baltimoresun.com

« Upselling | Main | The anti-anti-foie gras dinner »

January 11, 2008

A good discovery and a bad one

PiasTrattoria.jpg People occasionally ask me why I blog when I'm supposed to be on vacation. Well, if I hadn't this time, I never would have discovered Gulfport, courtesy of Kitchen Goddess.

I've been coming to St. Pete Beach for several years, but nobody ever told me about this charming Old Florida town -- a real pleasure after the ticky tack beach ambience of St. Pete and the manicured loveliness of the development where this condo is.

However, I haven't eaten at her recommendation, Pia's, yet because...

...I'm at the beach. I want seafood. Florida seafood. That's why I haven't tried the Brass Monkey's crab cakes either. I want to eat grouper and mahi and stone crab claws in places with names like the Wharf and Sea Critters and the Reef.

Last night, though, we hit our low point when we tried the Reef. I knew it was going to be bad when my salad came with packaged iceberg lettuce mix, chickpeas, raisins and Italian dressing. I won't bore you with the rest of the details except my husband turned to me as we walked out and said, "Let's not ever eat at a restaurant like that again ever."

There's a lesson to be learned here. It's, Don't ask the Hertz Rent-a-Car guy to recommend a seafood restaurant.

I'm not blaming anyone, just saying it was someone else in my family who asked, not me.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 9:31 AM | | Comments (2)
        

Comments

So glad you discovered Gulfport! I really think it's a hidden gem. I hear you on the seafood thing...but I think what you want doesn't exist there. There are a few other quirky restaurants but I think Pia's is the best....If you want some real Florida color, go to the 2 biker bars in Gulfport - Sam Sessa would love them!

Too bad Elizabeth didn't try Pia's Trattorria while in Gulfport. She would have been pleasently surprised to find that most of their dinner specials are with fish. The sea bass entre is the best I've ever had. She could have also eaten at Elements just down the street and had a wonderful fish dinner. Next time you stay on St. Pete Beach look for the new Gulfport trolley that by summer will be running between the two cities.

Post a comment

Verification (needed to reduce spam):

About this blog
Richard Gorelick was appointed The Baltimore Sun's restaurant critic in September 2010. Before joining the paper staff fulltime, he contributed freelance criticism and features articles about food to area and regional publications. Along the way, he dispatched for short-distance trucking companies, shilled for cultural non-profits, and assisted in cognitive neurology research – never the subject, always the control.

He takes restaurants seriously but not himself, and his favorite restaurant is the one you love, too.
-- ADVERTISEMENT --

Top Ten Tuesdays
Most Recent Comments
Baltimore Sun coverage
Restaurant news and reviews Recently reviewed
Browse photos and information of restaurants recently reviewed by The Baltimore Sun

Sign up for FREE text alerts
Get free Sun alerts sent to your mobile phone.*
Get free Baltimore Sun mobile alerts
Sign up for dining text alerts

Returning user? Update preferences.
Sign up for more Sun text alerts
*Standard message and data rates apply. Click here for Frequently Asked Questions.
  • Food & Drink newsletter
Need ideas for dinner tonight? A recommendation for the perfect red wine? Baltimoresun.com's Food & Drink newsletter is there to help.
See a sample | Sign up

Stay connected