A Vacation Close to Home

Before I’d heard the word staycation, we were combing Tampa Bay’s small towns in search of cute, quaint downtowns and fun festivals.

Dunedin, New Port Richey, Oldsmar, Safety Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Palm Harbor: we’ve visited them all. While its downtown can be explored in one visit and the Citrus Festival that we attended there was unimpressive, Palm Harbor does have a restaurant that we find ourselves returning to: Thirsty Marlin Grill & Bar.

Thirsty Marlin’s inside transports me back to the time when I was a child and we would come to Florida for vacation. The walls are covered with large stuffed fish (marlins, I’m guessing), vintage signs and photos of smiling people either holding up the large fish they’ve caught or posing with alligators. The place is perfect for games of I Spy or making up stories about the surrounding memorabilia. The wooden floors are smooth and polished and the sprawling restaurant is divided up into several dining rooms, bars and patios. The tree overlooking the front patio even has an eye watching over diners.

Thirsty Marlin has a mammoth menu that takes a few minutes to process, plus a sushi menu to consider. Plenty of delectable options exist. If you make the trip to Thirsty Marlin, however, would be remiss if you didn’t try one of their lobster dishes – the lobster wrap (delicious chunks of lobster salad in a garlic herb wrap), the lobster quesadillas or lobster bisque (both decadently rich). They also serve grouper, conch, and mahi mahi prepared several different ways.

Next to the bar in the middle of the restaurant is the sushi bar, where you can peruse the fish that will be used to make your sushi or even watch it being made. The sushi we’ve had at Thirsty Marlin was fresh and expertly prepared. The edamame we ordered, however, (it was our daughter’s green vegetable for the night) was cold and a little mushy. Fortunately, she was so hungry that she wolfed it down anyway without complaints. Good thing we withheld snacks that afternoon.

If you’re not a seafood lover, Thirsty Marlin offers plenty of burgers and sandwiches (even a vegetarian option) on the menu. The buffalo chicken sandwich is the perfect combination of crispy fried chicken, cheese and crisp greens.

Our last visit happened to be on a trivia night and both the manager and the DJ hosting the event came by to try to sign us up and assure us that it would be family friendly. Alas, it was a school night so we couldn’t stay. On the drive home, however, we discussed how cool it would be if one of the restaurants in “family-friendly” Westchase would host family trivia nights or other similar events. That would certainly make us feel like we were on vacation – without having to venture too far from home.

Thirsty Marlin
http://www.thirstymarlin.com
1023 Florida Ave.
Palm Harbor, FL
(727) 784-2469
Hours: Mon-Thu: 11:30 a.m.-midnight; Fri-Sat: 11:30 a.m.-1 a.m.; Sun: 11:30 a.m.-midnight

By Marcy Sanford

Marcy Sanford is a resident of West Park Village and can be reached at marcysanford@mail.com.

Dining in The Living Room

I love weekends. Saturday morning walks are the perfect time to contemplate philosophical, dining-inspired dilemmas.

Would downtown Dunedin be as cool if it was located in West Park Village? Would any of their hip restaurants make it in Westchase? How many texts did it take to plan a night out with three couples? Which dish was my favorite from all the ones I tried last night at The Living Room?

The Living Room, located in perpetually cool downtown Dunedin, has a fun, dog-friendly patio in front of the restaurant and a spacious, swanky bar and lounge – complete with comfortable couches and chairs – inside. The expansive dining area has plenty of room between tables but feels very cozy thanks to the wall hangings, curtains and decorations, which soften the large space and provide privacy between tables.

Our friendly and helpful waiter made a great first impression by bringing us a plate of crispy French bread with roasted garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil dipping sauce. He informed us that each plate was enough to share with the table and would arrive as soon as it was ready rather than waiting for all plates to be prepared.

The hefty menu was a lot to take in, but after some discussion, everyone chose a few tempting dishes and then waited for the copious amounts of food to arrive. And arrive it did. As soon as we passed around one plate and tried a bite, the empty dish was whisked away and replaced with another.

It would take many visits to The Living Room to taste everything on their menu, but we gave it a good shot. We successfully sampled something from each section. We started with a deliciously fresh salad of buffalo Mozzarella, grape tomatoes, artichokes and cucumbers in a lemon-basil vinaigrette and crispy nachos layered with blackened chicken, applewood smoked bacon, roasted corn and a gorgonzola fondue. The Living Room also featured several flatbreads on their menu. 

The other dishes were a delight. The Sesame Shrimp Tempura and the Garlic-Dusted Calamari Fritti were fried but not greasy and both came with savory dipping sauces. The New Orleans jambalaya skewers were definitely a favorite at the table with their perfectly grilled and seasoned pieces of Andouille sausage, shrimp, and chicken.  The mango and brie quesadilla was a nice and interesting combination of two things I love. While the seared tuna could have used more flavor, the flavors of the wild mushroom we ordered presented a perfect combination of earthy mushrooms, salty sundried tomatoes, and a tangy basil pesto.  My only complaint about the grilled grape leaf wrapped goat cheese was that there wasn’t enough to share. But with so many great plates, we definitely had our fill. Several days later, I’m still hard pressed to choose a favorite. 

All in all, it was a great night of food, drink and conversation in a Living Room that none of us had to clean up – making it that much sweeter. And it was all accomplished with a mere 39 texts to each other plus four more to the sitter.

The Living Room
487 Main Street
Dunedin, FL
(727) 736-5202
http://www.thelivingroomonmain.com

By Marcy Sanford; Photos by Carrie Garmendia

Marcy Sanford is a resident of West Park Village and can be reached at marcysanford@mail.com.

A Green Market Daydream

In my family, we are food daydreamers.

We watch cooking shows and discuss the meals we’ll make. We hear about new restaurants and plan a visit. We go to farmers’ markets or gourmet grocery stores and get sidetracked by exotic ingredients. We walk by empty restaurants in West Park Village and have lengthy discussions about what should go there.

Our current daydream features Oldsmar’s Green Market Café.

The Green Market Café has a huge selection of wraps and grilled flatbread sandwiches, soups, salads and rice bowls. There are so many selections that you would have to eat there many times before you’d tried everything on the menu. During our visit one of us enjoyed a delicious flatbread with roasted turkey and warm, melting, herb-crusted Brie cheese, topped with crunchy, mixed greens, tangy cranberry raisins and balsamic dressing. Another devoured a messy but yummy veggie flatbread, which came with garlicky hummus, feta cheese and crisp red peppers and cucumbers. A third enjoyed the chipotle Cuban, which had just the right amount of heat to give it a pleasantly spicy kick.  

The café’s homemade butternut squash and the spinach and feta soups were creamy and flavorful. Fortunately, the feta was not overpowering. It was blended perfectly with the soup’s other flavors. The hearty chicken and wild rice soup was full of chunks of chicken, vegetables, rice and savory herbs. During our February visit, the soup was perfect for the cold, windy days we were experiencing. Now, with warm days ahead, I’m hoping they will adjust their soups accordingly.

At Green Market Café, you receive a free cup of yogurt with your meal. They have the usual flavors and one I’d never heard of before − taro.  The young lady behind the counter said it was a type of fruit that was tangy and sweet and that people drove from all over the area to get taro yogurt. It’s definitely an acquired taste. As she suggested, it’s simultaneously tangy and sweet and unlike any yogurt I’ve ever tried. At first, I wasn’t sure if I liked taro, but the more I ate, the better I liked it - certainly enough to finish off my bowl. While I don’t think I would drive across the city just to get taro yogurt, there are very few things I would drive across the city to get. Further, a fruit it was not. An Internet search confirmed that taro is from a tropical plant whose root is used in cooking. As one site put it, taro is “the potato of the humid tropics.” 

Unfortunately, we have not had time to try Green Market Café’s many salads or rice bowls. From the menu descriptions, the café offers a multitude of unique and tasty sounding combinations. Judging from the tables nearby, they are large enough to feed several people.

Green Market Café also serves breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, including crepe bowls. Yet my dislike of early mornings is equal to my dislike of driving, so I may never make it there for breakfast.

