Ratatouille...Anyone Can Cook!

If you have not seen the movie, "Ratatouille", please do.  If you love food, family, following your dream, see it.  Yes, I know it's a cartoon and a far fetched one, at that, but it is delightful and if your face isn't lit with warm enthusiasm for life after you see it, well you might need to see my other 2 favorite movies, "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" and "Its a Wonderful Life."

It is the story of a little mouse with a big dream.  Inspired by the ghost of Chef Gaston, who's motto, "Anyone Can Cook!" the kitchen talented rodent leads us to Paris where he makes a splash in the kitchen of Gaston's restaurant and changes the lives of all around him.  In the end, the mouse impresses an important food critic with his version of ratatouille, a french peasant dish.  The critic, in one forkful of this exquisite creation is transported back to his childhood kitchen where his mother placed a steaming bowl of comfort food in front of her forlorn son to cheer him.  

It is not long after I see the movie that visions of ratatouille begin to fill my head.  I begin to crave the smell of the roasting vegetables bathed in a chunky tomato broth and baked to flavor intensified perfection.  The magic of the oven transforms vegetables that I do not like (zucchini, yellow squash) into love.  My mother used to make a vegetable stew, perhaps the Italian version of ratatouille, with eggplant, onions and tomatoes.  I never really liked it, but I would still eat it, thinking that it probably would make me a better person, or something like that.

So, here is my "recipe" for ratatouille.  Watch the movie and it will taste even better!

splash of olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large sweet onion, halved (chop half and save the other half for later in the recipe)
6 very ripe beautiful tomatoes
handful of fresh basil
fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt

1 eggplant
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
Half the onion from above
2 Roma tomatoes

In a big pot, splash some olive oil and saute the chopped onion and garlic until the onion is translucent.  Peel the tomatoes and cut into coarse chunks.  Add to the pot.  Chop the basil finely and add to the pot.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Cook this over medium to low heat until it is bubbly and saucy.

Slice the vegetables approximately 1/8" thick.  (If you can find the first three all the same size, your dish will look prettier.  There are many colors and sizes of eggplant, so you might try the narrower Japanese eggplant.) Splash a little olive oil in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Arrange the slices of vegetables, alternating in a chain pattern (watch the movie for the technique), covering the entire pan.  Cover with the tomato sauce and bake at 375 degrees until the tender and fragrant and rich and delicious, about 35 minutes.  To make this even more scrumptious, just out of the oven add slices of fresh mozzarella and let it melt. 

Make this dish, if only for you.  (I know I'm the only one in my family that will eat it.)  It is fun and easy to make.  You will feel like a chef.  You will inspire others.  You will enjoy a healthy, hearty meal.  It travels well.  It freezes well. It reheats in the microwave well.  Its one of those dishes that is even better the next day.  I've had it everyday this week for lunch and I feel like I am a better person.

Anyone Can Cook!

Girls Night In

So, after shuffling the man out the door armed with Queso dip and an assortment of brats and such to tailgate with other man beasts and watch football, LIVE!!, the panda and I decided on our Girls Night In.
The menu would be Thin Crust Tortilla Pizzas and a frozen treat of some kind for dessert.  After indulging in laundry and Twilight movies (ugh! too many questions, "Mommy, I thought vampires couldn't go out in the daylight", "Mommy, why is he sparkly?", "Mommy, they are just stupid teenagers, all of them." I could barely concentrate on Taylor Lautner's six pack!), but I digress.  Off to the Patch for primo toppings and chilly delights.

We perused the fresh produce aisle but found nothing within our tastes or budget.  ($4.29 for 1 artichoke???  It better season, clean and cook itself for that kinda money!)  We browsed the self-serve bins of nuts and dried fruits and picked up some raw pumpkins seeds, dried pineapple and coconut rolled dates.  We pondered the granola and grains, but passed this time, though the intensely yellow saffron rice caught my eye for just a moment. 

We cruised by the dairy and soy-based products and pre-packaged meats and headed for the meat counter.  We cocked our heads in wonder at the tiny, I mean teensy, lamb rib chops.  They were hors'deouvre size and I did the mental calculations on how many lambs would have to die for that kind of dinner party.  Holy grape leaves, Batman!

