Tampa/St. Pete FL - Fried Mullet? Other Good Eats?

I'm going to be travelling to Tampa/St. Pete Florida in a couple of weeks, and I'm dying for some good fried mullet. I haven't had any since I moved from Florida 15 years ago. Any suggestions? Any suggestions on other good places to eat in the area? TIA!

I haven't had any good fried mullet since the seafood festival at Cedar Key this past October. It was to die for. It's very rare that you get fried fish so hot you MUST let it cool before eating. Haven't been to the Tampa area for about a year, but have some contacts and will see what I can find out. I've seen this particular request here before so you should get some good suggestions!

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

I can tell you where not to eat, if you like.

Stay away from the Innisbrook resort.

I have it on good authority that Clothier did not have much quality (eating) time here in the Sunshine State. Take his advice, please.

If it's mullet you want, go to Ted Peters in South Pasadena. Other restaurants may serve mullet, but TP is considered the King of Mullet.

As far as other eats in St Pete, my dad is taking me to Mazzaro's Italian Bakery for a dining/shopping spree for my birthday tomorrow. Am very excited and also ashamed I haven't been there yet. I will give a full Roadfood report on Mazzaro's sometime this weekend!

Kristi,

Shopping spree??? I guess you are not on Atkins.

Seriously, where is Mazzaro's. Is this a new place. Pending your review, I will put it on the itinerary for my next visit.

kbk,

I second the recommendation of Ted Peters Smoked Fish. It's on the left just before the causeway to St. Pete beach. Just don't go on Tuesday.

You'll also find smoked fish (usually mullet) spreads on many menus. I haven't had a bad one yet.

Tampa Bay area comes up frequently on this board. Go back to some previous discussions for some suggested places.

quote:

Originally posted by signman

kbk,

I second the recommendation of Ted Peters Smoked Fish. It's on the left just before the causeway to St. Pete beach. Just don't go on Tuesday.

You'll also find smoked fish (usually mullet) spreads on many menus. I haven't had a bad one yet.

Tampa Bay area comes up frequently on this board. Go back to some previous discussions for some suggested places.

kbk, There are two, if not three, separate forum discussions on smoked fish (including mullet) in Florida and about Ted Peters, in particular. Let us know how you fare down there.

Ted Peters is very good. As I have written numerous times here before. But you should know that they only make smoked mullet and not fried mullet. I can't even name off a single place I know that still makes fried mullet.

Just wanted you to know.

John

quote:

Ted Peters is very good. As I have written numerous times here before. But you should know that they only make smoked mullet and not fried mullet. I can't even name off a single place I know that still makes fried mullet.

Just wanted you to know.

John

Ted Peters is great, and Yes, it only has smoked mullet. But since smoked mullet is much more difficult to prepare than fried mullet, a completely different taste, there arguably are more places serving fried mullet than smoked. Mullet is a basic "native" food of Florida, and I'd bet there are hundreds of places serving it daily in the TB area. You won't find it in classy joints, or Cuban restaurants, but certainly most "meat and three" places, or any soul food restaurant will have mullet, if it's available.

IMHO, there is no equal to the exquisite taste of simply prepared fresh mullet - and when you add to this the fact that is perhaps the least expensive fish in the sea, it wins in a landslide! I take great delight in knowing that while the elite are blowing $100 per at Joe's Stone Crab, across town the common folk are in heaven enjoying their fried mullet with collards and grits for $5. It's divine justice.

Another John

quote:

Originally posted by drchanterelle

quote:

Ted Peters is very good. As I have written numerous times here before. But you should know that they only make smoked mullet and not fried mullet. I can't even name off a single place I know that still makes fried mullet.

Just wanted you to know.

John

Ted Peters is great, and Yes, it only has smoked mullet. But since smoked mullet is much more difficult to prepare than fried mullet, a completely different taste, there arguably are more places serving fried mullet than smoked. Mullet is a basic "native" food of Florida, and I'd bet there are hundreds of places serving it daily in the TB area. You won't find it in classy joints, or Cuban restaurants, but certainly most "meat and three" places, or any soul food restaurant will have mullet, if it's available.

