Rumba Island Bar & Grill ~ Clearwater & Oldsmar

Address: 1800 Gulf to Bay Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33765

                3687 Tampa Rd, Oldsmar, FL 34677

Phone: Clearwater (727) 446-7027 

            Oldsmar (813) 475-5974

Hours: Open daily 11:30am- 10:00 pm

Extras:  Outdoor Tiki Bar, Live Music Friday and Saturday Night

Website: rumbagrill.com

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I have had a long love affair with Rumba. I’m the type of person that loves quality food. I will pay more for a meal if I know I’m going to get a consistently good, high quality meal. Rumba is that place. In the 6 years I’ve been dining there, I have only had one bad meal, (it was over three years ago and it was a soggy fish sandwich, maybe hogfish, which was a special that week) I should have sent it back, and not sure why I didn’t. Every time we have guest visit, it’s our go to place to take them. Our friends and family now request to go there when they’re in town. When my daughter was in High School, she even got a job there, which made this foodie-mama so proud! 

Sangria (they'll make the 2 fer in a tall glass if you ask) and the muffins 

Calamari app with aioli sauce 

A little background on Rumba, they are owned by the Bay Star Restaurant Group (baystarrestaurantgroup.com) which is known for hiring some of the most talented chef’s and offering quality dining experiences. Rumba is probably the most affordable of the group’s properties. The Rumba’s menu has a strong Jamaican flair. I’ve been told, Chef Don is from the island, so you know you’re gonna get good island food, mon. Caribbean Rum is also a biggie as they have several quality rum offerings at the bar. 

Jalapeño app

Jerk Chicken Wing app

I use to live just over a mile from Rumba in Clearwater (full disclosure: I have not been to the Oldsmar location), so we would frequent the place about once a week, if not more (I also had a better paying job back then which didn’t hurt!). I’m a sangria junkie. Greg is a craft beer guy. We both found a happy place at the Rumba bar (props to Jason, their awesome bar tender!). I will tell you the Rumba sangria is not only 2 for one, it’s also one of the best, if not the best, Sangria’s I’ve stumbled upon along the Gulf coast! Enough about beverages…. let’s talk FOOD!!

Pulled Chicken Salad

Rumba Salad with Ahi Tuna added

Like I said earlier, you’ll have a hard time getting a bad meal from Rumba. The apps are incredible, especially the Ahi Tuna Negril (again the BEST we have found along the Gulf Coast!) served with citrus soy and jerk aioli. On the rare occasion when we can pull ourselves away from the Ahi Tuna we’ll have the Fried Green Tomatoes, Fire Roasted Jalapeños, Jerk Wings or the Calamari, again - all fabulous! Oh, I almost forget, you get these awesome little muffins pre dinner, so you won’t even need an app, although you’d be crazy not to get one! 

Ahi Tuna Negril app (TO DIE FOR!)

If you’re not into apps, you MUST get Chef Donald’s famous shrimp bisque. So flavorful…. so shrimpy …. it’s haven in a bowl. 

The early menu at Rumba make dining affordable. It starts when they open at 11:30 and ends at 5:45pm. I like it because it’s slightly smaller portions than the regular menu and allows those on a budget to eat like a king! 

Grouper Ruben

Coconut Crusted Grouper Dinner

I could go on and on about everything on the menu, but I will only get myself worked up into a food frenzy. It’s safe to say whatever you order will be fabulous! Some of our go to items we get again and again are: the Seafood Rasta Pasta, coconut crusted Grouper sandwich, Grouper Ruben, Grouper Roll (on hawaiian bread), Crab Mac & Cheese, Hogfish, cooked any way (seasonal), Runaway Crab Cakes, The Rumba Melt (patty melt on marble rye, topped with gruyere and caramelized onions), Pulled chicken salad with maytag blue cheese, Rumba Salad - we get ours with ahi tuna, it’s not on the menu but they’ll make it by request. 

Grouper Roll (on hawaiian bread)

This was a daily special, some sort of surf and turf:  Mahi on a skewer, shrimp & rice in center
and mushroom covered steak

As with everything in life, nothing is perfect. Rumba’s one downfall is service. Since we frequent the joint, we’ve learned to request certain waitresses or just be prepared for the fact you may get very slow service. I’ve sent a friend or two to the the Clearwater location and have heard that the food is great, but the service was awful. This is one place where I say it shouldn’t let that be a reason to stop you from going - the food is that good. Just be prepared that is will be slow or go off hours or better yet, eat at the bar with Jason, he’s awesome! 

