May return to this Japanese steakhouse. Good service, rather bland food.
We’ve
· soft shell crab: 2/5
· steak: the filet mignon is tender
· chicken: good
· scallops: tender
The tableside chef speaks Mandarin and told me the rice is freshly made, which is their usual. I vaguely remembered that Hong Kong chefs prefer fried rice cold.
Bring your sunglasses: coming out at 1:30, I can hardly open my eyes -:)
Pulpo Kitchen & Lounge is a new (year-old?) Latin and Peruvian-inspired restaurant and bar in St. Pete’s Grand Central District.
I like their thin wine glasses and the patterns and colors on their plates.
We’ve
· Arios – bit too dry
· Camino de Navaherreros
· Castro Ventosa
· Clos de Los Siete ‘C7’
· Pork belly – soft
· Shrimp – succuent
· Pulpo – tender
· Squid ink rice chimichurri – good
The white is on the dry side, but the three red wines are delicious.
I appreciate well-prepared pork belly, and theirs is, although a little sweet, the texture is right. The pulpo and squid have distinct tastes: yummy.
We went there to have a few drinks before the Rays game, but two men at the bar explained that their happy hour starts next week. Oh well. I like their decor enough to stay. Other than drinks, we had a few small plates.
They’ve an outdoor section to the side, and sidewalk has a few tables too.
• Fried calamari
• Salmon
• Grouper
• Fish taco
• COD sandwich
• Coral reef pasta
All are very good. Their chunky marinara is wonderful (not sweet), and so is the calamari. The salmon is fine.
The service is cold and slow. A lone receptionist was on the phone for a long time before getting to us. Our server was slow while other serving staff were chatting loudly by the station near our table.
We frequent here, and I really love to give them 5 stars, but I couldn’t: there is something that just doesn’t warrant the full count. This time is the rushing and the rice.
Our reservation was at 5:15, but we arrived at 4:45. At the time of the reservation, I asked for a balcony table. Maybe it was too early to open that section. But they sat us by a door, the worst table in the area. Why? It wasn’t busy, with many available.
My paella rice isn’t fully cooked.
The server began removing the entry plates and utensils while most of us were still eating.
The most recent La Bohéme was Feb 2026 at Sarasota: a love story worth experiencing again and again.
All is good: very good production; very able singers; and so-so audiences.
Latecomers are allowed, and so are the drinks. The site manager told me that the opera company told him to accommodate latecomers.
This is their last few shows before the major renovation. One hope is that they screen in the little corridor to the left: sitting out there for a mere five minutes, I was being eaten alive. Oh well, it proves that I’m still attractive to the bugs -:)
All are good, but the last two there’s something I’d like to pick on.
They shouldn’t add haixian / Hoisin sauce on the pancake: on the side is better as they’ve. Also, the pancake is too oily, like fried crispy dough pancake 油饼.
The soup of the noodles has MSG: so they doubt if their cruliary skill? Can’t image anyone can ruin a beef soup.
Love their green flat blows/plate. It looks better with their logo. They’ve a few branches, started in New York, which I used to go. It called Kung Fu XLB. Wondering why would they change to Kitchen in Brandon?
The decor is better and bigger than their New York shop.
The wall art by the bathroom is beautiful. Appreciate spacious and clean bathroom.
This oriental market is, in fact, quite large, which I didn’t realize the last time, when it was an in-and-out trip.
An ordinary Asian supermarket, pleasant and clean. Some sections are not labeled. When we checked out, the line was unusually long, but management didn’t bother to lengthen the second cashier.
Michael Carpenter of Redd Collection is the owner of a wine store in Culver City, CA. One day in 2013 he received an order to ship 115 bottles of 2008 Varvaglione “Papale” Primitivo di Manduria. As he sloppily wrote the address, he realized it was the Vatican, home to the Pope, and some cardinals.
Pope Francis (1936-2025) was about to take the helm on March 13, 2013. (As usual, he died on the job. I’m wondering who actually rules the Vatican, toward the end of each Pope?)
