Town News

Oyster Bar Hudson FL : Skinnys Bar and Grill of Pasco County

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 18:02:32 GMT

A bar and grill in Hudson, FL has added a local favorite to their restaurant menu; flavored steamed oysters and raw oysters. If you're living in Pasco County or surrounding areas such as Spring Hill, Brooksville or New Port Richey, then we recommend checking out Skinnys Bar and Grill; an Oyster Bar in Hudson FL. Live music and entertainment as well as the great food has made Skinnys a success story in West Pasco, but with the new edition to their menu, we'd expect nothing great things from them in the future. We even spoke with the restaurant owner, Patrick Sullivan, and he's even mentioned that they are planning to add additional seating in the near weeks to accommodate the large crowds. He also mentioned that they had to hire extra help just to keep cranking out or shall we say shucking out the oyster orders. Who would have thought that "Oysters" would help the economy and create jobs? If you're in the area or happen to be driving along US 19 in Hudson, FL, then may we suggests checking out this fine establishment.

Skinnys located at

13228 US Highway 19, Hudson, FL 34667.

Phone: 727-863-4400 http://skinnysbarhudsonfl.com/

Coupons for Skinnys Bar and Grill in Hudson FL

Fresh, Delicious Food = Happy Customers : China Fuji, Valrico, FL

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 12:06:46 GMT

The philosophy of China Fuji Valrico, Florida: Fresh, Delicious Food = Happy Customers!

A healthy diet is imperative to sustaining well being; eating well and limiting foods that really do not promote a healthy lifestyle is where we would all like to be. While it is easier to maintain this healthy lifestyle eating at home, it is more difficult when dining at restaurants. We just want to know what’s really in our food when we order off restaurant menus. One restaurant that we recently checked out was China Fuji in Valrico, FL. We investigated and inquired, and here's what we found: No preservatives, only the freshest of seafood, meats and vegetables: Authentic, delicious recipes + the freshest of ingredients = happy customers. That's the kind of math we like. It all adds up to the perfect dining experience!

Team Synergy Baseball - CP Select - Charity Golf Classic

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 17:58:14 GMT

Calling ALL Tampa Bay Area Golfers and Businesses!

Help support the neighborhood as (2) local youth traveling baseball teams (Team Synergy and CP Select) of Tampa, FL (Citrus Park) are sponsoring a charity golf tournonment to help fund the upcoming season.

The great people over at Shorti's Deli in Carrollwood, FL have done their good deeds by providing their delicious food during the 11am registration time as well as sponsoring a hole.

If you are interested in participating, there are several ways to do so:

Sign up as a single individual and be matched up with a team for a $90 single entry fee: (includes: green fees, cart, & dinner)
Sign up a team for a $450 team entry fee: (Includes registration for 4 players as well as hole sponsorship.)
Promote your business with a $100 Hole Sponsorship: (Includes business promotional signage at a single hole.)
Promote your business with a $200 Cart Sponsorship: (Includes business promotional signage displayed on up to 36 golf carts.)

Remember that 100% of the money raised will help with the costs of the upcoming season for both teams. Team Synergy is a properly formed, not-for-profit, IRS 501(c) 3 corporation: Synergy Baseball, Inc.

If you're interesting in signing up, print the registration form below and follow the instructions as described.

sponsored advertisement from Shorti's Deli

Tampa Catering | Catering Company in Tampa Bay | Chef on the Bay

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 22:53:19 GMT

Catering in Tampa Bay just got a lot more Fabulous

Chef Charlie has a passion for food and a knack for catering. If you are planning a small office event or a wedding reception of 200 guests, Chef on the Bay can deliver a gourmet experience tailored to your individual taste. Every detail is impeccable from preparation to presentation. Make the next office event you plan special. With their in-home cooking service, they can provide dinner for you and your guests. Chef Charlie offers a weekly lunch menu with items that will make your mouth water. Chef on the Bay has an exotic food selection as well as an assortment of menu items such as Grilled Portabella, Crab Cake Burgers, and Ultimate Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Tomato accompanied by homemade soups. Chef on the Bay offers a catering experience with incredible flair and flavor such as the fresh homemade bread baked daily. Next time you plan a catering event in Tampa Bay, make sure to give Chef Charlie a call. You will be pleasantly surprised and wowed at how she can turn your event in to a culinary experience.

Chef on the Bay
http://www.chefonthebay.com
Clearwater, FL
727-286-8131

Jalapeno Mexican Grill in Tampa is featured in BayPop Summer Edition!

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 13:50:51 GMT

Way to Go, Miguel!

It seems Jalapeno Mexican Grill Tampa is getting more and more popular. Miguel Espinosa's happening restaurant -- which is probably the only Mexican restaurant in Tampa which also serves sushi -- just got a nice little write-up in the summer edition of Bay Pop Magazine, a lifestyle glossy that covers the Tampa Bay area. On page 120, writer Eric Snider does a great job profiling the restaurant. And we applaud him for homing in on the restaurant's quesadillas -- the fresh ingredients used, and the meticulous way in which they are prepared. We would have mentioned the flan, but who's to quibble. Nice work all.

Read About Jalapeno Mexican Grill here: BAYPOP Magazine - Page 121

Press Box Sports Emporium in Tampa has June 9 fight!

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:09:41 GMT

The Boxing Event of the Year!

It's Manny Pacquiao versus Timothy Bradley in the World Boxing Organization's Welterweight Championship fight, straight from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. But you don't have to go to Las Vegas to catch what many believe is THE boxing event of the year (though going to Vegas WOULD be fun). You can watch it at Walter's Press Box Sports Emporium and Eatery starting at 9 p.m. on June 9. Some think this will be Pacquiao's most contested fight in a while, others think Bradley's in for a whooping. See for yourself at the Press Box while you enjoy a couple of beers and maybe some of the fine food there. The Press Box, after all, is south Tampa's premier sports bar.

Watch the fight at Press Box Sports Emporium & Eatery

222 S. Dale Mabry Hwy
Tampa, FL 33609
813-876-3528

Bloomsday Tampa 2012 | O'Brien's Irish Pub In Brandon Florida

Wed, 30 May 2012 12:33:51 GMT

In Honor of the Great Writer, James Joyce

You know an Irish pub is a true, legitimate Irish pub if it celebrates the writer, James Joyce. Now, the English majors out there know Joyce as one of the titans of twentieth century literature, the artist who changed the model of the novel pretty much by announcing he could tell a story any damn way he pleased. The Irish folks know him as one of their own, a conflicted Catholic who liked joking around – and who loved Ireland.

