China Dragon

I did it again. I ordered the same damn thing at the Chinese place... Chicken with Garlic sauce.

I can't help it.. it all looks so scary.

Dairy Queen

The Chocolate Brownie Waffle Bowl with extra hot fudge sounds way better than what it was. I really didn't care for the chocolate on the bowl itself. The only redeeming quality was the fact that I ordered extra hot fudge. Never again... snickers blizzard still is the winner.

Taco Bell

Well, on this particular day, I was in the mood to try something different at Taco bell. They have a new menu item called the Grilled Stuffed Burrito with Chicken. It was okay. It was really bready and if given the choice between that and the usual, I would go with the old stand by: Mexican Pizza and Meximelt with extra cheese, please.

Ben and Jerry's

One scoop of Chocolate Fudge Brownie and a scoop of Chocolate Chip Cooking Dough in a waffle cone is about all one really needs to survive... and boy did Ben and Jerry deliver this time.

Grill 121-

It used to be Dan Marinos Town Tavern, if that means anything to you..


I wanted to order an appetizer because my Mom was famished and yes... it is Mother's Day after all.... My mother and I were torn between the Thai Lettuce Wraps and the chicken and cheese quesadillas. So I decided to ask a few questions to help us determine which one we would like.

me: What was is in the Lettuce wrap?

him: You use the lettuce to wrap everything in.

Um, okay, that's what I'm asking. So I tried it again.

me: What goes in the wraps?

him: No, the contents go in the lettuce. The lettuce is the wrap. (a little frustrated...?)


me: Yes, exactly.... what are the contents that go in the lettuce.... what am I going to be wrapping?

him: (finally, a worthy answer....) chicken and almonds. They are really good. Lot's of people order them.

me: Fine, we'll take it.

We then ordered our meal, which consisted of Chicken Panini with sun dried tomatoes and fresh spinach. This turned out to be really tasty. My mother exclaimed, "This now is the best sandwich I have ever eaten! Sorry Bungalow Bistro.... your chicken sandwich has to take a backseat to Grill 121.


Two things bothered me about this experience....okay... three.

One... The waiter took our drink orders; I ordered coke and my mother ordered diet coke. He turned back to me and said.. Diet right? No, no and hell no. I did not say diet... Just because I look like I should be on one does not give you the right to give me the second chance to get a diet after all.


Two...... When I order and appetizer, it should come before the meal. This guy brings it out with the main lunch, making us decide which we should eat first. I should have demanded that it go back to the kitchen and forget it... but I didn't.


Three....The whole lettuce wrap ordeal still has me fuming.

Bo's Again.....

Once you have a taste... it's like you gotta go back. It stays in your mind... calling out with it's quiet voice.... The only thing that may silence the voice is the increasing price...



Bo's... ahh...



I Chocolate banana milkshake..............again

Roma Pizza

Tonight, as usual, we all met up at Roma's again. This time, I split the Bruschetta Personal Pan Pizza with my friend Patty. I wasn't too hot on ordering the pizza, but she likes the bruschetta so we tried it. Of course, Patty loved it. As it turns out, I did not care for it and would not order it again. It was okay, but I like cheese on my pizza. You know, stringy, cheesy cheese- not feta...

yuck.. next time, something different.

Perkins

Today we had Perkins Lunch special. I was feeling a bit hungry but didn't have a lot of cash, so I figured I would give the new specials a try. You get to choose half a sandwich, two sides and a cookie. I ordered thinking, well, this will have to do... My selection was: Half of a Crispy chicken sandwich, side salad, french fries and a huge chocolate chip cookie.

For 5.99. this was an amazing deal! I am not a huge fan of Perkins, but the quality and value were tops!

I will definitely get this meal again. I was stuffed- didn't even finish the fries!

Way to go Perkins, for creating a real, value meal.

Stephanno's Pizza

Stephanono's is a relatively new pizza place in the Seminole Heights area. We ordered for pick-up. We decided to order from this place, cause we usually order from Cappy's. We ordered Pepperoni Pizza. It was OKAY. It was NY style, good, but not great. The pizza was kinda greasy but it still had a good taste. If given the choice, I would probably order from Cappy's. Sometime in the recent past, we did order from Stephanno's and were very pleased, which is why I highly recommended ordering tonight, but it fell flat.

sorry stephanno's, we'll try again another time.

Bo's Ice Cream

Bo's always delivers.. I got the Chocolate Banana Shake. yum'

real chocolate, real ice cream, real bananas... what more can you ask for?

AppleBees

Well, I was doing so good.  I had gone to several restaurants and tasted new things.  Sadly, I fell into temptation and chose something I have had before- the Quesadilla Burger with French Fries. How did it happen? Well, I was in the mood for a hamburger and I have tried most of the Applebees burgers, so I didn't feel so terrible.  While I was ordering I did feel a tinge of guilt, knowing that I had failed my mission.  The beautiful thing is that there is still plenty of time.  

So, back to the burger.  The Quesadilla Burger is really nice because it is served inside a soft, warm quesadilla.  