Panda wanted sausage for her pizza.  We found hot and mild Italian and also a chicken Florentine "Mommy, what's Florentine?" "It's with spinach."  She crinkled her nose and thought a moment.  "It might be good, but let's get the mild Italian." One good size link (about a 1/4 pound) was $1.62.  Now, for the Olive Bar.  You know, you tend to forget how expensive the olive bar is when you are dipping into those bowls of bitter, salty indulgence, bedazzled by the size and color and utter deliciousness of all the olives and roasted tomatoes and peppers and mushrooms.  Decadence comes about $6 for a little more than half a pound, but is an irresistible treat for my pizza choice.

We look at all the cheese from exotic lands like Wisconsin and England in the bargain cheese bin where they package up the little bits and sell them for under $5.  Nothing for us there, but it is fun to look at them all.  Panda is still liking the blue cheese, but draws the line at crumbles.  When confronted with a cellophane wrapped wedge of the moldy stuff she recoils.  "Grosss!"

Down to the freezer aisle, to see what we can find for our dessert and we find all kinds of coconut milk and soy "ice creams".  That sounds icky, so we are excited to spy Ciao Bella Blood Orange sorbet on sale for $3.99 a pint.  We also purchase a pint of the CB coconut to compliment.   At the checkout, Panda grabs some Bug Bites, little chocolate squares with an insect trading card inside.  Yay.  Can't wait to enjoy the chocolate while discussing what and where one might find the particular beetle showcased this time.  (bleah, but on-target fun for a tweenager.)

So, how to make a Thin Crust Tortilla Pizza.  Heat your oven to 375 degrees.  You will need 2 large tortillas per pizza.  Typically, a 10 inch TCT pizza feeds one person.  Put the first tortilla down on an ungreased baking sheet.  Sprinkle with a little cheese, panda used mozzarella and I used Parmesan.  Place the other tortilla on top.  This will stick them together and give your crust a little more body and crunch.  Put on toppings.  Panda chose a basil marinara sauce, sausage, pepperoni and shredded mozzarella.  I chose no sauce, fresh mozzarella, sausage, roasted tomatoes and assorted olives, drizzled with a bit of the olive oil from the olive bar container.  Into the oven for around 7-10 minutes.  Watch them carefully as the tortillas toast up and brown quickly and they just arent' very good "blackened".

 Here's how they looked out of the oven and they were so good.  The great thing about this method of pizza is that the ingredients don't get "lost" in the dough.  We had made homemade pizza using Publix pre-made pizza dough a few weekends ago.  Due to the chef's poor dough wrangling skills, the crust was uneven and way too puffy in some places, making it a chore just to chew.  The tortilla crust is not only delicious, but easy and consistent and at a couple bucks for a bag of 10 that last in your fridge for weeks, it's the way to go!

Now, onto dessert.  We put a scoop each of the blood orange and coconut sorbets into dessert bowls, sprinkled with the dried pineapple chunks and enjoyed the intense tartness plus the sweet creaminess and the chewy pineappleness all together.  We watched "Marigold" one of my favorite Bollywood movies and had a lovely girls night in, until I started to show off my dance moves and then it was time for Panda to grab her cat and kindle and retreat to her room.  Ah well, she missed out.

Babalu!

The Babalu is a locally well-known little spot on 4th Street in St Petersburg.  Its the kind of place you could go everyday for quite some time and not get tired of their menu.  Perhaps you've seen their commercial that makes note of their BIG menu--don't let that stop you!  Babalu has great food!

We visited for Sunday breakfast with 7 plus a toddler.  They were happy to put together a large table for us.  The service was good, but my partner in crime was disappointed by lack of his two favorite breakfast condiments: Heinz ketchup and peanut butter. 

I ordered the Eggs Benedict with homefries $6.95.  Make sure to order your homefries "jazzy" and you will be happy with the bits of bacon, mushrooms, onions, peppers and kale that compliment the crispy potatoes.  The benedict was good, though the eggs were overcooked.  (Our friend who is a regular there says one of the cooks poaches eggs perfectly, the other cook, not so much.) But other than the egg yolk being solid instead of drippy, the english muffins were crisp and the hollandaise was mild and not too lemony. A watermelon wedge and a fresh fruit cup of melons and pineapple was a nice fresh accompaniment.  I cleaned my plate.

Mack ordered the Breakfast Burrito, large and full of eggs, cheese, onions, green peppers, wrapped in a flour tortilla.  With some sausage on the side and jazzy potatoes, he reports "It was good".  Our friend who eats there all the time let me share a huge bite of her french toast that was coated in sweetened cream cheese with nuts, and dripping with berries and berry syrup.  It was sooooo good.  See below, doesn't that look yummy?

