So Florida is emerging as the golfing capital of the United States (in your face California!) and yet I have not golfed a single game in my life. The opportunity arrived when a recommended restaurant actually is located inside a country club in the extremely tiny San Antonio; Fl. Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club has been open for only a couple years, but boasts an award-winning chef as well as a great professional golf course. Located in the outskirts of the Tampa Bay area, San Antonio boasts a minimal population of just over 900 in an area that has less than 300 homes. If this does not describe a trip into the severely unknown, I don’t know what will.
And boy oh boy was it a trip. City slickers, if you want to see a very rural side of Florida, then take a trip through the edges of Lakeland and Zephyrhills. I have never seen so much open land in my life. The pathway contained hills, curves, and hidden streets (oh my). Right outside I-75 I find the place. The country club is absolutely massive. There are dozens upon dozens of houses wrapping around and within the golf course. At the end of the long roadway inviting you into the property is the main building. Inside, not a lot of people. Then again, with less than 1,000 living in the area, it did not surprise me much.
The restaurant area was even emptier, with just one table with customers and everyone else being workers of the country club. The entire business has gone through a change in management, so the bartender didn’t even know what was in the menu. They changed the website (not working as of today), and fixed up the entire menu. It was me and my two brothers on this trip. Christian orders the chicken strips with fries, which is an appetizer. Michael orders the Fire Pit Bacon Burger, which is a cheeseburger with chipotle sauce, pepper jack cheese, and multiple strips of bacon. I order an item that survived the management switch, which is the Belly Buster Fish Sandwich. This monstrosity is the restaurants’ most popular item: a massive beer-battered Pollock with the usual veggies and tartar sauce.
Interesting tidbit about the restaurant: they claim they have an award-winning chef, yet never revealed the name. Now I say this because: they should. The chicken strips had a very interesting texture. It was fried, but tasted different from your norm. It’s not my favorite batter, but the meat was white and fresh. Michael however fell in love with the burger. His Fire Pit wasn’t as powerfully spicy as the name may suggest, but the burger was juicy, the bacon was thick and crispy, and the sauce took the Fire Pit to a new level of quality. Michael boasts that it’s his favorite burger since…Le Tub (If you are a frequent reader, just accept the fact that Le Tub will be referenced time and time again). In my opinion, it’s definitely one of the better Floridian burgers. Pre-P.S.: We accidentally ordered the hot dog. Also good stuff, some of the best outside the ballpark.
And then there is the Belly Buster Fish Sandwich. I must say, it is the biggest fish sandwich I have ever seen. And this is where the beauty of my blog comes in: sometimes the best and most interesting food can come from the most random of sources. So unless I had the pictures, it would be hard for me to prove that a golf country club full of happy retirees located in an extremely small town contains the biggest fish sandwich I’ve ever eaten, and is easily quite possibly the best. My only gripe was the presentation; in which it looked incomplete. Both buns were underneath the fish, the tartar sauce is inside a small container, and the veggies usually are on the side. It did not look like a sandwich. However after you put it all together, the results are beautiful.
This sandwich is chock full of flavor, from the tartar sauce to the Pollock. The Pollock itself was the main event, as it was plentiful, thick, very hot, and full of fresh flavor. The fish that closest resembles the awesomeness that is Pollock (not a popular fish in terms of eating) is cod—which is the fish usually used for the popular fish n’ chips meal. But unlike your average fish n’ chips, there was much more meat than batter with the Belly Buster. And boy was it good. When that website is up and running again, you better name your chef, because he (or she) carved one of the better sandwiches I’ve ever tasted—once you get past the presentation.
Bottom Line: Sometimes great food comes from unexpected places. A country club located in rural Florida has proven this; by providing some amazing, amazing food. The menu is very diverse (They have a quesadilla with cheeseburger ingredients), so I am sure there’s more great food outside what we had. The environment was nice, the service was very friendly, and the food was quite a delightful surprise. If you are an avid golfer, or just happen to be in the area, you must give this place a shot. The atmosphere, food, ambiance, and entire experience was very nice with the exception of one thing:
My golf score. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone scoring a +90 after 8 holes.
Final Verdict: Recommend
Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club
10641 Old Tampa Bay Drive
San Antonio, FL 33576
P.S. I was not aware that in the golf world, they carry a strict dress code. Apparently collared shirts and shorts are a requirement, not a fashion choice amongst the golfers. I drove two hours to this place unaware of the dress code. So I would like to thank Tim Baker for providing me with a discounted shirt and also helping me out with solving the issue. Thanks solely to him, I was able to golf despite not being “dressed for the occasion.”
P.P.S. One of the streets in the neighborhood is called "Caddyshack Lane." I love the movie reference.
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