Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Council Oak Launches New Menu

My favorite restaurant in Tampa is without a doubt Council Oak inside of Seminole Hard Rock Tampa. They recently launched a new menu consisting of appetizers, entrées, a new dessert and several craft cocktails. We had an opportunity to check it out and sample many items that are available now to the public. The food was delicious and the drinks were so good we made many disappear. Following our dinner, Gabe and I took the chance at a few slot machines. I must say how much we enjoy Seminole Hard Rock Tampa's smoke free expansion.

The new craft cocktail menu featured drinks with such names as Pillow Talk, Garden Party, Cucumber Gimlet, Twisted Western and a photo worthy Rose Mojito, which includes a rose infused ice cube. If wine is more your style, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa just received the prestigious Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator Magazine for its impressive menu of over 300 fine wines.

photo credit: Leo Arboines, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa

The new appetizers on Council Oaks menu consist of: Steamed Mussels with garlic infused tomato broth and toasted ciabatta, Soft Shell Crab with summer succotash and caper vinaigrette, Calamari & Lobster with smoked cherry peppers and red wine gastrique, Coriander Crusted Tuna with fennel-cucumber salad, ruby grapefruit and tapenade. The steamed mussels were my favorite and this was the first time I had tried soft sell crab!

There are many new dinner specials on Council Oaks revamped menu including: Grilled Yellowtail Snapper, Florida Grouper with rock shrimp, a 21-ounce bone-in New York Strip and a Prime Rib special offered on Fridays and Saturdays only. Council Oak has an incredible steak selection and the entire table loved the New York Strip. I haven't been eating much red meat lately and enjoyed the new fish options.

The new dessert is a Baked Alaska which is flambeed table-side. This dessert is a delicious chocolate brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, meringue and chocolate sauce.

You can check out Council Oak's menu here. Cheers!

We were provided a free meal to check out Seminole Hard Rock Tampa's updated Council Oak Menu. However, all opinions are my own.

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Seminole Hard Rock St. Petersburg Distillery Co Dinner

Hi friends! Last Thursday, my husband Gabe and I were able to take a break from our renovation and unpacking with a fabulous pairing dinner at Council Oak, located inside of Seminole Hard Rock Tampa. Once a month, Council Oak hosts an innovative 4 course meal, paired with featured craft cocktails, wine or beer. This month's feature was local, award winning St. Petersburg Distillery.

The menu was carefully selected by Chef Dave Puata and it was one of our favorite Council Oak pairing dinners to date.

We started the night off with a vodka based cocktail called The White Oak. It was a play on the cosmo, made with white cranberry and St. Germaine. The vodka used was award winning St Pete Distillery Banyan Reserve. It was absolutely delicious - and smoking!

While sipping on the delicious cocktail, we sampled 3 small bites - Conch Fritters, Purple Potato Latke and  Scallop Ceviche. It was a great start to a delicious meal.

The 1st course was incredible and a perfect blend of flavors. Chef Dave took Grilled Cobia and placed it on top of English pea risotto with a heirloom tomato jam, shaved radish, beet leaves. The tomato jam was off the chain and this dish was perfection.

Course One was paired with another perfect cocktail, the Lavender Bee's Knees made with St. Pete Distillery Tropical Gin. I am not a Gin person but I would order this drink again in a heart beat.

The 2nd course was a Braised Berkshire pork cheek with smoked Gouda polenta, a blood orange mostarda, arugula salad and Port Wine-molasses jus. Every aspect of this dish worked amazingly together making for perfect bite after perfect bite.

The second course was paired a St. Pete Punch made with St. Pete Distillery Righteous Rum & Spice. At first sip, I was instantly transported to the Caribbean - which was perfect as we are leaving for a Cruise in 2 days!

The 3rd course was unlike any piece of meat I've ever had. My husband is still talking about it nearly a week later. Chef Dave took a Smoked Beef Rib and gave it a spice rub with a Coffee-Chipotle Barbecue Glaze, Crispy Smashed Marble Potato, Goat Cheese, Red Wine Vinaigrette. The only way I can begin to explain this cut of meat is the tenderness of a filet mignon with the flavor of a Rib Eye. The beef on the bone was like a short rib, which I took home with me and used to make a hash for brunch over the weekend! They nailed every aspect of this entree.

The third course was paired with a Strawberry Whiskey made with St. Pete Distillery Sweet Corn Whiskey. My husband is a Whiskey drinker, I am not. However, this drink was amazing and we both loved it.

The 4th course - AKA the course where I had no idea how I could possibly fit any more food into my body but somehow did. Pastry Chef Stephen Schubert is a mad scientest and this dish instantly disappeared. Seriously though - Grand Royal Chocolate Mousse, Passion Fruit Toffee, Lime Sable Crumbles, Coconut Lime Gelato, Banana Lime Compote. It is to no surprose that Chef Schubert is going to compete at the World Pastry Competition next month. It would be a surprise to me if he didn't win the entire thing.

