Bern's

Berns- probably the most famous steak place in Florida. They are known for the quality of the steak, all of the wine, and their huge prices. Let us start with the amuse bouche and the appetizers. The amuse bouche was freshly melted cheese crackers. Oh. My. Gosh. When I took a bite, the cheese stretched and I had to rip it just to finish the bite. The fois gras was cooked perfectly, and it was sitting atop crunchy bread crusts. The juice of the fois melted into the bread, making me crave more. The other appetizer was oyster benignes. Delicious! They were crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside. There was also a salad type thing that had crispy bacon. Mmmm! This was all siting on huge pieces of salt (which were quite salty). I defenitaly reccomend for a main meal to get the cháteaubriand steak, the center peice of a tenderloin (this is a steakhouse, you get steak). I always ask for extra garlic butter because it is so good. The steak melts in your mouth, making you take more and more of the steak. All entrees come with French onion soup, salad, fresh veggies, and a baked potato with chives, cheese, sour cream, and bacon. The French onion soup is super yummy. The melted cheese completes the dish- you get the full onion taste, along with wet bread that has been soaking up the juice. The salad's best dressing is the cleopatra (ceasar). It is homemade and comes with an anchovy sitting atop it. The salad is great with olives, tomatoes, bleu cheese, and lettuce. Everything is fresh and very good. The veggies that I received were shredded carrots with almonds and zucchini. The carrots were sweet against the saltiness of the almonds. The zucchini was freshly prepared and fell apart in my mouth. Last but not least, the potato- I asked for it to be specially prepared in the form of a twice baked potato- So. Good. It had the crunchyness of the bacon and the creaminess of the sour cream underneath a layer of melted cheese. Since I did not go to the desert room this time, I will review the desert alone in another review. Bon appetite!

5 out of 5 stars
$$$$
Ah- mazing quality


1208 South Howard Avenue
Tampa, FL 33629

The Capital Grille

My fellow foodies,
I am sorry for keeping you waiting- I've been eating at wonderful restaurants I can review for you all! So without further ado, the theme of the week is.... Steakhouses!!!! As a meat and potatoes girl, I am excited to share some places with you! Today I will be reviewing the Capital Grille, one of the "it" steakhouses. To start out, the steak carpaccio is the thinly sliced raw meat that melts in your mouth with a sauce that makes you want to lick the plate. The smoked salmon appetizer was above average, but nothing special (except for the crunchy, zesty pita chips on the side. I always get the filet mignon, which never seems to need salt and is always cooked perfectly. For side dishes, I had the truffle fries, au gratin potatoes, and the creamed spinach. Three words for three AMAZING sides- mmmm, mmmm, mmmm! The fries have that nice truffle taste while still staying crunchy and a bit salty. The au gratin potatoes was so good, giving me thick slices and keeping the creamy, cheesy, yummy taste. Last but definitely not least, the creamed spinach. I have been dreaming of that creamy taste and great texture every night since I ate it. The Capital Grille is a great place to eat high end steak and sides. Yumm-y!

4.5 out of 5 stars
$$$

2223 N Westshore Avenue
Tampa, FL 33607