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Fall 2017 | Employee Benefits Committee Newsletter

Dining with Sarah

Sarah R. Johnson, Holifield Janich Rachal & Associates, PLLC

Hello again fellow EBC members! I’m looking forward to seeing all of you in Clearwater Beach! In anticipation of our February trip, I’ve been Yelp-ing and Eater-ing the restaurant selections in Clearwater Beach, Tampa and the surrounding areas. Clearwater Beach has the typical beachy dives you expect on the coast, focusing on fresh seafood in a flip flop atmosphere…my kind of place!

Let’s begin with Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill, a popular, casual dive right on the beach. The most highly recommended items are the Island Shrimp Tacos, the Seafood Pot Pie, the Caribbean style grouper sandwich and the Rocktopus. It is very rare to hear of grilled octopus that is marinated perfectly and tender enough to cut with a fork, as the reviews of the Rocktopus reflect.

Next, Pearly’s Beach Eats is a popular Mexican dive that serves fresh chips and guacamole and Coke floats. Seating is limited as it is only outdoors. The Baja Bowl is a fresh dish with a cilantro-yogurt dressing. Also, all of the tacos have rave reviews, featuring free chips and salsa with the purchase of more than two tacos. Stay away from the oily and soggy Tortilla Bowl.

A more upscale option in Clearwater is Caretta on the Gulf, as it is the only AAA Four-Diamond restaurant on the stretch. The Amuse Bouche is popular, a cucumber-crab bite. The lobster soup is reviewed positively, but patrons say the dish could use a little more lobster meat for the price. The crab cake is also a stellar appetizer. The black grouper entrée with risotto is flavorful, but the other accompaniments, mushrooms and baby artichokes are rumored to be lightly cooked and unseasoned, along with the lobster mushrooms and artichokes. Alternatively, the veal and steak are described to be flavorful entrees.

The next area I’ll look to is Tampa, a short drive or Uber ride from the Wyndham Grand in Clearwater Beach. Of course, the cuisine in Tampa will be a bit more sophisticated and gourmet, with a few other varieties outside of seafood thrown in. For example, Nicko’s Fine Foods is the 24-hour greasy spoon diner of Tampa, but it is where Elvis ate grits and eggs after a show at the Fort Hesterly Armory in 1956. It began as Ayers Diner in 1951, and you can still sit at the King’s booth!

A Yelp Top One Hundred of 2017 is AJ’s Press in Tampa. This unique sandwich shop offers a wide variety of well-paired ingredients. The Jalapeño Bacon Hush Puppies with Chipotle Mayo sound amazing, as well as the AJ’s Cuban mushroom sandwich, which features Shiitake, Portobello, and button mushrooms, chipotle, arugula, jack cheese and goat cheese on a Telera roll. The reviews of their Mexican Cuban sandwich are remarkable as well, including mojo pork, ham, and chorizo. If hot dogs are your thing, the Senora bacon hot dog is a great menu option. Waffle chips are one of my favorite sides, and AJ’s Press offers a delicious version of them. Breakfast sandwiches are also on the menu.

Rooster & Till is a contemporary restaurant that opened in 2013, featuring a diverse wine list but no liquor. The menu features a wide assortment of cuisines from fresh seafood and oysters to quail, wild boar, black garlic braised beef shank and one of my all-time favorites, foie gras. The restaurant itself is very small and intimate with an open kitchen in the middle of the dining area, which is my favorite set up. There’s nothing better than seeing all the chef action live! The menu includes both small and large plates, which is a great option for a large group. You should note that if you make a reservation and have any no-shows, they will charge you $25 per person.

Finally, Mise en Place takes the cake for a sophisticated meal in Tampa. Chef Marty Blitz offers a modern new American menu with fresh ingredients and an incredibly extensive wine list, accompanied by stellar service. Word is out that the fried green tomato arugula salad is off the charts. The scallop risotto and the lobster mac and cheese followed along with rave reviews, along with the charcuterie and cheese board, seared pork belly, burrata serrano ham, hamachi crudo, veal, venison, and hanger steak. If you are as adventurous with food as we are, Mise en Place offers a five-course tasting menu.

I’m looking forward to the Florida sun and some amazing cuisine! Please forward me any of your restaurant experiences, good or bad, while you are in Clearwater Beach and the surrounding areas to include in my follow up article. Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] any time. Until we meet again, enjoy life to the fullest!