Category Archives: Review

Tasty Food at Tasty Eats Beer Garden

17 Wednesday Oct 2012

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As part of the Tallahassee Food Bloggers’ Association “best of” awards, I have been visiting several restaurants that I had never heard of previously (hard to do being a Tallahassee native!) The nominees have been really interesting in many of the categories, and the Asian food category has been the most enlightening.

The one that was a complete mystery was Tasty Eats Beer Garden, in the Railroad Square/Industrial Drive area. I looked on their Facebook page, and was intrigued by Pho Phridays! and the promise of authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

The menu has traditional appetizers, noodle or rice bowls, and a variety of sandwiches/wraps, with some surprising entrees like Sheppard’s Pie. I definitely needed time to decide, so we asked for an order of Spring Rolls.

I don’t even know how to explain why these rolls were so good. The wrapper was light and crispy, the interior was flavorful and moist. Even better was the spicy Asian mayo dipping sauce.

I got the Beef & Onion Vietnamese Rice Bowl and the hubs got the House Noodle Bowl. My Rice Bowl was a pretty arrangement of beef/onions, cabbage (lightly pickled) and carrots over rice. This was served with a Vietnamese Vinaigrette that was light, salty and sweet with a hint of fish sauce (one of my fave ingredients). The beef and onions were nicely spiced and the rest of the elements complimented each other very well, enhanced with a drizzle of sriracha.

The noodle bowl was arranged similarly; the House version features beef and shrimp. The hubs enjoyed it, even though he wasn’t feeling very well. The crispy onions were a nice touch adding some additional crunch and flavor. He even got another spring roll, which I completely coveted.

The one thing I wanted to try was the Pho, but apparently that is only available on Pho Phridays…I may have to make a quick stop on Friday too. 😉

The restaurant is housed in a blue and red caboose, in a great little artsy neighborhood that includes art galleries and vintage shops. They also have a large shady outdoor seating area (the “beer garden”) that looks like a great place to hang out, especially with the weather getting cooler.

I would highly recommend going at lunch. We were the only customers today, but I would imagine that Pho Phridays are probably more populated. They are very active on Facebook, so make sure to “like” them so that you can hear about the specials and events.

FYI: The map on Urbanspoon seems to point to the center of Tallahassee, instead of to the restaurant location. If you turn on Railroad Square from Gaines Street, you go over the train tracks and take a right onto McConnell Drive. Then take a right on Industrial Drive, it will be the blue and red caboose on the right-hand side.

Tasty Eats Beer Garden on Urbanspoon

Yummy seafood at Pepper’s Mexican Grill and Cantina

11 Thursday Oct 2012

Posted by in Dinner, Review

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Tallahassee has an interesting assortment of Mexican food establishments. We have the chains (El Jalisco, On the Border etc.), some locally run (La Hacienda and La Tapatio are my faves) and even some Mexican groceries and food trucks (La Tienda, Tacos Gringos) that offer takeout.

One of our go-to spots is Pepper’s Mexican Grill and Cantina on Capital Circle (sort of across from Sam’s and Sonny’s). It is a small Florida chain, and has consistently been a favorite for my family.

An entrée that I continue to order is the Mariachi. It is mild white fish and fresh shrimp grilled with onions, tomatoes, cilantro and jalapenos. It is served with rice and beans (delicious!), but is a great low-carb dish if served without.

Spicy!

This dish is fresh and filling. I love the jalapenos, but they can be moved to the side to reduce the total heat. The grilled onions/tomatoes/cilantro make a great sauce that elevates the fish and the shrimp.

The chicken nachos were ordered by one daughter and the other got the cheese quesadilla. The nachos are huge (even the kid’s portion) and they are yummy. Covered in shredded chicken and queso, they would be plenty for an adult as well.

Peppers’ service is generally pretty fast, even on crowded nights. The parking lot fills up, but because of some fairly spacious outside seating, you are usually not going to have to wait very long. The restaurant is clean and bright, and also features a nice bar area.

I have also had their Fish Tacos several times and think that they are some of the best in Tallahassee. (Cabo’s is a close first). Definitely worth a try and is one of their lunch deals.

