Takin' It to the Ybor Streets: The Bricks

Daughtress was in town last week, which meant a trip to Ybor.  As luck would have it, the Ybor location of Urban Outfitters was closing and having a message-all-your-friends-on-Facebook-worthy sale.  Her timing was impeccable.  I knew she'd approve of The Bricks, so that's where we headed for a post-shopping lunch.

I really like The Bricks and she did, too.  On the road to AARP membership before I can slam on the brakes, I realize that I am not the intended audience for this trendy college-type hangout, but I am inexplicably drawn to its youthful vitality.  The tatted-up, weirdly pierced servers and their crazy hairstyles amuse me while I marvel at the colorful artwork (for sale) gracing the walls.  I don't understand any of it, but I get a kick out of it.  I also appreciate the year-round display of Halloween props and how the staff decorates the vampire and skeleton mascots according to the season.   Humor is good.

That could be why this was my second lunch outing at The Bricks.  Hubs and I tried it a few months back.  He wasn't thrilled, since he's more of a Tampa Bay Brewing Company kind of guy.  That's not to say The Bricks doesn't have beer.  This place morphs into a bar scene at night.  But before the vampires and Ybor City night stalkers come out, it's a coffee shop, breakfast and lunch venue that occupies a red-bricked corner space on the west end of East 7th Avenue. 

Passing on the peanut butter and jelly offerings for which they are known, I opted for the Blackstar Bean Burger ($9) and Asian slaw.  On first bite, the burger was less than exciting, but once I got going on it, it really hit the spot.  The bean patty was topped with smoked mozzarella, spinach, tomato, red onion and ketchup.  The amped-up ketchup imparted a sweet heat and played nicely with the other elements.  The more I ate, the more the heat came through. You've really got to pump up the flavors to electrify vegetarian dishes and The Bricks did an admirable job with this beaner. 

The slaw was particularly memorable -- in a good way.  As I contemplate the dressing ingredients, I venture a guess that a splash of sesame oil is one of the key components, along with vinegar, of course.  The no-mayo-added slaw consisted of shredded carrot and red and green cabbage, all of which were fresh, crunchy and infused with Asian flavors.  It was delicious on both visits. 

Daughtress ordered the Bird and Pig ($9), a combination of roasted chicken, bacon, brie, sliced apple and agave nectar on pressed Hawaiian bread.  You've never had agave nectar on a sandwich before?  Me, neither. The Bricks gets a hat tip for innovation.  There is some smart stuff going on here:   Notice the sweet and salty balance -- in addition to the alternating textures -- of ingredients.  The apples were tart and crunchy, the brie soft and oozing, the bacon salty, the nectar honey-ish and the sweet bread pressed to a warm crisp.  All that adds up to an intriguing and tasty chicken sandwich.  We all know how boring chicken breast can be and this was far from bland.  Hubmeister happened to order this sandwich on his visit and he also sang its praises.  He likes that Hawaiian bread!

From the available sides of potato salad, mixed greens, slaw or tortilla chips, Daughtress also selected the Asian slaw.  It made the cut with her, too.   We also loved the peach ginger iced tea.

We had a couple of servers, and both were efficient, friendly and stylistically unique.  (Insert smile here.)

I am happy that Ybor City is emerging as a restaurant hotbed because this little corner of Spanish-Cuban-Italian history is by far my favorite slice of Tampa.

Maybe the old spirits of Cigar City are inspiring The Bricks' mad scientists.  It's clear they aren't afraid to experiment with their food and I am more than willing to visit their laid-back lab de cuisine.   Where else in Tampa can you find "The Amsterdam, " a sandwich of peanut butter and melted smoked Gouda on a baguette?

Verdict:  Fun choice for the open-minded hipster, oops, I mean diner.

Restaurant Info:
The Bricks
http://www.facebook.com/thebricksybor

El Puerto: Primo Latin Fare

Flying below the Tampa radar on Ybor City's 5th Avenue,  El Puerto Restaurant goes about its business serving up some of the finest Latin cuisine in town. 



The corner of 5th and 17th, now on my list of favorite places.

 
This spot is another example of a solid Tampa restaurant that gets lost in the foodie buzz created by new kids on the culinary block.  That is the only reason I can come up with to explain why I have missed it.  I should say missed out on it because this is one good restaurant - in all respects.



Shrimp guaranteed to make your taste buds tango.


