BERN'S STEAK HOUSE Tampa, FL ~ December, 2015

No visit to Tampa is complete without a trip to Bern's. This historic steakhouse is located on an unassuming block, and its dull exterior deftly hides the bordello-like opulence inside. I joined a group of colleagues for a fantastic dinner, and we began with cocktails in the lounge.

When our table was ready, we threaded through the various rooms and were seated in the back of a room framed with a giant mural of the Burgundy region of France. (It would be helpful to go back and use it as a study guide for my WSET Diploma!)

I had remembered that the Bern's wine list was a large, hardbound book, and chained to the table so people don't steal it. This version was unchained, and thinner, but someone pointed out it was something like the 29th printing, so perhaps my memory of a past version was sound!

Bern's has not one but two menu tables for its steaks: the first is a chart of type of cut and thicknesses with various prices, and the second is a table of done-ness. I opted for an 8-oz filet mignon, medium rare, and it came out to perfection!

French onion soup

When you order a steak at Bern's, you really don't need to order anything else; it comes with a salad, a small french onion soup, a loaded baked potato, shoestring onion rings, and vegetables. MASSIVE meal, (but two of us split a foie gras appetizer anyway, because we could.)

I ordered three different bottles of red wine for the table, and the sommelier was incredibly helpful, bringing three glasses for each person so everyone could sample all of the wines and choose whichever he/she preferred. While that incredible wine list is packed with gems for those with no budget, all of my options were around the $50-60 range, and all were lovely. (2012 Casa Lapostolle Cabernet Sauvignon, 2012 Stag's Leap Petit Sirah, 2012 Two Hands Bella's Garden Shiraz — and the preferences were kind of equal amongst the three!)

Rare section of wine cellar.

After dinner, we were treated to a tour of the wine cellar (this Wine Minx was going around caressing many bottles she passed,) and then we went upstairs to the dessert room for a second culinary experience.

Sample, sample, sample!

(Our Musical Director was getting a humongous kick out of the telephone line to the pianist, requesting the Golden Girls theme song and other cheeky delights.) We felt ensconced in our private "barrel," and all splurged on decadent desserts and beverages. I did the trio of molten cakes (only critique was that they weren't very "molten,") and a sampling of Madieras, which was excellent. Oooh, how I love Madeira!

All in all, the Bern's experience was everything I remembered, and expected, and more. It goes without saying that dining in Tampa is nothing without a visit to Bern's!

Bon Appétit!

Bern's Steak House

1208 S Howard Ave., Tampa, FL 33606

813-251-2421

YOLK, WHITE & ASSOCIATES, Tampa, FL ~ December 2015

Is a food truck still a food truck if it's more like a trailer? Who cares when it's Yolk, White, & Assc.

Situated at the edge of the small Macdill park (which honors our nations' armed forces) in downtown Tampa, the little trailer shaped like a shed is easy to find from the enticing aromas wafting in the air and the crowd of locals hovering patiently for their breakfasts.

Proprietor Dylan seems to know all of his patrons by name, and is friendly and accommodating.

I had "The English," — one egg, goat cheese, bacon spread, and arugula on an English muffin. Just perfection. A freshly-brewed cup of coffee to boot, and my total was a mere six bucks. (I tipped him two bucks more, because I could tell it was going to be delicious, and because I was utterly charmed!)

Cash only, by the way.

He has a pair of tables set out, but I took my snack to a bench overlooking the river, under a shady tree, and gobbled the whole thing down.

Absolutely worth a visit! I most certainly will return.

Bon appétit!

LA PERLA NEGRA, Ft. Worth, TX ~ October 2015

Usually I do intense research for a Monday-Night-Travel-Day-Quasi-Day-Off eatery prior to arriving my first night in a new city. But our travel day to Ft. Worth was a late one (we didn't even get into the hotel until 7pm,) so my two main goals were: 1) close by, and 2) lighter fare.

La Perla Negra fit the bill, and how! Located a short walk from our hotel in Downtown's Flatiron District, on a slice of Houston Street that also houses a fantastic cocktail bar and a beer-palooza tap room, this brainchild of three respected Ft. Worth restauranteurs serves fresh, Latin-inspired cuisine built around ceviche, healthy salads and cocktails.

I opted for wine -- a pleasant native Texan rosé -- and my friend and I split a few dishes.

We had the shrimp ceviche with the Costa tiger's milk, and I'd beat the word "fresh" to death to describe it. The quinoa salad was swimming in fresh veg and avocado, and was a very large portion. (My friend actually felt it was a little "too" healthy for her tastes, but it was so clean and bright and exactly what I needed!) We were both sated by some warm and rich empanadas. The first one we split simply up and disappeared, so a second just HAD to be ordered.

