Tampa Bay Brewing Company

Every once in a while, I do a post.  I have not been doing too much or feeling inspired enough to write, but am finally scheduled for arthroscopic surgery on my knee on the 16th.  Seems like I have a torn meniscus and my knee can't handle too much walking or standing.  The fact that this has been going on since March does not help.  So slowly, I am seeing the end of the tunnel and it is encouraging.  We have been eating, but nothing worth writing about.  Other than a quick trip to the grocery store, not much else has been going on.

But yesterday, we did go out for lunch.  The Trout saw Guy Fieri  from "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" visit The Tampa Bay Brewing Company in Ybor City, a suburb of Tampa.  He knew we had to try it.  This is a very  nice pub/restaurant and I know we will be back.  They usually have 10 beers that they brew on premises.  Having trouble deciding, we were both offered two samples to choose from.  The menu offers a little of everything.  Nice choices.  We opted to share Pan Crisped Pierogi with caramelized onions and mushrooms, served with sour cream.  Six large pierogis arrived, stuffed with a creamy, cheesy mashed potato mixture.  They were delicious.

I order the Tandoori Chicken Pita with romaine lettuce, tomato, red onion and house made tzatiki sauce with a side of black beans and yellow rice that was fantastic.  Nice choice.

The Trout had a very large Cobb Salad.  For some reason, he has a great love for this salad and it was right on.  Oh and the beer....on the right is my "One Night Stand Pale Ale" and the Trout had "Red Eye Ale".  The beers were very nice.  Overall, this was a delightful place for lunch or dinner and I know we will be back.

In case you are interested, the dish Guy Fieri ordered and raved about was "Brewhouse Barleywine Meatloaf with Wild Mushroom Demi."  Darn, they were out of it.  Next time.

Ybor City, worth a visit

Ybor City, pronouned EE-borh, is a historic neighborhood of Tampa, Florida.  In the 1880's, immigrants from Spain, Cuba and Italy settled in this area and started cigar manufacturing.  Even today, as you walk historic 7th Avenue, you see numerous cigar stores where cigars are still being hand-rolled.  The bars and coffee shops have thick cigar smoke rolling out of them.  Not exactly my favorite smell, but once again....when in Rome....

We did sit down and enjoy a Cuban coffee in the late afternoon and just look around the old-fashioned bar.

And then, of course, a little window shopping.  I did not get the price on this suit on display, but then you have to realize, some things are priceless.

In 2008, 7th Avenue in Ybor City was listed as one of the "10 Great Streets in America" by the American Planning Association.  Using the word great might be a stretch, but it certainly is unusual for the US.