On a recent lunch visit, I savored the best shrimp dish I have experienced in ages.  Picante de Camarones ($13, available for lunch but listed on the dinner menu) consisted of eight or nine perfectly sauteed colossal fresh shrimp swimming in a spicy orange-colored cream sauce.  I could have eaten eight more.  They were far superior in taste and size to the shrimp that I recently had in a shrimp and grits dish at the much-ballyhooed Datz  - and these were more plentiful and less expensive. 

Two sides are offered with each entree and I selected maduros (sweet plantains) and a house salad.  Other choices included white or yellow rice, black beans, tostones and fried cassava.  The soft, caramelized plantains were a sweet complement to the giant, peppery shrimp.  Although the house salad, which consisted of iceberg lettuce, fresh sliced tomato and wilted red onion, was fine, I hated to see that incredible creamy shrimp sauce go to waste.  I should have ordered rice or another starchy carb to sop it all up.  The warm, yeasty dinner rolls would have done the trick, but I resisted the temptation to scarf down a second.

True to her Brazilian roots, Blame It on Rio zeroed in on the meat. 

The juices were flowing as Rio dove into that Grilled Churrasco.

Her medium-rare skirt steak ($12) blanketed the plate.  The family-sized portion was tender and juicy, made even more flavorful by the condiments sitting on the table - a mustard-colored hot sauce and an herbaceous chimichurri.   The yellow aji sauce was thrillingly hot. I witnessed the guilty red pepper flakes but I suspect some other fiery culprits contributed heat, too.  The green chimichurri sauce, however, was our preference; it yielded an agreeable sweetness that partnered well with the beef. 

Rio's sides were fried cassava (yucca) and yellow rice.   This was my first foray into yucca territory.  It reminded me of potato and this preparation resembled french fries in both taste and texture. 

Due to the impressive lunch crowd - predominately business folks - we dined at the bar.   A muted flat-screen television flickered with CNN talking heads, while pleasant Latin music played in the background.  Enhancing the tropical Argentinean-Peruvian vibe were exotic hand-painted murals and abundant sunlight streaming through the eatery's many windows.  I loved the breezy Latin atmosphere and the smiling servers who happily translated menu items and stopped by numerous times to refill our tea. 

Set in an understated brick building that fuses with the rest of the neighborhood, this place is easy to overlook.  But with its white tablecloths, cool Ybor setting, cheerful service and excellent food, El Puerto is a sparkling diamond in a land rife with cubic zirconias.

Verdict:  Affordable gem.

Restaurant Info:
El Puerto Restaurant and Grill
1623 E. 5th Avenue
Tampa
813-248-8222
http://www.elpuertoybor.com/menu.html

L'Eden: Quelle Belle Surprise!

I seldom cook French food.  It's fussy and complicated, which is why I think French restaurants are my favorite dining destinations.  And, surprise of surprises, I found one in the vast French restaurant wasteland that is Tampa.

It's killing me to share this because I selfishly would like to keep my discovery all to myself, but Chef Gerard Jamgotchian's culinary talents deserve recognition, as do the fine service and quaint milieu of L'Eden. So here goes, mes amis...

Open since 2007, L'Eden is a charming bistro tucked into a corner nook of a turn-of-the-century building located at the downtown intersection of Tampa and Madison streets.  Before taking Hubmeister there for his birthday dinner a few weeks ago, I had never heard of it.   After reading a handful of quickie reviews on Urbanspoon, I decided it looked promising.

Parking on Saturday night was a cinch because downtown is not (yet) a weekend destination.  We parked on the street a few steps from the restaurant.   Arriving at 7 p.m. without a reservation, we waited only five minutes for one of the eight or so tables within the cozy space.   It appeared the crowd consisted of a few tourists mixed with a table or two of Straz theater-goers.  While waiting, I read a glowing newspaper clipping about the chef and was beginning to feel pretty good about my choice.

This spot is so small that one very efficient guy waits all the tables, tends the bar and prepares the specialty coffees.  He mentioned that they had done a killer lunch business that day and a subsequent visit at lunchtime demonstrated that downtown office workers are well aware of L'Eden. 

One of the lovely things about this cafe, and perhaps this is another reason for my affinity for French restaurants, is that you do not feel rushed.  The emphasis is on the food - and your enjoyment of it - not on turning the tables at lightning speed.  That is something to keep in mind at lunch, when service was also leisurely.

A menu featuring la cuisine du monde, virtually a global network of dishes from Spain, England, Panama, Russia, France, India, Asia and elsewhere, requires explanation because it combines a dynamic mixture of small plates and entrees in a single list.  This is not a problem when you have a helpful server to advise you, and we did. 

