Friday, June 24, 2011
…and food, too!
Located directly on the Pithlachascotee River, the Crab Shack’s best feature is its location. Sitting with its own dock, this open tiki bar offers riparian atmosphere and superb seafood in a relaxed, comfortable setting. Don’t expect fancy. This is a no-frills place with benches or plastic chairs, help-yourself napkin holders on the tables and food served in plastic baskets with waxed paper inserts. The servers are familiar and friendly, and the resident cat roams freely along the dock. The food is great! A favorite appetizer of mine is the clams oregano. The clams are tender and well-seasoned with oreganata stuffing. Try the crab cake for a real treat, and the peel ‘n’ eat shrimp are an excellent value, if you’re so inclined. I am …
Friday, June 17, 2011
…So, as far as I’m concerned, I’m claiming them as ours.
The best way to picture Whiskey River is to recall images of every burger place you went to in college, including the life-sized statue of Captain Morgan in the bar. The bar and dining room are outfitted with lime-green and red booths, walls floors and ceilings. This decorator’s nightmare (yes, I know it was done by design) is redeemed with a fantastic view of the Cotee River and dining on the pier. The bar features nearly open-air dining with huge windows and shutters that open everything to the river. Lunch on the sun-drenched deck is all the ambience I need. Service is casual, friendly and accommodating. The menu recently underwent a renovation. Gone are the Pasco Dip - their version of a French dip, served on a deliciously crunchy …
Friday, June 10, 2011
Madison Restaurant got better
My initial impression of Madison Restaurant after my first visit was that it was an OK place for breakfast and lunch. The food was good; the service, while not stellar, was okay; and, the killer of all reviews; “it’s a good value for the money.” Well, after six months of return visits, I don’t know that it’s because they’ve improved, or that I hit them on a bad day that first time, or that I was in a lousy mood, but I can honestly report that I think they’re a great place to come for breakfast or lunch. Upon entering, your senses are assaulted by the noise. Tile floors and large windows cause sound to bounce around. But it complements the bustling ambience, and you quickly get used to it. At noon the dining room is full. We’re always …
Friday, June 3, 2011
Rebranded steak house has classic flavor.
It was with mixed feelings that I read the reports of the closing of Sam Seltzer’s Steak Houses in the Tampa Bay area. I had a generally good opinion of them but thought food and service in the Port Richey location was inconsistent. Then, reading that the restaurant was reopening under the name Harold Seltzer's Steak Houses at a select few locations, I was pleased to find that one was in the Gulf View Square Mall. Still, it took a little while for me to find my way back. And for that, I am disappointed. I could have been enjoying their delicious steaks for several months. The ambience at the Port Richey restaurant is unchanged. You enter a darkly paneled lobby where your party is greeted by smiling hostesses. You then wend your way through…
28.29399
-82.709072
9409 Us Highway 19, Port Richey, FL
/articles/superb-steaks-and-more-at-harold-seltzers-steak-house
/locations/4505080
Friday, May 27, 2011
Have breakfast in a family-friendly atmosphere
Pete and Cindi opened the Windmeal Inn on Route 54 with the intention of providing family cooking without fuss and fanfare. My only disappointment is that they’re only open for breakfast and lunch. Based on the quality of these meals, dinner would be an added treat. The Windmeal occupies a cute storefront in a Tudor-style mall. It’s decorated with kitschy pictures, plaques and sayings. We found it through an online search of brunch places in New Port Richey. We were greeted by Cindi with instructions to “sit wherever you like.” Coffee was served quickly, a rich brew served in large, hefty mugs, not those little diner cups. Three servers, and Cindi herself, all work together to make sure that no one waits for anything. And, not to be …
Friday, May 20, 2011
It’s not a five-star dining experience, but it’s well worth the price of admission.
It’s not brunch at the Vinoy or Don Carlos, but Barnhill's offers a great buffet featuring your down-home favorites and comfort food for not a lot of money. I’ve heard complaints that “[this] is tough” or “[that’s] salty,” but, let’s be realistic, it’s a buffet… if you don’t like one dish, move on to another. Barnhill's has an extensive salad and fruit bar, constantly replenished and very fresh. The fried chicken, a personal favorite, is consistently excellent; crispy and moist. The hush puppies are superb. The carvery has a different selection every night and the seafood table offers several selections including fried shrimp, catfish and other specials that change regularly. There is always mac & cheese and spaghetti & meatballs on the …
Friday, May 13, 2011
The food is well done. The service and atmosphere? Not so much
A special offer brought me to The Stadium for the first time. My party arrived on a Sunday at lunchtime, totally unsuspecting of what we would find. Cleveland Browns is the motif: the pictures on the walls; the stencils on the overhead lighting; the waitress’ shirts. I don't want to start a turf war, here. I follow baseball, not football. The décor is seedy and dirty. The tables are tacky to the touch, the carpeting is filthy. Your flatware is wrapped in a napkin, and you want to keep it wrapped rather than lay it on the table. But this day the place was packed… with, you guessed it, Cleveland Browns fans. A second trip to The Stadium found us seated in the bar: Post-season, no game. The tables here are also tacky to the touch, and …
Friday, May 6, 2011
Enjoy a hearty meal with friends.
You go to some restaurants to celebrate special occasions. And you go to other restaurants when you don’t want to fuss or just want dine with some friends. Brew City Grill is a place for friendship. You can eat in the dining room, or enjoy snacks or your meal in the large bar, where entertainment is offered on weekends. Great for local dining, I visit Brew City about once a week. Servers are always friendly, and the food is good, if basic fare. Called appetizers, the nachos are a meal by themselves, with shaved cheddar and jack cheeses, jalapenos, diced tomatoes and lettuce, and chicken or beef. Likewise with the chicken tenders. Add a potato and salad and make it a meal. The French onion soup is made with sweet onions and real Gruyere …
Friday, April 22, 2011
Sup on spaetzle and saurbrauten
You may not think it very imaginative to name your German restaurant “The German Restaurant.” Once you leave that thought behind, the imagination completely takes over. Entering the small building, you are enveloped in a cozy, colorful environment, playfully decorated in German décor. Pale blue and yellow fabrics and patterns offset the glossy white woodwork and walls, providing a storybook ambience. And, yes, we were seated under a cuckoo clock. A family-run business, we were greeted by the owner, Dagmar. Her husband, Uwe, is the chef. We had a very pleasant waitress who proved to be efficient, funny and capable, all at the same time. We started by sharing Kartoffelpuffer. These potato pancakes, prepared almost like hash browns with …
Friday, April 15, 2011
Excellent dining at very reasonable prices
I'm descended from Hungarians, and, while I cook many of the entrées that I ate regularly as a child, I approached Budapest Restaurant with an expectation of trying some of the more labor-intensive dishes I don’t make myself. Budapest Restaurant is nestled off U.S. 19 in New Port Richey. The building is small and easy to pass, but I recommend that you turn on your GPS locator so that you don’t miss this dining experience. The restaurant is owned and operated by Ernesztina and Laszlo Cservak, who both take pride and care in serving and preparing your meal. Entrées range from $10-$15. Most appetizers and salads cost $5-7. We were greeted by Ernesztina in the cozy dining room as if we were family. A gentleman appeared in the kitchen doorway …
NPR Guy
2:45 pm on Sunday, March 10, 2013
Has been closed for quite a while. more ›