Key Lime Pie For Christmas

Every year, my in-laws pack up their gigantic RV and head down to Florida for the Holidays. I feel like I won the in-law lottery when it comes to my hubby's folks. I genuinely enjoy their company. Because I love my in-laws so much, I like to spoil them with their favorite foods. One such food is my Key Lime Pie.
It's my father-in-laws favorite sweet treat. He's a self proclaimed Key Lime Pie aficionado and tells me mine is the best. I don't know if I can warrant that bragging right, but I do make it with a lot of love. Perhaps that's why it is so good.
This year, I'd like to share my Key Lime Pie recipe with all of you. Even if you are scared of the kitchen, you can make this pie. It's just that easy.
There's some controversy over whether a traditional Key Lime Pie should be baked. My recipe is a baked version. I like to air on the side of caution when it comes to feeding masses of people and raw egg yolk can be iffy for the digestive systems of less adventurous eaters. I also like to make fresh whipped cream instead of a meringue top. To me, less is more when it comes to this tart pie. Let the Key limes do the talking.
I hope you try out this puckeriffic little pie. Let me know how it goes.

Key Lime Pie

15 graham crackers, crushed
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ pound butter
4 large eggs, yolks only
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
13 key limes, juiced
2 teaspoons lime zest
1 cup whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix the crackers, butter and 2 tbsp sugar together. Press into a 9” pie dish. Bake for 12 minutes until the pie shell is golden.
Meanwhile beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer until they lighten in color and thicken. About 4 minutes. Add the condensed milk and ¼ of the lime juice, and whisk until combined.
Add another ¼ of the lime juice and whisk until combined. Add the remaining lime juice and the lime zest. Mix to combine thoroughly.
Pour the lime mixture into the pie shell, and bake for 12 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Whisk the whipping cream and 1-tablespoon confectioner’s sugar until it forms soft peaks. Serve Pie with a dollop of whipped cream.

Holiday Cooking Classes in the Heights!

Cooks & Company is offering Cooking Classes! Come out and join me and my Executive Chef Hubby. It will be loads of fun!!!!!!!!

Perfect Pie Cooking ClassCooks & Co will be taking reservations for the Perfect Pie Cooking Class. Students will be taught how to make 3 perfect Holiday Pies, a Caramel Apple Streusel Pie, a Chocolate Mousse Pie, and a Turtle Pecan Pie.
Students will learn the techniques Pastry Chefs have known for years. By the end of the class, you will have the skills not only to re-create these original Pie recipes, but to also design your own original recipes.
Perfect Pie Cooking Class
Thursday 12/20
6PM-9PM
$45 per student, minimum 5 students required
Class held in Chef Greg’s kitchen.
Call to book your spot, spaces are limited.
813-500-3205

The 2 Hour Christmas Dinner Cooking Class
Cooks & Co will be taking reservations for the 2 Hour Christmas Dinner Cooking Class. Executive Chef Greg will teach students how to make the perfect Christmas dinner in only 2 hours! The menu will include Bourbon and Honey Glazed Ham, White Truffle Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Cassoulet, and Green Chile Corn Bread Muffins. Students will learn gourmet recipes that will make their Holiday guests savor this special time of year.
The 2 Hour Christmas Dinner Cooking Class
Friday 12/21
6PM-9PM
$55 per student, minimum 5 students required
Class held in Chef Greg’s kitchen.
Call to book your spot, spaces are limited.
813-500-3205

Pho.....Fo Sho

While doing time in Texas (and oh yes, living in Texas is like doing time in prison), I got hooked on Vietnamese cuisine. I lived in Austin (Note: Austin is not in Texas, it is surrounded by Texas.)
A large hippie movement ensued through the late sixties and early seventies throughout Austin. Janis Joplin was a product of this Texan town. She would play acoustic at the Armadillo (a local college kid hang out and “newspaper”) while attending University of Texas. Many soldiers returned to the Austin area after the Vietnam War. I am guessing that’s where the surge of Vietnamese restaurants came from.
I would frequent two said restaurants. One on The Drag (street bordering the UT campus with college kid-like shops and restaurants) and the other closer to home. Both were equally good and both served the heavenly Pho.

