Sumatra: A Brandon Bistro?

Sorry for the question, but we spent five months in Brandon when we first landed in this part of the state in 1990, and the most sophisticated eatery there was Olive Garden.  While the town is still a chain-lover's dream, a smattering of independent restaurateurs is attempting to break new ground.

A case in point is Sumatra Bistro Cafe & Bakery, which occupies a corner space of a building located east of Lakewood Drive, off Oakfield Drive.  Once I found the place, which, approaching from the west, has terrible visibility and a dysfunctional parking lot, I joined the Mississippi Maven at an outside table on a spiffy spring day. 



Sumatra's patio is a plus, but server access was a problem during our visit.


Although I have my share of beefs with Brandon, this sprawling bedroom community has managed to retain a vestige of small-town folksiness, and we were greeted with enthusiastic hellos and a smiling staff.  The level of professionalism ended there, however, as I received the wrong meal and servers busing open-air tables tried futilely to enter the restaurant bearing armloads of dishes.  Patio diners politely offered to open the door for the plate jugglers - which begs the question, why not prop open the door?   I could take a trip down Snarky Lane, but I'll forge ahead to the food.

Reminiscent of Season's Fresh (see recent post), Sumatra is following an emerging trend:  a focus on fresh, organic and locally grown ingredients featured in salads, paninis, wraps and sandwiches.  Gourmet coffee, tea, and baked goods complete the cafe-bistro profile. 

Since the Trib gave Sumatra an enthusiastic review, I guess I expected more substance and creativity.  I ordered a cup of Tomato Basil Bisque and an Eggplant and Mozzarella Sandwich. What I mistakenly received was hard-boiled egg and cucumber served on a Pepperidge Farm deli flat.  Rather than remove the dish and correct the order, the server said the chef must have misunderstood her "egg" instructions.  I didn't want to hold up the Maven's meal by requesting a new sandwich, so I simply ate what was before me, which certainly was no guilty pleasure.  In fact, it was quite diet-friendly.

Weight watchers, rejoice!

Deli flat.  Cucumber.  Egg.  Need I say more?  The high note was the fresh-tasting soup, rich with tomato and nicely infused with basil.   I would also recommend the coffee, which the server said was - you guessed it - Sumatran. 

The Maven had a Chicken Caesar Wrap, which she uncharacteristically remained mum about throughout the meal.  Both entrees were accompanied by a handful of mixed greens, some carrot shavings, a few cheese crumbles and a side of ordinary house vinaigrette. 

The word verdant comes to mind.

When I asked her in the parking lot what she thought of the place, the Maven shrugged and said we've had better lunches.  She's right.  We both could have made any of this stuff at home.

Sumatra Bistro serves breakfast and lunch, and stocks a bakery case full of treats.  The hours posted on the website vary depending on the day, so consult before you go. 

Verdict:  So-so bistro.

Restaurant Info:
Sumatra Bistro Cafe and Bakery
1602 Oakfield Drive
Brandon
813-655-6200
http://www.sumatrabistro.com/menu/

Season's Fresh: A Chick Pick

Like movies, some restaurants appeal to women and getting men into them practically requires an earth mover.  To determine if a place fits into a tennis ladies or Red Hatters category, for example, I simply ask myself if Hubmeister would set foot in the door. 

Just as he wouldn't be caught dead watching "Sleepless in Seattle," Hubs undoubtedly would go next door for Wood Fired pizza or Big Papa's Pit barbecue before he'd opt for a meal at Season's Fresh.  I, on the other hand, do not possess these studly standards and enjoyed a quick bite there.

Blame It on Rio sang the praises of Season's Fresh even before it moved from a New Tampa shopping center location north of I-75 to its current venue in a restaurant-filled strip center off Bearss Avenue near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.  She was excited when the owner decided to move to a more visible location.  Lo and behold, I hear the tennis ladies have discovered it.

As the name suggests, the Season's Fresh culinary focus is on seasonal, organic ingredients.  The menu consists of wraps, paninis, soups, salads and smoothies, which are served in better-than-your-average-sandwich-shop surroundings. 

The multi-talented owner has been a caterer and a decorator; the latter skill she has applied here to create a bright, contemporary space featuring modern art showcased against a backdrop of pelican blue-gray walls.  Red cushions, black tables and white chairs add to the colorful mix.  Exposed overhead ducts are painted black with a few wood beams added to warm things up.  An inviting, tree-shaded patio presents a nice niche to dine alone or with friends.

The ordering procedure is similar to Panera's, but here the food is brought to your table.  I got a sandwich and Rio ordered a panini.  My Shaved Roasted Chicken Breast Sandwich ($7.95) was served warm. 

It lived up to the fresh ideal, with hunks of oven-roasted white-meat chicken, caramelized onions, fontina cheese and spring greens, all encased in thick country bread that was warmed to a toasty crunch in a panini press.  While there was no shortage of pungent fresh herbs, in fact there were too many, the missing links were moisture and fat.  The dry sandwich cried out for a saucy partner, or at least a slather of butter on the bread.  Since I noted that wraps are accompanied by a choice of dipping sauce, I will be sure to order a side of sauce with my sandwich next time. 

