05-08-09

05-08-09
I'm piddling around around and moving a little slow from yesterday. Dixie and MaryKay are having lunch today so I decide I will go to O'Tooles Irish Pub for a cornbeef dinner. I drive up and there are no cars in the parking lot, things must be slow because they no longer open for lunch weekdays, they now open at 3 P.M. I decide to go to La Septima Cafe. We've been there many times before when we were working because it is close to Dixie's office. I see the specials of the day on the board, Ropa Vieja top of the list and my favorite, I did not even have to look at the menu. La Septina Cafe has been in Brandon since Dahlia Fernandez opened it in 1995. Not located on Seventh Ave in Ybor City, as the name implies, It's located in a real crappy looking strip store in Brandon. Don't let the outside fool you, there is good food on the inside. It is located in what I call "Baptist Central" which means they sell a lot of ice tea and not wine or beer. Beer and wine is available in fact every bottle of wine that they have they sell for only $20, Nice. They seat me in the back room and Kelli takes my order. I'm taking some pictures of the place while I'm waiting and Ron the husband of Dahlia comes to seey why. Same story I tell him about the contest on the Travel Channel and he even invites me into see the kitchen. Nice Guy. The food arrives and the ropa vieja, which means"old clothes", is great. The shredded flank steak is slow simmered in burgandy wine sauce(Take that you Baptist). It is so sweet and tender I thought it was pork and not beef. I get yellow rice and blackbeans with a small cup of chopped onion on the side. The bread is Real Cuban, you can tell by the palm leaf design left behind, crusty outside tender inside, it is served with butter mixed with chopped olives. A great comfort meal and with an ice tea only $9.31 without tip. They have a full desserts available but not today for me. After I pay my bill Ron is telling me how they were featured in Southern living magazine but they pulled the magazine because it was the one with the exploding muffins. He's got luck like me. I thought he looked familiar and we talk a little more and he finally connects my last name to my Home Building Company. Turns out I built their house in My Timber Pond Sub-Division in the 90s. Somebody over hears our conversation and says that she thinks I built her house in The Carriage Landing Sub-division, I'm glad they were happy with their houses. The World just keeps getting smaller. Tonight is Happy Hour at The Rock N Pineapple Restauraunt and Bar and we are meeting a few people there. All the tap beers are $2 till 7 even Blue Moon. I realize that I screwed up and put the wrong battery in my camera so no pictures for The Rock N Pineapple untill I get the ones that I took with Mike and Lauries camera. We are not planning on eating there however appetizers are not out of the question. About 13 people we know show up and we take over their small bar area, Casey and Jason the bartenders are taking good care of getting drinks and beers out. Howie orders the Cuban Black Bean Dip served with fried plantain chips that are sliced long ways. The dip is pureed fine and very dippable with the thin chips. Staci (who hates black beans)didn't know what the dip was but tried it anyway, she deemed it good and couldn't believe it. Next Yucca, long thick cut fries with Garlic Aioli. Something different but still in the french fry category. The Rock N Pineapple is one of those places that the kitchen prepares the food, partially cooks it then serves it on a 1200 degree (800 for seafood selections) heated stone so that you can continue cooking it yourself. This is not exactly my cup of tea, I like the restaurant to do the work not me when I'm paying. We have had the sea scallops, jumbo shrimp, filet of beef (they have Kobe Beef available 8 oz for only $24.99) and all were excellent projects. If you don't mind fiddling with your food you will like this place. Entrees are served with a fresh side salad, all dressings home made. Fresh veggies and a starch (Yes Bill they do have sweet potato fries) come with the meal. Figure on $55 plus tip for two meals and drinks, reasonable for the quality of the ingredients. Only open for 4 months,they did not even have their sign up during our first visit. They are building a customer base, all seats were filled when we left after our happy hour. The group is going to Carrabbas to eat, we get there and it's reported too busy so 2nd choice is Brandon Ale House, then a call says they can seat us. I figure Karma is telling me not to go out to eat tonight and we head for the homefront to pontoon to Dixies Dockside (they have free food tonight) but once again Karma intervenes and the tide is so low we can't get the boat off the lift. On the Alafia River Full Moon at low tide translates to no boating for anyone. We stay at the house and watch the tube and relax for a change. See Ya, Brian