We Have Landed at Aguila Sandwich Shop

Aguila Sandwich Shop

3200 W. Hillsborough

Tampa, FL 33614

Our first full day in Tampa, so we, of course, had to start our day with a solid breakfast place. We were going to be playing tourist all day, so we definitely needed something to fuel us for a long day of taking pictures, seeing the sights, and shopping for souvenirs. Of course with the time change, we got a slower start to the day than we thought we would, so it was actually closer to lunchtime than breakfast. I had no doubts where we would be headed for breakfast on this day, Aguila Sandwich Shop had our names written all over it.

Aguila Sandwich Shop is another Tampa restaurant that has been featured on TV shows. Adam Richman included one of the sandwiches from Aguila's on his popular show, "Adam Richman's Best Sandwich", and also his, "Man V. Food" show. Since this restaurant had been featured on both of Adam's shows, I really had high hopes for this sandwich shop.

We got to this tiny, house-like restaurant at 11 on a Saturday morning. The place was packed, but we got lucky and found the only open booth in the restaurant. The restaurant was pretty loud and bustling with activity. Aguila's has been around since 1986, and looking around it does not appear that much could have changed since that time. Not a dirty place, but this is the kind of restaurant that the term, "hole in the wall" could have been coined for.

After sitting for a couple minutes, the owner Mario came over to our table to explain the menu and take our order. I had recognized him from the TV show. His smile stretches across his face, and his pride in the food he serves is very evident. Writing this blog we have met many restaurant owners, and I would be hard pressed to think of an owner that has as much pride in his food as Mario. I watched him throughout our visit here, and he greeted and took the orders of every table in the place. It was a very friendly vibe here, but let's get down to why we were here the food.

We started our Aguila's adventure with a Ground Beef Empanada and a Chicken Empanada ($1.99 each). These freshly made empanadas had a very solid and flaky crust, which did its job of holding the meat inside. The meats were seasoned very well. The chicken was tender, the ground beef had a little zing to it, and these were a steal at less than two dollars. Not a bad start to our meal.

Both Sabrina and Katie were in a breakfast mood, so they both got the Regular Breakfast Sandwich ($3.95). This huge sandwich came with three eggs, cheese, and choice of breakfast meat, which they opted for bacon. The crusty bread here was a highlight for Katie. They both had issues with the cheese used on this sandwich. They described it as a very processed cheese. Not sure if it was processed, but the texture of the cheese was all wrong for their taste. They did say that the eggs and bacon were cooked well though.

I usually am in a quandary when I am at a place that serves Cuban sandwiches and medianoche sandwiches. I never know which one to get. Lucky for me, Anthony decided to get the Media Noche ($4.75), so I did not have to make a choice on this trip. This would be Anthony's very first time having a medianoche, and I think it is safe to say that he is hooked. The Media Noche differs from the Cuban sandwich by having a sweeter egg bread. Anthony also veered toward the less traditional route by adding lettuce and tomato to the sandwich. The sandwich also comes with the customary mustard, pickle, roast pork, and ham. Anthony seemed very pleased with his selection.

Since Anthony had gotten the media niche, that left me with the Cuban Sandwich ($3.95). This Cuban was as good as the one I had in Miami. Starting from the outside and working our way in, the bread was crusty and toasted perfectly. The Swiss cheese added more moisture than it does flavor to the sandwich. The meats bring the saltiness. The roasted pork here is cooked for four hours, and could definitely stand on its own. The mustard brings a little tang, and it is not traditionally on a Cuban sandwich, but I added some mayonnaise to add even a little more moisture to this sandwich. I have said it before, and will probably say it again, this is one of the most balanced sandwiches ever invented. The Cuban sandwich at Aguila's is in the upper echelon of the Cubans I have had.

As much as I was raving about the Cuban sandwich, the Steak Sandwich ($4.95) was just as good. The steak here was thin cut and very tender. The mojo sauce, which is a citrus and garlic sauce brings this sandwich to a new level. I would eat this mojo sauce on everything if I could. Dried onions are then added to the sandwich for a little texture, and then the sandwich is pressed. What a simple, but yet fulfilling sandwich. If I had to try only one sandwich here on my next visit, it would be hard to choose between the two I had on this trip. Even though Sabrina did not want to try this sandwich, she did eventually, and she became an instant fan. For a sandwich to make Stubborn Sabrina change her mind, that is a powerful sandwich.

The last item we had at Aguila's was the Mango Shake ($2.75). Mario talked Sabrina into ordering this one, and she mentioned this shake at least 20 times on the rest of our ten-day vacation. Most fruit shakes are overly sweetened, but not this one. It still had the sweetness from the fruit, but it was not over the top. You can tell that they use real fruit here. Great consistency to the shake and it was very refreshing.

