My new favorite restaurant anywhere in Pinellas County, but especially along the beaches, is Middle Grounds Grills.
A true five-star restaurant needs to be at the top of at least these different categories: food, atmosphere, service and value. MIddle Grounds excels at all. (A quick side note on service: Ask for James.)
This restaurant is what dining is meant to be. It's only flaw, and it's more cosmetic, is that for such an outstanding restaurant, its entrance is underwhelming. It's clearly marked, but you might think that it's the wrong door.
Once inside, though, a quick glance at the bar and surrounding area will provide your first glimpse of the meal to come. Tastefully decorated with dark wood, you begin to realize that this is a restaurant, not just another place along the beach that serves food.
Something that we appreciate are bold Cabernets, especially from Napa Valley. Whoever is responsible for this wine list knows big, bold Cabs, even having a Terra Valentine on the menu. Impressive. (Here's my usual warning. Don't get a glass of wine; get a bottle. It's a better value and chances are that the wine will be remarkedly better than the selections by the glass.)
For dinner, we had the mango nut grouper (macadamias, pistachio and walnuts) and the Atlantic tuna steak. Both were expertly prepared. The tuna steak was served with a mild berry sauce, but with a wild berry sauce on the side. If you don't like heat and spice, stay away from the wild. Our server said two of the more popular dishes are the pork tenderloin and the duck. ("Crispy, yet meaty.")
Both dishes were served with different rices. The grouper with a coconut basmati rice and the tuna with a wild rice. Finally, a kitchen that understands that not all dishes should have the same side dishes. That said, but came with the dreaded vegetable medley so common in too many places. At least the vegetables in this medley still had a nice crunch and retained individual tastes.
For dessert, we split a key lime tower, an inventive dish that was described as alternating layers of key lime and pralines. First, don't get your hopes up. Those weren't pralines, but they were thin, tasty layers of caramalized sugar and contrasted wonderfully with the key lime.
If you're read this far, here's an unadvertised bonus. Go on Wednesday night for their wine night. (You've got to ask the server about it.) Wines are 50 percent off on Wednesday. It's a great time to pick a bottle of something unfamiliar and get it for about the price that you would pay in a retail store. Or, if you already have a favorite, like the previously mentioned Terra Valentine, that bottle will taste even better knowing what a great deal you're getting.
