Daily Loaf

Brian and Taylor chat with Craig Dean, wine director at Hyde Park’s Wine Exchange, discuss Brian’s review of new downtown spot Rawbar, and discuss what we’ll be drinking on July 4th.

Listen up!

Rawbar
3.5 Stars
777 N. Ashley Drive, Tampa, 813-422-5220

It’s interesting to see Taps and Rawbar anchoring adjacent corners of downtown Tampa’s Skypoint building. Both are owned by the same man — James DeVito — and both are attempts to fill niches in downtown Tampa nightlife. The jury’s still out as to whether DeVito is meeting a need, or creating one in a “build it and they will come” moment, but the results are shockingly different at the two joints.

Taps always seemed unfocused, a beer bar with lounge aspirations. DeVito’s brand new Rawbar is entirely different, the concept distilled to the bare essentials, which are then taken to extremes. It’s a Miami scene bar built around an updated sushi menu, the decor almost self-consciously hip, the entire package almost veering into poseur territory. Almost. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve written about competitive eating in the past, and I’ve even considered entering St. Pete’s home-grown version of the classic Nathan’s Coney Island hot dog eating contest (especially since the competition seems a little light). Now’s your chance to get in on the grotesque display of gurgitation, while supporting a good cause.

Dairy Inn’s (1201 9th Street N. St. Petersburg, 727-822-6971) contest begins at 11:30 a.m. this Saturday, July 4. Winners in each of the categories — Men, Women, and Children — will recieve $100 and have their names inscribed on Dairy Inn’s “Relish-Green Belt”. Entry is free, but it’s a benefit for St. Pete’s Pet Pals Shelter, so plan on forking over some charity dough before the meat sweats make it hard to reach into your wallet. And if it’s your first time, don’t expect to rock the dogs like Kobayashi or Joey Chestnut. No matter how impressive your gluttony is to your friends, this is a serious sport that requires intense training and a serious disregard for your well-being.

Bay area Domino’s pizza outlets will be throwing in a free 10-inch “American Legends” pizza with every purchase on Independence Day this weekend. If you’ve seen the commercials, you might know that these newish pies are geographically themed, resulting in unlikely pizza combinations like Buffalo Chicken or Philly Cheesesteak. That said, if you’re taking the easy way out and ordering in to conserve your playing with fire fun for M-80’s and Intergalactic Sky-Screamers, then by all means, take the freebie.

Some reviewers gave up on Velvet Assassin before they even made it past the first half. We fought our way to the end, then gave up after our 45th attempt at completing the final level. It’s an unforgiving stealth game, and we would like to return the favor by not forgiving its stupid AI, boring gameplay, and general lack of fun. Then we opine about the responsibilities of game reviewers.

It’s a tough job, especially when you have to play games like Velvet Assassin.
(Check out all the Gamma Testing podcasts. Or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, or via the Gamma Testing podcast RSS feed.)

LISTEN TO Gamma Testing Ep09 – Velvet Assassin

You shelled out a car payment for those high-end pots and pans I talk about in Essential Kitchen Gear, so you better take steps to protect your investment. Although you might be tempted to grab the steel wool or belt sander the next time you have to remove a layer of solidified bacon grease or burned sugar from that formerly gleaming stainless steel, just put the power tools down. It doesn’t have to be that way.

For stainless steel cookware, typical dish soap and water will take care of daily use – and you can even throw most brands in the dishwasher — but you’ll want to have an abrasive cleanser on hand. Don’t scrub with anything metal and stay away from harsh powders and liquids like Comet or Soft Scrub; those will clean well enough but could scratch the surface of your beautiful pans. Read the rest of this entry »

Did you like the most recent X-Men movie? Neither did we. But never fear, the video game based on that horrendous cinematic debacle is considerably better. Mostly, thanks to the lunge tactic.

Sadly, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is saddled with the movie’s fundamentally flawed plot — and a few stupid boss fights — but it’s easy to forgive the cut scenes after a few minutes of repeatedly shivving dudes with your adamantium-sheathed bone claws. And don’t forget this month’s theme: Wolverine apparently hates helicopters almost as much as 50 Cent, and a little more than ninjas.

And somehow, we three former (or current, in Matt’s case) comic industry professionals manage to keep the geek quotient to a minimum. Well, when it comes to comics, at least.
(And check out all the Gamma Testing podcasts.)

LISTEN TO Gamma Testing Ep08 – X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Although Burger King’s new Super Seven Incher is only available in Singapore, and let’s pray that the misshapen patty doused in A-1 Sauce never makes it here, the company is taking heat for its new ad poster promoting the girthy sandwich.

Copyranter called it “most overtly blow-jobby ad I’ve ever seen.” Since when does a shaft of buns and beef aimed at the sensuously pouty lips of a young blond lady elicit thoughts of fellatio? Oh, maybe the ad copy has something to do with it:

It’ll Blow Your Mind Away. Fill your desire for something long, juicy and flame-grilled with the NEW BK SUPER SEVEN INCHER. Yearn for more after you taste the mind-blowing burger that comes with a single beef patty, topped with American cheese, crispy onions and the A1 Thick and Hearty Steak Sauce.

That suggestive saucing is enough to put me off mayo for, uh, at least a week. I’m not against using overt sexuality to sell food — good eats are profoundly sensual. But I do have a problem with the porn influences these ad guys are referencing. Read the rest of this entry »

Yet again, CL readers turned out in droves to pick their favorite restaurant among the five regional Top 50 winners. And yet again, the restaurants up for the honor mobilized a huge get-out-the-vote drive. Quickly enough, Backfin Blue and Guppy’s slid out of contention, with Bamboozle struggling to stay in sight of  front-runners Bin 27 Bistro and Council Oak Steakhouse.

Who had the stamina to win this marathon of voting? Find out after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Unlike the largely derided Bulletproof (bullet-absorbent?), Mr. Cent’s first video game outing, Blood on the Sand is more fun than it has any right to be. Which seems to say a lot about the appeal bigger-than-life hip hop stars hold for middle class white boys interested in living out violent adolescent fantasies (like us). It also says a lot for taking a tried and true third-person shooter engine and wrapping it in an absurdly hilarious “plot” instead of spending a lot of time trying to innovate.

And unlike seemingly all the other video game reviewers out there, we don’t ever feel the need to apologize for liking Blood on the Sand. (Checkout all the Gamma Testing podcasts.)

LISTEN TO Gamma Testing Ep07 – 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand

CL received a brilliant and absurd gift basket today from St. Pete’s Wild Shrimp Company (including 4 cans of Colt .45, a cigarette-smoking monkey figure, Trojan Magnums and more – see after the break for a list of the goodies), but with the swag came some terrible news: Wild Shrimp Company is closing up this Saturday. Just after making CL’s list of Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants.

According to manager and minor partner James Walton, the decision was made just two days ago. Wild Shrimp is largely owned by a local, family-owned equipment company, “and if things were going well over there we’d have no trouble,” according to Walton.

“Its really bad, after Easter sales dropped in half for us and every other business I’ve talked to,” he told me. The restaurant’s losses are not excessive, and Wild Shrimp would have been able to survive the downturn if the original business plan was followed, but hasn’t had the $100k operating capital it was supposed to.

Walton spun a classic restaurant failure tale: Read the rest of this entry »

We released our list of Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants (link goes to the expanded story) last week here on the site, and asked our loyal readers to pick their favorites in five different regions. The results held a few surprises.

Reader’s Poll winners (back when we asked you guys to pick the final five entries on our Top 50 list) Backfin Blue, Bamboozle Cafe and Bin 27 Bistro all mounted strong get-out-the-vote campaigns that put them on top, but so did traditional picks Council Oak and Guppy’s on the Beach.

Now’s your chance to pick the best out of those Top Five Readers’ Poll winners. You have until Monday, June 22, at 3 p.m. to get your votes in.