IMHO, there is no equal to the exquisite taste of simply prepared fresh mullet - and when you add to this the fact that is perhaps the least expensive fish in the sea, it wins in a landslide! I take great delight in knowing that while the elite are blowing $100 per at Joe's Stone Crab, across town the common folk are in heaven enjoying their fried mullet with collards and grits for $5. It's divine justice.

Another John

Well, I have lived in this area now going on 25 years and consider myself to be a foodie. I also went and checked with a friend who has had a seafood restaurant in south St. Pete for quite a while also. We could only name off one possible place that would serve fried mullet. And this is after my friend checked in with her "soul food" restaurant contacts.

So if you know some particular places, please feel free to offer them up. It would make it easier for the original poster to find it.

This post is not meant to be offensive John. Just to let you know that I don't think these places exist anymore down here.

John

There's plenty of fried grouper in the area, but that's a whole new thread.

quote:

Originally posted by signman

There's plenty of fried grouper in the area, but that's a whole new thread.

Most definitely!

John

hee hee hee Fried Mullet (pictures some poor guys head on my plate with a nice mullet-do) man that doesnt sound very appetizing to me..doesnt his oakleys get stuck in your teeth?

Sushi Girl, Do you ever visit the real good seafood restaurant on the south side of town? I can heartily recommend them but the name escapes me (I think its on highway 441/25). It's across the street from a popular Thai place where I've also had some good food.

Does Gainesville and vicinity have some roadfood gems we haven't heard of? If so, we'd really like to hear about them.

By the way, you can get smoked mullet and mullet spread in Cedar Key restaurants.

Try Skipper's Smokehouse. It's pretty close to USF. It's been 20 years since I was there, but I noticed it still gets a lot of awards for best seafood in Tampa. I'm not sure what it's like now, but back then it was just a downhome seafood shack, with the best shark and gator I ever tried.

Well, I got to try a couple of places while I was in Tamap/St. Pete:

Ted Peter's Smoked Fish - The inviting aroma of wood smoke was present the second I stepped out of the car. I sat down at the nearest wooden picnic table under the awning, and I ordered the smoked mullet dinner. The waitress brought out a plate that was a thing of beauty. A whole mullet, split and smoked over red oak, german potato salad, cole slaw, tomato slice, onion slice, and pickle spear. The mullet was simply the best piece of fish I have ever eaten! It was moist, tender, and wonderfully smoky. Eating smoked mullet at Ted Peter's is a religious experience. I picked out every little piece of meat with my fingers and licked off the divine smoky mullet grease. I went back again a couple of days later and had the mullet again, and I took home a couple of pints of that fabulous smoked fish spread.

Bern's Steak House - Yes, it was expensive, but it was worth it. The steak that I had, a 10 oz filet very rare, is the steak by which all future steaks will be judged. The shredded carrots prepared with grand marnier, sweet potato puree, maraschino cherry juice and almonds were to die for, as was the trilogy of chocolate mousse that I had for dessert. The wine list was awe-inspiring, and the waiter was extremely knowledgeable and helpful.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions!

