David Warner, Author at Registry Tampa Bay

A Game of Chicken — And Waffles

It’s what’s for breakfast. Also for lunch. And yes, dinner. I speak of the divine combo of chicken and waffles, a dish whose origins have been variously assigned to a Harlem supper club in the 1930s, to Southern cooks transplanted from points north, and even back to the invention of the waffle iron in the 1700s. Whatever its provenance, chicken ‘n waffles is a prime example of that old Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups slogan: “Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together.” But for the dish to work, each of the elements has to be done to perfection — the fried chicken and the waffles — and to make it really sing, a third component can make all the difference: the syrup. Sounds so simple, but it’s not, which may be why it’s not all that common on area menus. But for this week’s FFF, we did find two bastions of comfort food whose variations on C&W are widely admired: Datz and The Hangar. Which chick will be the champ? Which waffle will wow? Read on. The Hangar Recipe for a perfect winter afternoon: a Florida Orchestra matinee at The Mahaffey, followed by dinner across the street at The Hangar Restaurant & Flight Lounge — preferably on the outside deck, where you can get a bird’s-eye view of private planes taking off from Albert Whitted Airport to soar over the bay beyond. The view is not the only reason to hang at The Hangar. There’s the popular Monday Night Jazz Jam, live music on Saturdays, great happy hour deals and a menu served up with care by a friendly staff overseen by executive chef-turned-owner Matthew Smith, who bought the business from St. Pete Hospitality Group’s Steve Westphal last month. The food at The Hangar is reliably delicious, with dishes grouped under humorously aeronautical headings. The appetizers are “Pre-Flight,” the desserts are “Landings” — you get the picture. But we’re here for the “Altitude,” where (along with such tempting offerings as Bacon Wrapped Meat Loaf and, of course, Airline Chicken Breast) we are pleased to see that Chicken and Waffles is available all day and is described as a “house specialty.” Let’s eat! The fried chicken: Big, boneless white-meat chicken tenders that live up to the name — they’re actually tender. Juicy and very fresh-tasting, with a light golden batter that adheres nicely to the chicken. The waffles: Alas, they didn’t come out as well as the chicken. The waffles were tough, possibly overcooked, with burnt parts on their undersides. The accouterments: They saved the day! The Hangar’s C&W arrives with a bowl of savory sausage gravy and a little pitcher of spicy maple syrup. Each is tasty in its own right, but pour ‘em both onto the chicken, then the waffles and finally the chicken and the waffles, and you’ve got yourself a knockout combo! The service: Amiable if a bit slow. The only disadvantage to eating at The Hangar right after a Mahaffey show is that lots of other concert attendees have the same idea. But with planes to gawk at and weather to bask in, we didn’t mind the wait. The next day: The C&W portions at both The Hangar and Datz were so large that it was a no-brainer to eat half and take the rest home. After a day (actually, two) in the refrigerator, the Hangar’s version held up fine — and even the waffles tasted better. Datz The inspired invention of restaurateurs Roger and Suzanne Perry, Datz has delighted diners since exploding onto the scene in Tampa in 2009, spawning a St. Pete branch three years ago. That’s where I stopped for my C&W lunch recently, in their sprawling space adjacent to the James Museum (a visit to which, combined with a meal at Datz, would also make for a perfect afternoon). The over-sized newspaper-esque menu at Datz is an adventure in itself. Its punny names (Salmon Hayek, Put a Steak In It) and big color photos perfectly suit a place known for big, brash flavors, including a burger (the legendary Cheesy Todd) whose mac ‘n cheese “buns” landed it on Good Morning America. It’s “comfort food with flair,” say the Perrys, and the description is right on. That’s why we figured their “Waffles N’ Tweet,” listed on the menu under House Favorites, would be a worthy contender in this C&W taste-off. The fried chicken: A bit disappointing. The taste of the chicken tenders was fine, but the very crispy coating was slightly burnt and tough to cut through, and the chicken was a tad dry. The waffles: Dee-licious! The big Belgian waffles had just the right amount of sweetness and crunch — perfectly cooked. The accouterments: Again, the accompaniments were crucial. The bourbon maple syrup was velvety-good, and the candied pecans added dimension and surprise. They should bag those things — they’re highly snack-worthy all by themselves. The service: Very pleasant and very quick. It was well into the afternoon when I ate, so I don’t think the restaurant was too crowded, but still it’s nice to be able to say, “What? Already?” when the meal arrives. The next day: Again, time in the refrigerator didn’t hurt. In fact, it helped — and luckily I’d asked to take home a little container of the bourbon maple syrup, too. So who gets to be crowned the Chicken & Waffle Champ? Welllll…. It depends. The chicken at The Hangar was better than the waffles. The waffles at Datz were better than the chicken. The accouterments of both versions were delightful (and necessary) additions. So… If you like chicken ‘n waffles for the chicken: The Hangar. If you like chicken ‘n waffles for the waffles: Datz. I’d say it’s a tie, except for one factor: You can’t beat the experience of dining on a deck with an airport-and-faraway-bay view. Which means my final answer is: The Hangar The Hangar Restaurant & Flight Lounge: Albert Whitted Airport, Second Floor, 540 1st St. SE, St. Petersburg. Open 8 a.m.-9

Friday Food Fight: Chocolate cake at Wright’s and Portillo’s

Who will take the cake? Who will get iced? A chocolate cake taste-off between two famed purveyors.

