Live In St. Pete

OmeletCafeAlma

This morning marked the debut of weekday breakfast hours at Cafe Alma in downtown St. Petersburg! I’ve long been a fan of their Saturday & Sunday brunch menu, but I’m thrilled to have another choice (and a more upscale one) for regular breakfasts on other days.
Tuesday mornings are when my Mom and I take time away from the office to have breakfast (we’re determined to try all the places that offer breakfast in the ‘Burg). So, we were delighted that Alma’s debut was on a Tuesday!
The menu includes some of the favorites from the weekend, but some more basic breakfast fare as well. I get stuck in a rut with the chorizo & cheese omelet most times, but the “ham & cheese omelet” caught my eye this morning – not your ordinary ham & cheese, it’s made with Canadian bacon and white cheddar (one of my favorites). It was cooked perfectly and so delicious! Mom had the traditional eggs benedict, which she gave high marks to – the hollandaise sauce was right on, the eggs were cooked perfectly, and they even found an English muffin to exchange for the Southern biscuit (she’s a Yankee, after all!).
It was a dreary, rainy day outside, but the atmosphere inside was warm and welcoming, as usual. Give them a try for breakfast, or anytime!

Parkshore3rdAnnv

It’s hard to believe that it’s been three years since Steve Westphal and Chef Tyson Grant opened the Parkshore Grill at 300 Beach Drive in downtown St. Petersburg. I had the pleasure of joining the anniversary festivities last evening, including complimentary wine and hors d’ouevres. Ironically, I was with the same friend who I shared the grand opening event with! There were plenty of folks enjoying the balmy evening, strolling between Parkshore and its sister restaurant, 400 Beach Drive Seafood & Tap House, which was also sharing in the celebration.
We stayed for dinner at Parkshore, where the bar and dining room were packed and lively. I decided on the Beef Wellington, which is truly authentic and rich, in my humble opinion. I wasn’t disappointed! I love having such a great restaurant just a half block away from my office. I’ve always felt that their menu offers a great deal of variety, in a great variety of price ranges, too.
I’m looking forward to seeing how Steve’s next venture comes together, The Hangar Restaurant & Flight Lounge at Albert Whitted Municipal Airport. If you haven’t dined at either Parkshore or 400 Beach, I encourage you to do so, especially on a day when you can sit outside and enjoy our beautiful downtown waterfront parks.

Z Grille

Joined a friend for lunch today at Z Grille, a hip, urban restaurant that calls the new Signature Place building home. Chef Zack and Jennifer Gross took their Central Avenue success to the next level with this awesome restaurant that offers a unique, fresh menu in a very cool environment.
It was a light crowd for lunch, meaning that it wasn’t noisy, but a sure sign that we need the word of mouth to travel a little south of Central at lunchtime. The ambience is unique, too, with cool shiny surfaces, even a bamboo halfpipe overhead and artwork from a well-known local tattoo artist (on the walls and on Zack, Jenny & some of the staff for good measure). Read more about the restaurant and see their menus at http://www.zgrille.net.
Lunch was great, starting with the special wild mushroom soup (it seems like a popular soup theme around town, and I have yet to meet one I didn’t like). I had the turkey, brie & bacon sandwich, which was delicious. My friend from the eastern shore decided to try their spin on crab cakes, with a tortilla crusting and a totally different taste sensation than you’ll find in Maryland – but it was a hit nonetheless. The wait staff was attentive and pleasant, and we had a very nice, enjoyable lunch. See more pictures on Flickr.
There are a lot of things on the menu I like – deviled eggs, for example. Why wait until somebody hosts a house party to have them? The B.L.A.S.T. appetizer with its sea scallop anchor is out of this world. And I can’t wait to try the legendary fried Dr. Pepper ribs. Guess I’ll just have to make a point to go back, and often!