As far as the service goes, I was with a big group again. At first, while they were trying to get us all at the same table, was a little kind of sketchy.  But, after we were seated, things were smooth and the service was good. 

where it's always happy hour....

Carmines

Of course being Thursday, my group of friends hit the streets of Ybor and all met at Carmines. While famous for their devil crab and spanish flair, the restaurant offers a wide selection.

Our group was so large this week, we actually had our own room. The rooms are separated by a floor to ceiling Japanese screen which is very metro. The walls are exposed brick which give the restaurant an urban feel.

On the menu for me tonight was a cuban sandwich and french fries. Wow, what a great cuban! It was very tasty, had all the right meats, good bread and was pressed. With a cuban sandwich, you can tell that it is either great or mediocre in just a bite or two. If you originally intended to eat only half and take the other half home for later then after finishing the first half, you start wondering if you should go ahead and eat it after all, it is a successful cuban. If you are eating it and you think, maybe I can box this part up with the half I'm taking home, then you know that there may be a problem. The latter was not the case. I shared mine with a friend and was left feeling like I wished I never shared.... So kudos to Carmines! The fries were wilty, but.... I wasn't there for fries.

Liborio's Latin Cafe

Whenever anyone says the word Liborio's, everyone in earshot ooo's and ah's. So of course, when I heard we were getting take-out from Liborio's, I was looking forward to the experience. The dinner I ordered is one of my all-time favorite Spanish dishes; Picadillo, aroz y frijoles negros. I figured this would be a good option since I love the meal, I would be able to compare that same meal to other restaurants and my own cooking.

First of all, the amount of food I got was incredible. There was so much there, I was able to put half aside for tomorrow's lunch and I still was stuffed. The picadillo was a bit on the dry side and the color was very dark. There were a lot of fresh herbs laying on top, but that didn't do anything for the appearance. A dark mound of dry meat. I have to say that the yellow rice and the black beans made this meal. The beans were wonderfully seasoned and the rice was moist and fluffy. I have not really a fan of rice for most of my years, but now I am starting appreciate the texture and flavor more and more. This rice from Liborio's was spot-on.

Bungalow Bistro

Well, as if I haven't eaten out enough this week.... here I go again. Today, I went out with my mom to lunch back to the Bungalow Bistro. And yes, I did go the same bistro yesterday, but here is another opportunity for me to expand my horizons by ordering something different.

Today, I decided on the Angus Hamburger with Pomme Frits (which is a fancy name for french fries). The hamburger is made from 100% Angus Beef. I know that should make my taste buds thrilled, but I have never really noticed a difference between Angus beef and other beef. I guess my palette is not that advanced. I did notice, however, that it did have a wonderful grilled taste and was pretty thick. That kind of critique I can give with confidence. I would have loved some more ketchup for my fancy Pomme Frits but, I was having a bit of trouble getting the waitress' attention.

My mother had the grilled chicken sandwich which was very tasty. As a matter of fact, my mom said it was the best chicken sandwich she has ever eaten in all her years. That is quite an accolade for a little sandwich. The potatoes that come in place of the pomme frits were also quite nice. While this was not my order, you know that I had a taste! Both were really good.

With the quaint atmosphere and quality food, I will definitely be back!

Bungalow Bistro

Dinner was spent at a great new French Bistro in Seminole Heights. The Bungalow Bistro, which is on 5137 N Florida Ave is housed in a restored garage. The garage and the adjoining house where originally located on Hillsborough Ave. When the widening project took place several years ago, both structures were actually moved to their present location to preserve them for future use. The house is utilized by Forever Beautiful Salon and Day Spa. The garage, Bungalow Bistro.

So, a friend and I went to this hot new restaurant everyone is talking about. I was really excited to finally go there for dinner, as I have heard great things about the menu.

First of all, let me start by saying that the decor in this place really cool. The whole look and feel of the restaurant gives takes you somewhere other than Florida Ave.

Loving spicy dishes, I ordered the Thai Panang Chicken which is grilled chicken with a spicy red curry and coconut Panang sauce on basmati rice. The chicken was perfect. I loved the texture, the look and presentation of the dish. I especially liked the basmati rice. This was new to me. I have only heard of, but never tasted, this rice. I will definately be trying that in one of my dishes soon!

My friend ordered the Andouilla Studded Tender Steak which is basically a steak with saugsage stuffed inside. It was pretty tasty. Although it was really good, I was pleased with my selection.

For dessert, we ordered a warm apple tort al a mode. It was a sweet end to a lovely dinner.

Would I visit again? Um, yes. I am actually going again tomorrow with my mother for lunch. I'm committed.

La Creperia Cafe

For my friends and me, every Thursday is Ybor Night. A group of us go out, have dinner or dessert and good conversation somewhere down on 7th Ave. Having a place like Ybor City so close by is wonderful. The history of Tampa comes alive as one walks down the lighted street. It's our version of Bourbon Street.
Clubs, Restaurants, night-life, history, culture, celebrations, parades; it's all here just minutes from our neighborhood.

