You know how sometimes you've just gotta go to your favorite restaurant and have the same thing you always have despite the fact that there are plenty of other good things on the menu? It might be the seafood fra diavolo at Gino's or the clam chowder at Mott & Hester, but when the urge hits you, nothing else will do. We asked people around the bay area what dishes they crave, and here's what they told us.

MARGARET MURRAY
Director, 2002 Tampa Bay Gay & Lesbian Film Festival

Lentil cumin pancakes at Grand Finale
(1101 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 727-823-9921)
"You can never find any good vegetarian food around here. Also, it tastes especially good on their $2 Absolut night."

JORAN OPPELT
Singer/guitarist, The Gita
Bread at Acropol Inn

2552 Sunset Point Road, Clearwater, 727-796-2879
and 1170 Starkey Road, Largo, 727-581-9535

"There is a Greek restaurant (one in Clearwater, [another] in Largo) called Acropol Inn. For 10 years now, one of the simple pleasures in my life has been their bread, which is fine on its own, but the trick is to load it up with butter, Stella's homemade dressing and tzatziki sauce — cucumbers and yogurt for the uninitiated."

LANI CZYZEWSKI,
Public Information Officer

Tampa Museum of Art
Sirloin lasagna at The Ravioli Co.
2202 W. Platt St., Tampa,
813-254-2051

"My favorite restaurant really isn't a restaurant anymore; it is more like a carry-out, although you can still eat plein aire on their patio. It's The Ravioli Co. [on Platt Street, just east of Howard Avenue]. Their food is pure art. It is as beautiful to look at as it is wonderful to eat. OK. My favorite. It has to be the sirloin lasagna layered with grilled onions, wild mushrooms and roasted sweet peppers. Yum! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it."

FISHER
Morning Show DJ on 97X
Shrimp fundido at Red Mesa
(4912 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg, 727-527-8728)

"Mmmm, fooood. I love so many things from so many different places that it's hard to pick just one. Shrimp fundido! OK, maybe it wasn't that hard to pick just one. This wondrous dish can be found at the Red Mesa on Fourth Street in St. Pete. I'm not sure of all the ingredients but I'm positive that it contains shrimp and fundido (Mexican for cheese, I assume?)."

DAVID JENKINS
Artistic Director, Jobsite Theater
Yuzan and spider rolls at Ichiban
(2786 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, 813-978-8095)

"Ichiban — Yuzan and Spider rolls with sides of wasabi-mayo and chili sauces. Ichiban is the friendliest and least pretentious sushi place in town and I'm very loyal when treated right. Futomaki (thick-roll) sushi is my favorite, Yuzan has octopus and Spider has tempura soft-shell crab. Typically accompanied with hot green tea, a little sashimi and, er … a pint of Ben & Jerry's that I pick up on the way home. Num-nums."

JO ELLEN SCHILKE
Owner of Globe Coffeehouse & Lounge
Scallops and espresso martini at Grand Finale
(1101 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 7 27-823-9921)

Crab and corn chowder at Ben Thanh
(2880 34th St. N., St. Petersburg, 727-522-6623)
Two-egg breakfast at Munch's
(3920 Sixth St. S., St. Petersburg, 727-896-5972)

"The only thing better than the scallops at Grand Finale is having one of their espresso martinis as an appetizer. The scallops on the menu change, but they are always perfect pillows of flavor, deep and earthy. For solid comfort food, it's the crab and corn chowder and bün [Vietnamese salad] at Ben Thanh, my favorite Vietnamese place. It's filling and light and perfectly seasoned. Or a couple of sunny-side-up eggs, potatoes and biscuits at Munch's. Many a Sunday (and some weekday) morning that platter of home cooking has saved my life."

RHONDA K
Librarian, poet, writer
Carne asado at Estela's
( 209 E. Davis Blvd., Davis Islands, Tampa 813-251-0558)

"Estella's carne asado sports an extra large ribeye steak cooked South of the Border style with an emphasis on lime and thinly sliced onion. I take my favorite carnivore, Oskar the Luv Pug, to split the dinner so I can justify the sinful chocolate tacos."

