Dining in St Petersburg
On my recent trip to St. Petersburg with my friend Nancy to visit my friend Teresa, I was able to again enjoy the food of the area. We did a variety of things including a Market Place, Italian Market, Farmer's Market and a restaurant or two. Here are my thoughts about the places we ate.
The web page describes it as:
I was looking for a salad and found that they had poke bowls at the place called Zen Belly. There were four choices for the base, four kinds of poke, and about nine more toppings.
I liked the looks of the spicy salmon. I asked the servers how spicy it was and they gave me a taste. It was really tasty so that is what I ordered served over sushi rice. Other choices were brown rice, quinoa, and miso kale. Other pokes included the traditional ahi and also a tofu (front left). The creamy white one was a Thai Coconut Cerviche. For the topping, I choose some green onions and a spoonful of masago. It was delicious.
Nancy got a piece of Italian bread that was heated in a pizza-oven with some toppings. She also made a fresh salad which they sell at $9.95 per pound. She had a $1 worth. They said the dressing was free. You can shop at all the different shops and then ring up the total at one of the registers.
I am treating this as a new restaurant for the year and I give the place a 3.5 (great to excellent), which is pretty high for a place without a waitstaff. I think the variety of the food is great and recommend people to try it if they are in St Pete. Here is a picture of some of the fresh meats you can get at the meat deli. Some food has been prepared but you can take the raw food with you to cook at home.
This was the 23rd place of the year and here is the link:
https://localegourmetmarket.com/
They have both inside seating and seating along the outside, typical on Beach Drive. We were interested in some happy hour drinks and appetizers. It was Happy Hour for drinks:
Here are Teresa and Nancy and my big beer and our bottle of water. They do ask which kind of water we wanted, and we agreed that Tap was okay for us.
Teresa and I decided we would split the poutine appetizer:
We also ordered the Warm Pretzels:
Nancy ordered a mug of the New England Clam Chowder...
Although we did not eat a full meal here, I felt that we got the whole experience with a very attentive waiter named Matt, and a wonderful ambiance outside on a warm Florida evening. I give the place a 3.5 (great to excellent) and definitely would go again. Here is the link:
http://stillwaterstavern.com/
We had just eaten, so Teresa wanted us to see the bakery. As it were, Nancy and I had already found this place on our earlier visit in the day...
Here are Nancy and Teresa at the counter. Teresa bought me a chocolate eclair for when we got home.
They also have homemade ice cream and sorbet...
Here is the link:
http://cassisab.com/bakery/
Teresa and Nancy waiting at the bakery counter...
After ordering we went out to a covered patio where we could enjoy the beautiful sunny day. Nancy had gotten a sfogliatella and Teresa had a Guava-Cheese Danish. I was drinking the cappuccino that Teresa had ordered me. It looked too good so I went in and got myself a Guava-cheese Danish...
After the wonderful bake goods, we went back inside the market to shop around. The place is loaded with goodies including freshly made pasta, but it was too crowded to get a good photo. I was able to capture the meat counter...
Nancy checking out the salamis...
The outside is decorated with all kinds of miscellanea. I liked the drunken monk on a Roman pillar.
If you are in the area, hit the market on 22nd Avenue North...here is the link:
http://www.mazzarosmarket.com/
There was plenty of food if we wanted including this French Crepe place...
Nancy did get a cheese and jalapeno empanada which she really liked. Here is the link to the market:
http://saturdaymorningmarket.com/market-overview/
Teresa and I again decided to try the tapas. We decided to try the charcuterie platter:
I had to look up lomo. Lomo is the Spanish word for tenderloin. I know Nancy got a salad but not sure what else. I was enjoying the platters and not paying attention. I give the place a 4 (excellent). The link:
http://thedali.org/visit/cafe-gala/
The three restaurants in this write-up were number 23 thru 25 for the year. Only one more needed to get my bucket list item completed. Piece of poached pear!
Locale Market - Friday Lunch
Teresa was not available until 4 pm due to a work obligation, so Nancy and I headed to downtown St Petersburg. Normally when I visit, Teresa drives and leads us to our destinations. Luckily I paid close enough attention to be able to find a prime parking spot on Beach Drive and walk with Nancy to the SunDial St Pete, a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. The place I took Nancy was called the Locale Market, a place I had shopped before but never had eaten.
The web page describes it as:
Locale Market is a curated grocery experience cultivated over great food and decades of friendship. As longtime culinary collaborators, we are thrilled to bring our guests great food to enjoy with even better conversation.There are a variety of foods including a wonderful rack of freshly baked loaves of bread...
I was looking for a salad and found that they had poke bowls at the place called Zen Belly. There were four choices for the base, four kinds of poke, and about nine more toppings.