A few cornichons and nicoise olives, as well as a small seasonal side salad, are included with sandwich selections.  Rio is a regular and highly recommends the soups, which change daily. 

My favorite part of this place is the Illy coffee bar.  Italian coffee gets my vote as one of the best and Illy is up there with Lavazza.   I have not discovered any other business in Tampa that serves it.  I mentioned this to the owner, who said the Illy honchos have strict guidelines about the product, including the equipment on which it is prepared.  She has thousands of dollars invested in Illy-approved coffee apparatus. 

I can see this spot taking off with organic-frenzied USF students, laptop-toting coffeehouse junkies, health-conscious yoga fanatics, and generally those who appreciate fine ingredients and are fatigued by the often careless preparation and waning food quality at Panera. 

But Season's should stick to the hours it advertises if it wants to build a customer base.  I stopped by a few days ago for lunch and it was closed.  According to the hours posted on the front door, it should have been open.  And I can't find the hours on the website, either, which brings me to my...

Verdict:  Needs tweaking but has promise.

Restaurant Info:
Season's Fresh
2816 East Bearss Avenue
Tampa
813-866-4444
http://www.seasonsfreshcafe.com/

Totally Tasty Find: Beignets at Nola Cafe

My daughter is home from college this week, on break between summer and fall semesters at the recently ranked No. 1 party school in the nation, University of Georgia.  With that kind of parental-pride-inducing competition (insert collective sigh here from parents, administration and academia), we try to show her a good time when she visits dear old Mom and Dad in Tampa. 

What better way to entertain your partying coed than to take her to a museum!  No, really.  She appreciates art, and since none of us had ever been to the Salvador Dali Museum, we went to St. Petersburg Tuesday to check it out.   A fascinating collection, even if Dali is not your artistic cup of tea, it's located in the happening heart of St. Pete.  If you know St. Pete, you know that "happening" is a stretch, but at least it is situated in an area of town near the water, the pier, and an assortment of shops and restaurants.  After touring destination Dali, we wandered over to the waterfront, Beach Drive specifically, and stumbled upon Nola Cafe.

It was about 3 p.m., an off time in the restaurant world and, as expected, the place - located in Parkshore Plaza among other eateries and shops - had a single diner reading a newspaper.  A smiling server, probably the manager, and the only employee I saw besides a cook who wandered outside for a break, told us to choose any table and then came to greet us and take drink orders.

A cursory glance revealed an inviting coffee shop atmosphere, roomier than most, with an L-shaped bar available for diners who opt for counter service or for a front-row seat to view the plasma television.  The environs are warm, the chairs are comfy, and a New Orleans theme is reflected in the music, menu and cans of Cafe du Monde coffee and a few other food-related items exhibited for sale.

Listed on a chalkboard near the coffee bar were the day's specials, which included vanilla French toast, catfish po' boy and lobster bisque.  Among Big Easy favorites on the lunch and dinner menu are jambalaya, po' boy sandwiches, gumbo, and red beans and rice.  Sandwich wraps, soups and salads are also available. 

Since my philosophy is to stick with the restaurant's theme, I ordered a bowl of chicken and andouille gumbo.  Mostly andouille sausage cut into a small dice, the gumbo was flavorful with a dark roux and a pleasant, smokey heat, but contained only one strip of chicken along with scant white rice.   For $9.99, it wasn't exactly a meal.

A few puny slices of unremarkable baguette were shared among us.  Dieting Hubmeister had a lackluster house salad, comprised solely of lettuce, tomatoes, and croutons.  The grilled chicken topper he added to it didn't help this lame effort, which was so boring it came with bottles of oil and vinegar. 

My daughter chose the lobster bisque, which she lapped up, and my son had a roast beef po' boy, the most impressive-looking plate on the table.  Juicy, shredded roast beef was served on a long French roll with an accompanying romaine lettuce-based salad.  The beef was topped with fresh diced tomatoes, the bread smeared with mayo. 

What we ordered next were the highlights of this late lunch, and appropriately enough, they are highlighted in a box on the menu.  Somebody once said always order the dish the restaurant puts in a big box on the menu because that's the item the restaurant is most proud of.  Makes sense, doesn't it?  If it's something I like I'll order it, and in this case it was not a problem to order:  drum roll, please...beignets.
 

Cafe au lait and beignets are worth a visit to Nola's in Tampa or St. Pete.

We shared an order consisting of three fluffy fried pillows of dough covered in a blizzard of powdered sugar.  Straight from the fryer and into our mouths, those, and the cafe au lait chaser - half chicory coffee and half hot milk - were a scrumptious combination. 

When I asked our friendly server what coffees they offered and she answered, "Everything, because we are mainly a coffee shop," I did a mental head slap.  A more attentive look at the menu indicated a lengthy list of coffee drinks.  Hello!

Nola's is okay for a sandwich or bowl of soup, but the real reason to stop in is for coffee and beignets. 

Restaurant Info:
Nola Cafe & News Stand
300 E. Beach Drive N.
St. Petersburg, FL
727-498-8978
http://www.nolacafe.com/

Also:
301 W. Platt St. #C
Tampa, FL
813-258-8778