RATING: 5 best / 1 worst

Food  *****

Excellent food. Fresh, caught daily fish, uniques island flavors. Their food will make your tastebuds and tummy very happy! 

Vibe *****

The look: Island flair from top to bottom. Classy, not tacky. 

The crowd: 8 days old to 80 years! Family friendly. During season, it’s packed from open to close. The tourists have found this place, so off season you’ll have the less crowded expereince.

The bathroom: clean and smells good. 

And: Centrally located in Clearwater. Ample outdoor seating, seperate outdoor smoking section away from non-smokers. Valet parking (3rd party company) is OK, but they become easily overwhelmed when busy since there is usually only one guy running cars at a time. 

Service **

It’s going to be hit or miss. If you like really good food, expect that you may not get service to match. Don’t let it keep you from eating here, it’s that good! 

Moola  $$

Fairly priced, excellent value. The less expensive of the Bay Star Restaurants. 

OVERALL: 4-1/2

A perennial favorite for us and all our guests who come to visit us in Florida. A MUST for your eating out short list. I’d be VERY surprised if you didn’t like it!  

Proino Breakfast Club ~ Largo

Address: 201 W Bay Dr, Largo, FL 33770

Phone: (727) 444-0937

Hours: Open daily 7:00am - 3:00pm (breakfast & lunch only)

Extras: Covered/shaded outside dining that is pet friendly. Mimosas & Bloody Mary’s on weekends. 

Website: proinobreakfastclub.com

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I found Proino in 2013, at the same time I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer (I was in my late 40's). I had 18 inches of my colon removed and started chemotherapy at the now defunct Walgreen’s Treatment Center in the Diagnostic Clinic. Every other Monday for six months I would go in, get blood drawn and then a couple hours later, based on the the results of that blood work, get my chemo treatment for the next 3-4 hours. I won’t go into all the gory details, but chemo does some nasty stuff to a person’s body. My once low carb, meat and veggie filled eating habits no longer agreed with my stomach while on chemo. However, I could stomach carbs like a champ! Enter Proino’s Breakfast Club….

During my wait between blood work and treatment was usually the time I could muster up the energy to eat a meal. Many a time I would head over to Proino with my chemo buddy of the day and buy him or her breakfast as a thank you for their kindness in taking care of me during that day’s session. Crepes were my go to meal during treatment as they were carbs that my body could easily digest with out regret. Proino has amazing crepes!! Sweet crepes… savory crepes… even crepes as a base for one of their many Eggs Benedict meals! I also like the fact that they have a portion of the menu called Little of Both Worlds which gives you a mix of eggs, meat and sweet or savory crepe options.

Ham Benedict

I did a little online research and found out Proino means breakfast in Greek. The owner, George Soulellis, also Greek, owns a chain of restaurants in Montreal called l’Egsoueufs. The Greek Canadian sure knows is breakfast stuff! Ingredients are sure to tickle your tastebuds!

Now when I go to Proino, I favor the Eggs Benedict meals, they are beautifully presented and very filing. I'm a sucker for a creamy rich hollandaise sauce! I’ve tried almost all of bennies and what should be my favorite, the seafood benedict, was not as fresh as I would have hoped give our proximity to the Gulf of Mexico. It's made with blue cheese and crab meat that tastes canned or frozen. I'd like to see George use a mellow and creamier cheese (blue cheese is very over bearing) and some local shrimp and fish for this menu item. With that said, I do have two favorites - the Breakfast Club Benedict, which uses french toast as a base in place of an english muffin and the Ham Benedict that uses crepes as the base.

The Breakfast Club Benedict

My healthy eating companions like the home made yogurt. It’s served artfully in a fancy oversized martini glass alongside a bagel. You can dress your yogurt various ways with fresh fruits or berries, they even have the Athenian, greek yogurt, served with pears, walnuts and honey… it’s esquisit! There are more skinny options like a fresh fruit platter and Light Delight that features a poached egg, cottage cheese, fresh fruit and bagel.

Strawberry Yogurt

The omelette portion of the menu will leave you in the land of indecision. The good news, no matter what you pick, you won’t be disappointed. You’ll get the typical mix of Veggie or Western omelets. Then there are some more adventurous options, like the Southwest omelette that is served in a tortilla (Greg’s favorite). Same goes for the Chicken Fajita omelette.  The Blue Cheese omelette (on my short list) is filled with bacon, ham, sausage and blue cheese. They also have the Athenian with Greek sausage, feta, tomato and red onion. Then there is the Le St-Jean-Baptiste which is described on the the menu as, Trois oeufs, choix de deux viandes (saucisses, jambon ou bacon) cretons, pommes de terre maison, fruits frais, rôties et café. Sounds fancy, eh? Translated via google it means; Three eggs, choice of two meats (sausage, ham or bacon) greaves, house potatoes, fresh fruit, toast and coffee. These are just some of the 18 omelettes available. 