This restaurant is not well-known for those who don’t live on the SE side of town, I would encourage you to try it at lunch as it is only 10 min tops from downtown.

Peppers on Urbanspoon

Come for the Curry, Stay for the Naan at Essence of India

03 Wednesday Oct 2012

Posted by in Lunch, Review

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I would like to share one of my favorite hidden gems in Tallahassee, Essence of India. Before I started coming to this restaurant, I had convinced myself that I was never going to be able to eat and enjoy spicy food, ever. But I hated that I had never tried Indian cuisine, so I went with a friend to Essence of India.

I fell in love with the chicken curry.

Let me describe it to you this way. Imagine a deep yummy gravy with chicken chunks swimming in it, over fluffy rice – accompanied by fried bread that you can dip in the gravy. Yum.

Forget preconceived notions of “exotic” or “curry,” and instead think of “comfort,” “gravy” and “fried bread.” Also, the dishes are flavorful without the heat. So if you like mild or no heat – the mild curry will be fine for you.

When you arrive at Essence of India for lunch, you are immediately seated. As soon as you order, you get a light lentil soup and salad. These are basic additions to the lunch entrees and a nice way to begin. I like to mix a little of the onion/chile chutney to the salad to provide more flavor to the dressing.

Not long after, you receive your entrée along with a large plate of rice and a basket of naan – fried bread. I like to make a pile of rice and top with generous spoonfuls of chicken curry or butter chicken gravy. On this visit, I had the butter chicken, which has more of a tomato base to the gravy, but uses similar spices as the curry.

Get in mah belly.

I have the butter chicken pictured above in the lower left corner and the chicken curry on the righthand side. Look at that bread…mmmm.

This is a great lunch. Perfect for a cold or blustery day. I like to get it “hot” (not “Indian hot”), which is just spicy enough to get your nose running, but not painful.

Take a chance and try Essence. And if you need company, please take me. 🙂

Essence of India on Urbanspoon

Cajun comfort food at Angelette’s

27 Thursday Sep 2012

Posted by in Breakfast, Lunch, Review

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First off, I can’t believe it has taken me this long to get to Angelette’s Cajun Kitchen, but better late than never!

I am a big fan of Cajun and Creole dishes, we try to visit New Orleans at least once a year so that I can eat my way through the city. Tallahassee has some decent New-Orleans style restaurants, to varying levels of success (exception the short-lived Tallahassee location of Stinky’s Fish Camp – which had the best po’ boy I have ever had in town).

I had heard that the brunch at Angelette’s was amazing, but it is hard to get from the NE side of town to Southwood on the weekends for us with various activities always keeping us busy. But I knew that I could get breakfast dishes any time there…so why go at lunch?

Eager to get the full experience, I chose a breakfast dish and the hubs got the roast beef po’ boy, with a bowl of gumbo to start. And what a way to start…

The gumbo was rich and flavorful without being very heavy. Nice chunks of sausage and chicken were liberally sprinkled throughout the gumbo, and you can tell the roux was cooked to a deep rich brown. The bread toasts that accompanied the gumbo were light and buttery – perfect to dip and sop up the sauce.

My Eggs a la Duane arrived soon after the gumbo, and it was amazing. It is a crawfish cream sauce over pan-fried grit cakes, seared andouille, and eggs over easy. Not a light dish, but man was it good. The sauce was creamy and well-seasoned, including lots of lovely crawfish pieces. The over-easy eggs became part of the sauce and made a wonderful bite with the grits and sausage.

This dish also came with toasted butter bread (score!) – critical to cleaning up any remaining sauce.

The roast beef po’ boy was not as photogenic, but delicious. The same soft, but crusty bread was used, piled high with roast beef and fixings. It came with a very good traditional southern potato salad, similar to the way my mom makes it but with larger chunks of mild pickles. (Other side options included dirty rice, baked potato, red beans & rice, and Zapp’s potato chips.)

Several times during our meal, the owner checked on us and our server was attentive and quick. I was really impressed by the staff and food, and am itching to bring my daughters here for breakfast on the weekend as the French Toast and the Beignets looks ridiculous. (Early to miss the lines though!)

