The Vitals: the spot: Il Ritorno 449 Central Avenue St. Petersburg FL 33701 the eats: Bucatini Pomodoro, Short Rib Mezzaluna, Squid Ink Garganelli, Bone Marrow with Yellowtail Tartare, Smoked Meatballs, A5 Japanese Wagyu Beef(seriously) the bucks: $$$ and worth it. I'd budget $75 a head with wine to do it right. Although to get a nice plate of pasta will set you back $20-$30 the full nelson: a splurge worthy Italian experience that isn't even that bad of a splurge. 

Throughout the entire five season run of Cheap Eats, St. Petersburg FL still stands out as a surprisingly impressive culinary destination. From the moment I got off the plane at Tampa International, any notion of a sleepy Gulf town was washed away. Florida is well populated and flush with tourism dollars, a combination that extends beyond Miami and the Keys. And that means there's good eats up and down this state. In February of 2018, I was taken to Il Ritorno by Chef Chris Fernandez from Red Mesa Cantina. Back then, as in now, I remain simply blown away by the food. Not gonna lie either, I got the star treatment. When Chef Chris toured me around the restaurants, I met chefs, sampled the fare and it was pretty much all on the house. The cameras probably should have been running for my after hours tour. Maybe that's why I've posted multiple times about my St. Pete adventures beyond what we featured on Cheap Eats. And here I am about to do it again.

When in Florida

My wife loves a poolside vacation with a view of the beach and St. Pete is a two hour flight from Austin, so it was only a matter of time. With Covid-19 easing up, we cashed in some airline points to make a quick domestic beach vacay. We stayed at a great hotel called Treasure Island Beach Resort, a 10 minute drive from downtown St. Pete. PS - get the bloody mary at Treasure Island + the wings were respectable for poolside fare.

The boy loves pasta

My kid is a freak for carbs. That kinda comes off sounding insensitive but seriously, he could eat steamed dumplings, ramen and pasta all day. Even though Il Ritorno is a bit more formal than what he is accustomed too, I had to take him to try Chef David Benstock's cooking. Previously I had a pasta dish he made for the James Beard house and it was simply epic. So much so that I submitted it for an episode of Best Thing I Ever Ate. Let's just say the nominee list is about to get a little more crowded.

Amuse Bouche: a taste of what's to come

"This is something from the kitchen" is music to my ears. It's more than a comp, it's showing off but in the best of ways. The rundown here: Crispy Polenta with A5 Wagyu Tartare and Osetra Caviar. If that doesn't cause your jaw to drop, google the prices on A5 Wagyu and Osetra Caviar. Sure one could argue whether anything is worth all that cheddar but I've eaten a lotta cheddar in my day and Wagyu + Osetra is way better. See what I did there?

These meatballs . . .

I had the smoked meatballs back in 2018 and with my kid in tow, they were definitely making a return. These meatballs were downright smokey and rich thanks to the smoked tomato sauce and Piave, an Italian Cow's milk cheese. You could make a meal out of this, some charcuterie and wine. But we had bigger fish to fry.

Trendy + Fred Flintstone approved

Bone marrow is everywhere these days. I swear people who I know swore off beef will order it for the sake of ordering it. It's easy to see why. This rustic dish has a primal like draw yer few homecooks would dare make it, me included. This, however, is not your average Bone Marrow dish. Named "Monti e Mare" which translates to Mountain and Sea, the roasted bone marrow is filled with Yellowtail Amberjack tartare. This combination might sound unusual but the two proteins go together like turkey and bacon on a club sandwich. Watermelon radish makes it very Instagrammable as well(insert eye roll emoji). Hey, if trends are tasty, I'm down.