Vote in the poll after the break —

Read the rest of this entry »

Yet again, you’ve spoken. And yet again, some restaurants are more popular than others. Or are better at getting out the vote.

We asked you to vote for the best restaurant in each of our five regional categories, to winnow CL’s list of Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants down to a mere five, the best of the best regional favorites. This coming Wednesday we’re going to ask for your help once again, as we give you the chance to pick among our Top 5 to determine which place you believe should be Tampa Bay’s Top Restaurant.

But, for 48 hours, everyone can relax and allow these five eateries to bask in their victory -

Results after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Clearwater features two of the Bay area’s finest chefs — Chris Ponte of Cafe Ponte and David Miller of Savant — while the beaches and islands have some incredible seafood spots. Which restaurant is the best of the bunch? That’s for you to decide. Scroll past the list to the poll and cast your vote!

(Check out next week’s food issue — Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants — for more detailed information on each restaurant. And don’t forget to vote in the four other regional top tens.)

ABC Seafood, 2705 54th Ave. N, St. Petersburg, 727-522-1888
Cabana Del Tio, 1709 Drew St., Clearwater, 727-466-0504
Café Ponte, 13505 Icot Blvd., Clearwater, 727-538-5768 or cafeponte.com
Caretta on the Gulf, 500 Mandalay Ave., Clearwater, 727-674-4171
Floridian, 4424 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, 813-287-6662; 230 Treasure Island Causeway, Treasure Island, 727-367-6662; floridianrestaurant.com
Greektown Grille, 1230 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 727-230-6850 or greektown-grille.com
Guppy’s on the Beach, 1701 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach, 727-593-2032 or 3bestchefs.com
Kelly’s For Just About Anything, 319 Main St., Dunedin, 727-736-5284 or kellyschicaboom.com
Maritana Grill, 3400 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, 727-360-1881
Savant Fine Dining, 2551 Drew St., Clearwater, 727-421-9975 or savantfinedining.com

VOTE AFTER THE BREAK! Read the rest of this entry »

Central Tampa is the only region where two chains made the list — Ocean Prime and Roy’s. But there are also restaurants that touch upon numerous nationalities and styles of cuisine. Which one is the best of the bunch? That’s for you to decide. Scroll past the list to the poll and cast your vote!

(Check out next week’s food issue — Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants — for a detailed look at each restaurant. And don’t forget to vote in the four other regional top tens.)

Arco Iris, 3328 W. Columbus Dr., Tampa, 813-879-1357
Bamboozle Café, 516 N Tampa St., Tampa, 813-223-7320 or bamboozlecafe.com (Reader’s poll entrant.)
Donatello, 232 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa, 813-200-7701 or donatellorestaurant.com
El Taconazo (The Taco Bus), 913 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, 813-232-5889
Fly Bar and Restaurant, 1202 N. Franklin St., Tampa, 813-275-5000
La Teresita, 3204 W Columbus Dr., Tampa, 813-879-9704 or lateresitaplus.com
Mise En Place, 442 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, 813-254-5373 or miseonline.com
Ocean Prime, 2205 S. West Shore Blvd., Tampa, 813-490-5288 or ocean-prime.com
Pelagia Trattoria, 4200 Jim Walter Blvd., Tampa, 813-313-3235 or pelagiatrattoria.com
Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion, 4342 W. Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa, 813-873-7697 or roysrestaurant.com

VOTE AFTER THE BREAK! Read the rest of this entry »

It’s a huge area to cover, and there are a lot of fine restaurants from Carrolwood to Brandon. Well, maybe not Brandon. But only ten could make this list, and two of restaurants are the dynamic duo of Chinese cuisine in the Bay area — Yummy House and China Yuan. Which restaurant is the best of the bunch? That’s for you to decide. Scroll past the list to the poll and cast your vote!

(Check out next week’s food issue — Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants — for more detailed information on each restaurant. And don’t forget to vote in the four other regional top tens.)

China Yuan, 8502 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa, 813-936-7388 or chinayuanrestaurant.com
Council Oak, 5223 Orient Rd., Tampa, 813-627-7625 or seminolehardrock.com
First Choice Southern BBQ, 10113 Adamo Dr., Tampa, 813-621-7434 or firstchoicebbq.com
Grass Root Organic Restaurant, 2702 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-221-7668 or thegrassrootlife.com
Oystercatchers, 2900 Bayport Blvd., Tampa, 813-207-6815 or oystercatchersrestaurant.com
Pho Quyen, 8404 Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, 813-885-9424 or phoquyen.com
Rice Korean Restaurant, 7525 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, 813-889-7766 or ricekoreanrest.com
Thai Sweet Basil, 3875 Northdale Blvd., Tampa, 813-961-8898
Udipi Café, 14422 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa, 813-962-7300
Yummy House, 2202 W. Waters Ave., Tampa, 813-915-2828

VOTE AFTER THE BREAK! Read the rest of this entry »

St. Petersburg is home to some of the Bay area’s best mid-range and cheap eats, along with a few stars like Z Grille’s Zack Gross. Which restaurant is the best of the bunch? That’s for you to decide. Scroll past the list to the poll and cast your vote!

(Check out next week’s food issue — Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants — for more detailed information on each restaurant. And don’t forget to vote in the four other regional top tens.)

Atwater’s Cafeteria, 895 22nd Ave. S., St. Petersburg, 727-823-7018
Backfin Blue Café, 2913 Beach Blvd. S, Gulfport. 727-343-2583 (Reader’s Poll Entrant)
Cappy’s Pizzeria, 2900 1st Ave. N, St. Petersburg, 727-321-3020; 3200 W. Bay To Bay Blvd., Tampa, 813-835-0785; 4910 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-238-1516
El Cap, 3500 4th St. N., St. Petersburg, 727-521-1314
Mazzaro’s Italian Market, 2909 22nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 727-321-2400 or mazzarosmarket.com
Peg’s Pizza Cantina, 3038 Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport, 727-328-2720 or pegscantina.com
Primi Urban Café, 27 4th St. N., St. Petersburg, 727-895-4909 or primiurbancafe.com
Red Mesa, 4912 4th St. N., St. Petersburg, 727-527-8728 or redmesarestaurant.com
Wild Shrimp Company, 2005 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-209-0813
Z Grille, 104 2nd St. S., St. Petersburg, 727-822-9600 or zgrille.net

VOTE AFTER THE BREAK! Read the rest of this entry »

In general, I like St. Pete Times restaurant critic Laura Reiley. She’s rarely negative, has a bigger dining budget than me, and gets to jet off to Beard dinners in NY, but despite that I’ve found her to be a very nice person. Until now.

She just posted a tidbit on her blog called “I’m laughing at Creative Loafing lovers” where she calls out the numerous voters in our recent Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants reader recommendation poll. Here’s what she said:

I happened to take a gander at their Tampa Bay Top 50 Restaurants Reader Recommendation Results post (seeing as we’ve been running a reader poll of our own, it seemed only fair) and feel that Creative Loafing readers must be smoking something. Their top recommended restaurants? In order: Paci’s Pizza, The Floridian, Bin 27, Green Springs Bistro, Backfin Blue and Bamboozle. Huh. The top-most, super-special, gotta-try-it restaurant in the whole area is PACI’S PIZZA?

Maybe our readers are cool because they are smoking something, Laura, did you consider that?

Admittedly, I spent a few hours making fun of Paci’s ballot-stuffing efforts yesterday — which is why we only let you pot fiends pick 5 while I picked 45 –  but that was before I tried their pizza. Now? I’m kinda happy they won a spot in the Top 50. That pie is very, very good.

Stick it to Reiley by voting for the best of Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants, in five different categories, later today.