Always a Great Place to Meet, Regardless of the Occasion

Bloomsday is the day selected by the Irish world to celebrate Joyce. Here’s the thing. It’s not on Joyce’s birthday and it doesn’t mark Joyce’s death. It’s on June 16. Why? Well, the entirety of Joyce’s extremely long masterpiece, “Ulysses,” takes place on a single day, and it’s June 16, 1904. Okay, so we explained June 16. Now, why Bloomsday? Where did that come from? Well, Leopold Bloom, an ad salesman, is the main character of “Ulysses.” So the Joyce aficionados decided every June 16 would be the day to celebrate Joyce, and they decided to name it after the main character in his most famous novel. You know these folks are readers. Only with true readers are the works more important than the author.

There once was a man from Beirut ...

Now, you know O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Family Restaurant, which is at 701 W. Lumsden Road, in Brandon, is a true Irish pub because it is, as far as we can tell, the only one celebrating Bloomsday 2012 on June 16 in the greater Tampa Bay area. There will be a lovely dinner that evening, a pint or two, traditional Irish music and a limerick competition (Joyce was famous for his puns). Local artists will also have on display paintings and sculptures, and you may buy a piece of art you like if you so desire. If you are interested in going, or in entering the limerick competition, go to the web site: Bloomsday at O'Brien's

O'Brien's Irish Pub & Grill
701 West Lumsden Road
Brandon FL 33511
813-661-9688

Mangroves SoHo Restaurant in Tampa Holds Anniversary Party

Wed, 30 May 2012 10:07:48 GMT

Sixteen Years of Good Food and Good Times

In the restaurant business you have to be good, maybe great, to survive. Mangroves SoHo qualifies. It’s been in Tampa for 16 years, and, to celebrate, the chic enterprise is holding a special anniversary party on June 8. For starters, Mangroves SoHo is bringing in for entertainment a couple of artists who have quickly established themselves among the top acts in their fields in west central Florida. One is Lisa Casalino, who, in the span of a couple of years, has transformed herself from a former teacher and real estate agent into one of Tampa’s top jazz singers. Her phrasing is dead-on, and she can swing with the best of them. The other is Dj Dmz, who routinely mixes dance beats for Mangroves SoHo. Another draw for the anniversary party is a cool gesture by Mangroves SoHo -- complimentary cocktails from 8 to 10 p.m.

You should come. Mangroves Tampa has always been a beautiful club and restaurant, with a décor that may remind you of Miami’s South Beach. But it now has a new look, with new colors, new lighting and newly-designed walls. This is another reason to come to the anniversary celebration. Structurally, the place is still its magnificent self. As many know, it’s one of the few places with two levels of dining – PLUS outdoor dining – and a 60-foot stain glass lighted bar that has become legendary. The menu has become legendary, too, with a nice mix of quality seafood and beef selections, prepared with passion and grace. Mangroves SoHo is located at 208 South Howard Ave. in upscale Hyde Park. Like we said, you should come.

Mangroves SoHo
208 S. Howard Ave
Tampa, FL 33606
813.258.3302

Best Graduation Cakes Tampa Bay | A Better Cheesecake Clearwater FL

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:14:22 GMT

Graduation Cakes Tampa Bay | A Better Cheesecake Clearwater

It's graduation season. Ceremonies are in full swing – especially at high schools. There are at least 18 high school graduations in Pinellas County in June, and some 27 in Hillsborough.

Now, we know some parents believe they should be the ones celebrated for their children getting that diploma. Oh, how parents have tolerated their teens – their surliness, their leaving everything to the last minute, and, with the girls, the inexplicable bursting into tears. But let’s face it. If your kid is getting that high school diploma, he or she has had something to do with it. What's wrong with a good pat on the back, after spending years pointing a finger in their faces? And what better way to pat them on the back than to order a special cake for them? You know they already like sugar. Have lived off sugar, frankly, for the last four years, if not longer.

This is where Carolyn Janssen comes in. Janssen is the owner of A Better Cheesecake, a long-time bakery specializing in cakes that's located at 2519 N. McMullen-Booth Road in Clearwater. Janssen was once an artist and she brings an artist's flair to her concoctions. We know your teen is primarily interested in the sugar and icing on the cake, but Janssen can transform its shape into virtually anything without sacrificing its delicious taste. She's done cakes in the shape of flip flops, poker tables, cars, pigs, sunglasses, and, yes, she has put together cakes topped with a graduation cap, with a diploma attached. We're sure if you wanted your cake to represent your alma mater's mascot or insignia, she could probably do it in her sleep. Her customers already know this. Last year, she did separate cakes for a pair of graduating twins and in years past for graduating triplets. If you are not one of her customers, you should obviously become one.

Graduation Cakes Clearwater | A Better Cheesecake of Tampa Bay

"A Better Cheesecake" of Clearwater also makes wedding cakes, birthday cakes, and cakes for pretty much any occasion. For more information on this awesome bakery, visit this link: Clearwater Bakery

A Better Cheesecake

2519 N Mcmullen Booth Rd Ste 507
Clearwater, FL 33761
727-725-2295

Don't forget to click and use this printable coupon on your next cake order.

GattiTown Clearwater and Pinellas County Sheriff Has Safety Day

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:18:32 GMT

GattiTown and Pinellas County Sheriff's are Promoting Safety at a Fun Place

Everyone knows GattiTown Clearwater is a good place for kids to let loose and have some fun, but the folks there also want to do their part in helping kids be safe. To that end, the business is teaming up with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office for a special safety day this Saturday, as part of the sheriff’s office’s "Live Safe" program. There will be two educational safety presentations at GattiTown, one at 11 a.m. and another at 12:30 p.m. Typically, deputies tell parents and children to be on the look-out for certain behaviors, so the children can remain safe. But they manage to mix in some fun, too. For instance, the kids will leave their fingerprints on a card and have their photos taken. Then, cards with the child’s name, fingerprint and portrait will be given to the parents. This is all free. There's something else that's free, too – the kids' buffet. To get that, an adult has to pay the adult price to eat at the buffet. It’s a killer deal.

Grind House Bar & Grill has Cinco de Mayo Party!

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:59:04 GMT

The Grind House Bar & Grill in Clearwater has a way of celebrating special holidays with special specials, and Cinco de Mayo is no exception. The partying begins in earnest at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 5 (duh). The pub, which is located at 1500 N. McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater, is offering 99-cent tacos, $5 fish tacos, $2.50 margaritas and coronas, plus shots of Patron tequila at $5 a pop. And, as usual, the Grind House has its usual excellent food, like the chicken enchiladas. Plus there will be give-aways -- hats, t-shirts, that kind of thing. So go on down

More Details on The Grind House Facebook Page

Grind House Printable Savings

Mother's Day Tampa Bay 2012 | Florist in Tampa | Brunches in Tampa

Fri, 04 May 2012 11:51:52 GMT

Mother's Day Brunch and Flower Recommendations for Tampa Bay 2012

Ah yes, Mother’s Day. It’s the day we recognize our mothers for the gentle heroes they are, the ones we turned to for some understanding when we did something wrong, who brought us chicken soup when we were sick. Mother’s Day is also the day mom can out-and-out refuse to cook, with obvious justification. So why not take her to brunch? And buy her flowers while you’re at it. We’ll first suggest restaurants, then florists, then anything else we can think of.

