Marlin Darlin Grill, Bellaire Bluffs, FL

As thrilling as I suppose it would be to keep returning to (and blogging to death) many of my favorite Tampa Bay restos, I try to fight my "Creature of Habit" nature and continue to claw my way out of my comfort zone in the search of local culinary gems.

In the case of Marlin Darlin, the enticing sounding menu coupled with the beach-chic squeaky clean interior and an unobstructed view of the gleaming open kitchen made me feel a little like I was on a "Third Date" when we were promptly seated at the grossly early hour that only our fellow AARP card carriers can understand or respect.

We received incredibly prompt and friendly service.  The menu looked pretty damned enticing...especially the $12.50 "Real Deal" prix fixe option.  While never having batted much of an eye at dropping some serious coin for amazing cuisine, UD is an accountant after all.  We decided to go out on a limb and try it, despite having both had the "you get what you pay for" lesson pounded into our psyches decades ago.  Hope springs eternal, I suppose.

We sipped beverages and shared an order of Onion Rings served with a Maytag Crema dipping sauce while perusing the menu.  I would be remiss if I did not remark on the reasonable beer and wine prices (not to mention the fairly generous pours), which generally buys a high level of my affection.  Onion Rings, while on the right path, needed a serious egg wash or flour dredging before battering and frying as their crispy coating pretty much disintegrated upon handling, leaving us trying to maneuver what was left of the limp, crustless onion slices into the bleu cheese dipping sauce (which, quite frankly, was not my cup of tea).  I prefer something more zippy and horseradish-laden with my rings...but that's just a personal opinion.  Parkshore Grill's nomination by me as Best Onion Rings in Tampa Bay is still firmly intact.  We would not order these again.

I'm going to be fair and preface the rest of this review with the fact that we did make the conscious decision to "go cheap"...and quite honestly, while I almost every scrap I ate was forgotten the moment we vacated the premises, I've paid as much for Boston Market individual meal consumed at my desk with plastic utensils...where there was no helpful server, cold adult beverage or lovely ambiance involved.  For a $12.50 investment, it's tough to bitch about only getting a "kissing your favorite second cousin" level of tastebud tingling.

A nice basket of hot, garlic and butter toasted slabs of Cuban bread appeared shortly before our starters.

My small schooner of Lobster Bisque was creamy and had a fairly lobster-forward flavor along with a nice little creme fraiche floater.  No crustacean morsels were located, but it was an "okay" version nonetheless.

While UD's little Citrus Salad didn't bring salacious thoughts to mind, it was still fresh and crisp with a nice dressing and unexpected accents like mandarin orange bits, sunflower seeds and red onion.

My Crab, Shrimp and Mussel Penne Pasta Dish in Lobster Cream Sauce failed to thrill, although there was nothing fundamentally wrong with it other than the fact that it was dumbed down to the point of falling just short of being slotted into Sweet Polly's "downright bland" category.   But it is delivered with an extra little sidecar of cheese crumbles for those of us whose cholesterol levels haven't yet reached life-threatening heights (bonus points!).

Underdog's Filet Mignon Kebab with Black Beans and Rice made him a little cranky, if only because he ordered it cooked rare, causing the veggies on the skewer to arrive practically raw.  Neither of us are huge beef tenderloin fans to begin with, but the meat was flavorful enough for what it was.  Black beans and rice were standard issue, but I could not keep my fork out of that creamy Lobster Mac 'n Cheese that also came on the side with its crunchy bread-crumb topping.  The highlight of the meal IMO.

Dogboy selected a little Apple Crisp as his mini "sweet finish" and it was fine...embellished with a tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream at no upcharge.

But I thought my Sweet Potato Beignets trumped it big time!  These were quite the spicy, tender and flavorful little donut-esque afterthoughts.