Babalu has daily specials and ample parking.  Their prices seem pretty reasonable for the quality of the food.  They have indoor and outdoor seating and dogs seemed welcome outside.  They have a bloody mary bar and they looked great as they were served at other tables.  We've only been their for breakfast, but this is a place I'd love to give a try for dinner sometime...stay tuned.

www.babalueats.com

Road Trip!!!!!! Kallis German Butcher Shop

We went to Port Charlotte the other day to visit a butcher shop.  It was a pleasant 2 1/2 hour drive.  "WHY????" most would ask, would we drive all that distance for a butcher shop?  Well, first off, we love a road trip.  Throw a cooler in the back of the truck, pack some beach towels, bathing suits (just in case), chairs, some beverages and we are off!  We've driven to Gainesville just for dinner via Cedar Key; we've gone to Sarasota for Peruvian food; East Tampa for barbeque.  We always have fun, discover some great new places and see a little bit of Florida we've never seen before.

The other reason we went is because there are no butchers around where we live.  There are plenty of meat markets, but we are looking for an actual butcher shop where they make their own sausage and smoke their own bacon and have fresh cut meat.  So, on to Port Charlotte to Kallis German Butcher Shop.

Just North of the intersection of Midway Blvd and US 41, Kallis sits in a small building in a sea of strip malls.  The first thing we noticed upon entering was how CLEAN the place was.  Yay, we like clean.  There were shelves of German specialty foods like mustards and pickles and sauerkrauts and sauces.  There was also quite a large selection of all kinds of candy which makes me think that mayhaps Herr Kallis has a sweet tooth.

The meat cases are clean as a whistle and full of fresh beef and pork, deli meats and cheeses and smoked and fresh sausages of all kinds.  We picked a hunk of sirloin steak $4.99 lb, 10lbs of their 90/10 hamburger (a beautiful lean grind and a bargain at $2.49 lb).  We also chose some fresh Italian sausage and bratwurst at $3.29 lb and the biggest country style ribs I've ever seen for $1.99 lb.  Their bacon and some liverwurst from the deli case, some spatezele and dill pickles rounded out our order. Our decadent splurge was a big vacuum sealed bag of their own jerky.  They warn that it spoils quickly, but we knew that as much as we love jerky, it was no danger of lasting long enough to spoil.

We can't remember the name of the lady that helped us, but she was great.  She was very friendly and seemed like she was happy to get to know us while we browsed the shop and placed our order.  She was sure to tell us about the chicken they have in the back and the specialty items they have around the holidays.  She told us about her love of hunting and fishing and the outdoors and even offered to take us fishing the next time we came down for a visit.  She passed on the name of a butcher in Arcadia that sells whole hogs and sides of beef.  Sounds like a great place for a road trip.

How Spicy is too Spicy?

There is a trade-off to letting the man of the house take over the kitchen.  Usually, it involves having to drink a lot of milk and chewing a few Peptos.  This is not to say that his cooking is bad, it is to say that sometime it is too spicy....for me.   This was not the case when he whipped up some burritos for dinner this week.  I was home late from work and pleased as punch that he had started dinner.

There was chopping of peppers of all colors, shapes and nationalities.  Into the ground turkey went fresh red and green jalapenos, green bell pepper, red and orange bell peppers, Aji Amarillo pepper powder and Ghost Pepper salt.  "Ow!" my tongue said; "No!!!" my tummy said.

Wrapped in a flour tortilla, with shredded cheese, salsa and sour cream, it was delicious and had a bit of a kick.  With a glass of milk handy, I charged through and it was great, my taste buds humming with glee.  With the right amount of control, extrememly hot things like Ghost Pepper, can be safely eaten and enjoyed. 

If you give a panda some broccoli...

Sunday dinner...used to be a tradition, but now it seems like its no big deal.  Sunday is a day I like to cook because typically I have the time to do it.  No rushing around after work, no pressure, that's when cooking is enjoyable.  So, when the panda asked for "that really good chicken" I thought sure, it's Sunday after all.

The really good chicken is nothing special, but it is pretty tasty.  My mom used to make a "really good chicken", too...her version of coq au vin.  Sauteed in a big skillet with onions, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary and a splash of red wine, it was fast, easy and as chicken goes, our family favorite.  So, my chicken is pretty simple.  I like to use chicken thighs because they can stand up to long term roasting in the oven without going dry.  I get a pyrex or corning dish and put a little olive oil in it.  Then, I salt and pepper the bottom of the dish and arrange the chicken thighs skin-side down.  Yeah, I said it, chicken with the skin on.  Do it, its delicious and you aren't eating chicken skin like this everyday.  Put some salt, pepper and garlic powder on top of the chicken and then squirt a little lemon juice over the chicken (not too much unless you like a distinctly lemony flavor, which my eaters do not).  Put a few sprigs of fresh rosemary on top and cover tightly with foil.  Bake at 375 degrees for 33 minutes.

