Beijing Palace in Largo offering Chinese good deal

Fine, the sign says Peking Palace, but it's really Beijing Palace (11928 Seminole Blvd., Largo) and this six-month-old Chinese joint is offering some new deals. Virtually everything in the place is offered now for $5, and that includes soup, spring roll and rice. Call for more details, (727) 584-4500. It also delivers.

Louis Pappas on Fourth closed

St. Petersburg's Louis Pappas (1530 4th Street N., St. Petersburg, (727) 822-0900) closed its doors on Saturday night. I just caught up with Mr. Pappas a moment ago, and here's the deal:

His other five locations are going strong (up "in the high single digits relative to last year," according to Pappas), but this particular location was blighted by a real dearth of parking. Although he parted from the landlord with no hard feelings, Pappas said he was promised more parking that never materialized. The nearby American Legion took up lots of available space, and Pappas felt that customers didn't feel comfortable parking several blocks away at the nearby lake.

Pappas stuck it out in this location for nearly three years, but is currently looking at either downtown St. Petersburg or the Pasadena area for a new location.

"We absolutely have a strong core of loyal patrons in this area, and I really like the downtown market," said Pappas. He feels that his concept--fast-casual, affordable Mediterranean with a healthy bent--is just right in the current economy: "People who a couple years ago were eating at $18-$20 entree places are now turning to healthy places like us, where dishes are under $10."

Top nine chain restaurants for vegetarians

The Vegetarian Resource Group looked at the 400 largest restaurant chains in the U.S. and chose their favorites. (To place your own vote, go here.) In alphabetical order:

• Chipotle
• Fresh Choice
• Moe's Southwest Grill
• Noodles and Company (we don't have any of these, do we?)
• Pei Wei Asian Diner
• P.F. Chang's China Bistro
• Qdoba Mexican Grill
• Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes
• Taco del Mar

 

Beer tax question

I got this question this morning from a reader and don't know the answer. Any ideas out there?

I recently bought bottled beer as part of a restaurant meal. I was charged 7% tax on the beer as part of the meal. Then I was charged another 7% tax for liquor tax. That's 14% total tax on the beer. The restaurant is in Pinellas County if that matters. I don't remember seeing that on a restaurant bill before. I always look at my bill in a restaurant and I haven't seen that on a bill before.

Do you know if that was correct? Would the beer have been taxed differently if it was purchased as draft beer?

KFC's new grilled chicken: Guest blogger Jay Cridlin weighs in

The lovely, yet occasionally cantankerous, Jay Cridlin went out into the field on a dangerous mission: To assay Kentucky Grilled Chicken:

The letters "KGC" don’t quite roll off the tongue like "KFC." That’s the first sign of trouble right there.

The second is the concept itself: Who goes to a restaurant named Kentucky Fried Chicken to order something called Kentucky GRILLED Chicken? What abomination unto the Colonel’s sainted name and rank is this?

But Kentucky Grilled Chicken is what KFC is slinging these days, as a healthier menu alternative. The benefits are right there on the nutritional guide: A fried, extra crispy breast has two and a half times the calories of one that's grilled, with nearly eight times the total fat.

Unfortunately, the slimy, shapeless golden chunks I got for lunch recently were dark meat, and they didn't taste healthier to me. The skin was greasy, even a little sticky, and it slid off the bone in oily clumps. They did manage to retain retain that good ol' signature KFC flavor, if by "KFC flavor," you mean "tastes like you're licking a grease pit." Not once did I feel like I was eating something that was good for me, even compared to chicken that's fried.

I suppose that could be interpreted as a good thing. If the taste is so similar, maybe people won't realize they're eating something that's marginally healthier for them. Maybe, in a way, Kentucky Grilled Chicken is like the fast-food equivalent to methadone -- it's definitely not good for you, but it’ll help wean you off stuff that's much harder.

I give KFC credit for trying something new with their menu. That's always a plus. But on the whole, no, I don't think Kentucky Grilled Chicken quite works. If you never liked KFC to begin with, maybe you'll like this new grilled shabazz, but I doubt it. If I'm not in the mood for fried, I'm still hitting Ya-Ya's or Publix.

