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DATZ, Tampa DatzTampa.com Perhaps the most universally known bar food of all is the humble potato and at this South Tampa institution you can enjoy it a number of unique ways. First off, a trip to Datz is not complete without sampling their House-Made Chips. Each and every week, these guys hand slice over a TON of Idaho potatoes to serve the masses. So many, in fact, they were once featured in the national Idaho potato ad campaign. Fried all day every day, these crispy slices of heaven are topped with salt, pepper, SUGAR and their famous house-made blue-cheese drizzle. These chips are the ultimate marriage of salty and sweet. It’s hard to resist ordering a second batch. Next up from the Datz potato family are the Fusion Fries. Best ordered as an app to share, they are fried to order and coated in a mayo blend with fresh herbs, kosher salt & fresh ground pepper. The fries are then topped with San Joaquin Gold Farmstead cheese—an award winning and extremely high quality cheese from California—and finally finished off with black truffle oil. If you can manage it, save room for dessert next door at Dough! RED MESA CANTINA, St. Petersburg RedMesaCantina.com Whether you’re looking to dine in an upbeat atmosphere indoors or prefer a laid back dinner in the garden, Red Mesa Cantina has you covered. Stop by the gorgeous brick building in the heart of downtown St. Pete for your next lunch meeting or dinner date and be sure to try their Duck Taco. This interesting take on a classic taco starts with a fresh, hand-made corn tortilla. The duck is braised low and slow for over four hours, on the bone, and in orange juice. When done at the perfect temperature the duck fat renders nicely and cooks the duck confit-style. After being hand-shredded and tossed with Red Mesa’s signature red chili jelly, the taco is then topped with grilled pineapple, goat cheese and finished off with cilantro and more of that delicious jelly. At $4.95 each you will definitely want to sample a few! theAVENUE eat/drink, St. Petersburg TheAvenuedtsp.com When drumming up ideas for delicious bar food in the Bay Area, theAVENUE in downtown St. Pete immediately came to mind. From the Truffle Cheese Tots to their take on Poutine, elevated bar food is what these guys do… and they do it well! Perhaps no better example is their innovative Huckleberry Burger. From its humble beginnings as a burger of the month over two years ago, this crowd pleaser quickly found a permanent home on the menu. It all begins with a brioche bun that is delivered fresh each morning and 8oz of juicy Angus beef. The Huckleberry is then topped with their signature thick-cut peppered bacon, a generous serving of brie and sweet (but not too sweet) homemade blueberry jam. Accompanied by the standard LTO and pickles, diners also get a choice between regular or Cajun fries as a side. Pair with a cold beer from the tap or their Front Porch Tea and take a seat in the back garden for a perfect Florida evening! ELLA’S AMERICANA FOLK ART CAFÉ, Tampa EllasFolkArtCafe.com With a diverse menu ranging from hummus and curry to burgers and pizza it would be easy to get a little lost while ordering at this Seminole Heights favorite. Fear not. If you like a little Caribbean flair, try their Jerk Chicken Wings. Rubbed with a unique blend of island-inspired spices, their wings are hickory smoked and flash fried before getting tossed in Ella’s signature sweet and spicy jerk sauce. Served up with a side of lime cream, these wings are suitable either as an appetizer to share or as a light meal for one. Plan ahead and be prepared to hunt for parking during busier times. Jerk Chicken Wings Huckleberry Burger Duck Taco FROM TOP: PHOTO BY JEREMEY SCOTT. PHOTO COURTESY OF RED MESA CANTINA. PHOTO COURTESY OF ELLA’S AMERICANA FOLK ART CAFE. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 localsDISH 23


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