As I was doing my New Tampa âroundsâ in May, I couldnât help but notice that a new restaurant is getting ready to open at 14915 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in the Oak Ramble Plaza (next to Papa Johnââs Pizza).
Slap Burger is a family-run burger shop founded in Paterson, NJ, in 2023, that, according to SlapBurgersNJ.com, is âdedicated to serving juicy smash burgers, hot chicken sandwiches, loaded platters, creamy milkshakes and refreshing lemonades.
âFounded by two brothers with a shared vision, Slap Burger was built on the idea of creating something lasting, exciting and full of flavor. That vision quickly became a reality with the opening of our first location in Paterson, followed a year later by our second location in Clifton, NJ, designed to offer more space and seating for our growing customer base.
âWith two thriving locations already serving our community in New Jersey, and four additional branches set to open in New York (with the Oak Ramble location the young chainâs first of its âbold expansion planâ outside of those two states), Slap Burger is growing into a destination where bold flavors meet great times.â
The place inside looks a lot like a Five Guys store to me, but, whether or not the burgers are as good or better than Five Guys remains to be seen.
Based on what the contractor told me, the new Slap Burger should open within a couple of weeks after the time this issue reached your mailbox. â GN
You long-time readers know how much I love finding â and telling you about â new restaurants that open (or will open) in our area, especially when theyâre hidden Mom-&-Pop gems that I think deserve to build a following.
Although I liked Mpanitas, the Venezuelan empanada & arepa spot previously located in the building behind the Mobil gas station at 10865 Cross Creek Blvd., the new Pasta Flame restaurant that has been open in Mpanitasâ old spot for only a few weeks definitely has my attention.
Checking Out The Changes Since Mast Capitalâs $92-Million Investment To Return The Resort To Its Former GloryÂ
Gary & Jannah Nager started off a short staycation at the all-new Saddlebrook Resort with a glass of champagne in their recently redecorated two-room suite overlooking one of the completely revamped Saddlebrook golf courses. (Photos by Charmaine George & GN)
Pyramid Global corporate chef James Messinger (left) and Saddlebrook GM Jeff Mayers at GOAT.Â
The last time Jannah and I stayed at Saddlebrook Resort was the night we got engaged back in 2015. Our room was big, but dated and musty. The restaurants we both loved â especially Dempseyâs Steak House â were either gone or no longer worth the money. We didnât tell anyone at the resort, but we did tell each other that this would probably be the last time we would visit Saddlebrook unless we had a very good reason to do so.
A little more than a decade later, the resortâs new ownership group â Mast Capital â has largely completed its $92-million revamping of Saddlebrook, and has finally given us that very good reason to return.
The delicious grilled grouper at GOAT Kitchen & Bar.Â
Although Jannah and I had already visited (and I reported about it in these pages more than once) the new RARE 1981 steak house multiple times, there was so much other new âstuffâ to do that we decided to take a short âstaycationâ in one of Saddlebrookâs recently revamped rooms to check out the upgrades to the legendary Superpool and Palmhaus pool bar & restaurant, and watch a Tampa Bay Lightning game at the new GOAT (aka âGreatest Of All Timeâ) Kitchen & Bar, which definitely has an upscale sports bar feel but with better food than any of the chain restaurants in Wesley Chapel.
Lorena the bartender making specialty drinks at the Palmhaus pool bar.Â
The only things we didnât get to enjoy were the resortâs now-27 holes of true championship golf â since neither of us still plays at all; I was terrible when I did play â or the new eight beautiful, new pickleball courts or the European-style Esthetics813 âThe Spa at Saddlebrook.âÂ
The good news is that everything we did do was so impressive that we surely will be back!
In the meantime, you can check out everything we enjoyed during our return trip and all of the tasting and indulging we shared.
The bottom line is that the new Saddlebrook Resort is now well worth your time and money. If you havenât been there recently, you honestly havenât been there at all!
