Supermarket Sushi

As the last review of the week, I have decided to rate supermarket sushi. I will compare Publix, and the Fresh Market.

Publix- The sushi here has good flavor combinations, but not the freshness I want. The Hawaiian roll has sliced almonds, avocado, and spicy sauce over tuna and cucumber rolls. The flavors melt together, but I really crave the taste of fresh,smooth tuna rather then chunks of somewhat fresh tuna. Another good thing about Publix is the selection of rolls and sashimi. The sashimi, however, has good freshness, but not as fresh as a real sushi restaurant. The salmon and tuna are sliced beautifully, and with a little wasabi rubbed on the rice- well, it is quite good.

The Fresh Market- The name says it all- the sushi is fresh and smooth! The only downside to this fresh sushi is that the Fresh Market doesn't have that much of a selection, the best roll being the tuna and avocado roll. The fresh tuna and the smooth avocado melt together, giving me what I like in supermarket sushi.

Both stores had good sushi. Another similarity is the amount- both places had 6-8 peices of a sushi roll. This review is for all of you people who want sushi, but don't have the time to sit, order, and have a relaxing meal.


Publix and the Fresh Market have many locations; most carry sushi.

IMPORTANT NOTE

If there is a place that you would like me to review, please e-mail me at thetravelingforkette@gmail.com
I'm always looking for new restaurants to eat at. Thank you!

Kaiko's Sushi Bar and Japanese Restaurant

"Hi, Charlie!" are the first words that leave my mouth when I walk into Kaiko's. Charlie is the main sushi chef, and the main owner of the sushi bar. It is a family- run business, where the only male server, Dan, is Charlie's nephew. Everyone is happy and enjoying working, while the customers are happy and enjoying their food. Every time I go there, all I get is sushi. I have heard that the other foods are good, and I have tried some tempura from the sweet people sitting next to me. They have teriyaki and tempura- if you are feeling adventurous, try the deep fried crickets which are very crunchy. Onto the sushi! The yellow tail, tuna, and quail egg with smelt roe are the best actual sushi/sashimi.The yellow tail is a creamy, smooth fish that does not have any over powering flavors, like the tuna. The tuna is great with soy sauce, because acidity complements it. The quail egg with smelt roe is amazing. When you take it all in one bite, it is like everything explodes: the quail egg pops and oozes, the roe pops a million times (reminding me of popping bubbles as a kid), and the seaweed breaks with a crack, and everything falls apart. There is not only sushi, though. The rolls that I always order is the Haha Special (Tuna, fresh salmon, smelt roe, and scallions), the Scott (Tuna, salmon, yellow tail, avocado, smelt roe, and tempura chips), and if you ask Charlie to surprise you, he will always give you a new roll that you almost always have to say, "Charlie, I think you need to put this roll on the menu." This fish is always fresh, and even though some other places have more variety, the quality of the sushi is always a winner to me.

4.5 out of 5 stars

$$-$$$

The portion is a regular size.

2475 N McMullen Booth Rd
Ste F
Clearwater, FL 33759

(727) 791-6640

Sakura Sushi

This week's theme is SUSHI!

This restaurant is in East Lake, Florida. My first time being there was with close family. When we walked in, we were greeted by one of the two sushi chefs named Owen. After we were seated, Owen came over and told us that the other chef had made up a new roll, and if we would like to try it, tell the server about the "new, special roll". We then ordered the sea urchin sashimi, Evan roll (which I think has shrimp tempura, avocado, and spicy sauce with crunchy chips on top- If this is wrong, please comment or e-mail me at thetravelingforkette@gmail.com), chicken and vegetable tempura (the vegetables being broccoli, zucchini, and asparagus), the Red Dragon roll (tempura tuna, salmon roe, tuna, and avocado topped with a spicy sauce), the special roll (which was tuna and roe with a vinaigrette, topped with avocado), and the Pacific Roll (which had salmon, tuna, and cream cheese).  All of the rolls were fresh, but according to my family, the sea urchin was not as fresh as it could be. All of the fish melted in my mouth, and the chicken and vegetable tempura was perfectly crunchy, and no greasy oil seeping into my mouth. I highly recommend this, and I will be coming back!

4 out of 5 stars
$$
The quantity was pretty big, and the quality was great.