Our starter was Assiette de Charcuteries, a delectable assortment of cured meats encircling a dollop of pate.  The salty, peppery meats were good, but truthfully we ordered the platter for the pate, which we smeared on wonderful French baguette slices that serve as the house bread.  Welcome additions would be toast points or other crisp breads on which to spread it, and a larger portion.  Less meat, more luscious pate.  Better yet, a stand-alone pate appetizer would be heavenly.

We followed the first dish with a Poached Pear and Bacon Salad topped with blue cheese - a shared plate.  It's hard to beat the sweet-and-salty combination of those ingredients.  The bountiful salad was both eye-catching and delicious.

Our entrees consisted of Hubmeister's Steak Diane and my Duck and Brie Crepe.  The crepe filling wasn't as creamy as I would have liked - I anticipated more oozing brie.  The crepe itself was fine but not super delicate.  I plead ignorance when it comes to judging duck, but I liked it.  On the whole, though, I probably wouldn't order this dish again.

Since it was Hubs' birthday, it was only fair that he get the outstanding entree.  The Steak Diane, smothered in sauteed mushrooms, was a dish that I will be sure to repeat at L'Eden.  Tender slices of filet mignon bathed in a classic sauce of cognac, cream, green peppercorns - and who knows what else - exemplified the painstaking culinary complexity I love and it gets an A Plus.  The accompaniments were asparagus and potatoes that I can't comment on because I was too busy stealing steak off Hubs' plate. 

With an espresso bar in full view and a pastry-savvy chef commandeering the kitchen, we should have ordered dessert.   But this is what happened:   On a Saturday night at 8:30, a brazen woman brought in three young children, one of whom was carted in in a stroller.  Of course, the infant got antsy and you can guess the rest.  They obviously were tourists, but it's clear from L'Eden's intimate setting that it is not a place for kids.  We made a run for it and headed home for a Food and Loathing-crafted birthday cake, which certainly was not a gateau up to Chef Gerard's standards but it was damn good rum cake, if I say so myself.

Before I sign off, I want to mention that this dinner didn't even run $100 and we each had a couple of adult beverages.   Also, a note about lunch:   I enjoyed excellent Quiche Champignon in the garden courtyard behind L'Eden.  (Yes, the garden of Eden, hee...hee...hee.)   This outdoor space was not utilized the night of our dinner, but the whole place was rocking during a weekday lunch. 

L'Eden serves breakfast and lunch Monday - Saturday, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.; dinner Wednesday and Thursday, 5 - 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 - 11 p.m.  Closed Sunday.  I strongly suggest dinner reservations.

Verdict:  Tres bon!

Restaurant Info:
L'Eden Restaurant and Bar
500 North Tampa Street
Tampa
813-221-4795
http://www.dine-at-leden.com/menu-dinner.html

Datz Update: Tasting Ruse and Sloppy Service

With Tampa's unemployment rate hovering at 12 percent, you better be on your toes and doing your best at your service job.  You can be replaced in an instant, and if there is any justice in the world, the guy I am about to tell you about will be weeded out and replaced by someone honest and conscientious, someone who needs the job and will do it well.  I have waited tables and I know a sucky server when I see one, and this guy was an incompetent ass.

Blame It on Rio and I went to Datz a few weeks ago for a cheese tasting, which consisted of exactly three crackers of cheese.  FYI - Do not fall for this marketing "event."  Since we drove 25 minutes for our tasting - if you call standing awkwardly at a cheese case for all of two minutes a tasting - we ended up staying for dinner.  Note to Datz:  Host the tastings at the demo bar and sell drinks to the tasters.  Chances are, people will stay for dinner.  The current ploy is uncomfortable and annoying.

Rio and I got an upstairs table and looked over the dinner menu.  I ordered a beer, a menu pairing suggested for my entree of shrimp and grits.  Rio wanted a beer but was unfamiliar with all the microbrews so she solicited help from the waiter, whom I just overheard telling a nearby table that he didn't know much about wine but was well-versed in the beer selections. 

Alrighty then, what did he say when Rio asked for a beer suggestion to accompany her ahi tuna? 

"People usually order wine with that dish," he says. 

Yeah, but she wants a beer.  What does he suggest?  He stares blankly and repeats that people usually order wine with that dish.  Fine, fish and white wine go together.  Who cares?  She wants a beer and Datz has a great variety.  Suggest one, beer expert!  In fact, this arrogant twit took responsibility for the menu pairing that was listed  for my entree, stating,  "Oh, I see they've included my beer suggestion for this dish."   Oh, puh-leeze!