When the timer goes off, take the chicken out and turn the oven up to 400.  Turn the chicken thighs over so the skin is facing up.  Leave the foil off and roast for about 30 minutes until the skin is all bubbly, brown and crispy.  (If you absolutely cannot eat the crispy, delicate, flavorful, yummy, decadent chicken skin, it peels off easily.)

 

 

 

Our really good chicken was served with steamed broccoli and cheese sauce because these people will not eat broccoli unless you give them cheese sauce.  Oh, and some mashed potatoes, which apparently were also delicious with the cheese sauce.  It kind of felt like Sunday dinner, kind of.

Life in the Spiced Lane

We have a habit.  We can't help it.  We are drawn to it like a moth to a candle.  We can't drive by John's Pass unless we stop or think about stopping at The Spice & Tea Exchange (www.spiceandtea.com).  Once over the threshold you are immediately transported to exotic places only your nose could take you. 

They have a large selection of all types of salts, herbs, spices, teas and accessories.  Large jars sit upon the shelf-lined walls, each filled with something that smells divine.  One wall is devoted to flavored and global salts, from Alderwood smoked sea salt to Hawaiian red sea salt to black truffle salt and everything in between.  Flavored salts brighten the taste of foods and are often added at the last minute to "finish" a dish.

Next there are paprikas and peppers of all sorts.  Smoked sweet paprika is my personal favorite that adds richness to meat dishes and smoke to deviled eggs or summer salads.  Our latest pick is Aji Amarillo pepper powder.  Spice blends are also available, many designed by Vik the friendly "Spiceologist".  We recently purchased the Tandoori Roasting Blend and the Smoked BBQ rub. 

The tea wall is a delicious selection of flavors that go way beyond anything you'll find at most stores.  We picked up a Pear Caramel, a Blueberry and a Black Chocolate that smelled absolutely heavenly.  My favorite is the Coconut infused tea which I keep in my desk at work just to take a whiff of when I'm stressed.  A wonderland of flavored sugars add another dimension to teas.  Vik reports that blueberry tea plus cinnamon sugar is like sipping a hot cup of blueberry muffin.

Another selection of all kinds of herbs, spices and mysteries line the last wall in the shop.  There are gift samplers and accessories like tins, mortals and pestles and lots and lots of recipes.  Vik will welcome you like a friend and has plenty of great ideas to spice up your life.

Breakfast at Sunset...Sunset on Clearwater

We set out late for our breakfast at Caddy's on Sunset Beach.  When we arrived they had already changed over for lunch so instead of a great benedict or huge breakfast burrito with bloody mary's or beach coffee, we settled for a Philly cheesesteak and a grouper rueben.  Both were good and filled the hole, giving us a nice foundation for our day at the beach which included lounging on beach chairs under an umbrella (thanks, Eric!!), having a few drinks, and floating around in the water.  Blissful day of relaxation.  Ahhhh.  We like Caddy's for the beach.  It allows us to head for the beach with little more than a couple of towels, a good book and some sunscreen. 

We started to head for home and felt a little light-headed from the sun, so a stop at Crabby Bill's in Indian Rocks Beach provided some cold drinks and respite from the hot sun.  Crabby Bill's, a longstanding tradition for no frills, good seafood, was lively, fun and a bargain for a beer and a cocktail for $6! 

Feeling cool and getting hungry, we decided to head to Clearwater Beach, to try Union Burger, a new spot we'd spied the night before.  Union Burger, a Canadian brand of premium burger restaurant was good, but not great.  They offer a good variety of burgers and chicken sandwiches with standard and premium toppings, hand-cut fries and a sophisticated dining room.  Mack said it best, "It's like a churched-up Five Guys." Burgers were cooked well-done, which made them a bit chewy and hard to get down.  Heinz ketchup was a plus and fries, though a bit greasy were pretty yummy.  $29 for 2 burgers, fries and softdrinks.  Parking was more than difficult...we ended up parking over 5 blocks away, but luckily a pleasant evening made it a nice walk.

