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Daily Loaf

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Brian Ries — Food Critic

Before CL, Brian managed several restaurants, received an advance diploma from the Court of Master Sommeliers, and sold wine to the finest restaurants and retail stores across Florida and New England. Now, he spends his time eating and drinking for you. When Brian got out of the restaurant business, every time he’d go out to eat he’d see the problems — unsatisfied customers, unhelpful waiters, problematic food. Instead of avoiding restaurants altogether, he decided to spend his life pointing out what restaurants are doing right and wrong. He sees himself less as a critic, however, than a consumer reporter. Americans spend a heck of a lot of money dining out; maybe his reviews will help people decide where to spend their money. And where not to.

Brian’s Archive of Restaurant Reviews | Brian’s Complete Daily Loaf Archive

Brian Ries's Latest Entries:

Call Cracker-jack and Hootie, get the team back together: World Series of Beer Pong Satellites are here

Posted on Nov. 6, 2009, at 10:12 am

The Table begins its brasserie-style menu this weekend, name change still in doubt

Posted on Nov. 5, 2009, at 4:57 pm

Former St. Pete Times restaurant critic Chris Sherman now a blogger for B-21

Posted on Nov. 5, 2009, at 2:11 pm

The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook exclusive recipe: Thai-style Chicken Flatbread

Posted on Nov. 3, 2009, at 4:10 pm

The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook exclusive recipe: Three Pea Stir-fry

Posted on Nov. 3, 2009, at 12:12 pm

Spirits Review: The Dalmore, a Scotch distillery with a wide range

Posted on Nov. 2, 2009, at 4:27 pm

The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook exclusive recipe: Lettuce Cups

Posted on Nov. 2, 2009, at 2:00 pm

Iron Jaden: The determined rise of Jaden Hair, from home cook to the celebrated author of the new Steamy Kitchen Cookbook

Posted on Nov. 2, 2009, at 10:31 am

Pick an Ybor hangout bar for Creative Loafing’s staff — Vote Now!

Posted on Oct. 30, 2009, at 9:54 am

Pig producers in Washington, crying for money from the USDA and help from Congress

Posted on Oct. 28, 2009, at 2:12 pm

Strawberry, Chocolate Cream, or Fermented Cabbage? Dunkin Donuts stuffs their dough with kimchi in Korea

Posted on Oct. 28, 2009, at 11:27 am

Restaurant Review: Cafe Dufrain’s new chef regime under Ferrell Alvarez

Posted on Oct. 27, 2009, at 3:45 pm

Cook or Be Cooked — Food Network’s first video game — hits shelves next week … Wheee?

Posted on Oct. 27, 2009, at 1:45 pm

United States now has biggest and smallest wine apellations in the world, thanks to Happy Canyon AVA

Posted on Oct. 27, 2009, at 11:35 am

Restaurant News Roundup: Gratzzi, The Table, CineBistro, Primi Urban Cafe

Posted on Oct. 23, 2009, at 2:03 pm

Buca Di Beppo hands out free pasta on World Pasta Day (Monday, Oct. 26)

Posted on Oct. 21, 2009, at 3:15 pm

Cheap Eats (College Guide Edition): Ricky P’s Po’ Boys, Tun-Du-Ree and The Jerk Hut

Posted on Oct. 21, 2009, at 8:59 am

Book Review — Alton Brown’s Good Eats: The Early Years

Posted on Oct. 19, 2009, at 12:59 pm

How to roast Pumpkin Seeds, and 10 ways to make them taste great

Posted on Oct. 15, 2009, at 4:30 pm

Cheese Course: Fresh Brillat-Savarin

Posted on Oct. 15, 2009, at 11:38 am

Restaurant Review: WineBurgers on Tierra Verde

Posted on Oct. 12, 2009, at 12:30 pm

Fearless ground beef: How to avoid e. coli (and a lot of industrial chemicals) by making your own ground beef

Posted on Oct. 9, 2009, at 2:30 pm

Beer Review: Sierra Nevada 2009 Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale

Posted on Oct. 9, 2009, at 12:22 pm

Cheese Course: Beecher’s Flagship Reserve Truckle

Posted on Oct. 7, 2009, at 12:08 pm

The Table Restaurant in downtown St. Pete rebrands, retools, renames itself “THE Place”

Posted on Oct. 6, 2009, at 5:16 pm

Introducing the CL Cookbook

Posted on Oct. 6, 2009, at 11:30 am

Florida State Fair demographic research shows that people want deep-fried Oreos more than rides

