T-REX AT DOWNTOWN DISNEY

RACHEL ERIKSON, TAMPA BAY ON DEMAND CH. 340 SUPERSTAR

ON YOUR BRIGHTHOUSE DIGITAL CABLE, AND PRODUCER JENNIFER STEFFEN, OUTSIDE

T-REX, A DINOSAUR THEMED RESTAURANT AT DOWNTOWN DISNEY. IT'S OWNED BY THE SAME FOLKS WHO OWN RAIN FORREST CAFE, AND THE INSIDE IS VERY SIMILAR, EXCEPT THIS RAIN

FORREST, IS 50 MILLION YEARS OLD.

THE FOOD IS WHAT CATEGORIZE AS "UPSCALE BAR FOOD"..WITH THE EMPHASIS

ON CREATIVELY OUTSIZED DRINKS AND APPETIZERS DESIGNED TO BE SHARED WHILE DRINKING.

IT'S ALSO VERY KID FRIENDLY, AS IS MOST EVERYTHING IN THE DISNEY AREA.

THERE IS ALWAYS MOVEMENT, EITHER FROM THE DINOSAURS, LIKE THE RESTAURANTS NAMESAKE

TO THE RIGHT. OR, FROM THE ENERGETIC SMILING STAFF. AN EXAMPLE, BEING ASSISTANT MANAGER

JOELLE, WHO RACHEL AND JENNIFER TURNED INTO A "JOELLE SANDWHICH"

THE TWO LADIES WERE HALF THE TEAM I WAS WITH, WHEN THE BAY NEWS 9 AND SPECIAL PROJECTS DIVISION

HEADED OVER TO EPCOT FOR THE ANNUAL FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL. I SHOT FOUR RESTAURANTS. JAPAN, FRANCE, ITALY, AND CANADA. YOU CAN SEE THE VIDEO OF ALL ON CH. 340, ON DEMAND, WHERE YOU WATCH, WHEN YOU WANT TO. PICTURED BELOW ARE THE 4 OF US, ME,

THE 2 GIRLS, AND THE WORLDS GREATEST FOOD PHOTO-

GRAPHER AND ALL AROUND FUN GUY, C.J.JOHNSON.

T REX EPITOMIZES WHAT MY RADIO SHOW AND WEBSITE ARE ALL ABOUT. FOOD..AND FUN!!!!

HOWL O SCREAM AT BUSCH GARDENS

CREEPY HUH? EVEN IF YOU GO TO HOWL O SCREAM AT BUSCH GARDENS, YOU MAY MISS, BY PURE ACCIDENT, THE WEREWOLF AREA. BY FAR THE SCARIEST ATMOSPHERE. CREEPY SOUNDS, CHAINS DRAGGING, WOLVES HOWLING, GROWLING, SMOKE, LIGHT, AND NUMEROUS WEREWOLVES AS IN THE PHOTO ABOVE, IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH IMAGINATION TO TURN THIS PART OF HOWL O SCREAM INTO A LIVING NIGHTMARE.

ON THE OTHER HAND..THERE'S THE SEXY PART OF THIS ANNUAL EVENT.

BUSCH OFFICIALS TOLD ME DURING AN INTERVIEW ON THE RADIO SHOW, (SATURDAYS 5 TO 7PM ON 820 AM) THAT THE CUSTOMERS HAVE DEMANDED

THAT THE ATTRACTION BE "MORE ADULT" AND, "RACIER". NOTHING SHOWCASES THAT CONCEPT BETTER THAN THE "NAUGHTY NURSES" FROM THE DR. FREAKENSTEIN SHOW.

IT'S A ROCK N ROLL EXTRAVAGANZA, WITH HOT MUSIC, MONSTERS, BE HEADINGS, THE COMEDIC VULGARITIES OF DR. FREAKENSTEIN'S ASSISTANT, YGOR. HOWL O SCREAM RUNS EVERY OCTOBER THROUGH HALLOWEEN AT BUSCH GARDENS. IT'S A SEPARATE TICKET PRICE, VARIOUS DISCOUNTS AREA AVAILABLE, AND YOU'LL FIND THAT INFO THIS YEAR AT WWW.THEHOUSEOFVAYNE.COM. MOST RIDES ARE OPEN, INCLUDING ALL THE MAJOR ROLLER COASTERS.

