Tag Archive for "Tampa" - Restaurant Rentals & Sales

July 26, 2019July 15, 2019

{Noah’s Eat} Review: Cena – Tampa

Cena – Authentically Unique!

One thing that chefs struggle with is how do they stay true to their culinary heritage while still innovating? How far do they push the envelope, yet not lose the essence of a dish? This can be even more problematic with Italian food as many of the dishes and recipes are sacred! Well, Chef Michael Buttacavoli has found the sweet spot in this conundrum, and I don’t mean with just the delicious gelato! I visited Cena with my wife upon the recommendation of a friend, and the experience was extraordinary. From our host Joe (from Comack), to our server Marissa, all the way to speaking with Michael, who is not only a great chef, but a great guy!

Cena has a great vibe, a bit old school, but also a bit industrial. Our meals were amazing, the menu is rotational, and always features in season ingredients; starting with the Antipasti and Insalata. I had the Octopus salad, which was spiced up with some Calabrian hot sauce and fried cauliflower. Now I’m a bit of an authority on octopus, having eaten my way across the Iberian Peninsula, where they hand out awards to the tapas bar that serves the best pulpo. The Cena version of this was fantastic, with some innovative surprises in flavor and texture. My wife had the baby kale Cesar; the chickpea croutons were an awesome touch! And Michael is not afraid to use anchovies to keep it authentic. We had the gnocchi for a pasta course, which was equally inventive as the octopus. The tomato sauce included braised oxtail, again a combination you’ll not find almost anywhere! The gnocchi had a finishing touch of being lightly braised in the skillet, which gave it an even deeper flavor and texture. Absolutely delicious. My secondi was the Parmesan crusted halibut, which was seared to perfection with a fabulous faro and risotto. Again, another twist on a theme, but next level in flavor! This superb meal was finished off with gelato and of course, some house made limoncello!

In addition to my Iberian escapade, my wife and I recently made a trip to Sicily, where needless to say food is a way of life. I would put the meal at Cena on this level of the best cuisine we sampled. Plus not only is the food exceptional, it is an exceptional value! They are transitioning to a new menu as I type this so get to Cena and have the best of the old AND new world!

June 28, 2019June 28, 2019

{Noah’s Eat} 4Rivers Smokehouse – Bounty of Brisket

To many, anything to do with barbecue (BBQ) is sacred. There are even entire TV shows and week long festivals dedicated to the subject! The arguments about who has the best BBQ invokes the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s….Eastern vs. Western North Carolina, North vs. South Carolina, mustard based vs. vinegar based, chopped vs. pulled, beef vs. pork. And it’s not lost on me that in some parts of the US the term barbecue is a verb, and in other parts it’s a noun! Pity some of the folks in the north who thought a Sloppy Joe was BBQ. I’ve eaten at countless BBQ joints all through the south, in Texas and even in California (where there are very few!).

Which brings me to 4Rivers, where I have a long and even personal history with, dating back to the first location on Fairbanks Ave in Orlando. John Rivers opened this location as a “Barbecue Ministry” in 2009, around the time we met. I was working on the Cheerwine soft drink brand, the official soft drink of Carolina BBQ. John was buying and bootlegging the nectar of the Carolinas down to Florida from our plant in South Carolina, before Cheerwine was available in the state. He was so dedicated to the BBQ experience; he even brought down the original formula, made with real cane sugar and in an old school glass bottle. This was also a big differentiator in a state packed with BBQ restaurants. The other aspect of 4Rivers that makes it unique is the amazing brisket, as virtually all BBQ joints in FLA are pork centric! Simply stated, 4Rivers has the best brisket I’ve had in all of Florida.

The 4Rivers experience is a delight. It is cafeteria like, where you order off the overhead menu. The sides are equally amazing, many of these recipes from the mind of the owner, and all delicious. On this trip I had the brisket sandwich, collard greens and green beans. Love. The brisket is moist, the collards are seasoned and the beans are perfect. Oh, did I mention the on site Sweet Shop? Two words: Red Velvet. Seriously, everything in a 4Rivers location is made with care and the employees are genuinely glad to be there! You will be glad to be there too.

May 13, 2019May 1, 2019

{Restaurant Review} THE MILL Works

A recent visit to The Mill in Tampa exposed a new and worthy dining experience in south Tampa. The Mill is housed in the space previously occupied by Ceviche and after a lengthy renovation the space is large and open, full of texture and décor drawn from nature. They have kept the large, covered dining patio but they’ve put their own stamp on it with the installation of a large, functioning water wheel where the fountain used to be.

Open for dinner and weekend brunch, The Mill offers a menu of imaginative delights that you won’t find at many other Tampa restaurants. There is a distinctive southern flair (sweet pickle brined fried chicken and apple cider sorghum braised pork belly) as well as European-inspired fare (grilled avocado panzanella, bourbon ajo dulce triggerfish and a succulent charcuterie offering). The Vegetable Charcuterie has an impressive list of delights including pastrami cauliflower and roasted turnip gratin dauphinoise to name a few.