Pasta Pasta Pasta

On to the pastas. As soon as I mentioned that I was going to Il Ritorno everyone and the magic 8 ball said "get the Short Rib Mezzaluna". Such is the way of dishes that seem to pack on one level of indulgence after another. Mezzaluna, the halfmoon shaped pasta(similar to ravioli) is stuffed with braised beef short rib and more of that Piave from the smoked meatball starter. Speaking of sauce, let's talk about the Truffle Fonduta. This fondue like sauce features Fontina cheese, lots of Parmesan and reduced tomato. It goes without saying that this is a dish to share. But we had more sharing to do. I have a very difficult time not ordering anything with squid ink or lobster. This has both. Garganelli pasta is made with Squid Ink and studded studded with lobster and bottarga, with a sauce that features orange and fennel. The proteins give the dish an intense taste of the sea, especially the bottarga which is a cured mullet roe, and a global delicacy that happens to be native to the waters of the area. The sauce gave the dish a surprisingly sweet taste though not overly so Still that sweet kick caught me off guard. I found it a little distracting. But I'm glad to have tried it as it seemed something ambitious to add. As the dinner would go on, I found the perfect compliment for that bite of pasta but more on that in a sec. Call me a simpleton, a Neanderthal, an absolute culinary novice but this was far and away my favorite pasta dish. Ordered for the kiddo in an attempt to play it safe; simplicity would win the day. They say pasta shapes are meant to be paired with sauces. I can't say why firm al dente bucatini went so well with this Pomodoro sauce but my God, was this so magnificently satisfying. Never sleep on the power of burrata cheese either. Once you pierce the outer Mozzarella exterior, soft cheese curds instantly add cream to the tomato sauce. Rich and tangy, familiar yet with execution so perfect, the experience is more Unicorn sighting than our Kid friendly intentions would lead us to believe. I'll steal one from Action Bronson: F*** that's delicious.

A5 Wagyu beef from Japan. Really.

So this is the part of the story that's just gonna come off as unfair. This is when the meal matches my honeymoon feast of 2008 ate when I ate back to back meals at Bartolotta and at Top Chef Tom Colicchio's Craftsteak in Las Vegas. Over the course of two dinners I had A5 Kobe beef from Japan(Craftsteak) and superb Italian food(Barlotta). Those meals together cost about a month's rent. And I would emulate the experience again at Il Ritorno, in one single meal for a fraction of the price. "Something from the kitchen" was heard once again. This time it would be A5 Wagyu Ribeye steak from Hokkaido and A5 Wagyu strip from Okinawa. Real deal melt in your mouth, break out the black AMEX beef. A little goes a long way both on the palate and the bill. Yes, it was comped. Yes I freaking died at how it good it was. Note the black and blue sear. Yeah, that's the way to play it. Also note the pretty dots of yellow and green. That's a Meyer lemon citronette and a green garlic emulsion. I traded off bites of the steak with bites of that squid ink Garganelli, a surf and turf of epic proportions that renewed my interest in the Garganelli and made me appreciate that slight sweet kick, the orange in particular.

A reasonable splurge

Look, I realize this kind of experience is a far departure from my M.O. but all of this added up to about $200(before tip) which also included a bottle of wine, two glasses of Sparkling wine and a Vanilla gelato. Yes, the Wagyu Amuse Bouche was comped as was the steak, but they were tasting size portions. When the dust settles, this kind of experience is never cheap. But for the sheer level of cooking and ingredients, Il Ritorno is a reasonable splurge. Additional props to the wine list as well. We had a bottle of wine for $45 which is pretty reasonable for a restaurant of this caliber. There was maybe 50 bottles on the list and 10 of them were priced around $50 or less, again pretty fair given the fact that real deal caviar and Wagyu beef is part of the Il Ritorno playbook.

Bottom line

Three years later and I'm still impressed. If you're in St. Pete and love Italian food, I'd put this on the list.          

Cheesesteak Meal Kit: a taste of Philly in your kitchen

Earlier this year I posted about an Italian Beef Kit I got from Mauro Provisions, the butcher shop delivery service from Jeff Mauro of Food Network's the Kitchen. Well I also got some shaved beef for cheesesteaks and finally got around to whipping up a batch. Sweet baby Jesus was it so damn good.

Fire up your Cast Iron

I fired up my cast iron skillet, tossed in some chopped onions and once they got darn golden, in cometh the beef. The beef you get from Mauro Provisions is shaved ribeye. In the past I have taken eye of round, tossed it in the freezer for a bit and then sliced it thin for cheesesteaks. While a fairly economical solution, it's bit of work and the fat content is minimal. The cheesesteak beef you get here is far more marbled and toothsome. Look, you get what you pay for.

