I tried these spots on Saturday during lunch. The first is on Curry Ford Rd next to that co-op that has Foxtail Coffee in it. The second is up Curry Ford to South Crystal Lake Dr. A block down (north) that road. The last is aside Fairbanks. Across from the Tars baseball stadium. Aside some abandoned (yet loaded with cars) car dealership eyesore.
Crispy Cones - A chain from Idaho that makes a Czech pastry that looks like a cone. They wrap the dough around a dowel. I tried the cheapest. $5 for a small one filled with cookie butter (liquified Bischoff cookies). It was fine. Sugar sprinkled on top. It was a bit undercooked. You can get these with Nutella and one other spread. Extra for ice cream. They may have had a few other items. You could get pints of ice cream to go. I think they were $9 a pint. They trumpet the fact that they were on Shark Tank. Odd hours. Only normal hours on the weekends. After 4pm otherwise. Order at a computer terminal. A few seats. Looks like an ice cream franchise. Parking is not abundant. Open for a month or so. I've had these in Europe. They were longer and unfilled.
Smokemade Meats + Eats - They do all wood Texas barbeque. I tried a 1/2 lb of brisket ($17) and a hot gut sausage ($5). It came with two slices of decent white bread, pickled onions, sliced pickles and two sauces. The brisket was pretty good. I had a slice of lean and a slice of moist. A bit bland. Not much bark. Not very smoky. A fat pocket that should have been trimmed. Good pull. Not oily. Moist. It needed the mustard and the pepper vinegar sauces. They must do their own sauce making (and pickling). The sausage was a bit grainy. Flavored with whole mustard seed, etc. A bit of heat. Large. It was ok. Probably home made. It would explain the odd grind. They also sell pulled pork ($13), pork ribs ($11.50), turkey ($13), chicken ($13), jalapeno cheddar sausage ($5) and smoked mushrooms ($12). Today they sold a $36 a lb beef rib. The brisket sandwich is $18. Pulled pork, turkey and mushroom are $14. The sides are: cheddar grits, pinto beans, coleslaw, potato salad, collard greens, mac and cheese, tomato zucchini salad and hash and rice. All $4 for a small, $8 for a medium and $12 for a large. I only saw the mac and collards. The mac was very gooey. Very milky. The collards were collards. Green. Their baked goods are: banana pudding, bread pudding and gooey butter cake for $6. White bread and beef fat tortillas for $10. Cheesecake (Sunday only) for $8. I think they said they make those too. They sell soda, beer, lemonade and sweet tea. The beer was between $4 and $7. I think the sodas were $3. Water was free. Only around six tables of four inside. A few more outside. No decor. Order at a counter. Limited parking. It was busy. Not as busy as other times I was told. Open for two weeks or so. Only open on weekends. I think they did pop ups before this. Not the head of the class, but, up there. I'll have to try a few more items before I make my final determination.
Forward/Slash Distillery - They take other peoples' barrels and monkey around with them. I had one shot of bourbon from Virginia and a four distillery mix of bourbon that they call Rhapsody. Both were $5. I liked the quality. Mostly obscure distilleries. I'm still not sure why those distilleries allow them play with their product. Isn't it kind of insinuating that it hasn't been created properly? And how different is their version versus the original? It kind of ruins it if you want to sample that spirit to learn its characteristics. Anyway. It was a hip, cool, little venue. Not many seats inside. Two patio areas. Open for a year and a month. They make cocktails. You can buy bottles. They sell whiskey, tequila, gin, rum, etc. They make their own bitters. The cheapest bottle was $39 for the rum. I think the whiskey was around $80. Lots of parking. Odd hours and days. Wed-Sn. 4pm. 2pm Sa and maybe Sn. Open for thirteen months. Big, white building.
*Travel Notes - Florida Gulf Coast: I drove to Lakeland on Saturday. Heavy traffic from Disney past Celebration. Stayed at the too noisy Travelodge (Booking 8.0) for $109. Saw the Flying Tigers (on 33) at Joker Marchant Stadium for $15 (free parking). Drove the next day to Dunedin (92/Hillsborough Ave at 301 intersection past the airport and past 19). No tolls. I saw the Blue Jays at TD Ballpark for $11 (free parking). On Douglas Ave. I tried to try some breweries or restaurants in town. But, it was Cinco de Mayo and they had streets closed off, etc. Most of the breweries (around seven) only sold growlers or four packs. I didn't want that much. The town seemed cuter this time around. I'll go back. I drove back to 19 and went south. Hooked up with 275 after following Alt 19 a few miles. You can take that all the way from Dunedin. But, I remember it as being longer. I went over the sky bridge and exited on 19S at Tera Ceia. It became 41S. Took that to Sarasota. I stayed at the great value Kompose Boutique Hotel (Expedia 9.0) on University next to the airport for $87 plus $12 resort fee. I originally only booked one night. I added two when they upgraded me and I found out it was way better than the other (more $) hotels and I didn't hear any plane noise. Same price. This is by far the best value in the area! I ate dinner at the Anna Maria Oyster Bar a mile north on 41. I had a shockingly good grilled Open Blue Cobia with home made chips and cole slaw. The ahi sashimi app was less good. The next day I had lunch farther south on Siesta Key at Anna's Deli (Best Thing I Ever Ate - Katie Lee). The Hunter (T/H/SwCh). They thinly sliced the t and h. They piled up like air. It was delicious. I drove a mile south to Turtle Beach. Free parking. I had an early dinner at Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar a few miles north on 41. Grilled grouper sandwich with potato salad. The next day I had lunch on Main St and Washington at MADE (Food Paradise). I had the BLFTA with salt and pepper fries. Fried green tomato and candied bacon. Everything was very good. All fries should be peppered from now on. I drove over the bridge to Lido Beach. Free parking. I drove that night to Bradenton. I saw the Marauders (Pirates) for $15 at LecomPark (free parking). Had beer at Magnanimous Brewing across the street. I also looked in on Motorworks Brewing a few blocks down the street. I had a hamburger and a fried chicken sandwich at Salem's on 41. The next day I had a M&M chocolate donut at Roncs on 41. I drove by the Ringling Museum (been) and some new museums on 41. I took 301 to 70E to Braden Rd to 95thSE to 93rdSE to 85th to the Linger Lodge (Food Paradise). I had this fried platter with gator, frogs legs, catfish and au gratin potatoes and baked apples. It was fine. I drove back to 301 because I had time to kill and went north to 41 and back across the bridge ($1.75 toll) to 275 and off at Dale Mabry Hwy in Tampa. Thankfully I saw a sign a few blocks down for Cigar City Brewing. I chilled there for a few hours and then went to George Steinbrenner Stadium to see the Tarpons for $11. Free parking. They were the only dicks that didn't print out tickets. I went north to Hillsborough. I followed that until I saw a sign for I-4. No traffic at all coming home at night. The weather was warm but sunny. It wasn't very busy at Sarasota. Ate at McD's for the missing meals. I either had front row center seats at every game (except Tarpons - they like empty boxes for elites like their big league team) or it was first come seating. There were barely one hundred people at any game. A pleasant long weekend in God's country.
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