There are many dishes that I have put on my “must try” list including the fork tender Rib-eye (grilled or Pittsburgh finished with blue cheese butter), the Dueling Duck, Diver Scallops and the cider-braised Mussels. They also offer less-obvious cuts such as ostrich and bison. Oh, yes. Please.

The Meatloaf Wellington was more of a miss than a hit due to the soggy crust and bland cheese sauce. Seemed to be a case of trying too hard. However, the Heirloom Watercress salad was fabulously satisfying and the careful preparation was spot on.

A strong craft cocktail list and half a dozen intriguing desserts round out a menu that clearly reveals a creative team with a sound instinct for unusual pairings and inventive reimaginings.

Service was attentive and our “to-go” bag was gifted with a couple of perfect oatmeal raison cookies. Aaahhh…sweet!

Find The Mill at 2500 W. Azeele St, Tampa, 33609

813.603.8786

www.themillrestaurants.com

themillst@themillrestaurants.com

Elizabeth Fendrick

May 10, 2019April 29, 2019

{Restaurant Review} Lucky Dill – Tampa, FL

Noah’s Eat – Lucky Dill – Get (Over) Stuffed

So, I developed my taste for deli food as a youngster being I spent my early years on the south shore of Long Island, a stones throw from The Big Apple. To say the food was authentic would be a colossal understatement. I make my home in northern Florida now, and I’m still astonished that there isn’t even a semi-authentic deli within 100 miles! Fortunately I travel quite a bit and recently even made the pilgrimage back to NYC where I took in all my favorite cuisines….one being Ben’s Kosher Deli on 38^th St. This is relevant because you need to know my standards are pretty high! I also recently took one of my frequent trips to the Tampa Bay area, slipped off of I-275 in the Westshore area and came upon The Lucky Dill Deli. Perhaps the pastrami was wafting my way! They bill themselves as “Home of the Sandwich That Ate Brooklyn,” and let me tell you the size of this sandwich did not disappoint…. every bit the three fisted size of a Katz or Carnegie Deli! The menu is very extensive, with many more items “coming soon.” It goes far beyond the usual deli fare, including burgers, wraps, chickwiches, wings and more. More importantly, they have the core menu items that any real deli should have… giant sandwiches, noshes, soups, salads, and even the staple, Dr. Brown’s Soda!

I dug in on a straight up, hot corned beef on rye, with mustard only. With Ben’s still fresh on my mind, the competition was high, and this baby was up to the challenge. First it was massive, but more importantly it was delicious, just the right combination of lean and fat. My buddy opted for The Rachel, and The Dill has an extensive list of Reuben’s as well, even one that pays homage to the local Cuban. The Reuben was every bit as good (and big) as my corned beef. Capped off with a Dr. Brown, this LI kid was feeling pretty satisfied!

It may not have the sights, sounds and smells of NYC deli, but The Lucky Dill puts out a mean deli sandwich!

April 12, 2019April 29, 2019

Fresh Kitchen {Restaurant Review}

Noah’s Eat Review- Fresh Kitchen- Great. Food. Fast.

Being that local and national restaurant icons Hugo’s and Bern’s Steak House are located on Howard Ave in Tampa, when you choose to open your first restaurant on this same hallowed street, you better have your food act together! And when you aspire to healthy food, that tastes great, and is served fast? Well usually you pick two of those three! When Fresh Kitchen bought that hip building on Howard in 2012 and set up shop, they got all three right.

For starters, the building itself is very cool! The ordering process is cafeteria like, but most cafeterias don’t have food approaching this level of variety or flavor with a staff that’s totally engaged. You order your bowl, depending on size and how hungry you are, starting with Bases, which range from varieties of rice all the way to kale slaw. Next are the Roasted Veggies, from a local seasonal veggie to sesame green beans. Then, choose you protein (including tofu!), all hormone and anti-biotic free, varieties of chicken, tuna, steak. Lastly, Sauce It Up, from creamy white ginger to coconut sriracha. There is also an amazing variety of Add-Ons like bean and corn salsa and pesto tomato salad, along with a great selection of homemade teas and pressed juices.

I had a Six Bowl, 2 bases, 2 proteins, 2 veggies and one sauce. Going the lower carb route, I got the spinach salad, kale slaw, basil mushrooms, and bean and corn salsa. These all added to an amazingly complex flavor together in that bowl. The marinated herb grilled steak was both tender and delicious, and the grilled chicken had just the right amount braised BBQ flavor, complemented with the coconut sriracha sauce! My wife switched out the spinach for the Parmesan broccoli and the steak for the baked almond chicken. Halfway through we swapped bowls because they were both so off the chain delicious!

Lucky for everyone, Fresh Kitchen is now expanding through out Florida, reaching as far south as Boca now. FK really delivers on a promise of fresh, delicious, nutritious, imaginative and fast. Truly fast food re-imagined.