Unless, of course, they rent that perfect, vacant spot with the nice patio in West Park Village. In that case, I could just roll out of bed and walk there one Saturday morning. And I could walk there this summer for lunch with my daughter and treat her to free yogurt. And I could try all the different salads, sandwiches and rice bowls while watching the traffic drive by on Montague.

A girl can always dream.

Green Market Cafe
3150 Tampa Rd., Unit 1A
Oldsmar, Florida
Hours: Sun-Thu, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Fri and Sat, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
(727) 787-5494
http://www.greenmarketcafe.com

By Marcy Sanford

Marcy Sanford is a resident of West Park Village and can be reached at marcysanford@mail.com.

Going Tapas

Years ago my aunt shocked me when she told me we were going to an Atlanta tapas bar.

I thought she said topless.

Apparently even Southerners can get tripped up by Southern accents. Fortunately, I went without a scuffle and was introduced to tapas – small or appetizer-sized dishes meant to be shared with your dining companions. This Spanish concept seemed to me like the best idea in the world because I love eating the food off other people’s plates. To this day my favorite meals are spent with people who enjoy sharing their food.

Ceviche Tapas Bar and Restaurant (whose Web site, in an odd and fateful twist, features a painting of a topless woman) claims to have over 100 Spanish tapas. That’s a lot of menu items and we’ve only been able to get to about 10 percent of them. But the ones we’ve tried have been delicious and definitely worth sharing.

With so many options the menu can be overwhelming. At times it seems like the only difference from one dish to the next is one ingredient. But order a pitcher of the tasty sangria, sit back, start reading the menu, and get ready to enjoy and share some delectable Spanish food.

We try to make ourselves pick at least one new thing each time we go, but we definitely have our favorites. If you want a quick-pick meal from the menu, I’d suggest the bonito a la parilla − fresh, melt-in-your-mouth, sushi-grade tuna grilled rare; patatas bravas − crispy fried potatoes in a spicy aioli sauce; and espinacas − a delightful combination of sautéed spinach, figs, honey and garlic. Ceviche serves warm, crusty French bread with a flavorful olive oil and herb dipping sauce.  The three dishes plus the bread are easily enough food for two.

If you have a larger appetite or more people with you, I’d also suggest trying one of their ceviches. We especially enjoyed the ceviche de gambas – fresh shrimp marinated in lime juice and garlic with cilantro, jalapeno and onions. Ceviche also has several earthy, rich mushroom dishes like the champinones del monte (four types of grilled and marinated mushrooms) and the portobello relleno (a portobello mushroom stuffed with spinach, shallots and Manchego cheese). Just be sure you aren’t the only person at the table who likes mushrooms because you get lots of them.

If you have room for dessert, Ceviche has homemade, traditional Spanish desserts like flan and tres leches. We devoured the trilogia de chocolate – three types of creamy, fluffy chocolate mousse with a chocolate rum sauce. It may not be Spanish, but it certainly was enjoyable.

When you go to Ceviche, take your time ordering. We knew we wanted to order our favorites and so put our order in right after our drinks came. Suddenly, our table was overflowing with food. There was little time for conversation or even contemplating what else we wanted.

We’ve also learned not to let them put us at a small table, even if there are only two of us. They’ve crammed as many tables as possible into the main dining room. If you are at a small table, not only do you get bumped into quite often, but there also isn’t enough room for the plates of food, a pitcher of sangria, a basket of bread and a dish of olive oil. So get a table big enough to hold all the tapas you can handle and then buen appetito!

Ceviche
2500 West Azeele St.
Phone (813) 250-0203
Open Mon-Sun; hours vary
http://ceviche.com

By Marcy Sanford

Marcy Sanford is a resident of West Park Village and can be reached at marcysanford@mail.com.

A Grille’s Night Out

When we moved here, I moved away from 15 years’ worth of friendships.

I was a bit dazed and confused my first year here. I missed having real conversations in person with treasured friends and acquaintances. Fast forward six years. While I may still be dazed and confused, I am pleased to report that I once again have friends living in the same city as I – friends from my daughter’s preschool, the YMCA, our neighborhood and Westchase Elementary School.

I am truly thankful for each one of them. So when one (or two) of them calls, texts or e-mails about a night out, it is my obligation and duty to maintain these new friendships. And so it becomes my obligation and duty to encourage my husband to remember the depressed and dazed woman I was during my first year here – and doggedly persist with it until he smiles and says, “Have fun.”

So in honor of BFFs everywhere, whether you’ve known them for one month or decades, this month’s column is dedicated to Girls’ Night Out.

Whether you bike to World of Beer, hang out on the patio at Catch 23, or meet up at Stonechase (where the house wine always seems to be two for one), Girls’ Nights Out are essential. They make you a happier person. They give you the opportunity to complain in a loving way about your family to fellow complainers who won’t take it the wrong way. And they recharge you in general. Recently a Girls’ Night Out on a Wednesday happened to coincide with Ladies’ Night at Grille 54. When serendipity strikes the cosmos like that, one must take advantage.

On their Ladies’ Night Grille 54 offers select wines, mojitos and martinis for $5. They also have a DJ spinning tunes and conducting a lively raffle in the bar area. If you want to have a conversation, it’s therefore best to opt for the dining area. During Ladies’ Night Grille 54 gives out raffle tickets to all the ladies, plus offers extra ones for drinks ordered and heel size. Our waitress, however, said we were nice and hooked us up with extra tickets despite our Toms and flip-flops.

Yay, Florida!

But on to the food.

The lobster Rangoon appetizer we started off with came with a wonderful sweet and spicy dipping sauce, but needed more lobster and cheese filling and less wonton. The sushi we ordered, however, was fresh and delicious. The volcano roll had a nice kick, thanks to the spicy, creamy dynamite sauce. It also had a rich flavor, thanks to the cream cheese inside the roll and the avocado and eel sauce on top of it. The flavor and texture of the Mexican roll –with its combination of shrimp tempura, avocado and rice – made it one of my favorites.

While you might not think of pairing sushi with mojitos and martinis, oddly enough, it worked.

As a bonus to the evening, a friend won movie theater passes during the raffle. Being the good friend she is, she tried to share them with us. We declined, but maybe she’ll use them to take us on a Girls’ Night Out to the movies.

I wonder if they are good for the CineBistro?

That seems like another place worthy of a good Girls’ Night Out.

Preferably soon.

Grille 54
11935 Sheldon Road
Hours: Daily, 4 p.m.-3 a.m.
http://www.grille54.com

By Marcy Sanford

Marcy Sanford is a resident of West Park Village and can be reached at marcysanford@mail.com.

A Treat for Your Taste Buds

I like going out eat for many reasons

I like to try new dishes. I like not having to leave my seat while someone brings me those new dishes. I particularly like having someone else clean up after those dishes once tried.
But mainly I like to go out to eat food that I would not normally cook myself. 

Thai food is top on the list of foods that I enjoy but don’t really want to cook at home. When I’ve attempted it, it required a whole lot of effort for something that turned out so-so. Then I’m left with a plethora of ingredients in my pantry that I probably won’t use again (Anybody need a jar of kefir leaves?) So it’s a relief to have a Thai restaurant so close to home and not have to worry about concocting my own curries.

When we’ve visited Siam Thai, we’ve had delicious appetizers, flavorful main dishes and mouthwatering soups. Located in West Park Village, Siam Thai offers standard Thai restaurant dishes such as curries, pad Thai, stir fries and soups – as well as a few unique, unusual dishes like tropical grouper.

Siam Thai’s egg rolls, fresh spring rolls, fried tofu or chicken satay are a great way to start your meal. Their fried foods are crisp but not too greasy. The fresh spring rolls wrapped in rice paper offer a cool, refreshing start to your meal. The sweet plum and peanut sauces served with the appetizers are a delightful combination of flavors and perfect for dipping. We love the peanut sauce so much that we usually end up asking for extra.

