All Entries in the "Food & Drink" Category
Restaurant Review: Pizza Uno
It’s not often that I’m frustrated with a name I know and trust in the restaurant business. I found a perfect example of that frustration in Largo’s own Pizza Uno (12561 Ulmerton Rd, Largo, FL 33774-3629, (727) 517-0111), a mockery of the name made famous in Chicago for awesome pizza and otherwise amazing food. For anyone who has been to Chicago and has tried the real Pizza Uno, you know that everything on their menu is excellent. The food is hot, fresh and plentiful. The atmosphere is jubilant, fun and welcoming. It’s a genuinely fun place to be. Then there’s Largo’s interpretation, a completely different experience all together.
We’ll start with the actual building itself. A little place with one table as the dining room is hardly the atmosphere I came to know and love from the Uno name. When you enter the small dining area, you’re immediately met with a counter, a bare wall and a bad attitude. Even when they are not busy, the three men in the background seem grouchy, either ignoring their customers all together or snapping at them when they go to order. I was immediately put off by their attitude and the dull and uninviting nature of the restaurant.
I decided to order a philly steak sandwich, as it’s generally universally impossible to mess up philly steak. Begrudgingly, the guy behind the counter took my order said, “Give me 5 minutes”. I sat down and waited. 17 minutes later, he arrived with my white carryout container with a sandwich in it. Never once did he ask if I wanted to eat it here, or wanted a drink. He simply assumed that this would be a to-go and sent me on my way. I accepted, as just being here was making me uncomfortable.
The sandwich was absolutely everything I hate about the fast food industry. Firstly, the sandwich itself was smaller than I expected. When I pay close to $10 for a sandwich, I expect a foot long with lots of content. What I got was maybe 9″ of sandwich with dried out bread, tough meat and a disguising layer of cheese which was fooling no one.
The included pickle had no snap, no crunch. It was warm and lacked much flavor. The steak, even after grinding it with my tough repeatedly, was difficult to chew. It was as if they had some steak left over from the night before and just tossed it into a hoagie. Overall, very disappointing.
While I’m sure they aren’t connected to the famous Pizza Uno, it’s important to note that so others don’t make the same mistake I did. Lousy attitude, lousier food and no bargain, Pizza Uno is largo is the kind of crap I avoid all together.
Restaurant Review: Athenian Garden Restaurant
In my never end quest for high quality Greek food, I decided to try a place that is both famous and infamous throughout Pinellas County. Some people love it because of it’s reasonable prices and throwback to traditional Greek Cuisine. Others hate it because they claim sanitary issues and bad taste. My experience with Athenian Garden Restaurant (12670 Starkey Rd, Largo FL 33773, (727) 518-8888), formerly Faros Greek Italian Grill, has been satisfactory, both in cleanliness and in taste. While I wouldn’t say they’re the best Greek food I’ve had, they are satisfactory in portion size, taste and value.
The restaurant is nestled into the back of a strip mall along Starkey Road, all but hidden if you’re not looking for it. The building itself is unassuming, glass windows and a sidewalk lined with red and white umbrellas.
The inside is your typical diner attempting to imitate a Greek restaurant, filled with faux greek luxury, grape vines and similar archetypal relics. The waitstaff is courteous and quick, both to take the order and bring it out.
While we waited, they brought out a loaf of thickly sliced green bread. It wasn’t warm so the butter didn’t melt, but it also wasn’t like it was old and had been sitting out. While I was unimpressed with the bread, it was nice that they were prompt in bringing it out.
For the main course, I ordered the Gyro and Salad combo lunch. At $7, this gyro and salad are both quite large and filling. The salad is your typical Greek, including a dollop of potato salad in the center. All of the vegetables with fresh and the dressing was a bit too sweet for my tastes. It is a very filling salad, and probably wouldn’t have been enough by itself.
The gyro was definitely the star of the show. The waitress told me that this location alone serves up over 1000 gyros per week. I believe it, especially considering the price and the size. This was the largest pita I recall ever seeing and it was stuffed to the gills with lamb, red onions, tomatos and Tzatziki Sauce. Every bite was refreshing and satisfying. This is the way a gyro should be made.
I’ve been back to Athenian several times since and the service and food have all been consistent. While I definitely wouldn’t pick it over a place like Acropolis or even Little Greek, I’ve been impressed by their repeat performances and make this a part of my weekly rotation while in Largo.
Restaurant Review: Pop N Sons Diner
If you’re looking for old fashioned cooking in a fun 50s car themed environment Pop N Sons (4812 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33614-6510, (813) 875-9005) may be the perfect mix of nostalgia and home cooking. The food is your typical greasy spoon menu, complete with a robust breakfast, burgers, sandwiches and home cooked favorites. Pops N Sons is easy to find too, directing you from Dale Mabry with it’s lit arrow, a callback to 1950s’s classic red and white Americana marketing that can be seen throughout the restaurant.