Angelette's Cajun Kitchen on Urbanspoon

Quiet Lunch at Mickey’s Lakeside Cafe

21 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by in Lunch, Review

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Some times is it hard to come up with a creative option for lunch that isn’t too far from downtown. Fortunately, that has become less of a challenge with new places cropping up in the Midtown area in Tallahassee on a fairly constant basis.

One that has been around for a little bit, but has been flying under the radar by Lake Ella is Mickey’s Lakeside Cafe. After reading TastyTallahassee’s review, I moved it to the top of my to-do list.

When we arrived, the outside area seemed to be more populated with students/hipsters and the inside with more of the retiree/professor crowd. The music was a very soothing selection of 1940s classics such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.

View of Lake Ella from inside

The hubs and I easily got a great table by the window and perused the menu. The polite server let us know that they had fresh corn chowder and black bean soup as their specials and recommended the Roast Beef and California sandwiches.

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We got both soups (I got the last corn chowder, FTW!). They were both very light and tasted very fresh. Mine was more of a corn soup than chowder, with almost no cream – but I liked the pronounced taste of the corn. The black bean was good with nice chunks of onion and carrot. They both could have used a little more seasoning, but a dash of salt seemed to help.

Mickey’s Roast Beef had sliced beef with mozzarella, onions and peppers on ciabatta bread, which was nice and soft inside, crispy on the outside. The sandwich also came with homemade au jus, which was yummy. I had the cole slaw on Tasty’s recommendation and it was very nice. I liked the use of sour cream for the base, although a little mayo would help ratchet up the richness of the texture.

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My husband’s California was a hit with Boar’s Head Sausalito Turkey, avocado, swiss cheese, onion and peppers on Ciabatta. Both sandwiches were pressed and hot.

Mickey’s Lakeside Cafe was a nice, low-key option for lunch. I especially look forward to visiting when the weather is better and I can sit outside with the hipsters (people watching!)

Make sure to find Mickey’s Lakeside Cafe on Facebook to learn more about them.

Mickey's Lakeside Cafe on Urbanspoon

Great Food and Service at Ted’s Montana Grill

18 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by in Dinner, Review

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I know that Ted’s Montana Grill is small(ish) chain, but since he owns so much land in our area, I consider it a kind of local place. The restaurants are mainly in Colorado and Georgia, sprinkled in some others on the East Coast and with one actually in Montana.

Ted’s aims to have that western feel with bison on the menu (and on the wall), resulting in an overall atmosphere that is very hunting lodge meets family restaurant. One of my favorite features is that you can call ahead to get on the waiting list – very necessary on Friday or Saturday nights.

The 8 yr old, K, examining the large menu at Ted’s…

We recently had a 10 year old’s birthday to celebrate, so we met my parents at Ted’s for dinner.We were all famished so we put in an order of their Chips and Dip, which is homemade kettle chips and ranch dip. Very creamy, and very good. Warning: this goes really fast with six people, so grab some early. (We saved the rest of the ranch to dip fries in…solid choice.)

My husband ordered a cheeseburger with fries. Their cheeseburger is by far one of the best in town. They sear fresh ground beef on a well-seasoned griddle and then steam the burger by covering it with a bowl and spraying liquid under the rim. The burger is incredibly juicy and you can taste the high quality of the beef. (The bison burger is excellent as well.) The french fries are freshly hand cut – if you eat at the bar, you can watch them cut the potatoes.

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I attempted to order something new, but I just could not get the Red Rock Chicken Sandwich out of my head. This sandwich comes with grilled chicken breast, Pepper Jack cheese, fresh jalapeños, cilantro, fried onion straws and their signature Z-Sauce. The combination of the Z-sauce (kind of bbq sauce), the fried onions and jalapeños really enhances the chicken. And I love the ciabatta bread – they toast it on the interior side so that the outside isn’t too hard (which happens often with ciabatta.)

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Soooo good.

You can have the hand-cut fries, but I attempted to be healthier by getting a side of broccoli. They steam it till it is just barely tender, ask for it to be cooked longer if you like the broccoli more tender (as I do.)

