly for Steve’s Prince of Steaks, which is the best. Akinomnom in Philly for ramen and all-you-eat sushi. You can’t go wrong with Georgian Bread in Northeast Philly for Georgian food (the country, not the state). The best dim sum I’ve had in Philly is at Ocean Harbor in Chinatown and China Gourmet in the Northeast. So good.
In Nashville you want Bolton’s hot chicken. Nothing compares. Terrifyingly hot. Even the mild borders on too much hot. But so so so so so good.
if you’re in Newport, RI I highly recommend Anthony’s Seafood.
Also in Philly: Fergie’s Pub; the Abbaye; Green Rock Tavern. All great pub food. Suya Suya West African Grill on Fairmount Ave is great. I haven’t been to Dahlak or Gojjo since I moved back but those used to be my go-tos for Ethiopian in West Philly.
RAVEN
@Jay: I’m getting old and weak, I threw it out.
Alison Rose
@Ruckus: My hometown! I don’t know if that place was there when I lived there. My fave Mexican place in town was Las Guitarras, and Fernando’s was a close second.
Scout211
@Grumpy Old Railroader: There are several Taffy shops in Bodega Bay. I have sampled taffy from all of them. Here are a couple I have frequented.
Patrick’s of Bodega Bay
Candy and Kites
Betty Cracker
@RAVEN:
😂 Possibly the most Raven comment ever!
Jay
@RAVEN:
that’s the safe bet.
Clostridium botulinum type E only grows at temps above 38F and takes a while, (24-48 hours) at those temps.
Weird kitchen tool I have is an IR Thermometer. I bought it when I was working to detect arcing in breaker panels and overloading at outlets and junction boxes.
You pull the trigger, point the laser, hold it for a few seconds, and it gives you the temp of an object. These days it’s mostly used in the kitchen.
mrmoshpotato
OT – damn you, Bad Place theme song!
(If you don’t know, you’ll regret finding out.)
Raven
@Betty Cracker: she helped me decide to toss it!
Raven
@Jay: I thought I was uptown with a digital!
HinTN
@Anonymous At Work: For Chattanooga I recommend The Boathouse. It’s on the Tennessee River and the outdoor environment is part of the experience. Food is good, too. I favor the seafood stew. In town, the chef at Public House has a great thing going on.
Seventy miles west of ‘Nooga on I-24 in Manchester Mercado’s Patty has the best damn tacos I’ve ever et. It’s just a setup in the back of a Mexican market but what they lack in atmosphere they got five hundred times over in food. Get the cevice and three tacos. You’ll be full and happy.
Phylllis
@pieceofpeace: Mother’s on Poydras Street. The chuck roast po boy was as big as my head. And delish
ETA: The National WWII Museum is a must. Allow for a couple of days.
Prescott Cactus
Phoenix, AZ: Monroe’s Hot Chicken. Real deal with same owner as PHX legend restaurant LoLo’s Fried Chicken. Pick the spice level you want and then back it off one level. I really hot and medium is on my high range. Hot will make my lips and moth numb.
Honolulu, in Chinatown: Jolene’s Market. Lobster rolls are inexpensive for a pricey area. Very good. Also lobster grilled cheese sandwiches and a few more things to enjoy.
Toronto: Chef’s Hall: 14 different restaurants under the same roof. 2 large indoor seating areas and one outside. Variety and real good chow that won’t break the savings and loan.
lowtechcyclist
And a visitor to Tampa should absolutely stop by La Segunda Bakery itself to purchase guava pastries, which I dearly wish I could buy up here in the DC area. It’s right off I-4 at the exit for 21st and 22nd Street, so it’s easy to get to.
HinTN
@brendancalling: Modern is the real deal, alright. Mrs H went to Yale and took me there once. No comparison anywhere that I’ve found!
HinTN
@Betty Cracker: When are you coming to ‘Nooga? Do you do meet-ups?
Anonymous At Work
@HinTN: When driving west from Atlanta, I go 20 to 22. Emptiest road ever, so easy to drive. Won’t go near 75/24 unless deliberately driving to Nashville.
WaterGirl
@ChiJD_Doug: It’s nearly impossible to get good fried chicken around here. Jealous!
hueyplong
@brendancalling: Totally agree about Bolton’s. Great spicy fried chicken.
RSA
@JMG: Thanks for the recommendation! Friends who vacation on the Cape took me to the Friendly Fisherman in Eastham one evening during the summer. Excellent seafood, I thought, though I’m no expert. There seem to be a lot of good choices.
frosty
@Delk: See my #10, the Sip’n’Bite in Baltimore.
Full Service Blog!
Steeplejack
@Anonymous At Work:
“I go 20 to 22”? I get I-20 west, but I don’t see any Highway 22 that goes toward Chattanooga. Highway 27, maybe?
Prescott Cactus
Oops !
Chicago: Lawrence Fisheries. Shrimps. Fried shrimp. A cornmeal breading, nice size and sold by the pound. Heaven on Earth.
frosty
@pieceofpeace: in NOLA, go to a demo at the New Orleans School of Cooking. Fun, you get to eat what they’re showing you how to cook, and free beer.