Pho (pronounced fuh) is a traditional Vietnamese dish, equivalent to the American Hamburger. Everybody in Vietnam eats Pho and every family has their own recipe. Pho is a beef noodle soup. It is served with finely juilenned cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, and cilantro. Typically the beef is flank, but in more traditional establishments the meat would include tripe and tendon. It sounds so simplistic, but yet it is so addictive.
So, while on a mission to North Tampa via Dale Hell Mabry, I drove through a little section of Waters Ave where all of the business signs change from English to Vietnamese and Korean. Tampa’s own little Vietnam/ Korea Town. This is where I discovered Pho An Hoa.
I decided on my way back, I would give it a go. 1 ½ hours later (Dale Mabry!!!) I passed it up twice trying to find it again.
The little plaza Pho An Hao rests in is nothing to brag about. It could use some paint and a good scrubbing, but I ventured on, because what’s my motto? Yes, that right. If the place is consistently packed then there most always is a reason.
Greg and I walked in to find a trendy looking; tattooed couple sitting enjoying two hefty bowls of Pho. Two Vietnamese women sat at another table enjoying the remnants of their steamy bowls.
The inside was unremarkable. Tiny space, white walls, brown tables. We sat at the end of a community table and were promptly greeted by a tiny woman who handed us menus and smiled through every word she said. On the back of the menu, she showed us they had Bubble Tea.

Now, if you have never had Bubble Tea, you have to try it. It’s like an Asian Milk Shake. It comes in a huge variety of fruit flavors and has tea pearls (or Black Tapioca balls) in it. The same pearls you would find in Chai Tea. If you prefer to stay away from caffeine, your safe with this drink at this restaurant, but ask at any other establishment because sometimes the Bubble Tea is used with caffeinated tea.
Greg ordered the Green Apple Bubble Tea, due to a communication barrier, I ordered a 7up.
The menu was filled with the traditional Pho and other Vietnamese staples. At first, we both thought we would go for the Pho, but then saw the other side of the menu, filled with other traditional Vietnamese dishes like Pork In A Claypot, Beef & Lemongrass, and Pork, Egg roll, and Vermicelli.
We ordered a round of Spring Rolls and the Pork, Egg Roll, and Vermicelli. When you walk into these little joints that don’t look so pretty on the outside or on the inside, a good rule of thumb is to steer away from the seafood dishes until you see many other regulars eating the seafood. Why? Because, raw seafood has a short shelf life and smaller establishments aren’t as likely to throw iffy seafood out until the whole thing is borderline, at best. HOWEVER, every once in awhile I will gamble with food poisoning because I am less susceptible than most. I am a culinary professional who has eaten tacos on the side of the road in Mexico. I have eaten things most Americans wouldn’t dare look at. I ask you to consider this statement the next time you find yourself in an iffy situation. If you feel you must, discreetly smell the seafood before consuming it. The nose knows.
With that said, the Spring Rolls arrived.
Two large silken rice wraps filled with the biggest shrimp and freshest cabbage, carrots, and cilantro I have seen in awhile. The Spring Rolls were served with a Peanut dipping sauce that very well could have been made that morning. There would be no risk of food poisoning here. The shrimp was sweet and fresh. It was cooked perfectly without any unnecessary seasoning. It allowed the shrimp to actually be a flavor.
The wrap was tight and light. I could have eaten 12 of these babies. This is the kind of food your body likes. It’s happy when you feed it things like Spring Rolls. Everything is in it’s raw state and again, it is very simplistic but the combination of raw flavors create a superfluous taste sensation.
The Pork, Egg Roll, and Vermicelli
was just as good and just as simple. The pork was sliced very thin and sautéed with chopped peanuts very quickly at a very high heat. Just high enough to allow the natural, healthy oils of the peanuts to meld with the paper thin pork. It is then served atop cooked vermicelli rice pasta. Along side the pasta is more raw cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, grated ginger, and cilantro. One fried and sliced egg roll finishes the dish. A small ramekin of fish sauce with scallions is also served to create a broth. The concept is to pour the fish sauce into the bowl and mix the veggies with the pork and egg roll. Upon mixing, it becomes a complete dish. Simplistic and delicious. All of the ingredients were very fresh and cooked to perfection.
I can’t say that Pho An Hao is the best Vietnamese in Tampa, because I haven’t tried any other places. I can say Pho An Hao has exceptionally fresh, traditional, delicious food.
As we sat enjoying our lunch, many regular patrons filled the tiny restaurant, most of them Vietnamese Americans.
If it’s not the best in Tampa, then Tampa has some pretty damn good Vietnamese restaurants.
Go explore your South East Asian side. Your body will thank you.

4 Possums
Pho An Hoa
1420 W Waters Ave suite 106
9 AM – 10 PM Closed Tuesday
Cash Only. Very Inexpensive

TNT's Southern Spice is DY-NO-MITE!!!!!!

I’ll start this blog out by saying, YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO TRY THIS PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
With that said, I’ll share my experience. Brace yourself, it’s a long one.

