Sweetbay supermarkets

[u565425]

Hello fellow New Englanders - I was in Sweetbay in Largo, Fl yesterday and found New England Hot Dog rolls in the "fresh Baked section" ..........needless to say out of the 3 packages they had left, I grabbed two of them............bakery says they will continue to make if people buy.........so letting you know they are THERE.........ask for them and thety will continue to make .............finally after 20 years of begging friends to ship...........

[INDIANRIVERFL]

Try Mainely Lobster in Cocoa Beach. Their lobsters have always been fresh and usually priced far better than Publix.

[Veggo]

I hope Rosie knows about this at her Clam Shack in Pinellas Park, for her New England lobster rolls. She has been air-freighting the rolls from Boston, along with the lobsters. Now if only we could buy a Maine lobster in Florida at a fair price....

[RibDog]

What do you consider a fair price for lobster?

[Veggo]

An Albertsons in Bradenton (now closed) had them on sale a few years ago for $6.99 a pound and I loaded up. I won't pay the $14 or so that Publix asks, but I would pay $9 or so on a somewhat regular basis in hard shell seasons. You?

[RibDog]

While it is not open to the general public, I know Restaurant Depot in Tampa has Maine lobsters this month for $5.99/lb.

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Restaurant Depot
810 N 50th St, Tampa, FL 33619

[Veggo]

Nice. It should enable some restaurants to offer lobster specials at an attractive price.

[joan]

RibDog, wow, we go there at least once a month, I've never see live lobsters there. You must be referring to the frozen cooked whole, yes?

[CFishman]

If I am remembering correctly, Sanwa, which is open to the public, also had them for $5.99 last weekend (live).

[RibDog]

Nope. They are supposed to have a fresh fish counter now with live lobsters. It is in their October sale circular.

[Veggo]

RibDog! You should be all over that like flies on...on... OK, on honey.

[RibDog]

Veggo, please don't think any less of me but I can either take or leave lobster. I am more of a crab(King, Dungeness, Stone, etc.) lover myself.

[Veggo]

Of course not - hey, just 4 more days 'til stone crab season, and I'll be back in Florida next month to get my fill!

[joan]

Wow! Thanks for the info, both RibDog and CFishman. Now I have a reason to visit the Sanwa market too.

[CFishman]

Joan, I know you are coming a long way so do double check on the Sanwa lobster prices. It was my first trip there and I was a bit dizzy from all the possibilities. I would bet that I got it right, but I don't want to put you to any trouble.

[joan]

I still think it's worth a trip. What else did you see/buy that was good there? I had never heard of this market before you posted.

[CFishman]

Joan, I have never been to a Restaurant Depot, but I imagine that Sanwa is quite similar (but with a more ethnic emphasis). The thing I was most excited about purchasing was 2lb bags of Spanish Sardines for $5 a piece. They had huge uncut slabs of steak that I definitely plan on going back for. It's a fun place. I am sure you will like it. If you plan your trip right, you can have dim sum across the street at the new Yummy House.

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Yummy House
2202 W Waters Ave Ste 1A, Tampa, FL 33604

Restaurant Depot
810 N 50th St, Tampa, FL 33619

[joan]

Thanks so much! Sounds like a great plan.

[TampaPete]

Never been to the Restaurant Depot.
SANWA also carries frozen lobster meat (and frog legs); the last time it was around $10 per pound, bought some for Mac & Cheese.
It's a great value for chowders and soups

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Restaurant Depot
810 N 50th St, Tampa, FL 33619

[Mother of four]

Their produce is also very good, so that should be another reason.

[joan]

Went to Restaurant Depot today. Wow! They have installed a seafood counter inside their cold room. Lobster tank, whole and filet domestic and imported fish, all manner of shellfish and crustaceans. Very good prices. The fellow running it was doing a top notch job -he's from their Orlando store and said that the prices on lobster were a special and would go up to $7.99 (1 to 1 1/2 lb) and 10 something for November. Still good prices. Very impressive seafood counter I must admit!

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Restaurant Depot
810 N 50th St, Tampa, FL 33619

[RibDog]

Joan, when were the lobster prices going up to $7.99?

[joan]

RibDog, sounded like the first of November. I think the Orlando guy was posted in Tampa for the month to get things rolling, along with the come-on prices, as he indicated they were Tampa only prices, changing in Nov. $7.99 is still a great price - even wholesale. By the way, he mentioned (and there was a sign to the effect) that you could make special orders by phone with one day turnaround.

[RibDog]

Thanks Joan!