Saigon Deli
4 stars
3962 W. Waters Ave., Tampa, 813-932-0300

I have a friend who is, to say the least, an adventurous eater. He’s my go-to guy for pickled meat and brown Scandinavian cheese tastings. But when it comes to actually sitting down for an extended meal from some of the more mundane ethnic cuisines, he balks. Especially when it comes to Southeast Asia. Why? He misses the bread.

Thankfully, there is one Pacific Rim culinary hotspot that can treat him right. One remnant of years of French colonial influence in Vietnam is a tradition of bread-making that is completely out of character to the bean- and rice-flour culinary cultures that surround the country (and, to be certain, dominate inside Vietnam, as well.) Baguettes are still a rare side in most spots — besides the occasional hunk of crusty bread with soup or stew — but there is one bready, largely-Western treat that the Vietnamese enjoy with relish: banh mi.

Banh mi are the same kinds of street food sandwiches that you see on every street corner in Paris, just a simple combination of meat and accompaniments that’s perfect for a light meal on the go. In France, these portable snacks are astounding thanks to great bread and good cheese. In Vietnam, the accompaniments are what elevate the banh mi to world-class standard.

And Saigon Deli is a mecca for some of the best banh mi in the Bay area. Read the rest of this entry »

(This piece comes from CL Sarasota’s Summer of Pig coverage.)

It took two days to thaw in the refrigerator — two days longer than my excitement wanted to allow — but when I slapped the nine pound pork belly on my kitchen counter, it kind of freaked me out. A little. One side was beautiful, a melange of deep, brick-red meat laced with a profound amount of milky-white pork fat. The other side, though, was the skin, laced with stubbly reminders that pigs have bristles and nubby dots that looked like warts. Warts, in a neat, straight line? Oh, no. Those are nipples.

The easiest cure for that, of course, was to just flip the belly back over. And honestly, my horror was more mother-related than related to existential slaughter revulsion. I knew that this pig — a sow, I can say with certainty, from Palmetto Creek Farms an hour from my house — was raised humanely and butchered as nicely as any livestock can be. And I was going to grace it with the most profoundly tasty preparation that a pig can undergo: bacon, cured by my own hands.

Curing bacon is an incredibly simple process. Read the rest of this entry »

We put it to you, the readers, to help us fill out our list of Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants, and you spoke. Repeatedly.

Through the six days of voting, many people left heartfelt recommendations in support of their favorite spots, with restaurants ranging from Sarasota to Tarpon Springs. Some were neighborhood haunts, while the big names like Bern’s or Pelagia Trattoria received a few nods from the faithful. But in the end, only five restaurants could ascend to the list.

In first place — thanks to an obvious, perfectly legal, incredibly effective ballot-stuffing campaign — is Paci’s Pizza of Tampa. There were some negative comments about the profusion of Paci’s votes, but there’s no denying the volume.

Second is new (and old) cuban sandwich shop The Floridian, which recently expanded to Tampa from Treasure Island. Bin 27 in South Tampa mounted a final push to easily take the third spot, but the final two spots were much tighter. In a tie, with runner-up Green Springs Bistro a mere single vote behind, was Backfin Blue in Gulfport and Bamboozle Cafe in downtown Tampa.

The full list of Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants will appear this Wednesday at our Top 50 landing page, a full week before it hits the newstands. Why so early? We want your help, again.

We’ve split the Top 50 into five categories, and need your votes to determine the best in each. Check back this Wednesday to support your favorite restaurants and propel them to victory. Voting will end Monday, June 15, at 3 p.m.

You eat, so you make the call.

(Editor’s Note: This recipe comes from CL Sarasota’s next-door neighbor, nationally recognized chef Derek Barnes of Derek’s Culinary Casual. It’s another part of CL Sarasota’s Summer of Pig coverage.)

CRISPY PIG EAR SALAD
with house cured bacon, frisée, local radish, poached Will’s Farm egg,
creamy whole grain mustard vinaigrette

FOR THE PIG EARS:
6 pig ears
1 gallon water
12 sprigs thyme
3 bay leaves

1. Blanch the pig ears in ½ gallon of boiling water for 20 minutes, then remove ears and discard the water.
2. In a medium size stock pot, add the remaining water, thyme, bay leaves and pig ears and simmer for an additional 90 minutes. Pull the ears from the water and chill in the refrigerator. Reserve for marinating.

PIG EAR MARINADE:
2 cups buttermilk
12 ounce lager beer
2 tablespoon Crystal hot sauce
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Cut the pig ears into 1 inch strips. Marinade the pig ears 1 hour before frying.

PIG EAR BREADING: Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve been working on CL Sarasota’s Food Issue — Summer of Pig — and one of the pieces is a rundown of local roadside barbecue stands. The Bay area is a much bigger nut to crack when it comes to tracking down these impromptu purveyors of pork, so I need your help.

Drop me a comment below to let me know which neighborhood smoke stands you frequent, and give me a hint about where to find them and what they do best. If we can assemble a rough map of Tampa Bay’s barbecue network, we’ll all benefit.

(This piece came from our CL Sarasota, as part of it’s Summer of Pig coverage.)

Local vegetables and fruits are commonplace, if you know where to look, but finding local meat is a distinct challenge. Blame the USDA.

Hogs meant for commercial meat sales usually have to go through the mega-slaughterhouses regulated by the USDA, whether it’s a couple pigs from a local farm or a thousand pigs from a corporate production facility. That makes it much harder for the little guys, since those slaughterhouses charge a premium for the smaller jobs of the family farm.

There is a loophole, however. Hogs meant for personal consumption – by the owners, theoretically – can be slaughtered at smaller, local slaughterhouses. Over the past few years, farms have started offering entire hogs for sale before they’re mature, then the farm finishes raising the hog for you. If you’re not in the market for that much meat, they’ll even match you up with other interested folks so you can buy a quarter or half of a pig.

Don’t worry, you won’t have to break down the carcass yourself; it will come to you butchered and wrapped to order. All you have to do is buy a freezer big enough to store your meat.

Why go the trouble and extra expense of buying local? Read the rest of this entry »

When friends or relatives visit town, everyone has that mental list of go-to restaurants we always recommend, the kinds of places that are either iconic Bay area spots or just so damn good we know they won’t disappoint. For this year’s Food Issue, Creative Loafing is doing that list one better.

On June 17, we’ll print the definitive list of Tampa Bay’s Top 50 Restaurants. High-end to low-down, crab cakes to pancakes, we’re going to give you a rundown of the absolute must-visit food destinations our fine metropolitan area has to offer. Think you know the local restaurant scene? We need your help.

Below, in the comments section, we want you to recommend restaurants to go on that list. We’ll reserve five spots on the Top 50 for the restaurants that get the most recommendations (no matter what I think of your choices). There’s no limit to the number of times — or restaurants — you can recommend, so go to town. We’ll shut down this post on Monday, June 8, at 3 p.m.

Then, starting on June 10, we’ll reveal the entire list on CL’s Food Site, a week before it hits the stands, so you can vote for the best of the best in five different categories. Log on, vote in the poll, and make sure your favorite spot makes it to the top of the rankings.

Finally, on June 17, you’ll have the opportunity to pick the Bay area’s most outstanding restaurant from among the five category winners.

Who do you think neeeds to be on the list? Will your favorite spot make the list? Use your power to make it happen. Comment now!

Diner 437 is the new venture by Greg Pugh of Ringside Cafe, with Domenica Macchia in front of the stove. Look for it to open tomorrow, June 2, in the former location of Grillside Central, which was recently dropped as part of the Craig “Chappy” Chapman restaurant fiefdom.

Diner 437 will be serving three squares a day — breakfast, lunch and dinner — with a shortened brunch selection on Sunday, and closed on Monday. The food looks to be upscale, reconstructed diner-style dishes, utilizing Macchia’s aborted gastropub menu from Shackleton’s Folly as a template. Sure, you get eggs all day, but you’ll also find duck-fat fries, flatiron pork steaks, and a bevy of fine-dining touches on sandwiches and salads. I’m jazzed — considering how much I’ve loved Macchia’s food in the past — and the price point seems right.