In spite of the cranky under-(and sometimes over-)tones of this post, there's little complain about when you can purchase a dinner of this caliber for $12.50 each.  We got out for around $65 with appetizer, two drinks apiece and two complete meals which is unheard of for us, unless we're having grouper sandwiches and a pitcher of beer at Keegan's.  My standards are high...SUPERASS high...so take the criticism you find in this post with a grain of salt.   While I probably wouldn't go back (and certainly won't be talking about this dining experience for days and weeks to come), it was a good deal and more than a decent meal for the price.  Worth considering for a budget date night.

http://www.marlindarlinkeywestgrill.com/

Harvey's Fourth Street Grill, St. Petersburg, FL

Finding ourselves Saturday "bachelorettes" for various and sundry reasons this weekend, one of my oldest and dearest pals (Georgia Peach) and I decided to revisit the scene of many unspeakable crimes of our misspent youth.  Harvey's was where we ate and drank our lives away in the early 90s and I was delighted to find that the pub-grub served here is still top-notch 20 years later...which explains why the place was slammed at 2:00 PM  in the afternoon.

We grabbed a couple of stools at the bar where we received uber-friendly and helpful service.

Despite its "bar-ish" demeanor, food is surprisingly fresh and creative at Harvey's.  Onion rings were about as good as they come...crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.  The Peach and I have relished in the house-made Broccoli Cheese Bites for decades and they never disappoint.

Harvey's Chicken Salad with mandarin oranges and toasted walnuts on a tender croissant has withstood the test of time. Quality always prevails.  Potato salad side was fresh-tasting, tangy and cold.  SO good.

Peach's Blackened Grouper sammie was also a study in freshness.  Perfectly blackened and without a hint of "fishiness", this is as good as it gets in Tampa Bay.  Cole slaw was also delish...crunchy and not overly laden with mayo.

Our dessert of Key Lime Pie was a classic and perfectly done rendition....tangy lime goodness slathered atop a thick and toothsome slab of graham cracker crust.

We spent under $70 before gratuity for all of this plus three glasses of Kendall Jackson apiece. 

Recommended for friendly vibe and service...not to mention better than average casual fare.  But be aware that staff and long-term regulars are pathological liars, so don't believe any crazy stories you might hear about us regarding certain Full Moon Parties of 1992 and 1993 because they are nothing but sheer fabrication.  *Adjusting halo*.

http://www.harveys4thstreetgrill.com/

YachtSea Grille, Bradenton, FL

Living in East Hillsborough County, hopping on I-75 South and heading to Bradenton or Sarasota for something different often offers a less resistant path than zig-zagging our way across town to somewhere Westshore-or-Carrollwood-ish, which has resulted in many fabulous food finds in Bradenton and Sarasota Counties.

We got lucky again on Saturday when we drove down to check out YachtSea Grille on the Manatee River in Bradenton.  While the restaurant was not quite as "riverfront" as we were expecting (it overlooks the parking lot of Riverfront Park with more glimpses of highway than river, although there's a smidge of a water view), we still enjoyed the scrupulously clean and nautically-themed (surprise, RIGHT?) outdoor dining area as the last vestiges of any "spring breezes" we are likely to experience for quite some time enhanced our al fresco dining experience.

While I sipped a lovely glass of La Crema Chardonnay, Underdog went rogue and ordered a Mojito...and what a fine Mojito it was! Long and tall with gently muddled mint, it was clearly crafted by a higher power.  UD had to have two, despite the fact that rum is not generally his poison of choice.  Beautiful!

YachtSea's Smoked Fish Spread is some of the best I've ever tried (and I've probably tried hundreds).  Perhaps second only to the version cranked out by Waltz Fish Shak on Madeira Beach, this was a very meaty and lightly-smoked (in-house, I learned) rendition with a nice kick of heat at the back end.  Unlike its highly homogenized counterparts you find in so many seafood restos in West Central Florida, you won't forget you're eating fresh fish when you order this one.  It was perfectly seasoned with minimal mayo binder and the hot-from-the-oven flour tortilla chip carriers offered a refreshing variation on the usual Captain's Wafers (or, God forbid, Saltines).

We couldn't not try a couple of the Polynesian Pork Shanks. Described on the menu as "tender bone-in pork shanks flash fried and coated in our Polynesian sauce", they were all that and more. Crispy on the outside, moist on the inside and basted with a sweet-and-spicy Asian-inspired sauce, the bones were so clean that they appeared to have been lying in the desert for six months after Dogboy (a justly deserved moniker) had his way with them.

