Kwan Ming Bistro Keeps Improving Its NY-Style Chinese Cuisine!

THE CUISINE that I miss the most from when I lived in New York City is still Chinese food, hands down. To be honest, there still isn’t a place in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel that really compares to the incredible Chinese food I have loved all of my life.

That having been said, I do still enjoy quite a few of the Chinese places in our area and one of the places that has really grown on me the last few months in Kwan Ming Bistro, located on S.R. 56, in the same Seven Oaks Plaza as Wolf’s Den and Cabana Spas. Owner/chef Henry Lo opened Kwan Ming in 2012, but I will admit that I didn’t like it as much then as I do now.

I believe that Henry, who has 40 years of Chinese cuisine experience and is known for his creative specials printed on a specials board inside the restaurant, has grown as a chef and the addition of assistant chef Nick Shalna in 2015 has given Henry the freedom to explore his more creative cuisine options and better control the quality of the food at his restaurant. Kwan Ming bills its food as Hong Kong-style Chinese cuisine, but I believe several of its offerings are as close to NY-style as you’ll find in our area.

“Don’t give me any credit,” says Nick. “Henry is the chef. I’m just trying to help him make sure that the fact that the two of us cook everything here will continue to make sure that our quality stays consistent.”

I believe the formula is working. Let’s start, as I always do, with the appetizers. I can’t really enjoy a Chinese meal without spare ribs, egg or spring rolls and dumplings and Kwan Ming’s are all very good.

I like my Chinese-style ribs with as little sauce as possible, but while the honey-glazed ribs at Kwan Ming are slathered with a little more sauce than I usually like, they are tender, meaty and delicious, albeit a little bit on the messy side. And, speaking of messy, the gooey General Tso’s chicken wings are very tasty, although not as spicy as some of the General Tso’s recipes I’ve had at other places. 

The pork egg rolls and veggie spring rolls aren’t particularly large, but they are served crispy and the homemade duck sauce makes for a nice dip. I also prefer my pork dumplings more pan-fried than a deep-fried, but the flavor of Kwan Ming’s fried dumplings is excellent, as is the homemade dumpling dipping sauce.

I also enjoy the Beijing hot-and-sour and Hong Kong-style wonton soup and plan to try Henry’s unique vegetable garlic soup on a future visit.

Ahh, Yes, The Entrées         

I’m still exploring the huge selection of entrĂ©es at Kwan Ming Bistro, but I do have a number of favorites. My two favorites to date are probably the beef with fresh asparagus and the Su Choi Chow fish with fresh vegetables, which features nicely sautĂ©ed chunks of fresh, white fish.I usually order the sauce a little spicy, but I will suggest that if you like your food spicy, ask for it that way. I love the heat I feel when I enjoy a great Szechuan or Hunan-style Chinese dish, but I think Henry and Nick tone down the spiciness unless you specifically ask for your dish extra spicy.

Other favorites among our Neighborhood News staff include the General Tso’s chicken, the kung pao chicken (shown as one of several available lunch specials in the photo on the next page), the beef with broccoli and the Mongolian pork.

I also really love Kwan Ming’s fried rice, from the house special fried rice shown on the next page (I order it without the shrimp, of course), which actually gets a nice flavor boost from the addition of fresh red peppers, to the simple pork fried rice. I’m not the biggest lover of Chinese noodle dishes, but Kwan Ming has a wide variety of not only lo mein dishes — there’s even a mixed seafood lo mein and a k-krab special lo mein — but other noodle dishes, too. For example, Nick says that those who like broader Chinese-style noodle dishes will love Kwan Ming’s beef ho fun, which is made with hand-cut, house-marinated flank steak and homemade rice noodles.

Speaking of special, the aforementioned specials board always attracts a lot of attention at Kwan Ming Bistro, for good reason. Although none of these dishes are pictured here, Nick says the following are his favorites: the true king crab lo mein, the deep-fried Chinese eggplant, the lobster kew and the seafood volcania, which features krabmeat, U10 scallops, white fish and shrimp.

“We also have an extensive number of vegetarian options,” Nick says. “We will even use water to cook your vegetarian meals, instead of chicken broth.”

And, although neither whole Maine lobster nor Hong Kong-stye whole duck aren’t on the menu, Nick says they can get them for you — with a day’s notice.

“We don’t keep a lobster tank here,” he says, “but, if you give us one day’s notice, we will gladly order a whole lobster for you.” He adds that Kwan Ming serves Halal meats as approved on Zabiliah.com.

He also notes that the duck also takes a day because Henry will hang the ducks — as I remember them doing in Chinatown in New York City — to help the fat drain out and leave nothing but succulent duck with crispy skin. I definitely plan to try this one sometime in the future, too.

