After a night out in Downtown St. Pete, my significant other, Mr. Doom, and I were starving for something substantial. We decided to test out The Kitchen’s downtown delivery service. Barely a month has passed since the restaurant in the Jannus Live complex received a two-star review from Tampa Bay Times food critic Laura Reiley. Still, we wanted to give the new service a shot.
The Kitchen, located at 200 First Ave. N, delivers within a 10-mile radius of the restaurant for a $10 charge. I called in our order around 11:15 p.m. on a Thursday night, less than an hour before delivery stops. Takeout or delivery is available Sunday-Wednesday from 5-10 p.m. and Thursday-Saturday from 5 p.m.-12 a.m.
We ordered a cross-section of items from each part of the menu, plus a few late-night musts. The food arrived about 30 minutes later. The deliveryman was very friendly, but confessed that few people have as yet started using the service.
Any late-night-touting downtown delivery needs to make a solid burger and fries. The char-grilled beef burger on a toasted brioche bun missed the mark just barely. We added Gruyere cheese for a 50-cent surcharge, bringing the total cost of the burger to $11. The meat was tasty, but a little on the dry side. Best to specify if you want anything on that burger besides meat and cheese; ours came sans condiments — not even a foil packet of ketchup for the fries. Still, the burger at the Kitchen is better than a Big Mac.
An order of wings (served naked with mild sauce on the side, $12) was cooked perfectly, the wings really juicy, the sauce tangy with a touch of vinegar and heat.
Mr. Doom loves roast chicken, so we had to order the Togarachi roasted chicken with red bliss mash, roasted vegetables, and tarragon jus. The skin of the chicken was burnt, yet not crispy — neat trick. Still, the meat was tender and juicy, even if the flavors were unremarkable. The mashed potatoes had gone beyond mashed to mushy, but they weren’t inedible. The sautéed greens were the best part of the meal, just al dente enough. For $17.95, this dish was a bit overpriced for the quality and serving size.
Next up, sushi. The Kitchen’s open-window sushi kitchen is one of its main draws. Sugar & Spice is a salmon and cream cheese roll, fried in coconut and kina pineapple sauce, for $6.90. The roll didn’t survive the drive very well; it looked like a sad, soggy little sushi reject by the time we got to it. The flavors didn’t mesh well; the combination was just too sweet. Worse, everything tasted stale.
The classic Caesar salad with salmon was a home run. The romaine lettuce was fresh and crisp, dressing was light, and the croutons were homemade. The salmon was crispy, juicy and savory all at once. The salad was $7.50 and the salmon was an additional $4.50.
The beer, wine, and liquor selection is extensive. Vodka, rum, whiskey, and mixers are all available for delivery. Want a six-pack of Cigar City Jai Alai delivered? Just $10. The Kitchen even delivers cigarettes, everything from American Spirits to Djarums for a relatively small upcharge.
The Kitchen’s food needs some direction and focus. But it’s a heck of a lot better than fast food and doesn’t involve leaving the house. And who else is offering late-night delivery of full entrees and alcohol?
Ordering delivery from The Kitchen is a relatively luxurious alternative to a late-night run to the gas station. The experience is not unlike ordering room service at a hotel — except that, in this case, the hotel room is your living room.
This article appears in Jul 5-11, 2012.