As you can probably sense from the above paragraphs, Aguila Sandwich Shop definitely did not disappoint. I would even go as far as to say that this restaurant is a must not miss kind of place when you are visiting Tampa. Their hours are a little funky, (they are only open from 6-3pm and closed on Sundays), and their location is kind of off the beaten track, but with all of these obstacles to overcome you will be rewarded with a great sandwich when you get to Aguila Sandwich Shop. With this food as our base, we were ready to tackle everything that Tampa had to throw at us.

Out of five eagles, (because Aguila in Spanish means eagle), five being best to zero being worst, Aguila Sandwich Shop gets 4 solid eagles.

For more information about Aguila Sandwich Shop, head to their website here: https://www.aguilasandwichshop.com/

Time for a Taco Field Trip to the Taco Bus

Taco Bus

913 E. Hillsborough

Tampa, FL 33604

When I heard we would be coming to Tampa to start our vacation, I immediately went to the Internet to see what restaurants have been featured on TV. For the most part we usually have good luck with restaurants that have been featured on the Food Network, Travel Channel, or any other network that showcases restaurants. Taco Bus has been featured on two of my favorite restaurant related shows, Man V. Food and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, so it was a slam dunk that we would be showing up at the Taco Bus during our Tampa stay.

Taco Bus is becoming a Tampa institution. They started 20 years ago serving their food on the streets. This was long before the food truck craze of today. Now they have four permanent locations around the Tampa area, and still have a thriving catering business. With some locations being open 24 hours a day, there is always an opportunity for hungry Tampanian's to get their taco fix. Now it was our turn to see if all of this attention has been warranted for the Taco Bus.

Sabrina and Anthony's flight did not get into Tampa until 10, so we got to Taco Bus pretty close to 11. We were also going to be meeting my good friends, Mike and Kim, who live in Tampa. This is the flagship location of Taco Bus. They have numerous buses parked on this large lot, many of which I assume are their catering trucks. Throughout our visit, there was a steady stream of customers, but not as busy as I had imagined. Mike said that the line grows longer late at night, because that's when the bars close. Lucky for us we did not have to deal with any drunken fools, so we ordered our food at the window and waited for it to be brought out to us. After about five minutes this is what had appeared.

I wanted to get a wide variety of food, so I started with three different varieties of tacos. The best of the three was the Fish Taco from Guaymas ($2.99). This fish taco could easily go up against any fish taco in Southern California. The Swai fish was battered and fried perfectly, the white cream sauce was on point and the cabbage added some nice texture. The Pollo Taco ($2.99) was the next best. I usually shy away from chicken in Mexican restaurants because it gets overcooked, but this was not the case here. The chicken was juicy, tender and well seasoned. The tortillas were pretty legit as well. They held all the contents, and you could tell that they were homemade. Solid chicken taco. The worst of the bunch for me was the Barbacoa Taco ($2.99). Whenever I eat barbacoa I always expect big flavor, and this one failed to deliver. The braised beef was barely tender, and definitely left me wanting more out of this taco.

Katie got two items to try as well. The Carne Asada Quesadilla ($6.79) was filled with a good amount of meat, but was way over-priced at nearly seven dollars. I never understand why quesadillas need to be so expensive, not just here, but in all places where they are offered. Kind of a pet peeve of mine that will have to be discussed at a later time. Katie was most excited about her Butternut Squash Taco ($2.99). Here the squash is topped with pico de gallo, cotija cheese, and cilantro. This veggie-centric taco really got Katie going. She liked the freshness of the vegetables, and felt this taco was a great alternative to people that wanted to forgo meat items. I tried a bite of this, thought it was okay, but not really my thing. I will not be turning vegetarian anytime soon.

Sabrina and Anthony shared a Two Taco Meal Deal ($8.89). Sabrina had the Barbacoa taco we mentioned before, while Anthony had the Lengua Taco, which he found to be pretty good. What we did not find to be good was the beans and rice here. The beans and rice needed to light a flare gun off, because they were so lost here. Both side items failed to impress any of us.

After eating at Taco Bus, I can definitely see why they are so popular. The main food items are all pretty good. This is not the best Mexican food you will have, but it is really solid. Taco Bus could easily be transported to Southern California to open up shop and fit right in. I think part of the popularity of Taco Bus is a geographic thing. Tampa is over 1700 miles away from Mexico, so the lack of great Mexican food really showcases the Taco Bus. Mike said that this is basically the only good Mexican food in town. Being from So Cal, he tries to eat here as often as he can. We all enjoyed this restaurant and can see why it has been highlighted by so many television programs.

