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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‘Food Paradise’ Drops By Datz [Jalapeno-Bacon-Mac-&-Cheese-Stuffed Meatloaf Gets Its Close-up]

Posted Jul 26, 2012 by Jeff Houck

Updated Jul 26, 2012 at 12:03 PM

Dropped by yesterday afternoon to check out the filming of a “Food Paradise” episode at Datz restaurant in South Tampa.

If you haven’t been to Datz, think of it as Willie Wonka with attention-deficit. Lots of magnificent, fantastical ideas - Carrot Cake Pancakes, anyone? - executed extremely well.

Their signature dish: The jalapeno-bacon-mac-&-cheese-stuffed meatloaf.

Take a gander at that for a moment. (Thx to Barry C.  at Foodspotting for the pic.)

All done? I know. Hard to look away from.

Anyway, the video crew showed up at about 4:30 p.m. yesterday to make some TV magic.

Chef Jason Dame went through the paces of adding all the ingredients. Over and over. And over.

If you’ve ever been to a TV taping, you’re familiar with the glamorous nature of doing the same thing a million times in a row.

Owners Suzanne and Roger Perry told the story of how they were looking for a great meatloaf recipe and found one in Andrew Carmellini‘s most recent book.

Then Datz did what Datz does: They Datzified it by blinging it out with mac & cheese and other goodness.

No word on the air date for the show.  I suggest you DVR “Food Paradise” from now until eternity. Just to be safe.

Here is a gallery of photos I shot yesterday at the taping: