rikkikm's Profile
is there german food in florida???
Looks like Schnitzelhaus is set to close on May 14.
Tampa - Hidden Gems?
Went to Tapas Garden a couple months ago and was not impressed. Food was only ok, especially for the price, and the service was atrocious. Typical tourist trap.
But I keep hearing about good pizza at Mike's Pub around the corner from it- anyone been?
Tampa recommendatons please (Researched!!)
I was under the impression that Red Mesa and Red Mesa Cantina were not related.
@indiefoodie I don't think Ceviche should be on the list. Trendy and overrated and now ubiquitous. replace with Pane Rustica I think.
Decent casual restaurant near Tampa airport?
I vote Arco Iris for Cuban/ Chinese. Some of the best fried rice I've had.
is there german food in florida???
Surprised by the repeated recs for Mr Dunderbaks. Fun place, great for beer- but the food has always struck me as German-inspired.
We just tried Taste of Berlin in Brandon last week. Food was very flavorful and well presented. Potato soup was excellent. Cute place, though they were closing at 8:30p on a Friday. (Is that because they roll up the sidewalks in Brandon at 9 pm?) My Berliner friend gave big thumbs up on the food, but dessert was a little less exciting. AND you can bring your own beer and wine right now since they do not have the liquor license yet.
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Taste of Berlin
526 Oakfield Dr, Brandon, FL 33511
2011 Favorite Places to Eat - Tampa / St. Pete
I've heard from a couple of people that Cafe Japon closed.
Kaisen never impressed me, (neither has Toasted Pheasant discussed below).
Nothing beats Matoi for me for sushi. But have been hearing raves about Bangkok Sushi in LandOLakes and Sushi Ninja in Brandon. Also had a rec for Jade Fire Asian in Hudson.
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Sushi Ninja
887 E Bloomingdale Ave, Brandon, FL 33511
Cafe Japon
2223 S West Shore Blvd, Tampa, FL 33629
Indian food in St Pete?
I hear good things about Raga, but I think that's Clearwater.
Don Pancho Villa - Tampa
The Taco Bus of course, Hillsborough and Nebraska. Acapulco Grocery MacDill and Cypress. Mi Mexico Taqueria, Armenia south of MLK.
I just drove by two Mexican places on Armenia that I haven't been to yet. One is near the skating rink, basically in the parking lot, South of Hillsborough- I think it used to be a car upholstery place.
The other is on the opposite side of the street- La Cascada.
Anyone been?
Taco Bus in Tampa?
The sign on the door of Taqueria Monterrey says they will open tomorrow, July 23.
Tampa Recommendations
I like the food at Del Valle. The fresh made guac was outstanding. But the last time I went with the intention of eating in, there was no air conditioning running- I think it was cooler outside. Don't know if it was a fluke or they choose to keep their store that way- but I'm hesitating to go back as a result.
Ybor City recs
How is Ybor dining lately?
andy? rhnault?
I need to get back to El Puerto soon and might also need to give The Nest a second try.
Tampa Recommendations
Angithi on Fowler is my favorite for Indian in the area- but haven't yet tried Jai Ho. Taj and Cilantro are good too.
There's Greenland for Mediterranean on 56th that's good. Sabor Latino on Busch for Mexican or Cali Tacos on Skipper for well, Cali tacos.
I love Pho Quyen- I think the beef used in the Bun is better at the Fowler location than the Hillsborough one. I thought the prices were the same.
My favorite Cuban food in Tampa is Arco Iris. I was warned away from Teresita by my Cuban family and have never been in the 22 years I've lived here.
Abol Bunna on Kennedy is a newer Ethiopian choice and seems to have slightly better food and more space and ambiance. But Qu of Sh is good too.
Good dives in Tampa
Habana/ Havana Village on Dale Mabry- great Cubans, Custom Creations on Hillsborough- breakfast on Saturdays only- open till 2, not really a dive but worth checking. La Pequena Colombia on Armenia, Cabana del Tio in Clearwater.
Restaurant near St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa?
Channelside is next to it and has several selections. Thai Thani, Stumps, Bennigans, Hooters.
Tampa: Is The Lodge's fun food any good?
Go early enough on a weeknight and you should be able to avoid the meat market. Their mac and cheese is GOOD, sliders: GOOD, sweet potato fries: GOOD, twinkimisu: GOOD (a little sweeter than a traditional tiramisu- but still good), even the garlicked broccoli: GOOD. Had an odd "Spanish-style" sushi roll- cumin, chicken, avocado I think and it was delicious. The menu is large, so you'll have to make multiple trips. Hmm, they have tater tots? MIssed those. They rescued me from a bad experience at Datz Deli, so good all around.