As Maccchia says, it’s inexpensive, but “you cant say cheap, that’s for the girls on the corner.” Everything is under $20, much of it under $10. Beverages match that, with no wine above $18.

Check out Macchia’s rough-draft menu below, although she’s still working out the kinks: Read the rest of this entry »

When MJ’s Martini and Tapas opened last year, I didn’t expect much. It was billed more as a jazz club than a restaurant, and the location — tucked behind a defunct Bennigan’s on St. Pete’s North 4th — was terrible. One visit changed my mind about the place, thanks entirely to chef Domenica Macchia.

Then, soon after the place opened, Macchia was fired by the owners of MJ’s. After a few months of looking, and some concern over her mortgage, she hooked up with Dan Soronen with plans to create a gastropub menu at his soon-to-open Shackleton’s Folly in south St. Pete. “Soon” became months, and finally Macchia left to find another new opportunity. Fortuitously, Greg Pugh — owner of Ringside Cafe — was interested in opening a new place. Fast.

Tomorrow, Diner 437 (check out the full menu) opens in the former space of Grillside Central, with Macchia in the kitchen, back doing what she does best. She is one of my favorite chefs — or even people — to just gab with, thanks to her unedited, machine-gun delivery. So I decided to give her a call and ask her about the past few months.

I talked to her this morning, much too early in the morning for most chefs to be awake.

Why up so early?
I’ve never done lunch or breakfast, so I’m trying to get used to this. The concept [at Diner 437] for me is why not get great eggs all day long?

What went wrong at Shackleton’s Folly?
I started in February. We planned on two weeks afterward I’d get on the payroll, construction was going well, and planned on opening on St. Patty’s day. I’ll tell you everything, I was heartbroken. After four and a half months [Soronen] had no money to pay. I believed in the place, and believed in him, but I realized in the beginning of April I had to move on. I couldn’t lose my house over his dream. He’s kind of mad at me, I wish him the best, but love is not enough. You have to pay your bills.

How did you hook up with Greg Pugh (owner of Ringside Café and now Diner 437)?
I don’t think of myself as spiritual, I think it just sounds good when you’re meeting people, but it all seemed to work out for the best. I left Shackleton on Thursday, in worse shape now than ever before, then Friday I got a call from Greg. He said, “Can I come get you?” I didn’t know him, thought maybe I should bring my knife. But hey, in desperation I’ll get in anyone’s car these days.He showed me a space and I thought, “Wow, right back on Central, kind of where I started down at Redwood.” After a five-minute walkthrough, I said, “I think a diner would work there.”

He asked me to work up a menu and I said, “it just so happens I have one right here.”

What is Diner 437 going to be like?
Well, there’s the counter so I have to learn not to drop f-bombs. My inside voice is, uh, really …
I took the menu from Shackleton’s and made it fit. Read the rest of this entry »

In this episode, the GammaTesting.com guys make their bones while you’re still going out with cheerleaders and see if this new Godfather game makes us an offer we can’t refuse.

Turns out, we could refuse it, but this GTA-knockoff/Mafia sim game is just fun enough to keep us taking over businesses and knockin’ off made men. And unlike this blog entry, we avoid overusing the massive pun potential of Godfather movie quotes.

Listen up!

Gamma Testing Ep06 – Godfather 2

Gamma Testing is a podcast that goes in-depth in a single game each week to let you get more fun out of the games you play. Check out out other episodes.

Taylor raves over her experience at a blind — seriously, with blindfolds — wine dinner, biodynamic wine from Bonny Doon, and Brian loves the fresh pasta at Ravioli Company. And more!

Listen up!

Download

Memorial Day may have signaled the beginning of grilling season for our northern friends, but down here it’s almost the opposite. As we head into the humid months of summer, big slabs of barbecued meat seem a tad heavy in the scorching Florida weather.

But that doesn’t mean we need to shun the grill. For a recent pool party get-together, I wanted an easy, mid-day dish that I could cook on the patio, but wouldn’t weigh my guests down. Refreshing, light and simple.

Vietnamese bun salad did the trick. Read the rest of this entry »

The GammaTesting.com guys slash their way through Ninja Blade, with mixed results.

Do you like absurd cinematic action? How about quick-time events? Repetitive actions during boss fights? Am I losing you? Kind of like how Ninja Blade lost us. Rick’s just lucky he didn’t hate the game enough to throw a controller through his big TV.

Listen up!

Gamma Testing Ep05 – Ninja Blade

Gamma Testing is a podcast that goes in-depth in a single game each week to let you get more fun out of the games you play. Check out out other episodes.

Just in case you missed anything, here’s a week of CL’s food blogging in easy, clickable blurbs:

Upcoming Bay area beer events
“Be Remarkable”- video of Greg Koch’s inspirational speech from 2009 Craft Brewer’s Convention
Grazing: Lunching at Cafe Hey
Nosh Pit Episode 15: Wat Tampa, Memorial Day wine, Edmeades winemaker Van Williamson
Organic farming can be more productive than conventional
Win beer fame from Schmaltz Brewing for your Bar/Bat Mitzvah pics
PF Chang’s giving away free lettuce wraps
Brews and bites : the beer and snack pairing marathon
Tampa Bay food, wine and beer events
The raw and living food diet: What is it?
Big error in the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day
Diet dilemmas: staying on track while you travel
$100 Case of Wine: Best wine deals at Mazzaro’s Italian Market in St. Petersburg
Classic Chili Recipe
Can hemp help create a green economy?
Bottle Shock movie released on DVD
Instead of beef and potato, try this lamb burger and eggplant fries

GammaTesting.com’s fourth episode is a classic romance: boy loses donkey, meets girl, fights demons, releases evil god. All for love. We also love – mostly — Prince of Persia’s seamless gameplay, capable writing and gorgeous Disney atmosphere. Almost enough to marry it. But is there enough going on to resurrect the game after the first play through? Hmmm.

Gamma Testing Ep04 – Prince of Persia

Gamma Testing is a podcast that goes in-depth in a single game each week to let you get more fun out of the games you play. Check out out other episodes.

Brian was on vacation last week, and returns with tips for eating cheap with kids at Disney World. Plus, we talk Wat Mongkolratanaram and Memorial Day wines, and invite Van “The Vanimal” Williamson — winemaker at Edmeades Winery — into the studio to taste some Zin and talk about hunting boar in the vineyards.

Listen up!

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POWERFUL POURS: But has chef BT Nguyen upped the food to match?

The fact that Restaurant BT has one of the most innovative and provocative cocktail lists in town may actually be hurting the place. Walk in and order the Cucumber Aloe, or the Dirty Dirty, and you’ll need something to nosh on. Not just because of the hefty alcoholic toll they’ll take on your senses, but because you need something to temper the powerful flavors. Ever use “pungent” to describe a martini?

I wouldn’t have it any other way, actually, if my only other choice is an array of the same raspberry and coffee ‘tinis at the other 99 percent of Bay area restaurants. (Simmer down Ocean Prime, I’m not talking about you.) But with intensity and daring comes a need for equally intense and powerful food. That, however, is not Restaurant BT’s strong point. Read the rest of this entry »

Looks like the area on north 4th in St. Petersburg is getting lively, thanks to two Bay area restaurants looking to expand.

Signs have gone up advertising a new location for Pipo’s (9939 4th St. N., St. Petersburg, 727-576-PIPO), the Tampa-based Cuban mini-chain. Ramon Hernandez (who splits ownership of the Pipo’s locations with his brother), predicts that the spot will be open around the end of the month, depending on the inevitable problems. And that’s not all. Read the rest of this entry »

Taylor went to China and all she brought back was this lousy podcast! We dissect her culinary travels, and discuss Brian’s review of Ocean Prime.