Out of five crossing guards, (because where there are school buses, there are usually crossing guards close by), five being best to zero being worst, Taco Bus gets 3 crossing guards.

For more information about Taco Bus, check them out here: http://www.taco-bus.com/#!

A Slice of NY in Tampa

Eddie and Sam's New York Pizza

203 East Twiggs St. 

Tampa, FL 33602

Vacation time. We had just flown cross country and needed something to eat, while we were waiting for our friends to arrive six hours later. We had plans to go out to dinner as soon as they got to town, so we wandered the nearly deserted streets of downtown Tampa. It was a Friday afternoon after 5 pm, and most of the restaurants were closed for the night. Walking down a side street we stumbled upon a pizza place that sold slices, and more importantly they were open. This place was no mirage, it is Eddie and Sam's.

Eddie and Sam's has been in Tampa since 1998. I am always leery about pizza places that claim they are selling New York pizzas, when they are not located in New York. Sam and Eddie's seemed different though. They believe that what makes NYC pizza so great is the water from New York. They feel so strongly about this, that they import water from New York state every month. This water, along with the dough becomes the base of their pizza, which they hope is the closest New York pie you can have without leaving the sunny state of Florida.

When we entered the restaurant it really did feel like it was the pizza place we visited, just off Time Square. They had about ten varieties of pizzas behind the glass case, just waiting to be heated up. The restaurant was long and narrow with not too many places to sit, but they also share a space with the gelato place next door, and there were plenty of seats available over there. The girls behind the counter were very nice when we ordered our food, and it came out within five minutes. This is how it came out.

While we were waiting to order everyone was getting these Garlic Knots ($3.00 for six), so we followed the herd. The picture does not show it clearly enough, but these were about the size of a baseball. They were served with a decent marinara sauce that I used sparingly. The reason I used the sauce so little was because these had tons of garlic and butter on them, which already gave the roll a great flavor boost. The insides could have been a little less doughy, but these should be tried when coming here.

Katie always seems to gravitate towards the White Pizza's, and here it was no different. The Bianca with Spinach and Artichoke ($4.00) was her choice. This big slice came with garlic, mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan, spinach, artichoke and a ricotta blend. Katie called this pizza tasty, and it brought her back to thoughts about our trip to New York a few years ago. She liked the creaminess of the ricotta, with the slight bite from the artichoke. This pizza is definitely made for people that like a subtler pizza, which as you will see in a moment, mine was not subtle at all.

Yes, we were going to be eating in a few hours, but I could not make up my mind as to what slices to get, so I had to get two. The one on the left is a Buffalo Chicken Pizza ($4.00). This one popped with big time flavor. They did not skimp on the chicken, bacon, buffalo sauce, or ranch dressing on this huge slice. I really liked the whole pieces of bacon on this one. The chicken was cooked well, and the buffalo sauce gave this pizza some life. The crust was good and crisp on this slice. The Meat Lover Pizza ($4.00) is every carnivores dream. It came with sliced meatballs, Boar's Head ham, sliced sausage, and pepperoni. Again they did not go light on the toppings here, but this slice needed to be left in the oven a little longer. The middle of the crust was a little on the doughy side. I would have liked it better if the crust was crisper. Not a bad slice of pizza though.

While we were sitting there enjoying our pizza, a family of four was gracious enough to allow me to take a picture of their pizza. This 20' Cheese Pizza ($16.50) looked like it could easily feed a party of four. I usually do not like just cheese pizza, but this one looked good. They have an even bigger sized pizza that comes in a 28 inch size. That one might collapse the table.

There might be something to all this New York water talk. These slices really did remind us of the pizzas we had in the Big Apple. We liked that you could get a good variety of pizzas by the slice at Eddie and Sam's. The slices that we had really tied us over until it was time for dinner a few hours later. Prices here were not bad at all. We felt we really got a bargain getting out of here for under $20, and having full stomachs after our meal. We walked by here a few other times during our brief Tampa stay, and I was definitely tempted to go back in, but we had other Tampa destinations to hit while we were here.

Out of five guava's, (because one of the unofficial nicknames for the city of Tampa is the Big Guava), five being best to zero being worst, Eddie and Sam's gets 3 guavas.

For more information about Eddie and Sam's, click here: http://www.eddieandsamspizza.com/

Hoping That Volcano Burger is a Real Hotspot

Volcano Burgers

3652 Cerritos Ave.

Los Alamitos, CA 90720

A lot of pressure was put on me a few weeks back. My niece was performing at a cheerleading competition in Long Beach, and I was assigned to come up with a place for the whole family, plus others to eat after the festivities. Of course, being the seasoned food blogger that I am, I went online and found a place that I hoped would satisfy both young and old, Volcano Burgers.

