Sorrento Bakery

For a third of the price of a certain skim-non-fat-no-whip-mocha-frappa-latte thing, you can have a homemade treasure. This little spot of heaven is one of the jewels of Pasco. (Yes, there are some) The whole place is just a feast for the eyes and forget pedicures, nothing helps a rough day like a cannoli. Now I'm not Italian, so don't start yelling at me about how no pastry could be as good as your grandmother's, etc. Unless your grandmother is kind enough to provide for my cannoli cravings on demand, I'll have to take what I can get. The ingredients are shipped in from the Big Apple anyways, so that has to count for something. Gino got this amazing half chocolate cake/half cheesecake dipped in more chocolate thing. The big pastries run you about $1.65, which is an ok price for bliss in my book. They also have a full supply of cookies, little pick me ups by the pound, and savory breads.

Word on the street is that this is also a pizzeria, but I haven't gotten to that part quite yet. Somebody check it out and report back to me!

9721 US Highway 19 # 5-6,
Port Richey, FL 34668
(727) 848-2434

“Adventures in Eating” hits the road!

We find ourselves in Tallahassee, and of course whilst we are on business, we still have to eat. I was fortunate enough to find several good spots. Everyone needs a Chinese fix, or at least I do and the Ming Tree Restaurant is easily accessible and just down from the Capitol. Pictures of several legislators hang on the wall, including that of Senator Bullard who brought us the historic line, "Before this debate on taxes, I thought portability was a place to go to the bathroom". I ate in. It was a slow night and since I was eating by myself, awkwardly quiet. I'd get take out next time.
Not having enough MSG that week already, I headed over to the King Buffet the next night, which came highly recommended by Greg. They have good sushi with more variety than usual at these types of affairs. The buffet was small but tasty. They do have that watch-while-they-make-it type grill, but during my meal, no one was manning the desk and a bin full of raw chicken sat stagnant next to the other ingredients. I would stick with the pre-made buffet offerings. As a regular during the legislative session, Greg would be able to do it more justice. It is very close to the La Quinta, so that is a great advantage, unless it was dark and rainy like when I went and you’ve got to drive anyway. Afterwards, I decided to try a different ethnicity the next night.
The Black Bean Cuban Cuisine has a signature gumbo which was really good and very spicy. Always one to try soemthing new, I had fried yucca for the first time and loved it. I do find it hard to imagine eating a plant that looks like this. It was a little tough by nature, but made a satisfying munching experience. There was an awesome sauce that was mayonnaise based I think which annoyed me, but it worked with the fries. The guava cheesecake was a no bake deal, good for a sweets fix, but hardly the real thing. I took my food back to the La Quinta to watch Law and Order, but it looked like fun to eat in. There were a lot of families and the place was a whirlwind of activity. Grub was cheap and hearty.

If you’re in the neighborhood, check these places out!

Black Bean Cuban Cuisine
2205 Apalachee Pkwy
Tallahassee, FL 32301
(850) 656-7848
:-) - $

Ming Tree Restaurant
1435 E Lafayette St
Tallahassee, FL 32301
(850) 878-1779
$

King Buffet
2814 Apalachee Parkway
Tallahassee, FL 32301
$

The true hometown culinary royalty of Tallahassee is Cabo’s Tacos. It will be the next posting (hopefully)!

Mallena's

This is the epitome of urban exploration. I can finally say I ate food from a bus...well, a motor home. It’s no marginal affair – this trailer has satellite. It is a family affair – mom does the cooking and the kids help out. They do quite a service in providing a delicious glimpse of their homeland for the citizens of Tampa.
I was slightly apprehensive when Jackie B. asked, “so…how good is your Spanish,” (mediocre?) but I had an easy time of it. Jessica, a very sweet girl, handed us laminated menus in English, which she speaks fluently. When Jackie and her friend used to go to the bus, her friend would order in swift Spanish and the only menu options were painted on the side of the vehicle. Jackie always ordered "torta con carnitas" which she thought of as a generic meat product. She finally asked her roomie who told her it was chicken. For months Jackie consumed a mystery meat until she finally figured out somehow was pork. It just proves that you don't need to know something's identity to enjoy eating it!
The neighborhood does not inspire confidence - I thought I might be shot, but the food is GOOD. My torta was the size of a dinner plate (the photograph is just half) and only $4.50. I ate the whole thing, though I’ve no idea how. (It didn’t seem like it would keep, especially with the avocado in there.) Splitting is a definite possibility. The whole thing is very flavorful - just yummy. A huge vat of horchata is $3.00. That also is really too big, but hey, if you have some time on your hands, you can just keep plugging until it’s all gone. Since my visit, I have been informed that there is a more manageable size. Jackie pointed out that horata is not very easy to find in Tampa, and it is worth finding.
Jackie says there is a “special sauce” which other people have IDed as simply mayonnaise, but since I don’t like mayonnaise, I’ll go with the secret sauce idea.
The bus years are coming to a close however, and a real restaurant on Fletcher is opening soon. It brings the interest quotient down perhaps, but the comfort level up significantly. However, there's just something about ominous looking fellows circling aimlessly on bicycles that gives flavor to a place. The bus is a limited time experience! Get it while you can!!
The food and prices will keep you coming back!

Location - Turn north off Fletcher at Krystal’s near
1916 E Fletcher Ave
Tampa, 33612
Price - :-)!
Hours: Mostly weekends, but it really varies...

