Best of Tallahassee 2009

The votes are in and they’ve been tallied. Our readers have had their say. You chose your favorite places to eat, shop, get your nails done, purchase pet supplies and more. And now we have the opportunity (drum roll, please) to present to you the Best of Tallahassee 2009!

Compiled by: Andrew Butler Jason Dehart, Rosanne Dunkelberger, Jessica Goff, Ivy Jacobson, Daniel Mutter, Linda Kleindienst, Tabitha Yang

This year’s winners include some newcomers, like The Winery, and several perennial winners, like Blossom’s. You told us Destin was the best place for a weekend getaway and AJ’s was the sports bar of choice when you want to watch the game. Read on to discover more of the cream of Tallahassee’s crop.

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Best Sushi  | Masa
With a full selection of traditional rolls, as well as a few that you’ve never heard of before, Masa’s sushi selections will send your taste buds for a ride. Try the Mango Tango roll; the sweet and spicy flavors are guaranteed to drive you wild.
• Honorable Mention - Osaka, Sushilicious

For full article on tallahasseemagazine.com click here.

Best of Tallahassee 2008

The savvy shoppers, daring diners and otherwise knowledgeable readers of Tallahassee Magazine have voted, choosing their favorites in categories ranging from best brunch to best weekend getaway

Compiled by Victoria Rich, Nathan Spicer, Rosanne Dunkelberger,  Jason Dehart, Jay Christie and Ashley Kahn; Photos by Scott Holstein

The readers have spoken and the results are in: Here are the 86 “Best of” winners as chosen by the discerning readers of Tallahassee Magazine. You may agree with some of the choices, while others will leave you wondering what your friends and neighbors were thinking when they didn’t vote for one of your favorites. Perhaps you’ll be tempted to try a winning restaurant, shop at a store or avail yourself of the services of one of professionals who have been selected as the “Best of Tallahassee 2008.”

The kudos last all year, but the winners will have their special night at the “Best of Tallahassee” event held Nov. 22 at FSU’s University Center Club. It’s all part of the 12th Annual Tallahassee Wine & Food Festival, a major annual fundraiser for the March of Dimes. In addition to red-carpet treatment for our winners, the evening includes tastings of gourmet food and hundreds of wines from around the world as well as one of the area’s biggest and best silent auctions. The money raised is used locally to help improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality.

For review on tallahasseemagazine.com click here.

Review of Masa Restaurant in Tallahassee, Florida
November 03, 2008 by Memphis Vaughan


Asian-Inspired Seafood and Sushi Restaurant

Masa is a great Asian-inspired seafood and sushi restaurant located just north of downtown Tallahassee, Florida. Masa offers an elegant and stylish dining experience in a serene setting that reflects its Asian influence.

The lunch menu at Masa features a variety of dishes ranging from starters such as Masa Style Fried Calamari, which is a very delicious choice to Pork Dumplings or Tuna Tartar with Avocado on Crispy Wonton Skin. Masa Restaurant has a number of salad selections such as the Grilled Chicken Salad, or Shiitake Mushroom Salad or Grilled Salmon Salad. Soups at lunchtime include Miso Soup or Chicken Corn Soup. Lunch entrees include Thai Curry Chicken, which according to the Masa Restaurant website is a sliced chicken breast with mixed vegetables in red coconut curry sauce; Honey Walnut Shrimp, a lightly breaded shrimp with honey walnut sauce. For lunchtime diners that are time constrained, Masa offers the MASA Express Platter from Monday thru Friday, 11:00- 3:00 pm. that includes rice, noodles, one side dish of the day, and a spring roll.

Masa's sushi offerings are well-known in Tallahasse. The sushi selections include White Tuna (Escolar), Squid (Ika), Mackerel (Saba), Bean Curd (Inari), Blue Fin Tuna, Quail Egg with Smelt Roe, and many others. Inside-Out Rolls are found on menu include such rolls as Mango Sunrise, which is fried shrimp, mango, and wasabi smelt roe; Veggie Roll that has avocado, asparagus, carrot, and cucumber, Ebi Ebi Roll which is Shrimp tempura, sprouts topped with shrimp and spicy mayo; the spicy Dragon Roll that consists of Shrimp, Crab Stick, Smelt Roe, Tempura Flakes, and Avocado; and a host of others to round out the extensive sushi choices.