The Garden Shed Florist in Clearwater FL

One of our favorite florists in the area is the Garden Shed Florist in Clearwater. It has a wide variety of blooming and green plants, as well as fresh arrangements. If you have an arrangement delivered (in the city of Clearwater, more or less), mom gets a free Mother's Day Mylar balloon. You can call them at (727) 725-0841 or 1-800-652-3444. The Garden Shed also has a great web site, through which you can place an order. It's http://www.mygardenshedflorist.com/

A-Bow-K Florist & Gifts

Want flowers delivered in Lutz? You might want to try A-Bow-K Florist & Gifts, at 17420 U.S. Highway 41 N., in Lutz. They have a whole bunch of special bouquets for mom, with everything from pink roses to fresh spring flowers. You can call them at (813) 949-5683 or 1-800-505-5683.

Downtown Tampa Florist

Downtown Tampa? Try Downtown Tampa Florist at 705 W. Platt St. We like the lavendar love bouquet, the passionate purple tulips, and the daisy daydreams. They have some cool extras like stuffed animals and chocolate specials. You can call them at 1-888-325-8056 or order at their web site at http://www.downtowntampaflorist.net/mothers-day-flowers-97c.asp?topnav=TopNav

Now we'll get into the Mother's Day Brunch recommendations in Tampa

The Columbia Restaurant - Ybor City - Tampa, FL

Naturally, the Columbia Restaurant is having Mother’s Day specials at its six locations peppered throughout the state of Florida. The three we’re recommending – because they are in the area – are in Ybor City, in St. Petersburg at The Pier, and in Clearwater Beach on Sand Key. If you went to any of them for Easter brunch, you know what quality to expect. One of the Mother’s Day entrées that has our collective mouths watering is something the Columbia calls the mahi-mahi “Torremolinos” – a grilled piece of boneless mahi-mahi topped with Gulf shrimp, sundried tomatoes and caper saffron sauce. It’s served with snap peas and yellow rice. To make reservations, go to http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/reservations.asp. At the Columbia Cafe, on the Riverwalk in Tampa, which is open, you can see the water, but there are no Mother's Day specials.

Bon Appetit Restaurant Mother's Day - Dunedin, FL

Some of those Columbia restaurants have waterfront views – like the one at The Pier in St. Petersburg. One restaurant in Pinellas County that has a killer waterfront view is the Bon Appétit restaurant in Dunedin, from where you can see St. Joseph Sound, Honeymoon Island, and Caladesi Island. The Mother’s Day buffet, which runs from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., is in the Crystal Ballroom, and the selections are tremendous, whether it’s the breast of chicken with marsala sauce, or that old stand-by, roast prime rib of beef au jus. It’s 44.95 per person, plus gratuity and tax. If you prefer a sit-down dinner, there’s that, too, in the dining room, from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. The rack of lamb with the pistachio crust looks yummy. To make an online reservation, please go to: http://www.bonappetitrestaurant.com/reservation.html.

SHOR Restaurant Mothers Day - Clearwater Beach

Another spectacular view is available at the SHOR restaurant, located on the second floor of the resplendent Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa (The address for both hotel and restaurant is 301 S. Gulfview Blvd., Clearwater Beach). We’re guessing the street is called Gulfview Boulevard because, you know, you can see the Gulf of Mexico from it. In any event, SHOR’s is offering a Mother's Day brunch. It lasts from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Price for an adult is $45; for a child, $21. There will be a seafood bar, a vegetable and bruschetta station, a soup station, made-to-order omelets, and old war horses like prime rib and turkey. You can call the restaurant at (727) 373-4780 or make a reservation online by going to the restaurant’s web site at http://www.shorgrill.com/hpr/shor/en/clearwater/events_specials.html

Island Way Grill Mother's Day - Clearwater Beach

Down the street is the Island Way Grill, at 20 Island Way, Clearwater. There mom can also get a view of the water, though it’ll be the Intracoastal Waterway she’s staring at and not the Gulf of Mexico. The Mother’s Day buffet runs from 10 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. It’ll have a breakfast and lunch feel to it in the beginning and then switch over to a dinner feel at around 3 and 4 p.m. It’s a tad more extravagant than the typical Island Way Grill buffet. There will be four different cuts of meat (and, if’s anything like the Easter Sunday brunch, there will be a pig roast), along with a pasta station, sushi rolls, peel-and-eat shrimp, and crawfish, as well as salads, fruits and an array of desserts. The cost is $31.95 for an adult, and $12.95 for children ten years old and under. To make a reservation, call the restaurant at (727) 461-6617.

Chart House - Tampa, FL - Mother's Day 2012

On the other side of Tampa Bay, the Chart House, which is at 7616 W. Courtney Campbell Causeway, also offers a Mother’s day brunch with a waterfront view. It begins at 10 a.m. and lasts until 2:30 p.m. For an adult, the cost is $39.95. Children 12 years old and under can eat for $14.95. It'll be a special menu – with entrees including prime rib, pork loin and tilapia with a macadamia nut crust. You can make reservations online at their website, which is http://www.chart-house.com/opentable_form.asp, or you can make a reservation by phone by calling (813) 289 7773.

Rusty Pelican Mother's Day - Tampa, FL

Another restaurant on the Tampa side of the bay, that has a pretty nice view, is the Rusty Pelican, at 2425 North Rocky Point Drive. Its Mother’s Day brunch buffet begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m., and if you are interested you better make a reservation now (since the block of time from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. is already taken). It’s $46 for an adult, and children 6 to 10 can eat for $21. There’s a meat carving station, a raw seafood bar, pastas, omelets, and favorites like bananas foster, plus a so-called chocolate fountain, which showcases desserts. To make a reservation, you can either call the restaurant at (813) 281-1943, or make a reservation online at http://tampa.therustypelican.com/rustypelicantampa/contact_us.aspx

Yacht StarShip Tampa - Mother's Day 2012

So far, we put forward some restaurants that have waterfront views. Another option is to dine with the water all around you. You can do that on the Yacht Starship Tampa. There are two brunch cruises, with boarding at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. And there’s one dinner cruise, with boarding at 5:30 p.m. The price for adults is $44.95 (plus tax, port fee and gratuity), and $29.95 for children (plus tax, port fee and gratuity). To make a reservation, go to: http://www.yachtstarship.com/#!special-events

Chef On The Bay | Fundraiser | Clearwater, FL

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:33:20 GMT

"Chef On The Bay" will provide FREE food at a fundraiser, to help raise money so a U.S. serviceman can come home to see his family.