Tonight, we went to a little place called La Creperia Cafe on 1729 E. 7Th Avenue. Tampa, Fl 33605. This place is classified as a French Restaurant, but it is hard to tell from the muzak that was playing. Music usually sets the tone and feel for the atmosphere. Here, the music sounds like Turkish or something middle eastern. During one song that was playing, I was certain a snake was rising out of a basket somewhere.

Now, on to the dinner and service. We were a big group and the wait staff seemed to be pretty attentive in the beginning. As the night went on, however, I could not get the waiter's attention to order dessert or get a refill on my soda.

For my meal, I ordered #48 La French Riviera- which, according to the menu, is filled with cheese, chicken, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, cooked in white wine sauce. If you ask me, the thing is filled with a creamy cheese sauce and some chicken chunks. Thankfully, I split it with a friend. It was OK. Would I order it again? No.

For dessert, a friend and I split #19. This sweet crepe is called "Sweet Special with Ice Cream. It is served hot and filled with Warm Nutella, banana, walnuts and two small scoops of vanilla ice creme. Wow. If you like Nutella- (when warm it is like a drop of liquid chocolate heaven) then you would go for this. I would have to say, the ice cream made the dish. After a while, as nice as Nutella is, it would be too much if it was just that. But the al a mode made it a nice treat. Also, unless you plan on it being your main meal, it is best to split it with someone. This is something I wouldn't mind ordering again.

Now, would I go again? Yes. But I will try something with less cheese. I'm thinking probably just dessert would be fine with me.

Rating- 3 spoons

China Dragon

Well, speaking of dinner, we decided to go to China Dragon on 2513 W Hillsborough Ave Tampa, FL. My usual is an order of Chicken with Garlic Sauce, Fried rice and an egg roll. That would be the special platter for $6.50. Not a bad deal. You pay a little and get a lot. And, if you play your rice right, you will have at least two dinners out of one plate. For my dinner tonight, I ordered General Tao's chicken. As you may not know, I have never veered away from my fave. I am a creature of habit. But fortunately, for the first time at a take-out Chinese place, I ordered something different! At the counter, I ordered everyone else's stuff, but when it came to my choice, I was himing and hawing. Finally, after asking the lady behind the counter to describe some of these other dishes, and looking at the washed out, crazy looking pictures that Chinese take-out joints always have on the wall, I finally made my decision.

Over all, I really enjoyed the General. While I have never ordered the General myself, I have tasted other Generals before. Now, most of the time, there is no sauce and the chicken is sort of sticky. At China Dragon, the General is very moist while remaining crispy. There was just enough sauce to pour on the rice but not enough to make the little rice pieces float. I was hoping for a bit more spiciness, but there was not much of a kick at all.

The egg roll was good, but not as crispy as I usually care for. But, they gave me two
extra egg rolls labeled Free, which was a nice treat!

Tomorrow, Ybor City for dinner.

Take-out Rating- 3 spoons

And so it begins....

As I sit here typing my first blog, I am thinking about dinner. It's a great thing since this blog is mainly focused on Dining out in Tampa. Most of my free time is spent working on the house or the garden. I especially enjoy spending time with friends. Whether they come here to the house or we meet out at a restaurant, food seems to be the central focus that brings us all together; that "breaking of bread" so to speak.

When I cook, I have my specialties. Then, aside from a few brave attempts at something new, I tend to always go back to my favorite few with which I always get great reviews.

This is paralleled when I go out to a restaurant. I tend to always order the same thing. My thought process is that I'm about to spend hard earned money, I know what I like, and I am not about to spend money on something I am not sure I'm going to like. So for years it is always the same thing....

Carrabba's- Sirloin Marsala with Angel Hair pasta w/Alfredo sauce and a glass or two of the house cab.
Macaroni Grill- Pasta Milano with a glass or two of Merlot
Taco Bell- Bean Burrito, extra onions and Meximelt extra Cheese- no drink. Lots of fire sauce.
ABC Pizza-Pepperoni Pizza, Greek Salad w/potato salad.
Take-out Chinese- Chicken with Garlic Sauce and an egg roll. Please, do not be stingy with the damn duck sauce. It is not made out of gold- just give it to me!
Bamboo Club- BC Spicy Chicken- Peach Tea no sugar.
CheeseCake Factory- Spicy Cashew Chicken
McDonalds- Big Mac extra onions, Fries and Coke.
Bo's Ice Cream- Chocolate Banana Shake
Starbucks- Hot Drink: Cafe Mocha Cold Drink: Java Chip Frappuccino, no whipped, keep the drizzle.

And the list goes on. I know I am not the only person in the world bound by fear of the unknown, fear of waste, fear of something new. I type these confessions here so that I may be held accountable for the mundane selections I have faithfully ordered again and again.

Hence, let this blog is my motivator, my passionate search for something that may inspire or surprise me, break me out of my monotonous box and let me see the world.

God, I may even like it.