Pigfest is on 1/25/14!

• Lakeland Pig Fest January 25, 2014 at 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Located at Tiger Town Stadium
• http://lakelandpigfest.org/

Up and coming event!

The 5th Annual Brewz Crewz Craft beer festival in Lakeland is upon us! There will be live music and food provided by local restaurants and food trucks.  And of course, craft beer.

Date: Saturday, Feb. 15
Where: Munn Park
VIP Hour: 5-6 p.m.
General Admission: 6-9 p.m.

http://brewzcrewz2014.eventbrite.com/  <–To purchase advance tickets

Find event info on their facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/BrewzCrewz or Event page http://brewzcrewz.com/category/brewz-crewz-2014/

Saigon Bistro

Whenever I go to a restaurant, I employ one of two ordering strategies.  Strategy number one involves seeking out the most unique/rare dish on the menu.  If the restaurant offers something that can’t be found anywhere else, then carpe diem!  Strategy number two involves identifying the restaurant’s “signature dish.”  If a certain dish made the eatery famous, then I want to know first-hand what all of the hubbub is about!  

At Saigon Bistro in Lakeside Village, either strategy results in the same choice.  Behold… the pho!

This is a very very robust and complex dish.  Pho is street food in Nam, and it comes in many different varieties.  Examples of pho that can be found both in Saigon, Vietnam and in Saigon Bistro, Lakeland are as follows:  rare beef, meatball, chicken, vegetable, seafood, and for the brave… combination! (pictured above)

Aside from the customizable protein choices, Saigon Bistro also features customizable seasoning options.  Think of it this way; an iconic American street food is the hotdog.  Some people prefer their hotdogs with ketchup, others with mustard.  Take a look at what could be the “ketchup or mustard” equivalents for pho.

As you can imagine, I was a bit overwhelmed and confused by these complimentary condiments.  Our waitress recommended the Vietnamese basil (green leaves from upper picture) accompanied by one whole scoop of Hoisin sauce (middle jar) and a half scoop of Sriracha sauce (top jar).

Even without all of the new and fun condiments, the soup is packed with multiple layers of flavor.  The broth is delightfully subtle, but the tripe and tendon are not.  Tripe is intestine.  Tendon is what it sounds like.  TRIPE AND TENDON ARE NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.  I must concede that my “unique/rare” ordering strategy can get sketchy sometimes.  If you’re feeling Vietnamese fare but are not feeling super daring, check out some of the more easily palatable plates pictured below.  (Or, simply check out any version of the pho other than “combination.”  Only “combination” includes the tripe and then tendon.)

By “easily palatable,” I mean in comparison to the “combination” pho.  The upper picture depicts the curry chicken, which is notably spicy and the accompanying “fish sauce” is delicious, but definitely not for everyone.  The spring roles were delicate and dainty with “peanut sauce” that tasted exactly like peanut butter.  For me, peanut butter is candy/dessert, but for my wife, it was critical that it ended up in our to-go box to be savored again at a later time.  The waitress was also helpful enough to package up my pho.  I loved it, but the portion size was enormous so it had to come home as well.

At first, I wasn’t sure if I enjoyed the pho.  My American taste buds were overwhelmed by all of the layers of flavor and confused by the textures of the tripe and the tendon.  However, my American taste buds did what many Americans do best, which is assimilate.  I woke up in the middle of the night with a craving for this weird stuff, and I happily finished off my pho under the moonlight.

Feeling brave?  Feeling extra hungry?  Feeling multicultural?  Give Saigon Bistro a shot.  You’ll end up coming back for seconds, just like we did!

Lucky’s Sports, Oyster, and Tiki Bar (Orange Bowl Lanes)

This bowling alley/oyster bar is uniquely multifaceted, and of course, would only be found in Lakeland.  There are 3 big reasons to come here; football, good eats, and lots of fun bar games.  Let’s start off with a closer look at big reason #1!

