Stumpknockers on the Square, Inverness, Florida

Old Florida mural on the back wall at Stumpknockers on the Square

Photo courtesy of Yelp

What the heck is a Stumpknocker? Stumpknockers are a Florida freshwater fish that get their name from dwelling below submerged timbers, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. They named their restaurant, Stumpknockers, because it is "small and tucked away, but well worth the trouble to find."

I completely agree!

Gator skin at least twelve feet long on the Stumpknockers' wall!

If you don't know about the history of Florida, Stumpknockers, the restaurant, is the place to go! Look up to find gator skins, mounted deer and large mouth bass.

Even their place mats are Old Florida! 

You will be overwhelmed with excitement as you look around the restaurant to find original, vintage Florida decorations.

Gator nuggets

Not only are their decorations exciting, but also the Stumpknockers' menu! 

You can find real Florida menu items such as gator nuggets, catfish, fried green tomatoes, frog legs, gator steak, redfish, flounder, grouper, gulf shrimp, sea scallops, and fried oysters. 

We started our lunch with the gator nugget appetizer. They were large, crunchy and delicious!

Fried oysters

I ordered the fried oysters. Always a good decision when you live in Florida. 

I prefer them raw, but I know most people prefer them cooked. 

Blackened mahi mahi sandwich

We ordered the blackened mahi mahi sandwich, the gulf shrimp and the catfish. All portions were very large and everyone left happy!

Gulf shrimp

Business Hours:

Monday- Closed
Tuesday- 11am-9pm
Wednesday- 11am-9pm

Thursday- 11am-9pm

Friday- 11am-10pm

Saturday- 11am-10pm

Sunday 11am-9pm

Call them at 352-726-2212.

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Family visit to Stumpknockers on the Square!

Ulele- Florida Native Inspired Foods and Spirits,Tampa, FL

Native Summer drink

As a Florida Native, when a restaurant claims to be "Native Inspired" you can bet that I am going to try it out.  

Ulele which is pronounced You-lay-lee, is located just north of Downtown Tampa on the Riverwalk.

Ulele "celebrates the vibrant fusion of ingredients from Florida waters and land once home to many Native Americans, including the young princess Ulele." (according to the Ulele website)

As soon as we walked in, we loved the atmosphere.  It has exceptional lighting and it appears to be a contemporary-remodeled warehouse.

Alligator Hush Puppies

We started with the Alligator Hush Puppies and Ulele beer, which is brewed in house.  The puppies were very crispy and the beer greatly complimented them. However, we just wished we could taste the alligator.

Flank Steak

For my entree, I had the the 8 ounce "Fresh from Florida" Flank Steak- Garlic sea salt and olive oil marinated, thinly sliced, Florida avocado "Jimmychurri."

The meat was cooked a perfect medium rare.  Surprisingly, the popcorn on the potatoes was a great addition! I would definitely recommend ordering this entree.

Ulele also creates their own wine, which I very much enjoyed with my steak.

Unique blend of wine

Brian ordered the "Chief Red Eagle" Duck- Charbroiled roasted Maple Leaf duck breast, port wine orange marmalade.

Chief Red Eagle Duck

He is a duck connoisseur, as an avid duck hunter. He was very surprised that the duck was cooked correctly and had incredible flavor. 

His only concern was that the duck was from Canada, not Florida. 

Overall, as a Florida Native, I would highly recommend giving Ulele a try. Just make sure you make a reservation because they are very busy. We talked to other customers while at Ulele and they enjoyed the "Crackling Pork Shank" and the "Florida Jumpers."

For even more information view the article by Kat Lewis from Visit Tampa Bay.

Make a reservation by calling 813-999-4952.

Brian enjoying the Ulele beer

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Patio850, Lakeland, Florida

It was Friday night, date night. We were ready to be fed without having to clean up the kitchen!  Patio850 was the perfect choice for us.  The patio has a live band playing on Friday nights.  It was phenomenal- live music, delicious food and unique draft beers!

Enjoying my Goose Island draft beer

When we got there, we decided to try a draft beer.  Patio850 has beers that you do not find at other locations.  We went with the Goose Island draft.  This delicious beer is made in Chicago, Illinois. 

