Safety Harbor Restaurants Impress Times Critic

Two of Safety Harbor's newer restaurants have received a solid tandem review  from Tampa Bay Times restaurant critic Laura Reiley.

Under the headline "Southern Fresh, Nantucket Bucket good fits for Safety Harbor," Reiley's article lauds both places for casual dining and tasty, distinctive foods. Both places are themed by their regional cooking.

Southern Fresh offers classic Southern food, and Nantucket Bucket serves New England seafood.

Southern Fresh opened last fall in a bungalow, at 122 3rd Ave. N. Reiley praises Southern Fresh for two dishes in particular. Both qualify as Southern comfort food.

Here's what Reiley had to say about the BLT soup: "A BLT soup ($3.50) made me reconsider getting so moony-eyed about tomato bisque. A vegetable broth cradles soft hunks of simmered plum tomato, with garlic, shallot and bacon making their presence known."

She gushed over the fried chicken ($11), too, for the tender, moist meat and crunchy coating.

Reiley was positive about Nantucket Bucket, also located in a bungalow, at 519 2nd St. S. Nantucket Bucket also opened last fall and seems filled with regulars.

Reiley especially enjoyed the seafood "buckets." Reiley ordered a seafood bucket with smoked sausage, shrimp, mussels and plenty of vegetables. The dishes are like a New England clambake in a bucket.

She also tried the Maine lobster, which made her wistful for the New England coastline. She tasted the fried clams (cooked New England-style, complete with soft underbellies) and  the lobster corn chowder.

Reiley praised Nantucket Bucket for "aiming high" with its menu and
filling a niche that had previously been ignored in the area.

For Reiley's complete review, see "Southern Fresh, Nantucket Bucket good fits for Safety Harbor."

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