From Machu Piccu to Clearwater Beach

"Let's make a loop..."  is one of the greatest utterances from the other end of the couch...it means "Road Trip!".  Our road trips have taken us to the Keys for Christmas camping, to Gainesville (via Cedar Key) just for dinner, to a Navy Seal Muster in Vero Beach, to great BBQ in east Tampa to shoe shopping in Orlando and a host of other interesting adventures.

So, Saturday, we drove down to Sarasota to see the beautiful Monica and had a late lunch at The Peruvian Grill (www.peruviangrillsarasota.com).  A tiny cafe in a strip mall, it makes good use of its space and crams in about 8 tables.  A live video of Peruvian culture plays on a monitor in the dining room, so you might catch a glimpse of Machu Piccu. The service is friendly and beverages are served with a Peruvian specialty Fried Corn and a jalapeno-cilantro-garlic creamy sauce...addictive.  We sampled Yucca o Papa Huancaina, fried yucca strips with a creamy aji amarillo and cheese sauce.  The strips were similar to french fries, but somewhat lighter and again, addictive.  Another appetizer we tried was the Papa rellena, a mixture of ground beef and pork, raisins, olives and peanuts coated in a mashed potato crust that was golden brown and served with a delicious onion relish.  The potato crust was crispy on the outside and the interior was the perfect bed for the rich, flavorful meat mixture, topped with a bit of the brightly flavored onion relish, it was a hearty start to our meal.

When our entrees arrived we were on the verge of full, but the tantalizing flavors lured us in and as our friend said, "I'm stuffed, but this is so good I can't stop eating."  The Lomo Saltado, braised beef strips with onions and tomatoes in a beef sauce has origins in Japanese cuisine.  Thanks to a host of immigrants throughout history, Peruvian food boasts a world of influence from Japan to Britain.  The House Corvina, a chilean sea bass in chimichurri sauce accompanied by the house salad, rice and fried plantains was delicious.  The fish was cooked perfectly and spiced just right.  The fried plantains were carmelized and crispy on the outside, tender and sweet on the inside.  Even the white rice, looking molded and bland had some flavor and was hard to ignore.  Although intrigued, no one had room for dessert.  Generous portions and wonderful flavors made this a great meal.  $85 for 3 appetizers, 3 entrees and 4 beers. 

On the way back, we stopped at Ricky T's in Treasure Island.  A cold beer in their Tiki Bar was just too inviting to pass by.  Parking is at a premium, but we found a spot in the adjacent city lot and were lucky to get the last 2 seats at the bar.  Kevin Toon was playing, the Rays had won and the crowd was fun and spirited.  The beers arrived cold and went down smooth as we enjoyed some old Jimmy Buffett tunes and a light seabreeze.  It was the kind of summer night that we Floridians are blessed with in September. 

As hunger set in, we decided to hop down to the Pub in Indian Shores.  A great old place on the intercoastal we ran into...oh, you'll never guess....people from Minnesota!  After a quick chat we took a table by the water and enjoyed another beer and a margarita on the rocks as the moon rose over the water.  We ordered the smoked fish spread and the onion straws.  Both were just okay.  We like our fish spread smoky and chunky and this was whipped smooth and in desperate need of hot sauce.  Still, we managed to clean the plate.  This stop was good, but not great, which was disappointing since the tab was over $30 for 2 appetizers, a beer and a cocktail.

Onward, we hit Clearwater Beach and passed by all the tourists and hoopla and neon t-shirt shops to land at the Shipwreck.  With pirates outside to great you and painted treasures, fish nets and sharks on the walls in this little grotto, you feel like you have arrived at the bottom of an old aquarium.  The crowd is a mix of college students and locals and the people watching is top notch.  The bartender, Angie, whips up all sorts of cocktails behind the little bar.  Intimate, enclosed booths with arched windows look out on a small dancefloor with a band or DJ on the weekends. 

Our final destination, was Toucan's Sports Bar right smack dab in the middle of the SandPearl-Hooters-Frenchy's-Pier 60 madness.  We opted to not park in the nearby bank parking lot as it was plastered with "No Parking.  24/7/365 Tow Away Zone" signs, but found a spot less than a block away.  Toucan's has a big central bar, indoor and outdoor seating, plenty of TV's to catch every game, a late night kitchen and room for a DJ and dancefloor.  It was clean and fresh and we decided we'd definitely consider going there again since it is a simple $10 cab ride from our house.

Stay tuned...tomorrow we hit the beach again with breakfast at Sunset and sunset on Clearwater.