We also did a tour of ten restaurants where each let you sample their specialty, but I forget who ran it or what it was called.
Ruckus
@Alison Rose:
My bicycle shop was next door. I ate there on a regular basis. The owners ran the place, husband cooked and wife ran the front end. They still do today.
I’d recommend a place in San Gabriel, CA called Panchito’s except it closed a few years ago. My family ate there regularly for years. A real sit down Mexican restaurant, when you walked out the front door, a block away staring you in the face is the San Gabriel Mission. My favorite restaurant in the world. And I’ve eaten in restaurants in many parts of the world.
Kathleen
@jobeth: I think I’ve been to that place but I don’t remember the name. Maybe it was Bern’s. We went because we were celebrating my grandson’s graduation from USF.
My daughter takes me to Moreno Bakery in Brandon for lunch. The sandwiches, salads, and pastries are to die for. They also serve hot food. Servings are huge and food is good.
They’re open 7am to 7 pm.
http://www.morenobakery.com/
laura
@Scout211: Patricks! We’d beg our dad to stop and 1 out of 10 times he would. Am I mistaken in remembering they had a bad fire some years back? My teeth are aching just thinking about all the taffys.
HinTN
@TheOtherHank: Next time I’m out that way and have time to go over the hill, I’ll try it! One time I made a point of going to Duarte’s in Pescadero and the last time I went down to Sea Harvest in Moss Landing. Both were worth the trip.
Anonymous At Work
@Steeplejack: No, when I head west, I hit Memphis from B’ham, not Nashville. We’ve exited way past Atlanta, traffic gods be praised in song and sacrifice!
TheOtherHank
@HinTN: I hope you like it. I also really enjoy the Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta (the passion fruit syrup really makes it), and since it’s a Peruvian restaurant, and if you drink alcohol, their pisco sours are quite good.
piratedan
Tucson….. listed as a gastronomical destination city but I’m not a person who needs to be enticed by cutting edge cuisine, so my recs will go in a different direction….
For local fare: Taquieria Juanitos… the best thing I can say is it’s the type of place where locals frequent to grab a meal at a reasonable price, not too far off the Grant Rd exit off of I-10
If you prefer something a tad more upscale, there’s Seis Retsaurant which has multiple locations and the ambiance and presentation is more than a notch above.
For something a bit more exotic than the usual Norteno fare, you can visit the Mosiac Cafe, which feature Oaxaca style cooking.
When in town, you do have to be specific here as “Mexican Food” encompasses Tex-Mex, Baja, Norteno, Oaxaca, Chihuahan and Mexico City cuisine and there’s even some places that blend Native American and Mexican cuisine and plenty of other hybrids that incorporate American stylings.
Also, be prepared, most of the local joints serve salsa that is usually a few notches above Pace in a jar and salsa verde is a thing here (our proximity to NM is the cause). If you’re looking for something uniquely Tucson that has caught on elsewhere, I would suggest trying a Sonoran Hot Dog. Look it up.
the pollyanna from hell
Chattanooga Sugar’s Ribs
Steeplejack
@Anonymous At Work:
WTF. HinTN and the rest of us were talking about Atlanta to Chattanooga.
lowtechcyclist
In northern Calvert County, MD (so of interest to no one here except possibly Spanky), there’s a carryout called Pinky’s. Southern/soul food with a touch of Louisiana. It’s in a little strip mall on the east side of Route 2 just south of Mt. Harmony. They do quite a few things well, but I’m a particular fan of their jerk chicken. They’re only open Thursday through Sunday. On FB, they’re Pinky’s Eatery.
HinTN
@lowtechcyclist: You replied to me in the thread last night but I had long since decamped and only read it this morning. Now I’ll have to go back and remind myself what the subject was and why I appreciated your comment, but there it is. Belatedly, thanks!
HinTN
@HinTN: @lowtechcyclist:
It was about Zappa and dental floss. He had introduced Moving to Montana as a song about a common household item that you might find in your medicine cabinet, so I have no claim to fame as far as the provenance of that great song. The reporter was an idiot. Zappa was quite nice.
Armadillo
@Betty Cracker: Thanks very much for the Tampa food thread. I knew about Columbia and Berns and about Cuban food in general, but was not onto some of your other recommendations such as the brunch spot.
My favorites for Cuban food are Arco Iris and Pipo’s Cafe, which is not to be confused with Pepo’s Cafe in Northdale. Pepo’s is ok, but I think Pipo’s is better. I have to respectfully disagree with the La Teresita recommendation – it has great history and atmosphere, but I think the food is pretty hit or miss.
Brocato’s has great stuffed potatoes and deviled crab. Their sandwiches have more fluffy bread than the flatter Cuban bread though.
The story I heard about the invention of the Cuban sandwich is that there were Cuban, Spanish and Italian workers. So the roast pork represents the Cuban culture, the ham the Spanish culture and the salami the Italian culture.
Not strictly Tampa, and nothing revolutionary, but if you go to nearby Fort DeSoto Beach (ranked #1 beach in the US by some) from Tampa, on the way there or back is Billy’s Stone Crab, which is just a really good seafood place. Stone crab, grouper sandwiches, and anything else.