But because I am not what the kids call a "hater," I'd like to end on a positive note. If KFC ever ditches Kentucky Grilled Chicken, here are some suggestions for menu items they might launch in its place:

Kentucky Barbecued Chicken
Kentucky Poached Chicken
Kentucky Pan-seared Chicken
Kentucky Panko-crusted Chicken
Kentucky Lemon Pepper Chicken
Kentucky George Foreman Grilled Chicken
Kentucky Jerk Chicken
Kentucky Chicken McNuggets
Col. Tso’s Chicken
Kentucky Fried Cod

Got any other suggestions? Let's hear 'em in the comments.

You go, girls: sneak peek at James Beard gala dinner

Oh lordy be, get a load of what I'm going to be noshing on Monday night. It's all chick chefs, all the time. Psyched about the rice pudding, wondering about the crab butter power and the goat tongue. And I'll eat anything that's a fava bean surprise.

Jody Adams: Fiore Di Nonno Burrata on Bulgur Crackers with Artichokes and Green Olives
Island Creek Oysters with Sunchoke Purée, Sunchoke Chips, and Harissa
Michelle Bernstein: Sea Urchin Cuban Sandwich and Coral Cortadito
April Bloomfield: Seasonal Fish Ceviche with Grapefruit and Avocado
Jennifer Coco: Lemongrass-Cured Salmon with Thai-Marinated Vegetables
Debbie Gold: Cured Bone Marrow on Mustard Croutons with Parsley and Ramps
Maria Hines: Skagit River Ranch Beef Carpaccio with Asparagus, Horseradish Crème Fraîche,
and Sorrel
Loretta Keller: Bolinas Goat’s Tongue with Meyer Lemon, Fenugreek, Mint, and Tomato Chutney
Ris Lacoste: Oyster and Champagne Stew
Jamie Leeds: Swiss Chard and Baby Carrot–Stuffed Pickled Trout Rolls
Anita Lo: Steak Tartare with Chilled Korean Anchovy Broth
Carrie Nahabedian: Cured Ice-Caught Great Lakes Whitefish and Door County Golden Whitefish
Caviar with Crème Fraîche, Candied Meyer Lemon, Bull’s Blood Greens, and Lebanese-Seeded Fattoush
Carla Pellegrino: Tomato Bruschetta, Cappelletti with Cream and Prosciutto
Jennifer Petrusky: Fava Bean and Onion Surprise
Danica Pollard: Toasted Almond and Rose Bônet with Rhubarb and Candied Rose Petals
Monica Pope: Beet Brownies with Veldhuizen Bosque Blue Cheese, Miss Van’s Honeycomb, and
Swedish-Style Texas Pecans
Rebecca Rather: Silken Bittersweet Chocolate Tarts with Mexican Vanilla Ice Cream, Whiskey Sauce,
and White Pralines
Andrea Reusing: North Carolina Pickle Plate: Cane Creek Farm Pork Terrine with Ramps, Fickle Creek
Farm Tea Eggs, Cracklings, and Pickled Wild Shrimp, Radishes, and Turnips
Missy Robbins: Thinly Sliced Octopus Terrine with Alfonso Olives, Orange, and Calabrian Chilies
Holly Smith: Green Apple Sorbet with Alaskan King Crab and Crab Butter Powder
Suzanne Tracht: California-Style Char Siu Pork Tacos
Delilah Winder: Shrimp and Andouille with Creole Sauce on Hoppin’ John Cakes
Kate Zuckerman: Warm Coconut–Cardamom Rice Pudding with Rhubarb and Kumquats

Lots of shoes and some raccoons

In honor of the imminent Cinco de Mayo bacchanal, and my tequila stories today, I would like to revisit the topic of this post, those hazy, crazy tequila experiences of youth. Or, if not youth, of juvenile behavior. My most memorable tequila shot in recent years was a "body shot" out of the navel of a bartender at Coyote Ugly in Ybor City, followed by a shared lime that also seemed, in hindsight, somewhat unhygienic.

Here are some other readers' tequila tales:

"When I was in my early 20s I rented a villa in Mexico City with three friends with the intention of going to the university. We were told before leaving for the summer not to drink the water, so I used tequila instead. (Then it was 32 cents a pint.) One night after many, many tequilas I passed out. I woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. I fell flat on the floor. 'Wow, I can't drink this stuff again,' I thought. That morning I found out we had had a major earthquake and we were flooded out of our villa.  What a relief to find out it wasn't the tequila!!!!!!!"--Paula Isler, Palm Harbor

"Story 1: Years back, 3 fraternity brothers attended a football game at an unnamed state university where the Florida Gators play. Sitting in the blazing sun, the 3 of them consumed 2 fifths of tequila with the concomitant lemon and salt. The next morning they were hospitalized. Their lips were tripled in size and inverted, split in numerous places and covered with sores. Their gums were enormously inflamed, nearly covering their teeth. Their eyes were swollen completely shut. Their faces and necks were covered with golf ball sized lumps. We won the game. Go Gators!!!