She was a German girl. He was a U.S. Army serviceman stationed in her homeland. They met. They fell in love.
Since they wed more than a dozen years ago, Kerstin and Staff Sgt. Greg Dixon either lived together, or managed to visit one another without breaking the bank – even when Dixon was stationed in Iraq.
When Dixon was in Germany, moving from assignment to assignment, the couple either lived together, or were able to see each other on a frequent basis. That went on for something like ten years.
Then Dixon was assigned to the MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa in 2005. Kerstin loved the Sunshine State and made many friends. Then Dixon was assigned to Fort Carson in Colorado. She followed him.
While at Fort Carson, Dixon learned he was going to be stationed to South Korea. Rather than leave his wife behind in Colorado, he decided to move her back to Florida, where she had those friends, and where, as a result, she would be less lonely than if she had stayed in Colorado.

When he was in Iraq, the military paid for Dixon's flight so he could see his wife. He was eligible under the military's rest and recuperation program, which is designed for servicemen in combat zones.

But South Korea is a different story. Dixon can have a month's leave, but the U.S. government is not picking up the tab for the flight.

That's why there will be a fundraiser at the Pro Shop Pub in downtown Clearwater on April 14. It'll be from 4 to closing.

Kerstin expects there will be a half dozen baskets filled with wines, liquors and other goodies that will be auctioned or raffled off. Rounds of golf, donated by Cove Cay Country Club, will also be auctioned off, as will some tickets donated by the Tampa Bay Rays. (The tickets are for the match-up with the Orioles, AND the follow-up concert by LL Cool J). Other businesses have chipped in, too. Chef On The Bay is catering the event for free. Kerstin guesses she has to raise an amount in the neighborhood of $1,600, for a round-trip ticket, so her husband can visit in July.
So, if you are in the neighborhood, or if you support our troops, it might be a good idea to drop by. We imagine Staff Sgt. Greg Dixon would very much like to see his wife.
And their teenage son, too.

Event Catering by Chef on the Bay

http://www.chefonthebay.com

Fundraiser Detials: April 14, 2012 from 4pm to closing.

Pro Shop Pub
840 Cleveland Street
Clearwater, FL 33755
727-447-4259

Easter Brunch Recommendations for Tampa Bay 2012

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 12:28:37 GMT

Easter Brunch Recommendations for Tampa Bay 2012

You may not know this, but Easter is considered the unofficial end of the snowbird season in Florida. After Easter weekend, those people lucky enough to split their year between two temperate climes head back to Michigan, Indiana, Canada, etc.
Easter is also a great time for because breaking bread with the family. It is really important, because Easter, in addition to its religious significance, is also one of the few holidays when people make it a point to go out and eat brunch. Restaurants make it a point of serving good ones. We have called around to the popular hot spots and have put to together some great recommendations for places to eat for Easter Brunch in the Tampa Bay area.

If anyone has their favorites or recommendations of places to eat Easter brunch in the Tampa Bay area, feel free to comment below. We would love to hear about other great places that we may have missed.

The Columbia Restaurant - Ybor City - Tampa, FL

The Columbia Restaurant is open for Easter, and they are all over the place, so you should have no problem finding one close to you. The most famous one is in Ybor City in Tampa. But there's one in Sarasota, on St. Armands Circle, another in St. Augustine, another at The Pier in downtown St. Petersburg, another on Sand Key in Clearwater Beach, and one in downtown Celebration. Though it's understood The Columbia will be serving Easter favorites like baked Virginia ham or roast leg of lamb, you should probably check their web site, pick the one you want to go to, and call it for particulars, including pricing. Details were not etched in stone as of St. Patrick's Day. The website is http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/. (You can also make reservations on the website). Since this is Florida, many are interested in a brunch with a waterfront view. It should be pointed out you get one at the Columbia at the Pier, and the one on Sand Key. At the Columbia Cafe; on the Riverwalk in Tampa, which is also open on Easter, you get a waterfront view, but no Easter menu.

Bon Appetit Restaurant Easter Brunch - Dunedin, FL

Another restaurant with a waterfront view is the Bon Appetit restaurant in Dunedin, which is located at 150 Marina Plaza. Upstairs, in the ballroom, is a buffet from 12 to 6 p.m. Among the offerings: roast leg of spring lamb and Easter ham rubbed with a Bourbon molasses orange glaze. Among the desserts: Viennese raspberry pudding. The buffet costs $39.95 plus gratuity and tax. Children under 10 years old are half price.
Downstairs there's Easter dinner. You could start out with the roasted tomato bisque, then follow it up with saute;ed veal medallions with Applewood-smoked bacon, mushrooms and chardonnay cream. For dessert, we're digging the cappuccino cheese cake with black raspberry puree. Dinner costs $45 plus tax and gratuity, and, as with the buffet, children under 10 are half price. For the entire selection, for either the buffet or the dinner, go to the restaurant's web site http://www.bonappetitrestaurant.com/ and click "Our Menus." You can also make a reservation on their web site. To make a reservation by phone, call the restaurant at (727) 733-2151.

SHOR Restaurant Easter Brunch - Clearwater Beach

Another restaurant, on the Pinellas County side of the bay, which is offering Easter brunch with a view of the Gulf of Mexico, is the SHOR restaurant. It's located on the second floor of the resplendent Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa (The address, obviously, of both hotel and restaurant is the same: 301 S. Gulfview Blvd., Clearwater Beach). For adults the brunch costs $45, for children under 12, $21. There will be a seafood bar, a soup station, and chefs doling out prime rib, cured ham and buttermilk mashed potatoes. It's from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can make a reservation online at the restaurant's website at SHOR Restaurant at Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach.

Island Way Grill Easter Brunch - Clearwater Beach

Down the street is the Island Way Grill, which is located at 20 Island Way, Clearwater Beach, and which also offers a view of the water (though it's the Intracoastal Waterway you'll be staring at, not the Gulf). An Easter buffet there runs all day, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. For adults, it'll cost $31.95 plus tax. For children 10 and under, it'll be $10.95.

Chart House - Tampa, FL - Easter Brunch

On the other side of Tampa Bay, the Chart House which is at 7616 W. Courtney Campbell Causeway, also offers an Easter brunch buffet with a waterfront view. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. and the buffet lasts until 2:30 p.m. For an adult, the cost is $39.99. Children 12 years old and under can eat for $14.99. It'll be a special menu. We just don't know the details yet. You can make reservations online at their website or you can call (813) 289 7773.