Awhile back, I made a comment about getting out there and trying out the little places you may not ordinarily try. My motto, as printed to your left, is one should not be afraid to try restaurants based on their exterior face. If the place is packed on a consistent basis, then there most always is a reason. TNT’s Southern Spice is this very reason.
Jeff Houck recommended we should all go and try out TNT’s Southern Spice. He had been referred by a reader. Me, being a Southern born and bred girl, could not resist. I finally got my chance this past Saturday and oh, what a chance it was.

You will drive through a once very scary part of town, but now the bars are coming off the windows and new residents are rehabbing left and right. You’ll end up just on the north side of I-4 and Ybor, surrounded by old Cigar factories that are in the midst of renovation. In a little building, you’ll find TNT’s Southern Spice. The inside is nothing fancy; it’s a little warm, new booths sit 4 in a row. A counter greets you with a printed menu and a dry erase board with the actual menu and so does Tammy, one of the Ts in TNT’s. The USF football game reels on a large flat screen TV.

Here are just a few of the choices on this particular Saturday:
Oxtails, Meatloaf, Chittlins, Fried or grilled pork chops (a note read: All fried items are made to order and may take 20-25 minutes), Fried chicken, Chicken and Waffles, Banana Pudding, and Peach Cobbler. There was a lot more and I intended on remembering them all, but I was so inebriated after eating, I forgot most.

I ordered Fried Pork Chops, Mac & Cheese, and black eyed peas. All dishes are served with white rice and gravy. I also couldn’t resist the Peach Cobbler. I make a fine Peach Cobbler, damn fine and enjoy good competition. My hubby ordered Oxtails, Collards, Mac & Cheese and Banana Pudding. He too could not resist the Banana Pudding.

We sat at a booth, anticipating the arrival of what we hoped to be the best meal we would have that month. For a very, very long time we had decided that the South had left Tampa and no good authentic Southern cooking could be found. We would find we were dead wrong. Twiddling our thumbs and pretending to watch the football game (we know nothing about football nor care to know) we anticipated the arrival of our Southern bounty. FINALLY! Tammy came through the swinging doors, arms loaded. Granted, it had only been about 10 minutes.

The plates were huge. Two enormous Fried Pork Chops, a heaping portion of white rice with REAL gravy, a side bowl of REAL Mac & Cheese, a side bowl of Black Eyed Peas with a few green beans poking through, and a gigantic bowl of Peach Cobbler. Okay, first and foremost, the Fried Pork Chops. The chops were thin and had a nice semi-spicy flour breading. They were fried to perfection, still juicy. I prefer a little less fried, but a lot of people still think pork must be cooked until it is leather. It didn’t make a difference, the pork chops were awesome. In good Southern form, I immediately poured my Black Eyed Peas over my white rice and “God said it was good”. The rice was well cooked and the gravy was a homemade pan-gravy made from the au jus of roasted oxtails. It had the entire flavor of real home cooking as did the Black Eyed Peas. These were definitely cooked from dried beans, not canned. They were definitely slow cooked with a ham hock or three; fresh cut green beans, and a good amount of necessary seasoning. It was good, damn good. Now for the Mac & Cheese. I didn’t grow up eating Mac & Cheese out of a blue box. As a kid, it was a treat to get the blue box stuff. Why? Because it was what all of my friends had. What I got was 100% homemade Mac & Cheese with a saltine cracker top. There would be no flour roux made to ensure a creamy cheese fondue. It was boiled macaroni pasta, mixed with hand grated cheddar cheese (at least 2 blocks), real butter (at least a pound), and topped with a cracker crust and baked for about 35 minutes. It is an absolute wonder I stayed as skinny as I did throughout my childhood. My family often joked that I had a hallow leg and I am beginning to think I did. This Mac & Cheese was the real stuff, the good stuff. This is TNT’s Macaroni and Cheese.

One bite and I was brought back to sitting at the kid’s table at my Great Aunt Eddie’s home (which resided on Kirby Ave) surrounded by family. All of the women would be in the kitchen baking and cooking and stirring and mixing. All of the men would be watching the football game of the day, typically a Bucs game when they wore orange and white uniforms. My Great Uncle Earnest getting all rowled up over a “bad call”, my Great Grandmother sitting at the head of the table in her arm chair smiling; half aware of anything going on around her, and my other family members pinching my cheeks every time they passed. Home. That’s what TNT’s Mac and Cheese tastes like, home.

