Slide into Lee Roy's

Usually when restaurants introduce new menu items, its not really that exciting. (Think Kentucky Grilled Chicken at KFC).

They try to make it a big deal through advertising and promotions....but once you taste the new thing they're promoting...it's really not that good.

At Lee Roy Selmon's here in the Tampa Bay area it's a completely different story.

A few months ago, Lee Roy's rolled out 6 important new menu items that might be the 6 best restaurant foods you have ever tasted.

1. Jalapeno Rockets: I could eat these amazing spicy little things for every meal of the day. Unlike traditional Jalapeno poppers these bad boys are sliced down the middle and are more like a little mini spicy egg roll only split open. The dipping sauce is to die for and I've been tempted to ask for a tub of sauce to go so I can eat it with all of my food.

2. Hot Dog Sliders: That's right tiny little Nathan's hot dogs on a bun with all the fixings. I promise it will be the best little dog you ever ate.

3. Pork Sliders: Slow roasted and satisfying pulled pork piled up high on a bun with homemade BBQ sauce. I think because they are bite-sized it makes them taste even better. The homemade BBQ sauce is the perfect addition to the juicy and flavorful pulled pork.

4. Brisket Sliders: If you're not into Pork, I hope you like beef brisket because these mini brisket treats are unbelievable.

5. Burger Sliders: Who knew tiny cheeseburgers could be so good?

6. Sweet Potato Fries: In addition to the Jalapeno Rockets the Sweet Potato Fries (dusted with sugar) with sweet cane dipping sauce might be the most unbelievable thing you have ever tasted....the sweet cane sauce alone is worth a trip to Lee Roy's.

Lee Roy's is the perfect combination of a comfortable atmosphere and delicious crave-able food. It's a great place to grab lunch during work and it's even better if you want to chow down and watch a football game.

On Super Bowl Sunday....I'll be parked at Lee Roy's...enjoying some of the tastiest food on earth. If you don't live in the Tampa Bay area and can't get to Lee Roy's, I'm really sorry, however I still recommend you visit their Facebook Fan Page and drool.

I love you Lee Roy Selmon's Sweet Potato Fries....I love you.

Quizno's: "The Best Quality Meat"

I think I can now say for sure that I will eat anything if it's free.

You might recall about a year ago I wrote a post about how I didn't believe that Quizno's should be in business....bad food, poor service, high prices and a generally unfriendly staff.

After my last visit I vowed never to return, no matter what.

Well today I broke that vow...because I can't turn down free food.

A friend of ours got a Quizno's gift card for Christmas. Bad news for her is that she doesn't like Quizno's. Good news for me is that she doesn't like Quizno's...so one re-gift later and I had myself a free $10 Quizno's gift card.

Its been burning a hole in my pocket for a couple weeks now so today felt like a good day to cross the line and give Quiznos another try.

My last experience wasn't very good so I had rather low expectations. I also decided to try something totally different so I opted for the new "pick 2 for $5" promotion and chose an
Italian Bullet and Alpine Chicken Sammie.

Wow Quizno's is stingy.....I wanted provolone cheese on my Italian...they don't have provolone cheese. After the "toasting" was complete I wanted Parmesan cheese sprinkled on the Italian....denied it costs extra. I also wanted some bacon put on my Alpine Chicken Sammie after it went through the toaster....it costs extra.

It was at this moment in time that I was wondering if I really wanted my free Quizno's after all. The employees were nice, but there are just too many rules for me. It became clear right before I paid that the employees helping me thought I was completely insane...probably due to the fact that I was asking 17 questions about everything. (If you've ever eaten with me you know how nosy I can be).

As I was paying the one employee asked, "Are you from out of town?"

What an odd question to ask someone in rural Clearwater, FL not during the holiday season. I don't think I look like I'm from out of town, but who knows.

I answered no and then she said, "Really? You're from around here then?"

"Yes" I responded...."I live like 3 minutes away" I continued by saying, "You probably just don't recognize me because I hardly ever eat Quizno's...I never come in here."

"Oh," she responded "you're missing out then."

"I am?"

"Ya" she said "it's the best quality meat."

Skeptical, I said..."oh really....even better than Publix?"

"Oh ya" she responded, "it's the best out there."

After this unusual verbal exchange she handed me a loyalty card: buy 6 subs and get 1 free (must be used by February 28, 2010). Only after validating that I lived nearby and that I had a remote interest in returning did she give me the card...which I might add has some pretty intense regulations: visit 6 times in a month and get 1 sub free....."yay what a sweet deal."