The restaurant is more than just food and fond memories, as there are car shows and other events held here regularly. On the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month, a classic car show is help that often brings out 100 or more cars.
Since I was there for breakfast, I decided to order the Ham Steak. The waitress advised me, “That’s a big piece of ham, you know. You may be taking some with you.” I felt I was up to the challenge. The food arrived in about 10 minutes, just enough time for me to fully take in all of the neon wall art and the packed dining room.
The ham steak really was as big as she said. I’m guestimating the platter at 12″ x 8″ and it filled the whole platter at about a 1/4″ thick. This bone-in ham was deliciously cooked with just enough blackened spots to bring the sweet ham some sizzle. The eggs and hashbrowns I ordered with it are pretty standard for a diner like this. The chef got the over-easy call on the eggs right and whatever oil they cook the potatoes in was flavorful. I’d imagine their pans or skillet are good and seasoned from so many years of cooking this great comfort food that everything tastes a bit like everything made before it. I’m definitely not complaining.
Restaurant Review: Cheddar’s
I had been to the Cheddars in Clearwater, but never been to the one in Brandon (11135 Causeway Blvd, Brandon, FL 33511, (813) 653-7770) until recently. The one in Clearwater was acceptable, but I’d never call it “good food”. The one in Brandon managed to change my mind about that.
Dustan and I decided to go because we were in the mood for something plainly American on a lazy Saturday afternoon. While hunting for a Wing House, we passed Cheddars and noticed they weren’t that busy. Thus, my second attempt at Cheddars began. When we came to the front door, we were immediately greeted by a friendly set of people who sat us immediately.
The restaurant was actually a lot busier than I had thought, but we were still seated right away. I noticed as I walked through the dining area that this neat fan was installed facing the skylight. This was a step up form what I expected in a place like this, and it added a touch of rustic charm.
Since Dustan and I were both hungry, we ordered an appetizer, the kind of Combo Plate that gives you a bit of everything. This cornucopia of bar food included some fried chicken tenders, potato skins and large single-slice nachos. It’s important to note that the platter these come on is quite large and this is probably enough to feed two people by itself, but we proceeded with this and entrees as well.
The appetizers were good enough. Potato skins were a little rubbery and greasy, but otherwise the tray had a nice balance of meaty and pronounced flavors without being too fatty or too dry. The nachos were actually quite dense and heavy, thanks to a hefty layer of cheese over a hefty layer of beef. The chicken tenders, thick with chunks of white meat, came with a honey mustard dipping sauce which pushed them over the top. Very good, especially considering how light the breading was. They were just done enough, not overly fried, not overly oily and still rich in taste.
For my lunch, I decided to go with something that usually terrifies me, the Monte Cristo. Anyone who has ever ordered a Monte Cristo knows that you’ll never get the same sandwich as you ordered last time. Some places deep fry them in pancake dough, others in a light flour. Some coat in powder sugar and serve with a jam or jelly. Others coat in syrup. Some fill with ham, cheese and turkey, some missing one or more of the components. It’s truly an interpretive dish and very few get it the way I like it. Cheddars surpassed my expectations.
Not only did they have all of the meats and cheeses covered, but they used fresh (not crappy processed deli) meats. The cheese were abundant, hot and flowing from the slices. Whatever they used to coat it before frying it made the sandwich light and fluffy and hot, but not crunchy on the outside. The light powder sugar and the raspberry jam on the side were exactly what I was looking for. This way, I can choose how sweet I want it. Despite being very fully less than half way through the sandwich, I was very pleased with it and took the rest home to eat later. The fries it came with were acceptable, but I simply didn’t have room for many of them considering the portion size and the appetizer.
Dustan ordered the country fried steak, something I’ve seen him order many places and complain about in a good portion of them. He says this was very good, including providing enough gravy to cover both the mashed potatoes and the steak itself. The texas toast slice was also good, he remarked.
Restaurant Review: La Isla Bonita
Sandwiched between a tattoo shop and the unforgiving speed and lack of attention of Ulmerton Road, La Isla Bonita (9033 Ulmerton Rd, Largo, FL 33771-5312, (727) 588-0338) is a promising taste of latin flavors at reasonable prices that may soon be gone. Their location, both too expensive and hard to find, keeps the foot traffic low. In the few times I’ve been there, even during the weekday lunch hour, there’s never anyone there but the staff. When I walk in, I’m always greeted warmly and the owner stays enthusiastic while making my lunch, even as he explains how he’s about to go under if he doesn’t move to a better location. I sincerely hope they do, as their food is top notch, their service is good and the owner’s candid and friendly approach make this a great little place to eat.
