Where is the best place to get a steak? Where do you go for a long ride?
I know a great restaurant. I can’t remember the name, but will try to track it down.
Can’t help you with the ride.
Go to J. Alexander’s, 913 N. Dale Mabry, Tampa.
You won’t regret it.
There is absolutely no question, you MUST go to Burns Steakhouse. I’ve traveled the entire US for Business over the past 10 years, eaten at the best steak houses in every metropolitan area and hands down the one I always think of when asked about my best steak dinner is Burns. Their wine list is TO DIE FOR. It’s about 150 pages. Then there is the desert floor, yes an entire floor you go to after dinner.
Here’s the deal. You go to dinner and plan to be there a good 3 hours. Be sure to order the ceaser salad. Made fresh at your tableside with whole sardines the guy minces so fast you cant see the knifes! The waiters have all been there for at least 6 years before the “earn” their coveted vest. If you want to pick you fish, you can go right back into the kitchen and it’s swimming in a huge tank, they will pluck the one you want and cook it for you. All the greens are from their organic farm or sourced locally and fresh.
After dinner you get asked if you have ever been there. SAY NO. That get’s you the grand tour of the place. The wine cellar goes 50 feet under the street out front!!!
After your tour you get escorted upstais to a private room for desert. I reccomend the Bananas Foster, served flaming at the tableside. The selection of port wine is out of this world or you can select from the 90 or so other desert wines!
You MUST go and report back.
http://www.bernssteakhouse.com/bs_frame.htm
Cheers,
Dave
Burns is good - not quite a Kansas City steak, but for Florida …
Most of my family lives in the Tampa (Clearwater, Nine Eagles/Countryway and Madeira Beach) area - I lived there for a while as well. DEFINITELY not a great place to bike - head north and west and good luck there. Major traffic, hot, multi lane roads, stop lights at huge intersections everywhere and ZERO terrain variation with no hills. Yuck.
Not so good about directions to the steak, but can suggest a place to stay.
Have stayed at Dicken’s House for the past 5 St. Anthony’s. ( # 6 at Dicken’s House and 20 for St. Anthony’s this spring) A great B and B a few blocks from down town St. Pete and the start of St. Anthony’s. Ed, the owner, knows everything worth knowing about Tampa/St.Pete. I bet he will give you good advice about the steak, even if you don’t stay there. Tell him Dave sent you and you might even get your own box of Lucky Charm’s out of the deal.
Can’t be much help about routes. I live up in Gainesville (University of Florida). If you are up this way, I can send you off on some nice rides, and even with some good groups to do them with.
There are a few bike clubs in Tampa/St. Pete. You could try googling bike clubs in Tampa/St. Pete. Or try these guys :
http://floridabicyclesports.com/
Ed’s place:
As the other poster said go to Burns, its a great place. For long rides, there is a 42mile(i think) bike trail that has maybe 6 intersections? called the suncoast expressway/veterans/toll road 589. I wouldnt do any riding in tampa at all and ive lived on the other side of the bay my entire life. The other option is you want some rolling hills is san antonio which is north or tampa by 30 minutes or so, country roads and if youre in town on sunday there are hundreds of cyclists who are out there. http://www.suncoastcycling.com/index.html that website lists maps of some of their routes, specifically the san antonio routes. I dont do group rides and have never ridden with them but the maps could be of value. But the suncoast and san antonio are your best bets and both are just outside of tampa.
you may want to PM trigirlpt as she lives there
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Mons Venus, do it, do it.
Recently had a fine steak at Shula’s near the airport. At least, I think it was Tampa. Yeah, pretty sure. The menu is written on a football. You choose your food from a cart (including live lobster) and they prepare that piece for you. Warning, the servings are large. Everything was very tasty. $$$$$
-jeff
If you go a few miles southt to St. Pete Beach you can find the pinellas trail. Its not a bad way to get in an out and back 40 miler or so. No, its not that long, but its not a bad ride. http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/12_Trail.htm
Life-long resident…and contrary to rroof’s opinion, I love the city. We don’t have people moving here in droves for no reason…
As one other poster pointed out, if you want to ride without worrying about getting hit by a car, head to the Suncoast Trail where you can go 84 miles (round trip) on a closed-to-vehicles paved trail with water stops and only cross 5-6 roads the whole time. The route is next to a highway, but borders a nature preserve on the other side for a majority of the trail. It’s quite common to see deer, alligators, snakes, and turtles on the trail. I ride this trail 2-3 times a week and never get tired of not worrying about traffic. Although there certainly are not elevation changes, it is Florida, there are hills on the north section of this trail and in San Anotnio, about thirty minutes away. The Pinellas Trail across the bay is similar, but I find it has too many cross-roads and people. Depending on where you’re staying and how long you’re here, you can also check out Clermont (1+ hour drive) and ride the route of the Great Floridian triathlon. It has the most elevation changes in the area, including Sugarloaf “mountain.” They have maps on their race website of the route.
Now, as to your question about steaks, Tampa is like a steakhouse bonanza. We seem to get a new one every 6 months. We have all the major nationwide steak houses, but Berns is by far the most well known and is a quality dining experience as outlined by one of the above posters. Definitely worth the trip, especially if you’re into wines. I think they are recognized world-wide for their wine list.
No help on the ride (I’m in Orlando), but go to Berns…unless you like your steaks cooked beyond medium…then there’s a nice Longhorn nearby. 
Ask for a tour of the wine cellar.
Charlie’s Steakhouse in tampa, real close to the airport
check the rails to trails website for florida, several that run for 35-40 miles
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/regions/westcentral/trails/suncoast.htm
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