The restaurant’s Tom Yum soup is one of my favorite soups ever. It is spicy and has many different flavors like lemongrass and limejuice, cilantro and ginger that tingle your taste buds. Unfortunately, the first time I had the Tom Yum soup at Siam Thai it was so hot that my taste buds could barely taste any of the flavors. On later visits, the kitchen had toned down the heat and we’ve learned to ask for mild to low heat. Heed my warning and do not ask for hot and spicy unless you (like my neighbor who pops jalapeños into his mouth and eats them straight) know you can handle it.

Our two favorite dishes at Siam Thai include Drunken Noodles, which are savory stir-fried noodles with vegetables and herbs, and Panang Curry, a curry so good that it “even makes broccoli taste good.” You can have chicken, pork, beef, vegetable, tofu or seafood with any of the dishes, ensuring that everyone at the table can customize the dish to their liking.

Sometimes the waiters at Siam Thai are a little slow to get started, but once they do, they are always friendly and helpful. The restaurant is very pretty on the inside and offers lots of stuff to look at, perfect for a rousing game of I Spy. You can also opt to dine at curtained, semi-private tables.

Siam Thai is a great addition to our array of neighborhood restaurants. If you haven’t eaten there yet, be sure to give it a try. Your taste buds will be in for a treat – just be sure to protect them from the heat.

Siam Thai Restaurant
http://www.siamtampa.com
9546 W. Linebaugh Avenue
475-6999
Hours: Sun-Thu: 11:30 a.m. -10 p.m.; Fri-Sat: 11:30 a.m. -10:30 p.m.

By Marcy Sanford

Marcy Sanford is a resident of West Park Village and can be reached at marcysanford@mail.com.

Laid Back Foodie Fun at The Refinery

Creativity, local farm ingredients and unpretentious dining are king in our household.

Experiencing it only takes a 20 minute drive away from the restaurant chain vise grip that strangles many Westchase residents. The Refinery’s mantra is that good food, prepared by professionals who are passionate about their craft, should be available to everyone.

The Refinery sources as much as they can from local farmers, who are listed on the chalk board when you enter. In order to showcase what’s fresh and available, the menu is changed weekly.

Its food is so tasty, my kids were bummed that my husband and I recently went there with another couple instead of them. I almost shed a tear of joy the time my 12-year-old daughter, who not so long ago only consumed a white-on-white palette of bread, pasta and milk, ordered the lamb belly as her entree. I practically had to stop her from licking the plate.

The Refinery’s bar offers quite a few craft and classic brews, and the small vineyard wines are a true bang for the buck, all listed at $20 or less per bottle. During our most recent visit, we started with three small plates ranging from $8 to $10. The Foie Gras Buttercream Éclair was the most eccentric of the bunch, with a traditional dessert-style pastry, covered with a spicy ganache stripe down the top. The delicate flavor of the lightly fried Fritelle di Zucchine was enhanced by a sweet-tart relish with mojo aioli. The Pork Pie proved a savory-sweet tart with bits of smoked meat. It arrived with a nicely contrasting bitter endive and radicchio salad on the side.

The Refinery’s main courses are generally priced between $11 and $20. We chose the Potato-Zucchini Gratin, Pan Roasted Mahi Mahi and Stuffed Yellow Zucchini. The Mahi Mahi had a nice golden sear, and an inventive broth-type sauce that included salsa verde, cantaloupe and cilantro. It was a light and tropical entrée fit for summer. The Potato Zucchini Gratin was vegetarian and gluten-free (both are marked on the menu), and contained a pea puree with endive and sweetish vanilla saffron vinaigrette. The Stuffed Yellow Zucchini boats (it definitely must be zucchini season!) contained a hearty mix of black-eyed peas, kale, cheddar, bulgur and butternut squash-mascarpone puree.

While the variety of flavors can sound exhausting, salty and sweet or sweet and spicy represent some of the kitchen’s main themes. The Refinery’s offerings also aren’t items you have to overthink to enjoy. Different incarnations of the Hangar Steak and Burger appear every week and are consistently satisfying for red meat lovers.

We finished up with the Milk Chocolate Mousse and Apple Pave. The mousse was tarted up with some tarragon, orange and devil’s food cake. The apple pave was an unusually smooth tart that contained a few bits of red hot pecan brittle on the side.

The only drawbacks to The Refinery are that the restaurant is small, which can make getting a reservation challenging, and the inside room can get loud. The upstairs covered patio alleviates those issues a bit, although smokers there might irritate the tobacco-free crowd.

Regardless, the whole restaurant carries a wonderful non-conformist vibe and truly places the focus on the food. Compared to many restaurants that aim to fill your belly with cheap, thoughtless food, The Refinery will prove a welcome change. 

The Refinery
http://www.thetamparefinery.com
5137 N. Florida Ave.
Tampa 33603
(813) 237-2000
Hours: Bar: Mon-Thu, 5 p.m.-midnight; Fri – Sat p.m.-1 a.m.; Sun 11 a.m. -10 p.m.; Dinner: Sun-Thu, 5-10 p.m.; Fri-Sat, 5-11 p.m.; Brunch: Sun, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

By Jill Chesney

Jill Chesney, our guest Dishing It Out columnist, is a resident of The Bridges.

Up South Flavor in Down South Cookin’

We moved to Tampa from Memphis, Tennessee, almost five years ago.

It seems just like yesterday that I got off a plane in January and remarked, “Wow, it’s really hot here.”

We’ve lived here long enough now that we’ve made some great friends, know our way around and enjoy living in Tampa. In fact, there are now only a few things I miss about Tennessee: family, friends with southern accents, fall, spring and southern cooking. 

A friend who appreciates our love of the South told us we should try the BBQ at Hank’s. Every since we moved here we have been on a quest to find BBQ comparable to that found in Memphis. We therefore decided to give it a try – and we’re glad we did. Hank’s well-seasoned BBQ was so tender and flavorful that when my father-in-law visited, we even took him there. He gave it the highest honor possible from a southerner, declaring it “almost as good as BBQ from Memphis.”

Even in the true South great BBQ alone does not make a great restaurant featuring southern cooking. You must have comforting side dishes, fried food that is crisp and not too greasy and delicious, homemade corn bread.  Fortunately Hank’s delivers on all counts.

For one, Hank’s catfish was breaded in a tasty cornmeal breading and had been fried perfectly, making it delicate and flaky. True to what you’ll find in restaurants all over the South, Hank’s doesn’t just fry the catfish. You can also order fried green beans, fried pickles, fried okra, and, of course, French fries.

In addition to true southern side dishes of collard greens, okra, tomatoes, slaw, corn on the cob and green beans, Hank’s has the other side dishes we consider vegetables in the South – cheese grits and mac ’n’ cheese. Both were homemade, super cheesy and deliciously comforting. Warm and tasty cornbread and hush puppies rounded out the meal.

Hank’s even uses Southern sensibility when decorating. Each table had a mason jar filled with a cotton boll – although they must have run out because a few jars were just filled with cotton balls. I can’t say that I was aware of a lot of decorating going on with cotton plants in Memphis, but I am certainly going to see if it is a new trend the next time we visit our family and friends “up South.”

As the food and decorating would suggest, Hank’s is not a fancy restaurant. But if you are in search of some good, comforting soul food, you can find it here. 

Hank’s
www.hanksplacetampa.com
8546 N. Dale Mabry Hwy.
932-5200
Hours: Mon-Thu, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri-Sat, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun, noon-7 p.m.

By Marcy Sanford
 
Marcy Sanford is a resident of West Park Village and can be reached at marcysanford@mail.com.

TC Choy’s: A Collection of Unexpected Delights

If you never leave the Westchase bubble, you miss out on many opportunities.

For instance, we had the chance to give our daughter a lesson in politeness when we went to TC Choy’s Asian Bistro one recent Saturday night. It was prompted by the arrival of a group of middle-aged, leather- and chain-clad men and women from the fetish convention in town that weekend.

They plopped down at a table near us.

Always on the lookout for educational opportunities, we quickly dished up the “It’s not polite to stare or point or ask loud questions about people’s dress or look because everyone is different” lecture.

Then we ordered.

Fortunately, once our food arrived, the crazy attire was forgotten (except for the occasionally peek) and we focused on the food before us instead of the leather around us.