So, Rio is swayed into ordering wine because Waiter Boy insists that's the way to go. 

Then, he asks which wine and suggests Pinot Grigio.  She goes with his Pinot suggestion and he brings the drinks.  Rio shrugs as she sips the uninteresting Pinot Grigio, eyes my frosty IPA with envy, and proclaims, "That's what I wanted."

We order our entrees.  He asks which side I would like with my shrimp and grits.  I order a salad with the house vinaigrette.  The entrees arrive.  No salad.  I tell the runner that I didn't get my salad.  Next thing I know our crackerjack waiter is back to tell me he's sorry, my entree doesn't include a side.  He then blamed his mistake on the changing menu.  Lame.  Get with the program, buddy.  It's your job to know the menu, especially if it changes. 

The guy who hosted the cheese tasting knew his stuff and, although it was weirdly brief, it was informative.  He happened to mention that every entree at Datz includes a pimento cheese spread and a basket of crisp bread.

It occurs to me that Rio and I never got this sampler.  I mention this to the waiter, who apologizes for the oversight and hurries away to retrieve one.  What is up with this dude?  Now, we are eating the tasty cheese, celery and bread crisps with dinner, instead of snacking leisurely before the meal.  They were really enjoyable, too, and I probably would have ordered another beer with dinner had Waiter Boy timed everything properly.  Higher bar tab, higher ticket, bigger tip.  Novice. 

I returned home and mentioned these service blunders to Hubmeister, who reported that the last time he dined at Datz, the service was terrible.

By the way, our food was good.

Ciccio's Lodge: Which Is It?

I often wonder what the Ciccio's Lodge proprietors were thinking when they combined two totally different restaurant concepts, two names and two logos.   I realize these guys have launched successful restaurants in Tampa, which is why I find this unfocused approach - and this logo - even more incredulous.



The Dueling Logos 

When we moved to Tampa in '07, Ciccio's in New Tampa was a colorful little restaurant specializing in health-conscious stir-fry dishes, sushi and wraps.  Despite including pizza and several Italian entrees, they dubbed the theme "California cuisine."  The decor was bright and cheerful, with a neat aquamarine-colored bar, and blue-green hues conveying a Pacific-coast mood.  A couple of years ago, they moved the restaurant into a larger space in the same Publix-anchored shopping center, threw in menu items from their Lodge restaurant in South Tampa and revamped the design, which curiously fails to reflect either concept. 

Walk past the outdoor patio and into the restaurant, where a giant square of a bar greets you in all its big-screen-TV glory.  White-vinyl booths flank a wall to the left, and as you move farther inside, you reach an adjacent dining area with additional booths and tables.  Gone are the bright California colors, replaced by a bit of dark-brown wood and crazy-looking red chandeliers, a meager and odd attempt to incorporate a lodge look. 

I don't pretend to know anything about design, but it is unlike any lodge atmosphere I've encountered.  Aren't lodges supposed to be cozy, with wooden beams, stone fireplaces and stuff like moose heads mounted on the walls?  This looks as if a couple of food guys axed the designer from the expansion budget and threw the place together themselves.  It's like a minimalistic bachelor pad in restaurant form.

The "Tennessee Puzzler" agrees.  That's my big sister, who was in town a few weeks ago, fresh off a jigsaw marathon with "The Oldsters," a.k.a., my parents.  She breezed into Tampa from Ft. Lauderdale on a lovely evening, so we decided to walk to Ciccio's Lodge for dinner.

Before retiring to a life of gardening and crossword puzzles in Hixson, Tenn., the Puzzler taught school here for many years and recalls delicious brunches at Ciccio's.  She was puzzled, shall we say, by this latest endeavor.  Unlike moi, Tennessee Puzzler has a talent for interior design and she described this restaurant as "cold and institutional."

Now that you've got the picture, I'll move on to the food.  Although it lacks any extraordinary characteristics, Ciccio's cuisine is consistently satisfactory and tonight was no exception.  We ordered TV dinners.  An imaginative idea, Ciccio's Lodge's TV dinners combine an entree and two sides on one sectioned plate, as well as dessert, plated separately.  Sides run the gamut from sauteed spinach and tater tots to turkey chili and bread pudding, with a dozen or more choices thrown in for good measure.  Portions are reasonable, especially well-suited for a normal appetite.  Priced at $11, they were a significant value. 