Burgers are becoming the new pizza. It used to be that almost every neighborhood has its favorite pizza places. Now almost every neighborhood can lay claim to what they consider a really good burger spot. Being a burger guy, this makes me very happy. After sitting through numerous cheerleading routines, all of which seemed to contain the song, "Call Me Maybe", we had worked up quite an appetite.

In Los Alamitos, everyone's favorite burger destination is Volcano Burger. This well-established burger joint has been serving up burgers for this community for over forty years. They have prime real estate by being situated right across from Los Alamitos High School. I can imagine this small restaurant is a zoo on weekdays when school is in session. On this particular Sunday, we got here just after one, and the last of the lunch rush was still chowing down on their burgers. Ordering is done at the counter, and then orders are picked up at the side window. Seating is all outside but under a covered roof. Let's see how this burger stands stacks up.

Starting us off are the Fries ($2.89) and the Onion Rings ($3.89). Both of these came out of the kitchen pretty hot. The fries were very sturdy, and when paired with the thicker than normal ranch dressing, they really hit the spot. The onion rings were not as heavily breaded as I thought they would be, but they still achieved average status. The real side item to get was up next.

The Chili Cheese Fries ($3.89) were so good, they definitely deserve two pictures here. These chili cheese fries were not only good, but they are in the upper echelon of chili cheese fries. Served in a tin to-go container, they got the perfect amount of each component here. The chili is superb. Great consistency, with more spice than I was expecting. Most burger places just add a pedestrian chili to their fries, but that was not the case here. The chili coated the fries well, and the cheese and fries came together to create a great combination. If you do not get the chili cheese fries here, you have no one to blame but yourself.

The burgers above are the pretty basic-looking Volcano Burger ($2.79). This is the base model for the burgers here. They come with thousand island dressing, onion, lettuce, and tomato, on a sesame seed bun. Nothing too revolutionary about this burger. The patty was a little on the thin side, but it was larger around than I thought it would be. Apparently, you have the option of having either shredded lettuce or leaf lettuce on your burger here.

Katie loves avocado, so it was no surprise that she wanted to try the Avocado Burger with Cheese ($4.19). This burger definitely had its fair share of avocado. The creaminess of the avocado went well with this burger. Katie would have liked a little more thousand island dressing on this burger but found it to be a solid burger.

It is probably no shock to anyone that knows me, but my burger was the Bacon Burger with Cheese ($3.99). They were not shy with the bacon on this one. Bacon was included in every bite of this burger, and it was good thick swine. This burger was bigger than it appears in the picture above, but I definitely had no trouble polishing this burger off. The bun did an admirable job staying together with all of the items piled in here. I liked this burger but found it to be just like others I have had in similar types of restaurants.

Almost everyone seemed very pleased with my recommendation for lunch. Volcano Burger was a good choice to bring the kids to, and the grown-ups enjoyed it as well. The burgers were good, but nothing that will make you forgo your neighborhood favorite burger spot. The real reason to come here is the chili cheese fries. Probably one of the best we have written about on this blog. Worth the trip the next time you are in the area. Prices here were very good for the amount of food you get. Nothing on the menu comes close to the ten-dollar mark, with no burger being over $4.50. Not a bad pick for lunch, and to top it all off, the Yorba Linda Chargers won this cheerleading competition and are now headed off to Florida to compete for a national title. Get those earplugs ready for when they play "Call Me Maybe", for the 83rd time in a row!

Out of five parrot heads, (because Jimmy Buffet released an album in 1979, called "Volcano", and no it did not include his famous hit Cheeseburger in Paradise), five being best to zero being worst, Volcano Burger gets 3 parrot heads.

Volcano Burger does not have a website, but you can find reviews and information about them here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/volcano-burgers-los-alamitos#query:volcano%20burger

Hopscotch Media Preview Night

Hopscotch

136 E. Commonwealth

Fullerton, CA 92832

There are a few places that I feel more comfortable than in bars. Sitting back, having food and drinks with friends, and catching up on each other's lives are just some of the best memories I have when going out. I like the people watching as well. On the other hand, I have never been too comfortable in nightclubs. The loud music, all the people dressing to impress, and cover charges have never been my thing. Some of my favorite bars are located in Fullerton, so I was pretty excited to hear about a new joint opening up in the same area. I was even more excited when I was asked to attend a media preview of the new bar on the block, Hopscotch.

