A St. Petersburg Gem: The Parkshore Grill

April 1, 2009 By Leave a Comment

On the corner of Beach Drive N.E. and Third Avenue sits the stylish Parkshore Grill.  Opened in 2006, the hip, polished restaurant has proven to be a fine addition to the downtown St. Petersburg neighborhood.

The interior of the Parkshore Grill is decorated beautifully and artistically with rich mahogany wood and mosaic tiles.  There are even a couple of waterfalls behind the bar.  The restaurant’s atmosphere is fresh and contemporary, much like its cuisine.  If you would rather dine outside, the patio features plenty of umbrella covered tables.  This dining area offers a great view of Straub Park, which is located across the street or it can also serve as the ultimate people watching spot.

The menu of the Parkshore Grill is just as classy and modern as its decor.  There are plenty of mouthwatering plates to choose from.  The surf and turf selection is one of my personal favorites.  The filet mignon is perfectly cooked, velvety smooth to the taste. The lobster tail is drizzled in an unbelievable lemon caper butter sauce and is paired with hollandaise covered asparagus and buttermilk mashed potatoes.  There is also the grilled swordfish steak that is topped off with a delightful chili-lime pineapple vinaigrette.  If you’re not a seafood lover, then be sure to try the ever popular Beef Wellington, which is a filet mignon wrapped in a light, crusty pastry.  There is definitely no shortage of steak dishes available at the Parkshore Grill.  Choose from the filet mignon or the sirloin cut, and for a heartier serving try either the 14 oz. NY strip steak or the 16 oz. rib eye.  For additional meat choices there is also the 14 oz. pork chop which is offered with a delicious creole mustard and apricot chutney. You may consider the 14 oz. veal or the grilled rack of lamb.  For those who can’t decide, the Mixed Grill plate is the perfect option as it features the filet mignon, a lamb chop and a Berkshire pork belly.

The Parkshore Grill’s appetizers are amazingly and beautifully prepared.  My recommendation is the Seafood Bowl, which includes a delicious sampling of king crab, shrimp, oysters and mussels all served chilled over ice shavings.  The dish is paired with a refreshing citrus cocktail sauce, creole mustard and mignonette.  It’s a seafood lover’s dream come true!

There is no doubt that the Parkshore Grill’s food is impeccable, however, service can use some improvement.  On a recent night, it took awhile before we were noticed at our table and during the meal, our waiter did not remove used plates from table.  And although the food’s quality was first rate, the prices are slightly steep.  Most appetizers are priced in the double digit range and the entrees for dinner average around $25 and up.  The lunch menu is more casually priced and serves a great variety of savory salads, including a crab avocado salad.  Burgers and wraps can also be found on the lunch list.

On the weekend from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the grill offers a brunch which includes favorites such as eggs benedict, cheese blintzes, omelettes, stuffed french toast, a smoked salmon plate, and an all time southern favorite, shrimp and grits.

The Parkshore Grill has a fine selection of wine, beer and martinis.  I would recommend the Metropolitan, a concoction of Pama pomegranate, Citron vodka and cranberry juice.  Drinking it is “oh, so Sex in the City.”  For an after dinner drink, try a liquored coffee or a port.

If a dessert is what you crave, The Parkshore Grill has a sinfully sweet array of goodies to choose from.  The Decadent Chocolate Bar and the Vanilla Bean Cream Brulee are my two top choices for soothing that aching sweet tooth.

There has never been a day or night where I haven’t seen a crowd at this restaurant.  The food is heavenly and the atmosphere is never short of amazing, making the Parkshore Grill a must try in downtown St. Petersburg.

The Parkshore Grill

300 Beach Drive N.E., St. Petersburg, FL 33701

727-896-WINE (9463) or 727-896-DINE (3463)

www.parkshoregrill.com

Open Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

Reservations strongly encouraged, especially for dinner

Children’s menu available upon request

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Oh, How Sweet It Is

March 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment

As a child, a cupcake was not just a treat, it was a necessity.  The rainbow sprinkled frosting was the sinfully sweet prelude to the spongy, succulent cake underneath.  Ah, I can still smell the delightful aroma that enveloped my mother’s kitchen.  Now, more than 25 years later, my cupcake cravings have yet to cease.

Thankfully, there is The Cupcake Spot.  This tiny bakery got its start in Tampa on South Dale Mabry Highway, but has become so popular with cupcake lovers like myself, that it has expanded to St. Petersburg.  I couldn’t wait to pamper my taste buds at the bakery’s new location on Central Avenue in the historic downtown district.  The bakery, quaint and charming, is snugly situated on the first floor of the old Snell Arcade building which dates back to 1926.  Inside there are a few small tables, but not much else.  The glass case stands proud, displaying rows of frosted splendor.  

