Travelin Man and Buffetbuster in Tampa

The Travelin Man and I myself have both long been wanting to hit Bern's Steak House in Tampa.  Since my girlfriend was out of the country and TTM already had plans to be halfway there on the Friday night, we settled for this past weekend.
 
Before my girlfriend left to visit the Philippines, she gave me a going away present.....a bad cold!  If I was traveling by myself, I would have cancelled.  Still, not feeling 100% really only affected my appetite and apparently my picture taking, because the photos are not my best.  Hopefully, TTM will chip in with his usual excellent pictures.
 
Friday December 12, 2008
 
After landing at the Tampa airport, I headed to a place reviewed here on Roadfood, Kojak's House of Ribs.

Kojak's looks like a roadhouse from the outside, but the interior feels more like someone's house.

 
They offer a lot of other things here besides the ribs, but I am a big believer that if you are confident enough of one item to put it in the name of your restaurant, they better be good!  So, I got the ribs and sausage combo.

I like the fact that the ribs weren't overly covered in sauce and they did have a decent crusty chew to them.  

The hot links had a nice snap when you bit into them and were mildy spicy.  Not too bad!
 
I asked the waiter which sides he recommended and he suggested the parsley potatoes and the beans, neither of which I cared for.
 
The beans seemed to be straight from a can.
 
Some of the homemade desserts were intriguing.  I couldn't decide between the key lime pie or the apple cake, so I got both to go.


The apple cake gets a slight edge, but neither were memorable.  With a name like Kojak's, don't you think they should give away lollipops for dessert?
 
Kojak's was worth trying the one time and I wouldn't object to eating here again.  But not worth going out of your way for.
 
http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Writeup.aspx?ReviewID=6059&RefID=5966
 
I checked into my room at the Marriott, which was the same hotel that TTM was staying in.  He called to say he was just leaving Orlando and would be getting in late.  Not feeling well, I went ahead to sleep.
 
Much more to come.....

 
Saturday December 13, 2008 
 
Both TTM and I myself were quite happy to relax around the hotel for most of the morning.  We finally got rolling around 11:00AM and headed towards the University of South Florida, so I could purchase a t-shirt.  Very nice campus here

and I know the ones back home don't look like this place. 
 
By the amount of parents and students dressed in gowns, it was obviously graduation day.  We came across an unoccupied microphone and TTM decided to practice,

just in case he was asked to give the commencement speech.  The crowd of nearly a dozen squirrels received the speech enthusiastically.  Once inside the store, we found some good props and of course, TTM can't pass up a good photo op.

In case you are wondering about the horns, the USF teams are called the Bulls.
 
We had lunch plans with some friends of mine at 1:00PM at La Teresita.  Since the GPS said we would be arriving early, we made a quick stop at a cool looking little place called the Jerk Hut.


Here is the menu board outside.

They seemed to have a much bigger menu inside.  Since we were actually on the way to lunch, we didn't want to overdo it.  Living in Florida, TTM is much more familiar with Jamaican/Caribbean food and I was happy to let him take the lead.  I believe he ordered the jerk chicken and I asked for a side of the baked macaroni & cheese.
 
While we were waiting for our food, we chatted with the attractive young lady who took our order.  She seemed to be especially amused that we stopped in, on our way somewhere else for lunch.  And don't let anyone tell you otherwise, TTM is a charmer with the ladies!  Before we left, she even gave us some special sauce (was it the green or the red?) that they keep for special customers.
 
We got back in the car and headed for La Teresita.
 
Much more to come.....

Can't wait.  Seems like Tampa Bay was the place to be last weekend.

Looks like the start of a great roadfood report, you guy's. I'm especially looking forward to your report on Bern's Steakhouse. I'v always wanted to go there. Try and get a few shots of their legendary wine list. 

buffetbuster


[Kojak's House of Ribs.

?????

Jerk Chicken wings?  I want some!

I love the idea of stopping at a restaurant on the way to another.

TTM looks good in hats.

Hope that you feel better.  Has the cold affected your taste?  I've had one this week and all I taste is sweet and salt, no flavor.

You'd think I'd lose a couple pounds, but nooooooo!

Saturday December 13, 2008 cont.
 
