16/02/12 - Piccolo Mondo, Argyle St, Glasgow

The waiter we got at the start of our Piccolo Mondo experience was incredibly annoying. We had reserved a table and asked for the Celebration Menu but without drinks. We just wanted sparkling water as we didn’t want alcohol that particular night. When my husband ordered a large bottle of sparkling water, the waiter exclaimed quite loudly and nodded exaggeratedly while saying “Oh, OK– I’ve got you now Sir. Ah-ha, OK, Uh-huh, OK, I’ll get that sorted” with a strange sneering attitude. We were both quite taken aback at him.

I ordered the mussels to start with which were charged with an additional supplement. They were very uninspiring, over cooked and served in a strange opaque gloopy liquid that tasted of nothing except flour and water. Yuk. Really unpleasant. My husband’s caprese salad came straight from the fridge. Freezing cold, hard tomatoes and mozzarella which had no taste as they had no chance to develop any flavour having not been at room temperature for even a second. Tiny portion as well.

My main course was ‘Carved Roasted Gigot of Lamb Tuscany Style ‘ which was a very small, fatty piece of lamb served with a bland tomato sauce. It was one slice of lamb served on top of a lump of mashed potato which made it look bigger than the meagre portion it was. It also came with roast potatoes which were soggy and not crispy, and some parsnips, which were also soggy. So I got mashed potatoes, roast soggy potatoes and starchy parsnips. No nice green vegetables or anything to give a different texture to the dish. The worst dish, however, was my husband’s vegetarian Risotto all Ortolana. It came swimming in a pool of yellow water and it appeared to be made with long grain rice and not arborio or any other kind of risotto rice. Totally bland, no flavour and he wasn’t offered parmesan with it. Really bad meal. Awful waiter. Won’t be back. 

23/02/12 - Bella Napoli, Kilmarnock Road, Shawlands, Glasgow

Have been going to Bella Napoli for years now. I really really like it most of the time but my husband isn’t so sure. Got a lovely booth downstairs but the place was a touch draughty.

Great service from the waiters – very attentive and polite – until we finished our main courses. Waited almost half an hour to attract the attention of one of them as I wanted a dessert. By the time he came over the mood had gone (!), it was too late and I just asked for the bill. On hindsight they maybe thought we wanted to sit for a while before ordering and eating something else but I like to be asked if we want a rest before dessert!

I had a mixed salad to start with which was lovely – and I dressed it with a really good Balsamic vinegar which had been thoughtfully put on the table as well as some olive oil. For my main course I ordered a goat’s cheese, caramelised onion and roasted pepper Calzone. The onions didn’t appear caramelised and I don’t think the peppers were roasted but it was quite good and I love the fact that the dishes are piping hot. My husband’s meatball pizza with roasted garlic looked a bit dry and sparse with the toppings though and was a bit greasy. His starter of mushrooms done in a creamy sauce with cognac over foccaccia bread was lovely though. Really tasty. However, was with most of the dishes we have had in Bella Napoli, it was far too salty!! It even says in small letters at the bottom of the menu “Our chefs have seasoned your dishes – please taste your food before going mad with the salt!” It really tastes like the chefs have gone mad with the salt and then some! Stop adding so much SALT (please)!

Again, I really like Bella Napoli – sometimes it can be bit pricey and you only get one side dish included in your main if you order fish or meat but it has a lovely authentic atmosphere and they serve decent Italian food and that gets my vote. 

24/01/12 - Chang's Bistro, Mandalay Avenue, Clearwater Beach

Fancied some noodles tonight and opted for our first ever visit to Chang’s Thai and Sushi Bistro. They also do breakfasts, which, by the sound of it, are very good. Would seem strange to me having pancakes and toast in an oriental restaurant though.

We ordered some spring rolls to start with then Pork & vegetables for me, a spicy chicken thing for K and  Pad Thai noodles to share. They actually ask you what level of spicyness you would like your food using a scale of 1-10. Which is nice. The service was a bit irritating. It was a Tuesday night with only 2 other tables occupied and I felt the waitress was breathing down our necks a bit.  A plus point was that our Kirin Ichiban beers came with frosted glasses which is always a nice touch.

Our mains each came with a timbale of boring white rice which I just left – I much prefer noodles as an accompaniment to oriental food. The meal was OK but the Pad Thai noodles were a wee bit slimy. I would go back and maybe try their breakfasts. They have a sushi bar too but that doesn’t really ring my bell. 

23/01/12 - Sea Shanty Cafe & Clear Sky Diner, Mandalay Avenue, Clearwater Beach

Went for a run this morning all the way up past the Aquarium where Winter the dolphin lives and back. It was hard – especially after all the food we’ve been scoffing!