Located on South Howard Avenue, TC Choy’s offers dim sum, sushi and Chinese entrees. The restaurant offers more than 70 options of dim sum (bite-sized portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets). A favorite at our table was the plump pork dumplings filled with deliciously seasoned pork. We also enjoyed the shrimp and garlic rolls – succulent shrimp, garlic, cilantro and other sauces wrapped up in a crepe and lightly pan-fried. TC Choy’s offers so many dim sum options, they could easily be your meal. We, however, opted to try a bit of everything the Asian bistro has to offer.

TC Choy’s has a full sushi menu – also with enough options to make it your meal. We tried one of their many specialty rolls – the Hawaiian with tuna, avocado and macadamia nuts. The sushi proved fresh and delicious.

There are many dinner-sized and smaller salads and soups, including my favorite, Tom Yum soup. At every other restaurant where I’ve had Tom Yum soup it has consisted of mostly broth with very few vegetables. I figured this was the way it was supposed to be. At TC Choy’s, however, the broth was spicy and delicious and filled with carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes and broccoli. It made for a much more substantial and filling soup.

TC Choy’s has more than 100 Chinese dishes – many quite familiar and some less so. A whole section on the menu is dedicated to clay pot dishes – a method where food is cooked in clay pots that have been soaked in water. Steam is released inside the pot during cooking and the food inside does not lose moisture, creating tender, flavorful dishes. We experienced this delightful way of food preparation with the tofu and vegetable entree and the chicken, mushrooms and pork sausage dish we had.

If you enjoy delicious, authentic Chinese food, I would recommend giving TC Choy’s a try. There were so many interesting items on the menu that we’ll definitely go back to try out more dim sum, sushi and other entrees. On Sundays, they bring dim sum and soup carts around the restaurant, providing an excellent excuse to leave the bubble again.

We’ll just have to check what conventions are in town that weekend.

TC Choy’s Asian Bistro
www.tcchoysbistro.com
301 S. Howard Ave.
251-1191
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (lunch); 5:30-10:30 p.m. (dinner)
Sat-Sun, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (lunch); 5:30-10:30 p.m. (dinner)

By Marcy Sanford
 
Marcy Sanford is a resident of West Park Village and can be reached at marcysanford@mail.com.

Zerillo’s: Wonderful Italian Comfort Food

I’m hooked on the e-mail restaurant coupons.

Each day I can’t wait to see what Groupon, Living Social, Creative Loafing or Yum Yum America (the newest one I’ve signed up for) are going to offer me.

That is how I found out about Zerillo’s Italian Restaurant. I’ve driven through the intersection of Countryway Boulevard and Race Track Road many times, but I hadn’t noticed that there was an Italian restaurant in the small shopping center on the corner there. So on a very rainy weekend, we decided to head out and see what kind of Italian comfort food we could find

We were so glad we did – and even happier the next day enjoying our leftovers for lunch.

Zerillo’s Westchase location has been open about two years. It is a family venture for Dan and Roberta Demeo and their son, Keith, who serves as the head chef along with their family friend Stevie.

On the night of our visit we started with the Half Moon Mozzarella, tasty triangles of fresh mozzarella lightly breaded and fried. Yes, it was fried cheese, which seems to be a dining out staple when we have our 6-year-old with us. But, in our defense, it was really, really good fried cheese. Its accompanying sauce was tangy and also tasty. On a more adventurous night (one with other adults) we want to try the Mussels Mackenzie or Mussels Italiano.

All of Zerillo’s entries are served with your choice of soup of salad. The House Salad and the Caesar Salad we ordered were served on a chilled plate with a chilled fork. The crispy, fresh greens and the homemade dressings were delicious. At that point, I had to order garlic bread because really no meal, especially an Italian one, is complete without some good bread. Zerillo’s has their bread delivered fresh each day from a bakery in St. Petersburg and the garlic cheese bread we had was scrumptious. It had just enough garlic, butter and cheese to give it a great flavor, but not so much as to overpower the bread.

In addition to their pastas served with chicken or shrimp, Zerillo’s has steak, pork chop and veal dishes plus pizzas. My husband and daughter had the Penne Carbonara with Chicken –and they gushed over their selections. I had the Shrimp Scampi with fresh, perfectly cooked shrimp and a rich, savory sauce. 

As an extra bonus Zerillo’s delivers to all of Westchase. We ordered pizzas from them a week later and they too were delicious. I especially like that they have toppings like spinach and eggplant in addition to the usual meat and vegetable toppings you find on most pizza menus.

So the next time you’re craving comfort food, or just good Italian fare, a solution lies just around the corner.

Zerillo’s Italian Grill
http://www.zerillositaliangrill.com
1165 Countryway Blvd.
855-5178
Hours: Mon-Thu, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri, 11:30 – 10 p.m.; Sat,  4-10 p.m.; Sun, 4-9 (To Go available from 1-4 p.m., Sat. and Sun)

By Marcy Sanford

Marcy Sanford is a resident of West Park Village and can be reached at marcysanford@mail.com.

A Westchase Catch Revisited

After the first time we went to Catch 23 in West Park Village, I knew I’d found my kind of restaurant.

Catch is elegant on the dining side while a bit more casual and fun on the bar side. It also features a patio great for people watching. We’ve had fun visiting Catch on many occasions with friends and out-of-town guests.

Most Westchase residents have either been to or know about Catch 23. It’s been a staple of West Park Village since opening in 2002. I wasn’t sure if there would be anything newsworthy about a review of Catch 23 for WOW readers. Fortunately for me, at the end of May they introduced 20 new items to their menu, including new appetizers, sushi rolls, pasta dishes and sandwiches.

I’ve been able to go to Catch 23 three times over the past month with good friends – once a spur-of-the-moment Friday dinner, another time to celebrate a birthday and finally a weeknight dinner with friends and kids. Each time the food, service and ambience were great. 

On the dining side, we sat at tables covered with white table clothes and felt quite elegant as we sampled the macadamia encrusted Chilean sea bass, cooked perfectly with a delicious citrus buerre blanc sauce and a tangy island mango salsa. My friend enjoys trying different sauces as much as I do and we sampled the seared sea scallops with garlic cilantro butter, spinach Rockefeller and island mango sauces. All the sauces were good, but my favorite accompaniment to the scallops was the island mango salsa.  We also enjoyed a paella full of deliciously seasoned seafood, chicken, sausage and vegetables.

For a birthday celebration we sat at the bar side. I tried sushi (the village roll and the crunchy tuna roll). Both were a little on the spicy side, which I prefer. My friend had the St. Martin salad – a huge, fresh salad with chicken, goat cheese, island mango salsa and citrus vinaigrette dressing. We celebrated our friend’s birthday with the made-from-scratch chocolate mousse pie, which proved scrumptious.

On my last visit I went with several good friends and our children. It was one of those rare nights in June when the weather was still cool enough to sit outside. I had the new lobster and shrimp roll and it was great – full of lobster and shrimp and served on warm French bread. My daughter tried the new wings appetizer and gave it two thumbs up. Sitting on the patio with friends then walking home as the sun set and the sky turned pink was a perfect way to start off the week.

Catch 23 is open for dinner every night at 4:30 p.m. They are located at 10103 Montague Street in West Park Village. For reservations call 920-0045.

By Marcy Sanford

Marcy Sanford is a resident of West Park Village and can be reached at marcysanford@mail.com.

Miguel’s: Beating the Salsa Out of the Competition

My family and I simply love Mexican food.

When we first started going to restaurants with our daughter, Mexican establishments were the best choice. She loved their enchiladas, quesadillas, rice and beans. When we moved to Tampa, the first thing we knew we had to find was a great Mexican restaurant.

Miguel’s Mexican Seafood and Grill located in South Tampa fits the bill. During his childhood in Texas, owner Miguel Rodriguez learned from and was inspired by his Aunt Ninfa and her restaurant.

In keeping with family tradition, he opened his own restaurant here in 1992. The dishes at Miguel’s are familiar Mexican fare but feature unique and delicious twists that could only be found in Florida. These include the Ixtapa, a lobster tail and fajita combination, and Miguel’s seafood enchiladas and chimichanga – two dishes bursting with shrimp, scallops and crabmeat. Manager Angela Funk told me that much of their seafood, like grouper and shrimp, come from local suppliers.