All of the carpeting & furnishings in every guest room at Saddlebrook have been updated. The Superpool now has a large number of cabanas & umbrellas.Â
Gary & Jannah Return To Saddlebrook â & Love Everything About It!Â
After experiencing the RARE 1981 steak house media preview and the separate Saddlebrook Media Day, both back in Nov. 2025 (both of which I reported about extensively in our Dec. 23 issue, so you wonât see RARE photos in this feature), and the much more recent media preview of the new GOAT Kitchen & Bar, Jannah and I decided to reserve one of the resortâs fully redesigned hotel suites because we wanted to experience as much of the all-new Saddlebrook as possible for this story about everything new.
GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) Kitchen & Bar! (Top to bottom & l.-r.) The GOAT Kitchen & Bar is all-new and features great elevated sports bar fare like fish & chips, double smash burger, Hall of Fame short rib nachos and a decadent bananas Foster cheesecake.
I then interviewed Saddlebrook general manager Jeff Mayers to make sure I wasnât missing anything that the resortâs new owner Mast Capital had redone as part of its $92 million makeover. Bottom line? Although you canât really do all there is to do at Saddlebrook in one day or even an entire weekend, you can get a pretty good taste of what was once a worn out âold lady âof a resort returned to her âGrand Dameâ former glory.
Fully Renovated Hotel Rooms!Â
On these pages, I hope youâll get enough of a feel for all there is for couples and families to savor at the all-new Saddlebrook to want to stay there yourselves, or at least have a great meal. Want more good news? If you do visit just to dine at RARE 1981, GOAT or the also-new Palmhaus pool bar, ask your server to validate your valet parking ticket (there is no more self-parking at the resort) and Mayers says your $30 valet charge will be waived!Â
âWe have had much higher engagement and better response from both our members and the local community regarding all of the improvements,â Mayers says. âRARE 1981, in particular, has seen tremendous turnout for member events and from local residents, although GOAT and Palmhaus also have gotten great reviews.â He also told me that the number of memberships has increased significantly since the improvements have been open.
Our patio looked out onto the 9th hole of the newly revamped 9-hole Oak golf course, one of three 9-hole Rees Jones-designed layouts (left photo) that have replaced the two 18-hole Arnold Palmer-designed original courses. The former driving range, located just inside Saddlebrookâs front gate, is gone and has been replaced by a much better driving range and putting green using some of the former golf course space.Â
I was told by a guy at the golf and racquet sports pro shop that both the Oak and Pine courses are completely redone and together are now about a 7,000-yard, par-72 track. The Cypress, the third nine-hole course, is still having its renovations finalized. And yes, you can still play golf (as well as tennis and pickleball) at Saddlebrook without having a membership (see info below), whether you stay over at the resort or not.Â
27 Holes Of Championship Golf!Â
You also donât have to be a member to play on Saddlebrookâs fabled 41 tennis courts that include every championship surface (even Wimbledon-style grass) or its eight gorgeous, new pickleball courts. You might, however, get to see some current and future tennis or golf pros training at the Saddlebrook Golf Academy, Happy Hopman Tennis Academy and Saddlebrook Preparatory School, all of which train at the resort, which also is the home of both the Professional Tennis and Professional Pickleball Registries. Thereâs also an amazing fitness center that resort guests can use as part of their $28 per night (per room, not per person) resort fee. And of course, thereâs also the renowned Saddlebrook Superpool, now made even better by the addition of the Palmhaus Pool Bar, which also features live entertainment on the weekends. Donât want to deal with kids running around? The resort also has an adults-only pool.Â
âThe Superpool now offers DJ music on the weekends,â Mayers says, âand there are sound system enhancements being added out there.â
He adds that there already are new sound systems installed inside GOAT and RARE that have outdoor patio broadcast capabilities, âeven for sporting events.âÂ
You also donât have to be a member or even a resort guest to indulge yourself at the Spa at Saddlebrook, also known as Esthetics813, operated by Kyymara Rose Wickiser, an Aveda Spa alum and long-time aesthetician in the Wesley Chapel area.
Kyymara says, âEsthetics813 is a premier holistic wellness and spa program. We are proud to be among only two resorts in Florida offering a fully curated, comprehensive wellness program that goes far beyond traditional spa services.â She adds that the Spaâs philosophy is âBare-Faced Naked, which has nothing to do with the absence of makeup. It is the courageous, beautiful act of being fully comfortable and confident in who you are.â
Spa services include customized facials, therapeutic massages, body treatments, manicures and pedicures, yoga, stretch and aqua classes, guided meditation and more.
