Tampa - anywhere to buy gator tail?
- Thread starter mjpwooo
- Start date
I think all of the hookers still walk up and down Nebraska ave, watch out though, they're all on meth!
In the Bay yes, I'm pretty sure IC Sharks always carries Gator and it's located just off the Gandy bridge. I bought some royal red shrimp, grouper cheeks and oysters about a month ago there for a weekend camping trip and they definitely had Gator then. Other than that I can't tell you as even though I'm in the Tampa Bay Area at least once a month and frequently more, I usually only eat out when down there. But yeah, if you can't find it anywhere else give IC Sharks a call. But I'm sure there are plenty of places that carry Gator as even in Tally there's at least four places that frequently if not always carry it. Basically check the seafood and Asian markets one or more will have it, Gator's not that rare. Meanwhile I haven't seen rock shrimp or royal reds anywhere in Tally and shovel nose/slipper lobsters are tough to find even in panhandle seaside seafood markets.
A quick Google search says this place carries Gator usually, but I've never been there and know nothing about it. At least at IC Sharks you'll get SOME great seafood even if they're out of Gator. I'd call both before traveling though (and if they don't have it, call around to the seafood, Asian and hippie markets in the area). In Tally you can always find it at Lynn's, Southern Seafood and New Leaf and frequently at Earth Fare.
http://rickscustommeats.com
I make a mean gator maque choux with it usually.
http://rickscustommeats.com
I make a mean gator maque choux with it usually.
Not to put you on the spot, but frozen gator from LA is easy to find. You talking about fresh gator, from Florida preferably?
Also, as the OP mentioned, ostrich, and bison, or Emu, and wild boar?
Also, as the OP mentioned, ostrich, and bison, or Emu, and wild boar?
No just the frozen tail meat usually. But that's how they sell it at Don's in Scott LA so I'm fine with it. Just thaw it out and pound it out. Gator's a relatively bland meat anyways that just takes on the flavor of your sauce/dish anyways unless it's leg meat and they don't usually sell leg meat outside of LA.
There used to be an exotic meat place in Plant City that started as a sideshop from some Gator hunters but it closed last year.
As far as ostrich I never bought it in Tampa but New Leaf used to sell it both ground and in sirloin steaks until about a year or two ago when they trimmed their stocklist tremendously. I used to cook with ostrich all the time as it was much lower in fat and calories than even lean beef and yet tasted pretty good...basically just a bland beef. I used to eat it almost every other week or so in place of ground beef as you DO notice the lack of flavor and fat in burgers, but you don't miss it at all in skyline or boilermaker Chili, lasagna, sloppy joe, shepherds pie, bolognese sauce, picadillo, pastitsio etc... And it saves a ton of calories over ground beef.
I've used this website in the past and always gotten great product albeit pretty expensive.
http://www.exoticmeatmarkets.com/
I've gotten kangaroo (my favorite exotic meat by far, like beef or bison but richer in flavor and slightly sweet), yak, zebra, gemsbok and nigali antelope from them and it's all been good quality (only the Yak was a little tough and clearly from an older animal but people at my party devoured it so fast my wife didn't even get to try it).
You can try this place in Tampa but I'd call ahead. The one time I went there because they advertised kangaroo they didn't have it.
http://foodtownmeat.com/meat-cuts
http://foodtownmeat.com/meat-cuts
Here's a web page from the Florida Dept of Agriculture that lists licensed alligator trappers & product suppliers; it is coded with what items they sell (meat, hide, etc) & includes contact info.
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Div...ources/Florida-Alligator-Meat-Skins-and-Hides
As for the other exotic meats, I'm not sure. That place Tribe mentioned in Plant City was nice & had a great selection, but they closed a few months ago.
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Div...ources/Florida-Alligator-Meat-Skins-and-Hides
As for the other exotic meats, I'm not sure. That place Tribe mentioned in Plant City was nice & had a great selection, but they closed a few months ago.
Gator's Dockside (on Fowler) has gator tail on the menu. Plenty of other tail wondering around at happy hour too.
Reminds me of the fare available at Buckhead Brewery in Tallahassee during my time at FSU. Loved that place. Just read that a new restaurant opened last year in that same space after sitting vacant for over a decade. "Wilderness Cabin"; any good?