Clam Chowder was off the chain.  The owner (or manager) was super-visible and involved with the patrons on our visit, and he let us know that it was an award-winning recipe (which came as no surprise after tasting it) lovingly hand-made with fresh clams and rendered bacon...just as God intended.  This was a really, REALLY good clam chowder.  Creamy without being overly thickened with roux, gently seasoned and liberally crammed with tender clam bits...Clam Chowder doesn't get much better than this.

Having battled Bubonic Plague (or some similar shiznit) for the past 10 days, my appetite is still not up to par and I found myself slowing down after the starters.  An appetizer order of Grouper Bites in light tempura breading with a zippy dipping sauce seemed to be about as much as I could handle, and I was ultimately defeated even by that. The nibbles I took were sweet and tasty, however.

We both loved the spousal unit's selection of  Pale Ale Haddock Sandwich.  You just don't see haddock on the menu often enough in Florida and this mild, medium textured slab of fish was served beautifully beer-battered and fried atop a soft pretzel roll.

Someone was feeling his sweet tooth and zeroed in on YachtSea's highly respectable version of Southern Pecan Pie (and this Tennessee Gurl can be a harsh critic of said dish) with its flaky crust and loads of large pecan halves.  For a $3 upcharge, we got a generous vanilla ice cream topper.

We had a great experience at YachtSea....both food and service (thank you, Ray!) were well above average, especially for the price. It's rare for us to enjoy a late lunch like this with drinks and so many menu tastings for less than $100 before gratuity, but we did it here. $88 well spent!

http://www.yachtseagrille.com/

Tony and Nello's, St. Petersburg, FL

I'll preface this report by stating that, with a 95% "like" rating on Urbanspoon plus a glowing rec from a former coworker of UD's, we went into Tony and Nello's projecting our anticipatory delusions of grandeur upon them.  We also went in both suffering from a nasty case of walking pneumonia or some similar shiznit...hacking, coughing and phlegming  (not to be confused with "Fleming's", being a good thing, at least as far a chain restos go; as opposed to"phlegming" being a universally and uncategorically bad thing) with our mutual level of malaise ratcheted to an almost craptacular level. Nothing like a little garlic to open up the old nasal passages, though....right?   Plus, we both needed an excuse to get dressed and get out of the house for a few hours.

I'm sad to report that I wish I'd stayed in the recliner and popped open a can of Campbell's Tomato Soup.  This entire meal was a study in mediocrity.  Our server, while he plodded along dutifully, had all the enthusiasm and concern of a garden snail.  Ambience is strip-mall cheesy, but not in a totally off-putting way.    We saw similar resto designs in southern Italy when we visited six month ago.

Underdog surveys his surroundings:

Our bottle of chilled Prosecco got us off on a positive note.  We could almost be back in Sorrento......

But then the food started coming.  Eggplant Rollatini with Prosciutto had potential. Generously portioned and tasty enough, it was presented at room temp.  NO.

Clams with Marinara Sauce appeared shortly thereafter.  They were fine.  "Is there bread for sopping?", we queried?  "Sure...we have a loaf in the oven for you", our server assured us.

Shortly after we were done with the apps, a decent basket of barely warm slabs of Ciabatta were presented along with foil-wrapped butter pats.  Impeccable timing, Sir.

We ultimately decided to share Tony and Nello's "Feast" for two, which was comprised of fried veal, chicken and eggplant, all smothered in marinara sauce (which was a respectable one, I might add) and salad for $26.95.  Said salad was not particularly exciting...and not being one to waste precious stomach space on iceberg lettuce, I demurred.  UD gave it a couple of rabbit nibbles and confirmed my suspicions.

The "Feast" was fairly forgettable, although I will again bestow kudos on the marinara sauce.  Otherwise, this dish was nothing a chain resto like Buca di Beppo couldn't do equally well if not better.