I had Black and White Sesame Crusted Tuna, Sticky Rice with Black Sesame Seeds, and a green salad.  The tuna was delightful, nicely seared on the outside and bright pink in the middle; the brown rice clung together appropriately and contained a sprinkle of black sesame seeds; and the salad, mostly lettuce, was boring but dressed well in a sharp balsamic vinaigrette.  Dessert was Tiramisu, which was a passable sweet finish to the meal. 

The Puzzler had a Mediterranean Wrap, a vegetarian concoction of hummus, feta cheese, black olives, tomato and lettuce.  From the varied list of accompaniments, she choose sweet potato fries, cucumber salad and sauteed spinach.  The sides are up to you; if you don't feel like including a dessert, as Puzzler did not, simply substitute another savory side.  She especially liked the wrap and fries.

The old Ciccio's menu remains intact, including salads, wraps, stir-fry dishes, California bowls, sushi, pizza and pasta; and I assume the Lodge entered the scene with burgers, sliders and TV dinners.

Servers are mostly college kids and ours was attentive and friendly.
  
Speaking of youth, Ciccio's Lodge actually took over the space once occupied by The Lime, the owners' other restaurant in this center, which offered Mexican fare and attracted more of a drinking crowd.  Bar business at Ciccio's Lodge seems busy; they offer nightly promotions and live entertainment on the weekend.  The restaurant also resurrected Sunday brunch.

Surely, it's no coincidence that all of these changes occurred when the economy tanked.  Restaurants were under the gun to get people in the door, which could explain why the vision here appears blurred, as if the partners threw ideas against a wall to see what would stick, and they didn't want to invest too much while doing it.  The logo speaks volumes.
     
Verdict:  Reliable neighborhood bite.  Bleak atmosphere.

Restaurant Info:
Ciccio's Lodge
16023 Tampa Palms Boulevard W.
Tampa
813-975-1222
 http://cicciorestaurantgroup.com/wp_ciccioslodge.com/?page_id=9

Deliciously Modern: Pelagia Trattoria

"All of our pasta is made in-house," explained the cordial server. 

Okay, stop right there.  No need to go any further.  Who cares about the salmon?  When I hear homemade pasta, I swoop down on it like a vulture on a dead armadillo. 

That's exactly what I did Saturday night at Pelagia Trattoria, the highly acclaimed restaurant located inside the Renaissance Hotel at International Plaza.  How often do you find a noteworthy restaurant located inside a hotel?  We actually have a couple of them in Tampa, but let's face it, most hotel restaurants are mediocre and people dine at them out of convenience or necessity, not as a final destination. 

Oh, the lucky guests getting room service from Pelagia, or dropping in for a convenient dinner.  What they'll discover are carefully executed Italian dishes and first-rate service.  That's the kind of surprise I like when I travel, but traveling we were not.  We are fortunate to have this fine trattoria right in our back yard.

To my dismay, we comprised one of only a handful of occupied tables on a Saturday night at 7.  This is a crying shame, and I'll tell you why:  the food, service and atmosphere are a top-notch change of pace from the ordinary Tampa offerings.

As we selected a bottle of wine, we munched on crispy bread sticks and a couple of Italian breads that were accompanied by a pate of ground olives, herbs and citrus.  I'm all for shaking up the usual bread-and-butter routine.  My palate was primed.

For appetizers, I kept the olive theme going by ordering crunchy fried olives stuffed with three meats, and Hubmeister selected an oven-dried tomato, goat cheese and pesto-topped garlic baguette.  In the local food world, word has spread about these olives, so I knew they would be on my personal menu.  Salty and crunchy, they are tasty and would be awesome with a cocktail.  

Next time, I'll pair gin with these babies.

I recommend them, especially if you are having drinks at the bar, but I wouldn't pair them with a glass of red wine again.  Olive pate and olive appetizer equal olive overkill.  Amateur mistake on my part.

Hubmeister's appetizer was splendid, with warm, creamy goat cheese acting as a sassy conduit for the basil pesto and tangy tomato.  My blurry photo doesn't do it justice. 

We both ordered Caesar salads.  Have you ever received a present but you didn't have the foggiest idea what it was or what to do with it?  That's how I felt when this salad innovation was served. 



On the left are focaccia croutons preparing for takeoff.

 "Have you ever had one of these before?" the server inquired. 

"Uh, no, how do we eat them?" I asked, as I stared at what the server described as a deconstructed Caesar salad.  

"You can eat it with your hands or just dump it out on the plate and mix it up like a normal Caesar," she offered. 