kbk,
It's been so long since I was in The Bay Area that some of the places I knew and loved are probably gone... but I'll give it a try.
Silver Ring Sandwich Shop - East Broadway in Ybor City. The best Cuban sandwich in Tampa, unless they've slipped.
The Columbia Restaurant - same general area. Spanish food. Remember - Tampa was settled by Asturianos from Spain before the Maine blew up in Havana in 1896, bringing in the first migration of Cubans - and birthing the city's cigar industry!
Rentz Diner - East Buffalo Avenue. A breakfast standby.
Vermillion Restaurant - North Nebraska Avenue (or is it North Florida Avenue? I always confuse the two!). Good neighborhood eatery.
Louis Pappas' Restaurant - the original is on the waterfront in Tarpon Springs. There is at least one newer one.
I've never been to Ted Peters' Smoked Mullet - my father, a native Floridian, liked his mullet fried with bacon and hoe cakes and swamp cabbage, which is the old Florida Cracker way of fixing it. The next time I'm in St. Pete, I'll try it... everyone has told me how much they liked it.
Columbus Drive West is known locally in Tampa as "Boliche Boulevard." There is a plethora of mom-and-pop Cuban eateries there. Some are, doubtless, better than others.
You might want to try my method: to pull over and ask a cop where to eat! I've never been sent to a bad place by a police officer, and in one case I was escorted! - "You'll never find it," the officer said, then added, tossing his hat back on, "What the hell. Follow me. I'll take you there." We wound through the back streets of Tulsa until we emerged at the eatery. It was marvelous. By studying the map, I was able to retrace our route and get to where I needed to go.
Sorry to be of so little help contemporarily.
Let us know what you turn up. I'll want to return there eventually... great thrift stores and good beer. (If you like the latter, take in Dunedin Brewing!)
Gusty-And-Torially, Ort. Carlton in Calm Athens, Georgia.

People eat mullet? We used them for bait.

The Columbia is still there and elsewhere. Fun place to eat unless you get a grumpy waiter. The 1905 salad is great as is the Australian lobster. Little pricey.

quote:

Originally posted by Cakes

The Columbia is still there and elsewhere. Fun place to eat unless you get a grumpy waiter. The 1905 salad is great as is the Australian lobster. Little pricey.

Cakes, There's a Columbia Restaurant in St. Augustine where I had a Cuban dinner so good, I returned the next day to do it again. That Columbia's was one of several in the state owned by the same people. Is the Tampa area Columbia part of this group?

Brief description of the St. Augustine place:
Columbia Restaurant - Spanish Cuisine since 1905. A big selection of authentic food. A blend of Cuban, South American, Spanish dishes featuring chicken, steak and seafood. Lunch and dinner. $5.95-$20.95 98 St. George Street. (904) 824-3341

quote:

Originally posted by kbkirksey

Well, I got to try a couple of places while I was in Tamap/St. Pete:

Ted Peter's Smoked Fish - The inviting aroma of wood smoke was present the second I stepped out of the car. I sat down at the nearest wooden picnic table under the awning, and I ordered the smoked mullet dinner. The waitress brought out a plate that was a thing of beauty. A whole mullet, split and smoked over red oak, german potato salad, cole slaw, tomato slice, onion slice, and pickle spear. The mullet was simply the best piece of fish I have ever eaten! It was moist, tender, and wonderfully smoky. Eating smoked mullet at Ted Peter's is a religious experience. I picked out every little piece of meat with my fingers and licked off the divine smoky mullet grease. I went back again a couple of days later and had the mullet again, and I took home a couple of pints of that fabulous smoked fish spread.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions!

Thanks so much for sharing these detailed reports. Before you used the word, "religious", in your description of Ted Peters, I was thinking you might wind up saying that.

Now, I simply must get there sometime.

I'm wondering if you like barbeque and The Woodlands Barbecue Parlor in Blowing Rock, N.C.?

A Florida fast-fast food chain that never made it beyond the single, original restaurant:

quote:

Originally posted by Cakes

The Columbia is still there and elsewhere. Fun place to eat unless you get a grumpy waiter. The 1905 salad is great as is the Australian lobster. Little pricey.