Escargot

If escargot is on the menu, I am going to try it.  Patio850 did not let me down with my favorite buttery snails! They offer a wide array of unique appetizers such as bacon popcorn, marinated olives, and even duck liver with pear pate. 

Not Your Everyday Wings

For our main dishes, Brian ordered the chicken wings and I ordered the pizza. Now, do not think that these are items similar to what you get a bar.  The chicken wings are entitled "not your everyday wings."  The pizza was Patio850's "stone perfect" pizza.  The chicken wings are first beer braised then oven roasted. They are served with a special house sauce, herbs and blue cheese. 

Stone-Perfect Pizza

The pizza had mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, goat cheese, arugula, baby spinach, mushrooms, red onions and truffle oil.  Without a doubt, it was "stone-perfect." 

Other pizzas I am interested in trying that are unique: the To Brie or Not to Brie- red onion jam, great brie, cranberries, candied walnuts and fresh herbs, and the Swine Smackin' Good- BBQ Pork Butt, Bacon, Red Onion Jam, Mozzarella.  If you want something other than pepperoni pizza, this is the place to visit.

Photo obtain from  Facebook. 

Patio850 is open:

Monday and Tuesday from 4:00 PM- 9:00 PM

Wednesday and Thursday from 4:00 PM- 10:00 PM

Friday and Saturday from 4:00- 11:00 PM

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Dragonfly Modern Izakaya & Sushi, Gainesville, FL

Sarah and I in downtown Gainesville

It was a memorable evening, a girl's night out to celebrate Sarah's birthday.  Sarah, Katherine and I put on our highest heels and dressiest outfits and headed out to our favorite spot in Gainesville- Dragonfly Modern Izakaya & Sushi.

I have been an avid visitor of Dragonfly since my college days at University of Florida.  Without question, it is the best sushi I have ever had.  The rolls are always loaded with fresh fish.  Dragonfly is so popular, that they now have an additional location in Florida: Orlando.

Cosmo martini at Dragonfly

We started our evening with a round of cosmo martinis. Dragonfly is known for their top-rated themed martini list. A few unique martinis they have are the Fuji Apple-Russian standard, house-made apple liqueur, lemon, yuzu and grenadine, and the Sumo Smash-martin millers gin, ginger, lime, and mint.  Sunday through Thursday they provide customers with the Sensual 6 Happy Hour from 5pm-7pm.  To see the special pricing click here. 

Warm Spinach Salad

Our first entree was a warm spinach salad.  This salad is served with shiitake mushrooms, miso vinaigrette and macadamia nuts.  We were very pleased with this delicious and nutritious beginning.  

Godzilla roll

We ordered two of favorite rolls, the Godzilla roll and the Dragonfly roll. The Godzilla roll provides you with a burst of flavor with smoked eel, krab, cream cheese, cucumber, scallions, avocado, strawberries, and eel sauce.  

Dragonfly roll

The Dragonfly roll is the signature roll.  It is served hot and filled with tuna, albacore, seasonal white fish, scallions, eel sauce and spicy sauce.  We love fruit in our rolls. 

For our last roll we ordered the Mango Tango- smoked salmon, cream cheese, avocado, mango, tempura flakes, sweet potato curls, with a peach-apricot reduction.

The night ended with Creme Brulee.  This is a unique dessert infused with a distinct green tea flavor. Make sure you check out the entire Dragonfly menu. 

Sarah- Fashion Stylist

Sarah was recently on the cover of Gainesville Today Magazine. This birthday girl made sure her outfit was top notch with a skin-toned leather skirt, Chanel earrings, and black & white heels.  Be sure to check out her fashion blog- SheChic.net.

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Neon Leon's Zydeco Steakhouse, Homosassa, FL

Neon Leon's has the atmosphere you have been looking for!

Are you tired of eating restaurant meals that are boring and uneventful? 

Neon Leon's Zydeco Steakhouse has just what you are looking for- live music, Mardi Gras beads and delicious Cajun food! 

Big Dave and Mitch singing a fun country song!

Jump on stage with Mitch and Big Dave to sing your favorite song.

Flavorful crawfish available while in season.

Located in Old Homosassa, Florida, Neon Leon's has a lot to offer Citrus County.  The staff is friendly and energetic. And the owners, Mitch and Lorriane Simmons, are always giving back to the community.  During scalloping season, bring in your cleaned scallops and Neon's will cook them for you however you like- blackened, fried, seared or broiled. 

