A Beer Hall You'll Love, Out in the Countryside

Occasionally you run across a totally unexpected pleasure.  Two Henry's Brewing Company is six miles north west of Plant City, FL at the corner of Thonotosassa Road and Branch Forbes Road.  Six miles of two lane country roads lined with farms and strawberry fields, the occasional house and a few residential trailers. The drive is worth it.  The brewery beer hall is a hidden gem,  And if your drink of choice is wine you should know that the beer hall is also a wine hall for the Keel and Curley Winery.  The picture shows the outside bar where we sat and the view of the pond from the outside bar.

On a Thursday late afternoon there was plenty of parking spaces for the few customers.  However, the size of the parking lot and the seating spaces in the hall and their outside patio suggest the brewery / winery is a popular place to visit, probably at weekends.

The web site http://twohenrysbrewing.com/ says that Two Henry's produces "Great Beers inspired by two of Florida's greatest pioneers. Two Henrys" The two Henrys are Henry Flagler and Henry Plant, read about the two Henrys here and here and the competition between them and their railroads here.

I drank a 7 Mile Bridge English Style IPA, which the website describes as "A malt forward take on the IPA, biscuit and crystal malts combine with spicy English hops and some fruity Simcoe dry hop on the nose. Six different hops give a complex, robust herbal and cistric hop flavor. Medium bodied with a reddish amber color. ABV 6.5%" Translated into English I can understand, this means that the beer had a nice body and the hops and malt were nicely balanced so the hops were present but not overpowering.  

Patricia drank a Two Henry's Blueberry Cider which the web site describes as "A traditional hard apple cider blended with 100 percent blueberry juice pressed from our own blueberries.  6.0% alc by vol. Gluten free" 

I enjoyed the beer and Patricia enjoyed the slightly sweet cider a lot as we talked about our day and our new client while watching a pretty duck play on the pond.  This is a good place to visit and while away a few hours.

Excellent Florida Draft Beer at a Great Price in Pelicans Bar on Cocoa Beach Pier, FL

It is such a joy to be able to find Florida draft beer in bars and restaurants around the state. It is even nicer to find those draft beers at a great price in a very nice location. This was the situation this afternoon.  Pelicans Bar on Cocoa Beach Pier sold a large plastic glass of Florida Brewery Lager for the princely sum of $2.50.  Then just to add a sweetener to the deal, the beer acted as the entry fee to the observation and fishing section of the pier, an entry fee that without the beer in hand would have cost $2.00.

The beer was a lovely light brown color with only a slight head when poured through the tap.  The plastic cup didn't add anything to the presentation but then what else could I ask for when I was going to take the beer onto the pier over the Atlantic Ocean so we could sit and watch the surfers (some of whom were quite good) tackle the waves rolling onto the beach from the Atlantic.

The weather was perfect.  A slight breeze kept us cooler than the 80 deg F temperature and the only clouds in the sky were vapor trails from planes on approach to Orlando airport.  The pier was not very busy so we were able to find seats in a couple of the wooden rocking chairs someone in the Cocoa Beach community has thoughtfully provided for visitors to the pier. 

What a great way to spend a couple of hours before heading home. The beer added to the occasion.  It was a very pleasant drink.  The hops and malt were very well balanced, there was a slight citrus taste to a nice beer that had body and flavor.  A lager worth drinking.  It provided sustenance and quenched the thirst and I'll search it out again.

Marriott Waterside Hotel Grill, Tampa, FL

Mouth-watering steaks, fresh local seafood, excellent service and a beautiful view on the Tampa Riverwalk.

As our hostess opened the door from the dining room to our table on the patio we marveled at the view of the river and the luxurious boats docked at the hotel’s marina.  We are in the heart of the city of Tampa, a short boat ride from Tampa Bay, and the gentle wind from the south west brings the clean smell of the ocean. Green plants, palm trees and a white picket fence separate the raised patio dining area from the Riverwalk below. Across the wide channel we can view the condos of Harbour Island and the bright sign advertising the location of the Westin Tampa Harbour Island

This is the perfect place, on a warm evening, for a comfortable business dinner or a romantic dinner with your partner.  The tables are spaced well apart so you do not hear the conversations of the other diners and the dress code is casual so you and your guests can relax. The few people walking their dogs on the Riverwalk are out of sight behind and below the greenery.

Our server, Charles, was attentive, knowledgeable and efficient.  He appeared promptly when we were seated and offered us drinks.  It was a delight to find the restaurant had several Florida beers available and I chose the Jai Alai IPA on draft from Cigar City brewing.  To start we shared the Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Flatbread topped with Arugula and Caramelized Sweet Onions.  This was the perfect size for sharing, we had two generous slices each, mine had all the onions, my wife’s had all the arugula – a perfect arrangement.