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Thursday, May 7: ABC Fine Wine & Spirits
This weekly tasting features wines and cigars. $10 (includes glass and $5 coupon). 6943 W Hillsborough Ave, Tampa (813-884-3792)

Thursday, May 7: Carrollwood Cultural Center
Wine guide Charles Visalli will cover the ins and outs of wine in this six week series of classes. This week — Elements of Wine Tasting. $25. 6-7:30 p.m., 4537 Lowell Road, Tampa, 813-664-1430

Thursday, May 7: Vino 100 St. Petersburg
This weekly tasting features wines picked for mom. Free. 5-8 p.m., 5056 4th St. N., St. Petersburg (727-522-8466)

Friday, May 8: Uncorked
This weekly tasting will focus on female winemakers in honor of Mother’s Day. $10. 6:30-8:30 p.m., 2706 4th St N, St. Petersburg (727-892-9463)

Many more after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Ocean Prime
3 and 3/4 Stars
2205 N. West Shore Blvd., Tampa, 813-490-5288

Several months ago, when I first heard that Ocean Prime was opening, I wondered if Tampa could handle another high-end steakhouse — a chain, in fact — during tough economic times. Hell, considering the massive representation steakhouses have in the Bay area, I’d ask the same question in good times. Considering the crowd on a Tuesday night in April, I guess I have my answer.

The place isn’t packed, but you wouldn’t know it from the loaded parking lot. The dining room is full, happy people are lounging around the exterior bar area and the restaurant feels like it’s hopping. As the night goes on, the long patio dining area overlooking a surprisingly pastoral retention pond on the border of the International Plaza parking lot starts to fill up. Maybe Tampa isn’t ready for more of the usual luxe steakhouse clones, but it certainly seems to have accepted Ocean Prime.

The tasty and capable food is part of that, but I doubt it’s the main draw. Read the rest of this entry »

This month, Consumer Reports puts their enormous resources to work tasting pre-fab, packaged chocolate chip cookies from 13 manufacturers, with nine classified as “good”: Nabisco’s Chips Ahoy! Real Chocolate and Real Chocolate Reduced Fat, Trader Joe’s Dress Circle Crispy Crunchy, Back to Nature Chocolate Chunk, Pepperidge Farm Nantucket Soft Baked Chocolate Chunk Dark, Mrs. Fields Semi-Sweet, Newman’s Own Organics Champion Chip Cookies, and Famous Amos Bite Size.

But the big winners were: Keebler Chips Deluxe Original (”a little like shortbread”) and Health Valley’s Mini (”buttery”).

They also ran down the best standing mixers, for those who deign to make their own cookies from scratch. No surprise, KitchenAid won the testing.

Full Consumer Reports press release after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

In New York City you might find Williamsburg hipsters moving out to the suburbs for their own plots of land, transforming trucker hats and work boots from ironic to just plain practical. In San Francisco, neo-hippies and former tech workers buy a plot outside of town to get closer to the land, the ultimate expression of the locavore movement. Here on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the move from suburb to rural can be more a quest for jobs than a philosophical expression.

But farming, it turns out, is more than just tossing seeds into ground and waiting for food. The learning curve is steep and the cost of entry is high. What’s a young farm entrepreneur to do?

Enter the Florida West Coast Resource, Conservation & Development Council. Last year, this non-profit opened Geraldson Farm, a Manatee County-funded Community Supported Agriculture project. With one project under its belt, the RC&D is looking to get back to the basics by encouraging other local farming wannabes to get into the act. Read the rest of this entry »

Michael Ruhlman has made a career out of dissecting the relationship between chef and food. His three Chef books — Making of, Reach of, Soul of — are elegantly constructed stories about the life of a modern chef, from culinary school to semi-celebrity. His cookbooks range from the concise and unfussy Elements of Cooking to several glossy, pornographic tomes co-written with name-brand chefs.

He’s also the kind of guy who hangs out with Anthony Bourdain and Mario Batali, glorifies cured meat, and writes with unapologetic candor. He and Bourdain lambasted the culture of the TV chef with their own alternative awards show at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival two years ago.

In Ratio, though, Ruhlman turns back to what he started in Elements of Cooking, namely injecting something of the professional chef into the home kitchen. The core concept is that ratios are the fundamental building blocks of all cooking, by defining and understanding those ratios the home cook will begin to understand food at it’s base and begin to think beyond recipes.

Ratio is not the kind of book most people will slap open on their kitchen counter to make a quick custard for dessert. It’s shaped like a traditional hardcover novel and the few pictures are in black and white. But, like a good hardcover novel, Ruhlman can be gripping. His opening chapter immediately convinces that with a mere basic understanding of his list of ratios, I’ll be able to innovate and experiment willy-nilly with great success. Read the rest of this entry »

So, one day young New York wage slave Julie Powell decides that she’s going to cook all 524 recipes in Julia Child’s classic tome Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1. In one year. And, of course, she’s going to blog the whole thing.

Soon enough, national attention for the Julia & Julia Project came knocking at her door. After newspaper, magazine and television appearances, publishers starting throwing book deals her way, the holy grail of all food bloggers.

But a movie? Is there any cooking blogger out there who harbors even the remotest dreams that the kitchen lives that they portray on the interweb could be turned into a movie?

Julie & Julia’s release date is scheduled for August 7. Scripted and directed by Nora Ephron. Starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. Sheesh, now thousands of food bloggers will have even loftier dreams to be shattered.

New trailer for Julia & Julia after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Earlier this week, NPR announced a challenge — no, not matching funds for donations — for both home cooks and famous chefs: Cook a meal for four for under $10. No matter that we did this last year (admittedly with a $20 price tag), this is still an opportunity for all you frugal gourmets out put your recipe skills on a national stage.

Tomorrow — Friday, May 1 — is the deadline for entries. You can follow the current spate of recipes in the comments section of the original story, or read the recipes provided by NPR’s guest chefs: Jose Andres, Ming Tsai, and Navy Chef Michael Edwards.

In this episode, the GammaTesting.com guys (including CL’s own Brian Ries) discuss the fine art of ignoring accuracy while wielding dual SMGs, groove to Overkill’s fantastic soundtrack, accuse Headstrong of (possibly) using the Grindhouse-style to mask bad dialogue and voice acting, and, finally, confront those mommy issues we’ve been dealing with. Well, dealing with since watching the end of Overkill.

Are you afraid of eating pork thanks to the outbreak of the swine flu? Or, more accurately, the outbreak of media hysteria over swine flu?

Well, don’t worry about it, you can’t catch a respiratory disease like flu from a slab of applewood smoked bacon or inch-thick chop, no matter how undercooked. This new strain that’s affecting humans hasn’t even been found in pigs. But that’s not stopping the hysteria bandwagon, among consumers, the media and governments.

Which means that American pork producers have had to go on the offensive. Read the rest of this entry »

The Floridian
3.5 Stars
4424 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, 813-287-6662

On one level, reviewing the newly expanding Floridian – formerly a Treasure Island landmark in a single location – could be an exploration of what happens to the food and feel when a simple restaurant is turned into a chain. Does it devalue the historical impact of the original? How do the compromises that come with multi-unit distribution affect the product? Should hardcore, local-centric consumers start avoiding the new and old locations?

On the other hand, reviewing the new Floridian could easily be just about the sandwiches and sides. There’s plenty to talk about there without even bothering with the fundamental issues at stake. And, to be honest, what’s more fundamental than some kick-ass french fries and a gooey, crunchy Cuban?
Read the rest of this entry »

Just for the record, I do not dress in drag, wear wigs, or try role-playing characters when I review restaurants. Although a couple of local chefs have claimed to me that they have my picture posted in the kitchen — some even offering bounties — I have no idea where they got the pic, or even if it’s actually me. Google search as much as you’d like; you won’t find any graven digital images of this critic.