We arrived at La Teresita five minutes late.  TTM parked the car in the crowded lot, while I looked for my friends.  At first, I tried to get into this building

since this where I (I think) ate at on my last visit here in 2003.  But, all the doors were locked and the inside looked unused.  Next, I tried this building

which looks like it now has the serpentine counter that used to be in the building next door.  But no sign of my friends.  Just as TTM walked in, my buddy Lenny appeared and said they had a table in ANOTHER restaurant next door.  All of this was very confusing.  We followed Lenny to our table.  This restaurant had a different name, but it was in the same building as La Teresita.  So where did we actually eat?  I think it was related to La Teresita, but I can't say for sure.  They were serving Cuban food and that was good enough for me!
 
Our waiter had a strong accent and we did have trouble understanding him at times.  But that just added to the authentic atmosphere.  The meal started off a big basket of buttered Cuban bread.
 
Simple, but very addictive.  We went through several baskets of this wonderful crusty bread.
 
Mine was the first food to come out, which was the large Cuban sandwich

and the fried plantains. 

Despite how good my sandwich was, my usual healthy appetite wasn't cooperating.  I only ate half of my sandwich and barely touched the plantains.  Despite my pleas, the waiter did not charge me for the plantains, which was nice.
 
Lenny had the picadillo, which is a ground beef dish.

He did something interesting, by mixing this with his yellow rice
 
and black beans (sorry, photo didn't turn out).  He put everything on one plate and ate it like that.  It looked delicious.
 
Both TTM and Lenny's wife Jeri ordered the arroz con pollo

or chicken with rice.  I will let TTM speak for himself, but Jeri seemed to enjoy hers very much.  She also had the single best item on the table, the fantastic chicken soup.

This was a very hearty, strong chicken soup.
 
To drink, we all got cafe con leche.

This was also very strong and several at the table loaded it up with sugar.  I liked it just the way it was.
 
We were here for about two hours and had a great time catching up.  It was really wonderful seeing my friends again.  Lenny and I were real good buddies in college and now I only see him every couple of years.  Here is a photo we had the waiter take of us.

Yeah, I know what you are thinking.  We are all still shocked Lenny landed such a beautiful wife, too.  
 
On the way out, there was a van selling produce out the back.
 
That is something I don't see back home!
 
Much more to come.....

What a fun report! While some of the  food may not have been as good as expected, The trip sounds fun!

 Where is TTM? We want to hear the rest of the STORY!!!

signman


Can't wait.  Seems like Tampa Bay was the place to be last weekend.

Yeah, it was definitely WAS, as I was there , TOO, from the 13th to the 17th...!
So now you've got my upcoming Trip Report to contend with , too..
Tampa got hit HARD by us Roadfooders!!!
 
La Teresita was a little bit hard to find...(the signage was terrible for it)
Found it on the 2nd "drive by".
It's a PINK building, so if you were'nt eating in a PINK building you were NOT in La Teresita.   That beef PICADILLO dish tastes about the same to me in every Cuban restaurant I've been in, anyway.

 
(to make matters even more confusing , there was also a "La Teresita" market down the street)
 
I just looked inside La Terresita, did'nt end up eating there. (went to Arco Isis)   I see your pics match mine; looks like you've got the right place!

There is no free standing name sign for this place, just on the side of the wall...make it easy to miss!

I did'nt make it to Bern's (even though I was overdue !), so I'm definitely looking forward to your STEAK pics.  That 3/4 inch NY Steak is right up my alley..
it's been about 10 years since I ate there last.
Went to Salt Rock Grill in Indian Shores, etc...
 
It would have been funny if when I was biting into  my hot dog at Mel's ,  I looked up and saw you guys!!!
 

This thread is getting tastier by the day. The "Cuban" food looks awfully good to me.

Keep the pictures coming.
Great report.

Great reort...looks like a great time...hey,I like the looks of that picadillo!!!!!!

Posting that Cuban food was cruel and unusual punishment....I have lived in Key West and S. Florida and it is still my favorite cuisine.....we have every type of ethnic cuisine known to man (Nepalese, anyone?), but no Cuban restaurant. Thanks for the continuing great photos and report!

I have eaten at La Teresita many times and here is what I know.  As you drive east on Columbus from Dale Mabry the first entrance you should come to with the western exposure is the Coffee Shop with the serpentine counter.  On the other side of the building, the eastern exposure houses what is known as CapDevillas at La Teresita.  It is fancier with tables and booths.  I think they share the kitchen in the middle. 