Neon Leon's is named after Leon Wilkeson from the band Lynard Skynard.  Leon was Mitch Simmon's uncle.  Everywhere you look inside the restaurant, you will find Lynard Skynard memorabilia.  

Rock N Roll Brew is delicious! 

They even have a draft beer named after Uncle Leon called "Rock N Roll Brew" made by Coors.

If you are looking to try out this delicious, fun Florida hot spot you better call ahead and make a reservation.  Neon Leon's is always packed out.  

Leon Wilkeson hat worn during Lynard Skynard concerts.

Just call (352) 621-3663 to make your reservation.

Drink a Mississippi Mud Black & Tan

Neon's provides customers a full menu and a full liquor bar. From September 23- October 20, Neon Leon's is teaming up with other Homosassa restaurants to offer an International Ethnic Festival.  Each week, the restaurants will provide dishes from around the world: Irish, German, Italian and Polish.

Find out more about Nature Coast River Events by clicking here.

Neon Leon's Zydeco Steakhouse is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

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Old Mill Tavern- Great food and great times!

Old Mill Cheeseburger

Whenever you are in Homosassa, Florida be sure to stop at the Old Mill Tavern. Old Mill Tavern is a locals favorite.  While there, a frequent customer, Bob, said: "I love it.  It is the best place in all of Florida.  The owners and staff are all very nice.  The people that come here are friendly and fun to be around." 

Old Mill Bloody Mary

Many compare Old Mill Tavern to the bar on Cheers- Where everybody knows your name and they're always glad you came.

 Some of my favorite food items are their cheeseburgers, wings and gyros.  Go there, if you want the best Bloody Mary. No other restaurant can even come close to the Old Mill Bloody Mary. Donna, a waitress, uses a secret family recipe to make the Old Mill Bloody unique. 

"My grandmother taught me how to make them," said Donna.

Donna making her family recipe Bloody Mary

Sugar Mill Ruins

Old Mill Tavern gets its name from the Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park that is next to the restaurant. The steam-driven mill operated in the 1800s.  It supplied troops with sugar products during the Civil War.  You can just walk over to the ruins before or after your delicious meal.  

Brian and I having a fun time on a Friday night at the Old Mill!

The Old Mill Tavern is a great place to go for lunch, dinner or even karaoke!  From 9:30 PM to 1:30 AM, on Fridays and Saturdays, you will find locals singing their favorite tunes and dancing with their favorite partners.  They also have great entertainment, providing customers with live music outside on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.  

They know that customer service and quality of food are top priorities.  They provide you with all kinds of specials:

Drink specials: 
Buy 5 of the same drink and get the 6th one free
Happy Hour 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM daily- $1.00 draft beers and $1.75 wells and domestics
Thirsty Thursdays- 16 oz. Coors, Miller Lite for $2.00

Beer Selections at the Old Mill

Food specials:
$1.00 hot dogs on Sundays

Slaw dog with chili at the Old Mill!

$4.99 spaghetti dinner on Mondays
$10.99 prime rib (includes potato and vegetable) on Wednesdays
$7.99 hot, open-faced roast beef on Thursdays
$7.99 BBQ ribs 1/2, $11.00 full ribs on Fridays
Daily Dinner Drawing- place your receipt in the basket and win an $8.00 dinner certificate

Old Mill Gyro

Pool Specials:
Free pool on Mondays from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM

The owners, Shelly and Jon, always dreamed about opening their own restaurant/bar.  A few years ago they asked themselves, "What if we don't ever follow our dream?"  Just a few months later, they became of owners of Old Mill Tavern.  

Jon and Shelly love the locals.  To give back, they partner with another restaurant and host the annual Mullet Toss.  At the Mullet Toss, real mullet fish are tossed! It is a fun and fishy event, held in July that benefits the Homosassa Elementary School. 

Rabbit- Chef Extraordinaire and fun Friday night dance partner! 

The Old Mill also offers a packaging store.  If you are in a rush or want to stay at home, you can place your order to go and also pick up a bottle of your favorite liquor or six pack of beer. 



Just call the easy to remember phone number: 628-BOOZ!

Make sure you visit Old Mill Tavern while in Citrus County, Florida. Where else can you go where everyone will know your name?

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