3438 E Lake Rd
Ste 16
Palm Harbor, FL 34685

(727) 784-1111

West Tampa Sandwich Shop

The West Tampa Sandwich Shop is one of the most famous Cuban places in the Tampa Bay area, known to have the best and most traditional Cuban food. The West Tampa Sandwich Shop is great for when you are in the mood to go Cuban. I tried the Palomilla steak (breaded and fried steak), the steak sandwich, moros (black beans and rice), plantains, and yucca (a potato like root in mojo), and the Cuban sandwich. The Palomilla was amazing with that little crunch. The steak was thin and cooked perfectly. I also got it with onions on top, and a little bit of lemon. The lemon taste was there, but not overwhelming. The onions added a good crunch and flavor. The steak sandwich was okay, but it was more like a hamburger sandwich then a traditional thin steak sandwich. Although the mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions definitely complemented the meat, I could not get over the low-ish quality of the meat. The Cuban sandwich made up for the steak sandwich. There was salami, ham, and shredded pork. All of the meats were sliced thinly, and the lettuce, tomatoes, and onions added crunch and flavor perfectly. The moros were creamy and tasted like my grandmother used to make. The sweet plantains were sweet and had softness to them that make me smile when I tasted it. The yucca was great, with lemon- y, garlic flavor that satisfied my hunger for saltiness. Yummy!

4 out of 5 stars
$$

The portion is huge for the price.


 3904 N Armenia Ave

Tampa, FL 33607

(813) 873-7104

BIG and littles

As the theme of the week is hole- in the wall, I have decided to share a wonderful restaurant with all of you. BIG and littles is in Chicago: one of my favorite cities. BIG and littles is in a seedy neighborhood, on N Orleans Road. This total dive has some of the most amazing food ever. I heard whispers about it, saying there was supposedly great food for cheap prices, so of course I had to go. I got lost on the way, so a tip to anyone wanting to go there: do NOT be afraid to ask locals for directions. I walked into a small restaurant that has a glass panel separating the grill and oven from the high bar seats. I looked at the chalkboard menu, and went up to the counter. I ordered their famous frois gras and truffle fries (only $10) along side their mahi- mahi taco ($4) and cheeseburger ($6). The mahi- mahi was grilled perfectly, with black grill marks running along the side. It was sitting in lettuce, tomatoes, and a creamy sauce. All of this was wrapped up in a soft, warm taco. The cheeseburger had that smoky taste that is always welcome in my mouth. The cheese was all melted and oozing outside the bun. Last, but definitely not least, the frois gras and truffle french fries. There was two pieces of perfectly cooked frois gras laying across a mountain of truffle french fries. This was heaven. As I took a bite, I couldn't help but sigh in pleasure from all of the flavors melting together. I highly recommend anyone who visits the Chicago area to go to BIG and littles.

5 out of 5 stars
$

The quality AND quantity was wowing for the price.

939 N Orleans
(between Walton St & Oak St)
Chicago, IL 60610
Neighborhood: Near North Side

(312) 943-0000

Rocky's Philly Cheese steaks and Hoagies

The theme of the week is...... hole- in the wall!!!

Rocky's is a hole in the wall, and it looks common, but it is a gem. I have been to Rocky's about ten times, and they always have good food. For those who are sashimi loves (like me!) there is a tuna salad for them. This is no regular mayonnaise- y tuna salad. It is lettuce, olives, onions, and of course RARE tuna with a drizzle of their secret dressing. It is to die for, its so fresh. Their Philly Cheesesteaks are also to die for. They are better than the ones at Gino's and Pat's in Philly itself. If you want the best taste, make sure you get everything on it. Order a BLT and some cheese fries, and you're set! The Bacon is crispy, the lettuce is fresh, and the tomatoes are juicy. Okay, I have to admit, I dislike cheese sauce, but when it's on these fries and seasoning, I will eat it all up! Now I have to talk about service. These people are friendly, and they recognize you if you keep going back. Go to Rocky's today!

5 out of 5 stars

$

The quality of the food was AMAZING for the price.

The portion of the food was very good for the price.

7286 State Rd 54
New Port Richey, FL 34653

(727) 372-7118

Sink Your Teeth Into THIS

I pick up the plate, breathing in the wonderful smell of roasted garlic with salt and pepper. I then open my eyes and look at the steak with crusties (the burnt, flavorful stuff) along side the twice baked potato filled with cheese, green onions, and a secret creamy ingredient. I cut into the steak, the inside a perfect pink. I pick up my fork with a piece, and eat it. The inside melted in my mouth, the flavor still reaching my taste senses. I then take a scoop of the potato. The potato is creamy, with the crunch of the roasted garlic chips. The green onions then make an appearance, cutting through the taste. Last comes the flavor of the cheese. Is that Fontina? Oh, the life of a foodie. If you consider yourself a foodie, this is the blog for you. Every month (or week, depending how this blog does), there will be some type of restaurants: hole in the wall, places to eat alone, date night, etc. Be prepared to have your mouth watering every time you visit The Traveling Forkette.

This is what the symbols are:
$: $10 or less
$$: $11- $25
$$$: $26- $75
$$$$: More than $75