GREG ROBERSON
Central Pinellas District Manager
Enterprise Rent-a-Car
Jamaican-style chicken at Easy Café
(4831 31st St. N., St. Pete 727-323-5112)

"It's a Jamaican restaurant, and I've got it on the regular lunch rotation. You get this mixture of cabbage, carrots and onions, rice with beans, fried plantains, something called a Johnny cake, all with Jamaican spices. It's good, man."

DAVE HUNDLEY
Co-manager and concert promoter
The State Theatre, St. Petersburg
Veggie Pizza at Fortunato's
(259 Central Ave., St. Pete 727-898-4888)

"The extra-large pizza, well done, with artichokes, tomatoes and double garlic. You can smell it before you open up the box. The security guards at the State, a bunch of meat eaters, thought I was nuts, but they tried it and it was, 'This pizza fuckin' rocks!'"

LAURIE KEEGAN
Co-owner of Urban Ciao
(536 First Ave. N., St. Pete, 727-896-9656)
Hot lamb tapas at Ceviche
(2109 Bayshore Blvd., Tampa 813-250-0203)

"It's comfort food with a homeyness about it. I love tapas. They're fun. This one's got a certain special flavor."

JAY MASTRY
Charter fishing captain
Owner of Mastry's Bar
(233 Central Ave., St. Pete, 727-822-3070)

Pompano en papillote at Pepin
(4125 Fourth St. N., St. Pete 727-821-3773)

"It's the pompano they cook in a parchment bag. If I go to Pepin 10 times, I get it nine. It comes with a creamy white sauce. Ahh, it hurts just thinking about it."

JAN ROBERTS
Chairwoman, International Earth Charter Community Alliance
Smoked salmon appetizer at Mise En Place
(442 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa 813-254-5373)

"I love everything there, but I usually just order off the appetizer menu because their appetizers are so good."

LYNN FRUIT
Project Manager, Bay Systems Inc.
Spinach pizza at Cesare's of New York Pizzeria
(2117 S. Dale Mabry, Tampa 813-254-2141)

"You can delude yourself into thinking it's healthy because it has spinach on it. You can put tomatoes on it, too, which Cesare grows himself."

CRISTINA BENITO
Administrative Resource Teacher
Hillsborough County Schools
Seared tuna medallions at Ciccio & Tony's
(1015 S. Howard Ave., Tampa 813-251-8406)

"They're seared perfectly. It's a high grade of tuna, and you can get a small plate instead of a big meal."

GARY MENKE
House Emcee/Promotions
Improv Comedy Theater
Volcano roll at Samurai Blue
(1600 E. Eighth Ave.,Ybor City 813-242-6688)

"Can't go two weeks without the volcano roll from Samurai Blue. With a sake and some umi."

ROB DOUGLAS
Concert promoter, Jannus Landing
Chili dogs at Coney Island Hotdogs
(250 Martin Luther King Jr. St. N., St. Pete 727-822-4493)

"Two chili dogs, hold the onions, coleslaw, chips and a small Coke. I just walk in and say 'How ya doin'?' and they put it down in front of me. $4.90, I think, and it's nirvana. I get cravings for it. As good as food is, a big part of it is the atmosphere. The old codgers that own the place are always yelling at the waitresses."

BRAD COOPER
Owner of Brad Cooper Gallery
Eggs Florentine at Circles
(2500 W. Azeele St., Tampa 813-879-5228)

"Circles has a great brunch. We get eggs Florentine — two poached eggs on homemade bread with spinach and bacon. We get the bacon extra crispy. And they put a Hollandaise sauce on top."

CHRISTINA INFINGER
Public Relations Assistant
Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
Vegetales a la Parrillaat Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant
(2109 Bayshore Blvd., Tampa, 813-250-0203)

"The little bowl that's made out of potato skins. It's great. And then I just eat whatever anyone else orders."

This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2003.