taste of st. pete {st. petersburg, florida food writer}

but for the busy st. petersburg traffic outside the light-drenched picture windows, we'd have thought we were in a little cafe in france. 

 except that, darling as alesia is, it isn't just a french cafe.  noooo, it's vietnamese and french - the food-child of a love affair between two foodies and their family.

 some of us didn't mind being photographed, and some of us just wanted to feast.  which is fine, because the fun of family requires doesn't, i suppose, require capturing every time.

 

true fact: i wake at night longing for pho.  i had to share so the rest of my people would understand the need.

 

to be honest, i'd discovered this place on my own and fallen in love with a dark chocolate-filled croissant and lox over baguette with cream cheese and capers.  so it wasn't my first visit.  and although solitude and a solo feast are a rare treat, i'd longed to share this treasure of a spot with my favorite people.

 a thought i may have shared before: on our first "real" date (one involving food, of course), i asked my someday-to-be-husband for a taste of whatever dish he'd ordered.  he looked at me askance and in that moment he was forced to decide: share or appreciate the last date with moi.  and the rest, as they say, is - well, it's a houseful of food sharers.

and yes, dessert.  times a few.  but how to say "no" to chocolate mousse, crepes with nutella (gasp!), and flan?

run away.  pack a sketchbook or journal or dreamy novel; leave your phone in the car.  pretend you're in paris but enjoy that you didn't have to fly, and treat yourself.

alesia is a fresh vietnamese-french cuisine in a bright contemporary setting located in st. petersburg, florida.