Had breakfast at the Sea Shanty Café on Mandalay Avenue after an hour’s walking and sat outside in the morning sun, Had two eggs (they don’t do poached but can ‘baste them instead…) homefries and toast. Didn’t have my favourite raisin toast. Bad service and non descript food. One of my eggs was rock hard although their pancakes were nice. K didn’t get his coffee re-filled once. Black mark. Won’t be back.

Went to the Clear Sky Diner on Mandalay for our dinner after an afternoon at the beach. This used to be our favourite place to eat in Clearwater Beach but the last time we went, the food was rubbish and the waitress ripped us off with cocktails. We got 2 mojitos that were served in really thin glasses full of ice which meant there was practically nothing in them and she overcharged us. We thought we would try again and I ordered a pork chop with potato salad and seasonal vegetables. The seasonal vegetables were watery (cold) green beans, the potato salad was unbelievably salty it was almost inedible and the pork chop was covered in black charcoal and a revolting mustard sauce. K's flatbread and salad were uninspiring but not awful. I put a review on Tripadvisor and the owner actually contacted me to apologise. Kudos to him as he offered us a free $50 meal which I had to politely decline since we were home in Glasgow by that point! The Clear Sky is quite expensive too although they do cheaper deals in the afternoons. We were practically the only people in the place and the service was shocking.  We'll maybe give it a go next time we get to Clearwater Beach...

22/01/12 - Boxer Browns - Mandalay Avenue, Clearwater Beach

This particular day we had breakfast in the room. Mine consisted of Vanilla & Almond Special K (can’t get it in Scotland yet – we should as it’s nicer than all the other ones) and then an onion bagel with creak cheese. A herbal tea and an apple juice to wash it down with. We went shopping and I bought a Sony Tablet and Docking Station from Best Buy – all in at $400. Saved a bit by getting an ‘open box’. Also bout Nike Running Shoes at $100. Spendaholics R Us. It’s just not like me….

Dinner was at the sports bar on Mandalay Avenue called Boxer Browns. It’s busy, noisy and loud with loads of HD flat screens. The American Football was on when we were there – the run up to the Superbowl I think. I find it incomprehensible so I wasn’t that interested. I fancied a steak – so I had one!  K had fish. We didn’t have starters for some reason although I did have their onion rings which are, the best in Clearwater by a mile. The photo doesn’t do the meal justice – it was really nice. The potato salad I had was delicious. 

21/01/12 - Frenchy’s Saltwater Café, Ponsettia Avenue, Clearwater Beach

 Frenchy’s has a few restaurants in Clearwater Beach and they are almost always busy. They have their own fishing boats and dock so you can guarantee the freshness of their food. Again, it is casual dining but you get great service and nice food. They also have a gift shop across from the beach and own a bright and cheery looking motel. Obviously a successful business.

This particular Saturday night we had had a couple of drinks in our apartment before we went out (as well as scoffing loads of crisps) so I wasn’t too hungry. Managed a Tsing Tao beer and a Bloody Mary and went for a bowl of She Crab soup and then some Grouper Egg Rolls. The She-Crab Soup is always good – nice and filling and on this occasion I struggled to finish the bowl. The Grouper Egg Rolls were deep fried, which I didn’t expect and a bit overcooked. Not too nice and I wouldn’t have them again. Took a pic but now I can't find it. Oh well - here are two I took going up the road. Har har.

21/01/12 - Palm Pavilion Inn Restaurant, Clearwater Beach

Had lunch at the Palm Pavilion which sits right on the beach. Having been on holiday to Clearwater Beach on four occasions, we had never been in to the Palm Pavilion but must have walked past it hundreds of times. It’s at the North End of the beach and is the nearest place to eat and drink from where we stay. The bar area is usually very busy with people watching the omni-present pub singer or just taking in the day/sunshine/evening in a relaxed setting.

For lunch I went for a Philly Cheese Steak with coleslaw and salad while K ordered boneless chicken wings with teriyaki sauce, guacamole on the side and some she crab soup (served with a small jug of sherry.) We also ordered a vegetable flat bread between us. When it came there was lots of food and it was quite nice. Nothing too memorable but it hit the spot.  

As it’s website says – it’s laid back and casual and it’s where the locals hang out. Nice atmosphere too. www.palmpavilion.com

20/01/12 - Maggie May's & Crabby Bill's, Clearwater Beach at the Marina

Had breakfast at Maggie May’s sunrise café – came with good reviews but we weren’t that impressed. The service wasn’t good at all. When I went up to pay before leaving, the guy looked at the money as if I was offering him a turd. Very weird. Should have paid the server but she was very elusive. Looked like a place where all the locals go. One excellent point was they had Trivial Pursuit questions hanging on the wall next to the table so you could quiz each other while you were waiting. Didn’t take a pic but I had the breakfast burrito. Nothing special.




