A Sizzling Experience On The Rock
Brandon, Florida, USA
Cuisine Style: American, Steakhouse
Average Price: $$$
Overall Rating: 2/5
Dined in: August 2018
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:
Black Rock Zomato rating:
Black Rock Kitchen Manager:
Steve Callander
The Black Rock Bar and Grill opened its doors in Hartland, Michigan by the Morganroth family on October 27, 2010, introducing certified Angus beef steaks or seafood on a sizzling 755°f square inch-thick piece of volcanic stone, also known as a SteakStones from there your steak will cook to the level of the desired doneness which can take less than thirty-seconds to reach rare. This newer culinary method of preparation won them both “America’s Next Top Restaurant Franchise” award and Michigan’s #1 Steakhouse every year since 2013. From there the family franchised seven more locations in Michigan, and one in Illinois, with one more opening in 2019 in Toledo, Ohio. There are three locations in Florida (Tampa, Brandon, and Orlando) with a store in Fort Lauderdale also opening in 2019. Black Rock also offers a flexible seating concept which allows walk-in seating for groups and main priority to those that call ahead instead of using online reservations.
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| Black Rock Grill / Patio |
The concept of cooking a raw cut of meat on a hot volcanic or lava stones is actually an ancient practice going back to the earliest human civilizations, by the ancient Egyptians and Vikings and used more frequently in places like Hawaii where there are steady amounts of volcanic activity. In modern restaurants, the trend of lava stones became popular in the 1980s and is now used all over the world. If you feel like using the lava stones at home instead of going to a restaurant you can purchase a serving set anywhere from $40 up to $300. The Hot Stone Cooking Association (HSCA) advises that volcanic rock is the only natural stone that can withstand direct and sufficient heat to provide a pleasant cooking experience. Following a volcanic eruption, molten lava cools extremely quickly and forms an incredibly tight bond that makes the stones very resilient so they can be reused time again. In places like Uganda that has lots of natural volcanic rock, the concept is becoming mainstream replacing the use of charcoal. At the Black Rock in Brandon offers more than just lava stone cooked meats and seafood, with regular grilling, sauté, and frying.
Menu:
- Great Beginnings
- Soups
- From the Garden
- Sandwiches and Such
- Hot Dogs
- Burger Creations
- The Sizzle
- Choose Your Sides
- Complements
- By Land
- By Sea
- Desserts
- Kids Menu
Meat on the stone:
Rare: 5-15 seconds
Medium Rare: 15-25 seconds
Medium Rare: 15-25 seconds
Medium: 25-35 seconds
Medium Well: 35-45 seconds
Well & above: 45-60 seconds
Seafood on the stone:
Shrimp, Scallops, or Lobster: 1 Minute
Shrimp, Scallops, or Lobster: 1 Minute
Have you ever complained that your food is too cold, cooked unevenly, or generally not to your liking? The concept of stone cooking keeps food hot ensuring that even 20 minutes in, the steak on the stone is still sizzling so you can continue a conversation or if you are a slow eater, your food will still be warm. For the person watching calories, stone cooking doesn’t require the use of any oils or other fats, leading to a healthier, lighter way of eating. The naturally occurring fats in meat also disperse and have space to drain away thanks to the natural porousness of the rock.
The one time before dining at the Black Rock that I experienced cooking raw meets on a lava stone was at The Brewers Arms restaurant just outside Christchurch, New Zealand in 2014. I thought the concept was exciting as it was a new way for me to enjoy steak, and the cuts they offered were large and reasonably priced. What I did not enjoy about the experience was that the raw steak sat next to cooked vegetables and potatoes and blood was oozing over to those vegetables. Then only one set of cutlery was given to cut the steak from the raw to place onto the lava rock and to use again to eat the steak once cooked. Being in the food service industry, I saw this as a food safety violation, and a means of cross-contamination to cause a foodborne illness.
At the Black Rock, the steak was on the side thankfully, so that it could not contaminate any sides, though again only one cutlery set was offered, and to get the second set, you do have to ask. The lava stone options include the signature Black Rock sirloins from 6 to 14 ounces, ribeye steaks, New York strip, filet, ahi tuna, scallops, shrimp, lobster tails, and combination orders. You can choose some add-ons like mushrooms, then two side items from assorted potatoes, rice, vegetables, soups, or salads, and finishes with a choice of complimentary sauce. Before entrees, you can pick a starter from the great beginnings section with crab cakes, jerk chicken wings, fried asparagus, or lobster dip. Four soups or eight salads complete the second-course selections, and sandwiches, hamburgers, by land or sea to choose if the lava rock is not something you want to participate in doing.
My wife and I joined my father and stepmother at the Black Rock in Brandon after nearly a year of him mentioning it, knowing that we would eventually get around it. The one thing about central Florida around the Tampa Bay is that there are a lot of restaurants to choose from. Excluding fast food and typical chain restaurants, if you ate out every night at a different restaurant around the Tampa Bay, you would not eat at the same restaurant twice for over ten years. My wife started with a Kentucky sunrise cocktail with Jim Beam bourbon, three parts orange juice, built over ice in a highball glass, floating the grenadine and garnished with an orange slice.
I had a smoked old fashion cocktail with Woodford reserve bourbon, angostura bitters, and hickory smoke. Other recipes include your choice of smoke such as applewood, mesquite or cherry-wood. My step-mother had a glass of Sonoma house Chardonnay, while my dad ordered his to-go beer of choice Yuengling.