I RECOMMEND SAVING UP SO YOU CAN BUY V.I.P. PASSES. OTHERWISE, YOU'LL SPEND UP TO 2 HOURS TO WAIT IN LINE FOR EACH HAUNTED HOUSE. THIS PICTURE BELOW IS FROM ONE OF THE ROOMS IN ONE OF THEM. SEE IF YOU CAN FIND THE DISEMBODIED HEAD!!!

BUCCA DI BEPPO IS DE BEST!

BUCCA DI BEPPO IN BRANDON ON CAUSEWAY. THANKS TO TAMMY,

CHEF DAN, AND ALL THE GANG FOR SERVING JO JO WALKER AND

MIKE REEVES THE BEST ITALIAN LUNCH IN OUR LIVES. HONEST.

AFFORDABLE. TASTY!!!!

Like Italian the way it's supposed to be? By that, I mean, Pasta, Sauce, Cheese, Meat..

I don't know what has happened in recent years, but I really mean it when I say there are too many italian restaurants who have gotten away from these staples, and gone off the deep end, where you'll see more fish, meat, and bean dishes that you will that are Pasta Based.

Bucca Di Beppo does it right. By that, I mean, the way your Italian Grandmother made it for you when you were a kid, from scratch, before the bottled spaghetti

sauces and the Sam's Club style frozen dishes that you re heat to dump the sauce on.

Salad in my hands is actual dinner salad. Plenty for 5, easily.

I'm talking flat out awesome food. Delicious, no matter what you order. And the flat out most funnest Italian atmosphere on the planet. Every room is full of color and pictures, and they are all themed. Among some of those themes. The Sinatra Booth, where Jo Jo Walker and I enjoyed lunch. The Kitchen booth, pictured on this page, where you can sit and dine right in the middle of the cooking action. The most popular room, is The Popes Room. You'll have no trouble finding that one on this page.

Bucca not only serves it fresh and tasty. the food is top quality, and extremely affordable. Servings are HUGE, designed to be shared. Whenever I dine there, I always end up taking a ton of food home. And my stomach is full too. And my mouth is smiling.

Dinner booth in Kitchen

I flat out mean it when I say..for REAL ITALIAN, THERE IS NOTHING THAT COMES CLOSE TO BUCCA DI BEPPO.

Causeway Boulevard, Brandon. Jo Jo says "That, and that! Are mine!"

RADIO LEGEND ROCK'S HIS PINEAPPLE

Recently, show co- host Jo Jo Walker, and lovely wife Rossie, descended on the amazing Rock N Pineapple. The actual map he used to find his way there is pictured below. Other pictures show Jo Jo and family wolfing down some of the freshest, tastiest, healthiest food in this part of the entire State. I've been to over 500 restaurants in the past 5 and a half years, and this one stands out, not only for the taste bud sensation they've created,, with superbly spiced sides and home made condiments, but also, for their unique approach to cooking.

All the sides are fully prepared..but..the meat, comes to you nearly raw..just barely seared. It's served, on a special "serving stone" that is very hot, but cooks very slow. What you do, is cut a bite sized slice or two..which cooks to your specifcations very fast. This allows you to have every piece of meat co

oked perfectly, and be hot too. Even if you take 40 minutes or more to eat.

Jo-Jo, and friends, agreed with me. Save room for dessert. The Rock N Pineapple do it yourself Sundae is heavenly.

SARASOTA REBUILDS OUTBACK

OUTBACK SARASOTA GETS A FACELIFT!! Owner of the highly popular Outback Steakhouse on US 41 in Sarasota, Tim Wong, knocked the entire building down, rebuilt a beautiful new Outback Steakhouse, and one of my show co-hosts, Comic Dan Chappelow, was there for the festivities. Dan's the guy with the pleasant smile and blue shirt.