This entree also came with a side of pasta.  We selected gnocchi at a $2 upcharge, which came out several minutes after the entree itself did...the explanation being "we don't have any heat lamps here". Guess what?  Maybe they wouldn't be a bad idea, since most of our food was served at the wrong temperature and the gnocchi were cold and gummy.

There...I've said it.  I scratch grass over the entire experience.  Unremarkable from start to finish and not recommended.

 

http://tonyandnellos.com/

 

Green Lemon, Tampa, FL

Back when I was new to blogging about my dining experiences and before I came to the conclusion that it might not really be all that cool or even ethical to accept free stuff from restos in exchange for the expectation of providing them with good "press" (if "press" is even actually the correct term in the world of cyber-journalism)...I was approached via email by Green Lemon (at that time, named "The Lime"...not sure what precipitated the new moniker) to visit them for a complimentary meal.  I debated the idea for a bit before writing back to the owner/PR rep/whomever to say I might open to the idea...but that if I didn't like it, the most I could promise was that I'd pretend it never happened. The closest thing I can compare their (non)response to is an evening forest filled with the chirping of crickets. That's when I made the conscious decision that "food 'ho'ing" would never be tolerated on this here blog....at least not as long as I am Editor in Chief (not to mention, sole contributor).  Easily enforceable.

So, back to Green Lemon.  The day finally came when I was in the mood for a "South of the Border" snack so I decided to stop in (non-gratis).  I liked the chic urban vibe of the place (with nary a sombrero, serape nor pinata in sight) and we were warmly greeted by Tracey, whose sweetness and competence contributed a lot to our overall enjoyment of the meal.

I would classify the menu as Mod-Mex...it contained both old standbys as well as newer twists on the former.  We started off with Tostones (which are pretty much God's Own Treat to begin with...even before they're topped).  These tasty, perfectly fried rounds of mashed plantains smothered in spicy, tender Mojo Pulled Pork, veggies and fresh herbs did not disappoint.

Things got a little dicey after that.  I ordered the Chicken Wiggles Bowl, which was a rice-based dish topped with grilled chicken, black beans, avocado (I think), queso fresco, shredded cabbage and cheese.  I opted out of the additional chopped tomato topper, which seemed to be no problem.

While not an abomination, I'm not sure Taco Bell couldn't have given this thing a run for its money.  The chicken (and I'm no huge fan of chicken breast to begin with, so take this with a grain of salt) tasted like Perdue Chicken Selects that had been tossed into a bland trough of under-cooked rice, adorned with a sprinkling of canned beans and packaged bacon bits, then accented with a lime wedge to make it all "special".  Couple that with the fact that the bowl was presented at room temp (cold food being one of my ultimate pet peeves when dining out...give me crappy service, give me a poor selection of wines by the glass or give me foil-wrapped butter pats...I'm not a fan of any, but all are preferable to food that's obviously been sitting around awhile prior to being delivered).

UD fared a little better with The Street Trio of tacos, although he agreed that the Ancho Chicken offering tasted decidedly prefab.  The Carne Asada version was inhaled without hesitation, but he ultimately wished he'd simply ordered three of the Mojo Pulled Pork variety.   The side of  Black Beans and Rice might've been good but they, also, were presented at a 70-ish degree borderline congealed state so no one was really inspired to dig in.

My $8 Top Shelf Margarita proved to be a fine representation of said cocktail, so I'm dialing down the bitchery from here on out.

We were asked when we entered whether or not we'd ever dined at Yellow Lime (or Green Lemon...whichever it was) when we were first seated, to which we replied that we had not....having no clue that a correct response would entitle us to a fabulous prize.  As newbies, we were thrilled to learn that we qualified for a free dessert, which turned out to be the highlight of the entire meal.  Before we could even clutch our crucifixes, a Beelzebub-inspired concoction of "Churros meet Bananas Foster" was plopped before us. Hot and crispy on the outside/sweet and tender on the inside, cinnamon sugar laced lancets of pastry goodness had their inherent heinousness enhanced via accoutrements of  vanilla ice cream and caramelized banana slices.   Okay...I will, on the rarest of occasions, take free stuff.