Oh boy, I love to play with my food.  I was delighted, and Hubmeister was game, too.  This is what going out to dinner is all about.  We separated the warm, slightly oiled and charred baby romaine leaves, rolled up part of the fresh Parmesan, broke off some giant crouton and proceeded to dunk our lettuce wraps into creamy Caesar dressing.  On the menu this dish is called Caesar Fondue.  I have a feeling I will be "fonduing" this again.

Next came the homemade pasta.

Did someone say pumpkin gnocchi?  That would be me.  I had Pumpkin Gnocchi with Barbera Braised Short Rib Ragout.  The server described this as a wintry dish, and that nails it perfectly.  This rustic and homey creation is guaranteed to warm you on a chilly night.  Void of the big globs of fat usually found in short ribs, and chopped in a small dice, the fork-tender rib meat conveyed the intoxicating essence of its red-wine braise and generously encircled pillows of pumpkin-and-potato pasta.  Have no fear of a strong pumpkin flavor.  I couldn't detect the pumpkin at all.  Maybe it lends an underlying sweetness to the dish, which reminded me of a pasta version of roast beef and potatoes - a really good stew, with an incredible gravy. 

Hubmeister had Pappardelle with Traditional Bolognese and Pecorino Cheese.  A rich and meaty sauce accentuated broad ribbons of hefty pasta.  This evoked nods of praise and I had to remind Hubs that he wouldn't be sent to bed early if he didn't clean his plate, but there was no stopping him. 

Bring on dessert!  I couldn't eat another bite, but in the interest of the blog (yep, this is a good excuse) we split the chef's creation for the evening - a lemon cheesecake accompanied by a cherry-lemon sauce.  Except for a novel biscotti crust, the cake itself was a bit dry and unremarkable, but the lemon sorbet that topped it was a pleasant twist and a nice bite for those of us who could barely budge from the lovely environment. 

As with its cuisine, Pelagia is not what one expects in terms of typical Italian restaurant ambiance.  You know the kind I mean, where you half-expect to see Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack emerge from a dark and mysterious private dining room.  No, this space is smart and colorful, artfully lit with rainbows of pendant lights.  Seating is comfortable, though not intimate, but private dining is available.  An open kitchen and adjacent bar span the length of the restaurant.  Because it was slow, the dining room was quiet but I can envision plenty of action and a very different environment on a busy night.  

Also open for breakfast and lunch, Pelagio would be a swank venue for business dining.  Personally, I'm planning a break in my Christmas shopping to sample their pizza.  If shopping proves laborious, I'll be in the lounge with a gin and tonic and fried olives.  You can access the restaurant easily from the mall; it's just outside the food court and you can't miss the hotel.  Valet parking is available and complimentary. 

Restaurant Info:
Pelagia Trattoria
4200 Jim Walter Boulevard
Tampa
813-313-3235
http://www.pelagiatrattoria.com/

Making the List: La Septima Cafe

We move around a lot, or so it seems.  About every five years Hubmeister's company moves him to another location and we go through all the aches and pains of packing up, buying and selling houses, settling kids into schools, saying goodbye to friends and neighbors, and leaving all that's become comfortable and familiar.  It's exciting yet sad, a blessing yet a curse.  In food terms, I guess you could say it is bittersweet.

So, I read with interest a recent article on a local news blog about a young Tampa woman who decided to visit all her favorite restaurants before departing for law school in Miami.  She had some intriguing choices and they got me thinking about which dining establishments I felt compelled to visit before my big moves.  The future lawyer had a couple high-end spots on her list, such as Sidebern's and Mise en Place, but the majority were affordable local favorites, including La Teresita, Zudar's Deli, and Crab Shack.  

The restaurants that crop up on my list from past moves also tend to be casual hangouts where we took the kids and had fun, not the upscale, celebrate-the-anniversary-type spots.   All had decent food but not award-winning cuisine.  I believe a pizza joint has made the list at every locale. 

A restaurant that would probably make my list here is La Septima Cafe.  Located in a tiny strip mall on Parsons Road in Brandon, La Septima is a restaurant I have visited on several occasions since my return to Tampa a few years ago. 

Exuding the intimate charm inherent in a family-run operation, this small Cuban eatery appears stuck in a time warp, as if some of the decor could be seen on "That '70s Show."  But it's a retro spot you're happy to visit and nobody seems to care about the dated wallpaper, the dark carpet, or the Tiffany-style fixtures illuminating the tables.  La Septima hasn't redecorated in a while, if ever, but it's a prime example of a comfortable place to hang out, like visiting an aunt who has lived in the same house as long as you can remember, offering you delicious meals from her trusted kitchen.

