My husband and I have been enjoying what we like to call “culinary adventures” lately.
In August, we brought you along for a Taste of Dunedin. When discussing our next outing, we realized our tolerance for heat was wearing thin, so we decided to head to Midtown, where we could easily hop from one destination to another without breaking too much of a sweat. Midtown, located between the Westshore District and Downtown Tampa, dubs itself “Tampa’s first truly walkable live-work-play destination.”
Parking is typically readily available in the parking garage at the back of Midtown Drive, which is just a few steps from the center of the culinary scene. As we did on our day in Dunedin, we decided to hit a few different dining options in Midtown. First up was BellaBrava, a trattoria that offers an elegant, yet casual dining experience. As a scratch kitchen, they make their pasta, pizza dough and focaccia bread in house, daily. They also offer a daily Happy Hour from open until 7 p.m. — which is why we opted to start our culinary journey here. I chose a glass of White Sangria ($7 HH pricing) and my husband ordered Basel Hayden on the rocks ($12). We also ordered Whipped Ricotta & Smoked Prosciutto ($13.99) from the Antipasti menu. We were delighted to also receive an order of the house-made focaccia, which is complimentary. The whipped ricotta was topped with a mission fig jam and was light, fluffy and delicious. It was served with grilled focaccia, which was a bit too charred for my taste, but still good. The prosciutto was perfectly cured and paired well with the sweet jam. The house-made focaccia (not grilled) was light and airy, beautifully seasoned with rosemary salt and served with oil for dipping.
Once we finished our drinks and apps, we took a brief walk around the center square. In cooler weather, the artificial turf square would be a perfect place to hang out with friends. Today, the space was empty due to the heat. We browsed the REI store while we waited for Sunda New Asian to open, where we had a 5:15 p.m. dinner reservation. We arrived at Sunda at 5 p.m., when they open for dinner, and there was already a line. You’ll definitely want a reservation at this hot spot.
The space is elegant and beautifully appointed in Asian-inspired décor. It’s a stunning space. We were seated at a high-top table along the main wall, which was perfect for people watching. Sunda New Asian is rooted in Filipino heritage and serves a wide variety of dishes that honor the spirit of Southeast Asia. This was our first visit, and our server gladly offered suggestions and encouraged us to take our time and order a few things and then see if we felt like we had room for more. Because we had such a filling appetizer at BellaBrava, we wanted to order a few smaller bites to share. We started with an order of Rainbow Sushi ($29) from their Signature Sushi selections. We added an order of Bulgogi Roti Tacos ($27) from the Dim Sum section and an order of Signature Crispy Rice – Spicy Tuna ($26) from their New Asian Creations.
The sushi arrived first. It was beautifully presented with generous slices of tuna, salmon and yellowtail, and so fresh. It was one of the pricier sushi rolls I’ve ordered, but well worth it.
Next up was the crispy rice, which was presented much like Nigiri, but the rice is fried to a crisp and topped with a serving of spicy tuna in a tartare texture that packed a punch with Sriracha, chili oil and slices of Serrano pepper. Absolutely delicious.
We were considering adding to our order when our Bulgogi Roti Tacos arrived. There were four tacos of a decent size. The shells were roti prata, a soft, yet crisp flatbread of Indian origin that is popular in Singapore. The bread was slightly oily (in the best way) and stuffed with Korean-inspired bulgogi, sliced sesame-soy-marinated ribeye, topped with a tangy red cabbage slaw. These tacos were so delicious and filling, we sadly realized we didn’t have room for any more food. Looking around at the wide variety of dishes being served, we knew we’d have to come back a few more times to get the complete culinary experience. Definitely add Sunda to your list if you haven’t been before.
We originally planned to grab dessert at William Dean Chocalates, which sits right on the main square. When we arrived, their pastry cases were oddly empty, which was probably a good thing after such a filling meal. We decided to grab a selection of their gorgeous artisan chocolates to go, with flavors ranging from Crème Brûlée to Lavendar. My husband and I both agreed that this might be some of the best chocolate we have ever tasted (and I’ve had a lot of chocolate in my 53 years). Sadly, we learned the next day that the store had permanently closed (hence the empty pastry cases). You can still order their artisan chocolates online.
If you’re looking for a fun day out, just a 15-minute drive from Westchase, head to Midtown for your next culinary adventure!