Sorry you got grumpy service. I assume that was the Ybor location. The last time I ate at the Columbia in St. Pete at the Pier, we had excellent service and in kind, tipped heartily. You may want to try the St. Pete Columbia for a change of pace. Ask for a waterview table...

quote:

Originally posted by JimInKy

quote:

Originally posted by kbkirksey

Well, I got to try a couple of places while I was in Tamap/St. Pete:

Ted Peter's Smoked Fish - The inviting aroma of wood smoke was present the second I stepped out of the car. I sat down at the nearest wooden picnic table under the awning, and I ordered the smoked mullet dinner. The waitress brought out a plate that was a thing of beauty. A whole mullet, split and smoked over red oak, german potato salad, cole slaw, tomato slice, onion slice, and pickle spear. The mullet was simply the best piece of fish I have ever eaten! It was moist, tender, and wonderfully smoky. Eating smoked mullet at Ted Peter's is a religious experience. I picked out every little piece of meat with my fingers and licked off the divine smoky mullet grease. I went back again a couple of days later and had the mullet again, and I took home a couple of pints of that fabulous smoked fish spread.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions!

Thanks so much for sharing these detailed reports. Before you used the word, "religious", in your description of Ted Peters, I was thinking you might wind up saying that.

Now, I simply must get there sometime.

I'm wondering if you like barbeque and The Woodlands Barbecue Parlor in Blowing Rock, N.C.?

Hi Jim.

When you come down, let me know and I will meet you at Ted's.

John

quote:

I'm wondering if you like barbeque and The Woodlands Barbecue Parlor in Blowing Rock, N.C.?

I like it, but it's not my favorite BBQ place. Truth be told, I haven't found too many BBQ places around these parts--Boone, NC--that really turn me on. I grew up in NW Florida and went to school in Alabama, so the NC style of BBQ isn't what I grew up thinking of as BBQ. I _love_ Sonny's BBQ, and I the best ribs I've ever eaten were at Mark's Feed Store in Louisville, KY.

quote:

Originally posted by JimInKy

quote:

Originally posted by Cakes

The Columbia is still there and elsewhere. Fun place to eat unless you get a grumpy waiter. The 1905 salad is great as is the Australian lobster. Little pricey.

Cakes, There's a Columbia Restaurant in St. Augustine where I had a Cuban dinner so good, I returned the next day to do it again. That Columbia's was one of several in the state owned by the same people. Is the Tampa area Columbia part of this group?

Brief description of the St. Augustine place:
Columbia Restaurant - Spanish Cuisine since 1905. A big selection of authentic food. A blend of Cuban, South American, Spanish dishes featuring chicken, steak and seafood. Lunch and dinner. $5.95-$20.95 98 St. George Street. (904) 824-3341

Jim and Kristi,

They are all owned by the same people. The one in Sarasota is on St. Armands Circle which is a ritzy shopping area on Lido Key. You won't get the Australian lobster for $20.95!

Most of the waiters in Sarasota have an attitude. That is part of the ambiance. They are proud Latino men. Just once did it interfere with the great food. There is or was a waitstaff member that filled water glasses and such that would do bird calls like a ventriloquist.
Once you figured it out it was a lot of fun watching the other people looking around for the birds.

Cakes

quote:

Originally posted by RibDog
Hi Jim.

When you come down, let me know and I will meet you at Ted's.

John

Can I join in? This can be the Florida version of Roadfood Convention (mini-me)!

quote:

Originally posted by JimInKy

Sushi Girl, Do you ever visit the real good seafood restaurant on the south side of town? I can heartily recommend them but the name escapes me (I think its on highway 441/25). It's across the street from a popular Thai place where I've also had some good food.

Does Gainesville and vicinity have some roadfood gems we haven't heard of? If so, we'd really like to hear about them.

By the way, you can get smoked mullet and mullet spread in Cedar Key restaurants.

Are you speaking of Cedar River??

quote:

Originally posted by Kristi S.

quote:

Originally posted by RibDog
Hi Jim.

When you come down, let me know and I will meet you at Ted's.

John

Can I join in? This can be the Florida version of Roadfood Convention (mini-me)!

You and any other Roadfooders are welcome to join in. The more the merrier. Sorry I had to slip that in.

