The
feeling of finding buried treasure is one of the greatest feelings in
the world to me, and I got to experience it Saturday night. After a
long day of sleeping in, playing video games at home and then
catching a local play at the Martin Theater, ( I know, what a day!)
my husband and I were starving. Realizing that we had almost tapped
on every restaurant in the city’s door, we went on an adventure
looking for something new. But, 9:30 at night in downtown Panama
City had me a little wanting, until we drove down Grace Avenue and
came upon a pub called Dado’s. With a little faith, and a neon
glowing open sign, we went through the door and found ourselves in a
European Bistro. My immediate thought was – “Why isn’t
this place packed?” And, I kept waiting for an answer.
Looking
around, I had the feeling of being in a cozy European atmosphere, and
the menu served Czech Republic cuisine, such as (a very good, by the
way) Gulas, and American Cuisine, such as Cheeseburgers and Fries,
Fried Cheese and Philly Steak Sandwiches.
I
was elated to find out that Karaoke was happening, and that I wasn’t
surrounded by a thick cloud of smoke. So basically I got to sit, eat,
drink, be entertained, and participate in the fun in a very comfy
atmosphere where I could breathe – very nice.
After
talking to the owners, Vladimir and Robin, I found out that they have
big plans for the place, since they opened it in March. They bring
in local bands on the weekends, have international dance parties on
Thursdays, and have Karaoke every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday –
and their amount of space allows for all of their dreams. They hope
that people who live in town won’t always have to cross the
bridge to find a fun place to dance and sing and be greatly
entertained.
What
I find really nice about the place, is that you can either go there
to eat or have fun, but if while there you are up for the other –
it is available. There aren’t many places like that in Panama
City who serve food past 10 p.m.
We
went out looking for food, but we ended up having a great night at
Dado’s. We will definitely go back!
Have you eaten at Dado's? Write your own review below!
Sometimes you pass a restaurant and you just know you have to stop in and fill your dome with it's yummy goodness. You aren't sure what draws you, perhaps it's the great branding or the architecture of the building but for whatever reason their is an unmistakable draw.
That is exactly how I felt the first time I saw the large Red Elephant logo on the side of the aptly named Red Elephant Pizza & Grill on 77th across the street from Target. I was hanging out with a bunch of buddies who never have any money when I first saw the sign, so I decided to skip it until a later date. That later date came last Saturday with my lovely wife Leah, and it couldn't have come too soon.
Upon entering the restaurant there is a buzz about the place that is undeniable. Sure, it might be because it was packed to the gills with customers and employees or it might be because the attitude at the Red Elephant is upbeat and energetic. Whatever the reason we felt the excitement as soon as we walked through the doors. Somehow we immediately got a seat even though the place was almost to capacity and we were soon munching on some great eats.
Our Order:
Appetizer: The Kickin Chicken wings, half medium, half honey bar-b-q
Meal: Southwest Chicken Salad (no onions, no tomatoes, dressing on the side) with a pita basket, & the Big Kahuna personal pizza.
Dessert: Reese's Peanut Butter Pie & a homemade Elephant Ear
I have always believed there was a difference between simply eating and a true dinning experience, a meal at the Red Elephant is definitely a dinning experience. The food is fantastic, the staff is top notch and the ambiance is contagious. Throw in a little arcade in the back for the kids and sports bar style LCD televisions all over the place and it makes for a fun family outing.
If you haven't had a breath of fresh air in awhile, hit up the Red Elephant, and send all thank you notes to
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Trigo is one of the newer restaurants downtown and it is quite the
gem. Upon entry you are transported to a European Bistro, where wondrous smells waft info your nostrils like you just stepped foot into heaven. You will then be greeted by one of the many smiling faces that make up the wonderful Trigo staff.
Trigo is open for
breakfast and lunch and the menu consists of fresh, daily baked breads, pastries, several
entrée salads as well as the main lunch entrée which changes daily. The chicken
salad is a must try as well as the Asiago Cheese Bread and the chocolate chip
cookies are amazing. Beverages include;
smoothies and specialty coffee drinks, as well as beer and some of the best sweet tea in the South. Trigo also offers free wi-fi Internet
making it the perfect place for a leisurely breakfast or a business lunch. If
you're going to do lunch try to make it an early one as there is limited
seating and it's usually packed. Also, they only make a certain amount of food
a day and once it's gone it's gone! I must say this is one of my favorite
places in all of the Bay
County area and if you
visit it's sure to become one of yours too.
Been to Trigo? Write your review in the comments section below.
Upon entering Five Guys Burgers, located at Pier Park in
Panama City Beach, you see boxes and boxes of
shelled peanuts. It makes you wonder, why are there peanuts in a burger
joint? That's
just one of the perks of this little establishment. Those peanuts are
free to
all customers and you can grab your own basket or paper bag full.
The
menu at
Five Guys seems limited and it is. If you're looking for a chicken
sandwich,
this isn't the place. But if you want a hand-packed, never frozen,
juicy hamburger; then Five Guys is the place for you. Not to mention
their amazing hand cut fries that you can get regular or Cajun style.
If you're
not in the mood for a hamburger or you want something different for
your little
one, they also have 100% Kosher dogs and grilled cheese.
The only
advice I can
give is that you'd better come hungry because the size of these burgers
and
fries are not for the smallest of stomachs. Even the 'Little' burgers
are good
sized, and I'll let you in on a secret…if you don't order the 'Little'
burger,
you are in for a double stack.
Head on over to: www.fiveguys.com for their complete menu
and a list of their awards.
Description: Chef Imondi’s is
a unique little restaurant located in beautiful Down Town Panama City.
From their New Orleans style beignets and café au lait to their famous
She Crab Soup served in a homemade bread bowl there is definitely
something for everybody.
Atmosphere: With live music
poring out of a vintage piano and a small collection of beautiful art
work this place allows you to relax and unwind even if it’s just for an
hour lunch break.
The Gist: When you think of Down Town
Panama City I bet that somewhere in your mind Chef Imondi’s pops up and
a smile comes across your face. For years it has been the place to go
during the down town lunch rush but what about Saturday morning brunch?
I have been to Chef Imondi’s for lunch at least a hundred times but had
never given the Saturday morning brunch a try. So I decided to give it
a try. As was expected the restaurant was filled with live music as 10
year old Daniel LaMere banged away on a vintage piano.
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Upon entering Five Guys Burgers, located at Pier Park in
Panama City Beach, you see boxes and boxes of
shelled peanuts. It makes you wonder, why are there peanuts in a burger
joint? That's
just one of the perks of this little establishment. Those peanuts are
free to
all customers and you can grab your own basket or paper bag full.
Description: Chef Imondi’s is
a unique little restaurant located in beautiful Down Town Panama City.
From their New Orleans style beignets and café au lait to their famous
She Crab Soup served in a homemade bread bowl there is definitely
something for everybody.