Southwest Omelette

The menu has so much to explore, Belgian waffles, smoothies, fancy coffees and salads. I’ve barely skimmed the surface as I’m a creature of habit, when I find something I like it’s hard to venture past the dish I crave. I’ve started a short list that includes the smoked salmon platter, french toast with fruit and english cream or any of the lunch sandwiches, like pastrami or tuna melt. 

Today's Receipt

As for my cancer, I’m working through bi-yearly oncologist check ups and a yearly colonoscopy in hopes of achieveing the coveted 5 year marker (summer of 2018) where I can truly say I’m cancer free! My next yearly is coming up. Wish me luck! 

RATING: 5 best / 1 worst

Food ****

The menu vast. Primarily breakfast items with some salads and sandwiches mixed in for the lunch crowd. Limited alcoholic beverages available. 

Vibe ***

The look: Bright and roomy inside and a bit chilly, so you may want to bring a cover up if you get cold easily.  (welcome to Florida, land of iceberg air conditioning!)

The crowd: 8 months to 80 years ... a mix of families and older couples. 

The bathroom: Cold but fairly clean.  

And: A good amount of covered outdoor seating along West Bay in downtown Largo. We always like the outside vibe, however today we encountered our first smoker, something I wasn’t aware they allowed anywhere on the premises. 

Service ***

The servers we’ve had are always friendly and very helpful. However, they can be a little slow on orders and refills from time to time especially if the place if hopping. 

Moola $

We spent $36 (before tip) for two people, two meals, plus we split biscuits and gravy (basically a third meal) and no adult beverages, just coffees and one OJ. (FYI: mimosa and bloody marys are $5.95 ea.) The average price of a meal is around $9 - $10, portions are ample.  

OVERALL: 3-1/2

Overall - we’ll keep going back. We love the outdoor seating, relaxed atmosphere and the occasional weekend brunch mimosa. The food is consistent and plentiful. We always leave full.  

The Avenue eat/drink ~ Downtown St. Pete

Address: 330 1st Ave S, St Petersburg, FL 33701

Phone: 727-851-9531 

Hours: Open daily 11:30am- close

Extras: Live Music Friday and Saturday Night

Website: theavenuedtsp.com

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I woke up with a hankering for meat. Not the steak kind or the X rated kind … but a big o’ juicy, mile high burger, stacked to the sky with savory fixins’ kind! 

I frequent Instagram (i.e. I live on it), that is where I saw a photo of a glorious burger that has been haunting my tastebuds for weeks. The photo was taken at The Avenue in St. Pete. This #IGFoodPorn showcased the huckleBERRY burger, topped with fresh blueberry jam, applewood bacon and brie cheese. I didn't  need a menu for this one, I WAS ordering that succulent piece of heaven on a bun! 

I gently nudged my luvah out of bed (insert Carrie Bradshaw’s voice here). Once he pulled himself up off the floor … OK, it was more than a gentle nudge, but I was excited to get my burger on. I proclaimed, “We’re heading to St. Pete for meat!! So, throw on your flip flops, we’re outta here!” 

On the car ride, I did some research on guys behind this not so typical burger joint. The Avenue has been around since 2011 and is owned by Stephen Schrutt. Stephen has been in the restaurant biz since he was 14. Around that same age, Chef Ryan Kelly discovered his passion for food. This guy is no burger flipper, he attend the prestigous Culinary Institute of America. Ryan’s resume is impressively extensive and his television career memorably brief.  A few years ago during his stint as the Chef for the Tampa Bay Brewing Company, Ryan was featured on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri. Not a bad 15 minutes if you ask me! 

It’s a Sunday, so we both anticipated the typical brunch crowd wait. The hostess told us it would be a half an hour, so we b-lined to the bar.  The Avenue has a large selection of craft beers and specialty cocktails. The Sunshine + Alcohol caught my eye, it’s made with Buffalo trace Whiskey, maple syrup, OJ and bacon … you had me at bacon. Since I was over served the night before, I went with a milder choice, Sangria. Luvah (a.k.a. Greg) had the Bloody Mary special, only $3.50 and made with ZingZang - it was quite tasty. 

Sangria (pretty damn good too!)