White American cheese is the move

I had a couple slices of white American cheese and tossed them on top of the beef once it was pretty much done. That stuff turned to delicious gooey goodness in seconds. I had some brioche rolls and tossed them in for a toast. Of course using a proper hoagie roll would have made it a far more authentic experience but you know what? Cheesesteak still tastes good on a variety of breads. Besides, brioche is buttery delish and always serves as a fine carby compliment to a beef sandwich.

Unorthodox toppings? Yes please.

In addition to some Giardiniera I got from Mauro Provisions I also added some top shelf pickled jalapeños from legendary Austin BBQ joint La Barbecue. Yes these toppings are whole unorthodox but serve as excellent compliments to the rich beef, cheese and brioche. Acidity and spice plus fat makes for excellent mouth feels.

Shameless plug or delicious truth?

I realize this might seem like a full on plug for Jeff and Mauro Provisions but the truth is A) the products are damn delicious) and B) me and this bozo go way back for a reason. I knew the Italian Beef kit would be a ringer but the Cheesesteak is kinda genius. Unless you're in Philly, cheesesteaks tend to be disappointing or kinda pricey. With pre shaved beef it's really easy to make. If you can sauté onions, you can make this. And as blasphemous as this sounds: cheesesteaks are better with giardiniera. Yup, I went there. I gotta go now though, I'm sure there are some Eagles fans at my door that wanna pummel me. Sometimes delivering delicious truth can be a burden.

The Vitals: the recipe: Traeger Smoked Salmon the smoker: Traeger Ironwood 885 the time: about an hour the full nelson: the best thing I've smoked in a Traeger: freakin' fish

Traeger Day 2021

Traeger Day is fast becoming the biggest food holiday the internet has cooked up. Last year I joined Team Traeger when they generously sent me a grill. Perks of the life folks. I started off getting into ribs and realized that even with a sophisticated piece of machinery like a wifi pellet grill, smoking meat is still a craft that takes time to master, whether your burning wood or pellets. So when this year's Traeger Day rolled in, I thought hard about what I wanted to do for the big day. Loads of Traeger heads would be going the traditional brisket and ribs route. Me? I guess I wanted to think outside the box and not spend 4-12 hours smoking meat that would still end up being a distant second to the top shelf BBQ that's being served up in my hood of East Austin. And that's when it hit me: Smoked Salmon in a Traeger. (more…)

Salsa's Best Friend (and taco's too)

Curtido is a taco condiment staple, especially in the Yucatan where it is featured on Cochinita Pibil, Mexico's answer to low and slow pulled pork. I like it on many tacos, especially the meaty ones likes Carnitas or Campechano(steak and chorizo). And making it could not be more simple. (more…)

The Vitals: the recipe: Al Pastor Traeger Hack the smoker: Traeger Ironwood 885  the time: about an hour the full nelson: too damn fun not to try Lazy Sunday cookouts have been a running theme in my backyard lately. On Sundays, like in this Instagram Reels post, I've been hitting up my neighborhood carniceria. Their selection of marinated meats and salsas are damn tasty when I don't feel like dedicating a weekend for the prep. And it gave me a reason to try out this Al Pastor Traeger hack. (more…)

The Vitals: the spot: your house! A zoom cooking class with Ali Khan and Stiles Switch BBQ the eats: Central Texas style brisket with steakhouse sides the bucks: contact through site for pricing the full nelson: Dressing up Brisket with a classic steakhouse style dinner

The last year and a half has got me in the kitchen more than ever. Now I'm taking those skills plus my years of food tv, blogging and writing into your kitchen. I've teamed up with celebrated Austin BBQ restaurant, Stiles Switch BBQ to create a series of cooking classes where we remix classic Central Texas Smoked Meats. Grab a martini and read all about my Central Texas Brisket dinner with Classic Steakhouse sides. (more…)

The Vitals: the recipe: Traeger Baby Back Ribs Vol 3 + 4 the smoker: Traeger Ironwood 885 the time: Vol 3: 6.5 hours Vol 4: 8 hours the full nelson: the learning curve is long but learning I am  This follow up post to my original has been a long time coming. Last summer the folks at Traeger Grills were kind enough to send me a grill, ah yes, the perks of being a Food TV guy. As lucky as I am to have gotten a free grill, making great bbq takes a lot of work. Trial and error is the name of the game. And when your trial and errors take at least a whole afternoon, you learn to accept the fact that the pursuit of perfect barbecue is indeed a lengthy journey. (more…)