But Ruth Reichl — former NY Times restaurant critic and current Gourmet editor — was famous for engaging in all sorts of costuming and characterization during her reviewing stint in the 1990s. And it worked admirably, causing her to experience the tiered treatment doled out by some of NY’s finest restaurants based on their perception of her worth as a customer, as detailed in her book Garlic and Sapphires.

In a stagey, but undeniably cute, video put out by Gourmet, Reichl revisited those years and characters. Video after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »

The GammaTesting.com guys talk about how amazingly beautiful a war-torn African town filled with zombies can be when rendered by the Xbox 360. The zombies are kinda pretty, too, until you shoot them in the head with your pistol. But does shooting uncountable numbers of infected undead make you a racist, thanks to RE5’s japanese developers? Listen up and see:

CL Wine Editor and Corkscrew columnist Taylor Eason is in the middle of a two week tour through China. Not surprisingly, her focus is on the food and drink between the sightseeing trips. Here’s her Twitter and Facebook comments about her first few days in the Middle Kingdom:

4:27 PM, Apr 20th: Breakfast in Beijing: scrambled eggs sauteed with woodear mushrooms in sesame oil, steamed bok choy and pork stuffed bao. And lots of tea.

2:49 AM, Apr 21st: Lunch: 8 dishes. Lotus root with mushrooms, pork dumplings, sauteed pea shoots, sauteed celery with a foreign white veggie.

More photos and briefs after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

The GammaTesting.com guys reminisce about the stacks of quarters they spent playing Street Fighter II at the arcade, then declare their undying love for this latest incarnation of the SF franchise. You see, it’s the same as Street Fighter II, but better looking, better playing (as long as you dump the Xbox controller) and the online system is like taking a trip back to 1999 to take challengers at the arcade. Except you’re in your underpants, on your couch. Better!

This week — with Taylor cruising around China — Brian invites a few guests to the CL studio: Zack, Jen and Zen Gross, owners of Zurritos and Z Grille. We talk about his rise through the culinary ranks, his uncompromising personality and how damn cute their little daughter Zen is. Listen up.

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In this week’s Nosh Pit food and drink podcast, Taylor and Brian invite Grayson, Chris and Alejandro of GNATV.com to stop by for some wine and conversation, then preview next week’s restaurant review (Pizzaiolo Bavaro, get it here first); discuss crafty ways to re-use wine bottles and corks; introduce a new food contributor (and her killer Key Lime Pie recipe); and talk about Taylor’s plan to Facebook and Tweet her way across China.

Next week on Nosh Pit: Zack and Jen Gross of Zurritos and Z Grille!

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When I explored the Bay area cocktail scene a couple of months ago, I was struck again by how trite and bland most bar and restaurant mixed drink lists are. I guess it reflects the food scene, which is also behind the times in our area, but c’mon: cocktails are easier. Or, if not easier, than simpler to experiment. Think of flavors, start mixing, taste, judge and refine the recipe until it’s right, like a kid with a brand new chemistry set.

So, in the hopes that it will spur some imaginations among the bartenders and mixmasters of Tampa Bay, I have a challenge: Read the rest of this entry »

This week, Brian and Taylor sit down with CL food contributor Rishi Ramkissoon and drink some kosher wine. Oh, and talk about Ybor’s The Nest, chain wine lists, and whatever else crosses their minds.

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Bravo announced today the line-up of its new Top Chef Masters show, which premieres June 10. The concept is simple: How would established chefs — some of them culinary celebrities of a sort — fare under the challenges of of the Top Chef-style competition?

There are some problems with the look of the new show, most glaring of which is the lack of gloriously scarred Padme Lakshmi and the beefy Tom Colicchio. Replacing Lakshmi as host is Kelly Choi, a former model and NY food show host. More interesting are the judges. Although the red-hat old lady Gael Green and Saveur editor james Oseland don’t hold much promise, Bravo has brought Guardian restaurant critic Jay Rayner over from across the pond. Can he out-wit the rather sheepish Toby Young?

The biggest problem with the show, however, may be the successful competitors. Do any of them have anything to gain from the show, other than the potential of a tad more celebrity pull?

Check out the list of contestants — and the cool celebrity judges scheduled — after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

I’m pretty serious about my anonymity. I’ve had both very good and very bad experiences on the few occasions when I know I’ve been recognized while out for a review — sometimes I think restaurants get flustered or try too hard when they know a critic is in the house — but going in under the radar guarantees that I’ll be seeing the same kind of stuff that regular folks would be served. That’s why you’ll find it nearly impossible to locate a pic of me on the interweb, why I don’t make TV appearances (except for those unfortunate Channel 13 segments where I appeared behnd a backlit screen in “accused chold-molester style”), and why I use credit cards that don’t have my name on them.

But rarely — only twice, to be exact — I’ve had a server question my pseudonym card and ask for ID. The first time, I bullied the poor fella and claimed I didn’t have my license (in spite of the fact that my wallet was sitting on the table in front of me). He considered for a moment, then realized how little he cared and decided to back off. The second time was last week, at The Nest. Read the rest of this entry »

After four weeks of voting — and over 7,500 votes cast — you guys have picked the most popular tacos in the entire Bay area.

The Championship match pitted the popular Dunedin Mexican restaurant Casa Tina against the surprisingly active fans of Lutz’s Mekenita Mexican Grill in a 24-hour marathon of voting. It was the most active contest by far, with over 2,500 votes cast.

Did the Dunedin Darling beat the Lutz Lover?

Which taco wins the coveted prize of Readers’ Poll Champion?

Find out after the break –

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It’s all come down to this. All the signs in the restaurant, the mass emailings to patrons and friends, the voting every ten minutes like clockwork. Casa Tina and Mekenita Mexican Grill have both done their jobs, mobilizing fans and getting out the vote. But now is crunch time for these taco prom queens.

Can the Dunedin Darling beat the Lutz Lover?

Which taco deserves to move on to the Championship?

Vote after the break –

Read the rest of this entry »

With over 800 votes cast — and a fairly close tally throughout the last 24 hours — Mekenita Mexican Grill has managed to knock Mema’s Alaskan Tacos out of the Readers’ Poll by a vote of 455 to 358.

Now it’s time to vote for the biggest match of all, the battle across the bay, the titannic taco-a-taco throwdown finale, the 2009 CL Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll Championship! GO VOTE NOW!

If you want to find out who won the Critic’s Bracket, it’s up on the food site.

For all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket with all the matchups after the break:

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Taylor and Brian Nosh under the influence of Roederer Estate Sparkling Wine this week, and talk about David Miller’s new Cities Restaurant, The Lodge, Tacos and Tuscany.

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Both Mekenita Mexican Grill in Lutz and Mema’s Alaskan Tacos in Ybor have been able to motivate the troops and get out the vote, no matter the competition. But how will the two powerhouses fare against each other?

Which taco deserves to move on to the Championship?

Vote after the break –

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Wow. WOW! Over 850 votes were cast in this epic battle between two Pinellas taco favorites, but only one can move on to the Bay area championships. With a count of 571 to 293, Casa Tina utterly dominated the vote. So much so, in fact, that Zurritos’ Zack Gross emailed me a concession earlier today.

Congrats to Casa Tina, Pinellas champion of the 2009 Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll!

Now it’s time to vote for the Tampa championship match — Mekenita Mexican Grill vs. Mema’s Alaskan Tacos. Can either of those two worthy spots muster the kind of turnout that Casa Tina did?

If you want to find out who won the Critic’s Bracket, it’s up on the food site today. And check back tomorrow at 2 p.m. to start voting for the Readers’ Poll Bay area championship, Casa Tina vs. ???

For all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket with all the matchups after the break:

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Zurritos has consistently motivated its loyal customers to get out the vote in the competition, with some of the highest tallies of any of the matches. Casa Tina has had it fairly easy so far. Can they ramp up their efforts to compete with the seemingly unstoppable Zack Gross fans?