The Oxtails were also sensational. Now, for those who do not know what Oxtails are, allow me to “esplain”. Oxtails are the tails of cows, not oxes. It’s just beef, nothing gross. Same as beef short ribs, just another part of the cow. They contain cartilage which attaches the meat to the bone. It makes for a great braised meat as exemplified by TNT’s Slow Braised Oxtails. The Collards tasted like home too, slow cooked with ham hocks and onion. Little swirls of ham hock juice wrapped around each collard leaf. Perfect.

My god, I need to light a cigarette just to write about the Cobbler and Pudding. The Cobbler definitely gives me a run for my money. First, the portion was huge. The perfect combination of cinnamon and nutmeg accented canned peaches. Every good Southern cook knows Cobblers should be made from canned fruit. Our ancestors made Cobblers during the winter months with the fruit they had canned the previous summer. It’s part of the dish. Fresh fruit just doesn’t belong in a Cobbler. I’m not saying TNT canned their own peaches, but they used what should have been used. The dough had to have been made with some of the canned peach juice and had just enough caramelized dough rippled through the cobbler. This was one fine Cobbler.
The Banana Pudding was equally as large and equally as good. Vanilla wafers (still crispy, not mushy from sitting in a fridge for way too long) circled the outside of the bowl which was filled with creamy banana pudding, more wafers, and cut bananas. You would think it would be hard to mess up banana pudding, but my friends, I have seen it happen before. TNT; however, made it perfectly.
On our departure, I chatted with Tammy a bit. She told me they had opened 2 years prior and her and her girlfriend, Toya owned the joint. Hence, T N T, Tammy and Toya. Toya cooks everything. Tammy runs the front. You could tell they were very pleased with their food. You could tell these were the same recipes Toya’s family would cook every Sunday, just like my family did.

TNT’s Southern Spice is 100% authentic Southern Soul food. Everything was truly exceptional. Menu's change daily and they even pull out the BBQ on Fridays (i'll be gettin' me sum of dat!). Give TNT’s Southern Spice a try. They have football catering menus as well as Thanksgiving catering menus. These ladies know good Soul Food.

4 Possums
TNT's Southern Spice
2802 N 16th St
Tampa, 33605
(813) 247-2540 Limited Seating and Take Out
Open Lunch and Dinner (until 7pm) Tues-Sat and 12-5 on Sunday. Closed Monday.

One Stop Shop

On the corner of Hanna and Florida sits the One Stop. Yes, a convenient store. It has the normal convenient store things. Chips-galore, hot-dogs churning along aluminum piping, and every soda known to man. It also carries beer (a descent selection), wine (a surprisingly decent selection), and those little individual packets of every over-the-counter drug known to man. They sell cigarettes (including American Spirits), Nudie Magazines, and laundry soap. It is a convenient store, by name and definition. One Stop provides convenience for the every day little things one does not want to drive to Publix or Wal-Mart for.
I like One Stop. I like the guys who work there. Max is the guy you most often see. He's friendly, remembers your name, and fast. More often than not, I have purchased my goods while Max consoled a customer about some catastrophic event in the customer’s life. Husband’s cheating, relatives dying, and the likes. You see, Max has a degree in Psychology and likes to listen to people’s problems. He doesn't judge between the transients who use Florida Ave as the super-transient-highway, he doesn't make opinions about the women who come in with their purse dogs and faux Prada bags. He just listens. He analyzes. He recommends, but he does not judge.
Next time you need a cold Gatorade or a pack of smokes, head over to the One Stop. You may find convenience for your mind as well.

Three Coins Has A New Owner....again.

Three straight 18 hour days will kill a person, as I almost found out. Business is good right now (no complaints), but it can take a toll. You begin to lose touch with friends, national events, and loved ones. 3 days can make a person feel like they have been exiled on a deserted island for 3 years. Into day 2, I began to realize why Tom Hanks made his Coconut friend. At the end of Day 3 (it was only a 13 hour day), I bee lined it for New World Brewery for some much needed Pint Therapy and Socialization with people who would not be hiring me. I got quite a few calls earlier that day from friends I had not see in awhile and took it as a sign, but I am rambling. (On with the point Michelle!)
The next morning, with a dry mouth and a throbbing head, I headed for 3 Coins. Many people have their own secret hang-over cures. I personally find grease to ease the pain, followed by a nap. So off we (my husband) went. Over the bridge and through the woods, to 3 Coins. I'm not going to go into the experience I had this day. Let's just say we left hungry. It was not the usual 3 Coins food or service. Maybe they had an off day, maybe a catastrophe happened minutes before we arrived. The point of this email is to announce that 3 Coins is under new ownership as of the beginning of October. What???!!!!! Where's Moe? No mo Moe? He was great. Always there, always smiling. He alone turned 3 Coins around in a very short time, making it THE diner in Tampa.
Dino Tsontzos is the new proud Papa of 3 Coins, according to Brian Ries of Creative Loafing, who apparently LOVED his experience. Tsontzos took over this past October and has stated he would not be changing anything (my previous experience states otherwise, but we'll see).
So get off your bottoms and go say "Hi" to the new owner of 3 Coins....again.