Posted on Oct. 6, 2009, at 11:15 am

Restaurant Review: Marrakech Restaurant

Posted on Oct. 6, 2009, at 9:15 am

Conde Nast shuts down four magazines, including Gourmet

Posted on Oct. 5, 2009, at 12:57 pm

Cheese Course: Ubriaco Al Moscato

Posted on Oct. 2, 2009, at 1:09 pm

Cigar City brings home a gold from the Great American Beer Festival

Posted on Sep. 30, 2009, at 10:20 am

Restaurant Review: 400 Beach Seafood & Tap House

Posted on Sep. 29, 2009, at 12:30 pm

Restaurant Preview: Downtown St. Petersburg’s India Grill in pictures

Posted on Sep. 28, 2009, at 9:04 am

Beer Review: Seasonal pumpkin ales from Brooklyn Brewery and Wolaver’s

Posted on Sep. 25, 2009, at 2:10 pm

Restaurant Preview: 400 Beach Seafood and Tap House in pictures

Posted on Sep. 24, 2009, at 3:12 pm

Restaurant Review: Nola Cafe is Tampa’s little Big Easy

Posted on Sep. 23, 2009, at 12:30 pm

Restaurant Deals: $45 for 4 courses and 5 wines at Toasted Pheasant Bistro in Carrollwood, this Thursday

Posted on Sep. 22, 2009, at 11:55 am

Best Tampa Chain That’s Actually About Tampa: The Floridian

Posted on Sep. 20, 2009, at 4:00 pm

Best Restaurant You Might Forget About: Primi Urban Cafe

Posted on Sep. 20, 2009, at 9:30 am

Best New Restaurant: Z Grille

Posted on Sep. 19, 2009, at 3:36 pm

Best Unsung Chef: David Miller

Posted on Sep. 19, 2009, at 9:00 am

Best Steakhouse: Council Oak

Posted on Sep. 18, 2009, at 1:48 pm

Best Artisan Pizza: Wood Fired Pizza Wine Bar

Posted on Sep. 16, 2009, at 3:37 pm

USDA’s new “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” program promises local food money and “tactical teams” in schools (w/video)

Posted on Sep. 16, 2009, at 11:44 am

Pollo Tropical gives away free chicken again

Posted on Sep. 15, 2009, at 11:45 am

Restaurant News Round-up: The Table, Ella’s Columbia, OktoBEERfest, Grattzi’s, Macchia

Posted on Sep. 14, 2009, at 12:30 pm

Restaurant Opening: Ella’s Folk Art Cafe in Seminole Heights, Tampa

Posted on Sep. 14, 2009, at 10:59 am

Bacon Jam: Top Chef Las Vegas, Episode 4

Posted on Sep. 10, 2009, at 4:20 pm

Nosh Pit Episode 25: Backyard gardening the GNATV way, Smorgasbord IKEA

Posted on Sep. 10, 2009, at 11:28 am

Smorgasbord IKEA: IKEA Grocery Store Shopping List

Posted on Sep. 9, 2009, at 2:21 pm

Smorgasbord IKEA: SKAL! Drink like a pseudo-Swede

Posted on Sep. 8, 2009, at 2:00 pm

Smorgasbord IKEA: Eating the Pseudo-Swedish Way

Posted on Sep. 8, 2009, at 12:22 pm

An interview with chef Domenica Macchia about leaving Diner 437 for Bella Brava

Posted on Sep. 8, 2009, at 11:08 am

Best Home Cooking Without the Cooking: Pasta from the Ravioli Company

Posted on Sep. 2, 2009, at 3:00 pm

Best Supermarket Steak: Sweetbay Angus

Posted on Sep. 1, 2009, at 5:23 pm

Giveaway Fail!: Domino’s Pizza gives free food ($25 gift cards) for 9-9-09 birthdays (kinda), and starts delivering cake

Posted on Sep. 1, 2009, at 10:40 am

Final day for Best of the Bay food and drink voting! Vote now!

Posted on Aug. 31, 2009, at 12:10 pm

Exclusive recipe from Giuliano Hazan’s Thirty Minute Pasta: Linguine with a pink shrimp sauce

Posted on Aug. 31, 2009, at 10:15 am

Exclusive recipe from Giuliano Hazan’s Thirty Minute Pasta: Tagliatelle with chickpeas

Posted on Aug. 31, 2009, at 9:34 am

The Art of Italian Cookbooks: Giuliano Hazan’s rise as an Italian cooking authority