Rusty Pelican Easter Brunch - Tampa, FL

Another Tampa restaurant offering an Easter brunch with a waterfront view is the Rusty Pelican, which is at 2425 North Rocky Point Drive. Specifically, it's advertised as an Easter Sunday champagne brunch. The price for adults is $46.00. For children six to ten years old, it's $21 (Children 5 and under are free). It begins at 10 a.m. and lasts until 3:30 p.m., and it's pretty lavish, with a menu that includes leg of lamb, roast beef, and an array of fish, such as crab, tuna and salmon. Champagne and mimosas are included. You can make a reservation on the restaurant's web site: http://tampa.therustypelican.com/rustypelicantampa/.

Yacht StarShip Tampa - Easter Brunch 2012

We've been emphasizing Easter brunches offering water views, but there's actually one scenario where you can feast and have water all around you. That would be on the Yacht StarShip, which is at 603 Channelside Drive in Tampa. Boarding for one cruise is at 10:30 a.m. (it returns at 1 p.m.); boarding for the second cruise is 2 p.m. (it returns at 4:30 p.m.) It's $44.95 for adults and $29.95 for children (not including tax, a port fee, and gratuities). There's a full cash bar on board, and Peter Cottontail will be available for pictures.

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse - Tampa Easter Brunch

Now, just because a restaurant doesn't offer a waterfront view doesn't mean the decor isn't exquisite or the food less than mouth-watering. We all know Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, which is located at 4322 West Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa, as the place with 100 wines by the glass, something you don't see very often. But it is also known for offering a three-course brunch. It begins at 11:30 a.m. and lasts until 3 p.m. It is $34.95 for adults, and $16.95 for children 12 and under. The children's entrees are particularly interesting -- where else can you find filet mignon and baked potato fries? And one adult entree -- filet mignon Benedict -- we're not sure we ever heard of before. Get the complete menu and make a reservation online by going to their website: http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/locations/fl/tampa.

2012 Cystic Fibrosis Fundraiser - Clearwater, FL

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 07:42:06 GMT

2012 Cystic Fibrosis Fundraiser - Grind House Bar & Grill Clearwater

Every morning, 4-year-old Skai Coughlan is fitted with a high-frequency chest-wall oscillation vest and a mask is placed over her mouth. The vest vibrates to shake the mucus free from her airways, so it's easier for the little girl to cough the mucus up. The mask pumps in a steroid concoction aimed in part to prevent her airways from becoming inflamed while her chest is being shaken. Skai sits in a high chair as she undergoes this treatment twice every day – at 6 a.m. every morning, and at 6 p.m. every evening. She needs to do so because she suffers from cystic fibrosis, a genetic defect that, among other things, causes a potentially fatal build-up of mucus in the lungs.

Michelle Clewer, the owner of the Grind House Bar and Grill in Clearwater, became acquainted with Coughlan because Clewer's daughter, who's slightly older than Skai, went to pre-school with Skai before Skai was pulled from the program because of her health. Clewer noticed a few things, like the fact Skai couldn't play with other children because the exposure to other children's bacteria could land her in the hospital. "This is an evil disease," Clewer said. She decided to do something about it.

On March 31, there will be a fund-raising event at the Grind House Bar and Grill, which is located at 1500 McMullen Booth Road, in the Bayside Bridge Plaza, next to a Publix supermarket. The proceeds will go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which is searching for a cure. There was a time when children who suffered from cystic fibrosis didn't make it to elementary school; now many make it to their 30s. But their lives are difficult. Just ask Skai.

At the fundraiser, which lasts from 7 to 11 p.m., there will be Budweiser and vodka girls coming in with free bottles, there will be raffles, there will be auctions. Gift cards to places like TGIF and Smoky Bones are among the prizes, as well as a year-long membership at a health club, and a Tampa Bay Lightning hockey stick signed by No. 16, Teddy Purcell. Clewer has gone around the plaza in which the Grind House Bar and Grill is located, and solicited some gifts for the event. This will be the second time Clewer has put together a benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in Skai's name. Last year the pub raised roughly $5,000, and Clewer said this one is more elaborate so perhaps more will be raised.
Whatever one gives is tax exempt. Skai's mother, Mary Coughlan, who is partnering with Clewer for the fundraiser, has a letter from the IRS to prove it. The two women also have the blessing of the foundation itself, having been named volunteer ambassadors for the organization. They've got all their bases covered for an event that's sure to raise money for a good cause.

Rescue Me at Skinny's | All Children's Hospital Benefit

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:33:25 GMT

Skinny's Bar & Rescue Me at Skinny's Special Benefit for All Children's Hospital

Chef Al Notaro of Rescue Me at Skinny's is grateful.

His son, Keoki, was born six weeks premature. The infant had a slow heart rate and trouble breathing. If it weren't for All Children's Hospital, God knows what would have happened to the little boy. Now six months old, it looks like Keoki is going to be OK.

To express his appreciation, Notaro, who runs the restaurant's kitchen at Skinnys Bar & Grill, and Maria Little Bear, Notaro's significant other and the boy's mother, have arranged a special benefit this Saturday (March 24) at the popular Hudson establishment. The All Children's Hospital Guild Pasco Branch is also helping sponsor the event.

All parties involved hope this will be the first of many fundraisers at Skinnys, to be held once a year, to benefit the children's hospital.
As a flyer for the event states, the benefit for All Children's will start at noon at the bar and grill, which is located at 13228 U.S. 19 N. And it will take place come rain or shine. There will be activities for adults and children alike. For instance, for the kids there'll be a bounce house, face painting and a man who can make just about anything out of balloons.

For the adults, there'll be live bands, Chef Al's barbeque buffet, and a wing-eating contest at 630 p.m. If the parking lot gets full, there will be shuttles to and from nearby lots.

To raise money there will be, among other things, a silent auction.

Event Items that will be Auctioned

Sports Apparel & Items donated by the following professional sports teams...
- Autographed Tampa Bay Lightning Jersey
- Miami Dolphins stuff
- Jacksonville Jaguars items
- NASCAR memorabilia
- Jacksonville Jaguars goodies
Other Auction Items Include...
- Autographed picture of Mariah Carey
- Signed picture and book from Sean Astin aka Daniel Ruettiger aka "Rudy"

The inspirational movie "Rudy" is about a pint-sized dynamo who fulfills his dreams, despite the odds, of playing football for Notre Dame. We hope that turns out to be Keoki's fate, too.

So come out, have a good time and support a worthy cause -- all at the same time. Tickets are $20 at the door, $15 if you buy them in advance. The prices covers the buffet and free drinks. Children 14 and under are free.