1.  Football

If you are an NFL fan, then you are always on a quest for an establishment with multiple big screen TV’s and the NFL package.  Fortunately, Lakeland is pretty well endowed with such establishments and NFL fans in Lakeland never have to go far to find the aforementioned accommodations.  My wife and I are Philadelphia Eagles fans, and we can could easily enjoy the games at Hooters or Buffalo Wild Wings, but we prefer to avoid large crowds and long lines to get a table.  Instead, we opt for the more laid back environment at Lucky’s.

There are at least 15 working TV’s on the inside of this bar, one of which is wall sized and dedicated to the Eagles (Lucky’s is a Mecca for prodigal Eagles fans here in Lakeland).  The crowd here is rowdy but not too dense, which means that you can have fun and still get a seat.  However, if you’d rather spend your Sunday Funday outside, then there is a viable alternative readily available on the premises.

Sunlight is a magical thing, and there are 9 TV’s out here accompanied by some mist air-blowers to help control the heat.  We also like the NFL drink specials here at Lucky’s better than what the other guys have to offer.

Atmosphere and drinks are important, but we need to cover all of our football watching needs. The main selling point here is the traditional game day snack.  I can’t enjoy football without a certain meaty treat, which bring us the reason #2.

2.  WINGS!

These are my favorite wings in Lakeland!

These breaded wings are crispy yet succulent.  All of the sauces here are delectable, but I especially love the “hot” option.  When you order these little pieces of heaven (or hell, if you can’t handle the heat), the bartender will warn you that the “hot” wings are way too hot.  Cast caution to the wind!  Why?  Normally a wing with a good amount of hot sauce on it becomes overpowered by the heat so much that you tend to lose the meaty flavor.  These wings are exceptional in that their sheer size makes it impossible to overshadow the savory and poultry goodness.

I love a wing where you get equal doses of buffalo flavor, spice flavor, and chicken flavor.  If this doesn’t excite you, then may not be a wing fan and you should beg for forgiveness. After you finish begging, you should check out Lucky’s other unique treat. Oysters!

These aren’t exactly what you’d get at a fancy sushi restaurant, but the price is right.  You can order them either raw or steamed, either priced at $9.35 a dozen.  Each time I have indulged myself with this seamen’s treat, I’ve received an extra 4 or 5 oysters at no additional charge.  Furthermore, there is a certain novelty value that I affix to eating oysters at a bowling alley. Oh yeah, this place is a bowling alley!

3. Games

I hate bowling while sober. It’s easy to drown out your lucidity here at Orange Lanes thanks to the ordering window that connects straight to the bar side of Lucky’s.

Not a bowler? Lucky’s offers darts, pool tables, and our personal favorite… Megatouch games!

In case I haven’t listed enough reasons to check out Lucky’s, here is one more, just for the hell of it.  I present to you, a Megatocouch challenge! Out rank “Mimi N Luke” on a score board on one of the games and post a pic of your achievement in our comments section below. Bet you can’t top us!

Reececliff’s

My wife and I grew up in the Northeast many years ago.  This means that an old fashioned diner like Reececliff’s will always make us feel nostalgic.  However, a true diner is open 24 hours a day; this restaurant is not.  While it is debatable whether or not this restaurant could be classified as a diner, there is no debating whether or not this place should be classified as old fashioned.

Reececliff’s was established in Lakeland by Reece and Cliff Sudmam (pictured below) during the year 1934.

The building has been well taken care of and still looks new.

Other than the architecture, you won’t find anything new here. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. The music here is straight from a 50’s soda shop, which is definitely jive and will make you want to do the jitterbug. Nonetheless, the recipes here could perhaps use a little modernization. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good old fashioned meal. However, an old fashioned meal in Lakeland usually means Southern style cooking, which you’ll find a little bit of, but it’s not the focus. Reececliff’s primarily offers diner style food with little ingenuity.

The burger was bland and the fries tasted as if they were store bought from the freezer section in a grocery store. The French toast was just ok. The dish wasn’t topped with any cinnamon or powdered sugar.  The only thing sprinkled over this toast was a heavy dose of predictability.