Thanksgiving: Seminole Heights Style

It's that time of year again. My favorite time. The leaves begin to turn shades of amber, gold, and red. The air becomes crisp and tickles your nose with swift sweeps of cool air. Oh wait, we live in Florida. Scratch all that.
It's that time of year again. My favorite time. The Palms begin to sway, the Centurion Oak leaves turn yellow and the thermostat reads 71 at midnight. It must be Thanksgiving.
We've actually gotten pretty lucky this year. I've had my windows open for 3 days now.
With the season, of course comes food and I am going to make yet another shameless plug for my own business.
Cooks & Company will be offering Thanksgiving dinners delivered to your door this year. Executive Chef, Greg Baker has designed a traditional Thanksgiving menu with a gourmet twist. You can take a peak here for the full version. My favorites are certainly the Baked Macaroni with a Trio of White Cheeses and a White Truffle Infused Cracker Top. (Ohhhhhhhhh, white truffle. You are a dangerous mistress.) The Marshmallow Studded, Vanilla Bean Scented Sweet Potatoes and the Orange and Fennel Roasted Boneless Turkey Breast are also sure to make you and Grandpa Jones drool. Can't you just hear your sister Suzie saying "You made all of this?" Oh, why not? Take the credit, we don't care. I have a Sister Suzie of my own and I would do anything to shut her up.
All dinners will be delivered the Tuesday before T-Day and delivery in Seminole Heights is FREE!!!! All dishes will have heating instructions printed on each container, ensuring a stress-free holiday. Orders should be placed by Nov. 15th. Call us now! We can only take so many orders!

813-500-3205
Cooks & Company
The Art Of Good Food

The Lil' Publix That Could Not.....

I am in grocery stores more than the average American, because, well, it is my business to be. So, when it comes to buying food for my own home, I like to travel as little as possible, and get in and out as quickly as possible. My logical choice would be to hit up the little Publix off N. Nebraska Ave. Yet, I prefer to bypass it all together and go to the Sweetbay at the corner of MLK and Nebraska. Why? Because there is no such thing as a quick trip to the lil' Seminole Heights Publix, especially if it involves the assistance of any employee.
I've had very few good experiences here especially when it involves the deli. The employees have an air of "You want me to do something? You mean actually lift a finger?" I've actually looked at the deli employees before and said, "Just forget it. You obviously have other things to do than help me get lunch meat." This was of course after waiting for 7 minutes (I timed it) just to be asked, "Is someone helping you?” You would think the counter would have been slammed, right? Nope. There wasn't a soul at the counter, or the sub counter, or the fried food counter. Just little old me. There were 5 employees behind the counter. One was frying more food, one was bagging rotisserie chickens, one was talking to the employee frying food, one was walking back and forth with a complete blank stare, and one was sweeping while talking to the employee bagging rotisserie chickens.
Perhaps they just didn't notice me. Sure, it's hard to miss a 6'3 woman with white platinum blonde hair standing at the counter leaning over looking at each employee with a desperate expression of “Please Mister. Please help me.”
When I was asked “Is someone helping you?” I stated “No. Not yet.” This was the employee talking to the employee frying food. He sauntered over asked what I wanted. I gave him my order and asked if I could go around and shop and come back in just a few minutes. He nodded his head and said, “Yes. It will be ready when you return.”
I walked off to complete my shopping list and returned around 10 minutes later. I again had to wait for someone to help with my order, this time it was only 5 minutes. The gentleman who had assisted me, was now bagging more rotisserie chickens with the other employee, the employee frying food was still frying and the employee walking around with an aimless stare was still walking around with an aimless stare. This time the aimless stare employee asked if I needed help. “Yes, I said, I had left an order for lunch meat with that guy. I’m just picking it up.” She walked over to the gentleman who had originally assisted me. He walked back over to the slicer and began to continue to slice the meat I had ordered. The cheese had not even yet been opened. The woman returned and said “He’s slicing it now.”
Now, by this time a total of roughly 22 minutes had passed since I had walked up to the abandoned deli counter to order a ½ lb of turkey and a ½ lb of cheese. Had this been the first time, I may have been more patient. Had the other employees been doing any thing other than busy work, I may have been more patient. Had there been anyone other than me at the counter, I may have been more patient. But this was not the case. At all. Hence my reply of "Just forget it. You obviously have other things to do than help me get lunch meat." I walked away, deli meatless. I didn’t bother to complain to the manager because I have complained before and it hasn’t changed.
I’ve asked around and the general consensus is that go to the Lil’ Publix as long as you don’t need help with anything.
It’s the Lil’ Publix that can’t.