Memberships & Club
Saddlebrook offers a variety of memberships, from social to racquet sports to golf, and each membership type comes with its own set of privileges.
Mayers says that although there have been ongoing discussions about converting or replacing the building that formerly housed Dempseyâs Steak House as a private club for Saddlebrook members, ânothing has been finalized yet. But, we will provide updates as those plans solidify.â
In other words, if you last visited Saddlebrook before all of these improvements came online, you owe it to yourself to visit again. Donât expect anything to be âcheap,â but I believe it is now well worth the money youâll spend.
For reservations and more info about Saddlebrook Resort (5700 Saddlebrook Way), call (813) 973-1111 or visit Saddlebrook.com. To book services at Esthetics813, visit Esthetics813TheSpaatSaddlebrook.com or call (813) 474-4486. Or, see the ad below. â GNÂ
With the 2025-26 school year ending in just a few days, one thing that has me worried is the way people drive around our area.
Weâve all seen the speeders and people who think the shoulders on I-75 and I-275 are their personal âI have to get home faster than youâ lanes. But, as if those highway issues werenât enough, the local neighborhood roadways are now also being inundated by golf carts, electric bicycles, skateboards and scooters â and itâs clear that many parents either donât realize, donât understand or somehow donât care that some of their children are riding these dangerous vehicles on the same streets as your neighborâs Cybertrucks and high-powered sports cars.
I am not pointing fingers at anyone in particular here â we all know that many people drive too fast, donât use turn signals, donât stop at stop signs or at signalized intersections before turning right and are generally distracted by texting/looking at screens, eating and/or applying makeup when they drive.
But now, with children as young as 8-9 years old both on motorized vehicles and out of school â kids who clearly donât know the rules of the road â sharing the local roadways at all hours of the day, as well as at night, as a father and grandfather, I am truly scared for all of us.
Just a few weeks ago, one Wesley Chapel family suffered the ultimate loss, as the father of a 12-year-old boy struck and killed his own son, who was riding his electric skateboard in their own neighborhood. Obstructed views from hedges were cited as a factor in the tragic accident, but when you hear of this kind of horror that anyone has to endure, itâs not about looking to blame anyone, itâs about trying to prevent the next tragedy from happening.
First of all, I honestly believe that no unlicensed young driver should be allowed to own and operate one of these motorized vehicles without first having to complete an extensive safety course â with their family members, so everyone is aware of the sometimes difficult-to-follow rules governing each different type of these vehicles. Iâm not talking about an online course. Iâm talking about something in person, with law enforcement officials at least providing the rules if not the actual training, so that every kid who is given the ability to go 10-25 miles per hour â or more â on any kind of motorized vehicle understands the potential for tragedy they have beneath them.
Weâve already published stories about how the insurance industry is now having to deal with writing policies for these vehicles, many of which didnât exist just a few years ago, but here are a couple of those stats again:
âą E-Scooter injuries soared by 80% from 2020-24, from less than 30,000 to more than 115,000.
âą E-Bike injuries rose from just 1,600 in 2018 to 23,000+ in 2022
Since standard auto and homeownerâs policies donât include coverage for motorized bikes and scooters, thousands of claims have been denied. These vehicles are also 2.5 times more likely to be stolen than cars, with an estimated $1.4 billion in annual bicycle theft losses.Â
But, itâs not about the monetary cost. Itâs about losing someone you love, especially a child, to something so senseless.
Iâm fine with it if you disagree, if you say that kids should have their freedom, too. Thatâs easy to say until itâs your child who pays the ultimate price.
All I can say is that if youâre not going to be extra careful, especially now that school is about to be let out and the number of these new motorized threats sharing the road with already-distracted drivers is about to skyrocket, youâre literally asking for more tragedy to affect someone elseâs family…or your own.
So, please drive carefully…and please talk to your kids about the very real dangers.
