An Authentic British Colonial Tavern
Downtown, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
Cuisine Style: British, Indian
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 3/5
Dined: June 2019
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:
The Moon Under Water Zomato rating:
The Moon Under Water Executive Chef:
Michael Crippin
Originally from Manchester, England; Educated at Leigh Culinary College where he received his diploma & cooking qualifications from City & Guilds of London. He has worked in England, Spain, the Channel Islands, and the Canary Islands.
The Moon Under Water on Beach Drive next to the 3-star Birchwood hotel and across from the North Straub Park and views of the Tampa Bay in downtown St. Petersburg. They have been serving British inspired colonial foods and drinks in an authentic pub atmosphere since 1997. Owners Alan and Suzanne Lucas originally moved to St. Petersburg from Wales to open a bed and breakfast then expanded from there. They were one of the first restaurants on Beach Drive to open and now facing over thirty competitors, they still hold strong with locals and tourists alike.
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| The Moon Under Water / Awards |
The name came from a glass-bottomed pewter ale mug that was created in the 18th century as a countermeasure to dubious recruiting methods by the British Army. An army recruiter would drop a Queen's shilling into a mug without the drunk patron realizing it, and once that drunk person took a sip, he had accepted the shilling as payment and was automatically drafted into service. So the mug was made so that a person drinking ale could hold it up and look underneath before taking a drink to see if a shilling had been dropped in before taking a sip. The sight of the Queen's shilling under the froth of the ale above it was likened to that of "The Moon Under Water,” hence the name.
The Moon Under Water Menu:
- Starters
- Salads
- Sandwiches & Burgers
- Curries
- British Specialties
- Sides
- Desserts
The Moon Under Water offers a full bar with 17 draft beers, with pub style tables and booths or an outdoor covered verandah or large outdoor patio with views of the downtown waterfront. Valet parking is offered free of charge minus gratuities, and most other restaurants on that block offer the same deal.
Starters include a variety of British and Indian favorites from baked brie, curry and fries, coronation chicken salad, chana masala, sausage rolls, and a local Floribbean favorite of smoked fish spread. The lunch and dinner sandwich + burger selections cater to the British and Floribbean side of the culinary world as beef is rarely eaten in many parts of India for religious purposes. The selections feed to the British and Irish side with a banger sandwich or Guinness burger, then please the local crowds with a Cuban plus a vegan burger.
The Colonial side of the menu is more than just a sampling but is now become part of the melting pot that is greater British cuisine. Just as the United States is a melting pot of foods from all the French, Italian and many other colonials we have not forgotten our true roots in the traditional foods from the plains and native American Indians. Just as Great Britain has never forgotten its traditional dishes and heritage, it has also taken in foods from other cultures and they have become part of the greater melting pot. This includes to a greater extent the country of India which Britain did have a vested intrust in through the East India Company since the early 1600s, and obtained as a full colony after defeating the French in 1757 at the Battle of Plassey during the Seven Years War. Most restaurants in England will be hard-pressed to not find one or two curry dishes on the menu, just as certain areas in India, especially around Calcutta, have British influences in their food, like Goa down in the Southwest has Portuguese influence in the food.
Nothing screams British food more than a traditional fish and chips made with a 10-ounce beer-battered Icelandic cold-water cod that is deep-fried to a golden brown and served with fries plus a choice of peas or coleslaw which my wife had when we dined. The fish was flaky and mild tasting, plus the batter did not overtake the flavors of the fish which some fish and chips places are guilty of doing. The beer flavors came through slightly, but overall the dishes texture was very pleasurable. They also offer other traditional British dishes such as pasty, bangers and mash, English shepherd’s pie, and the classic chicken pot pie.
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| The Moon Under Water / Fish and Chips |
Though curry in some form or another dates back to 2600 BCE, British manufacturers began developing curry powders in an attempt to provide a ready-made spice mixture equivalent to the Kari podi “powder” that British colonists became accustomed to in southern India. Essential to the fiery cooking of southern India nicknamed “Hyderbadi Hot,” sambar podi is the combination of spices that evolved into modern-day British-style curry powder. The British and the French both made these spice combinations and introduced them to other colonies all over the world wherein turn it was adapted to the melting pot of those countries cuisines. These curry powders include Thai, Japanese curry, and African curry blends.