I liked the looks of the spicy salmon. I asked the servers how spicy it was and they gave me a taste. It was really tasty so that is what I ordered served over sushi rice. Other choices were brown rice, quinoa, and miso kale. Other pokes included the traditional ahi and also a tofu (front left). The creamy white one was a Thai Coconut Cerviche. For the topping, I choose some green onions and a spoonful of masago. It was delicious.
Nancy got a piece of Italian bread that was heated in a pizza-oven with some toppings. She also made a fresh salad which they sell at $9.95 per pound. She had a $1 worth. They said the dressing was free. You can shop at all the different shops and then ring up the total at one of the registers.
I am treating this as a new restaurant for the year and I give the place a 3.5 (great to excellent), which is pretty high for a place without a waitstaff. I think the variety of the food is great and recommend people to try it if they are in St Pete. Here is a picture of some of the fresh meats you can get at the meat deli. Some food has been prepared but you can take the raw food with you to cook at home.
This was the 23rd place of the year and here is the link:
https://localegourmetmarket.com/
Stillwaters Tavern - Friday Dinner
Teresa took us out for dinner at Stillwater's Tavern, located on Beach Drive between 2nd and 3rd North.
They have both inside seating and seating along the outside, typical on Beach Drive. We were interested in some happy hour drinks and appetizers. It was Happy Hour for drinks:
HAPPY HOUR
I think Nancy started with water but we convinced her to get some bubbles (Champagne). I had a 22oz local beer and Teresa did some wine. Here is the top of the menu:
Here are Teresa and Nancy and my big beer and our bottle of water. They do ask which kind of water we wanted, and we agreed that Tap was okay for us.
smoked pork, south carolina style gravy, cheddar curds, red cabbage slawIt was fantastic...
We also ordered the Warm Pretzels:
cheddar fondue, pickled mustard seedsThere were three, one for each of us...
Nancy ordered a mug of the New England Clam Chowder...
Although we did not eat a full meal here, I felt that we got the whole experience with a very attentive waiter named Matt, and a wonderful ambiance outside on a warm Florida evening. I give the place a 3.5 (great to excellent) and definitely would go again. Here is the link:
http://stillwaterstavern.com/
Cassis Bakery - Friday After-Dinner
Also on Beach Drive, is the Cassis American Brasserie. It includes a dining restaurant, a bar, and a bakery.We had just eaten, so Teresa wanted us to see the bakery. As it were, Nancy and I had already found this place on our earlier visit in the day...
Here are Nancy and Teresa at the counter. Teresa bought me a chocolate eclair for when we got home.
They also have homemade ice cream and sorbet...
Here is the link:
http://cassisab.com/bakery/
Mazzaro's Italian Market - Saturday Breakfast
On Saturday morning, Teresa took us to the greatest Italian Market I have ever been to. It was just opened and already packed when we arrived. Teresa ordered us some coffee at the coffee bar...
Teresa and Nancy waiting at the bakery counter...
After ordering we went out to a covered patio where we could enjoy the beautiful sunny day. Nancy had gotten a sfogliatella and Teresa had a Guava-Cheese Danish. I was drinking the cappuccino that Teresa had ordered me. It looked too good so I went in and got myself a Guava-cheese Danish...
After the wonderful bake goods, we went back inside the market to shop around. The place is loaded with goodies including freshly made pasta, but it was too crowded to get a good photo. I was able to capture the meat counter...
Nancy checking out the salamis...
The outside is decorated with all kinds of miscellanea. I liked the drunken monk on a Roman pillar.
If you are in the area, hit the market on 22nd Avenue North...here is the link:
http://www.mazzarosmarket.com/
Saturday Morning Market - Saturday Snack
The Saturday Morning market is located in the Al Lang Stadium parking lot.
teresa bought some fresh strawberries...
There was plenty of food if we wanted including this French Crepe place...
Nancy did get a cheese and jalapeno empanada which she really liked. Here is the link to the market:
http://saturdaymorningmarket.com/market-overview/
Cafe Gala at Dali Museum - Saturday Late Lunch
After the market, we hit the Star Wars Costume Exhibit, and then we drove down to the Salvador Dali Museum. Teresa is a member and I plan to do a post on the exhibit we saw. But before we toured the museum, we had a late lunch at the Cafe Gala, located within the museum. The next picture was taken from my seat at the table...
Teresa and I again decided to try the tapas. We decided to try the charcuterie platter:
serrano ham, chorizo, lomo, olives, almonds, breadand the Plato de queso (cheese platter):
assortment of spanish cheeses, poached pear, fig jam, sea salt crostiniHere they are in all their splendor:
http://thedali.org/visit/cafe-gala/
The three restaurants in this write-up were number 23 thru 25 for the year. Only one more needed to get my bucket list item completed. Piece of poached pear!
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