The crowd at the Avenue is a laid back mix ranging from hipsters to boomers. The theme seems to be that of a rugged, upscale, man cave. It looks like a converted garage that boasts dozens of wide screen TVs (even in the john!) all playing a variety of sports. There’s the giant porcelain buck’s head above the fireplace and shelves filled with various retro signage and funky decor. 

We got our table in 30 minutes as promised. Chelsey, our server, and I swore she was a dead ringer for Reese Witherspoon. We ask her about some of the menu items and Chelsey proves to be quite knowledgable. We started with an app called mmmBACON, which is five thick cut bacon slices served in a mason jar, along with a side of black pepper maple syrup and a side of Guinness chocolate ganache. I was in pig heaven!! (I had to take that.) The side sauces were plentiful and the perfect pairing, although I had a hard time detecting the Guinness in the ganache. I’d also like to see six pieces of bacon as opposed to five, it would make sharing easier because I’m a hog when it comes to bacon! (sorry, the puns are irresistible!) 

MMMM Bacon app

 

The Avenue’s burger menu not only gives you a selection of 25 speciality burgers, you can also customize your order with a wheat, pretzel or gluten free bun, and switch up your meat for bison or ahi tuna steak if you want to take your burger up a notch. Greg ordered the fireCRACKER burger, made with jalapeño, homemade spicy habanero sauce + pepper jack cheese, cooked medium rare. Chelsey suggested getting the habanero sauce on the side since some people find it over-the-top spicy. As difficult as it was to make a decision, I stuck with the burger that brought me here, the huckleBERRY made with bison meat, cooked medium rare and served on a gluten free bun. 

Firecracker Burger!

Huckleberry Burger with sweet potato fries

We were pleased with our choices. Greg thought the heat from the habanero sauce was perfect but, buyer beware, Greg is an expert hot food eater, this is not for the novice. I thought my burger was delicious although the blueberry jam flavor really didn’t come through as I had hoped. I was impressed with the gluten free bun. If you’re a frequent eater of gluten free breads, then you know most gluten free buns as dry and crumbly. This GF option was soft and never crumbled apart! 

One side bar, our medium rare burgers were more like rare burgers. That didn’t bother us one bit as we’re bloody flesh eaters, and so appreciate a place that will still cook burgers to order. However, you may want to take note if it’s not your thing. 

S'mores dessert - ooey gooey! 

When we are done stuffing our faces, Chelsey returns to our table and poped the question … “dessert?” I looked at Greg and said, “I can’t embark on this food review journey without ‘checking out’ dessert!” I said ‘checking out’ as if I’m just going to look it over and not gobble it up like a three year old left alone with a giant Hersey bar! Chelsey recommended the s’mores, which she claimed is ahh-mazing. The dessert is an ooey-gooey brownie, chocolate syrup and toasted marshmallow smooshed into a mason jar and served with a side of graham crackers. Chelsey's description was dead on! Greg and I shared it, although I could have easily ate that one by myself. Next time I’ll give the deep fried Oreos a try! 

RATING: 5 best / 1 worst

Food  ****

The menu isn’t over whelming and predominantly burgers. Aside from burgers there are about a dozen apps, a handful of salads, about 4 gourmet mac & cheeses, some sammies and about a half dozen speciality hot dogs. 

Vibe ***

The look: Man cave garage gets and upscale, retro, urban chic make over. It’s cozy and inviting. A bit hard to move around the back bar area and since it open air back there, it can get a bit warm in our Florida humid heat, but inviting nonetheless. 

The crowd: Ranges from 20 somethings to baby boomers and very welcoming. 

The bathroom: The unisex restroom was a stinky - my guess is that the 42” flat panel TV is too much of a distraction to the men folk.  

And: Outside seating available on First Ave. S. 

Service ****

The hostess was spot on when she gave us the 30 minute wait time and graciously directed us to the bar where she came and personally found us. Our waitress, Chelsey was always there when when ran out of something, clearing dirty dishes promptly and never helicoptering over us. She was knowledgable and honest about the selections. 

Moola $$

We spent $69 (before tip) for two people. Included 3 adult beverages, an app, two speciality burgers and dessert. I would say we got our money’s worth! 

OVERALL: 4

Overall I would happily return to The Avenue when I’m near St. Pete and craving meat. The burgers are high quality, the menu has the right amount of variety with top notch service. There is a full bar with 30 beers and unique speciality drinks and a fun, eclectic atmosphere.

Best Burger Disclaimer ** I still feel the best burger award goes to Hamburger Mary’s - who remains the reining queen of Bugerdom - she’s still number one in my little black restaurant book. 

