Category: Vittles – Places to Eat

 TACO YOLO | LITHIA

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Having found a favored spot for tasty tacos at a great price, I find myself not wanting to get tacos anywhere else. This is unfortunate because the first place we ever had tacos near the home base was at Taco YOLO, in Fishhawk. It had just recently opened then and was going through the awkward stages, but it did so with grace, gratitude, and great food.

We had an affinity for the spot and wanted to return, only with so many other places to try, we did so only once. And I had since found a place for tacos that cast shade on all others.  Gimme one reason to eat here, and I’ll turn right back around. Continue reading “Oh Yeah, I Like Tacos. What Else You Got?”

Ford’s Garage | Brandon

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In my infinite hunt for the best local burger, Ford’s Garage has earned a chance at the title and had been on my short list. As we would be just up the road grocery shopping, now was the time to judge their offerings.

On our way to Aldi, we decided to try Ford’s Garage for burgers. Yes, Ford’s Garage has more on the menu than burgers, but for this local chain I only had interest in their hamburgers. Why? A look at the menu found it to be pretty uninspired; they do essentially what every other American bar-and-grub chain is doing, so…meh. And that “chain” part turns me off but they do get good reviews for their burgers. Continue reading “Can a Motor Company Motif Add Value to Burger and Fries?”

Reprise Review – Down To The Bone BBQ, Brandon

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It couldn’t be helped. I had tried to fit in a few other Brandon bbq joints before returning to Down To the Bone, I really did.  I was jonesing for the smoked swine and sauce divine and I needed it bad.

But I was a little scared, to be honest. What if this visit to the Brandon bbq spot wasn’t as good as the first. Would this return prove the first visit a fluke?

Continue reading “Will Round Two Prove Great Brandon BBQ?”

Keith’s Oaks Bar and Grill, Brandon

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We pass Keith’s Oaks often when traveling through Brandon, usually when on the way home from shopping with ice cream melting in the back of the sporty little runabout. The tin-roofed cracker bungalow set back under mossy oak trees appeals to us, beckons us into its bucolic embrace from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding commercial gridlock. Whether sheltered in the shade from the beating sun, or at nights, tucked into the shadowy cave of branches, the glow of interior lights and neon beer signs are a beacon of cool camaraderie, the twinkling of its string of porch lights a soothing call to run our ship aground upon its rocks with a splash of bourbon and a burger.

I don’t know why I used a boating metaphor, we’re miles from navigable waters. This is a stream of consciousness, folks. Continue reading “Escape the Bustle of Brandon and Dine Under Shady Oaks”

The German Restaurant, Holiday

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We had been living in Florida for only six months and already one of our favorite restaurants was closing. Nineteen years they had been in operation and our first year here is the year they close? My calamity cup runneth over.

At least we had been able to enjoy Chef Ewe’s cooking. I have been thrilled to find more than ten German restaurants in the Tampa region—over ten more than back home. Still, we really liked this place and were sad to see it go. We planned a final trip to say farewell, making it an overnighter with a visit to Tarpon Springs. Continue reading “A Fond Farewell to Favored German Fare”

Thai Chili Pepper, Brandon

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One evening we thought we’d try our luck at a Thai sit down spot that was wedged into a local strip mall. This was all very last minute and we were not even sure we’d get a seat. We did and we proceeded to have one of the nicest Thai dinners we’ve ever had. Did I mention it was Valentine’s day?

The flavors and compositions were deliberate and delicious. The service was personal. The experience was so enjoyable that I remember very little of it, we were so enraptured. This entry is not about that meal.

Continue reading “Exceptional Thai Cuisine in an Unremarkable Retail Scene”

The Brunchery, Valrico

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Want to treat yourself to a special breakfast? Is a bowl of cereal or cooking your own omelet is not enough? Do you want pampering, eggs poached for Benedict, the thick-cut maple-cured bacon you won’t buy for home, and slabs of rich challah french toast stuffed with cream cheese and fruit compotes, all served in a fun and upbeat environment with pleasant, attentive service, but not too early, maybe after nine but before noon?

Oh? And what else, your majesty?

We call it brunch and it has become a verb for the masses engaging in finer breakings of the overnight fast, often after indulging in a late-night liquid snack. The word brunch invokes images of finer breakfast treats overlapping finer luncheon eats. Quality and elegance are inferred, but these days, not necessarily implied.

Continue reading “There’re Eggs Inside Your Mouth at Noon. Is It Brunch?”