Named after Ybor's historic Seventh Avenue and bedecked with vintage photos of Ybor City, this 15-year-old cafe offers Cuban-style breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I have sampled all three menus, with multiple lunch visits to my credit.

A generous breakfast of eggs, potatoes, and Cuban toast really hit the spot, and if I lived in Brandon I would be eating it all too often.  Lunch and dinner menus incorporate traditional Cuban dishes, such as Palomilla, Picadillo, and Arroz con Pollo, and daily specials are listed on a white board near the hostess station.  Ropa Vieja with black beans and yellow rice, a menu item and often a special, has been my go-to dish until this week, when Hubmeister and I had lunch at La Septima and I ordered the Lechon Asado special with black beans and yellow rice.

Lechon Adado with Black Beans and Rice (and a side of onions)

The Lechon Asado, pork slowly roasted in sour orange mojo, was ambrosial.  The citrus and garlic marinade permeated the pork, which was so tender you forgot there was a knife on the table.  The black beans and rice were nicely seasoned and satisfying, and on all my visits the server asked if I would like onions to accompany them.   Oh yeah!  The onions are sweet with a sour bite, perhaps marinated in that same sour orange mojo mixture.  They are the perfect crunchy accent to the soft rice and beans.  When I was finished my meal, there was nothing left on that white plate.

Hubmeister, on a downward spiral in our restaurant excursions lately, didn't fare as well with his selection of the Elena Ruiz sandwich, a special listed on the board.  Excited because he discovered a similar sandwich recently in Miami and came home proclaiming he experienced sandwich heaven, he was disappointed that it was not representative of his much-beloved new find, the Elena Ruth sandwich. 

Although Ruiz and Ruth are two different names, the sandwiches are the same.  I looked it up and I have no idea why the names are different, but the ingredients are the same for this sandwich, which has several aliases:  Elena Ruth, Elena Ruz and Elena Ruiz.  Interesting name confusion.

Elena Ruiz Sandwich with Spanish Potatoes

The Miami Elena Ruth featured turkey, cream cheese and strawberry jam on sweet bread - the traditional ingredients - but La Septima's Elena Ruiz was served on regular Cuban bread with a guava spread.  Hubmeister says the key to the sandwich is the sweet Hawaiian-type bread.   Not all Cuban sandwiches are created equal, nor are all Elena Ruiz/Ruz/Ruth sandwiches.  Such is life in Cuban Sandwichland.

This is not to say the traditional Cuban bread at La Septima is forgettable - quite the contrary.  The restaurant is proud of it, too, boasting on the menu that its purveyor is Tampa's Casino Bakery, which has been making Cuban bread since 1912.

La Septima's Cuban sandwich is praise-worthy, too.  In fact, we brought one home for the kids and they scarfed it down in minutes. 

On my next visit, I will try the tempting cheesecake slices rotating in the old-fashioned glass dessert carousel in the dining room.  There is a guava cheesecake calling my name, and I want to be sure I taste it before we move again.

Restaurant Info:
La Septima Cafe
140 N. Parsons Avenue
Brandon, Florida
813-684-1948

Acropolis: Our Big, Fat Greek Dinner

You know you're in for a memorable evening when you walk into a restaurant and plates and paper napkins are flying.  Add a belly dancer, a couple of talented Greek musicians and a wait staff dancing Zorba-the-Greek-style around the tables and you've got Acropolis Greek Taverna in Ybor City.

Acropolis has a few restaurants around Tampa, and we have found the food and atmosphere consistent at both the Ybor City and New Tampa locations.  Other Greek food tycoons also must find them noteworthy because tables usually are full at both spots.  Since great friends were in town and they were unfamiliar with Ybor, I thought this would be a convivial place to meet for dinner and to introduce them to the exuberance of Ybor City.

We began our Grecian odyssey with an appetizer sampler platter for all to share.  Recommended by our pleasant server, it featured hummus, feta, eggplant and taramosalata (fish roe) spreads, as well as Greek olives and several dolmades.  A dish of warm pita bread accompanied the platter, providing the ideal vehicle for generous schmears of creamy, salty, garlicky dips. Yum!  Nobody was game for the dolmades but me, and I am not a big fan of stuffed grape leaves, but they were good if you like leaves stuffed with rice and herbs.   Obviously, you can't trust my judgment of them, but believe me when I say the Greek beer, Mythos, was an ice-cold complement to this assortment of Mediterranean flavors.