John

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty246

quote:

Originally posted by JimInKy

Sushi Girl, Do you ever visit the real good seafood restaurant on the south side of town? I can heartily recommend them but the name escapes me (I think its on highway 441/25). It's across the street from a popular Thai place where I've also had some good food.

Does Gainesville and vicinity have some roadfood gems we haven't heard of? If so, we'd really like to hear about them.

By the way, you can get smoked mullet and mullet spread in Cedar Key restaurants.

Are you speaking of Cedar River??

Nope. I'm referring to Cedar Key, the resort island in the Gulf.

quote:

Originally posted by RibDog

Hi Jim.

When you come down, let me know and I will meet you at Ted's.

John

Absolutely, John. Ted Peter's it will be.

You know we may just cross paths on the barbecue circuit this year. I'm thinking of attending Memphis in May, or maybe the competition you and I talked about in Georgia.

Speaking of the BBQ circuit, I was going to take my Dad to one of the "Grand Slam" events in the next year, but probably not Memphis in May because we just got back from Memphis. Which would you recommend?

quote:

Originally posted by zothhh

Speaking of the BBQ circuit, I was going to take my Dad to one of the "Grand Slam" events in the next year, but probably not Memphis in May because we just got back from Memphis. Which would you recommend?

In order of preference:

1. Jack Daniels Invitational Lynchburg, TN/late October.

2. American Royal, Kansas City, MO/Early October.

3. Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival, Tryon, NC/Early June.

Those are just a few of my favorites of the bigger contests. If you come to the Jack, make sure you look me up as I am always there as a volunteer worker for Jack Daniels in the contest.

John

John

quote:

Originally posted by JimInKy

quote:

Originally posted by RibDog

Hi Jim.

When you come down, let me know and I will meet you at Ted's.

John

Absolutely, John. Ted Peter's it will be.

You know we may just cross paths on the barbecue circuit this year. I'm thinking of attending Memphis in May, or maybe the competition you and I talked about in Georgia.

That would be great Jim. While I will not be at Memphis this year, I just got on the judging list for Dillard last week.

John

John, Is the Dillard you mention the one in Georgia? If so, what's the name of the event? I go the Highlands, N.C. at least once every year on a route that takes me within a few miles of Dillard, Georgia.

I'll look into the Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival at Tryon, N.C.

"Those are just a few of my favorites of the bigger contests. If you come to the Jack, make sure you look me up as I am always there as a volunteer worker for Jack Daniels in the contest."


Will do!

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

Hey John, the fact that you wrote the the Jack Daniels is an invitational made me wonder. Can anybody enter these events? Do you have to qualify in some way?

No, the Jack Daniels is purely by invitation only. To get an invitation, you have to first start by winning a "qualifying" contest. This is usually a contest that has been declared a state championship by proclamation by the govenor. If there is more than one in a state (please don't ask the obvious question here as many states have more than one), then the winners go into a drawing for that state. Some contest winners have automatic entries such the defending champ of the JDI, the winner of the American Royal, the winner of the MIM, etc.

In the end, there are only so many spaces in the park behind the town square in Lynchburg. As such, the number of invitations are limited.

Hope this made it clearer than mud.

John

quote:

Originally posted by JimInKy

John, Is the Dillard you mention the one in Georgia? If so, what's the name of the event? I go the Highlands, N.C. at least once every year on a route that takes me within a few miles of Dillard, Georgia.

I'll look into the Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival at Tryon, N.C.

Yes Jim, that is the one. It is during the first weekend of August and the contest is always filled up as they have limited spaces. During the contest, they always have bluegrass music being played.

Hope to see you there.

John

Ribdog: I will be in Tryon in June. I looked up their web site and I cannot wait. It ain't far from Knoxville, TN. I have attached their website for your convenience.

http://www.blueridgebbqfestival.com/

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

John, Do you plan on being at Tryon this June?