Eats in Key West

My friend's birthday and a $59 flight from AirTran was a great excuse to head to Key West for the weekend.  First stop, lunch!  We were starving by the time we got off the plane, took a cab ride from the airport to our B&B and then a had hike to our cottage. 

We did a little window shopping on Duval Street and while chatting with the Friday artist at 7 Artists Gallery, he made a suggestion that we try Lobos Grill (http://loboskw.com/). Tucked behind a Mexican restaurant in the 600 block of Duval in Key Lime Square, it is a funky little tree shaded shack with 6 picnic tables and 1 server.  The food is fresh and yummy.  My friend Carla chose a basil infused Chicken Salad wrap and I opted for the Luau Tuna wrap.  The chicken wrap was yummy and so was the Tuna Salad with sweet pineapple.  So yummy in fact that I forget to photograph them.  Rather than show an empty plate, here is a pic of the mimosa that I made with a tiny carafe of OJ and split of champagne. 

We stayed at the Andrews Inn, a lovely little bed and breakfast, in "Hemingway's backyard."  We rented their Eyebrow Cottage which is actually a few blocks away from the main property.  It is a 1 bedroom unit with ample living room, dining room, large full kitchen and private deck with hot tub.  The only downside of this unit is that breakfast is not included in the rate, although happy hour is.  We enjoyed happy hour on our second day with cocktails by the teeny A-shaped pool. 

No worries, we have our favorite breakfast place...Blue Heaven.  I was a little disappointed that the birthday girl chose to eat there 3 mornings in a row, as I had my eye on Croissants de France, but Blue Heaven didn't fail to satisfy us with good food and good times.  We were happy to wait at the bar for a much coveted table at the extremely popular restaurant known for their casual, funky atmosphere and scrumptious breakfasts.  Here is the birthday girl with a goblet of Heaven's Punch, a fruity rum punch that goes down way too smoothly(...one leads to two and then you fall down on the way to your table!) Once seated amongst the chickens, under the trees, with live music you could imagine yourself much further south in the Caribbean.

Carla ordered the Rooster Special, a hearty combo of 2 eggs, any style, bacon or sausage, grits or toast and potatoes AND pancakes.  You can get this with pecan pancakes which are fluffy and full of nuts.  Real Vermont maple syrup is available for a little more, but we opted for the house syrup which was just fine.  As I always do, I ordered the Shrimp and Grits, decadently enhanced by sharp white Vermont cheddar cheese and a poached egg.  Creamy grits, tangy cheese and big perfectly cooked, perfectly spiced shrimp were filling and delicious, paired with fresh fruit and homemade banana bread.  The banana bread was a little dry and could have been helped with a little butter, but our server didn't offer and I was so wrapped up in the grits I didn't ask.  Full of breakfast and totally relaxed we set out to do some shopping while we waited for our 3rd partner in crime to arrive.


Cocktails by the pool and Cheesy Poufs were a delightful afternoon diversion in the Andrews Inn's miniature A-shaped pool.  Despite its small size it was the coolest place to be and we enjoyed the shade under an umbrellas at a poolside table and chairs.  The 3 of us made it back to our cottage, showered and changed for the evening festivities.  We ended up at Amigos Tortilla Bar on Front St.  It wasn't until we were seated at the bar looking out on the street that we realized we had a great view of Captain Tony's and Sloppy Joe's.  Amigos is home of the square taco...no round tortillas here. We ordered some chips and salsa while perusing the menu.  The salsa was smoky and flavorful and the chips were hot and freshly made.  Maryann chose Carne Asada Quesadillas, Carla picked a Burrito platter and I had the Shrimp Tacos.  All three were accompanied by more of the smoky good salsa or pico or salsa verde.  Refried beans, potatoes with chorizo and guacamole rounded things out.  The people watching was awesome from our perch and the margaritas weren't too bad, either.

The next day while at Blue Heaven, we learned about their new place on the beach, Salute!.  After another morning walk and window shopping we were melting and decided to rent a little golf cart like vehicle.  What a great idea!!!  We zipped around the island in relative cool and comfort and got to see some of the further flung spots in record time.  After tooling around the West Martello Tower Garden, a beautiful beachside botanical garden, we dropped by Salute! to check it out.  Right on Higgs beach, this was a perfect place to escape the afternoon heat with some cool cocktails, a Rum Runner, a Pina Colada and an Italian Lemonade. 

