Daily Loaf

400 Beach Seafood and Tap House
3 stars
400 Beach Dr., St. Petersburg, 727-896-2400

An estimated 2,000 people reportedly showed up for the opening celebration at 400 Beach, suggesting that this new restaurant on Beach Drive in St. Pete was destined to become a hip, upscale mecca for movers and shakers, not for the hoi polloi. But the latest project of Parkshore Grill’s Steve Westphal — housed in a bayfront spot briefly infamous as the aborted home of a restaurant from lying Food Network chef Robert Irvine — isn’t that kind of place. A few weeks after the opening, on a typical weekday night, there are young kids bouncing in booths, strollers parked next to outdoor tables, and a wide gamut of St. Pete residents drinking beer and downing fish in a spot that is suprisingly more mid-range than chic.

The biggest surprise is the price: dinner entrees range from $12 to $30 with most firmly in the mid-teens. When it comes to the decor and the drinks, the surprises are a tad less happy. Read the rest of this entry »

Despite the culture surrounding celebrity chefs that’s sprung up in recent years worldwide, our own local culinary heroes usually spend much of their time behind the line instead of in front of the cameras. Our annual Best of the Bay Readers’ Poll is your chance to recognize your favorite knife-wielding madman (or madwoman)!

Right now, the race is tight. Here’s a rundown on the top vote-getters so far: Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this last week:

Celebrating Independence Day or creating environmental disaster? – Kelly Rothwell looks at the littered aftermath of Fourth of July celebrations and wonder why, instead of giving back in celebration of their freedom, people decide to light off fireworks, leaving mass amounts of debris in the water and on the beach.

Local Food: Dinner in, and from, the garden at Gateway Organic Farm – Chef Gui Alinat gives information about Gateway Organic Farm’s next “Dinner in the Garden” event, an incredible local foods experience featuring nine Bay area chefs.

Read the rest of this entry »

On Sunday, October 18 at 4:00 pm, Gateway Organic Farm will present its 2nd Dinner in the Garden. It’s difficult to find true farm-to-table experiences in Tampa Bay, despite the growing interest in local food. Note that Gateway Organic Farm is the only organic farm in hyper-developed Pinellas County and one of two (count’em!) organic farms in Tampa Bay.

What’s the Dinner in the Garden?

Nine chefs and the farmers have one vision: harvesting and preparing a six-course dinner, with wine, in a greenhouse overlooking the garden. Chefs Tyson Grant of Parkshore Grill, Matt Tracy of St. Petersburg Yacht Club, Chris Knowles of Sea Sea Riders, Gui Alinat of chefgui.com (that’s me), Peter Leonavicius of Toasted Pheasant, pastry chef Cathleen Ryan (Gateway Farm Chef/Pastry Girl consultant) , Bobby Mayo of Sideberns, Thomas Kerns and Terry Harding, will feature fresh organic vegetables from the farm, along with local and organic meat, sustainable fish, and fine wines.

But the most entertaining experience for the guests, beside tasting from-the-ground local ingredients, is the chance to socialize with the nine chefs, as well as the farmers and local producer, who actually dine with them. Read the rest of this entry »