JimInKy: Do you plan on attendance? It is close for me and sounds like a neat weekend trip for me. I hope the experts on this site will be there.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

Ribdog: I will be in Tryon in June. I looked up their web site and I cannot wait. It ain't far from Knoxville, TN. I have attached their website for your convenience.

http://www.blueridgebbqfestival.com/

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

One suggestion for you Paul. Try and get there on Friday afternoon and night. On Saturday, the teams get pretty serious up until about 2 PM when they have sent in their last turn-in for judging. Then it is the proberbial "Miller" time.

Make sure you stop by and say hi to Lee and Bobbie McWright of the Music City Pig Pals team. They are out of Nashville and will be there in the vending section. I was there with them last year working warm-up grill for the ribs. Tell them RibDog said to say hi.

You will have a great time.

John

quote:

Originally posted by JimInKy

John, Do you plan on being at Tryon this June?

There is a strong possibility that I will not. It will be the first one I have missed in 6 years. I have had to cut back on my contests this year as my wife is not doing so well and I can't leave her alone too much. But she will probably be coming with me to Dillard so that one is for sure.

John

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

JimInKy: Do you plan on attendance? It is close for me and sounds like a neat weekend trip for me. I hope the experts on this site will be there.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Paul, I would like to attend either the Tryon or Dillard event this summer. The Dillard event is the most likely choice for me as it's in early August and I will be in the Carolinas or Georgia then. An added bonus is a chance to meet John. Incidentally, the Dillard House still has a good reputation. I check on that all the time.

I have lived here in the Tampa area since 2005 and have yet to find any restaurant that knows how to fry mullet correctly. Seems like they all want to put flour on it, when anyone should know that cornmeal and just a very small--VERY SMALL amt of flour is mixed with the meal, salt and pepper, and the grease should be at least 375 degrees F. and deep fried, not pan fried.    I am from lower alabama and the panhandle of Florida and was raised on fried mullet and mullet roe.  If anyone gets the chance, there used to be and maybe still is a restaurant called Gators in the Milton, Fl. area not far off the I-10.  They have the most perfect mullet, next to MaMa's that I ever tasted.   And it does matter what body of water the mullet was caught in---because if they grew up in a muddy bottom water, they will taste bitter. You want to get mullet in a sandy bottom area like Santa Rosa Island near Pensacola, Fl.   That's good eatin'.

I don't know if they have fried mullet, but for some darned fine smoked mullet, try the Crab Shack, on Gandy.

bravehearteire


Try Skipper's Smokehouse. It's pretty close to USF. It's been 20 years since I was there, but I noticed it still gets a lot of awards for best seafood in Tampa. I'm not sure what it's like now, but back then it was just a downhome seafood shack, with the best shark and gator I ever tried.

Skipper's is a great place! Love the atmosphere, and stay for the music, they have really good bands out back.

Michael Hoffman


People eat mullet? We used them for bait.

Mullet tastes better than any other fish when it's fresh and cooked in a cornmeal batter in peanut oil at the correct temperature.
Sardines are used for bait in Norway, but they are delicious and healthy.
What we need are clean waterways for our fishing industry. How many cities are dumping their treated waste into our rivers and streams?
...and Mullet are vegetarians; the other fish eat just about any organism.
 

sayhonk, two places I would suggest trying for the fried mullet is Skyway Jack's and Munch's with both of them being in south St. Petersburg.  Both places have fried mullet and eggs available for breakfast.  That is if they can get the mullet.

kbkirksey


I'm going to be travelling to Tampa/St. Pete Florida in a couple of weeks, and I'm dying for some good fried mullet. I haven't had any since I moved from Florida 15 years ago. Any suggestions? Any suggestions on other good places to eat in the area? TIA!

Having lived there for many, many years one place that always has very good SMOKED mullet is the Crab Shack. You'll need to go across Tampa Bay on the Gandy Bridge but it's a nice drive and worth it for the mullet. Skipper's Smokehouse is a cool place to hang out and they have pretty good mullet there as well. It has a grea vibe. North part of Tampa.
 
http://www.skipperssmokehouse.com/venue/menu.html