Perhaps the one genre of cuisine that never needs evolution or reinvention is American pie. Reececliff’s offers over 10 different pie selections.  They feature home made classics such as cherry pie, coconut cream, peach pie, and chocolate pecan.

The pie was good, however, not overly flavorful or sweet. My grandma hated anything that was too sweet and she would have presumably loved this pie.

Grandma would also love the prices here because “it’s a bargain!”

The $9 meatloaf referenced in the above picture was a little bit odd.  My wife and I have discerning taste buds, and we concluded that the meat tasted as if it were comprised of ground beef mixed with hot dog (why would they use hot dog?) and the sauce tasted like A1 mixed with tomato paste.

The meatloaf is in the upper left corner of this plate.  I just didn’t get it.  I bet this meatloaf would have made perfect sense to grandma, though.  In fact, just about everything here at Reececliff’s would be better appreciated by folks my grandma’s age…

Antico Wood Fired Pizzeria

Personally, I would have never expected to find a pizzeria like Antico’s here in Lakeland, FL. My guess would be that Artisan styled pizza cooked in a wood fired stone oven would be much more commonplace in Little Italy, NYC than it would be in Central Florida.  Evidently, I’m a poor guesser!

Much like Champino’s in Northside Lakeland, the owners are always on the premises.  This helps establish that true “mom-and-pop” feel and really shows how much pride the owners have in their product.  The proud pizza purveyors are quick to remind you that their fare is prepared for you in a stone oven, which is truly what sets this restaurant apart from all of the other pizzerias in Polk county.

Before you get to taste the pizza, you will receive a complimentary bread appetizer that showcases what the oven can do.

This is called “lavash,” which is a traditional Greek bread.  This hollow centered, bubble of bread is both crisp and doughy and serves as sneak preview of their delicious pizza crust.

Let’s take a sneak peak at menu!

As you can see, Antico’s is very strong in the variety department.  Check out the these drastically different ways you can enjoy your pizza here!

Pictured first is the “Stanley.”  It features fennel sausage that is perfect for satisfying that meat lover’s pizza craving.  Pictured second is the “Prosciutto E Rucola.”  We normally are apprehensive about ordering white pizza because so many white pizzas are bland and dry. This was definitely an exception! It was drizzled in a tasty EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and was oozing with flavor.  What an option!

Speaking of all of your options, Antico’s also features a “small plates” menu and pasta specials in addition to their pizza.  There is also a full bar with a decent wine selection.  From what we have gathered, the pasta specials normally feature lasagna.  Below is an eye-full of their gnocchi “small plate.”

It was an interesting dish, and the other “small plates” and lasagna specials are presumably interesting as well.  However, if I had to order only one dish here, I’d go with the pizza.  The stone oven is what this place is all about, and inside the oven is where the magic happens!

The wood fired crust, fresh ingredients, and strict adherence to classic Napoleon styling are all things that are typically only recognized and appreciated by pizza connoisseurs, and I’m not sure how many Lakelanders fall into that category.  Furthermore, I’m not sure how many pizza enthusiasts would think to look for wood fired goodness hidden in a strip mall buried in the southern most tip of Lakeland.

That being said, it doesn’t take an expert to appreciate yummy pizza, and the word on Antico’s is out!  Business is already beginning to boom here, and you won’t be able to call Antico’s one of Lakeland’s “hidden” treasures for much longer!

Manny’s “Original” Chophouse

A restaurant chain is a set of related restaurants with the same name in many different locations that are either under shared corporate ownership (e.g., McDonald’s in the U.S.) or franchising agreements. Typically, the restaurants within a chain are built to a standard format (through architectural prototype development) and offer a standard menu.

If you read the above definition closely, you’ll notice that Wikipedia uses the word “set” rather than defining the specific number of restaurants necessary to constitute the “chain” classification.

Although there are 5 Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille’s currently in existence, I’d never consider Harry’s to be a chain.  Conversely, there are a grand total of 4 Manny’s “Original” Chop Houses, and I very much consider this set of restaurants to be a chain.  You’ll soon follow my logic.

