Fresco’s Bakery and Bistro: Just Plain Good Dining

Location

132 S Kentucky Ave

Lakeland, FL, 33801

When I find a restaurant I like I want everyone to like it too. Fresco's Bakery and Bistro serves a great breakfast in Lakeland Florida (the 863). You are made to feel at home in this restaurant that serves a genuine home-style spirit.
The menu has a lot of great selections that are unique to Fresco's. I had the Denver Omelet served with potatoes and wheat toast. The wheat toast was according to Tim Calhoon (the husband of Tina the owner) from the local Saturday Market. I also think they used Boar's Head Virginia Ham.  The green peppers, mushrooms and onions were perfectly sautéed before they were added to the omelet. The crescendo was the perfect blend of cheeses melted just right on top.  The Denver Omelet was mouth watering, yummy.

My wife had the Key West Benedict (poached eggs with crab cakes topped with Hollandaise Sauce). The Hollandaise sauce is made from scratch, the flavors were very delicate. The dish was perfectly rich.

They serve good coffee, and they serve it in unique cups for every patron.

And it's not just me and my wife Jessica raving about Fresco's, people's comments on Facebook include:

I just had a piece of the red velvet cake you did for our office today and it was sooooooo good!

I wish I was there...I love that soup and the meatloaf!

I'm sooooo there today!!!!!

Families are welcome in this place. And the restaurant holds parties for kids. The restaurant is handicapped accessible; a man in a motorized wheel chair had no problem getting to the back of the restaurant.

I am glad that they are embracing the community in their display of Lakeland Artists.

The prices are affordable. Breakfast prices range from $4.50 to $9.95.

Lunch prices range from $3.95 to $7.95

Fresco's Serves Up Home 

Check it out this week and let me know if I am correct to make it one of my favorite new restaurants in the 863. Rating: Clucking Real Loud

Boars Head Mozzarella and Peach Dessert (Improvised from a KCRW Los Angeles idea)

Peach and Mozerella Salad

3 large peaches

1 pound Boars Head Mozerella Cheese (can get at Publix, and other grocery stores that carry Boars Head Products(Eg Kroger) 

Several sprigs of Italian basil

A good salad salt, such as Maldon Sea Salt (To Taste)  

Freshly ground black pepper

Roasted salted Emerald Almonds, optional

_____Directions______

Start Grill and set to medium heat.   Allow Grill to heat up for at least 10 minutes.

Cut peaches into 1/8 inch slices.   (The Cut should be thick to stand up to the heat on the grill).  

Place peaches on heated grill. In cast Iron Pan.  Place cheese slice on grill.  

Sprinkle Brown sugar, and Sea Salt  on top of Peaches and Mozzarella.  

Allow cheese to caramelize (Cheese should coming to beautiful auburn brown color.) 

Place carefully onto a plate.   Tear basil and scatter over Mozzarella.  

Top with nuts, if desired. 

Can be served with Ben and Jerry's Creme Brulee Ice cream.  

Makes 6 servings.

Publix would love to slice you a sample of  Boar's Head Mozzarella, 

and Ben and Jerry's Ice cream is BOGO,  be sure to stop buy and get some.... its ohhhhh so good.


Link to Poem: Friend

Although I work for Publix and Boars Head Indirectly this is not a sponsored endorsement of any products mentioned in the review.  I also was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Neither Boars' Head nor Publix have asked me to write this recipe. Nor am I being compensated for my remarks, now or in the future. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 [...] : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Kareuac on Food and San Francisco

San Francisco is a food hunter’s paradise; even the United Wing of the San Francisco Airport has a plethora of delights.    Jessica (my wife) and I had so many choices for lunch, there was Clam Chowder in San Francisco Sour Dough Bread Bowls, Japanese Bento lunches, mission style burritos, good micro-brews, and probably a lot more; I was unable to see it all because my senses were overwhelmed.    

Jack Kerouac wrote of the bounty of food in San Francisco:

From on the Road by Jack Kerouac (Part Two - Chapter Ten)

In the window I smelled all the food of San Francisco.   There were seafood places out there where the buns were hot, and the baskets were good enough to eat too; where the menus themselves were soft with foody esculence as though dipped in hot broths roasted dry and good enough to eat too.  Just show me the bluefish spangle on a seafood menu, and I'd eat it; let me smell the butter and lobster claws.  There were places where hamburgers sizzled on grills and the coffee was only a nickel.  And oh, that pan fried chow mein flavored air that blew into my room from Chinatown, vying with the spaghetti sauces of North Beach, the soft-shell crab of Fisherman's Wharf- nay, the ribs of Fillmore turning on spits! Throw in the Market street chili beans, red-hot, and french-fried potatoes of the Embarcadero wino night, and steamed clams from Sausalito across the bay, and that's ah-dream of San Francisco.  Add fog, hunger making, raw fog, and the throb of neons in the soft night, the clack of high heeled beauties, white doves in a Chinese grocery window.