The very first time I saw this place was possibly on an early Food Network show called TV Diners with Nina Griscomb and Alan Richman from Esquire magazine.  They ate on the fancy side, because when I went there myself (early '90's I'm guessing) I wondered if I was in the right place because I was in a coffee shop with a serpentine counter.  Eventually I ate on the fancy side once, but mostly at the counter.  Either side has the same food.  Like I said, I think it's the same kitchen.

Pancho


Posting that Cuban food was cruel and unusual punishment....I have lived in Key West .....we have every type of ethnic cuisine known to man , but no Cuban restaurant.

Only 90 miles to Havana, and no Cuban food?!?
That's shameful...

mar52


Jerk Chicken wings?  I want some!

I love the idea of stopping at a restaurant on the way to another.

TTM looks good in hats.

Hope that you feel better.  Has the cold affected your taste?  I've had one this week and all I taste is sweet and salt, no flavor.

You'd think I'd lose a couple pounds, but nooooooo!

Maybe TTM does look good in hats, but that one?  He looks like a member of the Village People if one of them was a Viking!  I don't know what TTM has, but he sure is popular with the ladies.
 
Thanks for the concern about my cold.  I hope you are feeling better.  It did not affect my taste buds at all, but it was a big appetite suppressant.  I ate much less on that trip than usual.  My goodness, do I look pale in that photo! 

signman-
Thanks for the informative explanation.  TTM and I would have preferred to have sat in the coffee shop, but my friends already had a table on the other side.  That is what we get for being late.

Steve looks great in the horns. Just need to remind all of you the South Florida lost to the Oregon Ducks in last year's Sun Bowl. Cuban food is a favorite of mine and Portland's Pambiche restaurant is one of my favorite spots. Looking forward to more posts about two of my favorite roadfooders.

ellen4641

Pancho


Posting that Cuban food was cruel and unusual punishment....I have lived in Key West .....we have every type of ethnic cuisine known to man , but no Cuban restaurant.

Only 90 miles to Havana, and no Cuban food?!?
That's shameful...

Plenty great restaurants in Key West....however no Cuban food in Madison, WI...

Saturday December 13, 2008 cont.
 
Our next destination was the campus of the University of Tampa.  The first reason we came here was to see the marker denoting Babe Ruth's longest home run.
 
The marker now sits in front of the business school and the field it was hit on is no longer here.  But a 587 foot home run is rather amazing!
 
TTM was familiar with the campus and showed me the Plant Museum and it's beautiful Moorish architecture.


This was built as the Tampa Bay Hotel and has a very interesting history.  Among the guests who stayed here were Colonel Teddy Roosevelt who led the Rough Riders in training exercises on the property.  Cool!
 
The building is so attractive and unique, that while we were walking around, we saw several photo shoots going on.  One was obviously a fashion shoot.  Another was for the author of a book.  We saw a wedding party headed that way, in which the average age of the bridal party had to be no more than 16.  There was a lot going on and TTM and I had an enjoyable time people watching.
 
Our dinner reservations at Bern's weren't until 9:00PM, so we decided to go back to the hotel and relax until dinner time.
 
More to come.....

Really looking forward to your experience at Bern's.

Saturday December 13, 2008 cont.
 
TTM and I met in the lobby at 8:30 and picked up his friend Megan on the way to Bern's Steak House.  After about a 20 minute wait, we were seated in the Rhone Room.  Here is what the three of us looked like at dinner.

 
I will just go ahead and offer a blanket apology right now for the quality of my photos.  First of all, being sick, I didn't think it would be right for me to physically move other people's plates around or to hover over them.  So, my photos are not the best.
 
Despite the fact that Bern's has 21 different types of caviar, I went with the soup instead.  Being a huge lover of soups, Bern's does something really convenient, in that you can get a sampler of all three of the soups they offer.

From left to right, that is French onion soup, Lobster bisque and Vichyssoise.  I did not care for the taste of the French onion at all, but the Lobster bisque was fantastic.  Rich and luxurious, both TTM and myself were swooning over the smoked bacon in the soup.
 
My salad

with the wonderful homemade maple dijon dressing.
 