B (the birthday girl!) got the Angus Sliders app and K got the kid’s menu steak and fries. The kid’s portions are no joke. Great size – I have even ordered the kids Salmon entrée for myself once and it was plenty.

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My mom got the short ribs and mashed potatoes (looked amazing) and my dad got the same sandwich as I did. All were very pleased and we got boxes for the leftovers from the girls’ meals.

Last, but not least, we ordered birthday dessert. The official birthday dessert is a large homemade cookie and vanilla ice cream. Both girls got the chocolate chip. Once again, the portions are huge. The cookie was almost the size of B’s face! The vanilla ice cream was flavorful and creamy, a perfect foil to the immense cookie.

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Birthday girl! Can you see her behind he cookie?

This was a great meal and I love bringing my family here. It is more expensive than most fern bar/restaurants, but the quality of the food and service make it worth it.

And get the burger. Do it.

Ted's Montana Grill on Urbanspoon

Want Thai food in Tally? Try Siam Sushi

12 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by in Lunch, Review

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Siam Sushi in the Lake Ella Publix Plaza is one of those places where, if you haven’t been there before, you have probably never heard of it. If you go there for lunch before noon, it is almost always barely occupied.

But, I love this place. The staff seems to be either family or friends. The food is fresh and good, even if not the fastest. They are very accommodating if you want to adjust the order from the menu.

I used to come in and just order the sushi rolls (creative and very large portions). Then, I tried their Thai curry dishes – game changer.

The Panang Curry and the Pad Thai are delicious. But, do you know what keeps me coming back? The Tom Kha soup.

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I have always been hesitant about coconut milk. But, after this soup was recommended by our waitress, I have never entered their doors without ordering it. And if I have a head cold, this will heal you. Regular spicy is perfect, but if you really want to clean your sinuses out – the “Thai hot” is the way to go. You can choose between chicken, tofu and beef…I usually get the chicken.

Smooth, creamy, herbal and spicy – it’s like a comfort food I didn’t know I needed. (The (almost) 10 yr old loves it – her comment “it’s spicy, but it is so good I want more.”)

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My friend got the the spicy tuna roll, which was good as usual. I got the Sashimi app, as I was trying to keep the calories down that day. The sashimi was in thick slices, and not as tender as Masa or Kitcho, but I think their strength lies in their Thai dishes. (And I have never had a bad sushi roll there.)

If you need a quiet lunch spot, this is the place. Or dinner, for that matter. They also have a cute outdoor space if the weather is nice (although you overlook the Lake Ella Publix parking melee.)

And please, for the love of all that is holy, get the Tom Kha soup.

Siam Sushi on Urbanspoon

Tan’s Asian Cafe, finally!

07 Friday Sep 2012

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Tallahassee’s Chinese/Asian restaurants (especially take out) get a bad rap. I used to love Ming Tree, but after moving to the Northside and their eventual decline, I have been without a go-to for Chinese fare.

I have been hearing great things about Tan’s Asian Cafe, and had been trying to get there for a while. Well, last night I convinced my daughters that they REALLY wanted Chinese food, and (after taking pictures of rainbows in the backyard during a sudden storm) we were off!

So, like the diligent researcher I am, I examined Urbanspoon reviews to see what the best dishes are and we submitted our order. Our waitress was an adorable little lady who charmed the girls, and promptly brought our drink orders. I got Mongolian Beef and Egg Drop/Wonton Soup, DH got Chicken Curry, and the girls got a Ninja Sushi Roll and Sweet & Sour Chicken.

My soup came out within minutes and my Mongolian Beef very close after. The soup had a rich flavor, and great texture – not too thin as is the usual experience.

Food Porn Alert! Do not attempt to lick your screen…

The Mongolian Beef was spectacular. The tender beef was gorgeously glazed and the flavor was a perfect balance of sweet and spicy. (Even the picky daughter loved it.)