This newest bar venture in Fullerton has been teasing their Facebook fans about opening for awhile. The day is finally close. According to their Facebook page, they are set to open November 27th. This is good news for their over 1,300 fans of this, as yet not open for a business tavern. If they already have this many fans without being open, they just might have a hit on their hands.

Hopscotch is located in the old Spadra spot, which also used to house the Pacific Electric Railway Depot. Hopscotch is different from most bars in the downtown area because they are focusing on whiskey, craft beers, and slow-cooked food items. In fact, they are going to be carrying 105 small-batch whiskeys. That is quite a lot to try. Before we got to try any of the drinks we took a few pictures of the place.

The dining room is located a few steps down from the bar area, for a more cozy atmosphere. The bar area features high top tables, liquor quotes by famous people inscribed on the walls, animal heads hanging in various areas, a Hopscotch diagram on the floor, and a penny-farthing hanging from the rafters. This old-time bicycle is Hopscotch's logo and is emblazoned on their t-shirts and walls. The bar is dominated by wood and earth tones, which really lends to the rustic vibe here. The bar is made out of old whiskey barrels, and really lends a unique aspect to the place.

My friend Clay, who went with me to this event is a real connoisseur of whiskeys and bourbons. He was very impressed with the wide variety served at Hopscotch. He was the one that ordered the Woodford Reserve on ice. This always seems to be his drink of choice when we go out. I admit I am not much of a whiskey or bourbon drinker, but I tried two of their signature cocktails which featured whiskey. The Morning Glory was served in the martini glass. I did not catch all of what came in this labor-intensive drink, but I do know that it involved using an egg. This was my favorite drink of the night. The other drink I had was the Merryweather. In this one, I could definitely taste the alcohol. Again, I did not catch what was in this one, because I was very preoccupied with the food that had started coming out of the kitchen.

I have never been a fan of Deviled Eggs, but Clay tried the ones here. He said the mustard on these was very prominent. The Crackling Rosemary Flatbread was very much more my style. This flatbread really popped with flavor. This appetizer was topped with butter, rosemary, and crunchy pork cracklins. The pork on top gave this a nice little crunch, and the bread portion of this reminded me of the cheese bread at La Cave and Northwood's Inn. I had to limit myself to only three slices because I knew more was on the way.

Dinner was served buffet style for our media event. The main event was the Pulled Pork and the BBQ Beef. The meats at Hopscotch are cooked low and slow to help ensure that they are very tender, with great flavors. To help enhance the meats they offer four different sauces. I only tried the Bold and Tangy, which I liked, but the St. Louis Sweet will be my choice on future visits here. Side items are not to be overlooked here either. I am a harsh critic when it comes to baked beans, but I really enjoyed the one here. They were not over the top sweet but still had enough flavor to keep my interest. The Potato Salad was another solid side item. The potatoes were cooked perfectly, with a slight mustard twinge to it. One of the better restaurant potato salads we have had.

The head chef at Hopscotch is Kent Pawlowski, who was the Regional Executive Chef at Mastro's Steakhouse, before he left in 2008 to work in Tbilisi, Georgia at The OVAL Restaurant. He is back in the States now, and serving up this ButterSCOTCH Cake, which is very similar to the something you can get at one of his former employers. This version is not as moist on the inside, but just as good. It was infused with some scotch, which I just got a hint of, and topped with a very well made whipped topping. The raspberry sauce drizzled on the plate really complimented this dessert well. Maybe because Hostess has been in the news lately, but this dessert kind of reminded me of the Hostess O's Raspberry Filled Donuts. This dessert is a must get when coming to Hopscotch.

I am really looking forward to seeing how people will receive Hopscotch and seeing if the owners stay true to their passion for what they envision this place to be. So many places start out as one thing and then turn into something completely different, based on what the public wants or demands. If tonight is any indication, the owners will not have to tweak their concept very much at all. The atmosphere was pretty laid back and comfortable, the bar set up was on point, and the food promises to bring in lots of people. I am excited to come back and try one of their Juicy Lucy Burgers, which is a cheese-stuffed burger, originated in Minnesota. After our first impression, it will not take us too long to get back to Hopscotch again.

We would really like to thank all of the people at Hopscotch for making us feel so welcome. Co-owners, Bryan Gonzalez and Rob Marshall were nice enough to answer all of our questions, and share what they expect Hopscotch to be. Thanks also go out to all of the employees here that made the night excellent and kept things running smoothly. Another big thank you goes out to Rob Hallstrom, from 714 Media, for thinking of including us at this great event. Lastly, thanks to my partner in crime on this outing Clay. Glad you could experience this whiskey lover paradise with me.

For more information on Hopscotch, check out their web page here: http://hopscotchtavern.com/