For the main course my wife chose the fresh Salmon “Catch of the Day” served with a side salad and mushrooms.  It was delicious, grilled to perfection so it flaked using a fork.  I ate the Wood Grilled Delmonico, a prime rib eye steak grilled, then served with herb butter.  It was delicious.  This is rather a pretentious name for a steak, especially as there is some dispute over exactly what the name signifies. The history of the name “Delmonico’s” is quite interesting and can be read at www.steakperfection.com/delmonico.  With my steak I had an excellent glass of house Cabernet chosen and recommended by Charles. 

Including tip the dinner cost $100.  Excellent value for money given the perfect weather for eating outside and the magnificent view.  After dinner we took the few steps down to the Riverwalk and walked to the Tampa Bay History Center and back. A pleasant 30 minute stroll.  Then we retrieved our car from the Marriott valet for the discounted price for diners of $9 and drove home.

Cool Beans and More, New Smyrna Beach, FL

Finding a hidden courtyard rewards with great coffee

One of the inestimable pleasures of a vacation day is that you can take your time to do things that might otherwise be rushed on a work day.  We had spent a good part of the morning and part of the afternoon taking our time to walk the boardwalk at Smyrna Dunes Park, then availing ourselves of the free street parking in New Smyrna Beach to walk along the beach to Toni and Joe’s Patio where we lingered over a late lunch. 

Now it was time to loiter over an espresso.

Toni and Joe’s do not have an espresso machine.  Our waitress recommended Nichols Surf Café on Flagler Avenue but when we got there the hand written sign on the door said closed at 2 pm.  Must be a winter thing.  An enquiry of Google said the only other place in New Smyrna Beach with espresso was across the causeway and we knew that once we got in the car we would just keep on driving back to our hotel in Altamonte Springs.  So, rather downcast, we made our way west on Flagler Avenue towards the car.

We hadn’t gone 50 yards when we saw a three 12 feet tall vertical flags – one of which shouted “espresso” - lining a pathway that led around and behind Nejma’s Boutique.  Intrepid explorers that we are, we followed the path to a delightfully secluded sunny courtyard and the Cool Beans and More Italian Ice and Coffee Company.

Needless to say the espresso and a caramel latte were excellent.  We briefly eyed the selection of ice cream available but decided to stick with the coffee.  The sunny patio was a delightful place to sit and talk and dally over our coffee.  It was the perfect cap to a delightful day in New Smyrna Beach.

The Olive Garden, Altamonte Springs, FL

Predictability is a virtue

After five hours sitting in the hot sun and being rehydrated by Busch beer while watching a rather boring Daytona 500 that was only enlivened at the end by the photo finish; we were ready for the predictability in taste, service and price that comes at the better casual restaurants.  A quick search on Trip Advisor found the Olive Garden restaurant close to our hotel in Altamonte Springs.  An Olive Garden close to Orlando should be on top of its game since the Olive Garden parent company head office – Darden Restaurants - is a few miles away in Orlando, FL.

We were not disappointed.  Luckily a table was available promptly and Naome, our delightful waitress took our orders for drinks.  One slight disappointment was that no Florida draft beers were available so I opted for Yuengling, which at least used to be a craft beer in the not too distant past, and they do have a brewery in Frorida.  We chose the Stuffed Mushrooms as an appetizer to share.  These are baked with clams and several cheeses and are delicious.  Our breadsticks were delivered at the same time and the combination was delightful.

For a main course my wife ordered the Ravioli di Portobello.  This is ravioli filled with Portobello mushrooms and topped with a creamy cheese and sun-dried tomato sauce.  I ordered the Cucina Miai, a concept where you choose a pasta – I tried Wheat Linguine – then add a sauce – mine was five cheese marinara – finally finish with a topping – I couldn’t resist the Italian sausage.

While we waited for the main course to be prepared we enjoyed the mixed salad with lots of added Parmesan cheese, that is part of every meal at Olive Garden.

Our food was tasty and filling, we enjoyed the meal a lot. I enjoyed a glass of Robert Mondavi Cabernet with my pasta and the bill, including tip was $64 for the two of us.  We paid our bill using the Tablet that is on every table and received a copy of the bill by email.  The tablet is about the size of an iPad and can be used to order desert and drinks.  There are other functions including games for the kids which we didn’t explore.