The dinner menu is very extensive and Masa favorites include the Grilled Miso Sea Bass with Olive Oil Infused Asparagus Spears which is served with mango salsa and rice. Another great dish to try is the Seafood Kushiage Platter that features among its offerings sea bass, salmon, jumbo shrimp, grouper and scallop served with three dipping sauces. This is one that you shouldn't pass up. Another Masa signature dish is the Masa's Seafood Trio that has cold water lobster tail, sea scallop and jumbo prawn grilled and served in a red curry coconut sauce. Masa offers a Grilled Sweet Chili Duck Breast, Shiitake Mushroom Chicken, Teriyaki Glazed Grilled Chicken, Basil Beef cooked Mongolian Style, and many other dishes destined to satisfy any discerning diner's palate.

Masa Restaurant is located at 1001 N. Monroe Street, one of Tallahassee's main thoroughfares and is less than one mile north of the Florida State Capitol and government complex. It's also less than a couple of miles from Florida State University and Florida A&M University. Prices are reasonable and they have a great attentive staff. The Masa Restaurant serves lunch and dinner and its hours of operation are from Monday - Thursday: 11:00 AM - 9:30 PM, Friday: 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Saturday: 12:00 - 10:00 PM, and Sunday: 12:00 - 9:00 PM. According to the website, free valet parking is available.

For a delicious lunch or dinner experience with an Asian-inspired relaxed atmosphere and ambiance, Masa Restaurant in Tallahassee is the place to go.


For full article on associatedcontent.com click here.

Best of Tallahassee 2007

The savvy shoppers, daring diners and otherwise knowledgeable readers of Tallahassee Magazine have voted, choosing their favorites in categories ranging from best plumber to best weekend getaway

Story By Crawford Atkins III, Erica Bailey, Jason Dehart, Rosanne Dunkelberger, Anitra Ellison, Travis Timmons

Here are the businesses, people and places our readers have chosen as this year’s “Best of Tallahassee.” Some are perennial favorites, chosen for top honors year after year. Others are newcomers to the list. Read on and see if you agree with your neighbors’ choices. But the celebration has only just begun! Winners will be feted at the annual “Best of Tallahassee” bash, set for Friday, Nov. 2, at the University Center Club at Florida State University.

With wine tasting, food, entertainment, auctions and fun, it’s one of the exciting events during the 12th Annual Tallahassee Wine & Food Festival. Mark your calendar, because you’re invited to join in the celebration! The two-day event, held Nov. 1-2, is the major annual fundraising event for the March of Dimes. Money raised will be used locally to help improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality.

 

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Best Asian  |  Masa
Offering lunch, dinner and sushi, Masa serves gourmet Asian cuisine in a relaxed, intimate setting. The restaurant’s take on traditional food from the Orient – such as Masa’s shiitake mushroom chicken and mixed vegetable tempura – is sure to delight the palate. 


for full article on tallahasseemagazine.com click here.

Atmospheres              
This month's feature restaurant

MASA

A conversation with Chef/Owner Ken Ho

The Cuisine:
Pan-Asian modern cuisine with a sushi bar.

Signature Dishes:
Miso-glazed Chilean sea bass, Lucy’s original pork tenderloin, 8-ounce filet mignon with garlic pepper sauce, Dragon Roll and the Sunrise in N.Y. roll.

The Decor:
Metropolitan with a trendy feel. Light burgundy and
sky blue walls offset simple paintings of plants and natural settings.

Interior Designers:
Claudia de la Portia and Dave Fronczak

Builder:
Dave Fronczak

Future Plans:
We continually add items to our menu and look forward to doing so in the future.

Measure of Success:
Customer satisfaction


MASA
1001 N. Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL 32303(850) 847-0003  •  www.masatallahassee.com


for full article on tallahasseemagazine.com click here.


 

MASA restaurant has received 5 STARS from the Tallahassee Democrat food critic, Ashby Stiff.

Delicious, delicious food. Makes me so happy to go somewhere and ask for the food on the menu to be vegetarian and get it! The sushi is incredible as well (its my one not a veggie food). The atmosphere isn't overbearing and the service for the most part tends to be good. Its my favorite place in town, its only flaw is that its a little pricey for me (but Im sure someone with a steady job thats not a student can swing it).

by: Sylwia D   9/27/2008 (for more reviews go to yahoo local restaurant reviews)

The food was great! I've only been there once about a week ago. But I definately plan to go back. I would recommend it to any and everyone! It was a little pricey, but comparable to other restaurants like it.

By: BeeBee   04/30/2008  (for more reviews go to yahoo local restaurant reviews)

This is a wonderful restaurant, with delicious food and a great ambience. The green tea creme brulee is so fabulous that I took a large group just for that on my birthday and everybody nearly fainted with pleasure--an elderly gentleman even said it was to die for. Do try it if you're a creme brulee aficionado.

By: QueenRox  10/28/2008 (for more reviews go to TripAdvisor)