All of the food at Miguel’s is freshly made and you can really tell from their sauces. I like the Monterrey jack cheese and cilantro sauce that covers the spinach enchiladas. My red sauce-fearing daughter not only has eaten the cheese and beef enchiladas with red sauce but has declared them delicious!

Miguel’s is a great restaurant for families with children. They have paper on tables but no crayons, however, so bring your own. The children’s meals are enough for several children to split. Additionally, you can order your own meal a la carte and have your child share their rice and beans with you. The food appeals to those who are difficult to please. On one visit a picky 3-year-old tried dipping his cheese quesadilla in the salsa and proclaimed it “yummy.”

Miguel’s meat dishes come in traditional offerings like enchiladas, tacos or burritos with ground beef. You can get a little fancier by choosing ribeye, filet or kobe skirt steak as your filling. My husband insists Miguel’s tamales are his favorite.

The dinner tacos put one in a bit of a quandary. Miguel’s offers a choice of chicken, beef, pork, red snapper, filet, lobster, skirt steak or shrimp for fillings – along with avocado, cilantro, onion and quesa cotija.

In my opinion the chips and salsa set the tone for the rest of the meal and help separate the good Mexican restaurants from the great ones. The chips and salsa at Miguel’s are definitely my favorite in all of Tampa. The salsa is freshly made – not too spicy but definitely flavorful. The chips are light, salty, crispy and warm and pair perfectly with a margarita. The hardest part is not eating too many and spoiling your appetite.

Miguel’s recently expanded and renovated their dining area. They added an adult-only courtyard lounge, a soundproof VIP room and new bathrooms that rival those found in upscale hotels.

Miguel’s is located at 3035 W. Kennedy Ave. It’s open for lunch and dinner Mon-Thu, 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri and Sat, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. and Sun, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. They also serve brunch Sat-Sun, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

By Marcy Sanford

Marcy Sanford is a resident of West Park Village and can be reached at marcysanford@mail.com.

Westchase’s Favorite Foodie Bids Farewell

There is a for sale sign in my yard.

I keep thinking it must have been put there by mistake. The reality sinks in once again and I realize we are moving – words I never thought I would say after living in Westchase.

Our move will be bittersweet. We are sad about leaving Westchase and Florida, yet excited to be moving to Atlanta, where our daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons live. Our son and daughter-in-law who live in south Tampa are also re-locating to Atlanta, which is icing on the cake for us. We will surely miss our friends and good neighbors. At the same time, we look forward to being near our grandbabies.

I have eaten my way through the Tampa Bay area trying to fulfill a promise to my Dishing It Out readers that I made in my first review in 2005. I really did strive to find good restaurants where you can find quality calories – good food for your hard-earned dollars. I hope you all feel that I have accomplished that in the seven years I have been writing my column for WOW.

Many people have asked me what my favorite restaurant is. That’s a very hard question to answer because many favorites come to mind.

Stonechase is certainly a jewel in the middle of Westchase; for many it is their go-to place to grab a fabulous flatbread pizza and run into friends and neighbors. Now we also have Surf Shack, which makes the most amazing margaritas and whose fish tacos reign supreme.

A long ride but worth the trip is Cantina Laredo, whose upscale Mexican fare can’t be beat. Since my review Philly Phlava has moved to another location close by but still has the best Philly cheese steaks you can buy.

The new Yummy House’s Salt and Pepper Shrimp will linger in my mind forever. I will also dream about Osteria Natalina’s pasta pillows, light as air and stuffed with three cheeses in a gorgonzola velvet cream sauce.

The Refinery’s farm-to-table menu is always filled with the most amazing creations to tempt every palate. Meanwhile the homemade ice cream sundaes at Cassis are always the sweet ending to every wonderful offering on their menu. Elegant Armani’s Antipasto Misto, with over 30 selections of Italian delicacies, will transport you to the Amalfi Coast.

We are so lucky to have so many wonderful restaurants in our area.

If I had to name just one favorite, however, Café Ponte would always be at the top of my list. Chris Ponte has consistently worked his magic, day after day, in his award-winning restaurant. I have never been disappointed in a meal there.

Ever.

I will be sure to make it my last stop before moving and I will miss it.

Thank you, WOW readers, for making Dishing It Out your “where should we go to dinner” column. It has been my pleasure to find the good restaurants to recommend to you, my friends and neighbors. I offer a special thank you to Chris Barrett for editing my column to make me look good and for being a good friend.

The Carnivore and I will miss all of you.

WOW wishes Gail and Mick Gundersen (a.k.a., The Carnivore) the absolute best as they relocate their taste buds to Atlanta. You will be greatly missed! Gail’s final review appears below:

An Electric Irish Pub

Recently looking for a fun venue to celebrate the Irish in us, The Carnivore and I grabbed our foodie friends and headed to The Pub at International Plaza.

The restaurant’s huge crowd and live Irish music were electric. The live Irish band was riotous as well as talented and had everyone’s toes tapping under the table. The Pub’s drink menu is huge, with some of the most amazing beers you’ll find on any restaurant menu. (The Carnivore, a.k.a., The Beer Snob, had to wipe away tears of joy.) Equally impressive was The Pub’s list of scotches, bourbons and cognacs.

We started our meal with the Pub Spring Rolls – over-stuffed with chicken, black beans, green chilies, jalapenos, cilantro and white cheddar cheese. These were so crispy, flaky and delicious that I could have ordered two plates and made them my dinner. They were served with a spicy dill dressing that was equally fabulous.

For my entrée I ordered the Smoked Gouda and Chicken Rigatoni. The huge bowl was filled with blackened chicken, bacon, red peppers, broccoli and green onions with a house-made smoked Gouda cheese sauce. While I would have preferred a little more sauce, the flavors melded beautifully.

The Carnivore ordered the Corn Beef Reuben Panini. The extra lean corned beef, cooked in-house, was piled high with house-made sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing on grilled rye bread with a side of house-made potato chips. It was authentic and mouth-watering.

Our friend had the Fish and Chips. The humongous piece of fish was battered then fried to a light golden brown. It flaked at the touch of the fork and tasted like it had been caught that day. The house-made tartar sauce accompanying it was wonderful.

Our order of Fish Sliders was a mini version of the same fish on wonderfully fresh, brioche-like mini buns. This dish was perfect for the small eater.

The Pub’s menu offers everything from Gastropub plates to classic pub fare like Bangers and Mash and Shepherd’s Pie. The weekend brunch menu looked awesome and we will definitely go back and give that a try.

The Pub’s wait staff all wore kilts and I will confess to wondering if there was any truth to the tradition of the Scottish military wearing no underwear under the kilts. I finally worked up the nerve to ask my server, but I can’t tell you what he said (blush!).

Here’s the naked truth: be sure to visit. The Pub lives up to the definition of “a public house serving high-quality food and drink.”

I will also add: providing a great time!

The Pub
International Plaza
2223 N.Westshore Blvd.,
Tampa, FL 33607
Hours: Mon-Wed, 11 a.m.-midnight; Thu, 11 a.m.-1 a.m.; Fri and Sat, 11 a.m.-2 a.m.; Sun, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

By Gail Gundersen

Gundersen, a resident of Woodbay and lifelong foodie, can be reached at gailgund@hotmail.com.

Island Influence with a Comfortable, Casual Atmosphere

Welcome to da Islands, mon!

Rumba Island Bar & Grill opened in Oldsmar several months ago. It’s the fourth restaurant to open on the same site. Judging by the crowds, it may be the last.

Rumba opened to packed crowds, particularly on the weekends. The Friday night we were there, they were slammed. Arriving without a reservation, we waited 40 minutes to be seated.

Part of the Baystar Group – which includes the Island Way Grill, Salt Rock Grill and Marlin Darlin, Rumba is the first restaurant on the site to re-model the inside. Its amazing new bar is massive and wide open to the outside eating area. Rumba’s inside booths and tables, moreover, are tasteful, attractive and comfortable.

