Hi! I know it’s been a while. Life’s just been busy and not much has happened with food lately. BUT…. my friend has come down to visit me, so I took the opportunity to share what Florida has to offer.

Now, my birthday is coming up soon. I wanted to take the opportunity to go to Bern’s. Unfortunately, Bern’s is booked until AUGUST???

I did some digging and came across Maritana.

Maritana

Maritana is an upscale steak and seafood restaurant in the Don Ceasar Hotel right on St. Pete beach. It’s won several awards including being listed as one of USA Today’s top 10 restaurants. It was actually recently rennovated, so I’m happy that we got the chance to experience the new environment.

Food

Maritana really tries to focus on quality over quantity with its short and sweet menu. There’s a core meny, but exactly items change seasonally and based on availability. Regardless, the food was top notch

Oysters– I’ve had my fair share of oysters, and being in Florida, my expectations are high. These exceeded my expectations. They were plump and so concentrated on flavour that the (very well made) minuet took away from the experience. 

Beef tartare with cured egg yolk- this was an exceptionally well conceived and executed dish. The beef was top tier and evenly cubed for a pleasantly smooth mouthfeel. While the technique was impressive, the flavour was better. There was a perfect balance between salt and acid. The mustard seed added bright pops while the green onion spiced things up, all of which enhanced the flavour of the beef. With that said, I was quite disappointed that the cured yolk wasn’t cooked. There was an element of creaminess missing

Sweetbreads with Celery root purée- For the uninitiated, sweetbreads are the thymus glands, which are typically bartered and fried. Even though I avoid fried foods, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for offal. No regrets. The crisp, curry spiced batter paired well with the slight gaminess of the sweetbreads. I really appreciated the lightness of the purée to counterbalance the rich sweetbreads. 

Seared Duck Breast with Spatzel and Romanesco- This is one of their signature dishes. My friend ordered this and he was satisfied, but I must say I was disappointed. To start with the good, The duck was tender with a nice sear. The romanesco puree was fresh and bright. With that said, the duck could have been more pink and better seasoned. The meat was slightly bland.

Service and Atmosphere

The service and atmosphere were definitely the highlight of the dinner. The high ceilings, columns and stately decour convey a sense of grandeur but without pretense. The light coloured decour brightens the room

Our waiter took care of us the moment we walked in. He actually pulled out the chair for both my friend and I. He was humourous and attentive without being obtrusive. I’d been to places with great service, but the wait staff at Maritana gave an air of hospitality rather than strict formality. I really appreciated the lack of pretense.

Overall Impression

Overall, Maritana was definitely worth the visit great food, great atmosphere, impeccable service and after dinner, go out for the views

I hope everyone’s had a good great week! I’ll be back soon with a birthday post.

Until then, bye!

• Dining