St Petersburg, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: Portuguese, Tapas
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 5/5
Dined in October 2017
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Restaurant Iberian Rooster is named in a USA Today article as a restaurant that makes St. Petersburg one of the "Five Underrated Food Cities on the East Coast." Finally and something completely different is to incorporate American craft cocktails and food snacks in a 1920s vibe Speakeasy, one of only 8 restaurants in the Tampa Bay area to do so. They are located in the historic Kress Building which was once a Five and Dime store remodeled and enhanced to resemble the warmth of the Lisbon Mouraria’s, named after the Christian Moors, and not forgetting the 1920s American alcohol prohibition undergrounds. The Sub-Central Speakeasy is the only underground venue in St. Pete.
According to legend, the lot began in the Prohibition era as an underground Fado house. A Fado (faðu) is a type of music genre that dates back to Lisbon from the 1820s and played host to Portuguese gangsters, glittering dancing girls, and the finest cocktails around.
Menu:
- Small Plates
- Bowls and Salads
- Large Plates
- Desserts
- Kids
More menus:
- Brunch
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Speakeasy Sub-Central Menu
- On-site Catering
On the previous visit, my wife and I shared a few items such as the Goan patties, the arugula and manchego cheddar salad, the hotchee dog, and the pork belly to name a few. On this visit, we enjoyed several more starter plates and moved onto the entree menu, as well as a few new craft cocktails. The cocktail selections we had included the recycled paper plane with buffalo trace bourbon, Aperol, Amaro, and lemon. We also indulged in the Jalisco Money Maker and the Acaraje which are both no longer on the menu as the cocktail selections change regularly.
For the starter, my wife and I shared the spread trio of roasted red pepper hummus, goat cheese artichoke mousse, and smoked fish spread all served with Iberian flatbread and crostini. We also ordered two glasses silk and spice wine, a Portuguese blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 20% Baga, 20% Syrah, and 20% Alicante Bouchet. They are a part of the Sogrape Vinhos family of wines. Portugal has undergone something of a wine revolution in the past couple of decades, updating its winemaking technologies, styles, and attitudes. This archetypal Old World country has long been famous for its fortified wines (Port and Madeira) and tart, light Vinho Verde. But it is now attracting a great deal of attention for its new wave of rich, ripe, table wines, particular reds from the Douro Valley.
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| Spread Trio |
We then split two items from the salad and soup section which were both autumn seasoned items that included the tomato fenugreek starter and the Tobago pumpkin soup with roasted pumpkin and Moroccan spiced Crème fraîche.
As an entree, we split the chimichurri Moroccan spiced beef. This was a grilled beef tenderloin rubbed in Moroccan blend spices, green chimichurri, pickled chu chu, and purple potato puree. Cooked a little above medium rare which is how I like it, but my wife prefers it cooked more, so we compromised at medium, for an overall excellent cut of meat, extremely tender, and mouthwatering.
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| Chimichurri Moroccan spiced beef |
Dessert:
Our visit was in mid-October so on top of the many dessert options they had a holiday eyeball dessert that we decided to try to participate in the Halloween season. With the dessert, my wife had the Boozy Sipping Chocolate with Altos Olmeca Tequila, concentrated spiced sipping chocolate, whipped cream, and fresh pepper garnish. I enjoyed the Expresso Joey Kick with Absolut Elyx vodka, cocoa powder, Kahlua, and black crow espresso, from the Black Crow Coffee Company in St Petersburg.
Other selections include the Goan Bebinca bread pudding with vanilla and caramel, or the chocolate shortbread Serradura, a Portuguese custard dish called Pudim de Priscos, and finishing with the Iberian chocolate torte, spiked with raspberry coulis, and cardamom sweet cream. You could also enjoy a vegan rosemary olive oil cake, which sounds interesting by the name alone.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
Portugal:
Other Noteworthy Spanish and Tapas Cuisine Articles & Restaurants:
Castile Restaurant Med-Latin & tapas café with 360 views at the Hotel Zamora, in St. Pete Beach, Florida
Chill Restaurant & Bar New American Cuisine, tapas, and exotic cocktails in St. Pete Beach
Columbia Restaurant Traditional Spanish & Cuban chain since 1905; reviewed in Sarasota Florida
Nine One Five Globally accented tapas with innovative American fare in Key West, Florida
Table 9 Stylish modern Spanish and global cuisine at the Hilton Dubai Creek in Deira Dubai, UAE
Tapas 218 Cozy tavern severing traditional Spanish small plate cuisine in Canton, Ohio
The Lemon Grass Casual fusion of Thai and Japanese with tapas portions in St Petersburg, Florida
Vizacaya Restaurante and Tapas Bar Vibrant spot for classic Spanish dishes & tapas in Tampa, Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other St Petersburg restaurants and articles on Wine, Dine, and Play:
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Cal-Italian Cuisine, At the Sundial
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
Traditional and classic Italian plates
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
New American, Southern Twist
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
A Few Florida Favorites:
|
Casual Swiss Fondue restaurant chain
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
Laid-back bar with cocktails, wine, & Cigars
Key West, Florida, USA
|
Eclectic and casual style seafood dishes
Melbourne, Florida, USA
|
|
Chef-driven seafood restaurant
City of Anna Maria, Florida, USA
|
Brew Pub Chain
Pinellas Park, Florida USA
|
Relaxed Tuscan-inspired Italian chain eatery
Sarasota, Florida, USA
|
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience, and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Iberian Rooster a 5 out of 5 stars, meaning that they not only exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants, but they surpassed outstanding and were extraordinary. The first review score was also 5 of 5 stars, so they have remained consistent since my last visit.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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10
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10
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0
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Food quality
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10
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9
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1
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Plate presentation
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8
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8
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0
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Customer service
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8
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6
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2
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Alcohol and other beverages
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10
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7
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3
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Total regular points awarded
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46
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40.5
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5.5
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.880434782608696
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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3
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0652173913043478
|
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.931252173913043
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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5
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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5 of 5 Stars:
93% Rating with a 2 point “wow” bonus
An Extraordinary Dining Experience
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Wine List:
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Wine rating:
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6 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Italy, Portugal, Spain
New World selections:
Argentina, California, Washington State
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Corkage fees:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine Style:
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The Mediterranean, Portuguese, Spanish, Tapas
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Gluten Free, Grass Fed, Local, Organic, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required, But Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wears flip-flops!
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Contemporary, Modern, Hotspot, Great bar, Good for special occasions, Classy, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Street meter parking
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant
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Patio or terrace:
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No
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€
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Alcohol prices:
$63.00 USD
Iberian Rooster:
475 Central Avenue North
Suite 100
St. Petersburg, Florida
33701
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 727-258-8753
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Online reservations
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OpenTable or
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Web Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Mon-Wed:
11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Thur-Sat:
11:00 am - 3:00 am
Sunday:
10:00 am - 9:00 pm
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play’s list is based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
|
Japanese restaurant & saké bar with sushi
Key West, Florida, USA
|
Levant, Jordanian, and Lebanese cuisines
Amman, Jordan
|
Southwestern-inspired New American fare
San Antonio, Texas, USA
|
Other Pictures:
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| Tomato fenugreek |
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| Tobago pumpkin soup |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