Pasco County St Patricks Day Celebration at Skinny's Bar

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 10:35:16 GMT

Skinny's Bar - Hudson, FL - St Patrick's Day Event

We don't know how many Irishmen there are in Pasco County. But whether you're Irish or not probably doesn't matter on St. Patrick's Day, where everyone seems to be Irish, at least for 24 hours, or until they pass out.
In any event, if you live in Pasco County, and you want to celebrate Ireland's biggest holiday, try Skinnys Bar & Grill. Or, to be more precise, try the restaurant inside Skinnys Bar & Grill, which is called Rescue Me at Skinnys. There, Chef Al Notaro is preparing some specialties in honor of the O'Connors and Malloys of the world.
There's all-you-can-eat corn beef and cabbage (including carrots and potatoes) for $12. Just want one plate? Seven bucks.

Now for the drink specials.

One dollar Lucky Charm Jello shots.
Two dollar green beers.
Three dollar shamrocked shooters
Three dollar nutty Irishman shots
Four dollar Jameson shots
Five dollar baby Guinnesses

The bar keeps at Skinnys didn't make these drinks up. They are made all over the place on St. Patrick's Day. Some of the recipes involve Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur, which probably does a nice job of coating the stomach before the alcohol hits the blood stream.
For St. Paddy's Day entertainment, Skinnys has hired Big Foot. No, not that tall, hairy whatever-you-call it that used to be a staple on late-night grainy black-and-white television. No, we're talking about the rockin' classic rock band that plays everything from Elvis to Pink Floyd. (this band even has a saxophone player). Big Foot wants you to get up and dance when they play. After a couple of those nutty Irishman shots, you'll probably be game. They play from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
So go to Skinnys and get your Irish on.

St Patrick's Day 2012 Events | Things to do in Tampa Bay

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 21:14:19 GMT

Sure, St. Patrick's Day is a celebration of the Irish. But it's also a day when, if you gave up something for Lent, you can put it back in your life now, and still be OK with The Man (Um, we're talking about God here). Let's say you gave up alcohol, for instance, and you haven't had so much as a drop since Ash Wednesday. Well, now, on St. Patrick's Day, you can drink again.

And you just might end up drinking quite a bit this year. Let us tell you why.

St. Patrick's Day, which is always March 17, falls on a Saturday in 2012, as opposed to a week day. That means you're not working Sunday. And if you're not working Sunday, well, we expect you might drink quite a bit Saturday, even if you didn't give up alcohol for Lent.
Here are a few suggestions as to where you might want to do that. You are going to notice that the vast majority of our suggestions are Irish pubs, since it is an Irish holiday after all, and since the Irish are to pints of beer what the Japanese are to sushi, the Mexicans are to burritos, the Russians are to vodka, the.... Well, you get the idea.

Things to do in Tampa Bay for St. Patty's Day 2012

Flanagan's Irish Pub, at 465 Main St., Dunedin, is having its annual street festival, with Irish singers, dancers and bag pipe players. The entertainment is free. If you're hungry, there will be food for sale outside. Inside the pub will be drinks, obviously, and like the food, it isn't free. The shin-dig begins at 11am and lasts until 1am the following day, after which partyers tend to go into the pub for that one last round.
Farther south, in St. Petersburg, there's the Third Annual Durty Nelly's St. Paddy's Day Block Party, put on by Durty Nelly's Irish Pub, at 149 First Ave. N. It starts at 8am and continues until 3am Sunday. According to Durty Nelly's Facebook page, there will be more than 20 bands, including Less Than Jake and Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. And though Durty Nelly's would prefer you bought your libations at Durty Nelly's, there will be a bunch of other bars open, too. The nearby Hampton Inn, at 80 Beach Drive, N.E.., will give you a special rate if you mention Durty Nelly's. (Be sure you mention Durty Nelly's Irish Pub, as opposed to just Durty Nelly. The concierge might think you're referring to a prostitute). We like the hotel room idea because, after you tie one on, you can walk to a bed instead of getting behind the wheel. Now that's what we call a responsible Irish pub. (If you're interested in cool green T-shirts, go to Durty Nelly's Facebook page).

Across Tampa Bay, other Irish pubs are having parties, too.
One is at Four Green Fields, at 205 West Platt St., Tampa. There's a buffet that begins at 10:45am, and lasts until roughly 2pm For $16.95, you can have all that great traditional Irish food – corn beef cabbage, shepherd's pie, you name it. And there will be traditional Irish music from noon until 2am. If your Irish jig is rusty, you might want to brush up on it.

MacDinton's Irish Pub and Restaurant, at 405 South Howard Ave., is having a party, too. Doors open at 8am, and a cover charge of $10 kicks in at 11am. When you pay that, you can eat at an Irish buffet. There will also be cover bands, Irish dancers and, of course, bag pipe players. Some of all this action will be in the parking lot. And, as always, there'll be specials on Jameson's Irish whiskey. As with some of the other parties, the good times are expected to continue until the place closes Sunday morning. (If you are partial to MacDinton's, but live in Pinellas County and don't want to cross the bay, try the MacDinton's at the Jannus Live entertainment complex in St. Pete.

Live in Carrollwood? Try O'Brien's Irish Pub & Grill, at 15435 N. Dale Mabry Highway, in Tampa. Doors open Saturday at 11am, and they will remain open until Sunday at 2:30am Outside, under a large tent, will be the Shaguars, a cover band whose version of “Do Wah Diddy” is almost as good as Manfred Mann's. They'll start at around 4pm, according to O'Brien's Facebook page. Taking the stage inside at 8pm, and playing, with breaks obviously, until 2am, will be Crystal Blue, one of Central Florida's best classic rock bands. Don't worry. Even with all this rock and roll, O'Brien's is squeezing in the bag pipe players, too.

Now, inevitably, we're going to neglect to mention some Irish pubs and parties, you know, like the Dubliner Irish Pub, which has two locations in Tampa, Finley's Irish Pub and Eatery in Largo, O'Maddy's Bar & Grill in Gulfport, and O'Keefe's Family Tavern and Grill.

But we have to mention the James Joyce Irish Pub, at 1704 ½ E. Seventh Ave., in Ybor City in Tampa. Because James Joyce is to Ireland what William Shakespeare is to England, what Leo Tolstoy is to Russia, what....Wait a minute. We're drawing a blank on those other countries. We don't read Mexican or Japanese books.
But there's another reason why, especially toward the end of St. Patrick's Day, you might want to end up at the James Joyce Pub. Outside the bar, beginning at 8pm, there will be a parade. That's right, a St. Patrick's Day Parade in Ybor City. It lumbers down Seventh Avenue, and it's sort of an informal end to the Gasparilla season, you know, the one where everywhere you turn there seems to be a pirate throwing beads at you from a float. Well, the St. Patrick's Day parade is going to have floats, too, more than 100 of them, but you're as likely to see leprechauns as pirates.

