Live In St. Pete

Entree-Selections

Since my family moved here in 1986, the Lobster Pot restaurant in Redington Shores has been one of our favorite special occasion venues. We’ve celebrated birthdays, graduations, anniversaries and milestones there, enjoying the best lobster in town and arguing over whether the lobster bisque or the escargot were better (we usually opted for both, or at least shared among ourselves). Over the last few years, though, we didn’t find the same level of quality, and we went less and less. We were heartbroken to lose a place that we could count on for consistency.
But last night, the new owners of the Lobster Pot (about a year now) hosted the Bay Area Concierge Association, of which I am delighted to be a member. I was impressed – with the makeover of the space, the quality of the service, and the quality of the food. We were treated to the perfect sized samplings of a variety of dishes, including jerk shrimp, escargot (of course), medallion of beef tenderloin, salmon, sea bass and even a little lobster tail. To cap it off was a layered tower of key lime dessert that was perfectly flavored and light. The service was outstanding, and I was pleased to recognize some familiar faces from over the years.
The new lounge offers a nice area if you’re waiting for a table, or to enjoy a meal if you’re solo. I highly recommend that you try it if you’ve never been, or that you give it another try if you haven’t been in a while. Check out their web site, and have a look at my photos (it seems I like to photograph food more than anything else).

Bubbles & Berries

Last night, the Bay Area Concierge Association meeting was hosted at the new Ocean Prime Restaurant on the International Plaza campus in Tampa. They feature a large selection of prime seafood and steaks, which we sampled aplenty. The food was spectacular, including colossal lump crabmeat, deviled eggs with black sturgeon caviar and shaved black truffles, lobster lollipops (light tempura battered lobster tails), Kobe beef sliders, luscious lamb chops and enormous shrimp cocktail. You can see pictures of all the dishes as well as a few of the private dining room at http://www.flickr.com/photos/tamisimms/sets/72157619827747648/
The cocktail in the picture is one of their signatures, Bubbles & Berries, which pairs top shelf vodka with raspberries and chambord (and who knows what else) for a delicious, not-too-sweet ‘tini. The bubbles and “steam” are courtesy of a few cubes of dry ice in the bottom. What a presentation!
The restaurant is elegant and handsome. They’re aiming for the retro elements of a supper club with a modern sophistication, and it works. They’re open for lunch and dinner, and have a happening happy hour. Check it out for yourself!