Best tacos in Tampa and Pinellas?
At 1428 e. Fletcher is Maya's Mexican and it's been Maya's for at least a year. Cute place but only go for tacos if you have lots of time and don't mind having mediocre food. Waited today for a solid 30 minutes for a single order of tacos with no one else in the restaurant ahead of me before asking for them packed to go. They were not worth the wait. Gristly, bland meat.
Sabor Latino 4810 East Busch Blvd, phone 8139801771. Chicken tacos will have me back- the tortillas may have been a tad rubbery, but still good. Beef sopes were piled high with queso, lettuce, tomatoes, refried beans and beef. Place was very clean and had space for a small group- bathroom was spotless. Closed on Wednesdays but you get 15% off your bill if you go for a weekday lunch. They had barbacoa and tripe on the menu as well. They still don’t beat La Cabana del Tio but a convenient choice for East Tampa/ Temple Terrace.
Best tacos in Tampa and Pinellas?
Brian, Del Valle should have made the list over Chico's Wood Fired grill truly. Boy, that North Tampa area is pretty broad: from Westchase to Lutz to Temple Terrace- glad gas is relatively low right now.
California tacos: very good carne asada, veggies and tortillas were fresh (though the cilantro needed a bit more flavor). Chicken was a bit dry and flavorless but I was impressed with his admonitions to "carry it level please"- he's had too many calls back from people who failed to do this and ended up with taco disaster.
Datz Deli in South Tampa
last night- not a good experience- bad enough that I had to go get dinner elsewhere afterward. Lovely place, great looking menu and the management did attempt to remedy the experience with a free sandwich for me, but it was too little too late. We had a group of 10- several who know real New York delis - which Datz does not purport to be: "this is Datz, not Katz." The appetizers came out after the meal, the credit cards took a long time to come back to us and I was never fed. I did order my sandwich late and expected it to come later than everyone else's, but instead of a sandwich, I received a bill for the wine and tiny appetizer I had ordered. No meal for me. We also had to complain at least 10 times about the "music" (unbearably abrasive noise in fact) blaring over our heads which was never taken care of in spite of my dramatic attempts to eliminate the problem. I left with a free sandwich and a really bad taste in my mouth.
Best tacos in Tampa and Pinellas?
Yep, La Cabana is my absolute favorite so far. As with many other Tampa area establishments- I don't agree with the hype about the Taco Bus. Went there again yesterday and did not care for their chicken tacos. They also put tomatoes and cabbage on the tacos in addition to marinated onions and a tiny bit of cilantro. I prefer the simpler toppings at authentic Mexican places of fresh onions and lots of cilantro. I think Taco Bus may be a bit gringo-ized.
Tampa's Abol Bunna or "I drove 70 miles for that?"
I rarely finish the food I'm given in a restaurant, so to ask for more, just so I can take it home feels greedy. Perhaps I'm too attached to quantifiable dining experiences- but I think there should be a fixed amount of food for the price.
Tampa's Abol Bunna or "I drove 70 miles for that?"
Our group tried Abol Bunna about 10 days ago. I thought it was a lovely place. Service was a bit slow, but not horrible. The owner knew a member of our party and was very pleasant to speak with. My friend loved his raw kitfo and thought it was tastier than QoS. I had a beef stew that also had great flavor. My main criticism with both South Tampa Ethiopian restaurants is the value- the portions are small for the price and there aren't enough 'come withs.' I had meat, sauce and injera. Maybe I need to be more educated about the cuisine but it seems their idea of veggies is lentils and sauce. I think both these restaurants deserve to be tried at least once and are an interesting choice to take the out-of-towners, but I'm not sure if I would keep going back to either of them.
Tampa Dining Near Performing Arts Center
Taps has small plates choices too. I think I prefer their food over The Fly. The dip trio and mac and cheese are great.
New Ybor City restaurants - The Nest, Teatro's, L'Olivier, Streetcar Charlie's
Ate at The Nest recently. The menu is a bit confusing- seems to be out of order- appetizers in the back, etc. They had no shortage of lamb choices. The pasta bar dish I ordered was tasty and plentiful, but not out of the ordinary- guess I was hoping for more pizzazz. I had a chicken shish kebob dish that was a bit overspiced and undercooked. Wine was good, gorgeous decor. It was a colder night and the metal chairs never did warm up. I might try it again, but wouldn't be in a hurry to go back.
Failure to honor reservation Super Bowl Eve
Gallery Eclectic Bistro in International Plaza always strikes me as undervalued. It never seems very busy, but the decor is gorgeous and the food is good.