The website for Manny’s Chophouse is a visual summation of the restaurant’s decor.  Neon lights and random objects strewn up to hang in the background.  I often refer to this common mode of interior (and sometimes exterior) design as “junkyard theme.”  Below is a picture of the outside of the Manny’s in Lakeland, not an actual junkyard.

You are certainly familiar with “junkyard theme” because you’ve seen it at Applebee’s, Friday’s, and countless other chains.  Most notably, you’ve seen it at Cracker Barrel (pictured below).

Manny’s is a big time Cracker Barrel wanna-be, the only difference being that Manny’s would rather focus on dinner foods than breakfast staples.  Instead of serving every meal with biscuits and white gravy, Manny’s will automatically serve dinner rolls and salad.

Similar to Cracker Barrel’s famous all-you-can-eat biscuits and cornbread, Manny’s employs a “satisfaction through satiation” strategy with all-you-can-eat rolls and salad.  Both the dinner rolls and salad are made fresh and are somewhat decent, which is pretty much the theme for any entree you order here as well.  Furthermore, Manny’s goes for overkill with their portion sizes.  I decided to give the rib-eye a shot.

If you look closely, there isn’t a spec of seasoning on the vegetables.  A chain would never want to risk losing a potentially steady customer over something as easily preventable as slightly too much salt, or worse yet, some snooty chef’s personal interpretation of a traditional dish.

The steak came out exactly as I ordered it and it was a somewhat decent piece of meat.  Places like this become methodical at churning out food that is unlikely to be sent back to the kitchen, which would inevitably slow production.  Efficient production is critical in this model because Manny’s will always have a packed parking lot.

As much as I hate to admit it, a chronically full parking lot outside of a restaurant is a pretty glaring sign of success.  Manny’s has targeted the masses, and the masses come in droves.  Your food will come out fast, your food will always be consistent, and your food will always be at a competitive price.

We came during the cleverly named “2-4-1” drink special listed on the bottom of the receipt, which means we got 4 drinks and 2 full entrees for under $45 bucks.

If you have a large family to feed, dislike surprises, or just want to know that your steak will automatically come out right each time, then frequent your local Manny’s “Original” Chophouse.  You won’t be alone.

Granger & Sons Bar-B-Que

This review will have no frills and will be straight to the point.  Why?  Because Granger & Sons Bar-B-Que is a no frills and straight to the point kind of joint!

What you see here is a little BBQ shack (it’s so little that you may accidentally drive right past it on your way up 98 North), and what you see is what you get.  I bet you can guess what’s on the menu here, but if not, take a quick look.

You’ll notice that the prices are very reasonable. However, the only way to pay these prices are in cash. This little sign can be a bummer if you aren’t prepared.

Much more importantly, the food here is not a bummer! Check out some of these BBQ classics.


The portions are generous. There are no servers here, which means you walk up to a counter and do some fast-food style ordering. The food leaves their window at a fast-food style pace, which means that you’re food will hit your tray almost instantaneously. Fortunately, those are the only 2 fast-food juxtapositions that you’ll have to deal with here. There is too much love in this food for it to taste mass produced. You’ll taste an extra touch of brown sugar in the baked beans pictured above. You’ll also taste a secret ingredient or 2 in their home made, signature BBQ sauce. That being said, the sauce won’t surprise you. In fact, nothing here will surprise you. This is down and dirty, good old fashioned BBQ, nothing more and nothing less.

The interior is small with an atmosphere as basic as the food is. If you’d like your BBQ served to you in a more upbeat atmosphere, then venture to Smokey Bones. If you’d prefer BBQ that has been re-imagined with modern foodie twists, then Fat Maggie’s is your destination.

However, if that old-fashioned, home made, and always familiar BBQ goodness is what you’re after, then you’re craving some Granger’s!

Hookah Palace

IF YOU DO NOT SMOKE HOOKAH, PLEASE KEEP READING!

The Hookah Palace serves the best martinis in town!

The Hookah Palace has live dancers!

Intrigued yet? Keep reading!