Panera Bread, Café 3351, Valrico, FL

Clean, Efficient and Wholesome

I believe there are over 1,900 Panera bakery cafes across the USA.  I’ve been to several of them at lunchtime or dinnertime and one of the things I like is that I know I’ll get a nice sandwich and a hot bowl of soup – always piping hot - for a reasonable price. Other benefits from my point of view are that the restaurants are always clean even during the rush periods, empty tables are kept clear and wiped, floors are swept, the restrooms are clean and well equipped and they have free WiFi for customers.

We were three on this occasion and we all chose a different “You Pick 2” where you combine a cup of soup and a baguette with a half portion of a sandwich. 

My Mother-in-Law chose a cup of Clam Chowder which she enjoyed a lot, with a half Roasted Turkey and Caramelized Kale Panini, served on Black Pepper Focaccia bread – which looks like a rectangular English Muffin.  MiL enjoyed the sandwich but thought the half portion was quite small, so she made up for it by eating both her and my wife’s Baguette with her soup. Cost $9.35 for soup and sandwich.

My wife chose the cup of Creamy Tomato Soup and combined it with a Napa Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich served on Sesame Semolina Miche – which looks like a chewy slice of white bread with sesame seeds on the crust. My wife enjoyed the sandwich, the size was half as big again as the Roasted Turkey sandwich. Cost $8.55 for soup and sandwich.

I chose the cup of Broccoli-Cheddar soup along with half of a Bacon Turkey Bravo Sandwich served on Tomato Basil bread heated in the Panini press.  The bread looks like a slice of wheat bread with tiny specks of tomato embedded.  Another reason I like coming to Panera is that I can substitute the baguette served with the soup for Panera’s brand of kettle cooked chips, which are as delicious as Kettle or Cape Cod branded chips.  Cost $8.65 for soup and sandwich.

Given the care that Panera takes with everything else, I’m sure that each bread is chosen to compliment the sandwich ingredients and now that I’ve been to a few Panera’s I’m learning what breads I like and those that I don’t.  This dictates the filling I have in my sandwich.  I just wish they would serve the Steak and Arugula Sandwich or the Steak and White Cheddar Panini on Whole Grain or Rye bread.

Chili’s Grill and Bar, Aventura, FL 33180

A chance encounter in Aventura provides respite

Sometimes the pleasantest experiences come from a chance encounter.

And so it was on this occasion.  We were stuck in rush hour traffic after leaving Aventura Mall and spied the inviting Chili’s sign at exactly the right moment to turn into their parking lot.

In the main, it was a good decision.  We relaxed for an hour or so while traffic dissipated and we ate well in a strange city.  Rob, our server was attentive and competent, he bought our first drinks quickly and then gave us time to peruse the menu and decide on a main course.  We’d grazed and drank Starbucks during our afternoon at the mall, so we passed on appetizers and chose the Ancho Salmon (for my wife) and loaded Texas Cheese Fries (for me) as our main course.

We both enjoyed our choices.  The Ancho Salmon was flavored with a spicy citrus-chile sauce and topped with chopped cilantro and queso fresco.  It was served with rice and steamed broccoli.  The Texas Cheese Fries were delicious – as definitely not “light.” French fries, topped with Monterey, Pepper Jack and Cheddar cheese, bacon bits, jalapenos and green onions and served with ranch dressing for dipping.

My one complaint is on the selection of beers available at this Chili’s.  The usual selection of lager type beers were available, some from the larger craft breweries, including one from Yuengling, but there wasn’t a single beer available from a local craft brewery, and there are several of them within 50 miles.

We survived this disappointment when we were told it was happy hour and I could get two Yuenglings for the price of one to wash down the Texas cheese fries.  This worked for me, so I enjoyed my fries and beer and the excellent company.

Denny’s Restaurant, Cocoa Beach, FL

Lessons to make customers return

When writing about a new restaurant or hotel or bar or attraction I’ve recently visited, I can always find something positive to say about a place or the people or the food.  After all, in most cases the places we choose to stay, dine or drink are staffed by people just like us, and we are certainly not perfect.

We also must temper our expectations to match our wallets.  The standards we expect from a hotel charging $500 a night are vastly different from the amenities anticipated at a hotel charging $60 a night.  Similarly, we expect a different level of service, presentation and taste from a dinner costing $200 a person than we are going to get from a fast casual restaurant charging $10 a meal.

Even so, there are some minimum standards to be followed for all places frequented by the public, whatever their charge per person. 

So, rather than criticize the food, service and cleanliness of the Denny’s restaurant in Cocoa Beach, FL let me offer some suggestions for improvement at this restaurant.

1         .   If you don’t have enough servers to handle the number of patrons entering the restaurant, tell us that there will be a wait time when we enter.  Don’t take us to a table and leave us twiddling out thumbs for 15 or 20 minutes.