The fun included food, of course. That amazing OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE food, some of

which is pictured on this page, BEFORE Dan devoured it. By the way, did you know that Outback Steakhouse now has 15 meals for under 15 dollars, and several 9.99 meals?

Pictured here, are two of my favorites. Chicken on the Barbie, and the venerable

BLOOMIN ONION!!!!

And, there was a little bit of Australian music going on..recognize that long piece of what looks like bamboo being blown into? That, is a didgeridoo! Dan says he liked the music so much, he bought his own didgeridoo, and he serenades his neighbors nightly with a seriously off key version of "Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport"

LETS GO OUT BACK TONIGHT, IN SARASOTA!!! (i've been a huge fan, since the very first Outback Steakhouse opened up in the late 1980's on Henderson Boulevard in Tampa.....mike reeves)

SMOKIN HOT FUN WITH BILL MURHPHY AT SMOKE

Not that he's my first choice for a date, but, he is a fun guy, especially if you want to go somewhere and be noticed.It's Bill Murphy, of course, who recently joined the Bright House team at Tampa Bay On Demand Channel 340, as host of Murphy's Hot Spots, and, as an occasional anchor, of Bay News 9. That photo to the right is slightly blurry, because of the steam coming off his upper lip, as he gets hot and bothered over his new most favorite dessert (his words) Smoke's "Smokin" Pecan Pie, with a generous dollop of Vanilla Ice Cream. Smoke, is best described, as a "Chick Friendly BBQ Place. Plenty of slow smoked well known favorites, like Ribs, side by side a variety of colorful healthy salads.

Smoke's Greek Salad with Salmon!

A couple of must try's at Smoke you ask? How about one of their many "K'Bob's",

the one at right has chicken and veggies. And for dessert, their signature "Lemonade

Pie", not shown, because, IT'S IN MY BELLY!!!!

General Manager Tommy Martin, shown clowning around with Bill and I, will make

you feel at home, whether it's lunch, dinner, happy hour with a live band, or, when

telling you all about his new Breakfast Menu, what he calls.."The Best Breakfast in

South Tampa."

I only recommend the best on this website, and radio show folks (5 to 7pm Saturday's on

News Talk 820 AM WWBA), and, for my money, SMOKE is definitely, in THE BEST,

category.

They're open every day, and they do, do catering. Call me on the radio show and tell me about your experience at Smoke!!!

RED ROSE INNred

DINING AND DANCING AT THE RED ROSE INN PLANT CITY

(www.redroseinnandsuites.com)

On a recent Saturday, I took the wife, my 12 year old boy and his buddy, for a wonderful "Staycation" at the Red Rose Inn..the ONE OF A KIND resort hotel in Plant City. The food is top shelf, from dinner time in the Ballroom dining room, where you can dance to one of several live bands, to the Sunday morning all you can eat fantastic brunch. The owner, Evelyn Medonia, is a big fan of the movie Gone With the Wind.

Photos below, are from the Gone With the Wind Suite, one of several themed Suites at the Hotel.

Take a close look at the pieces on the chess set. They are Civil War figures. On the Union side,

President Abe Lincoln and wife. On the Confederate side, President Jeff Davis and his

wife. Soldiers are also prominent real life names.

Photo in ballroom is from diners who showed up for the scrumptious Sunday Morning Brunch.

My 12 year old said, "when are we going back?"

If you've never been, go to their website to learn more. And then go! Live music for

adults, in a style that reminds me of what it was like in Las Vegas in the early 1960's.

Top notch entertainment, food and atmosphere. And awesome service. It's all at the

Red Rose Inn.

CAFE PONT

WWW.CAFEPONTE.COM

What's it like to dine at a restaurant recently named THE BEST in the Tampa Bay/Sarasota Area by Zagat? Go to Cafe Ponte, in the Icot Center, Clearwater, and find out.