Which taco deserves to move on to the Championship?

Vote after the break –

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The final round of the Edible Eight was massive, with over 300 votes cast and the outcome close in the final tally. In the end, El Taconazo was unable to hold off the ardent supporters of Mekenita Mexican Grill

That means that the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll Final Four is set: Zurritos, Casa Tina, Mema’s Mexican Grill and Mekenita Mexican Grill. Voting begins today in the first semi-final match — Zurritos vs. Casa Tina — and continues until tomorrow around 2 p.m..

For all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket with all the matchups after the break:

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I profiled David Miller of Savant Fine Dining for our $20 Menu Challenge last year and was utterly fascinated by his story: 27 years old (now 28), high school drop-out, culinary competition wiz, CIA grad, muscle car hobbyist, sugar expert and owner of two restaurants and a chocolate-making shop. Oh, wait, make that three restaurants.

Tomorrow, his Cities Restaurant (2551 Drew St., Clearwater, 727-421-9975) will open next door to his high-end, prix fixe Savant. The new restaurant (a la carte, not prix fixe) will feature a different city as its theme every month, with menus, artwork and everything else changing to match the mood of the new locale. Prices are still high-end, with entrees ranging from $22-36.

Simple concept, but Miller’s already getting playful with the idea:

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No matter how much I may disagree with the results, there’s no arguing with popularity. At least, that is, in a popularity contest like the Readers’ Poll. Casa Tina easily surpasses La Cabana Del Tio and moves on to the Final Four

Voting for the final match of the Edible Eight began today — El Taconazo vs. Mekenita Mexican Grill — and continues through tomorrow, so be sure to support your favorite spot! For all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket with all the matchups after the break:

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El Taconazo may be the most well-known taco joint in the Bay area, but it can’t rest on its laurels in this fight against Mekenita. In previous rounds, the Taco Bus hasn’t mustered nearly as much fan support as the Lutz-based Mekenita. Which restaurant will get out the vote?

Which taco deserves to move on to the Final Four?

Vote after the break –

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Mema’s again turned out the troops to propel it into another round of the tournament, despite Acapulco’s exceptional traditional tacos.

Voting for the second match of the Edible Eight begins at 2 p.m. today — with Casa Tina vs. La Cabana del Tio — and continues through Monday, so be sure to support your favorite spot! For all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket with all the matchups after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »

Casa Tina is a perennial favorite among northern Pinellas folks, thanks the its congenial atmosphere and often incredible sauces. La Cabana del Tio is a tiny spot with a devout following amongst the Bay area’s taco cognoscenti. Will the Dunedin restaurant unseat the Clearwater taco specialist?

Which taco deserves to move on to the Final Four?

Vote after the break –

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Mema’s can bring out the crowds to vote for their odd fried tacos stuffed with chicken, beef, and shrimp patties, while Acapulco is a corner bodega that — lets be practical here — possibly doesn’t even know this tournament is going on. Can the little market with exceptional traditional tacos beat the popular Ybor spot?

Which taco deserves to move on to the Final Four?

Vote after the break –

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Zurritos continues its domination of the Readers’ Poll, trouncing popular competitor Red Mesa by a score of 104 to 45. Zurritos advances to the Final Four and will compete against the Pinellas North winner next Tuesday.

Voting for the second match of the Edible Eight begins at 2 p.m. today — with Acapulco Grocery facing Mema’s Alaskan Tacos — and continues through the weekend, so be sure to support your favorite spot! For all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket with all the matchups after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »

Zack Gross’ Zurritos has marshaled a huge fanbase for this tournament, while Red Mesa has suffered from rather tepid turnout. Can the long-standing St. Pete modern Mexican fixture beat the popular Zurritos?

Which taco deserves to move on to the Final Four?

Vote after the break –

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In lukewarm voting, La Cabana del Tio beat Taqueria El Maguey to move on to the next round.

Which means the Edible Eight is fully fleshed out: Red Mesa, Zurritos, La Cabana Del Tio, Casa Tina, Acapulco, Mema’s Alaskan Tacos, El Taconazo and Mekenita Mexican Grill.

Voting for the Final Four begins at 2 p.m. today — with Red Mesa facing Zurritos — and continues through the weekend, so be sure to support your favorite spot! For all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket with all the matchups after the break:

This week, our heroes bring in guest and CL contributor Katie Machol, talk about the Bay area’s best food sites, fill your wine rack and dish on a bad meal at Aquaknox.

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In the most lopsided victory of the tournament so far, Mekenita’s fans absolutely devastated the tasty tacos of Sabor Latino by a vote of 143 to 5. Can you imagine what would happen if the NCAA had a fan-based poll instead of a single elimination tournament?

Mekenita Mexican Grill moves on to the Edible Eight.

Don’t forget to vote in today’s match: La Cabana Del Tio vs. Taqueria El Maguey, and for all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »

La Cabana del Tio received a number one seed thanks to the recommendations of many Bay area taco experts. Turns out, it richly deserved the ranking. Taqueria El Maguey is an unknown Mexican joint with a following, but not for their tacos. Can a humble restaurant knock off a number one seed?

Which taco deserves to move on to the Edible Eight?

Vote after the break –

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By an overwhelming vote of 103 to 25, Mema’s slam-dunked this popularity contest with ease. Will they have the same success against the noticeably superior tacos of Acapulco in the next round? Tune in to see, and vote.

Mema’s Alaskan Tacos moves on to the Edible Eight.

Don’t forget to vote in today’s match: Sabor Latino vs. Mekenita Mexican Grill, and for all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »

Mekenita is a hugely popular, modern quick-Mex joint way up in Lutz, created by former Roy’s chef Rand Packer. Sabor Latino is a hole-in-a-strip-mall traditional Mexican restaurant on Busch. Can Mekenita’s fan base (and updated taco construction) beat out the unknown traditionalist that has tacos good enough to rival Taconazo?

Which taco deserves to move on to the Edible Eight?

Vote after the break –

Read the rest of this entry »

Wednesday, Mar. 25: Whole Foods Market
Every Wednesday in March, stop by Whole Foods for the Wine Down Wednesday tasting. Free. 4-6 p.m., 1548 N Dale Mabry Rd, Tampa (813-874-9435)

Wednesday, Mar. 25: Whole Foods Market
Join Elaine Robert for a lecture on Gaia herbs. Free. 6:30-7:30 p.m., 1548 N Dale Mabry Rd, Tampa (813-874-9435)

Wednesday, Mar. 25: Belleair Grill and Wine Bar
At the Northern Italian Wine Dinner, enjoy a five-course meal and wines from the Piedmont and Lombardy regions of Italy. $69. 6:30 p.m., 1575 S Ft. Harrison, Clearwater (727-449-2988)

Wednesday, Mar. 25: Tampa Club Young Member Wine Dinner
Members of the club part of the under 40 crowd are invited to this wine dinner, at which Chardonnay and Pinot Noir will be paired with a filet mignon meal. $29. 6:30 p.m., 101 E Kennedy Blvd, Tampa (813-229-6028)

Many more upcoming events after the break:

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Holy crap! Turnout for this contest was like the turnout at a kick-the-banker booth at the county fair! Both Peg’s and Zurritos did their darndest to mobilize their base, and though Peg’s ran out to an early lead, Zurritos fans had the stamina to carry through the evening and snatch victory from the Gulfport cantina. Final vote: Zurritos 139, Peg’s 112.

Zurritos moves on to the Edible Eight.

Don’t forget to vote in today’s match: Algusto vs. Mema’s Alaskan Tacos, and for all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket after the break:

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Like yesterday’s contenders, Mema’s has a vocal and ardent fan base that will likely mobilize to push that Ybor spot over the top in this battle. But don’t count out Algusto, which had one of the strongest turnouts in the first round. Which style  will get out the vote: the fried tacos from Palin country or classic Mexican?