My wife opted out of the Black Rock lava stone experience by ordered the land menu portion of the habanero chicken entree, a crispy breast with broccoli, topped with a house-made habanero cream sauce, served with a choice of one side along with a soup or a salad, to which she ordered a Caesar. The chicken once cut open was juicy and steamy, cooked and taste to perfection.
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| Black Rock Grill / Habanero Chicken |
My father and stepmother both ordered the signature Black Rock 6 ounce sirloins with sides and a house salad, while I ordered the 10 ounces of New York Strip and opted for loaded potato side and a starter of some French onion soup, served in a porcelain cup with melted Swiss cheese on top and was piping hot. The soup itself lacked onions and did not have a good red wine flavor with the beef stock like I had come to expect from a well-prepared onion soup, which was a shame. The steak as advertised on the lava rock cooked in the times mentioned above, though as time went by, the cooking time did increase as the stone lost heat.
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| Black Rock Grill / Sirloin |
Dessert:
We didn’t have dessert on this visit through some of the interest include a brownie served on the lava rock, assorted cookies, apple crisp, cheesecake, and a bread pudding with bourbon caramel sauce.
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:
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is the strength, in the water there are bacteria.” - David Auerbach
United States:
California:
Other noteworthy Steakhouse articles and restaurants similar to Black Rock:
A steakhouse or chophouse is a restaurant that specializes in steaks and chops. Modern steakhouses can also offer other cuts of meat such as roast prime rib, veal, and seafood. Chophouses started in London in the 1690s and served individual portions of meat, known as chops. The steakhouse started in the United States in the late nineteenth century as a development from traditional inns and bars with establishments such as Delmonico's in New York City.
5A5 Steak Lounge Modern Japanese steakhouse with chic design in San Francisco, California
Bascom’s Chophouse A steakhouse that uses organic, hormone-free, and locally grown produce in Clearwater, Florida
Council Oak Steakhouse Upscale eatery with butchery at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa, Florida
Fleming’s Steakhouse High-end steakhouse chain (69+) with aged prime cuts, reviewed in Akron, Ohio
Fogo de Chão An upscale Brazilian chain with 49 locations. Review based in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia
Frevo Restaurant Authentic churrascaria dining at the Fairmont on Palm Island, Dubai, UAE
Grill 225 Top 10 American fine-dining ornate chophouse, Market Pavilion Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina
Halls Chophouse Esteemed old-school steakhouse with gospel brunch in Charleston, South Carolina
Laurent Tourondel / BLT A swanky French-American steakhouse fair with 14 restaurants
Oak Steakhouse High-end elegant steakhouse with sustainable seafood in Charleston, South Carolina
Stonewood Grill and Tavern Stylish chophouse chain with surf ’n’ turf; reviewed in Brandon, Florida
Sunset Terrace A classic outdoor American chophouse at Omni Grove Park Inn, in Asheville, North Carolina
Waterfront Restaurant Steakhouse restaurant on inlet offering Gulf views in Sarasota Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Brandon restaurants, and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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Casual Greek and Mediterranean Dining
Brandon, Florida USA
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Casual curries of North & South with Buffet
Brandon, Florida USA
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Casual Floribbean and American pub chain
Brandon, Florida USA
|
A few Florida restaurant favorites:
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Third-floor terrace seafood-centric New American dining
Bradenton Beach, Florida, USA
|
Old-School Rustic Tuscan
Gulfport, Florida, USA
|
Italian-inspired seafood at the Opal Sands Resort
Clearwater / Beach, Florida USA
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
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 Black Rock 2 out of 5 stars, meaning that they were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants. Some areas of food quality, plate presentation, and selections of alcohol did bring the score down slightly but the higher ambiance and wow factor made up for the lower scores.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Black Rock
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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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11
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11
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0
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Food quality
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11
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5
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6
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Plate presentation
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11
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8
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3
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Customer service
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12
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9
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4
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Alcohol and other beverages
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7
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4
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3
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Total regular points awarded
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52
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37
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15
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.692307692307692
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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2
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0384615384615385
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.730769230769231
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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2
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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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2 of 5 Stars:
73% Rating with a 2 point “wow” bonus
Far above the Average Dining Experience
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Corkage fees:
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Black Rock 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 at Black Rock:
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American, Steakhouse
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Low Carb Choices, Pescatarian, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wear’s 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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Black Rock Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Contemporary, Modern, Trendy, Hotspot, Good for special occasions, Tourist grabber, 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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Black Rock has a private lot
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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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Low
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Smoking:
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Black Rock is a non-smoking restaurant with a non-smoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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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 (pricey)
$£€¥ 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
|
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:
$30.00 USD
Black Rock:
804 Providence Road
Brandon, Florida
33511
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 813-445-4111
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Website Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Daily:
Fri - Sat
11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Sun - Thur
11:00 am - 10:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for
Black Rock:
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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 best experiences are 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…
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Upscale fine dining global cuisine
Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE
|
Eclectic French-Asian Tasting Menu
Sydney, Australia
|
Modern eclectic and Nouvelle Latin cuisine
Woodstock, Cape Town, South Africa
|
Other Black Rock Pictures:
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| Black Rock Grill / Entrance |
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| Black Rock Grill / Caesar Salad |
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| Black Rock Grill / French Onion Soup |
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| Black Rock Grill / House Salad |
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| Black Rock Grill / New York Strip |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
