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Lee Roy Selmon's Soul-Satisfying Southern CookingBy Marty Martindale
Like Cracker Barrel, there’s a front porch at Lee Roy Selmon’s, however it’s for the pleasure of smokers, not rockin’ chair rockers. And, there’s no collard greens, crispy okra and shiney green beans at Lee Roy’s. However, barbecue is very big with the Barrel and Selmon’s. In his book, Side Orders, John Egerton points out, “Regardless of place or style, barbecue ranks in the South right up there with politics, religion, sex and sports.” This is no less the case at Selmon’s. You’d probably have to call his cuisine “Sophisticated Soul.” Lee Roy Selman, the man, is a popular one about TampaBay and a former Tampa Bay Bucaneer. His three restaurants embrace “southern graciousness along with the competitive sporting life,” which was his credo during his growing years. As you would expect, there’s plenty of Hall of Famer and Bucaneer themes running through each restaurant. Simply put, it’s for the sport who wants real, hearty food with simultaneous sports action spread across at least 27 big screens. Who Is Lee Roy Selmon?For starters, he’s one of nine kids who worked hard, believed his mom and graduated a Sooner from the University of Oklahoma in 1975 with a degree in Special Education and membership in the National Honor Society. He also lived a football dream as a Sooner winning the Outland Trophy and Vince Lombardi Award. Soon, he was the first-ever draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played hard until 1986, when he retired from the Bucs, and his stack of awards kept growing. The Bucs’ only retired shirt is his No. 63. After being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, he joined the University of South Florida as an Associate Athletic Director of External Affairs. Tampa’s Crosstown Expressway was named for Selmon. In 1995, he entered the NFL Hall of Fame, the first former Sooner and only Tampa Bay Buccaneer to date. He and his wife, Claybra Fields, have three sons, Brandy, Lee Roy, Jr. and Christopher. Mama and the FoodMama Selmon’s meatloaf, fried green tomatoes and slathered- barbecued-crispy-sweet-and-juicy-all-at-the-same-time ribs – remind him of the days when he and his siblings were taught to “Play hard. Eat well. And don’t forget to share.” There’s more! Get down with her Sweet Heat Fried Chicken, salads, appetizers and “two-handed” burgers and sandwiches. Naturally there’s pulled pork, three different steaks and as many seafood selections. They do Brisket a couple of ways, too. Mama’s interesting “Sidelines” are the usual plus Apple-Jack Coleslaw, Cornbread Pudding and Cheese & Bacon Grits. Desserts arrive as Cobblers, Bread Puddings, Pecan Pies and Sundae Crunches. Little Leaguers have a menu, and there’s carry-out service for their four secret sauces. A trip to SELMON'S WEBSITE rewards the visitor with three recipes from Mama Selmon and some Tailgate Sunday Recipes, complete with pre-game preparation tips plus game day tips. There’s three locations in TampaBay for Selmon’s:
LEE ROY SELMON'S SOUL-SATISFYING SOUTHERN COOKING, New Tampa Largo © Marty Martindale, 2005, Largo FL |
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When you fly or drive down to TampaBay, the fun can include
many things – the beaches, NFL, MLB, the area’s busy cruise port, Busch Gardens,
museums, hanging with relatives and friends, and eating will be important too.
One restaurant is the relatively new source from Outback, finger-lickin’
everything, at Lee Roy Selmon’s Soul-Satisfying Southern Cooking.