Which taco deserves to move on to the Edible Eight?

Vote after the break –

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Breaking news from the James Beard Foundation awards committee: Tampa’s Zack Gross (of Z Grille) and Sarasota’s Derek Barnes (of Derek’s Culinary Casual) made the semifinals list for Best Chef: South a month ago, and Bern’s made the short list for Outstanding Restaurant, but none of them made the cut to the finalists list announced today.

I profiled Barnes in CL Sarasota a couple of weeks ago, and reviewed Z Grille a couple of months ago; both are well worth a visit, but the Beard Foundation has always tended towards honoring chefs with name recognition, usually from bigger markets. Still, as hackneyed as it sounds, it’s a big step for Barnes, Gross, Bern’s and Florida’s Gulf Coast just for them to be nominated. Congrats again, guys.

Check out the full list of finalists after the break:

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Wha huh? Were all the Taco Bus supporters on vacation, or too busy noshing on El Taconazo take-out and watching college basketball to log on and vote? This was a close one, folks, with the Taco Bus barely eking out a win over Don Pancho Villa thanks to a last-minute push.

Don’t forget to vote in today’s match: Peg’s Cantina vs. Zurritos, and for all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket after the break:

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Both of these places have rabid fans and die-hard supporters, as well as great fish tacos, so this taco-a-taco matchup may be the most hotly contested of the competition so far. Mobilize your base, Zurritos and Peg’s, and get out the vote!

Which taco deserves to move on to the Edible Eight?

Vote after the break –

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In an outcome that’s no surprise for anyone who’s experienced the massive fan base of Casa Tina, Dunedin’s favorite Mexican joint dominated the polls, with 71 votes to El Toro Negro’s measly 3. Casa Tina moves on into the Readers’ Poll Edible Eight.

Don’t forget to vote in today’s match: El Taconazo vs. Don Pancho Villa, and for all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket after the break:

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Is this a competition even worth having? Is it remotely possible that a dreary Mexican restaurant with mediocre tacos could summon the devoted fanbase necessary to unseat the Taco Bus? Nope. Click for Taconazo and go back to your basketball game.

Which taco deserves to move on to the Edible Eight?

Vote after the break –

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Thankfully, Estela’s supporters failed to turn out for the Friday competition, allowing die-hard taco afficionados to propel Acapulco into the Edible Eight.

Don’t forget to vote in today’s match: Casa Tina vs. El Toro Negro.

El Toro Negro is a nondescript Mexican joint that airs financial news and telenovellas on their TVs all day. Casa Tina is a Dunedin fixture that’s incredibly popular with folks from around the Bay. Can the hole-in-the-wall beat the upscale fave?

Which taco deserves to move on to the Edible Eight?

Vote after the break –

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No contest here, either in flavor or popularity: Red Mesa takes the voting handily and moves on to the Edible Eight.

Don’t forget to vote in today’s match: Acapulco Grocery vs. Estela’s.

Acapulco Grocery has no serious popular support — outside the taco cognoscenti, at least — while Estela’s mobilized a reasonable voter base in the first round. Can a corner bodega with exquisite tacos beat out a popular Tampa mini-chain.

Well, it is a popularity contest. Who will get out the vote? Who deserves to move on to the Edible Eight?

Vote after the break –

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A new iPhone application called Locavore promises to be more in tune with the natural world than you are. Which, to be honest, shouldn’t be hard for most.

Locavore uses GPS to determine your location, then feeds you information about what’s currently in season in your area and what will be coming out of the ground in the near future. The developers expect people to utilize the app while perusing a local farmers’ market to help them make decisions about what they should buy.

If you never find yourself with that dilemma, Locavore will also direct you to the nearest farmers’ markets so you can then experience the problems their app solves. Convenient.

It’s backed by some decent information sources – some of Locavore’s partners include LocalHarvest.org and Natural Resources Defense Council – and the interface seems simple enough to be useful.

Let us know if there are any other food and drink apps you find useful.

Brian and Taylor bust out the mics for some old fashioned talkin’ and drinkin’. This week they dish Taco Tournament Readers’ Poll, Gina Gallo, Burger King Burger Bar, Sayroo Bakery, Culinary Sherpas, and the beef baby food/White Castle phenomena.

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Considering the respectable voter turnout in Red Mesa’s first round contest — where its tacos garnered over 70 votes — compared the the tepid taco voting in Zapata’s contest, it seems the Mesa should have an easy time in this contest. As well it should, in my opinion, since the tacos at that St. Pete favorite are vastly more interesting than Zapata’s standard offering.

Still, this is a popularity contest. Who will get out the vote? Who deserves to move on to the Edible Eight?

Vote after the break –

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Over a thousand people voted in the first round of CL’s Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll and — although I might have disagreed with a couple of your picks — most of you have shown remarkable taste. Most of the competitions were no surprise — like Taconazo, Red Mesa, Mema’s or Peg’s moving on thanks to their hordes of loyal fans — but a few dark horse taco joints managed to buck the pundits and turn out the vote.

Who made it into the Savory Sixteen? Find that and an updated bracket after the break.

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Hustler Video announced yesterday that it was planning a sequel to its popular Sarah Palin docu-dramas Who’s Nailin’ Paylin and Obama’s Nailin’ Paylin. Lisa Ann — Adult Video Magazine’s MILF/Cougar of the Year — will reprise her role as “Serra Paylin” in the new flick, titled Hollywood’s Naylin Paylin, to be released later this year. Lisa Ann is known for her poorly enhanced breasts which, although bountiful enough, have caused her nipples to point in opposite direction like a gecko’s eyes. And just like the real Sarah Palin, as far as I know.

AVN asked Hustler: Why another Palin movie?

“We’ll keep doing it as long as we can get away with it,” said Hustler exec Jeff Thill.

This kind of parody (or is it satire?) is a big thrust of Hustler Video’s current video catalog, which includes The Eliot Spitz-her Story, Not Three’s Company, This Ain’t Gilligan’s Island, Not The Brady’s and the disturbing This Ain’t The Munsters. Don’t worry, it’s not all smut for politicopornophiliacs and aging hipsters, Larry Flynt’s porn studios will still churn out classics like Barely Legal POV, Ghetto Booty XXL and White Trash Nurses.

Some NSFW art after the break, along with video of Lisa Ann on Entertainment Tonight. Read the rest of this entry »

It seems like a fight between tradition and modernity, but there’s more to this battle than just old versus new. Don Pancho is another competitor from the Armenia corridor, a place that combines semi-classic Mexican fare with a lunchtime all-you-can-eat buffet. Chico’s is a Chili’s clone in Westchase — which ain’t a taco hotbed.

Check them out for yourself and vote now. Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Don Pancho Villa or Chico’s Wood Fired Grill? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full, UPDATED Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Taqueria El Maguey is a popular Mexican spot in Pinellas Park, while Carmelita’s vies for control of the same area. Which can summon the meat and corn necessary to win this battle?

Check them out for yourself and vote now. Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Taqueria El Maguey or Carmelita’s? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full, UPDATED Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

The past few days saw some of the closest battles yet in the Tournament of Tacos, mostly among mid-seed spots desperate to show their worth and make it into the next round of the tourney.

Here were the matchups:
Taqueria Mi Mexico vs. Algusto
Zurritos vs. Agave
Sabor Latino vs. Maya’s
El Toro Negro vs. Los Mariachis

Is there a dark horse vying for the Final Four? Who advances to the Savory Sixteen? Which tacos took the popular vote?

Find out after the break:

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If you want to be pissing green in your personal Erin Go Bragh! celebrations tonight, it isn’t difficult with a little green food coloring and some mass market brew. But for anyone who’s scared of experimentation (hint: one drop of coloring per glass usually works fine), here’s the down and dirty, via the fine people at Howcast:

video after the break

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