Charley's Steakhouse of Tampa

  

    

                                    Charley's Steakhouse

                                      Fine Dining at its Best

    

             Charley's Steakhouse has several locations all over Florida, but it couldn't feel less like a chain.  Charley's has the feel of a very traditional, almost old fashioned steakhouse.  Inside it's dark and cozy, complete with a fire pit where Charley's steaks are  flame-grilled using 1200-degree temperatures over a combination of oak & Florida citrus wood.  Tables are lit by candle light, and large fish tanks give the bar area some flair.  Walls are covered in bottles of wine, and vintage bottles of scotch and whiskey, the perfect after dinner drink.

Charley's "fire pit"

         My date and I were at first overwhelmed by Charley's huge wine menu (at least 20 pages long), but David, our server, was extremely well trained and was able to answer, and elaborate on every question we had.  After we listed qualities we like in a wine (red, full bodied, non acidic, etc.) David brought us several wine samples to help us decide which bottle to go with.  Servers at Charley's bring around a large tray filled with different cuts of steak, similar to desert trays that other restaurants use, to help you choose a steak.  For the vegetarian diner, or non steak lover, there are a ton of seafood options, including fresh fish and jumbo lump crab cakes, lobster pasta, etc.

                                    

                  Based largely on David's advice that this was the best steak he had ever had, my date and I decided to share the 20 ounce Kobe Ribeye.  Kobe beef comes from Hyogo Prefecture, Japan where cows are grass fed and humanely treated, according to strict Japanese tradition. The type of meat is a delicacy renowned for its flavor, tenderness, and fatty, well-marbled texture.  We ordered a lobster tail on the side.  (At Charley's you can add a large lobster tail to any entree for 15 dollars.)

the massacre

steak + lobster butter =  500 calories of heaven

                 Our steak came out cooked to a perfect "medium" temperature just like we'd asked.  The meat literally melted in your mouth.  I almost could have cut mine with a fork.  Absolutely delicious.  David had not led us wrong.  The only downside to the meal was the price.  The steak alone was 40 dollars, which is the main reason why we had chosen to share out entree.  (Although we weren't exactly slumming it, as we each got to enjoy 10 ounces of beef.)  Charley's is definitely a place for special occasions such as holidays or birthdays.  Depending on your budget, it's a great date restaurant (traditional romantic candle lit dining, huge drink list, etc.) 

 

         After we had polished off our bottle of Cabernet, as well as our steak, lobster, twice baked potato, and asparagus, there was simply no room left for the chocolate souffle I had been eyeing on the desert menu.  (#first world problems.)   We left completely satisfied, and with some leftovers that proved to be just as delicious two days later.  The only downside to Charley's Steakhouse was the high prices.  So if you come prepared to spend some big bucks, your experience will definitely be worth it !  They say you get what you pay for, and what we got was a meal fit for a king.

Gaspar's Grotto - An Ybor City Tradition

                                                          

                                     Gaspar’s Grotto

                                                        An Ybor City Tradition

            As my friends and I entered Gaspar’s Grotto on Ybor City's famous 7th Avenue early on a Thursday night, we were greeted by a gigantic pirate statue staring menacingly at us from the doorway.  A no nonsense 300 something pound bouncer with a similar gaze gruffly demanded ID's.  When we were allowed to enter, my friends from out of town were struck by how huge the bar itself was.   The oval shaped bar wrapped all the way around the entire inside of Gaspar’s, leaving space only for pool tables, a jukebox and dart boards towards the back, and shaded outdoor patios on each side of the bar.   

                 The bartender was a no nonsense, yet friendly bearded guy in a Modest Mouse t shirt who informed us of some pretty impressive specials.  Because we were at the bar before midnight, we could take advantage of the 2 dollar “beer and a shot” deal, which gets you a 12 ounce draft of PBR beer, and a shot of Canadian Mist whiskey.  Nothing that’s been written up by Food and Wine lately, but hey, a deal’s a deal.  I felt almost like a bad ass cowboy from an old western movie as my warm shot of whiskey burned it's way down my throat.  My icy cold Pabst Blue Ribbon draft was actually the perfect accompaniment to wash it down with.  Two bucks and in a few minutes I would have a decent buzz going for our night out.  Our bartender joked about how some customers are upset that the "2 dollar beer and shot" special does not apply to expensive drinks, like shots of Patron Silver Tequila, and Chimay Belgian Beer.  These people have two options, he said, "Take it" or "Leave it."   Nicely said.  There's no room for snobby drinkers at Gaspar's.

