The Ybor City Historic District had been long overdue for an area steakhouse by the time Carne Chophouse finally opened its doors earlier this summer. Not that the dining scene was lacking in Ybor in any way, but finding somewhere where you could slice into and chow down on a big hunk of meat in the area was hardly an easy endeavor.
Now in its 4th month of operation, it's easy to see how Carne is on its way to becoming one of the great mainstay restaurants in this burgeoning district.
Jason Fernandez, the brains behind two great Ybor dining fixtures already (Bernini and the neighboring Green Iguana), set his sites on the massive interior space that flanks the east side of Centro Ybor for a new dining spot focused on big cuts of meat in a casual and locally-inspired atmosphere.
Judging by a lunch experience there earlier today, Carne hits the nail with swift, quick, and cordial force right on the head. A roast chicken lunch special clocks in around $10 and comes with an entire half chicken over mashed potatoes and a near-divine side of green beans.
I dare anyone to try and eat just one of these. Sauteed with still enough of a crisp, the green beans come glistening in a managerie of oily-almond sliver-bacony goodness I honestly wish I was still eating right now.
The chicken was satisfactory and well-executed, but my crispy-minded palate wouldn't have minded a couple extra minutes of waiting to get that skin nice and crispy on the outside. Magnificent flavor and plenty of juiciness, though. Always a plus.
A forkful of this skin-on chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, and heavenly green beans was easily one of the best things I've tasted in recent memory. Nothing inventive or head-turning, just a plate of some damn good food. And, for $10 (with $2 Finlandia martinis, mind you), you can help but feel almost elated after a meal like this here.
All in all, Carne Chophouse has a handful of great things going for it that indicate some serious staying power in the area. Very much recommended.