Fashion tip: Wear green. Some of those beads will be green, too.

Speaking of green, we're also hearing that the stretch of the Hillsborough River, in front of Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, will be dyed earlier in the day. It's all part of Mayor Bob Buckhorn's River O'Green Fest. (Buckhorn is Irish, by the way). It's a family-type event, beginning at 10am and lasting until 4pm. There will be games, such as a jig contest and a potato sack race, along with food trucks, and entertainment. And, if you'd like to take a cruise in the green water, you can do so while eating an Irish lunch aboard The Yacht StarShip. That lunch will feature corned beef and cabbage, soda bread, Irish potatoes and, of course, green beer.

Now, aren't you glad you have Sunday off?

Jalapeno Mexican Grill Tampa Expands Restaurant Menu

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:46:45 GMT

Jalapeno Mexican Grill Expands Restaurant Menu

Jalapeno Mexican Grill has only been open for about six months, at 14913 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Tampa. But it's already established a reputation for delectable cuisine. The flan alone has become kind of famous in the neighborhood.
You'd think owner Miguel Espinosa would rest on his word-of-mouth laurels, as more and more people learn of Jalapeno. Or, you'd think he would at least slow down, maybe take a breather. You'd be wrong.
For a couple of months now, Espinosa has been teaching his sister and brother-in-law how to prepare to perfection the usual fare at Jalapeno's so he, Espinosa, can be freed up to become the restaurant's new sushi chef.

"They're ready for me to step out of the kitchen and go to the sushi bar," Espinosa said Monday, after the lunch rush.

Now, this might seem a little odd at first - a 34-year-old man from Mexico City taking a pass on making tortas, burritos and chiles rellenos so he can prepare food that originated in Tokyo. But Espinosa has been in the restaurant business for quite some time, and he's done everything from bussing tables to washing dishes to tending bar.
He also has considerable experience with sushi. In Tampa alone, for instance, he has spent seven years as a sushi chef - at The Rack in south Tampa, and at the Sakana. Still, on Monday, when Jalapeno's introduced sushi to its customers, Espinosa decided not to get too fancy too quick.

"Today is my first day with it," Espinosa said, "so I started with something really simple."
In time, that should end. Jalapeno has already been serving a kind of sashimi, or Japanese raw fish dish. But the dish has a twist. Espinosa has added some traditional Mexican elements, like chipotle and pico de gallo, and then instead of serving the fish as is, he torches the top of it, essentially cooking it, while leaving the bottom raw. Sounds like an interesting mix of ethnic cooking styles to us.
So go to Jalapeno's and sample some of Espinosa's sushi.
You're sure to find some interesting ingredients wrapped in those rolls of rice.
One of them, we're told, is jalapeno.

CJ's Bar-B-Skew rallies to support General Manager

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 20:37:22 GMT

Local Benefit To Help CJ's Bar-B-Skew's General Manager at "The Garden Restaurant" in St Pete.

Communities and locals come together to support Ernest Carver, General Manager of CJ's Bar-B-Skew, who has been battling cancer.
Julian Lara, one of the owners of CJ's Bar-B-Skew, feels bad that his general manager is waging a battle with testicular cancer. And the reason Lara feels bad isn't only because CJ's, which just opened, isn't flush enough yet to start contributing to its employees' health insurance, but it's also because Carver is a personal friend. The two know each other as disc jockeys. Lara was actually initially reluctant to take Carver on, because he is a friend. But Carver has since thrived in the position.

So, what's one old DJ to do to help out another former DJ? Contact a third DJ, of course, who is also a friend. The name of the third DJ (are you keeping up?) is Ivan Gonzalez, and on Thursday nights, at The Garden Restaurant in downtown St. Petersburg, Gonzalez plays electronic dance music. So, this coming Thursday, on March 8, Gonzalez will do his thing as part of an effort to raise money for his buddy, Carver.
There'll be more than just dancing going on, however. Frank Pizzuro, who's responsible for all that great art work at CJ's, will be doing a painting live. The painting will later be auctioned off during the night, to help pay for the thousands of dollars in unpaid medical bills Carver incurred while staving off cancer. There will also be some live body painting on a few women, Gonzalez tells us. (Who would want to miss that?). There will also be raffles for things like CJ's gift certificates.
The restaurant is located at 217 Central Ave. The fundraiser begins at 8 p.m., and the dancing doesn't stop until 3 a.m. The auctions and other fund-raising stuff will probably wrap up before midnight.

Come on out and support a great cause and dance until the wee hours. We all want to support our local businesses and their great people, it just makes you feel good inside.

For a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift, try chocolate.

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:34:24 GMT

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend. But she can’t eat them.
For a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift, try chocolate.

Archie Bourne is one of the owners of the Schakolad Chocolate Factory in Tampa. He picked up the phone Monday, but he was kind of in a hurry. “Today is going to be busier than tomorrow,” he said.

On what was the day before Valentine’s Day, Bourne and his crew were trying to help those men and women whose significant others crave chocolate. To that end, they were selling their usual delectable fare, plus some Valentine’s Day specials – strawberries topped with chocolate, and chocolate hearts filled with truffles and ganache. Bourne’s franchise is at 408 S. Howard Ave. in Tampa. But there’s another Schakolad, on the other side of Tampa Bay, in St. Petersburg, at 401 Central Ave., in the Snell Arcade Building. A woman who answered the phone there said they were so busy filling orders, no one had time to talk.

The name “Schakolad” is a combination of two things – the name of one of the founders, Baruch Schaked, and the word, chocolate, according to the company web site. Schaked began his career as a chocolatier in Argentina, while working for his father-in-law, who was the owner of one of South America’s largest chocolate factories. Eventually, Schaked opened a chocolate shop in south Florida, but wanted to sell it to retire. His son, Edgar, however, decided to keep the family legacy going, so dropped plans to work as an engineer and got into the chocolate business.

In 1995, the first Schakolad Chocolate Factory opened in Winter Park, and in 1999, Edgar began franchising the system, the web site says. They are now in more than a half-dozen states, with eight in Florida. At each, the chocolate is made on premises.

Mechanical Bull at Skinny's Bar - Hudson, FL

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:39:37 GMT

Did you know that Pasco County now has a mechanical bull?

It’s at Skinnys Bar & Grill on U.S. 19 in Hudson.

Lots of folks know the mechanical bull from the 1980 John Travolta movie, “Urban Cowboy.” We think the mechanical bull might even have moved the plot along in that movie -- something about the Travolta character’s rival teaching Travolta’s love interest, played by Debra Winger, how to ride a mechanical bull. But we really can’t remember, and we’re not going to watch the movie just to find out.

