My Happy Place Revisited

Back from Spring Break in Georgia, which means... I get to make my habitual pilgrimage to my one of my favorite eateries in the country: The Flying Biscuit in the Candler Park 'burb of Atlanta...

A gorgeous spring day to spend a late morning/brunch feast.

As much as I'd love to dive into the rest of the menu and sample everything the Biscuit has to offer, I cannot avoid the magnetic pull of the High Flyer. It has everything I love about this place, all on one plate: 2 eggs, chicken sausage, creamy, dreamy grits, a side of an organic oatmeal pancake with peach compote, and -- you guessed it -- a biscuit! Yes, yes, this is a carb-lover's dream, and I should not make a habit of going this route... but the induglence is always justifiable after the first bite.

Love the Bohemian, easy going atmosphere at this, the original Flying Biscuit (there are a couple others in the ATL and they are now branching out to FL and NC -- funny story: Had a guy from Charlotte stope me at Disney World to comment on my Flying Biscuit tee shirt I was sporting!).

They're all about healthy, hearty portions in a friendly environment.

If you've never been to one -- get there! This place is the one reason I would seriously consider trying out the restaurant biz...

Fishin' for Dinner

My fraternity buddy Fish was in town for business, and I took him to one of St. Pete's finest (I'm biased) for dinner -- Z Grille. (www.zgrille.net). Only bad news was Zack wasn't there tonight (PS I recently nominated Zack for Next Iron Chef America, and the casting director LOVED him...be on the lookout!)...

We ordered a bunch of menu faves, and Fish was a good sport and willing chow partner. Wok Spicy Shrimp Lettuce Wraps, California Deviled Eggs (chef's favorite), and Chipotle BBQ Pork and Smoked Gouda Quesadillas came all at once for us to share... then the main course was -- of course -- Zack's famous Dr. Pepper Fried Ribs, all gooey and sweet and spicy and fall-off-the-bone tender.

A big hit and a big thumbs up from a NYC guy who travels a ton for biz and eats at some high profile joints around the country. Credit Zack and his take-no-prisoners cooking style (not to mention his skater/rocker-cum-avant garde eclectic decor)for bringing some serious attitude and street cred to the Tampa Bay area!