After a hard day’s shopping – (I bought K-Swiss running shoes!), we decided to walk down to Crabby Bill’s opposite Pier 60. Funny to see people watching a film outside next to the road on their beach chairs. There is a big inflatable screen that shows old and not very good 'family films' on Friday and Saturday evenings down near the Pier as part of the ‘Sunsets at Pier 60’ fun. We didn’t partake and went into Crabby Bill’s for a beer and a huge Margarita each plus some food! I chose onion rings (bit crumbly) and then seafood gumbo and K went for oysters to start with (topped with cheese – yuk) and then some Tilapia. Onion rings are one of my favourite things but I only like a few of them and I prefer them in batter to these ones in crumbs. Probably better for you in crumbs but who cares. Nice Margaritas though and they tasted very strong….  Pic is of oysters and onion rings. As you can see, you get a lot!

19/01/12 - Jason's Deli - Clearwater

After a hard morning’s shopping at the Mall and having a rummage round the huge Salvation Army Store (bleuh - I stick to looking through the books), we popped over to our favourite lunch place – Jason’s Deli. (This one is at 25801 US Highway 19 N, Clearwater, FL 33763.) I always get soup and a salad from the wonderful well stocked salad bar. It works out at around $20 for both of us with drinks and you can go up to the salad bar as many times as you like. It has great dressings and accompaniments like nuts, garlic toast, mini muffins and all sorts of different crackers. I love the freshness of it all, especially the peppers, cherry tomatoes and pasta salads. Jason’s Deli also gives you unlimited sodas and chocolate or vanilla ice cream (with chocolate sauce) as well as banana pudding and chocolate mousse for your dessert. And you can just help yourself. Brilliant.

They have quite a large list of soups but the only two I have had are the French Onion and the Tomato and Basil. Both great although I like the French Onion more as it stays hotter in the ceramic bowl. K likes the broccoli and cheese. Pic is of French onion soup and K’s chilli topped with cheese and diced onion. Fab. 

18/01/12 - Crabby Bill's, St Pete's Beach, Florida

Went to St Petersburg for the day and stopped off for a late lunch at Crabby Bill’s at St Pete’s Beach. It was the only day of our 2 week holiday that it rained. St Pete’s Beach looked pretty miserable and so did that branch of Crabby Bill’s. It was pretty empty – but then it was a rainy Wednesday in January. Witnessed an exchange of words between 2 waitresses that would have been better said away from customers! Awkward! I opted for a bowl of the crab and corn chowder and deep fried mushrooms while K went for sweet potato fries, spinach and artichoke dip with tortilla chips and deep fried green beans.  After a while I began to feel ill at all the greasy food on the table but I still ate it! Their corn chowder is nice but not as good as Frenchy’s She Crab soup. Crabby Bill’s isn’t comfortable (we were seated at a long picnic table with attached seats) but it does good seafood if you like crab legs and stuff. It doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not. It’s casual dining with good drinks!

17/01/12 - Yannis, Clearwater

Went to Yanni’s for breakfast. (1258 S Highland Ave, Clearwater, FL) It's in the middle of a shopping mall next to a dodgy looking barbers. Looks hellish from the outside but it gets great reviews.  

People rave about this place as having the best French toast ever. I have to say it wasn’t good although the breakfast burrito I had was. The French toast was a slice of white bread covered in a thin egg omelette. Nothing sweet about it and nothing very nice about it either. Burrito was good and my husband’s pancake was huge. Like a thin sponge cake although very dry. Wouldn’t rush back and the waitress couldn’t understand what we said and made me feel decidedly awkward. Not great. They don't have a soda machine so had to pay for a Perrier rather than just getting a good old plain fizzy water. Grumble grumble.  

15/01/12 - Lenny's, Clearwater

We discovered Lenny’s the first time we holidayed at Clearwater Beach a few years ago. We keep coming back as it’s amazing! It always busy but you get great service, wonderful food and huge portions. The basket of Danish you get with some of the breakfasts is worth the trip alone. There is a huge menu but it’s only open for breakfast and lunch. I’m determined next time we go to try their lunchtime food. 

This trip I decided to try something I hadn’t had before and ordered the mushrooms Benedict which came with 2 poached eggs, home fries with onions and a side of raisin toast. It was the best breakfast I’d had in a long time. I ate it all!

14/01/12 Frenchy's Rockaway Grill, Clearwater Beach

Popped into Frenchy's Rockaway Grill after arriving at Clearwater Beach after a long journey. We were knackered so just ordered some stuffed Poppers (jalapeno peppers stuffed with cream cheese) and some chicken wings. I also had 2 miami Mojitos. Divine!