2         .   If you don’t have enough cooks to handle the seated customers, tell us there will be a wait time after when we are ordering our breakfast.  Don’t take our order then leave us wondering what is happening for another 15 or 20 minutes.

3         .   Please serve all the people at the table at the same time.  The server should not need to be reminded when one of the seated guests has not received a meal.

4         .   Please ensure the toilets are clean and usable.  It is not acceptable to expect patrons to use bathrooms with dirty sinks and with paper towels and toilet paper littering the floors.  My mother, along with countless other mothers always said that “cleanliness is next to Godliness.”

5         .   Please ensure someone on the staff knows how to use the cash register.  We were snapped at and made to feel really stupid for requesting they split the bill into two. This is the one and only time in a restaurant when my friend and I were unable to pay 50% of the bill each using two credit cards.

We will never return to this Denny’s and it will be a long time before we frequent any Denny’s restaurant.  This experience left us with a bad taste in our mouth.  We don’t expect to have a great meal when we go to Denny’s, but we do expect a pleasant experience with a nice meal of food similar to what we can prepare at home.  This experience wasn’t pleasant on any level. 

The Lion and Eagle Pub, Boca Raton, FL

An English street pub in Boca!

http://thelionandeaglepub.com/

It used to be difficult finding a nice bar with good draft beers in a strange city on a Sunday evening.  

Then smart phones with Google Maps came along and voila, we have a list of pubs in Boca Raton.  

The Lion and Eagle English Pub was close to our current location in the Cinemark parking lot, so off we went.

We weren’t really expecting an English pub, but what we got was very close to a city pub in Clapton or Bermondsey or Camden or any of the other inner suburbs of London, UK. These are essentially a shop (store) in an otherwise non-descript strip mall.  In London the shop would open directly onto the sidewalk on the street, at least here there was a parking lot fronting the highway.

There were a few tables outside on the wide sidewalk with perhaps a half-dozen customers drinking, and inside on the right a bar, with seats, of which three were occupied.  Behind the bar were a dozen or so taps for draft beer. On the left against the wall were tables, benches and chairs for small groups.  It was cozy and comfortable, a nice place to sit and have a drink, especially when there were few patrons, like tonight.

The bartender asked what beer I liked, I said IPA and he recommended a recent arrival called Due South Category 5 IPA that was only brewed when the right hops were available.  I knew it was going to be strong when he served it in a 13 oz. stemmed goblet.  It was strong, 8.5% ABV, with a big surge of hop flavor bursting through on the palate.  This is a sipping beer that is not for everyone, I loved it.

Perhaps the beer tickled our taste-buds, and we suddenly decided we were hungry. Unfortunately the kitchen at the Lion and Eagle closed at 10.00 pm on Sundays, so the bartender recommended we visit the Dubliner Irish pub, a mile or two up the road, where the restaurant was open to 1.30 am.

I liked the Lion and Eagle pub, even though we were only there a short time and will make a point of returning the next time we are in Boca Raton.

The Dubliner Irish Pub, Boca Raton, FL

Open late and a Florida beer

It wasn’t easy finding somewhere to eat late on a Sunday evening in Boca Raton, we eventually found the Dubliner through the recommendation of a bartender at another pub, whose kitchen closed at 10 pm.  He told us the Dubliner’s kitchen stayed open until 1.30 am.  He was right.

Even though it was late, the pub was well patronized.  A very loud Irish(?) Rock band played music on the stage at the back of the pub and the noise had driven most of the patrons outdoors.  This appeared to be planned by the pub as there were tables three deep on the wide sidewalk, several of which were occupied even at 10.30 on a Sunday night.  With the help of the hostess we chose a table where the band’s sound would be minimized, though we could still hear the music through the windows and wall, it didn’t drown out our conversation.

The menu had several interesting sounding items including Bangers and Mash, Shepherd’s Pie and Fish and Chips, however, since it was so late we decided on substantial appetizers of an Irish Fondue and a Honey Baked Brie.  Hidden in the draft beers was a Funky Buddha Floridian – a light and refreshing Hefeweizen brewed in Oakland Park, FL - that would go perfectly with our food.

We were not disappointed.  The food and beer were delicious and Ariel, our server, was a delight, providing water, drinks and our food promptly and with a smile. 

The melted cheese for the Irish Fondue bubbled in a fondue pot over a flame and the raw cauliflower, broccoli, apple slices and pretzel pieces made perfect dipping material.  The Honey Baked Brie roundel was served with a small loaf of crispy bread that was the perfect accompaniment.

The perfect way to end an evening and all for less than $50 including tip.  We will be back the next time we are in Boca Raton.