                  There were some other specials written up on a chalkboard at the bar, including 3 dollar Jack Daniels drinks, and 4 dollar Ketel One drinks.  Pretty nice, considering how at some bars along South Howard Avenue, that tend to cater to University of Tampa students and South Tampa’s upper crust, you could expect to pay at least twice as much for those liquors.  I liked how at Gaspar's you had three choices for seating ; comfy padded bar stools, spacious wooden booths that lined the bar on either side, and outdoor patio furniture.  There are bars at each of the outdoor patios that are only closed on extremely slow nights, and heaters are provided during winter months.  (This, of course, will probably only be an issue for 2-3 days a year here in Tampa.)     By midnight, the bar had completely filled up, yet service remained extremely efficient.  I really appreciate a bartender who will see a glass that’s 2/3 empty, and get right on to making the next drink.  

            I’ve always considered Gaspar’s to be a good, go-to dive bar.  But they also have a large menu featuring traditional Tampa favorites such as a “world famous” Cuban sandwich, Spanish bean soup, fried oysters, ropa vieja (which is a shredded beef dish, sautéed in tomatos and served over rice), and pescado fresco a la rusa (a Spanish style breaded whitefish.)  It's difficult to find anything on the menu pricier than 10 dollars.  Brunch is served from 10 am to 2 pm every Sunday at the main patio.  

            I’d recommend Gaspar’s as a first stop at the beginning of a crazy night out in  Ybor City , or even as a relaxing lunch spot where you can enjoy a Cuban sandwich and a locally made Cigar City Jai Lai for just a couple bucks.  

Fire

 


         As I walked in, I was almost surprised to not see stripper poles.  Upon entering South Tampa's "Fire Bar and Grill"  (located on Kennedy Blvd near Macdill Ave.) I was surprised to see what a huge difference last year's renovations had made.  What was for years Tampa's grimiest strip club called "The Seven Seas" had been morphed into a large, open restaurant with high ceilings, a huge half circle of a bar and a large, airy outdoor patio.  The inside featured gleaming hardwood floors , and a dozen or so large, roomy booths.

 

 

  Fire featured a fairly standard beer list, but an impressive array of wines and liquors.  I started out with a "Tanqueray 10" on the rocks. (Tanqueray #10 is Tanqueray's newest line of gin.  It has an extremely smooth, impressive flavor with notes of grapefruit, orange, lime, and chamomile.)  For an appetizer, my friend and I shared Fire's version of a tomato/ mozzarella (caprese) salad.  Fire put a new, southern spin on this restaurant classic by incorporating pan fried cornmeal crusted green tomatoes.  The dish also featured large cuts of fresh mozzarella, baby basil, balsamic glaze, and a smoked tomato dipping sauce.  Absolutely delicious, and reasonably priced at twelve dollars.   Fire had an impressive pizza menu, as well.  On my next visit I definitely plan on trying the wild mushroom/ goat cheese/ arugula pizza.

For my entree I chose the blackened NY Strip served with gorgonzola cheese and balsamic glazed sweet onions.  I absolutely loved it.  I could tell from the second I cut into my steak that it was going to be delicious.  The steak was soft and juicy, cooked to a perfect medium.  Not the slightest but dry or tough.  Whatever seasoning the chef used to blacken the steak gave it a subtle spicy flavor.  Definitely not overpowering.  But as much as I loved my steak, my friend's entree took the cake.  He ordered the cornflake crusted chicken breast.  Simple enough, right?  I pictured the chicken my mom used to make for picnics.  Sorry mom, but this put yours to shame.  The cornflakes were completely smashed up, so that they were the consistency of pieces of rice.  The cornflakes fused perfectly with the chicken, and had incredible flavor, as did the honey roasted carrots that were served on the side.  Mouthwatering.  And only 13 dollars.

The service erred on the side of slow, and our server didn't seem to know much about the menu.  (She couldn't answer any questions we had about entrees.)  Also, service seemed rushed.  We arrived at nine, and the restaurant doesn't close until 11 pm.  So we figured we'd be fine.  Yet, our server couldn't hide her annoyance around 10:15 when we were still finishing up our entrees.  We wanted to order from the impressive desert list ( homemade smores, peanut butter and nutella on a toasted baguette, etc), but refrained because we felt so unwelcome.

Mediocre service was in no way enough to make our experience at "Fire" anything less than fabulous.  Delicious. Fresh. Affordable.  I'll be back.

Meet Danica

       

             
                   Meet Danica  
 

    

      Hi, I'm Danica.  I'm a junior at The University of South Florida, where I  am studying technical writing with a minor in business.  When I'm not at school I'm slaving away as a server/bartender at a sports bar in Tampa called Champps, and at a southern style restaurant called Wimauma, "where cracker meets cuisine."  When I have spare time I like to do anything outdoors, hit the gym, travel, read, watch "Jeopardy" or "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia", hang with my brothers, etc.  I love to go out and meet new people at bars, restaurants, nightclubs, etc.  I love it all.  My blog will feature detailed descriptions of my experiences at local bars and restaurants, with an eye towards staying budget friendly.