Negative 1 Possum
6001 N Nebraska Ave
Tampa, FL 33604-6855
Main: (813) 238-7720

Dives, Diners, & Hole-In-The- Walls

I need your help Seminole Heights. Where are those scary looking hole-in-the-wall places that have amazing food or maybe they serve what some may consider to be questionable fare? Here's the catch......in St Pete.
I need to compose a list of at least 12 places. These establishment's can be anywhere in the St Pete area. The scarier, the better, but the food should be good food. The more "unusual", the better.
Speak up Seminole Heights!

Blog No. 2

Dave has invited me to be a contributor for Eating Tampa. I was surprised and accepted. I had simply offered help in his run-offs for Best of Tampa.
So now, you can read all about Tampa and all about Seminole Heights. I'll be keeping this up-to-date when it concerns a Seminole Heights food related subject, everything else can be read over at Eating Tampa.

Happy Eating!

A Bistro in a Bungalow

I share an office space with my friend, Chris Bilar; owner/ operator of Moneywell Financial (yes, that was a plug). Today he wandered into my little piece of heaven and asked “Where ya wanna go for lunch?” He and my other office space mates have been nagging me to take them to any of the places featured in Jeff Houck’s Tampa Tribune article The Tampa Underbelly Tour, in the hopes of free food. I smiled and said, “I have a better idea. Let’s try out Bungalow Bistro. Elizabeth opened today.” Chris was game.

We headed out for the 6 block drive to Florida Ave just before Hillsborough.

I guess I should say this first. I know Elizabeth. My clients are her clients and I patron her salon. I also like Elizabeth. She is much like me, in that we are business women. When it comes to business, friendships are put aside and the matters are handled. I respect her for that. Now, this isn’t to say if the food was bad I wouldn’t be writing. In fact I would still be writing because it is just important to showcase bad food as it is to showcase good food.

Luckily, there would be no bad food to be had.

Chris and I entered the very beautifully remodeled Bungalow, designed by Nikki Couture, one of my favorite clients. As you enter, you are greeted by maybe 10 good sized dark oak tables. Earth tones drapery falls from the original windows, and a bank like teller counter separates you from the kitchen. A large mirror holds the hand written menu of the day. The process is to decide what you want, go to the counter and order food and beverages. Food will be brought to the table.

“Michelle! I am so glad you came!” announced Elizabeth. At this time, there was only one other table and they were heading out the door with what appeared to be large Cheshire cat grins snuggled along their jaw lines. Good sign I thought.

Elizabeth and I caught up (I won’t bore you) while Chris examined the menu. He chose the Smoked Turkey Sandwich on whole wheat with aioli, tomato, sharp cheddar, and arugula along with a cup of the Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese soup. I decide on the Roast Beef Sandwich with garlic aioli, tomato, arugula, red onion, and munster (I think, I can’t remember what the cheese was now) on wheat berry bread along with a cup of the Roasted Chicken and Baby Portabella Bisque. At the time, I didn’t know there would be roasted chicken in the soup simply because the lines were a little off and you couldn’t quite tell they were together. Later, I would over hear I was not the only one to be confused. Another item on the menu caught my attention, the chicken salad served in an acorn squash shell, after seeing it come out to another table, I had orderer’s remorse instantly. It looked amazing.

I also ordered one of Elizabeth’s mother’s famous Sticky buns. I had heard so much about them, I had to. I then spied heaven in a pastry pan. Freshly baked lemon squares.

Typically, I am not a sweet eater, but there are some things I have an unhealthy passion for. Lemon squares are one of these things. They bring back fond memories of being a little girl assisting my Mother while she baked éclairs, German chocolate cakes, cookies, and my Father’s favorite; lemon squares. Juicing a thousand lemons for one batch, churning the batter to the right consistency for that perfect separation. All of this without the ability of a KitchenAid mixer, just good old Southern forearm.