The cocktails were cool, rich and strong.  But we were missing something...a snack!  The menu was not really geared toward snacking.  Very mediterranean with mussels and calimari and just not what we had in mind.  A slice of their mile-high meringued key lime pie would have to do.  Three forks and we made fast work of this confection.  The filling could have been a little more tart for my taste, but I confess I didn't leave any thing behind on the plate.  Must mention that the staff was fun and the bathrooms though outside were artful and fun.  Had we not had to return our buggy and have other places to stop, this would have been a great place to linger away the afternoon and maybe part of the evening, too.

One last stop for dinner the night before we left--Cheeseburger Key West.  We had walked past this place so many times during the weekend.  For some reason, a burger sounded good.  The fun Hawaiian decor should have been a hint that the food would be fun as well.  The walls, covered in the best 50's, 60's and 70's tropical kitsch were a treat to view.  The menu of appetizers, burgers, sandwiches and entrees was sprinkled with Hawaiian flavors like pineapple, teriyaki and such.  I chose a California Burger with avocado and grilled pineapple.  It was perfectly cooked and served with melted provolone, grilled onions and a side of sweet potato fries.  I wish I had remembered to take a picture before I devoured it, but there's my empty plate.

So, we had the comfort of our old familiar Blue Heaven each morning for breakfast.  And found a few new places.  I think that's the beauty of a place like Key West...always the comfort of your old favorite places, but always something new as well.  I guess that's why I always like to go back.

Crabby Bills for Breakfast....Hot Stuff!

So, on Sunday, rounded up about half of the usual suspects for brunch and decided to try Crabby Bill's on Indian Rocks Beach.  This beloved, no frills seafood spot has been serving breakfast for quite some time.  Their dinner fare has always been great, so thought we'd give it a shot for breakfast.
They open at 7am and take my advice: Go EARLY!  Most of the seating is outside at high top tables, the bar or at picnic tables.  Shade is hard to find under the typical bar umbrellas and even fans and misters didn't help our 11am group from roasting.

The menu is good, although I had hoped to see more seafood items incorporated into the typical breakfast fare.  Along with apple wood smoked bacon, sausage, and steak, there was fried catfish as accompaniment to eggs, any style with toast and the yummiest home fries.  French toast, $5.99 with bacon was hearty and satisfying to a hungry panda-child.  Add a side of home fries, $2.49 and she was full all day.

Other seafood choices were a Crab Benedict, which replaced the usual Canadian bacon in a typical Eggs Benedict with crab cakes (again, real crab, not krab).  Their omelets included a Chesapeake with crab (real crab, not krab), cream cheese and Old Bay seasoning and the Floridian, $7.99, my choice, with cheddar, sweet shrimp and tomatoes.  The omelet was solid and tasty with large pink shrimp, cooked perfectly.  I could only eat half and I will admit that this was so good that at around 4:30 after swimming, I stood in my mother's kitchen and ate the other half standing over the kitchen sink and it tasted just as good cold.

 Great service by Adam, our young waiter who kept the drinks filled and was happy to accommodate a special request for real butter by bringing a generous slab of it on a small plate.  The atmosphere at Crabby Bill's is colorful and tropical.  We agreed it would be fun to come back for happy hour in the cooler evening hours.  We will definitely return for breakfast in the fall when the weather is cooler. 

Total for 2 soft drinks, 2 breakfasts plus a side of home fries was $19.76 including tax. 