The Vitals: the spot: Casa Golosa 1211 E. 6th St. Austin TX 78702 the eats: all the pastas the bucks: $12-$15 for one pasta, enough for two  the full nelson: I can't wait to take my East Coast peeps here

Worth leaving the house for

Over the last year of pandemic life I have been focusing my content on recipes. I've been cooking more than ever before, delving into the the healthier side of food, sourcing better ingredients and frankly been saving some coin. So it's gotta take something damn special for me to post about a restaurant. Then I stumbled onto Casa Golosa. (more…)

I might be the host of Spring Baking Championship but a baker I am not. But that doesn't mean I can't test the waters. When Studio 512's host Stephanie Gilbert challenged me to a baking challenge . . . I knew I had to step up. With some guidance from Spring Baking Champion Nacho Aguirre, I came up with this: a mini chocolate cake with chocolate ganache and macerated raspberries or "Ali's wedding proposal cake" for short. It's in honor of the upcoming wedding themed episode of Spring Baking Championship and while beautiful, decadent and rich . . . it is also very easy to make. This is how you do it.

Ingredients

chocolate cake

• 1 cup sugar
• 14 tbsp flour
• 6 tbsp cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 veg. oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 4 tbsp butter

chocolate ganache

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips(70% cacoa)
• 1 cup heavy cream

macerated raspberries

• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 tbsp sugar

Out the gate I wanted to get the raspberries done as they could afford to sit for a bit. This is literally as simple as making cereal. Take a cup of raspberries, rinse them off and place in a bowl. Toss in a tablespoon of sugar and shake it off like Taylor Swift. I'm sorry I went there but I have a kid and she doesn't curse in her music. Let that sit while you work on the rest. Start the cake process by mixing all the dry ingredients until well incorporated. Nacho suggested I sift the flour to make sure there would be no lumps in the cake. I went ahead and did that with the flour and the sugar and cocoa powder. It's a step but I'd well advise you take it. Texture is very important to cake along with flavor. Then whisk in all the wet ingredients: the milk, vegetable oil and egg. I used a hand whisk first to get everything mixed to an even consistency. Then I reached for the electric mixer. I set the speed to medium(4 out of 7) and let it rip for 2 minutes. Since I was doing this for a TV segment, I made two cakes but you should have enough for 8 cakes that fit in these 3" ramekins. A couple things to note: make sure you grease and flour your ramekins. When the butter is room temp it's a lot easier to work with. Also fill the cake batter about 3/4 of the way up because the cake will rise. Stick them in a preheated 350 degree oven and start checking after 20 minutes. These were done in about 22 minutes. I did the toothpick test and when the pick comes out clean . . they are done. Do yourself a favor and let these cool before you take them out of the ramekin. I got overzealous with my second batch and while the cake slid out easy . . . it broke apart when it hit the wire rack as the ramekin was a bit too hot to handle. Lesson learned: take your time. Plated and ready to go. In case you're wondering . . . the ganache, yeah I didn't get the best process shots there because the process is pretty minimal. Place the dark chocolate chips in a bowl. Bring the heavy cream just . . . and I mean just to the point of a boil. Like when the bubbles just start to pop on the sides, pour onto the chocolate chips. Let that sit for about 2 minutes and then stir. Nacho recommended I stir in an "S" shape pattern, starting from the center. I started out with that method. After while though, I just mixed it till it was well incorporated. And there she is. If you watched me Studio 512 you will see I opted out of showing you my piping skills. The sad truth is my handwriting and overall artist skills are just as suspect. Still this dessert is a looker and is as simple to make as it is elegant and indulgent to eat. And if you use this for your wedding proposal . . . tag me in the post!  

I first came across Nihari at the Pakistani Curry houses of Los Angeles. True hole in the wall joints whose smokey tandoori ovens would set me off in a spiced meat frenzy. Fragrant biriyanis, the paella of the Indian subcontinent, and haleem are specialties here, the latter being a porridge of wheat, meat and fragrant spices. Just as stand out is Nihari, one of the best beef curries of all time, the G.O.A.T of beef curries if you will. I had this brisket lying around and well, it got me thinking . . . (more…)