Eating recommendations from two local beat-keepers.
by Leilani PolkAndy Stern rages on rhythms with hardcore punk act Feral Babies (new album out digitally now) and indie rock outfit Early Forms. John Nowicki delivers tight airy beats with metallic post-jazz quintet Poetry n’ Lotion, and also does the one-man solo acoustic thing. Both are foodie drummers — one vegan, one carnivore — who weigh in on their favorite dining spots and offer enlightenment about their home cooking habits, along with recipes, for this week’s Food Issue. Both perform at New World, on Friday and Wednesday, respectively; check out info about their shows here, here and here. …
CL: What are some of your favorite go-to restaurants in the Tampa Bay area? Why do you love these places? And what do you eat when you go? Or, what do they do best?
Andy: I’ve been going to Trang Viet Cuisine (1524 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa) since college. The Vietnamese restaurant has a large selection of vegan fare and a monthly vegan meet-up that’s a blast. The meet-up is all you can eat and features an array of foods, so I don’t have to pick just one. When I go on non-buffet nights, it’s all about the lemongrass “beef” over noodles, though. Cafe Hey (1540 N. Franklin St., Tampa) is one of my all-time favorite lunch spots. I love Cafe Hey because aside from having great vegan and non-vegan foods (I’m told), they support the local art/music community greatly. My standard order there is their VLT sandwich and whatever awesome side salad they are featuring. Rolling Oats Cafe (2842 MLK Jr. St. N, St. Petersburg) is a great locally owned health food store with an amazing cafe. Some weekends I would rather not cook and choose instead to head over to Rolling Oats for a delicious tofu scramble bagel and a side of veggie sausage. Super-friendly service makes the trip even more enjoyable.
John: Zudar’s (201 W. Platt St., Tampa) makes awesome deli sandwiches. My favorite is the chef’s combo, a lovely roast beef-horseradish mayo-coleslaw-onion monstrosity. (It’s not on the menu, but they still make it.) The Crab Shack (11400 Gandy Blvd. N., St. Petersburg) is an unassuming seafood mecca. Raw oysters, king crab, scallops, mussels, oyster shots — do it. It’s good for ya. My diet also relies heavily (perhaps a bit too much) on Taco Bus (913 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa). It’s good, tasty, affordable Mexican food. If you pass up the chicken chipotle special on Fridays, you’ve lost your mind. Seek help.
What about splurging — where are a few places you go on “date night,” or when you want to splurge a little?
John: Sushi is one of my favorite foods, and Samurai Blue (1600 E. Eighth Ave. Ybor City) is a likely spot for my lady and I to treat ourselves, as is the Laughing Cat (1811 N. 15th St., Ybor City). Huge portions of great Italian food the size of human skulls always seem to make us feel good about life. The Refinery (5137 N. Florida Ave., Tampa) is also a lovely splurge — a fresh, ever-changing menu on the rooftop deck. Ahhh.
What about cooking for special occasions? What do you cook to impress?
Andy: I make a mean lasagna. It was one of the few things I thought I might miss when I went vegan years ago. Then I received a copy of my friend Lane Gold’s Vegan Junk Food cookbook. It features a recipe for vegan ricotta cheese lasagna that quite honestly rivals the real thing. As soon as I tried it, I knew I could make an awesome lasagna. Anytime I want to impress my friends with a meal they can’t believe is cruelty-free, that’s my go-to.
John: When going for bonus points and gold stars in the past, I’ve whipped up a beef Wellington, or a catfish-tuna ceviche … but I really have to like you for that to happen.
What about fallback meals — what do you eat most frequently at home?
Andy: At home I usually keep things pretty simple on a regular basis. Give me a big spinach salad with lots of mushrooms, yellow bell pepper, cucumber, and topped with Bacos (surprisingly Vegan), and I am one happy guy. I also make jackfruit pulled pork sandwiches (featured in a past CL issue), which last all week and make for tasty lunches.
John: Our staples for at-home face-stuffings include bourbon/mustard/brown sugar-glazed salmon fillets (recipe below) with cous-cous and asparagus, or grilled steaks (bloody rare, please) with potatoes and steamed veggies, or Thai coconut chicken soup.
Andy’s Black Bean Hummus
“I make this constantly. It’s quick, easy, and since I’m always on the run, keeps me full.”
Ingredients:
1 clove garlic
1 (15 ounce) can black beans; drain and reserve liquid
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Directions:
First, mince garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Then add black beans, 2 tablespoons reserved liquid, lemon juice, tahini, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes; process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add additional seasoning and liquid to taste. Garnish with paprika. Serve hummus with carrots, celery, or pita.
Nowicki’s Bourbon/Mustard/Brown Sugar-Glazed Salmon Fillets
“As a preface, for any readers who may have more accomplished palates or kitchen chops than I, I ask that you bear in mind that I am a drummer. I beat things with sticks and call it music. Simplicity, y’all.”
Ingredients:
2 salmon fillets
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup coarse spicy GOOD mustard (keep that runny, yellow stuff away from me)
1/4 cup bourbon (doesn’t need to be high end – you’re putting it under 500 degrees. Save the Bulleit for the cook.)
Chipotle chili powder (optional)
Dill sprigs for garnish (optional)
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat broiler to 500 degrees. Combine sugar, mustard and hooch, and whisk it together. Rinse the fillets, pat dry, and season with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Brush the bourbon glaze over the salmon. Broil the fillets 5-6 inches from the heat source for about 10 minutes, while drinking the reserved high end bourbon continuously.