The fourth course was paired with a St. Pete Distillery Royal Mead Honey Wine. Once again, Council Oak hosted a perfectly paired dinner. We enjoyed live entertainment by local artist, Jac of All Trades, who I wish played at our wedding. He sang everything from Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons to Andrea Bocelli. Crazy talent!

Follow the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa blog for details on the next dinner, which is taking place on September 22nd.

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St. Petersburg Distillery Co. pairing dinner at Council Oak, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa

On Thursday, August 18, Council Oak at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa will host a pairing dinner with  St. Petersburg Distillery! I've been fortunate to attend a few of the amazing pairing dinners at Council Oak and excited to see a local distillery being featured!

The event will start off at 6:30 with Hors D'oeuvres and cocktails, followed by an innovative dinner by Chef Dave Puatu.

Hors D’oeuvres
Conch Fritters
Purple Potato Latke
Scallop Ceviche
St. Pete Distillery Banyan Reserve Gluten Free Vodka

1st COURSE
Grilled Cobia, English Pea Risotto, Heirloom Tomato Jam, Shaved Radish, Beet Leaves
St. Pete Distillery Tropical Gin

2nd COURSE
Braised Berkshire Pork Cheek, Smoked Gouda Polenta, Blood Orange Mostarda, Arugula Salad, Port Wine-Molasses Jus
St. Pete Distillery Righteous Rum & Spice

3rd COURSE
Smoked Beef Rib, Spice Rub, Coffee-Chipotle Barbecue Glaze, Crispy Smashed Marble Potato, Goat Cheese, Red Wine Vinaigrette
St. Pete Distillery Sweet Corn Whiskey

4th COURSE
Grand Royal Chocolate Mousse, Passion Fruit Toffee, Lime Sable Crumbles, Coconut Lime Gelato, Banana Lime Compote
St. Pete Distillery Royal Mead Honey Wine

Each guest will take home a bottle of St. Pete Distillery Banyan Reserve Gluten Free Vodka which was recently awarded 2016 Best Artisan Vodka - Southern Living Magazine.

There will be live entertainment by local artist JAC of all Trades

Limited tickets are available at $221 per person, which includes taxes and gratuity. Reserve your seat now by calling 813-627-6630.

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CeSar Caipirinha Recipe by Loews Don CeSar

I cannot believe the Rio 2016 Olympic's start next Friday! I will be glued to my TV cheering on Team USA! My friends over at Loews Don CeSar created a delicious cocktail for the Olympics, The CeSar Caipirinha available for a limited time (August 5-21). If you find yourself in the area (visiting or local), stop by Rowe Bar and give the CeSar Caipirinha a try! If not, you're in luck as I have the recipe for you!

Inspired by the traditional Brazilian cocktail, below is the CeSar Caipirinha recipe that Loews Don CeSar is serving up for guests to enjoy during their visit or recreate at home:

CeSar Caipirinha featured at the Rowe Bar

Ingredients
1.5oz Leblon Cachaça
6-8 Cubes of Pineapple- cut pineapple into ¾ in cubes
.5oz Kiwi Simple Syrup*
Tablespoon of fresh lime juice - optional
Ice
Pineapple wedge

Instructions
In a short glass combine the pineapple cubes with kiwi simple syrup and use a muddler to gently crush and squeeze out the pineapple juice.
Add the cachaca, ice and, lime juice-shake well with cocktail shaker. Serve immediately garnished with a pineapple wedge. Add additional ice if needed.

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2 Days in Savannah #VisitSavannah

A few weeks ago, my husband Gabe and I went to Savannah GA for my Birthday. Savannah is a very easy drive from Florida and took us less than 5 hours (including a few stops). We had a fantastic time and wished for a few additional days of exploration. If you find yourself in Savannah for only 2 days, here are a few must visits:

Explore the Squares!
After arriving in Savannah, Gabe and I took a walk down Riverwalk. We grabbed a drink, visited some of the shops and made our way up to the many squares located in Savannah. There are 22 squares throughout Savannah (originally 24), all of which have a piece of history behind them. I do however, strongly suggest wearing closed toe shoes in Savannah. The cobblestones are no joke and my big toe lost a battle against it. Two weeks later, I still cannot wear sneakers, meaning my marathon training has taken a major delay. More on that later!

Take a Trolley Tour
Trolley Tours are a fantastic way to see the city. They have a hop on hop off route through all the cities landmarks and give you a piece of history throughout your drive.

Go on a Ghost Tour
Savannah is one of the most haunted cities in the US so you cannot visit without taking a Ghost Tour. Even if you don't believe in the paranormal, ghost tours do give you a bit of history and hear stories of Savannah's most interesting families and events. You can take ghost tours in the day or at night. We did two different ghost tours - a ghost pub crawl and a ghost trolley tour. I do wish we chose more of a paranormal experience vs. the tours. The Pub crawl was more about going to the next bar vs. hearing stories where the trolley was very long drawn out stories. That's a fun part of Savannah, there are so many different tours, there is always going to be something for everyone.

