Daily Loaf

Israel is becoming a surprising food Mecca (yes, I enjoyed writing that). Israelis enjoy traveling and are demanding higher food quality and variety when they arrive home. That, combined with an influx of peoples from all over the globe, has started a food renaissance that makes eating in Israel a surprising joy.

Standard Middle Eastern fare has become anything but. Instead of just one “Middle Eastern” food experience, there are many wonderful variations. The Jews from Arab lands brought their own method of cooking and regional dishes with them when they moved to Israel, like summaq salad from Iraq; a lamb stew called harira from Morocco; fatoush, a salad made of eggs, olives, bread and lettuce from Syria; maraqa, a ragout of quince and lamb from Tunisia; as well as the more commonly known hummus, pita, and kebab each made with a slight variation in honor of the country of origin of the maker. There is care in the preparation of the food, and I — who tend to not like the hummus that I’ve had in America- couldn’t get enough of it in Israel.

What really surprised my food educator husband was the quality and variety of the less traditional food. 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 »

A Taste of Pinellas technically started yesterday (sorry), but you still have the rest of the weekend to enjoy the music and activities. They even have a Kids Zone so it’s a family-friendly event. Best of all, most of the fun is absolutely free. Read the rest of this entry »

Forget tableside Caesar salad (so ’80s), it seems the hot new trend is tableside guacamole. Right in front of your eyes, your server will whip up a batch of fresh guacamole with your choice of mix-ins: onions, peppers, jalapenos, tropical fruit, cilantro, etc.

I’ve seen this trend at higher-end Mexican and Latin restaurants lately, like the renowned Boudro’s Texas Bistro in San Antonio, TX (read about my culinary adventure), and Cantina Laredo in Wesley Chapel, FL. But be prepared to shell out around 10 bucks for it, which seems to be the average. It’s all for the novelty and the show, I suppose. Read the rest of this entry »

Last weekend I was able to fulfill a long-standing dream of mine: visiting San Antonio, Texas. Why San Antonio, you ask? Well, there’s the historic Alamo, the touristy River Walk, and many other cultural and historic sights. But this city has also been the mecca of Tex-Mex food in my eyes (and also a stop on my “BBQ of the U.S.” tour) for longer than I can remember.

I had been planning this culinary pilgrimage for almost two months, as soon as I found out I was going (courtesy of wonderful boyfriend and free airline tickets), and did extensive research on just about every Tex-Mex/barbecue/Mexican restaurant in town. My main goal was to stay away from eating on the River Walk as much as possible, since it contained mostly overpriced tourist traps with bland interpretations of the authentic Tex-Mex food I sought. This weekend getaway made me feel like Giada on one of her “Weekend Getaways” (minus the camera in my face). Read the rest of this entry »

The lobby lounge at CineBistro Miami.

The Trib’s Tampa Bay Online is reporting the construction of a CineBistro theater in Hyde Park Village.

“Cobb Theatres plans to begin construction in January of a CineBistro theater that will have six screens, reserved seating and dining tables. Cocktails and appetizers will be available in the lobby bar. Patrons will be able to order a meal that will be served at the table before the movie starts.”

Metromix Tampa Bay has a lot of images of the CineBistro in Wesley Chapel if you have a hankering to learn more.

And, a few days ago a Charley’s World segment on MyFox Tampa Bay included an interview with CineBistro Executive Chef Mike Outlaw. Mike offers up his recipe for CineMac, the Bistro’s version of mac & cheese. It looks delicious.

Here’s the official CineBistro press release about the opening.

The New York Times Sunday travel section features a glowing report on St. Pete’s new vibe. Nothing here that hasn’t been written and rewritten before, but it’s a nice slice of national recognition, with great quotes from Bob Devin Jones of Studio@620 and Raphael Perrier of Kahwa Coffee. Let’s just hope Times readers do their own research instead of relying on the ‘Travel Guide,’ which recommends Saffron’s (closed for over a year) and includes a user’s rave about Redwoods (also closed). Next time, Times, check out the promising new restaurant now open in Redwoods’ place: Chappy’s Louisiana Kitchen, another from St. Pete restaurateur Craig “Chappy” Chapman of Grillside Central fame.