Overall, this was an "OK" dining experience saved by a couple of quality spikes that kept me from stomping it into the ground with my boot heels.  The meal set us back $55 before gratuity which included a glass of Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay for me and a Big Nose Ale for UD  (not to mention the outstanding margarita).   Potential exists...follow-through is on them.  

http://thelimetampa.com/

Z Grille, St. Petersburg, FL

Z Grille has been on my wishlist for some time now.  I love downtown St. Pete and have had a vague awareness that Chef Zack Gross has been a James Beard Award Nominee (kind of like the Academy Awards for chefs), which gives one a certain level of bragging rights in the culinary world...and I left feeling like this guy probably deserved it.  While everything wasn't perfect, "delightful" trumped "okay" for the most part.

I will start with what didn't appeal to me.  The venue itself has an urban and somewhat chilly sterility that didn't turn me on all that much...stainless steel tables in a diner-esque environment with too-loud piped in music.  Music has its place in restaurants, but do we (especially "we" introverts) really want to shout over our meals?.  Unwarrantedly noisy restaurants send me spiraling into rabid-dining-bitch mode almost faster than foil-wrapped butter pats.  No biggie...it was a beautiful day, so we dined on the sidewalk.  Service, while getting it done, fell into the "meh" category...adequate (but barely) and hardly what I would categorize as "enthusiastic".

Let's go ahead and wrap up the negatives with my entrée. Chicken and Waffles is my favorite veggie, so there was no way I couldn't order it at Z Grille. "Cornflake & Sage Fried Chicken with Nueske Bacon, Caramelized Onion Waffle, Pink Peppercorn Butter, Bacon Maple Syrup & Applewood Smoked Cheddar Grits" thrilled on paper but fell short on the plate.  The dish was served at room temp with overcooked waffles, downright cold and decidedly unspecial grits with barely a hint of cheddar ("Quaker" was actually brought to mind) and a slab of dry, overcooked chicken breast.  This did not begin to hold a candle to the benchmark set by the Chicken and Waffles offering served at Café Dufrain.  For your viewing pleasure:

Things drastically improved when what was basically the Best Burger on the Planet was placed before UD...a house-ground Half Pound Ground Ribeye and Brisket Burger with Grilled Red Onion, Nueske Bacon, a generous slab of La Belle Farms Foie Gras, Roasted Garlic Tomatoes, Mayo and Truffle Fries...presented medium rare.  I'm not a huge burger girl, but I almost lost consciousness from ecstasy when I took a bite. This was one foodgasmic concoction.

While we're on the subject of fries, Z Grille's aptly named "WTF Fries" with black truffle, manchego and chives pretty much left everyone's heads and taste buds reeling.  They were some of the tastiest fries I've ever eaten.  I think ruffies might be the "secret ingredient".

Tim's "Dr. Pepper Fried Baby Back Ribs" provided a well-appreciated and inventive Southern U.S./Asian fusion moment.  Who knew there was even a culinary movement in that direction?  The sticky, tender ribs were most yummily enhanced by their sweet chili glaze and sesame slaw accompaniment.  A little bit of a brawl broke out since there weren't enough of them to go around, but the po-po settled us all down with the threat of tasering.

Our pal Rhonda gave high praise to her Chili Infused Shrimp Quesadilla...although it might be a tad spicy for the wimpier palate.  The roasted tomatoes, garlic, applewood smoked cheddar, plump shrimp and cilantro melded beautifully and the Poblano Cream Sauce was a perfect accoutrement which worked well to deliciously and effectively dial down the heat factor.  Oh...and isn't Ravishing Rhonda's bracelet to die for?  Everyone who tasted this gave two thumbs up.

Last, but not least, Spicy Jumbo Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with sambal butter, garlic, jicama slaw and baby iceberg.  I can't comment on the taste, but it looked pretty.  Definitely a menu selection for someone who has the willpower to forgo epicurean decadence in exchange for a closetful of Junior-sized clothing.  I think it's pretty much been established that I'll keep shoehorning bread pudding down my pie hole no matter how wide a ride I become. Kudos to Paula (aka Lettuce Wrap Gurl). 