The Wharton High Grad Has A Bench At New Tampa Rec Center Dedicated In His Honor & Memory
The family of Wharton High graduate Gabe Hassan poses for a picture with the bench and plaque memorializing Gabe at the New Tampa Recreation Center that was unveiled at a dedication ceremony on May 8. Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera (photo below) championed the honor for Gabe, who passed away at the age of 17 from complications related to Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome. (Photos by City of Tampa photographer Adam Wade)Â
District 7 Tampa City Council member and New Tampa resident Luis Viera has led a lot of efforts to help the people in all areas of his district.
Very few of those efforts have been as personally important to him as the event that took place at the New Tampa Recreation Center in Tampa Palms on May 8, when Viera and the cityâs Parks & Recreation Department unveiled a small plaque on a bench in the playground just outside the Rec Center dedicated in honor and memory of Gabriel (Gabe) Hassan.
Gabe is the Wharton High graduate who passed away in early 2024 at age 17 (less than two weeks after receiving his diploma from Wharton in his hospital room) from complications related to Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome, a rare genetic form of leukemia affecting the bone marrow, exocrine pancreas and skeleton.
Viera admits that he was on a mission to find a way to honor and remember Gabe and was happy to be able to have the bench dedicated in his memory. He said that because it was only a bench dedication, not a renaming of a portion of the park, like with the Harrison Boonstoppel dedication we reported about a couple of issues ago, he did not have to have City Council vote to make this dedication happen.
âI was able to do it administratively,â Viera said. âBut, I did make a presentation to Council, and had Gabeâs parents, Mahmoud and Carolyn Hassan, attend that meeting last October to show their support for the idea.â
The Dedication
âWeâre here to honor the legacy of a young man who left us too soon,â Viera said as he opened the dedication event on May 8. âThere are some hurts in life that no person should ever have to go through, but some people do go through them. And, they hurt in places that we didnât know exist. When you undergo that pain, youâre tested in ways that you never knew, but so are your friendships and so is your family and so is your faith. And I can tell you the Hassan family, [their] friendships and faith have been tested.
âBut, just look at all of the diverse people here today â Muslim brothers and sisters, Christian brothers and sisters, the State of Florida (State House Minority Leader, Dist. 67 Rep. Fentrice Driskell was on hand), Hillsborough County Public Schools (Dist. 3 School Board member and New Tampa resident Jessica Vaughn also was in attendance), the City of Tampa, Jewish brothers and sisters…all coming here to support them. Thatâs what this moment is truly all about.
âGabe was a young man who was truly exceptional. He would undergo some terrible struggles in his life and he would meet them with characteristics that were truly God-given because he was a child of God created with resiliency and strength…the kind of resiliency and strength that comes from being raised by a good mom and a good dad and [being] loved by a family.
âAnd I have no doubt that when Gabe went through his struggles, he would remember not only the strength from his creator, but also the lessons and values that were imparted to him day by day, by the love given to him by his mother, his father and his entire family.
âHe was a young man of achievement who, despite all of his struggles, would get a 4.7 GPA at Wharton High School. And he was an Eagle Scout. That means something. Itâs about integrity, character and patriotism. Itâs about love of your community.
âHis parents speak of a young man who loved his community deeply with all of his heart.
âAnd he was a young man who believed in his faith, who was raised unapologetically a believer of the Muslim faith, passed down from his parents, from their parents and from their parents and so on. He reached into that faith during his darkest times, [during] his deepest hits.
âThereâs a saying, âMy feet are tired, but my soul is well-rested.â But sometimes, your soul isnât well rested, especially when you have these tremendous hits. Itâs on everybody here to support this family and to always check up on them.â
Dave ThompsonÂ
Up next was Gabeâs Scoutmaster, long-time New Tampa resident Dave Thompson, who said, âIâve spent the last week with hundreds of thoughts about what to say.
âIâm not here to mourn the passing of a young man. Iâm here to celebrate the life of a young friend â a life of compassion, service, curiosity and determination, something his mom would call âstubborn.â
âBut, Iâve had the pleasure of knowing him and his family for over twelve years, from the time he joined my Cub Pack 280 at Turner- Bartels to the time he crossed over to our Scout Troop 148, and Gabe was a daily inspiration to me. Despite his physical challenges, Gabe was a happy soul. He never whined or complained about his situation, it was all just part of his reality.