My entree was shrimp Cyprus, which was a plate of well-seasoned and beautifully charred shrimp threaded onto skewers that also contained grilled tomatoes, onion and mushrooms.  The side dish that seems to accompany every entree I have ever ordered at Acropolis is orzo and roasted vegetables, and tonight was no exception.  The veggies were zucchini and yellow squash.  I enjoyed it but suspect it sat on my plate while my shrimp were cooking because the shrimp were hot and the side was lukewarm.   These things happen. 

It's hard to get Hubmeister to break from the Acropolis salad, and no wonder.  It's an enormous plate of highly seasoned shaved lamb piled high atop tangy Greek potato salad, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, olives, a hefty square of feta cheese, pita and tzatziki.  Unbelievably priced at $10, it could feed a family of four. 

I can't tell you what our friends ordered because my attention was so focused on the goings-on around me.  The shapely belly dancer, whom Hubmeister and our friend, Wish-I-Had-a-Pepcid, seemed to appreciate, was dancing with anyone who hopped out of their chair, and several people did including Ms. "I Got the Music in Me" at the table beside us.

Wish-I-Had-a-Pepcid and the Hubmeister were searching for ones to throw at her (the belly dancer, that is) so dollar bills could join the crashing plates and reams of napkins raining down on our heads.  Actually, the plates they just throw on the floor.  As my old chum - we'll call her Witty L -  wryly observed, "This place isn't exactly green."

All I can say is, "Opa!"

Restaurant Info:

Acropolis Greek Taverna
1833 East 7th Avenue
Tampa
813-242-4545
http://www.acropolistaverna.com/

Bernini: A Happy Marriage of Art and Food

After running five miles yesterday morning in what only could have been 100 percent humidity, I did what every diet guru tells you not to do:  I rewarded myself with food.  Hubmeister invited me to lunch and had me choose the restaurant.  I picked Bernini, one of my favorite Ybor City haunts.

Housed in an historic bank building, Bernini exudes the Roman charm of its namesake, Giovanni Bernini, a 17th-century Italian sculptor, architect and painter.  Prints and sculptures attributed to this influential Baroque artist peer down at you while you savor the mouthwatering sights, smells and tastes emerging from the laudable kitchen.  

Here is Bernini's David, ready to pounce on my pasta:

The two-story setting features an attractive full-liquor bar running the length of the first floor, with tables and a wood-burning pizza oven comprising the remaining space.  Plenty of windows usher in natural light, as well as the lively street scenes of  Ybor City.  And lively is a mild word to describe Ybor at night.  Upstairs seating also is available, and Hubmeister, who went snooping on the second floor on another occasion, informed me that they have transformed an old bank vault into wine cellar-type storage.

Sitting at our table, staring longingly at that pizza oven (see it at the far end of the bar?), I was tempted to try the pizza, but opted for the pescatore, a pasta dish to which I gravitate.  It's hard to resist seafood and linguine dressed in a red clam sauce.

Served tongue-burning hot, right off the stove, this dish features the heavenly combination of linguine, shrimp, fish, clams and mussels.  The zesty clam sauce had just the right amount of garlic and pepper to complement the seafood.  If we hadn't already demolished the fresh Italian bread, which was accompanied by a saucer of rich, basil-infused olive oil, I would have sopped up every last drop of that savory sauce.  There wasn't much seafood left, either.  The shrimp was plump and succulent, the mussels tasty, the clams tender, and the fish, well, it was salmon.   I would have preferred a white fish, but the rest of the dish made up for it. 

The photo below is my meal in progress.  It looked much prettier when it first arrived at the table.

Hubmeister raved about his selection, Jason's Favorite Pasta.  This offering featured angel hair pasta tossed in a marinara sauce of garlic, basil, olive oil and Parmesan.  A typical sauce, this one was distinguishable by a pleasing hint of sweetness.  He added the optional chicken, which was unnecessary and unfortunately, overcooked. 

In addition to pasta, lunch offerings include appetizers, sandwiches, salads and creatively topped pizza.  Although the eatery had a sparse crowd on this visit, Bernini usually bustles with activity, especially at night.  The dinner menu features such classic Italian favorites as osso buco, veal lasagna and a killer veal chop.

Service is friendly and efficient.  Servers wear shirts emblazoned with the saying, "Where Taste Is a Matter of Art."  At Bernini, I delight in both, making it worth every huff and puff of that grueling morning jog.

Restaurant Info:
Bernini of Ybor
1702 East 7th Avenue
Tampa
813-248-0099
berniniofybor.com