Posted on Aug. 28, 2009, at 2:45 pm

Best of the Bay: The race for Best Barbecue

Posted on Aug. 28, 2009, at 1:00 pm

Best of the Bay: The race for Hillsborough’s Best Neighborhood Bar

Posted on Aug. 28, 2009, at 12:00 pm

Best of the Bay: The race for Best Pizza

Posted on Aug. 28, 2009, at 11:24 am

Top Chef Las Vegas — Episode Two: Battle of the Sexes

Posted on Aug. 27, 2009, at 2:24 pm

Best of the Bay Readers’ Poll: The race for Best New Restaurant

Posted on Aug. 27, 2009, at 12:24 pm

Queenshead Eurobar in pictures and video

Posted on Aug. 26, 2009, at 9:52 am

Restaurant Review: Queenshead Eurobar

Posted on Aug. 25, 2009, at 6:20 pm

Best of the Bay 2009: The race for Best Chef

Posted on Aug. 24, 2009, at 4:30 pm

Gamma Testing Video Game Podcast Episode 15: Prototype

Posted on Aug. 21, 2009, at 6:24 am

Restaurant Review: Jackson Street Bistro in downtown Tampa

Posted on Aug. 19, 2009, at 1:31 pm

Food & Drink Events & Deals – Tuesday, Aug. 18: Steak and martini at Malio’s for less than $20?

Posted on Aug. 18, 2009, at 3:07 pm

Best Sandwich: Banh Mi at Tampa’s Saigon Deli

Posted on Aug. 18, 2009, at 12:36 pm

Mega Tomago Big Mac from McDonald’s Japan

Posted on Aug. 17, 2009, at 4:12 pm

Best of the Bay 2009: The race for Best Breakfast

Posted on Aug. 17, 2009, at 3:00 pm

Gamma Testing Video Game Podcast Ep 14: Ghostbusters

Posted on Aug. 17, 2009, at 12:50 pm

Food & Drink Events and Deals – Mon., Aug 17: Half-priced wine, cheap Z Grille bar food, and salt classes

Posted on Aug. 17, 2009, at 11:00 am

Nosh Pit Episode 24: Killer Pizza, Beef Bourgignon Fail, White With Red

Posted on Aug. 13, 2009, at 10:32 am

Restaurant Review: Is Wood Fired Pizza Wine Bar the best pizza in Tampa Bay?

Posted on Aug. 12, 2009, at 12:00 pm

Vegetarians’ Dilemma: What happens to all the male chicks?

Posted on Aug. 11, 2009, at 10:49 am

Spirits Review: Finlandia Tangerine Fusion

Posted on Aug. 7, 2009, at 9:43 am

Nosh Pit Episode 23: SoHo Sushi, Recessionomics, Baby Aspirin

Posted on Aug. 5, 2009, at 2:55 pm

Restaurant Review: SoHo Sushi has so so sushi

Posted on Aug. 5, 2009, at 9:36 am

CL Food and Drink week in review

Posted on Jul. 31, 2009, at 5:11 pm

Gamma Testing Video Game Podcast Ep 13 – Red Faction: Guerrilla

Posted on Jul. 31, 2009, at 8:36 am

Gamma Testing Video Game Podcast Ep 12 – inFAMOUS

Posted on Jul. 30, 2009, at 6:34 am

Free showing of Food, Inc. this Thursday, courtesy of Chipotle

Posted on Jul. 27, 2009, at 11:30 am

Gamma Testing Video Game Podcast Ep 11: Bionic Commando

Posted on Jul. 27, 2009, at 10:34 am

Spirits Review: Jim Beam Red Stag is a sign of the flavored times

Posted on Jul. 24, 2009, at 2:00 pm

Beef Week: The Great Supermarket Steak Tasting

Posted on Jul. 22, 2009, at 12:00 pm

Movie review: Food, Inc., our dysfunctional food system’s greatest hits

Posted on Jul. 20, 2009, at 5:40 pm

CL’s Beef Week: It’s what’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Posted on Jul. 20, 2009, at 12:00 pm

Book Review: Taking sides in The Foie Gras Wars

Posted on Jul. 17, 2009, at 9:22 am

Nosh Pit Episode 22: Taqueria Monterrey, Chill Wine, Buona Vita

Posted on Jul. 16, 2009, at 11:34 am

Restaurant Review: Downtown St. Pete’s Buona Vita

Posted on Jul. 15, 2009, at 3:30 pm

Taco Bus owner Rene Valenzuela to open new restaurant in Tampa – Taqueria Monterrey

Posted on Jul. 13, 2009, at 1:18 pm

Nosh Pit Episode 21: Gui Alinat, Diner 437, The Nest, Bordeaux Blanc

Posted on Jul. 9, 2009, at 2:13 pm

Ybor’s The Nest has closed after a short run

Posted on Jul. 8, 2009, at 10:25 am

Restaurant Review: St. Petersburg’s Diner 437

Posted on Jul. 7, 2009, at 4:16 pm

Gamma Testing video game podcast Ep 10 – UFC: Undisputed

Posted on Jul. 6, 2009, at 11:30 am

Breakfast Week: Tips for creating a quintessential Bloody Mary

Posted on Jul. 2, 2009, at 9:00 am

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