For $2.75 you can try a cupcake of your choice.  A favorite at the bakery is the “Better Thans” cupcake.  A decadent chocolate chip cupcake dressed with a cream cheese and chocolate chip icing.  ”It just doesn’t get any better than that,” brags the bakery.  The “Chocolate Elvis” was named after “The King’s” two favorite tastes, banana and peanut butter.  This is a yummy banana cupcake frosted with a creamy peanut butter buttercream, then finished off with a drop of chocolate.  The “Lemon Pucker” is perfect for a hot, summery day.  Lemon cake covered with a blanket of vanilla or raspberry icing is sure to please.  The icing is creamy, light and perfectly swirled.  For the girl scout in you, the “S’mores” cupcake is a perfect choice and you don’t even need a campfire. “Berry Squared” is a real crowd pleasing cupcake.  The bakery uses their signature strawberry cake, frosted with raspberry cream cheese icing.  Nirvana for my palate!  The “Shirley Temple” reminds me of the cupcakes my mother used to bake.  Innocent vanilla cake topped with scrumptious chocolate icing.  Simple, sweet, nostalgic.  ”The Cuppy” is the bakery’s signature cupcake, named after their adorable, little mascot.  Cuppy is a smiling cupcake with legs and arms that sometimes even dances on the bakery’s website.  This cute dessert looks like he could’ve starred in the 1950s drive-in intermission classic, “Let’s All Go to the Lobby.”  The actual cupcake is made with the bakery’s popular strawberry cake, is frosted with real vanilla bean buttercream and then topped off with a sour cherry ball.  Oh, how sweet it is!

The Cupcake Spot also features a “flavor of the month” cupcake.  In addition, the bakery can arrange speciality orders for corporate events, bridal and baby showers, birthday parties, get-well wishes and for weddings.  Brides-to-be are choosing unique tiered cupcake arrangements instead of the more traditional wedding cake.

So next time your sweet tooth starts aching, take a trip over to The Cupcake Spot.  Walking into the bakery is like taking a trip back to childhood, except there is nothing bittersweet about it.

 

The Cupcake Spot Locations:

2401 S. Dale Mabry Hwy., Suite B, Tampa, FL 33629    Phone:  813-258-3111

405 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, FL 33701     Phone:  727-825-0572

 

Prices:

$2.75 for a single

$15.50 for a 1/2 dozen

$30.00 for a full dozen

 

For more details, please visit The Cupcake Spot’s website at www.thecupcakespotinc.com

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Tijuana Flats – Lutz, FL

January 22, 2009 By 1 Comment

There has been a boom in Land O Lakes/Lutz Florida recently for Mexican cuisine.  In one year, two restaurants opened in the same intersection, same mall at the corner of SR 54 and Collier Parkway.  I love Mexican food so I decided to check out the newest Mexican restaurant to open, Tijuana Flats.

23100 State Road 54
Lutz, FL 33549

This restaurant took over the former Video Bar location, that has been vacant for almost 2 years now.  When I saw it was going to be a restaurant I was a bit surprised, I was wondering how it was going to fare, seeing how small the location was.  Upon the remodel and visiting this establishment I was quite surprised, it actually is larger than I thought.  Had probably 30 tables, and a salsa bar.

First Impression:

It was a cold night, I walked to the door with my wife and was immediately greeted.  The lady opened the door and gave me a menu, she said that any table open was mine to choose.  That was really nice.  The interior has a urban type mural painted across the back wall, there was a salsa bar that you can chose from, and a wait staff eagerly working the floor.

The Experience:

Its not your typical sit down restaurant.  You have to order at a counter similar to a fast food restaurant, except when your done you sit back down at your table.  When your food is done, they take your food out by a waiter(ress) and they call your name.  When you respond they come and bring your food to your table.  Kind of neat actually.  I was asked by just about every single person working the floor if I needed anything, honestly I never had better service.  The wait staff at Tijuana Flats must try every single entree, and sauce they offer.  This was great because they could give you a well rounded choice from experience.  

Cleanliness:

The place was extremely clean, which is to be expected since the place has only been open about three weeks.  But it looks like they try to keep the place looking its best at all times, something I hope doesn’t start to become lax as time goes on.

Food:

I tried the Beef Toastadas.  Bascially it had refried beans smothered on a big tortilla chip, topped with ground beef, tomatos and topped with melted cheese. It was like a big chip dip, with a Mexican twist.  It was very good and filling.  A dish I would recommend to anyone. 

Final Thoughts:

The wait staff was top-notch, the food was decent and at a decent price.  The cost of a plate was around 5 to 8.99.  The place was well kept and clean and it didn’t feel like your typical Mexican restaurant.  It was a dine-in experience with a fast food feel.  I would certainly recommend this establishment to anyone. 

Food:  3.5 out of 5
Date-ability: 2 out of 5
Price:  3 out of 5
Cleanliness: 4 out of 5 

OVER ALL    4 Stars 

1 Star (How Are You Still In Business)   3 Stars (Doing good, would recommend)   5 Stars (Speechless)   

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