Thursday, January 27, 2011

A wonderful dinner for Trout's birthday

Last evening, we celebrated The Trout's birthday by going with friends to Tampa, to a restaurant we have long been wanting to try.  In fact, we had reservations for New Year's Eve, when I came down with the worst cold, so we had to cancel.  Last night, we made it and enjoyed every moment. 

Bern's Restaurant  in Tampa, is well worth the drive.  From the moment you walk in, you know you are in a special place.  If you care to do so, check the menu at their website.  It is a large book and the waiter explains everything with a great sense of humor. 

Prime steaks are what we wanted last evening.  They are sold by the ounce and by thickness and cut.  You choose. The kitchen guide told us that they trim the steaks and it takes 4 pounds of meat to get to the 1 pound of steak they find acceptable for serving.   Along with this you get French onion soup, two side vegetables, their signature deep fried onion rings, a baked potato with all the toppings you want, and a salad with a wide choice of dressings.
They grow their own vegetables on a 14 acre farm.  It is the job of the newest, young employees, to keep the farm producing.

The wine list is a very heavy book, but a condensed version of the most popular wines is available.  After dinner, we got a tour of the kitchen.  Can you imagine?  What restaurant lets you tour the kitchen and explains each station and what is going on? 

And then a tour of the wine cellar.  They have the largest wine cellar in the WORLD.  Attached to the restaurant is a cellar kept at 50 degrees F holding 100,000 bottles of wine.  Across the street in a separate building, 900,000 bottles are kept at ideal temperature.  Some of the wines are old and well-aged, including a Madeira from 1907.  Bottles from the 1950's.  Our guide said that even wine connoisseurs from France come to their restaurant for wine that is no longer available in Europe.  I should add, the wines are very fairly priced.  The price at time of purchase holds and no mark up after that. 

Do you think this is the end?  Far from it.  Now we are escorted upstairs in the restaurant, to the dessert room.  Rounded half barrels with a table and chairs and a lot of privacy invited us to rest.  On the wall was a music selection where we could push a button and listen to classical music, jazz, you name it. 

Then came the dessert menu.  We decided to share a Framboise Macadamia Decadence.  Chocolate cake, raspberries, macadamia nut sorbet, raspberry sorbet.  Well, you get the picture.  Coffee and the birthday boy had an Armagnac. 

A lovely evening and a birthday to remember.  As usual, I get too involved in taking everything in, so the only picture I remembered to take was the French onion soup.  Not a large bowl, but just the right size.  No bread except for thin spelt cracker bread and Parmesan toasts.  I liked this idea, because it is so easy to fill up on good, warm, bread and not be able to enjoy the rest of the meal. 





I hope if you are near Tampa one day and feel the urge for something out of the ordinary, you will remember Bern's Restaurant.

22 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday Trout! Susan, it sounds like you had a lovely evening with your sweetie! Best wishes for many more! The food and wind sound divine!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy birthday to Trout from a fellow-January baby! What a delicious way to spend a birthday. I know the added treat of the wine cellar visit was just perfect!

    Best,
    Bonnie

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy Birthday to your Trout! Sounds like a wonderful dinner treat and lovely place.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy Birthday to the Trout. This place would be idea of a perfect heaven. lol. Glad you enjoyed a birthday to remember.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy Birthday to the Trout! Is it possible that we share January 26th as our birthday? There is some on my blog about what I've been doing to celebrate.

    I am now thinking maybe I have to try to get to this restaurant while I am in Venice in March. It sounds astonishingly excellent! I'm so glad you two had a great celebration together.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I wanna go to Tampa :) What an evening and what a celebration. Diane

    ReplyDelete
  7. Bern's has some of the best steaks in the world. We haven't been in years and it's so nice to know they're still in business. Love the dessert room upstairs too. Happy Birthday Trout.

    Somewhere along the way I heard they had another restaurant, but not sure about it or what the name is. Baby Bern maybe? If it's half as good as Bern's, it has to be great too.
    Sam

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sam - the smaller restuarant is called SideBerns - clever!! they are more bistro food along with wine - alot of tasting etc that I would like to do and they have Weds carryout even. Got to be good!!

    Yes it was a grand birthday dinner but not so good for the diet! Oh well back on it today and later!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Happy birthday to your sweetie! My father in law lives near Tampa so we will need to check the place out! Thanks Susan!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Happy Birthday, Trout! Oh my, what a dinner and birthday celebration. There's nothing better than a perfectly cooked steak.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Happy birthday to the Trout from the Far Nort'land full of icicles and mukluks.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Happy Birthday, Trout! It sounds like you both had a wonderful experience... I can't wait to check out their website!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ahem. A dessert room? I'm loving that idea!

    Happy Birthday to Trout! You must have had a wonderful time!

    ReplyDelete
  14. It sounds like a spectacular spot for a party. I'll wager Dale had the time of his life. I'm sending belated birthday wishes his way. Have a great weekend. Blessings...Mary

    ReplyDelete
  15. I commend you and Trout for your sense of joy and living well and wish that lucky man a happy birthday. Thanks for the restaurant tip, I get to Tampa every once in awhile.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Looks delicious. Filling up on bread first is definitely not for me.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Happy Birthday wishes to your Dear Trout! It sounds like you found the best place to celebrate and you had my mouth watering. Sometimes there is nothing better than a really good steak - wonderful meal.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Happy Birthday to the Trout! Next time, I am in Tampa I hope to remember this restaurant. Looks like a wonderful evening that you both enjoyed.

    Velva

    ReplyDelete
  19. Happy belated Birthday to Mr Trout. Susan, I just love the way you brought us through your spectacular evening. Those are special moments that give us those memories tht we share forever. Thank you for sharing.
    Rita

    ReplyDelete
  20. Sounds divine! I love, love, love that they have their own garden.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Happy Birthday Trout! Looks like a wonderful time. New to your site. Love it here already. Can't wait to poke around some more.

    Lots of yummy love,
    Alex aka Ma What's For Dinner
    www.mawhats4dinner.com

    ReplyDelete
  22. Dropping in to see what's cooking over here! Sounds like the Trout had a wonderful Birthday dinner.

    Sad news....The Philipsburg Cafe' is up for sale. Yup, just saw the sign yesterday. :(

    Not sure what's going on, I suppose the economy.

    ReplyDelete