Feb 15 2025

The River’s Edge


6226 Ohio Ave,
Gibsonton, FL 33534

… more pix n videos on Google Maps, Yelp, TA

Probably will return.

The River’s Edge Bar & Grill is average. Casual. Relaxing. Pool tables. Bikers. I don’t think they’ve deck guys to help boaters, on the Alafia River.

We’ve BLT and stuffed crab: all good. P.S.: they’ll take $1 off if you don’t want coleslaw & fries.

Bikers vests are beautiful.

Live music is about to start as we’re leaving at 1:30.

Their bathrooms are between permanent and port-a-potty: they’re outside but they have regular toilets and sinks. Not sure they’ve a/c too, during the hot days.

 


Feb 13 2025

Forbici Modern Italian


1633 W Snow Ave,
Tampa/Hyde Park, FL 33606

… more pix n videos on Google Maps, Yelp, YT, OpenTable, TA

Definitely will return.

We pass by this restaurant all the time. So decided to come here for my celebratory dinner: the frivolous lawsuit filed by Hales Blackbrick of Tampa against me over my review in December 2023 has just been dismissed without prejudice this morning. They sure will come back and try again, but that won’t deter me from celebrating my first milestone: defending my right to speak truth.

Forbici has high ceiling, industrial decor, with great service and delicious foods. It has mixed clientele: dressed up women, and family/mothers with kids.

I particularly like

– deliciously red sauce
– good stems
– hot and frothy milk with hot coffee
– tiramisu – the best in Florida so far

The hot coffee claim: this may sound petty and bewildering but it’s NOT: the coffee at Hales Blackbrick was lukewarm – enough, resting my case here.

The hot milk – it’s the best because I love my milk hot and NO One that I’ve been to does this – this alone worth returning.

The wines – the super Tuscan is just super.

The staff is helpful and genuine – thank you.

We’ve
– Suppli: tasty and soft, filling.
– Meatball: yummy but not fluffy
– lasagne: yummy
– mussels: chubby and clean
– coffee: hot
– tiramisu: the best in Florida – both texture and taste

The meatball is rather dead – this is in light of me comparing it to Chinese lionhead which are large and soft. Silly me.

Hope they won’t forget the container for the mussel shells next time. The young kid did say that he’ll bring one but I’d rather use their bread plate – pretty.

The bathroom – neat and handsome. But the first two stalls are messy – one has toilet tissue on the floor and the second one has a plastic cup in the toilet bowl – hey patrons, pls pick up after your self, your cleaner isn’t there to do it for you.

Being at one end of the chichi street, it makes parking easier.


Feb 9 2025

Pazzo on Orange, Italian


481 N Orange Ave,
Sarasota, FL 34236

… more pix n videos on Google Maps, Yelp; add it to TA

Will return.

Dark wood and granite (?) decor on a lovely street. It has indoor and outdoor sections. A big fireplace outside.

Love their thin stems and water tumblers. … but then the server gave us different glasses the second run: dull and thick. If I knew I would not have ordered another drink.
Ok, I went to the bar and asked for a thin stem.

Like their spicy olive oil a lot.

Are they New York Italian? No sure: is it Little Italy Italian or Arthur Avenue in Bronx Italian? In any case, their food is delicious.


We’ve
– arugula salad w/ Shiitake mushrooms
– eggplant rollatini
– clams in white
– mussels in red with raw garlic and pungent wine sauce… and I took the sauce home – can’t take me anywhere.

Thanks for deciding the salad. When they brought the hot food, they warned us that the plates are hot … in fact, non of the three are hot, not even warm.

I thought the eggplant rollatini would be thin and small that I can finish it all as an appetizer. Wrong: three large and fat piece: a little too ‘meaty’. After one I felt I’m full.

We’re too full to try their dessert.
Next time.

The busy girl (?) is pleasant, warm and cute.

Rushing home to watch the rest of Super Bowl!


Feb 4 2025

Pier 22, Bradenton


1200 1st Ave W,
Bradenton, FL 34205

… more pix n videos on Google Maps, Yelp, TA & OpenTable.

Will return.

On the Manatee River, west of Green Bridge. Huge. Indoor and out sections. Busy. Fish tanks. Red sauce. Warm bread – 70 degree is cool by the water. Good service and very good food.

We’ve

  1. Escargo
  2. Calamari w/ white sauce
  3. Grouper cake w/ white sauce
  4. Chowder
  5. Mushroom Arancini w/ red sauce

All are delicious, except the two white sauces – just too sweet. I asked for their red instead, which is so much better. I also don’t care for their butter which is house made with butter, cream cheese, Boursin – tastes good but I prefer the simple butter.

The chowder is good but Smith & Wollensky’s having had it just couple of weeks ago, is better, not as thick.

If I’ve to pick one in this area, I prefer this one over Oak n Stone.

Parking is relatively easy on this Monday night.

A very good stop before the ballet.