Rumba invites diners to taste the flavors of the island, which is exactly what we set out to do.
The restaurant’s Island Shrimp and Rice bowls proved interesting combinations of small shrimp, fresh fruit, veggies and pecans served over coconut rice. Diners also have the option of adding several seafood choices and jerk chicken. I chose to add blackened grouper to make it a dinner entrée. While the fish was wonderful and spicy, the surprise was the delicious combination of ingredients with the rice. The dish was excellent!

The Carnivore ordered the Fried Okra With Jerk Aioli as an appetizer. Okra is of his favorites and difficult to find on most menus. It did not disappoint. His entrée of Barbados Style Ribs was slow smoked and smothered in a sweet and tangy mango sauce. The ribs were meaty, lean and fall-off-the-bone delicious. He is a sucker for mac n cheese and Rumba’s was full of crab and oozing with cheddar.

One of Rumba’s specials was a Rum Glazed Mahi Mahi with a side of the restaurant’s comforting Crab Mac N Cheese. The mahi was moist and the sweetness of the rum glaze proved a perfect complement. The dish was accompanied with a sautéed fresh vegetable mix of snow peas, red pepper, carrots, broccoli and onions.

Another entrée, Rumba’s Island Seafood Platter, proved a beautiful presentation of grilled mahi, crab cake, coconut prawns and fried shrimp. We were pleasantly surprised to see that the crab cake was heavy on the crab and light on the fillers. All of the seafood was flavorful and fresh – a seafood lover’s delight.

Served with most entrees are Mama Maria’s Muffins, small, two-bite muffins with mildly flavored scotch bonnet peppers and cheddar cheese. They are served hot out of the oven and are scrumptious.
Open seven days a week, Rumba has an early menu from 11:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. when prices are reduced on an array of choices. They also offer two-for-one margaritas, sangrias, and Island Rumba Signature Libations all day.

Rumba is another quality restaurant to add to our ever growing list of local places to dine. It offers interesting food for reasonable prices in an electric party atmosphere of fun. Once inside and enjoying its Caribbean-influenced food, you just might imagine you are in the islands. You are only limited by your imagination.

Welcome to da islands, mon!

Rumba Island Bar & Grill
http://www.rumbagrill.com
3687 Tampa Road, Oldsmar
475-5975

By Gail Gundersen

Gundersen, a resident of Woodbay and lifelong foodie, can be reached at gailgund@hotmail.com.

A Newcomer of Note

After I’ve lived in Florida for 14 years, strip mall restaurants don’t even raise an eyebrow.

It’s all about the food and not the façade. Yet a newcomer on the restaurant scene, Wimauma, just opened at the end of December. Run by chef and owner Gary Moran and his wife Amy, Wimauma already has people taking notice. That’s no small feat in the restaurant business.

Wimauma is a work in progress with ambitious plans to add a bar and a private room with a chef’s table. Gary’s concept of local and fresh is not new to our area. His menu, however, stays true to what is in season and changes daily based upon local availability. It’s very impressive.

On the night we visited with two of our children, we discovered several interesting menu choices. We shared a small plate of Cracker Meal Crusted Fried Green Tomatoes with a superb tasting country ham with watercress and buttermilk-ranch vinaigrette. Its light breading was crispy and the ham proved like bacon but better. The dish appropriately perked up our taste buds and we were excited to order our entrees.

My choice was the Pan Roasted Local Black Grouper, which was served with an amazing roasted corn with Cuban chorizo, grilled red onion ragout and smoked paprika aioli. The grouper was freshly caught and the accompaniments were excellent.

Another dish, the Shrimp and Grits, featured large Florida shrimp with a tomato, basil, white wine and pork bark (the crunchy exterior of a pork butt). This was all about additional flavor and was served with Old School Grits. With its addition of tomato basil and white wine, the dish proved wonderful and different.

Wimauma does its own smoking using Florida oak, so the Carnivore’s choice was an easy one. The Texas Style Smoked Brisket platter, served with Old School Grits and Braised Collard Greens, jumped off the menu. The brisket was New York-deli style, shaved thin with a Carolina Barbeque sauce. It was unique and mouth-watering. The collard greens were a combination of mustard greens, collards, ham and bacon, braised with sugar and vinegar. They were awesome!

The Southern Style Fried Chicken Bucket is another must-have on their menu. After one bite you will know why. It is served with incredible, melt-in-your-mouth hush puppies. They were moist and light as air – the best I have ever eaten.

But the chicken? Oh my! It was can’t-stop-eating good. The Carnivore was the happiest I have seen him in a long time. With a beautiful crust on each piece of crunchy, juicy goodness, the chicken was truly extraordinary.

Another exciting dish was the Beef Two Ways-Grilled New York Strip and Red Wine-Chocolate Braised Beef Shoulder served over Orzo with Fresh Ricotta and Rosemary. The medium rare slices of the steak proved a lovely contrast to the braised beef shoulder. The red wine and chocolate sauce was sublime – it went perfectly with the beef. The simple orzo was further enhanced by the creamy ricotta cheese. Each bite left you wanting more.

Chef Gary Moran’s talents in the kitchen are notable and impressive. With his ever changing menu, you will have many delicious reasons to return to taste his endlessly creative culinary possibilities.

Wimauma
4205 S. MacDill (in the St. Croix Shopping Center)
Tampa, FL 33611
793-1687
Lunch: Tue-Sun, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Dinner: Tue-Sun, 5-10 p.m.
Brunch: Sat and Sun, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

By Gail Gundersen

Gundersen, a resident of Woodbay and lifelong foodie, can be reached at gailgund@hotmail.com.

Barbecue Ponte Style

Chef Chris Ponte is at it again.

This time he has consulted on the menu for the new CJ’s Bar-B-Skew. When Ponte is involved, you know it won’t be just any barbecue joint. Lucky us!

CJ’s, which opened in September, is funky and very casual. Its rock ’n roll theme features classic rock stars adorning the walls. While diners still walk up to the counter to order, CJ’s is saved by its very interesting menu. The “groupies” (servers) will bring your order to your table.

The menu offers Skewers, which are Greek inspired – a surprising find on a barbecue menu. We tried the Mediterranean Chicken Skewer filled with roasted red peppers, grilled onions and chicken. It’s accompanied by basil pesto and served on a warm pita with shredded lettuce, onion and tomato salad. It was a healthy option for a barbecue joint. Our only complaint was there could have been more chicken.

The Greek Vegetable Skewer was a vegetarian’s dream. Chunks of roasted portabella mushrooms, peppers, grilled onions, hummus, marinated tomato and cucumbers were topped with a creamy feta sauce and served on a warm pita. It was a delicious and healthy choice.

I tried the half slab of St. Louis Ribs and pulled-pork combo. Lots of finger-lickin’ good sauce accompanied the meaty, fall-off-the-bone ribs while the chunks of pulled pork were lean, moist and delicious. The Green Apple Slaw proved another cool accompaniment to the tangy ribs. I also couldn’t pass on the Smoked Mac Attack – mac and cheese with smoked gouda. It didn’t disappoint. The gouda cheese was a nice change from cheddar.

Our order of Chicken Corn Chowder arrived thick and creamy and full of chicken chunks, carrots, fresh corn and mushrooms. Umm umm good!

The Carnivore ordered the Half BBQ Chicken and Pulled Pork combo with a side of Red Bliss Potato Salad and the Cast Iron BBQ Beans with pecan-wood smoked bacon. He devoured the moist chicken and pork. The potato salad, one of his favorites, tasted homemade – another unexpected find. He gave it a thumbs up.

Another interesting side was CJ’s Ancho Chili Deviled Eggs. They proved a creamy, kicked-up version with cheddar cheese and bacon. And let’s not forget CJ’s hot jalapeno corn muffins that accompany most barbecue orders. They are great for sopping up that tangy sauce!

You will smell the smoky aromas coming from CJ’s before you even see the restaurant. You will be salivating before you park your car.

Attention to details like brioche buns and tobacco onions – and the addition of healthy, interesting sides and skewers – will have you returning to CJ’s again and again.