Overall, our group really enjoyed Z Grille.  Most menu items we tried were well above average in taste, creativity and quality of ingredients...and the price structure was surprisingly reasonable.  While it wasn't foodie nirvana in every respect, it came pretty damned close in a few.

Oh...and the icing on the cake of this day was getting to feed the pelicans on the St. Pete Pier.  Maybe you haven't gotten the memo yet, but I was proclaimed their new Queen (at least until the next feeder threw down a five-spot).  I wish a bucket of slimy bait fish had the same influential effect on humans.

http://www.zgrille.net/

 

Bistro Atlantis, Dunedin, FL

I practically wag my tail until it's fractured when I dig up a hidden gem...makes me feel like a true "doggy girl" (an affectionate moniker bestowed by my beloved Underdog).  Yes, it's okay to go ahead and throw up in your mouths a little bit, because gawd knows old people in love are super-disgusting.  Blech.

Bistro Atlantis is an adorable oasis incongruously located in a fairly uninviting and older strip mall a few blocks from the almost cavity-inducingly charming main drag of downtown Dunedin.  Lookie how cute:

AND...there's an open kitchen with a dining bar.  That $#!+ always gets my pulse racing. Any resto that allows patrons to view the preparation of their offerings gets four paws up from me.

Lobster Bisque was creamy, liberally laden with lobster morsels and served with a bountiful drizzle of sherry.  You want this.

The Jumbo "Shrimp Atlantis" for two consisted of half a dozen sweet and perfectly grilled specimens of said crustaceans served awash in a Satanic bath of olive oil, lemon, white wine, garlic and feta...each fetchingly perched atop a perfectly toasted bread round.  Okay...it's a sharing plate, but I took four.  The possibility of winding up in divorce court seemed like a risk worth taking under the circumstances.

Apparently, I am never completely satisfied unless I can find at least one thing to bitch about...and in the case of Bistro Atlantis, it was the total lack of a Chardonnay offering of any kind (by the glass or bottle). Fortunately, our adorable server (sorry...missed her name) was quick with the suggestion of an acceptably rich and dry Pinot Grigio...deftly diverting an impending (and likely explosive) ugly Oenophilia scene.

Entrees could not have been finer.  The photo of  my local farm peppers stuffed with seasoned ground beef, pork, herbs, spices and rice did not begin to do them justice.  They kinda look like me with my non-made-up morning face and scarecrow hair, but trust me...they looked every bit as hawt as I do following a day of Botox, Juvaderm, brow sculpting, acrylic nails and salon highlights on the plate.  Actually, better...there's only so much you can do at my age.  Yeah, there was a plethora of spinach, but I have to get iron and folate from somewhere (last time I checked, wine wasn't a good source of either) and the feta cheese mashed potatoes were mind-blowingly good. 

Dogboy channeled a Neanderthal as he stripped clean the bones of his juicy, rare lamb chops served with more of the cheesilicious Med-seasoned mashed potatoes and green beans. 

Here's where you're gonna really start hating.  Imagine (if you can) Handmade and fried Pumpkin Ravioli, adorned with Marscarpone, Maple, Grand Marnier and Cinnamon.  It actually wasn't all that good.

April Fools' (and only a couple of hours early)! Imagine pumpkin pie on steroids and laced with crack.  Not that I've ever tried crack (or steroids for that matter), but I imagine they would invoke a similar effect. 

Dogboy surprised me when he ordered the Peanut Butter and Chocolate Pie, because neither of us are huge fans of either flavor...especially in that combination.  Yes, it was a little sweeter than my palate prefers, but it was freaking amazing.  The chocolate crust was thick, rich and decadent...making the perfect carrier for the luxuriously sturdy-yet-creamy peanut butter filling. I have only one thing to say about this, and it's "OMFG!".

Just in case you need a little inspiration following your Atlantis Bistro feast, there's plenty to be found in the Ladies' Room:

What can I say?  I loved this little bistro (lack of Chardonnay notwithstanding).  Ambience is most precious, service was attentive and the chef came over to personally check on us.  All of this plus five glasses of wine set us back around $120...dining dollars well spent!

http://www.bistroatlantis.com/