This is traditional latin island food including slow roasted pork, chicken and beef served with rice, beans and shells. The food is distinctly Puerto Rican, and they obviously put a great deal of time into the slow cooking process that makes the meats so tender and juicy. During my photo shoot day, I ordered two tacos with pulled pork and a beef burrito.
The Tacos come loaded with tomatoes and lettuce over pork, filling the cream-slathered shell. They’re succulent and dripping, a bit salty but overall very flavorful. They are small, as far as tacos go, so you’ll want atleast two. The burrito is actually quite large and filled with meat and vegetables. No salsa is needed, as the steaming process that they use to keep the meat hot adds a good deal of moisture without zapping out the flavor.
The price is reasonable at La Isla Bonita. My whole meal, including two tacos, a burrito and a drink were under $15. Assuming Bonita makes it past the recession and gets some bodies in seats, it promises to be a Largo favorite. I just hope others don’t dismiss it because of it’s poor location and blink-and-you-miss-it store front.
Restaurant Review: Kathy’s Industrial Mart Sandwich Shop
At Kathy’s Industrial Mart Sandwich Shop (9218 Ulmerton RD Largo, FL 33771. (727) 518-6201), their name is just as much a mouth full as their portions.
Kathy’s is all classic diner, filled with old booths of various colors, pictures all over the walls, random bobbleheads and news clippings throughout. Many of the clippings and powers have to do with New York City, paying homage to firefighters, policemen and famous New Yorkers.
At the recommendation of the counter person, I ordered the Classic Cuban Sandwich and macaroni salad. This simple lunch came in at just under $10 and came out in just under 10 minutes. The cuban was as expected, being creamy and and hot with cheesy goodness throughout with a crunchy cuban bread. The meats were high quality, as I expect from Boar’s Head. This sandwich was also quite good size, around a 14″ in length and 4″ wide.
The real surprise was the Macaroni Salad. While the noodles were what I expected, the substrate of cheese and mayo was very good. They put something in with it to make it a little spicy and very rich tasting. I’ve seen been back to try their Philly Steak (very good!) and their Club Sandwich (also quite good), but always remember to order the Macaroni Salad because it’s that good.
Restaurant Review: Dakota’s Grill & Bar
Dakota’s Grill and Bar (7924 Ulmerton Road, Largo FL 33771, (727) 536-7380) is far more bar than grill, but the sign claims they do both.
If you’re there to watch a game on one of their many televisions, see one of the live bands that play there almost every night or enjoy some beers with friends, it’s your typical sports bar. The staff is attentive if not overly busy most of the time. The atmosphere is lively but not overly crowded. They have a good selection of beers and they’re served cold. If you’re looking for a bar, Dakota’s is a bar first and they do a good job at it.
As for the Grill side of the equation, they’re average at best. I had the Shepard’s Pie, which was not as good as I had expected. The potatoes came out cold. I expect them to be piping hot and filled with meat. The meat itself was your basic taco meat, nothing exceptional. While I expected carrots and corn to overwhelm the dish, there was very little to be seen. The taste was greasy and there wasn’t much else to it than the taste of the taco meat. All and all disappointing, even for bar food.
That said, I’ve been back to Dakota’s a few times since for the drinks and atmosphere and it’s good at being a bar. I’ll just be sure not to confuse myself with the Grill part any further.
Restaurant Review: Grande Pizza Largo
Located stumbling distance from Wild Willys, Grande Pizza (13355 Belcher Road S, Largo, FL 33771, 727-530-4703) makes New York style pizza at a reasonable price.
When entering, it’s a stereotypical pizza place. Open view of the oven with a simple counter and wood paneling. Everyone is hustling back and forth, filling orders. A thin kid comes to the register, big smile on his face and I order. He tells me it will be about 20 minutes, but it’s out in 12 minutes. That’s service!
Since I was getting a pie for the whole crew, I went with a large steak pizza. Generally, steak pizzas can either be really good or really bad. Grande Pizza uses thick cuts of steak, not that crappy shaved steak stuff that philly steak sandwiches are often made of. The pizza is large and thin, a tradition in New York style pizza. The sauce is a bit spicy, not what I’d call hot, but a bit of a bite back. The cheese, while thin, is fresh and tasty.
Overall, it was a very fulfilling pizza for the $12 I paid for it. While I wouldn’t rave about it as the best NY-inspired pizza I’ve had, I’d say it was a decent value and a fulfilling meal.
