Jeff Houck

The Tampa Tribune’s food writer since 2005, Jeff Houck covers the way people live through their food. He also hosts the Table Conversations food podcast and believes that everything crunchy is good.

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• Mouth Safari: The Stein & Vine Brings Great Eats, Outstanding Drinks To Valrico
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Crab Fries, Squid-Ink Pasta, Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies [This Week’s Weekend Eats]

Posted Jun 26, 2012 by Jeff Houck

Updated Jun 26, 2012 at 01:40 PM

Let’s face it: it was a weird weekend. At least it was in Florida, where Mother Nature decided to do her laundry via Tropical Storm Debby.

My goodness, what a drubbing.

Which explains this Weekend Eats submission by Tampa meteorologist Megan Hatton:

@MEGANHATTON - A Luna Bar. One. While covering severe weather.

When a fitness bar is your best eats of the weekend, you know it’s been stressful.

Still, many hearty souls pushed through their rain tolerance to enjoy great meals.

Like Twitter friend Lauren C., who goes by @LCTampa on Twitter. She enjoyed the dish pictured above: Scallops in gumbo and creamy polenta off the tasting menu this past Saturday at SideBern’s in Tampa.

All together now: DANNNGGGGGGG!

How delicious does her dish look? Delicious enough to keep me from giving myself the prize this week.

I mean, LOOK at this little bit of perfection:

That there is the Japa Dog and a Bahn Mi Dog from Tako Cheena in Orlando. Full of crunch and great freshness, it’s matched only by the sweet Asian sausage used as the dog on the bun.

My goodness. I want to weep kewpie mayonnaise tears just thinking of them.

Alas, though, Lauren takes this week’s top prize:

A copy of “Susan Feniger’s Street Food: Irresistibly Crispy, Creamy, Crunchy, Spicy, Sticky, Sweet Recipes.”

Might I suggest making the Korean glazed short ribs with sesame and Asian pear?

As usual, the competition was stiff this week.

Here’s this week’s Gallery of Noms:

Be sure to check out the Weekend Eats Hall of Fame on Pinterest.