Megan's filet mignon,

which I believe was an 8 oz.  TTM's baked potato.

 
My hot and crispy fries

were quite good and were even better when dragged through the juice coming from our steaks.  My creamed spinach

was fine, but with my diminished appetite, I end up only taking a few bites.
 
TTM and I split a 22 oz. strip sirloin.  It would have been great to have taken a photo of the whole steak before he cut it in halves for us, but I wasn't thinking.  TTM prefers his steaks medium rare, while I like medium, so the steak is supposed to be in between.

This was a fantastic cut of meat and was so juicy and tender.  I think we were both very happy with what we ordered.  The shoestring onion rings were a delicious side, too.
 
After we paid our downstairs bill, ($193.00, including a 12% tip charge, and we added more tip) we were taken to the kitchen.  First, we were given a tour of the kitchen and it is amazing to see so many people running around, doing very specific jobs.  Next was a tour of the huge wine cellar.  As big as it was, they said they have another off-site facility for wines.
 
Finally, we were taken upstairs to the Harry Waugh dessert room, which is made up of a series of private booths.  This is where the photo of the three of us was taken.  One of the nice little features here is that you can select what music you want.
 
 
Megan and TTM went for the Granny Smith Apple Pie.

Both seemed to be very pleased with their choice.  TTM washed it down with a cafe con leche,

which he said was even better than the one he had earlier in the day.  Being a huge peppermint lover, I went for the dark chocolate peppermint cake. 

Very unusual and delicious!
 
I have no idea what the tab was here, because TTM picked up the check.  He's a good guy!  By the time we left Bern's, it was closing in on 12:30AM.  We dropped off Megan, who was a terrific dining companion, at her place and headed back to the hotel.
 
Dining at Bern's Steak House was a wonderful experience and I would absolutely go back again.
 
 http://www.bernssteakhouse.com/

How was the mac 'n cheese and the jerk wings at the Jerk Hut?
If you don't mind, did your Bern's downstairs bill include any wine or cocktails?
Fantastic report so far.
There's a bug going around and it is a persistant bugger. You think you're finally over it and then wake up with a scratchy throat and plugged nose. I was pretty sick but took megadoses of vitamin C and thought it had run its course so I discontinued that therapy a few days ago but it paid me a return visit this morning.

We got hit with a major snowstorm followed by a smaller one that dropped the temps to below 0º and came with very high winds. More snow in store for the entire week so Tampa looks that much warmer to me.

MFL-
Thanks for the good questions.  I did have one glass of Shiraz at Bern's.  Both TTM and Megan had iced teas.

Unfortunately, I never got to try the food at the Jerk Hut.  TTM did eat it and hopefully took some photos.
 
Hope you feel better and stay warm up there!

OMG..Buffetbuster and Ellen in Tampa.  My keyboard will be filled with drool!

I really liked that soup sampler idea!  The fact that it came with a strip of what looks like luscious bacon only added to my desire!

And don't complain about the pics, my friend. They are excellent.  And if i ever figure out the whole photo operation (and get anough $$$ to do some more serious roadtime), I'll try and add some of mine, but they will never equal yours!

Another spectacular report!

FCF-
Thanks for what you said about the photos, since I was a little hesitant to post these.  And if I can take decent photos and post them, then anybody can.

Agreed about the soup sampler idea.  Wouldn't it be great if more places followed suit?  BTW, that is a very crispy piece of bread between the soups, although bacon would have been a much better idea!

The pictures do look really terrific, and it looks like you covered everything, but it's too bad you weren't feeling up to par for that meal--looks scrumptious.  That Granny Smith apple thingie looks pretty terrific as well.  I do like Tampa and it's on our list of places to get back to one of these days.  You can't argue with that much Cuban food in one place.

Jiminy, Steve knows some pretty ladies.  I should not be surprised by that.

We dropped off Megan, who was a terrific dining companion, at her place and headed back to the hotel.

Wait just a second...you guys drop off a beautiful girl and headed back to the hotel...I hope TTM didn't put the horns back on...that could give the wrong impression!

I am SOOOO jealous.  I drove to Tampa with my wife some years ago, and although I gave lip service to various reasons for going there, the REAL reason was to to go Bern's steakhouse.  We actually had reservations, and headed over to it, with one stop  along the way, and a phone call forced us to cancel.