And of course, even though Kwan Ming certainly isn’t a fancy place, it does accept and recommends reservations for weekend evenings and also offers beer and wine, including Tsingtao Chinese beer and others. There’s also a variety of hot teas, including some Chinese specialty teas.    

Kwan Ming Bistro is located at 27607 S.R. 56. It is open every day except Monday for lunch and dinner, as follows: Tues.-Fri., 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., and noon-9:30 p.m. on Sat. and Sun. For more info, search for “Kwan Ming Bistro” on Facebook or visit KwanMingRestaurant.com. For dinner reservations, call 994-2328. And, Kwan Ming Bistro stays open on Christmas Eve & Day and New Year’s Eve & Day.

Neighborhood News & WCNT-tv To Promote Your Business; Plus, 50 Years Cancer-Free!

On Friday, May 12, beginning at 6 p.m., the American Cancer Society (ACS)’s New Tampa Relay for Life returns to the track around Paul R. Wharton High. Every year, I try to keep our readers apprised of the Relay events in our area in part because, like most people these days, I have a personal connection to cancer that runs very deep.

Back in 1967, when the survival rate for anyone diagnosed with any type of cancer was about what the rate is now for the deadliest forms of the disease (such as lung and pancreatic), my father, Jack Nager, received the diagnosis no one wants to hear. I was eight years old at the time and didn’t find out what happened to my dad until I was in my teens, but he had surgery to remove a single, large, encapsulated tumor from his left arm and shoulder area.

After removing the tumor and much of the surrounding tissue, my dad had the precursor to today’s linear particle accelerator radiation therapies, called cobalt therapy, which is still in use for some cancers today (according to Cancer.org, the website for ACS).

Fifty years later, although my dad has had some other health issues (he turns 83 two days after this Relay), his cancer has never returned. And, although I tried unsuccessfully to research how many people who were diagnosed at least 50 years ago were still alive today, I can promise you that 50-year surviviors don’t make up much of the population of more than 15 million Americans still alive today after being diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetimes. In other words, although I usually only attend the local Relays for Life to cover them, this time, I plan to do a little walking myself, in honor of my dad. We haven’t always had the best relationship, but after all, it is something of a miracle that he is still around (and still living in my native Long Island, NY) half a century later.

I would love to walk 50 laps (more than 12 miles) in my dad’s honor, but my arthritic knees won’t allow it. I will, however, walk as many as I can without pain and pledge $83 (a dollar for every year he’s been alive) to the New Tampa Relay regardless of how many laps I complete. At our press time, a month before the local Relay, nearly 400 participants on 34 teams had already raised more than $21,000 of the event’s stated goal of $75,000 — and that figure does not include sponsorship funds.

If you want to pledge any money — whether  in honor of my dad, a cancer survivor close to you or in memory of someone who lost their battle with the scourge of our lifetimes — or you want to join an existing New Tampa Relay team, visit RelayforLife.org and enter “33647” in the zip code search. 

Neighborhood News & WCNT-tv!

We keep getting more and more people telling us how much they love WCNT-tv, although many business owners have told me that it seems a little too expensive for them to do.

Well, we are doing everything we can to control the cost of being a Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) Featured Business on the show, and to provide some additional value for those who do choose to be featured on it.

WCNT-tv is professionally produced and although it isn’t a cable network or a local TV station, it is a unique “on air” way to promote your business in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, as the first 20 episodes and multiple Special Reports now have a combined reach of more than 600,000 people and have been actually viewed almost 300,000 times on Facebook & YouTube.

Episode 20, which featured an update on the map on page 11 of this issue, as well as my visit to the new Ford’s Garage (photo), again posted some great numbers for the show and, when they were released individually on Facebook, the Ford’s Garage segment alone was viewed more than 6,400 times. Plus, the Taste of New Tampa Special Report about Noble Crust was viewed by more than 8,300 people! And of course, some of our non-video Neighborhood News Facebook posts, like the recent post on Aldi (see page 10) coming to Wesley Chapel) have reached more than 30,000 people!

But of course, the best way to reach the most people in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel is still to advertise in our two publications, which are directly mailed to a combined total of nearly 50,000 households and more than 120,000 potential readers in zip codes 33647 (New Tampa) and 33543, 33544 and 33545 (Wesley Chapel).

To that end, I am now offering all current Neighborhood News advertisers who are WCCC business members the opportunity to combine both our print and online media.

So, whether you purchase an 1/8-pg. ad in just one of our publications per month or a full-page ad in both publications (or any sizes in between), you have the opportunity to have a full-length WCCC Featured Business segment on WCNT-tv produced for your business for only $100 additional per month (for 10 months) over the current cost of your print advertising.

And, perhaps best of all, you get to pick when your segment will air. Whether you want it in the episode before Mother’s Day (our next one) or Christmas, we’ll schedule your segment once you start paying the additional monthly amount. Of course, if you want to save an additional $200, I’ll give existing new and existing Neighborhood News customers (who join the WCCC) their segment for just $800.