Oh, MANicures! Putting the man in mani-pedis

I can’t remember exactly when I had my first mani/pedi — I think it was the day of my civil union in Burlington, Vermont, which in 2003 was the only state where gay folks could make their relationships official, thanks to then-Governor Howard Dean. (My partner, now my husband, was working on the Dean presidential campaign at the time.) And that’s a funny thing, the mani-pedi part I mean, because in those days I suspect the conventional wisdom was that the only men who would ever get a mani-pedi were gay men. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy had just debuted that summer; we Gays were supposed to be beyond our hetero peers in the realms of style and skin care. But like all stereotypes, that one is rife with exceptions. Myself being one of them, especially back then. Even the sound of “mani-pedi” (“manny-petty!”) creeped me out a little. And a nail salon, I assumed, would be a strictly feminized realm — shades of Joan Crawford dishing dirt while painting nails in The Women. But the funny thing was that in Burlington, Vermont, a state where you might have thought masculine style was more about hiking boots than buffed toenails, there were two count’em two salons geared specifically toward men. And although I didn’t wind up going to either one of them (they’re both still around and primarily do hair, not nails), their presence was intriguing — comforting even. And I have to say my first m-p was a gas. Like a lot of men, I wasn’t much into getting pampered. But on a day when I was going to be making a bit of personal history — getting “unionized” more than a decade after Larry and I had first met — it felt apt to get a bit polished up. Fast forward to 2019. Now all kinds of guys, gay and straight, are getting clipped and buffed and, yes, pampered. Articles in GQ and the like are telling us to go for it. A screenwriter in L.A. has opened up a chain called Hammer & Nails focused exclusively on manicures and pedicures for men, leading to punster-funster headlines like “LA’s first MANI-cave” and “MANLY Pedi?” and “Putting the ‘man’ in manicure.” A salon owner in San Francisco summed it up for Men’s Journal with this pithy quote: “If your feet are so disgusting you don’t want to be seen in flip-flops, or your toenails are so long and thick they’re poking through your socks, it’s time for a pedicure.” Indeed. And in Tampa Bay, where flip-flops are a way of life, men are taking the hint. Comfort level is key when it comes to getting your nails “done,” maybe even moreso for a man than a woman. I appreciate being able to have a conversation with my nail technician — both because I’m a curious sort of guy but also because talking makes the whole interaction feel a little less awkward. I followed a technician from one salon to another (as did my husband) not only because we liked how skilled she was but also because we enjoyed talking to her about her artwork (we bought one of her drawings) and her music. She led us to Pure Natural Nail Lounge (across from the new ONE highrise in downtown St. Pete), and although she moved out of state we kept going to Pure Natural for several reasons. It’s a surprisingly serene and spacious environment, for one thing, all greys and glass and soft whites. The owner, Vimarie Rivera, says she purchased the business last year for just that reason. “I liked it because it was a contrast from [the usual] nail salon. It’s not like the smelly place, the quick, loud place — so I said, let’s try this.” The ambience is what attracts male customers, too, she thinks — that, and the option (free of charge) to have one’s nails done in a private room. Plus, she adds, laughing, “We sell beer! They like that.” (Wine, too.) But the main reason she bought the business was because of the staff. “I liked the girls and I liked the way they worked — and I fell in love with them.” Which brings us to technician Thea (pronounced TAY-uh) Tach, one of the other reasons we like going to Pure Natural. Her quiet good humor and gentle efficiency are consistent pleasures, as are her stories about her Cambodian/American family — the mother who likes shark movies, the sister who’s always on the phone, the father who has a landscaping business and warns her not to cut his nails too short. She’s been at Pure Natural for four years, and has noticed men are starting to take care of themselves more. “Everyone likes a pedicure once they’re introduced to it,” Tach says. “‘Once you’re in it, you can’t get out’ — that’s what a lot of the guys say.” Foot and leg massage are also among the optional services offered at the salon. “Yesterday a little boy came in for a 15- minute foot massage before a swimming tournament,” she says. The massage helped him to relax his muscles and avert cramps in preparation for the competition. She sees differences in the way men and women approach a mani-pedi. “Women know what they want,” she observes. “Men are, ‘Whatever, as long as it looks good.’” She has had her share of very specific requests from men, though — like the guy who wanted four-leaf clovers on his big toes for St. Patrick’s Day. He wasn’t entirely serious, but sure enough, she made it happen. “I just kind of free-handed it.” The customer was incredulous: “‘I was just joking,’” she recalls him saying, ‘but you actually did it!’” I asked her what men who are new to nail care should look for when they’re shopping around for salons. “Find out what services are included, whether they offer hot towels or not, whether they offer shines or not.” Check the price