âHe was always there whenever anyone needed him. As one of our older Scouts, if a younger Scout was having challenges with setting up the tent on a campout, Gabe was the first one to show him how to do it and help him put it together. The younger Scouts often sought him out when they had questions, because Gabe was always approachable. He was there whenever we had service projects to complete, whether it was a food drive for the food pantry, raising a fence at the church, painting classrooms at Wharton or upgrading the playground at Quail Hollow Elementary.
âAnd, even while in the hospital, Gabe, through his determination, completed his studies to graduate from high school and finish the requirements for his Eagle Scout. Many of us in that situation wouldâve just given up. Not Gabe. I donât think that ever occurred to him. It just wasnât in his nature.
âOne of my favorite memories was when I was driving three of the Scouts back from an event. One was Jewish, one was Catholic and one was Gabe. The boys were carrying on a conversation, talking about their faiths…just a beautiful conversation, talking about the similarities and differences. There was no arguing or fighting, each was just teaching a little bit about themselves to the others.
âAnd I thought about how nice it would be if all of us could share thoughts and ideas like this. And that was Gabe, caring and sharing.
âItâs been two years, but not a day goes by that I donât think of you. I still hear him in my mind saying, âHey, Mr. Dave.â I have a lot of good memories of him.
âAnd now that this bench is here, Iâll be visiting occasionally, just to sit and talk with my friend, because I know heâll be listening.â
Mahmoud HassanÂ
And finally, Mahmoud Hassan thanked Viera and the Parks & Rec Dept. for dedicating the bench âin honor of our son Gabriel.
âDear Gabriel, we love you so much and we admire the amazing but short life you lived. Mom and I always called you our âSunshine Baby, because Gabriel was born on May 10, 2006, on a beautiful, sunny day.
âAs we commemorate you and dedicate this bench in your honor, it is still a beautiful, sunny day.
âYou radiance illuminates us with precious memories and how loving you were to us and how much we dearly loved you. This Sunday would have been your 20th birthday, and although sunny days are ahead, your passing has left us with the darkness and gloom that still causes us to cry and lament your unfortunate passing.
âYou have visited your Dad in dreams and I feel your warmth and caress during my prayers. You are with our Lord now and I get a sense of serenity that you are in comfort and peace as you await your family to one day join you.
âWe are so proud of your accomplishments and we look at your pictures in awe of how bright, kind and noble you were. One of the things I admire most about you, Gabriel, was your bravery. You were not shy about approaching strange situations, or speaking to people.
Gabriel & Mahmoud Hassan (Photo provided by Luis Viera)
âMost of all, you faced your own death with peace and understanding that you will meet God. I can only hope and pray that I will be as brave as you when my time comes.
âGabriel had said, âThere is no power, verily, than that which God provides.â
âGabriel was at peace. He prayed with me, and he knew that the end was coming, and I talked to him peacefully about that. And although I expected him to shake with fear, a calmness and serenity was with him that I can not describe in words. When youâre in that state, and you have a connection with your higher power, with God, God puts that serenity in you…and he was glowing with that serenity. I will never forget that glow he had that day.
âWe miss your laughter, your silliness, your voice, as well as your warm embrace. Mom, Sophia (Gabeâs sister) and I are still struggling to make it through each day, and we wish you were still here with us.
âYour new baby brother, Ibrahim, is a shining light and a precious gift from God. And, when he was born, I felt your presence protecting him. I know you are watching over him and I feel your love for him…until you eventually meet one another.
âNot a day goes by that I donât think about you and the impact you had on our lives. You are my first-born son, and one of the strongest shining lights in our lives. I still miss you very dearly, and I will always love you, dear Gabriel.
âI hope that this bench brings comfort and peace to our community members who come by this park and need a place to sit and relax.
âI want to thank the [city] officials, and the Parks & Recreation director (Ted Fowler), for dedicating this honor (photo below) to him.
âAnd most of all, I just want to say that, as a father, this is one of the deepest tragedies Iâve ever faced. But, every day, you inspire me, dear Gabriel, to keep striving on. I donât get lost in despair, but rather, I get moved by hope when I think of this. Thank you all again for coming.â