The cocktail list and tequila offerings are extensive, although in our post-travel-day-haze, we couldn't bring ourselves to indulge. But sitting outside on the sidewalk patio sipping our wine and marveling over the simple yet delicious plates in front of us relaxed and satisfied us just as well.


La Perla Negra
910 Houston St., Fort Worth, TX

PLANK, Omaha, NE ~ October 2015

As a performer, it is always tricky to manage food intake and show timing. Eat too much too late, and you're bloated and sluggish. Eat too little too soon, and you're fighting a growling stomach and low blood sugar. A nice seafood meal is always a good option, and PLANK was a shining star in Omaha, deftly fulfilling our between-show needs.

Any concerns about the freshness of seafood in the middle of the country dissipated as soon as we walked in; the oyster bar was meticulously cared for, and the decor was modern with clean lines in the bright space, giving even the atmosphere a waft of "fresh."

I even returned on Sunday between shows, and allowed myself a single glass of Cava, which paired perfectly with my choices. (Do you know how hard it is for the WINE MINX to limit herself to one delicious glass of Cava?!?!? VERY.)

The first afternoon, I enjoyed the lobster salad over iceberg wedge. Yes, an "iceberg wedge" is hardly the stuff of gourmands' dreams, but it didn't overpower the lobster, and I just dressed it myself with a little blue cheese dressing for a kick. One friend loved her fish and chips — lightly battered, the fish was perfectly cooked and not at all greasy, and the fries were seasoned to a T. Someone else had the panko-crusted Walleye Puttanesca, delish.

On day two, I started with the shrimp cocktail — a classic — and enjoyed the salmon cobb salad. Once again, the flavors were fresh, the fish cooked perfectly, and the portions ample but not overbearing.

The service was also attentive, helpful, and accommodating. A special shout-out to Summer, who handled our group of 9 with aplomb. Plank offers a large menu with something for everyone, and a very solid wine list (I wish I'd been able to venture out with it further!) Plus, they make fresh homemade lemonade, which you can also get with a passion fruit, guava, or other additions. The straight-up version was perfection.

Omaha's foodie rep is further bolstered by Plank, and if you like seafood, is a must-visit next time you're in town.

Bon appétit!

KITCHEN TABLE, Omaha NE ~ October 2015

Who knew? OMAHA IS A FOODIE HAVEN! Great way to start this blog. I think I gained 15 pounds this week. Happily!

I must begin with KITCHEN TABLE, because I ate there I think four times in one little week. It was a block down and one over from the Stage Door of our theatre, so very convenient, and I think most of the cast and crew dined well and often at Kitchen Table. They locally source their ingredients — so much so, that when I once asked if they had a side of fruit, the lovely server kindly explained that ripe Nebraska fruit was pretty scarce in October. True. Their motto is "slow food fast," which is definitely appropriate, and I loved the simple rustic decor; I felt comforted and well-fed on each visit.

The star in the KT crown is "The Whole Bird," a sandwich that features grilled chicken, a chicken leg confit salad, an egg, and a bit of crispy chicken skin. You can order each of their sandwich offerings on bread, grits, or a salad. I had mine on grits. It was AWESOME.

Another top fave is the meatloaf, which I had over salad to try and make it a little healthier… it probably would have fared better over grits, not gonna lie.

Many plates are served with a side of spiced popcorn and a pickled garnish (see the watermelon rind above and the cauliflower here.) I love a pickled piece, though in my opinion, the pickling spices were a bit overpowering and masked the nature of what was being pickled. The popcorn was so tasty, one friend got a bag to go.

They also have little "bites" like pimiento cheese and deviled eggs. During Happy Hour, these are half off, so it's a fantastic value for some snackies!

My last morning in town, a few of us stopped by once more and I had eggs and bacon. Just perfect. Usually the slab-cut bacon is a mix of doneness levels, so I asked for it well-done. Splitting the diff would have been perfecto, but it was great. Char on the toast - supreme. No decaf (I've mostly cut it out, except for DIRE mornings and when they don't have any,) so went with the regular, and it was strong and flavorful with local cream to smooth it out.

For breakfast and lunch in downtown Omaha, you can't beat Kitchen Table. We theatre types lamented that it was closed on Saturdays, and they shut the doors on Sundays at 2pm (preventing us from visiting between 2-show days,) but it definitely Hit the Spot for us on many other occasions!

Kitchen Table, 1415 Farnam St., Omaha, NE ~ Twt: @EatKitchenTable

ON THE ROAD AGAINNNNN...

Hello fellow Foodies and Wineaux! I have recently been employed by the Tony-award-winning smash hit "Kinky Boots" and am traveling all around the country (and beyond?) for the next year or so. Since I spend my hard-earned dough on excellent meals (think of all the Louis Vuitton I could have accumulated by now, but it's worth it,) I thought I'd blog a bit on some of the fantastic foodie finds at each stop!

Stay tuned as I get my notes in order…

It's going to be a delicious ride!

Cheers.