The Sweet and Sour Shrimp arrived hot and crispy with a nice light sweet sauce. The 9 pc. Ninja Roll was a sizable roll with tempura crisps in the middle and BBQ Eel on the outside. It drizzled with eel sauce and a spicy mayo, and was accompanied by two fried panko shrimp – very good. The hubs’ Chicken Curry was also solid. The light and flavorful curry had chicken, mushrooms, carrots, bamboo shoots, baby corn pieces and water chesnuts. It had a little spicy afterburn, but the 9-year-old said that it wasn’t too spicy.

And just to make sure that we stuffed ourselves silly – we ordered Chinese Doughnuts. Who can say no to fried dough covered in sugar? Not us. (Very good, by the way. And also good the next day for breakfast…)

I have to admit that I didn’t want to have too high of expectations, but the food was really impressive. The service was quick and friendly, the restaurant was very clean. I wanted to try their Indonesian dishes, but I figured I would start out with the more traditional Chinese entrees. (Beef Tendon Noodle Soup or Baba Rica – You’re Next!)

Note: We brought home boxes from all of the entrees. The dinner portions are large, sharing is definitely a solid option.

Tan's Asian Cafe on Urbanspoon

First Caribbean Food at G & G Caribbean Restaurant

05 Wednesday Sep 2012

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I am lucky to have friends that love a wide range of cuisines and tastes. When I was searching for something a little different last week, a friend recommended G & G Caribbean Restaurant over on West Pensacola Street (across from the old Publix and Hobbit Hoagie complex).

The parking lot was cramped, but we were lucky and got a front spot. The restaurant is simple but clean, with cafeteria style service that allows you to look at all of the options. The most expensive entrees were the Oxtails and Goat Curry, which come with two sides, at $11. My friend got the Oxtails, for us to share, and I got the Chicken Curry, which was $5. I was disappointed that they were out of one of their specialties, the Goat Curry, but hope to sample that on a future visit.

The Oxtails were in a rich, beefy gravy over fluffy rice and beans, with buttered cabbage. I loved the Oxtails, but would have liked more veggie options. The gravy had a warm allspice taste to it with a little sweetness. Very comforting dish.

The Chicken Curry was a great portion for the price and had a light and mildly spicy gravy that was delicious over yellow rice. (Not photogenic, but tasty.)

As we ate, the restaurant quickly filled up. And with a small staff of one manning the counter, expect to wait. This was a solid lunch for the price, and I look forward to coming back again to try the Goat Curry. There is also another location that the Urbanspoon reviewers like better – I may try that one next time. However, I was happy with the experience and hope to have more Caribbean food in the near future.

G & G Caribbean Restaurant on Urbanspoon

Mmmm…Cuban!

28 Tuesday Aug 2012

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I have to admit that I was not a fan of the original Carlos’ Cuban Cafe here in Tallahassee – I was more of a Gordo’s girl, and grew to love Black Bean Cafe.

However, Carlos’ shut down and has reemerged as a small bistro, the Cuban Grill,  over on Capital Circle NE, to the far north end by Esposito’s. They have also added a cute outdoor seating area that will be nice when the weather is cooperative.

The menu is relatively small, but filled with great Cuban classics. I decided to get the Cuban, as it is one of my favorite iconic sandwiches.

I hate to say it, but their Cuban may be the best I have had in Tallahassee. The biggest difference was that the bread seemed lighter than most, and more delicate (in a good way). And it still had that great crunch necessary to a great Cuban sandwich. The meats were flavorful, and the cheese was perfectly melty and gooey. (One of my pet peeves is unmelted cheese on a pressed sandwich. Yuck!)

NOTE: Get the Half (6″), not the Full (12″) sandwiches (unless you want leftovers…)

My husband got the Pan con Pollo sandwich, featuring grilled mojo chicken breastErmahgerd...MERHER CHERKEN!, onions and mojo sauce. The chicken was cooked well but still juicy, and the onions gave a nice bite. In addition, the sides of beans and rice was rich and yummy, especially when topped with the obligatory doses of hot sauce.

Although we had sandwiches this time, I look forward to coming back and trying some of the dinner entrees. I am really glad to discover this Cuban phoenix, and hope to come back to this side of town for lunch (or dinner) soon.

The Cuban Grill on Urbanspoon