My wife and I avoid the use of tobacco products like Superman avoids kryptonite. However, if we ever decided to avoid Hookah Palace, we’d be steering clear of fun music, unique drinks, and one of the coolest scenes in Lakeland!

Upon arrival, you’ll spy a corridor of “hookah rooms.” Each curtained off subdivision serves as a cozy little domicile to smoke the evening away in (if that’s your thing, of course).

Depending upon the night of the week, there may be a drink special, a live DJ, and/or a belly dancer who will cavort up and down the corridor.

The music here is usually Eastern, modern, upbeat, and great for belly dancing. While the tunes may seem foreign to some, we feel as if the diversity here is refreshing because Lakeland’s overwhelmingly American environment can sometimes feel monotonous. The interesting and distinct scene here tends to draw an interesting and distinct crowd. If you’d like to drink and mingle, then venture down the corridor of hookah rooms and have a seat at the bar.

I highly recommend hanging out at the bar because THE HOOKAH PALACE HAS THE BEST MARTINI’S IN LAKELAND! In fact, the martini’s here easily rival the drinks at any Blue Martini that I’ve ever been to.

Even if you hate martini’s, keep an open mind and try something new. You’ll definitely find a martini that you’ve never had before on their extensive menu.

While the “Key Lime Pie” martini has a predictably delicious flavor, many of these drinks will surprise you. Every single martini here is heavy on the alcohol and easy on the palate, and this blanket statement even includes their signature Jalapeno martini. Give it a shot!

As much as I’d love to call this place a martini bar, it’s really about their exotic tobacco selection.

Being that this is the only place where you can publicly smoke a hookah (while drinking alcohol) in Polk County, there will always be at least one hookah being smoked here. I must say that although my wife and I are hyper-sensitive when it comes to second-hand cigarette smoke, the hookah’s never bother us. The hookah smell is both subtle and inviting. The staff is always very inviting as well. Even though the ambiance may be a bit outlandish, you’ll always be made to feel right at home here at the Hookah Palace.

Fat Maggie’s, Lakeland

FAT MAGGIE’S, FAT MAGGIE’S, FAT MAGGIE’S!!! This place knocked our socks off.

When we first pulled into the parking lot, we expected to be eating at a BBQ shack because, as you can see, it serves BBQ and it’s literally the size of a shack. It’s so tiny on the inside that it only can fit 8 2-top tables, which the servers are always pushing together and pulling apart to accommodate different sized parties.

I robotically sat down and ordered the pulled pork because… whelp, that’s what you do at a BBQ shack. Our server politely informed us that there are other menu options available that are much more popular. Namely, she was referring to the “Build-a-Sammi” menu.

I did what any red-blooded American would do. I ordered the biggest, most over-the-top, most bad ass burger that I could imagine. I ordered a lettuce wrap instead of a bun, which some will say is a wimpy decision. Here is a gentle reminder to those of you who aren’t hamburger connoisseurs; an “animal style” and “protein style” lettuce wrapped In-and-Out Burger is one of the most iconic burgers in American history. In order to put Fat Maggie’s to the test, I set a ridiculously high benchmark for comparison. Shockingly, Maggie’s burger measured up!

A picture is worth a thousand words, but a thousand words isn’t enough. I ordered the burger extra rare and it came out purple on the inside, which most places won’t do. The beer-cheese was heavenly, the whiskey peach BBQ sauce was life changing, and the candied bacon was as glorious as it sounds (take a second look at the Build-a-Sammi menu above to reference the items I mentioned). This fork-and-knife jobber was unforgettable, but was incredulously over-shadowed by their hotdog!

I could begin to describe this using terms such as “pretzel bun” and “Kobe beef,” but why bother? You simply have to have one yourself. I could also begin to mention that Fat Maggie’s serves craft beer, interesting desserts, and a brisket that typically sells out, but I’ll never have any details on those subjects. I will forever be a slave to the burgers and dogs here, so I will be unable to order anything else off of the menu. That’s just fine by us, though. In fact, the idea of coming back to Fat Maggie’s and ordering the same dishes over and over again makes us smile.