Rumba Island Bar & Grill...part 2

This time it was Girl's Night Out...party of 8 for dinner and off to a movie. Everyone was pleased with the table, but frustrated by the lack of parking. Rumba does offer valet parking, but in our no one carries cash society there was a lot of stressing and trading of small bills at our table to be able to tip the valet after dinner. Our waitress Devyn L (are there 2 Devyn's??) was friendly, but slow to take our order, though she did keep 8 people's drinks filled like a champ. With the panda child whining "I'm hungry, mommy" while the ladies chatted over 2-4-1 sangria and margaritas, I waved Devyn over and ordered 3 of the Mama Maria Mini muffins baskets . They were warm, moist and flavorful with a hint of cheddar and scotch bonnet pepper, a quiet hunger-sushing bargain at 3 dozen for around $5.00 that we shared with the whole table. Bonus: Panda got to take the leftovers home for Saturday morning breakfast. Devyn did offer helpful suggestions and the selections across our group varied from the Crispy Coconut Prawn (HUGE) appetizer, $7.99 and the Sweet Potato Green Tomato Tower, $2.99 to their special cut Pit Sirloin, $13.49 to Quesadillas, around $8 with your choice of meat or seafood and several of the island rice bowls, around $12 again with your choice of protein. Once the food arrived, there were plenty of "soooo good" and "here, taste this sauce" back and forth across the table. Panda had the Maytag Blue Burger, $8.49 a testimony to her current love affair with blue cheese. It was well cooked to her liking and so big she thought she couldn't finish it. My Rumba salad with blackened shrimp $9.99 was fresh, crisp and had a fair amount of smoky bacon, corn and ripe tomatoes, but not much of their yummy poppy seed dressing. However after dinner I walked away thinking, wasn't there supposed to be avocado on that salad? Yes, they forgot it...waaah. We both ordered a side of the Crab Mac & Cheese, $2.49 and worth every penny for a toasty warm cup of comfort with a crisp topping and luscious stretchy cheese inside. Everyone was pleased with Rumba. There were some things done very well, some things done a little less well. Everything was good, just not great. The atmosphere at Rumba is island casual, so go for a relaxed evening, without expectations and you will enjoy it...just might want to remember to bring some cash for the valet. Total bill for 2 soft drinks, appetizer, and 2 entrees including tax: $30.85

Rumba Island Bar & Grill, Clearwater, FL

All day long I'd been thinking about "a cold beer by the water". As the day wore on, heading out to the beach seemed like too much effort, so I TM'd "Meet for a beer? At Rumba?" It's close to the house and it's tiki-tropical feel is almost like being at the beach. First let me say that Rumba Island Bar & Grill is a good restaurant and a good bar. Their outdoor tiki hut has comfortable chairs, a nice breeze and awesome barstaff. Our bartender, Sue, was quick with a Blue Moon and Magic Hat #9 to quench our thirst. But Rumba, and it's red-headed steptwin, Marlin Darlin' are the casual, less polished versions of the Baystar Restaurant Group's Island Way Grill and Salt Rock Grill. We believe that Rumba is where they train the staff before they cull out the talent and send them on to Island Way, just a few miles down the road. Now, as to the eats! We started with their Smoked Fish Spread $5.49. It was good, but not much smoky flavor. Sue provided an array of hot sauces which helped it along. For dinner, he ordered The Island Boy Burger with cheese and bacon, $7.99. Cooked perfectly to order, medium, it was still juicy, cheesy and satisfying. Paired with lime, salt and herbed Island Fries, $2.99, it was good food. I picked the Rumba Melt, $8.49, a messy patty melt on grilled marble rye. With grilled purple onions (was this the tropical part?)it was not cooked to perfection, but on the raw side of medium. The bread was toasty and yummy on the outside, but a little soggy and greasy toward the middle. Needless to say at least half was abandonned on the plate. Total for the 3 beers, a soda, appetizer, the burgers and fries: $43.61 before tip. Good, but not great. Stay tuned for Rumba, Part 2 as the panda-child and I meet friends there tomorrow for a pre-movie dinner. We'll try something different and see if they can impress on the second try.

Oh yay, another Food and Restaurant Blog...

Who are we, some kind of experts? Some kind of artsy-fartsy foodies who think they know everything? Not really. We both like to cook...he the user of recipes and she the mad scientist who thinks recipes are more like "guidelines". He from Northern Minnesota where the flavors are pure and simple, the casseroles are Hot Dishes and the meat and potatoes are plentiful; and she the Florida girl with the Italian mother and the Southern father who showed her the world through food and National Geographic. Both our mothers are excellent cooks who are often consulted for advice, guidance and recipes. His palate is a little more adventurous in the spicy arena; while hers is more adventurous in the "Hmm, I wonder what that would be like..." (not really an arena, but a free-for-all). Part of the time we drag a kid along, a 13 year old of the Panda variety. She wrinkles her nose up at anything green or mushroom-like. Her palate is all over the place. If you can get her to try something, she might like it, she might not. It is too difficult to keep track of at this point. Even more than cooking, we like to eat out. We used to go to the same restaurants all the time...even our favorites get boring. So, he says to her, "Why don't you whip out your little restaurant thingy and find us a place." The "little restaurant thingy" is the Urban Spoon app for iPhone. It is pretty good. It has led us to some gems: Nauti-Nancy's, Juan's Mexican Grill, and is especially good when we road-trip. Give it a try and find someplace new. So, from time-to-time we will fill you in on stuff we find like good deals, cool gadgets, etc., and places we go to dine, to eat or just to "fill the hole".