I decide to hold back my gluttony and remain seated. As we waited for our lunch to arrive, I scanned the very pleasing atmosphere of the Bistro. It looked, well, like a Bistro if Bistros existed in Tampa in 1925. The lighting is pleasing, the long accented windows hide the ugliness of Florida Ave., and the large tables allow diners to eat without having your friends elbow in your ear. We almost felt like we were sitting at our own tables at home. Very shortly after, Elizabeth returns with our lunch and what a lunch it would be.

First, the sandwiches are huge and they are jammed packed with tons of deli meat and some of the freshest produce I have seen at a Tampa restaurant in a long time. The aioli (or mayonnaise) is homemade (yes, homemade) and you can tell. The roast beef is perfectly medium-rare (none of that end cap crap) and the bread is delicious (also made on site by Elizabeth’s Mother). The sandwiches were accompanied by roasted herbed potatoes, a little surprise to us. The potatoes were done well, nothing special, just done well. I can’t tell you which one of the sandwiches Chris and I liked best. I ate some of his, he ate some of mine, we would then trade again. Let’s just say, they were damn good and priced accordingly. Both sandwiches were right about $6. A very good deal.
Then the soup. Let’s start with the Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese. This soup was very good. You can tell the tomatoes were perfectly ripe before they were roasted off, you can taste the bite of the goat cheese, and you can smell the fresh herbs aroma melding with the liquefied roasted tomato. This is the kind of soup you want to dip your grilled cheese into on a cold, rainy Tampa day.

Now for the Roasted Chicken and Baby Portabella Bisque.

I used to manage a restaurant/ bar in Austin, TX called the Empanada Parlor. It was made famous by the law suit brought on by Sheridan Hotels, a noise ordinance issue. The Empanada had a beautiful back courtyard along a creek right off of 6th street (this would be equivalent to Ybor city) where a stage was set up and bands would play, just like every other bar or restaurant along 6th street. To make a little more money, The Empanada would serve lunch during the day and small dinners at night before the 10PM bar crowd moved in. The owner was a drunk of an English woman who attend Le Cordon Bleu in London and cook anything to perfection regardless of her stage of sobriety. One of my fondest Ash (that was her name) recipes, was her Portabella Cream Soup. I don’t know what she put in it, but it was so damn good, I would often lick the bowl. I lived off that Portabella soup for the entire 10 months the place was open. I am surprised I didn’t grow spores.
With that said, I have claimed myself to be a Mushroom soup aficionado.

I am sorry to tell you, Ash. Your Portabella Cream Soup is dead to me.

This Roasted Chicken and Baby Portabella Bisque was so damn good, I found myself scraping the bowl for every last remnant. The chicken was juicy and flavorful; the baby bellas were almost puréed, allowing for some very fine pieces to add to the texture of the bisque. The herbs were perfectly paired. There was a smoky component; I believe to be a little sausage? I had quickly grown to regret ordering only a small cup.

My friends, this is the type of soup you can eat anytime of the year because the flavor is so addictive. If for any other reason, visit Bungalow Bistro for this soup. A very large bowl will set you back $6 and it will be the best $6 you have spent in a long, long time.

I sat back, looking at the 3 bites left to my sandwich, about to take the last of it on, when Elizabeth came walking over holding a Sticky bun in one hand and a Lemon Bar covered with fresh whipped cream, fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries in the other. I almost began to weep. Note: I did not order the lemon bar.

At this point I was stuffed from the Roast Beef on Wheat berry sandwich big enough to feed King Kong and the Heaven in a Cup (aka Roasted Chicken and Baby Portabella Bisque), but I sat staring at these little works of art (and works of art they are) in a trance of gluttony. I agreed to have a maximum of 2 bites each.

First I broke into the sticky bun. A perfectly, tightly rolled dough with cinnamon and pecans peaking through. As my fork broke through, the center poured out it’s bounty of sticky honey, toasted pecans, nutmeg and brown sugar. Delicious.

I then nestled into the Lemon Bar, oh sweet, sweet Lemon bar. The fork sliced through the bar as if it were slicing through clouds. I lifted my fork to my mouth with only anticipation Dr.Frank-N-Furter would understand. The moment my lips touched the lemon bar my tongue began to dance with the zesty punch of the 1000 juiced lemons and the forearm strength of hand churning. The back end of my tastes buds, right where your jaw meets your neck, tingled as if being tickled. Delicious really doesn’t describe these little bars of gold. I believe I am speechless.

A large Cheshire cat grin crawled across my face.

Bungalow Bistro is currently serving a light breakfast and lunch with dinner to come very, very soon. With every new restaurant, hurdles must be jumped and Elizabeth has done a good job not letting the most important thing be affected, the food. Equipment didn’t show up on time, a brand new cooler broke, and Coca Cole was a no show, but you would never know.