Take a River Cruise
A River Cruise is a great way to see Savannah by water. Savannah Riverboat cruises offer a few different options, lunch, brunch, dinner, narrated harbor sightseeing cruise, sunset cruise and moonlight cruise. We did the harbor sightseeing cruise and even saw a canon being fired from a fort.

Visit Forsyth Park
During your trip to Savannah, be sure to take a trip over to Forsyth Park. You can even have a picnic while there. We stopped by on our way out of town on Sunday. The park wasn't too crowded and it was the perfect time to go.

EAT!
There are so many different restaurants in Savannah. I had two amazing meals - both of which names may not blow your socks off.

A.Lure Meatloaf, ground filet mignon, foie gras, caramelized onions, roasted garlic cauliflower puree, black truffle mushroom madeira demi glace. I ate every bit of it.

On the second night, we dined at Girabaldi's, what was my favorite restaurant in Charleston. The dish, Crispy Diamond Scored Flounder was every bit as delicious as I remember it with Apricot Shallot Sauce, Orzo Provencal, Julienne Vegetables.

We had a slice of Pizza at Vinnie Van Go Go's which was was delicious and now I want Pizza for lunch.

You cannot come to Savannah without getting Ice Cream at Leopold's. Yes it is worth the 45 minute line. Yes, their ice cream is that good.

We also tried two of the 200 martini's served at Jen's and Friends.

Other places not to miss are The Olde Pink House, Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room, if you can't make it to Mrs. Wilkes (not open on the weekends) you can get a delicious southern buffet at Paula Deen's Lady and Sons restaurant, Vic's on the River is always a crowd favorite and Rocks on the River has the best sunset you will find in Savannah - grab a cocktail up on their rooftop.

Check out the Sunset
We saw two spectacular sunsets on our trip. Be sure to check out what time the sun sets as it seemed to set much later than in does FL. Odd!

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Visiting Nashville - Jack Daniels Distillery

When my husband Gabe and I decided to visit Nashville for the first time, one thing was on our "must do" list - visiting Jack Daniel's Distillery.

Jack is my hubby's drink of choice. It was my first legal drink purchase on my 21st birthday and  the only thing I drank in my early 20's. I will always have memories of my Grandma ordering Jack and Coke at the Bar - imagine with a VERY southern accent "Give me a Jack and Coke, Coke on the side and don't you dare put ice in it". It's something that will always make me smile.

We made the easy hour drive to Lynchburg Tennessee, a small town in Tennessee which is a dry county and happens to be home of the highest selling American whiskey in the world. I found that pretty ironic!

We opted for the tasting tour, which took an hour and a half. We spent the first hour and ten minutes touring the distillery and seeing first hand the steps it takes to make Jack Daniel's. It was a very interesting and educational experience. I strongly suggest anyone visiting Nashville to take the trip over to Lynchburg!

While waiting for our tour to start, we checked out history of Jack Daniels Whiskey.

Our tour began by the group boarding a bus to take a short ride up to the property. We began in the Rickyard, where they burn stacks of sugar maple until it's charcoal.

We headed to the Cave Spring next. This continuous flow of 56 degree water year round is one of the most important parts on the property.

We even stopped to take a selfie with Gentleman Jack. Side note - We are NOT this pale in real life!

We stopped through Jack Daniel's office, where we saw his desk and other personal items. Also in this office was the safe that eventually killed him. 

The story goes - Jack couldn't open his safe, so he kicked it out of frustration. He injured his left tow and ended up getting his leg amputated which is eventually what killed him. Our tour guide joked that he could have saved his life, if he dipped his toe in a cup of Jack Daniel's Whiskey. Makes you wonder!

We passed the Grain Mill and headed to the still house, where photos taken from the inside were prohibited. We can't be giving away the trade secrets!

Next stop was the still house, where they distill the product down to 140 proof. No photos were allowed at this location but we did go to the fermentation area and witnessed various levels of fermentation taking place. It was wicked hot in there but so cool! 

We made it to the bottling area, which was closed for the day (we went at one of the later tours on a Friday). 

We also saw some of the original tools used to make Jack Daniel's!

It was eventually time to make our walk back down to the tasting room. How awesome are these street signs?

Then it was time for the tasting! It was an interesting feeling knowing you were drinking Jack Daniel's in the location Jack was made, in a town located in a dry county.  

We tasted Gentleman Jack, Old No. 7, Single Barrel, Tennessee Honey, Tennessee Fire. Oddly enough, my favorite straight up was the original Old No. 7, the first drink I had when I was 21. Well that say something! All and all, this was a true highlight of our trip to Nashville. The drive out was peaceful and well worth it!

Some info you may need:

Jack Daneils Distillery

Tours Daily: 9:00am - 4:30pm (CST)

182 Lynchburg Highway  

Lynchburg, Tennessee 37352

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