Dunedin bars and restaurants are the perfect excuse to turn a day trip to Honeymoon Island into a date night, and this seaside spot just down the street from amazing Aperol spritzes at Bon Appétit has a menu item to quench the ultimate thirst… for meat. Olde Bay Café’s “Jumbo Hot Dog” arrives as advertised: all kinds of thick, with its slight curve smiling at you like some kind of bulging gift from the processed meat gods. At just $5 and change, you can splurge by adding bacon, cheese or slaw for a buck each. 51 Main St., Dunedin. 727-733-2542, oldebaycafe.com. —Ray Roa
Eastern minimalist Asian desserts are usually too simple and underwhelming for a Western culinary sensibility. Happily, Pin Wok & Bowl’s choice to combine Banana Coins with coconut ice cream is an inspired mashup. Slices of banana are wrapped in little phyllo packets, fried till crisp and golden, then drizzled with honey and topped with a light sprinkle of white-and-black sesame seeds. House-made coconut ice cream is creamily scrumptious, drizzled with lightly caramelized condensed milk and paired with some fresh whipped cream. I urge you to try them together as we did by serendipity. It’s a match made in heaven, or at least downtown St. Pete’s version of Bangkok. 445 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-575-7167. —Jon Palmer Claridge
Thuy Le’s kitchen produces nuanced plates are often revelatory, and same goes for the edamame appetizer. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had plenty of these soybean pods over the years — and they’re mostly the same: steamed, sprinkled with salt and pleasant, yet notmemorable. Asie’s version knocks me on my ass. They’re simply superlative. The spicy pods are slightly charred and in a viscous soy-garlic sauce that’s as surprising as it is delicious. As if that weren’t enough, they’re garnished with tiny bits of crispy pork belly. Don’t miss ’em. 437 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-898-4300, asiepanasian.com. —JPC