CJ’s Bar-B-Skew
10047 N. Dale Mabry
963-1110
http://cjsbarbskew.com
Hours: are Sun-Thu, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.,; Fri-Sat, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

By Gail Gundersen

Gundersen, a resident of Woodbay and lifelong foodie, can be reached at gailgund@hotmail.com.

California Fare Surfs into Westchase

You’re not Californ-I-A Dreamin! Everybody’s gone surfin’!

Surfin’ Westchase, U.S.A., that is, so wax down those longboards and head over to our new Surf Shack!

The owners of Stonechase have opened the Surf Shack Coastal Kitchen in the old Chico’s location. The décor is California cool. Surfboards hang from the ceiling, sleek tables feature tops filled with Clearwater Beach sand and cement floors look like the surf just rolled in. The bar mosaics are gorgeous. There is even a monster TV screen featuring surfers showing off their skills.

Chef Eben Chriss brings his culinary talents to the Surf Shack from Mekenita Mexican Grille in Lutz. You are going to love his menu, which emphasizes fresh ingredients. We started with the AhiTuna Poke’, a mound of diced freshly caught Ahi tuna mixed with diced red peppers and cucumbers then tossed in a poke’ sauce (sesame, soy and scallions). It was served over the house surf slaw of cabbage and red onion in a citrus dressing. A side of hot, deep-fried (but not greasy), won-tons accompanied the tuna.

The dish was healthy, fresh and delightful.

I live to find the perfect fish tacos. At Surf Shack, I found not one but two! The Longboard Fish Tacos were amazing. A huge piece of beer-battered, lightly fried cod was tucked inside a flour tortilla with a great chipotle sour cream drizzle, surf slaw and fresh pico de gallo.

Served in corn tortillas, the Pipeline Fish Tacos were grilled, fresh cod, thinly sliced cabbage and the most amazing chile-tomatillo salsa you will ever taste. It completely changed the taste of these tacos! The other creative addition was pickled red onions, which tamed the strong onion beautifully. Both tacos had minimal ingredients but maximum impact.

The Shack Wrap is as California as it gets. Its flour tortilla contained moist chunks of chicken grilled with a spicy house rub with Applewood bacon, mixed greens, tomatoes, avocado and shredded cheddar and Jack cheeses. Its attention-grabbing mango-passion fruit vinaigrette will wake up your taste buds. The combination of flavors were mouth-watering.

From the Shack Stack offerings (their signature dishes), we chose the Tenderloin Stack. There was no way was The Carnivore was going to pass this up. This dish was beautifully presented with layers of grilled tenderloin steak chunks, black beans, grilled onions, fresh corn, guacamole, chipotle sour cream, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, citrus rice and garlic-tomato salsa – all sandwiched between two crunchy, lightly fried flour tortillas. He was dazzled by the dish’s many fresh and satisfying tastes. He will forever have a hard time ordering anything else on his many trips back to Surf Shack. They may as well name it The Carnivore Tenderloin Stack!

Ahem, a word about dessert. The California Cannoli is a not-to-be missed creative concoction, guaranteed to conquer your sweet tooth cravings forever. Chef Eben puts macadamia-nut, white chocolate cookie dough into won-ton wrappers, then lightly fries them to a golden brown. Four arrived nestled in a bowl with whipped cream drizzled with a caramel sauce.

The Surf Shack plans a new covered patio for dining al fresco. At opening they were serving the freshest and most creative sangrias you will ever taste. Several interesting beers and wines by the glass were also available. Their expanded liquor license is expected mid to late January. Afterward they promise the most delicious and freshest tasting margaritas. No mix, ever. (Be still, my beating heart!)

I must also mention the selection of non-alcoholic, hand-shaken teas and juices. These are all made with fresh fruits pureed or muddled into memorable beverages.

Surf Shack Coastal Kitchen is a wonderful addition to Westchase. I haven’t been this excited about a restaurant in a long time. The food is creative, unique, healthy and scrumptious. Put down this review right now, grab the kids and drive over and check it out.

Hang ten, dudes! See you at Surf Shack with my bushy-bushy blonde hairdo!

Surf Shack Coastal Kitchen
12217 W. Linebaugh Ave
475-5916
Hours: Sun-Wed, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Thu, Fri and Sat, 11:30 a.m.-midnight
Happy Hour: 3-6 p.m. daily.
Sundays kids eat free (one kid’s meal per adult entrée)

By Gail Gundersen

Gundersen, a resident of Woodbay and lifelong foodie, can be reached at gailgund@hotmail.com.

A Modern, Upscale Twist to Traditional Mexican Fare

Our area is in desperate need of a quality Mexican restaurant and I’ve found one that may just be a good start.

Opened by the owners of Flamestone American Grill, Besa Grill’s menu features your favorite Mexican dishes with a modern twist.

While we waited a few minutes for our table, we sat at Besa’s bar and asked the bartender to prepare traditional Margaritas without the standard mix. He did a great job – with fresh squeezed limes, Grand Marnier and quality tequila.

The traditional pre-dinner chips arrived with our choice of three of five different guacamole options. (You can even add lump crab for an additional charge.) We chose the creamy goat cheese and aged bleu cheese, the traditional with cilantro, onion, jalapeno, tomato, garlic, lime and cotija cheese, and the roasted corn and black bean. All three choices were scrumptious. The tortilla chips were house-made, hot and salty. They made for a mouth-watering beginning.

Arriving before the entrees, Besa’s chicken tortilla soup was more like a puree than a traditional, broth-based soup. Its roasted tomatoes lent a smoky flavor and it arrived thick with corn, onions and chicken. We thoroughly enjoyed their version.

For his meal the Carnivore ordered the three street tacos. He could choose from among steak, chicken, fish and duck. He could not, however, order three different ones, which was disappointing. He chose the fish tacos with grilled, seasonal white fish, cilantro, Napa cabbage, jicama, queso anejo and avocado crema. They were a little bland and could have been so much better with some good seasonings.

I ordered the Ahi Tuna Tower – three layers of fresh, marinated Ahi tuna tataki, tossed in cumin, mandarin and soy sauce. It arrived stacked with a layer of guacamole and Besa rice and topped with crispy fried carrot ribbons. A lovely presentation, its flavors complemented the tuna.

On another trip for lunch we tried the Tres Salsas, consisting of black bean and roasted corn, mango ginger, and diced yellow tomato. These were all quite good, made with fresh ingredients and were accompanied with a basket of Besa’s wonderful, house-made tortilla chips.

For our lunch entrees we ordered Besa’s flatbreads. The flatbreads were presented on a long, narrow, wooden serving board. Both were full of flavor and delectable and lived up to the menu’s modern Mexican promise. Besa’s Lobster and Grilled Pineapple Flatbread featured tons of melted manchego cheese and toppings of grilled pineapple, red onion relish, caramelized poblano peppers, tomatillo sauce and queso anejo – all on a thin and crispy lavash cracker crust. The Pulled Chicken Flatbread was topped with moist, shredded chicken, diced avocado, roasted corn, cilantro, black bean puree and gooey manchego cheese.

Besa Grill has several appealing seafood and meat entrees as well as beautiful salads. A children’s menu for kids 10 and under is also available.

Make reservations at Besa Grill. You too will discover it is a quantum leap from the usual, tired Mexican restaurant to a new, sleek and chic fun place.

You’ll find all your Mexican favorites there – with a new, modern, upscale twist.

Buen provecho!

Besa Grill
http://www.besagrill.com
2542 N. McMullen Booth Rd.
Clearwater, FL 33761.
(727) 400-6900
Hours: Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. and dinner 4 p.m.-Close

By Gail Gundersen

Gundersen, a resident of Woodbay and lifelong foodie, can be reached at gailgund@hotmail.com.

A Yummy Chinese Favorite

It has been four years since I reviewed Yummy House on Waters Avenue and it still remains one of my all time favorite restaurants.

In June a new, swanky Yummy House location opened on East Hillsborough Avenue. After a recent enjoyable visit featured great food and a chic atmosphere, I’ve decided to revisit Yummy House in review. I must sing their praises again.