Pach's Place

Pronounced “Patch’s,” this little spot is run by a mom and her kids who have over a hundred years combined restaurant experience. The owner was not only doing actual cooking but was prominently featured in some avant garde art work on front window and above the frig. The menu is diverse offering both breakfast and lunch. There were many more glamorous items on the menu and I fully intend to go back and try their popular crab and asparagus omelet, but I had to pay homage to one of my favorite childhood meals. They actually offer cream chip beef! So humble and yet so satisfying. It tasted just like Mom’s (perfect) except that it was on Texas Toast rather than wheat bread, and the substance of the toast made for a welcome addition. I got four pieces of toast and enough sauce to cover the platter. A generous portion of hand-cut home fries came on a separate dish. Jackie’s ham and cheese omelet was light and fluffy and the accompanying pancakes melted in her mouth (and mine too). Jackie nearly died with joy when she realized the syrup was lovingly warmed for her use.

Pach’s advertises an authentic Monte Cristo. Definitely worth checking out. They have a nice selection of sandwiches and inventive omelets which I intend to try next time. Bean sprouts, snow peas, asparagus, and broccoli-cheddar sauce is a great vegetarian option. Our waitress, a sweet lady despite an injured foot, said that the spinach, ground chuck, onions, home fries and mozzarella cheese is a very popular one. Our waitress provided excellent service and I did notice that the staff greeted several of the diners by name.
I wanted to sit at the counter. It was terrific fun watching home fries cooking, pancakes dripped and flipped, large hamburgers and sausages pressed on the well seasoned griddles. The energetic owner bustled back and forth serving all the customers. It seemed that all of Tampa knew about this place except for us. We tried to spy on our neighbors' food, but it was hard it was so completely consumed. Jackie did comment that she and I brought down the median age considerably, but hey, it was a Saturday morning just before noon, perhaps our colleagues were still abed. Upon leaving, we did realize as we pulled down our sunglasses, that they were splattered with grease. Ok, so our seats came with risks. But it was cool! Prices are very good, particularly for the area. Lox and eggs comes in highest at $8.75.
This place has rabid online fans: “When I eat at pachs place I feel like I am derobed and sent to outerspace in an outerspace adventure…I love this restaurant, the check came with the sonic boom of supermans zoom…” Proof that the staff is friendly: “It was my birthday and they came and helped me feel better by being so nice and generous with napkins.” Ah, it is the little things in life, isn’t it? I will say that the food is terrific, the staff very friendly and the whole experience a lot of fun!

Pach’s Place
Hillsborough County
2909 Bay to Bay Blvd.
Tampa, FL
813-831-7122
M-F 7:00am-2:00pm
S&S 8:00am-2:30pm
:-)
Five Forks!

Pancho’s Villa

I love San Antonio. It’s a smaller than small town out in East Pasco. There’s a Catholic school, an antique shop, a lawyer, an accountant, a deli, the obligatory small town water tower and Pancho’s Villa. Amy, Jackie B. and I were going to the antique store and had to resist beautiful smells wafting from somewhere nearby. After several hours of trying on vintage hats at Park Place, we inquired of the owner about eating arrangements and she warmly recommended Pancho’s Villa. She said that people came from as far as Tampa because of those smells. Bad sombreros and ‘Mexican' blankets hang from the walls, but a life size cardboard John Wayne upgrades the interior decorating significantly.

I ordered the tamale, Jackie B. got the chimichanga (a deep-fried burrito, can it get better?), and Amy was very happy with her guacamole salad. My favorite part - as soon as you position your bottom in the seat, chips and salsa miraculously appear! The selection is large and the prices good. For family members with picky palates there are burgers and spaghetti, but most of the fare seems pretty traditional. My tamale was wrapped in masa dough and steamed in a corn husk. The food was plentiful and yummy. An excellent lunch bracing us for a day of…more eating. And shopping, of course.

Four Forks!

Pasco County
32804 Pennsylvania Ave.
San Antonio, FL 33576
352-588-3037
Lunch - :-)
Dinner - $

Bagel Queen – True Carb Royalty

The large New Yorker behind the counter impatiently rolled his eyes at our indecision. His supply of bagels was low due to the late hour (they are only open until 1:00 p.m., at least on Sat.) but still we were unable to immediately pick our prize. There were so many options: bagels, both sweet and savory, meaty breakfast sandwiches, soft pretzels and more. Amy quickly settled on the pretzel, but then our funding issues (they only take cash) caused even further consternation on the part of the owner. The poor man – on top of our indecision, I paid entirely in change (and had to borrow 50c from Jackie).
Two dollars and thirty some cents will buy true delight here. After several minutes, Jackie decided on a plain bagel with strawberry cream cheese. The bagels were soft and warm and generously smeared with the rich Philadelphian soft spread. The strawberry’s natural sweetness contrasted beautifully with the tang of the cream cheese and pieces of fruit added even more flavor. My ‘everything’ bagel was by far the best I had ever had. Scallion cream cheese was generously applied and simply delicious.

I have lived within 10 min. of the Bagel Queen for as long as it has existed. It is easy to miss, snuggled between a couple of dollar generals in the Sweetbay strip store on Little Rd. The inside is simple and unadorned, with a few old tables and chairs where you can enjoy your treat. Coffee is self-serve and refillable on demand. I am very sorry that I did not discover this place sooner. In fact it was Jackie B. of Tampa who stumbled across this establishment via the great ‘Interweb’. She read reviews that named these bagels some of the best anywhere, and the reviews I have found call the Queen, ‘an addictive little hole in the wall.’ Jackie had made it her personal quest to get me to take her there. All three of us were glad she did.

The owner (the Bagel King?) told a woman that he is in the shop baking every morning at 4 a.m. That kind of devotion to carbohydrates makes me want to stand up and salute!

Five forks!

Pasco County
9037 Little Rd
New Port Richey, FL 34654
(727) 863-2822
:-)