Miguel’s Mexican & Seafood Grill – Tampa, FL

 

Miguel’s has been in Tampa since I was a kid, but somehow I had never tried it out before.  It’s right on the corner of Kennedy Blvd & MacDill Ave, so I pass by it all the time.  So last week when we were craving Mexican, we headed there for dinner.

It was packed – so clearly everyone else knows how great their food is.  It was pretty chilly out, but we decided to sit outside so we didn’t have to wait 45 minutes for an inside table.  They have large heaters, so the cold weather wasn’t a problem.  I actually preferred the patio – it was pretty noisy inside, but outside, we sat under the sparkling string lights and had a more intimate dining atmosphere. 

They brought out complimentary chips & salsa.  They tasted fresh & crispy, and the salsa was just the right amount of spicy.  

We each ordered margaritas – they have dozens of premium tequilas you can upgrade to, but I personally thought their normal house margarita was great! 

I loved the beef quesadilla – which came with guacamole, sour cream, refried beans & rice.  The guac had big chunks of avocado and the beef was so tender that it tasted like steak.  The portion was enormous – I had enough for a whole meal the next day. 

Lance had the ground beef chimichanga topped with ranchera sauce, melted cheddar, and onions.  It was completely slathered in the cheese. 

I’m just disappointed I didn’t try out Miguel’s earlier.   

Miguel’s is located at 3035 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33609.  They are open Sunday – Thursday 11am – 10pm and Friday – Saturday 11am – 12am. 

Spicy Parmesan Kale Chips

I make kale chips pretty frequently so I thought I’d share my recipe since it’s so easy.  Kale has become more and more popular every year – according to USA Today, it has increased 400% on restaurant menus since 2008.  Chef Jennifer Iserloh, who wrote a book called 50 Shades of Kale, says “Kale is the king of the superfood kingdom.  People are incredibly interested in health, and more and more people are cooking at home – kale is cheap, versatile, and one of the best foods you can put in your body.” 

There are tons of benefits to eating kale – it is low-calorie and has zero fat. It is high in fiber, iron, calcium, and vitamins A, C, K.  It is anti-inflammatory, lowers cholesterol, and helps detox your body.  No wonder they call it a superfood. 

Even if you don’t think you like kale, you need to start off by trying them as chips.  It is such a great alternative to snacking on regular chips since you’re actually doing something good for your body!  You still get that salty, satisfying crunch but it is actually good for you. 

Spicy Parmesan Kale Chips

Ingredients:

·        1 bunch kale

·        2 T Extra virgin olive oil

·        2 T Parmesan cheese

·        ½ tsp Red pepper flakes

·        1 tsp Garlic powder

·        Salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2. Tear your kale into bite sized pieces and remove the hard stems.

3. Wash and thoroughly dry the kale.  It is important to get as much of the water off as you can so it will get nice and crispy in the oven. 

5. In a bowl, toss in the olive oil, half the parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, garlic, and a dash of salt.  Make sure the kale is thoroughly coated. 

6. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray to make sure the chips don’t stick.  Spread the kale out into a single layer on the sheet.

7.  Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over the top. 

8.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, checking on it every few minutes to toss the kale and rotate.  They are done once they are completely dried out and crispy. 

Kale does shrink significantly in size when you bake it.  We ate ours last night with pork chops (which we marinated in the leftover white wine sauce from the mussels!).  It also makes a great snack on its own whenever you’re craving something crunchy.   You can feel free to alter the recipe with whatever spices you have lying around. 

Datz – Tampa, FL

Last night we had dinner with my cousin, Jenn, at Datz.  If you live in Tampa, I’m sure you’ve been there.  If you haven’t been, you’re seriously missing out. 

We were seating in kind of a dark area of the restaurant so unfortunately my cell phone photos didn’t do my food justice.  Jenn & I split some “Mac Bites” – fried balls of jalapeño mac n’ cheese with a spicy sriracha aioli.  For my meal, I got the “Waffles n’ Tweet” – fried chicken with honey pecan butter served on a rosemary waffle with smoked Buffalo Trace (bourbon) maple syrup

Jenn always gets the same thing because she really loves the Havana Hottie sandwich – which has pulled pork, ham & swiss.  Lance got the Short Rib Sloppy Joe.  All the sandwiches are served with homemade sweet & salty chips with a blue cheese drizzle and green onions.  These are the best chips you’ll ever have – and I’m not normally a big fan of chips.   

I’ll write more about Datz another time since I’m sure we’ll be back soon, but I wanted to just write a quick blurb.    

Datz is located at 2616 S MacDill Ave, Tampa, FL 33629 and is open Monday –Thursday 7am – 10pm, Friday 7am – 11pm, Saturday 8:30am – 11pm, and Sunday 8:30am – 3pm.