Jan 28 2025

Vino Bistro, tapa wine bar


1419 5th St.
Sarasota, FL 34236

… more pix n videos on Google Maps, Yelp, TA

Will return

High ceiling. Industrial. Mellow. Good service. Great wines: like the Auspicion.

Photos are for sale. One of them has price tag at $195. We pass by it all the time. And today I took a pic of it, out of no reason … maybe there is a reason that I did 😂


Jan 27 2025

Beijing House 北京桃园


1441 E Fletcher Ave #107
Tampa, FL 33612

… more pix n video on Google Maps, Yelp, TA

Probably will return.

We passed by this place a few times and did take out today after our lunch at Flaming Mountain.

Good decor, service and food. We ordered

  1. string beans
  2. pork knuckles
  3. lamb stew

Meats are tender but string beans are over cooked, too soft.

There are a quite few restaurants at this strip, mostly Asian plus the Florida west coast Chinese chamber of commerce, on the 2nd floor.

The CCC has just opened recently (1 to 2 years). The previous owner of the stripe was a Chinese who allowed up to three Chinese restaurants to open here.

 


Jan 27 2025

Flaming Mountain, Chinese


13520 University Plaza St
Tampa, FL 33613
USF

… more pix and video on Google Maps, Yelp & TA (added)

Probably will return.

We made a wrong turn from going to Beijing House, so ended up here.

No frill decor, decent food and good service, with one young man serving.

Per the Michelin guide, this restaurant operates by husband & wife team, Hongfeng Li and Ling Wu who are from Shenyang 沈阳, the provincial capital of Liaoning, one of three northeast provinces that collectively called Dongbei 东北, the rust belt.

Xinjiang, in the northwest, has sandstone hills, named Flaming Mountains 火焰山. Not sure they’ve any relation. But skewers 烤串 are popular in both regions.

The kitchen seems to extends to the front. I hear the clunking of the wok but don’t smell any cooking fragrance – good ventilation.

We’ve

  1. A4 Malatang 麻辣烫
  2. E22 Grilled eggplant 蒜蓉茄子
  3. D3 Chongqing spicy chicken 重庆辣子鸡

A4 is way too salty, even for me, a salt lover. Three whole shrimps (with heads and tails) have thick black veins, are over cooked.

Eggplant and chicken are very flavorful.

Initially we ordered Spicy noodles 鱼香面 The chef yelled from the kitchen that he doesn’t have it, in Chinese. So both I and the server laughed, who doesn’t have to relay it to me.
“What doesn’t he have?” I asked
“The spice.” The server said.

They serve beers.

 


Jan 25 2025

CNY @ Umi Sushi & Seafood Buffet


1528 W Brandon Blvd,
Brandon, FL 33510

… more pix on Google MapsGoogle Maps, YelpYelp n TA

A Chinese New Year / lunar New Year lunch gathering with neighbors. It’ll be the year of the snakes.

Probably will return.

Lovely lightings. Very good service and decent food.

Came here with the pickleball group, to celebrate upcoming Chinese lunar new year – the year of snakes, which falls on next Wednesday, Jan 29.

Plenty food, mostly Chinese, soups, suchi, desserts, made to order noodles – hamachi, raw bar … quantity is better than quality.

 

 


Jan 17 2025

Flan Factory


1718 N Nebraska Ave.
Tampa, FL 33602

… more pix on Google Maps, Yelp n TA.

Probably will return.

Love flan and I finally made it to this cafe -:) All the times before was either they closed, or too late or forgotten.

It’s a full cafe, with a spacious room to the right.

Flans are in aluminum ramekins – I was hoping for a small cake, round or square or rectangle. The girl was nice, offered a box … without a bag. Oh well.

I tried four flavors:

  1. original
  2. coffee
  3. coconut
  4. salted carmel

They’re all solid, thick, deadly serious. All the flans I had and loved were light, airy and lively. The coconut flavor among the four is my fave.

Lunch at Rosenheim was better.


Jan 17 2025

Rosenheim


2001 N 22nd St,
Tampa, FL 33605

… more pix n videos on Google Maps, Yelp & TA

Will return.

This Mediterranean / Middle Eastern restaurant in Ybor City is authentic, clean and simple decor with fake greens and candles. Two sections in doors and one outdoor area.

Good service and food.

We’ve

  1. Fried kibbeh
  2. Baba ghanoush
  3. Grilled halloumi
  4. Spinach pizza

They’re all good, I liked the meat balls (kibbeh) and halloumi very much.

Four Arabic speaking aunts came, owner received them warmly. One of the aunt has a cute dog, who asked me if I was ok with it – it’s very ok -:)

The parking lot is across the street. Their bathroom has a spigot. I’ve never been to the Mideast but this is very common in Asia. When I redid my bathroom, I asked the contractor to install a drain and spigot. He didn’t, saying the drain would smell.

As we were driving away, I saw the go to wine bar Beaune’s Wine Bar @ Chateau Cellars is on the other end of the same block.

… I finally get to Flan Factory.