The curry selections on the menu at The Moon Under Water have a star rating to indicate spice level from one * to four **** with six selections to choose from. The Moon Under Water curries also has won awards from The Best of Tampa Bay and other accolades. Each curry gets a traditional set-up that includes marinated sliced onions, mango chutney, and cucumber-yogurt raita. The dishes also come with some basmati rice, papadums plus a choice of a protein served mild, medium, or hot. The protein selection consists of either a chicken breast, beef tenderloin tips, shrimp (10 Count), and a vegetable or vegan tofu. A papadum is a thin, crisp, disc-shaped food typically based on a seasoned dough made from peeled black gram flour, that is either fried or cooked with dry heat. They can also be made using lentils, chickpeas, rice, tapioca, and certain millets or potato. For an extra cost, you can order plain or garlic naan bread or extra basmati rice.
My stepmother had the moon signature Indian curry with a 2** heat index blended with a tomato and onion base with a secret blend of 32 spices. Like most aromatic and flavorful curries it is all about the proper balance of spices, and a true expert can catch the flavor profiles from all of them. Though I have been in the food industry for 20+ years, I admit that I am nowhere close to doing that, but it does not stop me from enjoying a good curry. Some of these spices will most likely include coriander, garlic, ginger, nutmeg, turmeric, cinnamon, chili or cayenne peppers, ghost pepper, cloves, besan, mustard, garam masala, curry leaves, cumin, fenugreek, amchur, asafetida, and cardamom. The precise selection of spices for each dish is a matter of national or regional cultural tradition, religious practice, and, to some extent, family preference.
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| The Moon Under Water / Signature Curry ** |
My father had the tikka masala with a 1* heat index and is the restaurants signature curry base with rich creamy red tandoori spices, while I had the chili tikka masala*** a tikka masala sauce blended with onion and Indian chilies that earned its 3* heat index rating and had me consuming extra naan with raita. Thank god I didn’t order the hottest item on the menu, (though I was tempted) the vindaloo**** a very spicy sauce with brandy, vinegar, cardamom, and topped with a hardboiled egg. Other curries include an Indian chili** signature curry base with a blend of fresh cilantro and green chilies and the Malay** a Malaysian aromatic coconut curry finished with potatoes.
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| The Moon Under Water / Chili Tikka Masala *** |
The happy hour menu consists of 1/2 off Miller Lite, Yuengling and Shock Top beers, House Wines and Well Drinks, plus $1 off all other drafts and discounted appetizers and sandwiches from the main menu.
Dessert:
We did not have dessert during this visit, but some items of interest included a homemade cobbler, a pineapple upside-down cake, and a local Key Lime pie dessert. Also, check out some of these wonderful selections from Wine Dine and Play:
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
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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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Izakaya Japanese restaurant focusing on ramen bowls
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2nd Review with a casual lunch
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
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Family Diner steeped in History
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
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A few Florida restaurant favorites:
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Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Seafood
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Waterfront upscale new American cuisine
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The “Last Local Beach Club”
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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 ambience, 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 The Moon Under Water a 3 out of 5 stars, meaning that they exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for The Moon Under Water
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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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Ambience
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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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10
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1
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Plate presentation
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10
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9
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1
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Customer service
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13
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9
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3
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Alcohol and other beverages
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9
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7
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2
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Total regular points awarded
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54
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46
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7
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.851851851851852
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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0
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.851851851851852
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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3
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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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3 of 5 Stars:
85% Rating with a 0 point “wow” bonus
Exceeded My Expectations in a Dining Experience
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Corkage fees:
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The Moon Under Water 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 The Moon Under Water:
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British, Indian
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Gluten-free choices, Low Carb Choices, Pescatarian, Vegetarian and Vegan 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 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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The Moon Under Water Experiences:
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A place for foodies, Contemporary, Modern, Good for special occasions, Rustic, Intimate, Classy, Upscale, 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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The Moon Under Water has a valet or street meter parking
Validated parking with dining receipt and restaurant stamp
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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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The Moon Under Water 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:
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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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The Moon Under Water:
332 Beach Drive NE
St. Petersburg, Florida
33701, USA
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 (727) 896-6160
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Online reservations
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Website Contact:
Email Us:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Lunch: Mon-Sun
11:00 am - 4:15 pm
Dinner: Sun - Thur
4:15 pm - 10:00 pm
Fri - Sat
4:15 pm - 11:00 pm
Happy Hour: Mon - Fri
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for The Moon Under Water:
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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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Highly creative new American molecular gastronomy tasting menus
Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Contemporary-Authentic Mexican Cuisine
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
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A Re:Start business at “Little High Eatery”
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Other The Moon Under Water Pictures:
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| The Moon Under Water / Tavern |
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| The Moon Under Water / Tikka masala * |
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| The Moon Under Water / Specials |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