This is a place we want in Seminole Heights, forever. I can’t wait for dinner.

4 Possums, I hope dinner will change that to 5.

Credit Cards will be accepted soon.
9AM – 3PM Tuesday – Saturday
5137 N. Florida Ave
813-237-2000 Orders may be called in for pick up

Pork Chops, Gravy, Biscuits! Oh My!

After a short (ahem) hiatus, I have returned to my post at the wheel of The Seminole Heights Eats Blog. You’ll be hearing from me more frequently (cross my heart), as well as from some other Seminole Height’s residents. We aim to show Tampa that Seminole Heights and our surrounding areas are filled with good food, well, hopefully good food.

I received my “nudge” from Tony today via email.
He wrote: Came across your Blog while looking for the number of Ybor Pizza. What happened? You haven't posted in so long! It's a great Blog. Helpful too. I hope everything is ok?
Yes, Tony, everything is all right. Just got a little consumed with other projects. I do; however, appreciate your comments. So this one is for you.

A few of us took a little tour around Tampa a few weeks ago; you may have read about here and there. If you haven’t, this link we’ll get you up-to-date. There's also some video footage here, for the more adventuresome.
Where as, two more notable bloggers have already posted the hims and haws of this little gem-in-the-rough along Nebraska Ave just shy of Hillsborough, I haven’t and I would like my turn.
I’ve been to this establishment a few times now, but I’ll focus on my first visit.

Walking into Martha’s Place along Nebraska Ave on a Saturday at noon didn’t seem like a good idea at first. The exterior was a block of a white building; however, from the entrance you could hear the hustle and bustle of people dining, food flying, and spouts of laughter. It was the Country Cooking on the building that got me.
You see I am a born and fed Southern girl. My scrambled eggs were made with bacon grease and my collards were chock full of ham hock. We never said Chicken Fried Steak; we said Country Fried Steak and Sundays were spent in the kitchen, all day, cooking a feast big enough for an army.
My husband and I entered, found a seat and stared. The waitress (note: there are no servers in this joint) came to our table and pulled menus from behind the napkin canister that sat on our table and handed one to each. With a big smile she said “Whatchall folks drinking this afternoon?”
“Sweet Tea” said Greg. “Sprite” I replied. As she walked away to retrieve our drinks, I knew this would be good.
The menu is filled with every country breakfast item you can imagine, including catfish. I did notice at that time that just about every person in the place had catfish on their plates, but I just wasn’t feeling the catfish this time around. I spied my all time favorite breakfast almost immediately, fried pork chops, with scrambled eggs, grits, and a biscuit. I was happy. Greg chose his all time favorite, biscuits and sausage gravy. “I gotta try it, a place like this doesn’t exist without having good biscuits and gravy.”
The waitress returns with our drinks promptly, a huge vat of a glass for Greg filled with genuine brewed sweet tea and a can of Sprite with a cup of ice for me. We order, chat for a little bit and to our surprise the waitress arrives maybe 10 minutes later with our order. We could understand the biscuits and gravy being ready-to-serve, but how could fried pork chops come out this fast and the place be this busy?
We both dig. Almost simultaneously we begin to groan with awws of delight. You can read all about the biscuits and gravy here, they are good, no great, if not the best in Tampa. I’ll focus on the lesser-known pork chops.
Fried to a perfection, I received a plate with two honkin’ huge bone in pork chops. The only way to perfect this kind of fried pork chop is to have a deep fryer filled with Crisco (hence the quick time). The kind of pork chops my Mom would make and serve with Hoppin’ Johns. The pork chops were accompanied with perfectly scrambled eggs topped with melted cheese (per my request) and a side of creamy, creamy grits. A lone, gorgeous biscuit tilted to the side of the plate. I was very happy. I decided at that moment, I would choose Martha’s fried pork chops to be the food I would request should I be stranded on a deserted island and could only eat one thing for the rest of my life.
The service at Martha’s was top-notch. Friendly, fast and consistent. The folks at this place, well, I have come to know and they are a great group of ladies. As Jeff Houck of The Tampa Tribune reported, Della (owner of Martha’s) has been forced to sell due to a third bout with cancer. But fear not my friend’s. Della said the new owner has stated he will not change anything. The staff and the menu will remain the same. Let’s hope this is the case.
I highly recommend everyone go to Martha’s on a frequent basis. This is country cooking at it’s best. Perhaps, the owner will keep his word, especially if he sees all of us sitting in the dining room.

4 Possums

5202 N Nebraska Ave
Tampa, FL 33603
(813) 239-1819