Any contemporary food writer worth their seasoned salt knows the trendy thing to do is give shout-outs to the people, places, or things that made the year enjoyable or otherwise. My reminiscences of 2007 involve places privately owned as well as chains, and I hereby bestow the happier memories with Above The Fruited Plain’s stamp of approval called “The Fruities:”

Without further ado, the Fruities of 2007 go to:

Hook’s Sushi, St. Petersburg, where, on my birthday lunch, I had the most amazing laab gai and the freshest, tastiest spicy tuna sushi ever.

Limey’s Pub, St. Petersburg, for dishing out the most authentic fish and chips this side of Shaftesbury Avenue. I’ve been in real UK ‘chippies,’ and Limey’s is closest to the real deal that I have encountered locally. Props too, for having malt vinegar at the ready and Bass ale on tap.

Ratchada, St. Petersburg, and their ever-consistent and generous $6.95 Thai/Japanese/Chinese lunch special. A smart move on their part to rotate the soup of the day - every day.

Dairy Inn, St Petersburg, who, after all these years, still offers crunchy, hot tater tots, decadent shakes, and cheap hot dogs for those yearning for a nostalgic taste of simpler times.

Panera Bread, for their distinguished chicken Caesar salad, reminiscent of long-ago luncheons in department store tearooms.

Hiro’s Sushi Express Miami Beach, who tout ‘the best sushi in Miami.’ They aren’t far wrong.

Sweetbay Supermarkets, who have introduced Indian naan bread to the masses.

Playa Cafe, on Washington Avenue, South Beach, where $5 gets you a simple Cuban breakfast of cortaditos, empanadas, and guava pastelitos, and, if you desire, authentic, tasty Cuban sandwiches, available 24 hours a day.

Mazzaro’s Market, St. Petersburg. They say you can’t live by bread alone, but lock me in a dark closet with Mazzaro’s freshly-baked breads and rolls, coffee soda, ready-to-roll pizza dough, and awesome Italian rope sausage and I’d get along quite nicely, thank you.

Vitelli Foods, for producing rich, lush tomato products ("from the fields of Italy") unlike anything else found on supermarket shelves.

I’d like to wish readers a happy 2008 - and remember, eating well really is the best revenge!