On a recent Thursday, I took my wife Kimberly, who brought along her friend from work, Beth (both work at the Clinique of Plastic Surgery right up the street on ulmerton road. The most AMAZING cosmetic surgery center, not only in Tampa Bay, but in the world! Check out their website and see why I say that. www.clinique1.com)

Cafe Ponte is named after the Chef, Chris Ponte. The restaurant is open for lunch, and dinner, and don't be surprised if you see some pretty famous faces seated next to you. They are relatively close to the HOME SHOPPING NETWORK main building, and whenever a Big Name Chef..like Wolfgang Puck, or Thomas Keller, or Mario Batali is in town to be on the network, their first choice to dine is often right here.

Every menu item they serve is so artistically "plated", that you may be tempted to take it home and hang it on the wall rather than eat it. Don't. If you must, do as I did. Take some pictures. And then, enjoy!!

Brick Oven pizza, served free, during hapy hour. Cheese plate appetizer. 4 cheeses, designed to be eaten, clockwise, me and Chef Ponte, and, in his ample wine cellar.

SPLASH AN OCEAN GRILL

FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER LOCATION

SPLASH, VAN DYKE AND DALE MABRY IN LUTZ

My "BOOTH NEIGHBORS" GULF SHRIMP TACOS, BELOW

(the kids were fascinated by the t.v. JUST FIVE BUCS ON TUESDAYS!

camera--and by the fact that I ate (it's one of many "stimulus dinners")

so much food)

The night before show #05, which aired Saturday August 29 on NEWS TALK 820 AM WWBA, BAY NEWS 9 CAMERAS IN TOW, TAMPA BAY ON DEMAND REPORTER HAT ON STRAIGHT, I dined at this tremendous Seafood and Landfood Landmark in LUTZ. I've known one of the managing partners, Chip Roehl, since the mid 1980's, when he was in on the very beginning, with the then, extremely popular SHELLS SEAFOOD RESTAURANTS.

CHIP ROEHL AND MIKE REEVES

THIS GUY KNOWS SEAFOOD FOLKS

Remember when the SHELLS, near Kennedy and Dale Mabry, was packed wall to wall from 5pm until late, nearly 7 days a week? Chip and his partners, were the reason. They did it right. When the company went public, and some 50 restaurants were subsequently built, Chip and others left, to build SPLASH, AN OCEAN GRILL, in what he called a "perfect area for a special kind of seafood restaurant."

HERE'S WHAT WE WERE SERVED

LOOK FOR THE VIDEO ON BAY NEWS 9,

AND TAMPA BAY ON DEMAND CHANNEL 340.

IT WILL AIR IN MID SEPTEMBER. YOU WILL

BE AMAZED AT HOW FAST I DEVOUR A SEA BASS!!

Since that section of Dale Mabry, in Carrolwood, has one chain restaurant after another, Chip and friends felt that

the neighborhood would really respond to something special. He knew the folks out there well, got to know their

tastes, knew they had a sophisticated palette, and the rest, as they say, was history. Splash opened in 2001, and the

business has boomed ever since. Splash does a great job on seafood, and their beef ifs NOT an after thought.

Try the STEAK OSCAR..video below tells the story.

For real savings at SPLASH, try one of their nightly stimulus dinners)

(www.splashanoceangrill.com/stimulusdinners/html)

A COUPLE OF NIGHTS BEFORE SHOW 05

LA FOGATA IN GULFPORT

Show Co-Host Dan Chappelow joined my wife, Kimberly, the love of my life since 1988, for , what would have been a romantic night out had he not come, at LaFogata in Gulfport. If you're not familiar with this area of Pinellas County, it's near the beaches, and has a quaint, old time neighborhood feel to it. Largely because, Gulfport, is mostly a quaint, old timey neighborhood.

La Fogata, has, for the past couple of years, been an "all you can eat meat" restaurant..meat cooked rotisserie style, with a beautiful salad bar. They recently added an "ala-carte", and that's what we ordered off of.

This photo shows my wife, ogling her dish, a nice sized

Salmon Filet, cooked and served on a cedar plank.

Photo above, right, shows a portion of La Fogata's large wine selection. Owner Hans Klenke, is

a true wine gourmet. He has one of the best wine lists in Pinellas County. He even has a bottle that sells for around 5,000.00. Though I graciously offered to

take it of his hands for a "few free plugs on the radio show", for some reason,he

declined the offer. Seriously though, if you're a fan of the grape, you will find

a wine list to love, at La Fogata. That's a promise!!

This shot below, captures me, hovering over all the food they brought to the table.

Since I'm the host of the show, and I set the dinner up, I got first dibs.

Actually, I got second dibs, cause my wife was with me. As with most successful marriages,

she's the boss.

Below, with eyes closed, and a stupid grin, is Dan. No, he's not drunk. He just can't believe I've actually invited us to join him for such a nice dinner. I still can't believe I did it either. However, he was on his best behavior, and said that his New York Strip, was delicioso. (that's spanish, he explained, for "delicioso"). For more on La Fogata, listen to the show this Saturday, September 4th. We'll chat it up some more, and interview Chef James, who joined La Fogata a few months ago, and is one of the driving forces behind the new, superb "ala-carte" menu.

You can also see more of the place, and learn more of their story,

by going to their website, LA FOGATA-ONLINE.COM

BETWEEN SHOWS 04 AND 05

SHOWCASING BILL CONNOLLY, ARTISTIC GENIUS, AND GUT ROLLIN' CUBAN STYLE

Cartoon at right is an accurate rendition of the hijinx that ensue, when I do the show every Saturday from 5 to 7pm on News Talk AM 820, WWBA. I'm the guy with the I Heart Mike T-shirt.

The chubby boy with chicken from Sioux City Steakhouse is long time friend Jo-Jo Walker, who can't stand up, because he carried Mason Dixon on his back for 30 years. To the right, is long time friend, Dan Chappelow. Dan's a professional comic,who also sells advertising for the show. He's recently divorced, so you can call him for ads, or, just call him to chat. (727-459-8531, 24 hours a day) He's very lonely. Be wary though. Dan is an avowed homo sapien! He's wearing a Gallaghers Steakhouse T-Shirt. Gallaghers, in Channelside, Tampa, is my favorite Steakhouse on the Planet. They are the only restaurant in town that serves Prime, Dry Aged Beef(they dry age it on the premises). Steak Lovers! You will love Gallaghers. I told them that if they don't come on the show as a sponsor, I will not have a FAVORITE STEAK RESTAURANT category on the show. They are that good. The art work, by the way, is by Bill Connolly, long time friend, and morning radio personality. He was the "and Bill" part of a team that was dominant ratings wise for many,many years. He now mainly draws cartoons, and does recorded comedy for syndication services. Believe it or don't, you too, can get Bill to do a "dead on" cartoon for you, of your business, family, friends, or pets. He'll even do your belly button if you are so inclined. Or, your favorite ear hair. Contact Bill, by calling Dan Chappelow at 727-459-8531. As I said, Dan is lonely. He'll be glad to talk to you, even if it is only to get you in touch with Bill for some incredible art work.

I took this picture at Little Havana Cuban Cuisine in Brooksville

That's owner and Chef Adrianna Hernandez and top food Photographer C.J. Johnson

from Bay News 9 and Tampa Bay on Demand. He's telling her to cook as much food

as humanly possible, so we can ostensibly show viewers all the choices they have. In reality,

C.J. knows that I love Cuban food, and haven't eaten for hours.

The shoot at Little Havana took place during the middle of the day, between radio show #'s 04 and 05. Adrianna runs the restaurant with her husband, David Hernandez, shown in the picture at left. Little Havana has been at this location on Broad

Street for five years, and they serve super fresh, on the money authentic Cuban food. Their "15 minute Paella" (not shown, cause I ate it) is awesome! Though Tampa is full to bursting with Cuban restaurants, the Brooksville area isn't. If this kind of food trip's your taste bud trigger, Little Havana won't disappoint. Plus, if you become a regular, and want almost anything in the world cooked special, just get to know Adrianna. She will be your personal chef. One of her specialties is Island Food. And by that, I mean certain delicacies like Cow Hoof, Ox-Tail, and other stuff that is almost impossible to find in a restaurant outside of the West Indies. If you call ahead, she'll get the necessary ingredients, and knock it out of the proverbial "gastronomical ballpark."

LITTLE HAVANA CUISINE