Story 2: Years later, I was at a bar with my friend Big Puss. Puss was 6’5”, around 300. We started doing tequila shots. I did 3 and quit (I’m a weenie, but a smart weenie!). Big Puss laughed, did 7 shots and said he was straight as a string. We stood up to leave, Big Puss took two steps, then hit the floor so hard the force shook the signs behind the bar and spilled drinks 3 tables away. He broke his nose and bit through his upper lip, requiring 9 stitches. He did not regain consciousness for over 10 minutes, when the ambulance arrived with some smelling salts.

Story 3: True story! This one happened to me. I don’t remember a thing. My friends told me I had a blast. All I recall is lots of shoes and some raccoons."--Jamie Chastain, Winter Haven

"Ugh. Tequila is responsible for the closest I've come to death by alcohol poisoning. It's the only liquor where I've guzzled straight from the bottle to the extent that other frightened spectators felt compelled to force the bottle from my tightly clenching hands. BTW, did you know that if you forcefully blow out candles from very close up you may find wax in what's left of your singed eyebrows the following day?"--Ed C., Arlington, Va.

All of this just makes you wonder if any of these folks might have seen Pee-Wee Herman dancing in the big white shoes after their tequila intake?

[Photo of numerous tequilas by Times photographer Scott Keeler]

Anthony's comes to Clearwater

Last week I reviewed Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza in Tampa. Extra crispy, extra delicious. Now Pinellas gets in on the action. A second bay area Anthony's is set to open in the same shopping center as Tuscano Grille (which used to be Ponte's Tuscan Grill until it had a Ponte-ectomy last year) at 2534 N Mcmullen Booth Road in Clearwater. Not sure of the opening date, will let you know when I hear.

Café Ponte sets the bar high and doesn’t falter

New restaurants are like puppies. They get cooed over even if they make a mess. The established restaurant (adult dog) has to do something out of the ordinary (chew the furniture, learn a new trick) to get that kind of attention.

I’m happy to report Café Ponte’s upholstery is entirely intact. And though Chris Ponte has some new tricks — there’s talk of an Italian casual concept in the works — that’s not why I decided to revisit this fine dining institution launched in 2002. It’s because people ask me about it all the time. Is it still good? Is it worth the money? Has anything slipped? I didn’t know how to answer.

A recent lunch and dinner equipped me. The dining room looks positively spruce, its red, sage and black color scheme crisp and stylish; linens and table appointments are top-notch. Servers are courteous and professional even when slammed (lunch was swamped, dinner less so), their dark trousers and sage shirts rather posh. Bartenders give good patter, hostesses are fresh-faced and smiley, even phone reservations are taken with grace.

It’s still a yardstick against which the area’s other fine dining restaurants may be measured. Also, it’s not outrageous-expensive: At dinner, no entree tips past $34, most hover in the high $20s; a three-course meal (your choice of appetizer, entree and dessert; foie gras is extra) is offered for $33 between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.

Everything's shrinking--tiny Krispy Kremes, eeny Cheesecake Factory dishes

My esteemed colleague and Deal Diva, Stephanie Hayes, wrote this great story last week about how everything's shrinking.

She had a lot of good examples, but I just got a couple more. Krispy Kreme is debuting tiny doughnuts (hey, KKs gotta do something to boost their flagging sales trend), and Cheesecake Factory has unveiled small plates with correspondingly small prices. A box of 20 KK mini doughnuts is priced at $6.99. The CF small plates and snacks menu includes 16 dishes priced from $3.95 to $6.50 (beets with goat cheese, onion rings, shrimp scampi crostini, ahi tartare, stuffed mushrooms or pizzettes).

In summary: Size matters. And price. More evidence: Chili’s Grill & Bar just introduced 10 menu items under $7 and a "Bites" line of mini sandwiches. Burger King has those mini burgers, Quizno's has those skinny torpedo sandwiches, and Chipotle is rolling out a line of smaller, lower-priced items.

[photo still from Buena Vista Pictures]