All things considered....Quizno's is not the best sub shop out there. However, I will say this: for $5, a Bullet sandwich and a Sammie is a seriously good deal. It's a really good portion and it's tastes decent too. The option to mix and match for $5 is a much more exciting than Subway's famous $5 foot long.

So if you want "the best quality" and you only want to spend $5, Quizno's isn't a horrible option.

Don't get me wrong though, once my gift card is gone...I probably won't be going back.

The Dish on Tea

Generally speaking, tea is not an exciting drink alternative; in fact it’s a lot like drinking brown water.

A few years ago I never drank tea at all, my wife is the one who got me hooked on iced tea and from there I developed a beginner’s taste pallet for hot tea as well.

My interactions with tea over the course of my life have been far from exhilarating. Traditionally it involved putting a tea bag in a cup of boiling water…. (how exciting).

It wasn’t until this past week that my perspective on tea changed forever.

After finishing up lunch at Outback Steakhouse I was walking through the parking lot of the plaza off of Henderson Blvd in Tampa and my eye caught a sign that read: Dishtopia & the Anytime Tea Bar. First…what’s a Dishtopia? And second, what the heck is a tea bar?

My curiosity got the better of me and a few minutes later I found myself in deep conversation with Stephanie (owner of Dishtopia) about tea, tea leaves, steeping and the proper way to drink tea.

Wow have I been wrong about tea.

Here’s the thing I never knew: tea is a romantic, cultural and cultivating experience that shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Dishtopia is an amazing place that has an enormous amount of respect for tea. Not only do they offer 90+ types of raw tea leaves for brewing, but they also serve homemade scones, and pastries. The tea they serve ranges from bold to green and they also have a few "rare" teas that I doubt you would be able to find anywhere else.

Aside from the loose tea leaves the real magic happens when they make a drink for you. Maybe it's the fact that they are using real leaves that don't come from a bag or maybe it's because they have a certain special touch...whatever the case the tea they make taste like it came from the heavens. The lattes especially are revolutionary. Never before has tea tasted so good.

The only other time I've had a tea experience that came close to Dishtopia was when I was in London, and no offense to London....Dishtopia might be better.

We need a place like Dishtopia. A place to escape, hang out and relax. You do have the option to take your hot tea, latte or iced tea to go or you can just sit and enjoy the cool hip atmosphere of Dishtopia. I encourage you to stay instead of taking it to go because you get your own personal tea pot and tea cup….all for an extremely reasonable price. Two people could go and both enjoy rare hot tea for less than $5 total.

The “dishtopia” is the shelves upon shelves of fine china, tea pots, tea cups and dishes that are all for sale.

They also sell all of their loose leaf tea by the ounce so I went as far as buying my own personal tea pot with filter to brew Dishtopia's tea at home. The Masala Chai and Passion Fruit tea are absolutely superb.

Dishtopia is quite possibly one of the coolest places in Tampa Bay. If you go visit I guarantee that you will be impressed and you'll also never look at tea the same again.

Truck Food

I’m so jealous of everyone in California.

Not because the Terminator is your Governor or because you’re the home of “The Hills” but because you have truck food on every corner.

Yes, truck food.

Many of you are probably familiar with the “taco truck” concept that became famous in California. Since that time…trucks of every kind have exploded all over the place. From Cupcake Trucks to Grilled Cheese Trucks, almost every type of good food on earth is served out of a truck in California.

My stomach is growling with envy.

I just don’t get it. Here in Clearwater, FL there is nothing unique, fun or cool. Sure we have our “local places” but there is nothing in particular that melts my mind and moves my soul. I want good food served from a truck on the street corner and more than that I want a restaurant in my city that people from all over crave.

Do you watch that show on Food Network, Diners Drive Ins & Dives? If you have than you understand what I mean when I say I want an amazing local restaurant. On the show, Guy Fieri goes all over the country in search for local restaurant icons.

Every single time I watch that show and every time I hear about “truck food” I just get irritated that there is nothing like that in Clearwater, FL.

Maybe I’m wrong and maybe there is some astonishing local jewel restaurant that I’m unaware of. If you know of one, please prove me wrong and tell me.

If you don’t know of one and you know how to cook, please for all things holy, go rent a truck and start cooking some food….if you do, I’ll be there.