Wung Thai ~ Largo

Address: 5545 Roosevelt Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33760

Phone:(727) 330-7788

Hours: M-Sa Lunch: 11 am- 3 pm Dinner: 4:30pm - 9:30pm

Extras:  Some wines and Thai beers. 

Website: www.wungthai.com (web page broken at the time of this post)

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Sawa-Dee-Ka … Greetings in Thai!

Once in a while I get a hankering for Pad Thai. It’s usually on a Wednesday night when Greg and I are too tired to cook dinner after a long day. Just so happens we’ve found a great Thai place near our neighborhood, it’s called Wung Thai. 

We’ve eaten there about 3-4 times in the past year and there has never been more than a half dozen people in the restaurant at one time. I’m guessing because we are early eaters and usually there around 5pm in the middle of the week. At first we thought that was a bad sign until we got our first meal. Wung makes superior Pad Thai! 

I didn’t discover Thai food until I moved to Florida in 2005. I feel kinda ignorant because of that, but looking back, I don’t recall the opportunity to be exposed to Thai food until I moved here. I’ve have Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese…. but not Thai. 

the menu options 

The owner, Saisunee Rungfar, comes from a farms in NE Thailand.  There she learned about the richness of Thai food. All the employees we’ve encountered at Wung are Thai. Our waiter said he was there because of the owner, he held her in high admiration. All the servers are all very knowledgable about the menu and offer great suggestions for meals. Saisunee is always present, you’re sure to see her there, working her butt off as well. You can tell everyone takes pride in what they do. 

While we wait for your meal, we watch Thai music videos on the satellite TV. Greg’s enjoys a couple of the Thai beers. The wine selection is limited, but I have no complaints about the selection, I have found them quite decent. Greg wanted and app so I let him pick. He picks Crab Rangoon. I rolled my eyes. Even the waiter snickered a bit under his breath. Crab Rangoon is A-typical Chinese fare… I was thinking fish cake for fresh roll, but I kept my mouth shut as I told him he could pick and I wasn’t going to go back on my promise. 

awesome crab rangoon

When the app arrived, I have to admit I was impressed. It didn’t look like the typical Chinese restaurant rangoon I’ve had all my life. And the taste was surprising good as well! I think it’s the first time I’ve had crab rangoon where I actually tasted crab! If you go, I would say it’s a must order!

On our most recent visit, I ordered the typical pad thai with shrimp, with mild to medium spice. Greg got the same with chicken, however he ordered his med-hot spicy. The great thing about Wung is you can order the level of spice you want in your meal and customize it - the even put real crushed peanuts on their pad thai!!  

Curry seafood special

seafood combo

I also wanted to share a couple other meals we’ve tried that are worth trying, the Curry Seafood Special with Shrimp, scallops, green mussels and squid fried in yellow currey and sweet thai chili sauce with bell peppers, onions, celery and scallions.  Also the I love the seafood combo pad thai. 

The times we went we were not interested in dessert as they seemed pretty basic. I think we’re so conditioned to have elaborate desserts, that the basic stuff doesn’t appeal to us. However, on our most recent visit, our waiter brought us each a couple Lychees to try. They were very tasty! They are seasonal - so you may not get them when you go in, but if they have them, give them a try! 

From my limited internet research, the best I can tell Wung Thai has been around for several years, however new ownership/management took over in early 2014. They get great ratings on Trip Advisor and Google. As for me, I have to agree, its my favorite ‘go to’ thai restaurant! 

Kap-Kun-Ka! (Thank you!)

RATING: 5 best / 1 worst

Food  *****

Excellent Thai, even with my limited knowledge of Thai food, I believe it’s the best in the area. 

Vibe  ***

The look: the small restaurant is up to have Thai flair. A bit garish but you’d expect that from most Asian restaurants. 

The crowd: The times we’ve seen people in there - they range from late 30s - 60s. The place approx. seats 60 max. as it’s fairly small. They don’t do delivery, but you can pick up. 

The bathroom: clean, well kept. 

And: centrally located about two miles east of 19 on Roosevelt and about 1 mile from PIE.  

Service ****

Attentive, knowledgeable and kind. However we were there during ‘off hours’ so I’m not sure how they’d handle a rush. 

Moola  $$

It is quality food, fairly priced. Our most recent visit, we had an app, two dinners and one wine for just under $46. 

OVERALL 4 -1/2

Again, I think the best Thai food in the Tampa area. Friendly people, delicious food and a convenient location. We’ll continue to go back. You should go and let me know what YOU think!