Along with four friends, The Carnivore and I went to check out their new venue, which features a family-style dining option. (A wonderful lazy Susan on each table allows visitors to share all of the dishes ordered.) More important, the new site represents a quantum leap in décor from the Waters location. A lovely bar welcomes visitors and announces that beer and wine are served at Yummy House’s new addition.

We started with the Salt and Pepper Calamari. Yummy House fried lightly battered strips of calamari to a light, golden brown and served it with their novel “salt and pepper” seasoning. Consisting of caramelized garlic with sliced jalapenos, onions, cilantro and scallions, the “salt and pepper” mix made this dish fabulous. As my favorite dish from the Yummy House menu, it will truly be one of the best things you’ll have ever eaten.

Our second favorite was the Hot and Sour Seafood Soup. Its thick and tasty broth included shrimp, mushrooms, noodles, tofu, fish, crab and red chili peppers. (We never leave the restaurant without ordering another quart to take home.)

We ordered four entrees for the six of us, which proved more than enough food. Two choices were from the list of restaurant specials that evening. Darren’s Basil Chicken (Darren was the restaurant’s decorator) featured the familiar poultry with fresh asparagus, basil leaves and fresh mushrooms in a garlic and black bean sauce. This stand-out dish was full of flavor; its chicken was tender and moist and the vegetables were crisp yet tender. The other special, the Flaming Dragon and Phoenix, was a mix of shrimp and chicken with fresh mushrooms and asparagus in their famous spicy and sublime XO sauce.

Yummy House’s Fried Rice is some of the best I have ever eaten. The rice is always moist, never dry. It was served with chunks of shrimp, chicken and pork with egg, parsley and scallions.

The best entrée of the evening, however, was the intensely flavored Szechuan Style Pork – tender strips of succulent pork plated with onions and scallion tops. Our last entrée, The Honey Pepper Beef, featured quality beef in a Honey Pepper sauce with scallion and snow peas. It proved another enjoyable winner.

Every dish we ordered at the newest Yummy House proved remarkable as well as memorable. Consistently excellent, Yummy House offers the best Chinese food that I have eaten anywhere. Run to Yummy House China Bistro and be sure to take some friends for a not-to-be missed dining experience.

Bon appé[vulgarity]!

Yummy House China Bistro
620 E. Hillsborough Ave.,
Tampa 33610.
(813) 237-3838
Hours: Mon-Sun, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-9:30 p.m.

By Gail Gundersen

Gundersen, a resident of Woodbay and lifelong foodie, can be reached at gailgund@hotmail.com.

Sublime and Impressive Dining

Occasionally you need to treat yourself and someone special to an impressive, sublime meal.

It can be accomplished with a reservation at Massimo’s in Palm Harbor. Massimo Patano, a veteran chef from Armani’s, opened his wonderful restaurant several years ago. As chef and owner, Massimo strives to present “an artful blend of Italian, French, Mediterranean and Asian cuisines in a casually elegant atmosphere.”

Massimo  has surpassed his goal. His food is creatively prepared and beautifully presented. Accolades abound, including being named “Best Chef” for several years running by Tampa Bay Magazine.

While his restaurant sits in a strip mall, its gleaming white tablecloths against the restaurant’s dark wood are as welcoming as the aromas wafting from the kitchen. On a recent visit we started with salads. The classic crisp, cold romaine of Massimo’s Caesar Salad appeared with delicious homemade bread croutons and Parmesan cheese. Its perfect, homemade dressing suggested just a hint of anchovies. In contrast, Massimo’s Garden Baby Spring Mix teased the palate with tender baby arugula, Gorgonzola cheese and tomato in a wonderful honey-balsamic dressing. Both choices were wonderful.

For my entrée, I ordered the Battuta di Vitello, a beautifully seared veal tenderloin, pounded thin and topped with crab and lobster meat au gratin in a red wine demi-glace and mascarpone cheese fondue. Baby carrots and asparagus accompanied this amazing entrée.

Ordering one of his favorites, The Carnivore was delighted by his Chicken Parmigiana. Its lightly breaded chicken breasts were pounded very thin and topped with lots of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. It was served with a quality, fresh-tasting tomato sauce over a generous side of angel hair pasta. The dish proved both delicate and delicious.

Massimo’s veal special was a huge veal chop in a mouth-watering brandy cream sauce. The chop was rosy rare and succulent. Accompanying it were baby vegetables and a side of mashed, roasted potatoes.

For dessert we chose the Amaretto Mascarpone-Ricotta Cheesecake. The dessert was a gorgeous presentation featuring Amaretto liquor and vincotto, a red-wine reduction. Sharing the plate was a velvety scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Every bite proved decadent.

I would be remiss if I didn’t add a word about Massimo’s magnificent wine list. The restaurant has received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence from 2006-2010 – no small task for any restaurant. Massimo’s offers countless bottles from the sublime to the ridiculous and priced accordingly.

If you are looking for eclectic fine dining with luscious, beautifully presented food, make that reservation at Massimo’s. You won’t be disappointed.

Buon Appetito!

Massimo’s Eclectic Fine Dining
http://www.massimosrestaurant.com
31876 U.S. Highway 19 N.
Palm Harbor, FL 34684.
(727) 784-1881.
Hours: Lunch, Tue-Fri, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; Dinner,
Tue-Thu, 5:30-10 p.m.; Fri and Sat, 5:30-11 p.m.

By Gail Gundersen

Gundersen, a resident of Woodbay and lifelong foodie, can be reached at gailgund@hotmail.com.

A Restaurant Worth Celebrating

For her birthday, a friend suggested we celebrate with lunch at Ozona Blue in Palm Harbor.

I had not heard of Ozona Blue, so I was eager to check it out. Ozona Blue Grilling Company turned out to be a very nice surprise.

In addition to several areas of inside seating, several outside covered decks featured ceiling fans and even open areas with umbrellas.

Ozona Blue’s menu was pretty extensive. It ranged from gorgeous, hand-cut beef choices displayed in a large, covered case as you entered the restaurant to hand-rolled flatbreads. Hearty salads and several interesting chef specials rounded out the fare.

I love fish tacos so I was excited to try their Baja Fish Tacos. These tacos were some of the best I have ever eaten. They were so stuffed full of fresh fish (diners are given the choice of fried, Cajun or grilled) I needed both hands to pick them up in order to eat them. In addition to the fish, the tacos were overflowing with lettuce, tomatoes, aged cheddar and jack cheeses and a fabulous, spicy remoulade sauce that was delicious. Pico de gallo was spooned over all before the tacos were wrapped in a flour tortilla. The dish proved wonderful. I also had a choice of sides so I ordered the black beans over yellow rice, which was surprisingly tasty.

My friend ordered the fresh blackened grouper sandwich. The fish was firm and moist. The large bun was loaded with lettuce, tomatoes and that same spicy remoulade sauce. It once again elevated the sandwich from the usual to the wonderful. The sandwich had just the perfect amount of heat to make it more interesting. Accompanying it was one of the best slaws I have tasted – delicious with just the right amount of vinegar to make it tangy and not too sweet.

Of course, we made room for birthday dessert. Neither of us, however, was prepared when the waiter brought the carrot cake. It arrived in a gigantic bowl with three large squares of carrot cake and mountains of whipped cream drizzled with butterscotch and toasted coconut. If that weren’t enough, its center held a very large scoop of praline ice cream. We just sat and stared. The cake proved extremely moist with lots of nuts and cream-cheese filling. It was both monstrous and decadent.

Ozona Blue is a great, casual restaurant with better than average food for a good price. It’s a fun place to take the kids where they can swim (yes, they have a great pool for customers) while you enjoy a [vulgarity] at the outdoor tiki bar. You can also make it a lovely night out with great water views and live music on Tuesdays through Sundays. Ozona Blue is also accessible by boat.

Ozona Blue Grilling Company
125 Orange St.
Palm Harbor, FL 34683.
(727) 789-4540.
Hours: Mon-Thu, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri and Sat, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

By Gail Gundersen

Gundersen, a resident of Woodbay and lifelong foodie, can be reached at gailgund@hotmail.com.