Restaurant Review: Boris Family Restaurant
After a pretty crazy morning at work rewiring a bunch of our network, I decided to do lunch at the Boris Family Restaurant (11411 Ulmerton Rd, Largo, FL 33778-1602,(727) 559-7986 ). The whole dining experience is your typical diner, nothing too fancy or overly exciting. It reminds me a lot of the roadside diners I grew up eating at in Michigan, and there’s something comforting about that. The vinyl seating is a little sticky and doesn’t offer much in comfort, but the food is a good value and is pretty good tasting, so this isn’t a bad place to catch a quick bite.
I was in a bit of a hurry, so I ordered what I know to be both quick and tasty, a Reuben Sandwich. They make their Reuben a la carte, everything comes on the side except the meat, cheese and bread. They do this to both give you some options and also to keep the lunch crowd from spilling hot sauces all over themselves. It makes sense, and I like the control.
The sandwich itself is decent, and as to be expected. The rye is butter-soaked all the way through and grilled, making the whole sandwich hot throughout. They don’t use a lot of meat or a lot of sauerkraut, but what they do provide serves the purpose. This isn’t he quality or quantity that you’d find in a New York Style deli, but it’s also substantially less expensive. My whole lunch, including drink and tip was only about $10. French fries and cole slaw were unremarkable, but prepared properly.
Since eating there originally, I’ve gone back twice for the Reuben (both times to go) and it’s been consistently good. Since it’s so close to work I can bet there and back inside of 15 minutes, thus cutting my lunches short and making the most of my 11 hour work day. If you’re in Largo and want quick dining on a budget, give Boris Family Restaurant a try.
Restaurant Review: Panos Kouzina
Kara and I were feeling in the mood for Greek Food, so we tried our hand at Panos Kouzina (3101 State Road 580 # G, Safety Harbor, FL 34695-4923, (727) 797-2667), Safety Harbor’s little Greek eatery with big taste and exceptional service. The layout is simple but elegant, seating about 30-35 people at most. Being in a strip mall, I generally wouldn’t expect much but was pleasantly surprised by the portion size, quality of food, attention to detail in the service and the overall positive experience we had.
Since we had a coupon in the Entertainment book for Buy One, Get One, we decided to go all out and try a few extras. Firstly, we tried the French Onion Soup. I know what you’re saying, why would anyone order FRENCH onion soup in a GREEK restaurant? Why not?! It was on the menu, and I had to try it. I’m very glad I did. They got it exactly right, including rich beefy broth, plenty of cheese and the bread inside of just the right consistency. Every bite was great. Even Kara, who usually doesn’t like FOS, enjoyed it.
We also got a greek salad to split. It was exactly as it should have been, relying on lots of chunked feta, olives, sweet peppers and a home made Greek Dressing. The dressing was exactly the way I like it too, more oily with spices and herbs than creamy. It was definitely a great appetizer and actually filled me up more than I wish it would have.
With the soup and salad, they brought out some bread. It was soft throughout with a nice buttery crunch, dusted with herbs and garlic. If all bread was like this, I’d be a thousand pounds. By the time I had worked my way through the bread, I was actually getting too full to enjoy my coming entree. I decided to soldier on and eat it anyway.
My entree, the 3-Meat Gyro Platter, wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be but I was very pleased with the results. When I think of a platter, I imagine piles of meat and vegetables all deconstructed, waiting for me to make it into the final result. What I got was six separate half-sandwiches, comprised of chicken, lamb and pork. Construction aside, the food was delicious. The meats were succulent and cooked just right, complimented by the richest and most decadent Tzatziki sauce I’ve ever eaten. I could tell this sauce was home made because the garlic was so aromatic and flavorful that I found myself licking it off my fingers like a feverish dog. I even got some to go, which I found myself putting on everything from omelettes to toast to biscuits over the next week. Amazing. That’s all I can say about it. The sauce alone would be worth the price of admission, but it was an awesome center to an all around excellent meal.
Kara had the Tuscan Alfredo, a Fettuccini Alfredo dish tossed with spinach, tomatoes and grilled chicken. She had them add artichokes because she’s been on this artichoke kick lately. She continued to comment as she ate it that it was creamy and flavorful. I snuck a bite and was also very impressed. I’m amazed by how many people mess up Alfredo, but Panos does it just right.
This is an excellent value in dinner. With our coupon, everything said and told was under $30 for the two of us, including all the extras, drinks and the tip for the exceptional service. Throughout dinner, we continued to make “Manos: Hands of Fate” jokes at each other, a play on the name of the restaurant and that horrible Mystery Science Theatre 3000 movie. All jokes aside, this was a first class meal and I had left overs for 2 full days afterwords. The next time I find myself in Safety Harbor, I’m going back for more.