What we do know is that mechanical bulls have managed to survive, sort of like an endangered species. One has turned up at Skinnys Bar & Grill at 13228 U.S. Highway 19 in Hudson. It’s the only one in Pasco County.
According to the owner’s son, Richard Sullivan, this past Saturday (Feb. 12) marked the second time the mechanical bull was featured as part of a special Country-Western night at the popular hang-out. At the mechanical bull’s first appearance, on what would have been the first Country-Western night, 100 consent forms were signed in four hours. That’s 25 an hour, or a little less than one every two minutes. Or… Well you get the idea.

It costs $3 to ride the bull. So, in no time Skinnys should recoup its investment of roughly $5,000 (They did some bargaining to buy the bull, much like an old-timey cowboy would. The seller originally wanted $14,000). And they’ve done a few other things to give the place a saloon feel, like installing swinging doors to a patio that leads out back. So go to Skinnys, and get your hee-haw on.

Tampa Bay Area Valentine's Day Dining 2012

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:33:23 GMT

Places to go for Valentine's Day in Tampa Bay for 2012

Okay, fellas. We'd really like to keep you out of the dog house by making some Valentine's Day recommendations. You know, tell you about some nice, quaint, intimate restaurant where you and your signficant other can make goo-goo eyes at each other, wine glasses in hand, at a table adorned with a white table cloth and some candles. (Maybe we could even tell you which of those restaurants are having Valentine's Day specials). Here's the thing. It's not that those restaurants don't exist. It's just that men with a helluva lot more foresight than you have already laid claim to a lot of those reservations. Here's where you stand.

Armani's at the Grand Hyatt | Tampa, FL

Armani's, at the Grand Hyatt, at 2900 Bayport Drive, in Tampa, happens to have a Valentine's Day special -- $96 per person for one of their multi-course scrumptious meals. The thing is, so many folks have snatched up reservations that the only availability is at 5 p.m. That was as of Monday afternoon. So, make a call. Looks like you'll have to take the afternoon off.

Bern's Steakhouse | Tampa, FL

Bern's Steakhouse, at 1208 South Howard Ave., doesn't have any Valentine's Day specials. It doesn't have to. It's BERN'S for heaven's sake. We recommend you do what the restaurant recommends you do: Go to www.bernssteakhouse.com and make an online reservation no later than 72 hours before you plan to dine. Actually, we recommend you make that reservation NOW.

Whiskey Joe's Bar and Grill | Tampa, FL

Do you remember a place called Castaway's, at 7720 W. Courtney Campbell Parkway, in Tampa.. We do. We wanted to recommend it. Trouble is, it's closed. Now it's called Whiskey Joe's Bar and Grill. There are no Valentine's Day specials. But you can't beat the view.

Melting Pot | Tampa, FL

Now, the Melting Pot in Tampa, at 13164 N. Dale Mabry Highway, in Tampa, has its head on straight. On Valentine's Day, the restaurant has a special involving special cheeses and chocolates for $125 a couple. It's proven popular. As of Monday afternoon, the only spots available were at 3 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. But on Feb. 11, 12, and 13, a couple can get pretty much the same thing for $99 a couple.

Ceviche's | Tampa, FL

The Ceviche's in Tampa, the one that recently moved into 2500 W. Azeele St., doesn't have any Valentine's Day specials. But that hasn't stopped men from reserving so many spots the only ones available as of Monday were at 5:30 and 9:30 p.m.

Six Tables | Tampa, FL

Partial to Six Tables, at 4267 Henderson Blvd., in Tampa? With its hours-long dining experience, we could see why you would be. As of Monday, according to its website, there were some openings on Feb. 10, 11, 13 and 14. But none on the 15th -- it's completely full. Check out their website at www.sixtablestampa.com.

Bernini of Ybor | Tampa, FL

At Bernini of Ybor, 1702 East Seventh Ave., in Tampa, the chef may or may not decide on some last-minute specials. As of Monday afternoon, he had not made up his mind. But the restaurant wants to let you know all pasta and dinner entrees are half price from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. And there'll be some special martinis.

Donatello Italian Cuisine Restaurant | Tampa, FL

Donatello, at 232 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, has its regular delicious menu, plus a special Valentine's Day menu, the details to which were unavailable. As of Thursday morning, however, there were only slots open for 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Toasted Pheasant | Tampa, FL

At the Toasted Pheasant, at 14445 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Carrollwood, there's a Valentine's Day special that runs from Feb. 11 through Valentine's Day -- a three-course meal with a bottle of champagne for $45 per person. But as of Thursday morning, reservations were filling up fast, with only some late night spots available.

Mise En Place Restaurant | Tampa, FL

Mise En Place at 442 W. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 110, Tampa, has a Valentine's Day special -- a three-course meal that costs $70 per person. But you'll have to be patient. There is already a waiting list of about 20 people.

Bella's Italian Cafe | Tampa, FL

Valentine's Day is actually the busiest of the year at Bella's Italian Cafe, 1413 S. Howard Ave., in Tampa. There's usually a special, but as of Thursday morning the managers hadn't decided what it's going to be. Bella's isn't taking reservations -- it's first come, first serve. So if you've waited too long to make a reservation -- and your significant other has the patience of a saint, not minding whether she has to wait to get the special meal -- this could be for you.

Bella Brava | St. Petersburg, FL

At Bella Brava, at 204 Beach Drive N.E., there were still some tables available as of late Thursday morning -- 5:30 p.m., 5:45 p.m., and 6 p.m., but none after that until about 9:15 p.m.

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"Chef On The Bay" will provide FREE food at a fundraiser, to help raise money so a U.S. serviceman can come home to see his family.

Event Catering by Chef on the Bay

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Event Items that will be Auctioned

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Now for the drink specials.

St Patrick's Day 2012 Events | Things to do in Tampa Bay

Things to do in Tampa Bay for St. Patty's Day 2012

Jalapeno Mexican Grill Tampa Expands Restaurant Menu

Jalapeno Mexican Grill Expands Restaurant Menu

CJ's Bar-B-Skew rallies to support General Manager

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For a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift, try chocolate.

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend. But she can’t eat them. For a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift, try chocolate.

Mechanical Bull at Skinny's Bar - Hudson, FL

Did you know that Pasco County now has a mechanical bull?

Tampa Bay Area Valentine's Day Dining 2012

Places to go for Valentine's Day in Tampa Bay for 2012

Armani's at the Grand Hyatt | Tampa, FL

Bern's Steakhouse | Tampa, FL

Whiskey Joe's Bar and Grill | Tampa, FL

Melting Pot | Tampa, FL

Ceviche's | Tampa, FL

Six Tables | Tampa, FL

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend. But she can’t eat them.
For a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift, try chocolate.