In other words, email ads@wcnt-tv.com or call 910-2575 today to get more info or to get your WCNT-tv segment scheduled today!

Noon Rotary Club’s Bike Ride Exceeds Expectations By Raising $5,000!

The Noon Rotary Club of New Tampa raised $5,000.

As a proud member of the Noon Rotary Club of New Tampa — which meets Wednesdays at noon in Mulligan’s Irish Pub, inside the Pebble Creek Golf Club — I am happy to announce that the club’s fourth annual bike rally to benefit U.S. military veterans and first responders on March 25 raised “about $5,000,” according to event chair and local orthodontist Dr. Steven Dau. “Even though we reduced our sponsorship cost (to $100 per sponsor), we had way more riders this year (almost 60) than last (closer to 30), so we actually came out ahead.”

The rally — which is not a race — offered riders a 4-, 18- or 39-mile course, starting from the Chili’s Grill & Bar on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (directly adjacent to the BBD entrance to Flatwoods Wilderness Park), while raising funds to benefit four nonprofit charities that help local veterans, law enforcement and firefighters.

Noon Rotary president Valerie Casey says that during the four years of the event to date, nearly 300 riders have helped this small (only 21 members) Rotary Club raise more than $23,000 to help the club’s selected charities. “We’re small, but we’re mighty,” Valerie says. “If you’re looking for a club where every member truly believes in the Rotary International motto of ‘Service Above Self,’ we should be your club, too. Our members are more like family because we really love and support each other.”

The club also is partnering on an upcoming project with City Council member Luis Viera and the original Rotary Club of New Tampa (which meets Fridays at 7 a.m. at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club) to beautify Tampa Fire Rescue Fire Station No. 20 in Tampa Palms.

Proceeds from this year’s bike rally will benefit four nonprofits — Support the Troops, the Stay in Step Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Center, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue & The Homefront Foundation.

This year’s sponsors included Chili’s, The Little Greek Restaurant, Gentle Care Dentistry (the office of Dr. Tom Frankfurth), Stifel Financial/Mike Wallace, Children’s Dentistry (the office of Dr. Greg Stepanski), State Farm Insurance/Joyce Coleman and the New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News.

For more info about the New Tampa Noon Rotary and its international and local service projects, visit one of our meetings as my guest or search “NewTampaNoonRotary” on Facebook.

WCCC Keeps The Ribbons Flying!

Wok Chi ribbon cutting.

I was on hand for the Grand Opening and WCCC ribbon cutting at (Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel participating restaurant) Wok Chi (28152 Paseo Dr., in the Shops at Wiregrass mall) on Mar. 10, at the amazing new information center for the Avalon Park West (APW) community off S.R. 54, and at the Meraki Aesthetic Center (26907 Foggy Creek Rd., off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel) on Mar. 16.

For my money, Wok Chi is now the best Chinese restaurant in Wesley Chapel. Fresh, crisp veggies and tasty chicken, pork, beef and seafood are sautéed with white, brown or fried rice, whole wheat or egg noodles or even quinoa while you wait and topped with some excellent sauces (my favorites so far are the spicy Sichuan and kung pao sauces) and the dim sum also is pretty great. My favorites so far are the crispy chicken and veggie spring rolls. You can even enjoy two kinds of free, delicious hot tea, as well as purchase soft drinks, to go with your meal.

Please tell GM Mark Pasquale that you’re a friend of mine and, if you just happen to have a shellfish allergy like I do, so he can cook your food in a separate, clean wok.

For more info, call Wok Chi at 862-2315 or visit WokChi.com.

I can’t wait for the new sections of APW to open. If you’ve driven past the building on S.R. 54 shown in the top photo above, you may have wondered what it was. Well, it’s a representation of the new multi-family community with businesses on the bottom floor of the buildings (some call it neo-traditional) to be built from where the information currently sits to where it will meet up with the existing homes in APW, about a mile west of the center. APW is part of the New River Township Development of Regional Impact (DRI), which is approved for 4,800 residential units and 700,000 square feet of commercial uses. One of the new sections of the community that is certain to attract a lot of attention to APW is K-12 charter school that should begin building shortly. We’ll keep you posted as things start to heat up.

The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) continues to cut ribbons at new businesses in both New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, including at the new and very cool Imagine Escape Games, located at 2830 E. Bearss Ave., in the Palms Connection plaza (next to PJ Dolan’s Irish Pub).

I will say that Imagine Escape Games was not what I expected — I thought it was going to be some sort of video arcade or maybe a place that sells video or role-playing games.

Wrong! Imagine Escape Games is the ultimate team-building exercise as you are (gulp) locked behind a gate and have to use clues and teamwork to escape from those locked cells.

If you’re claustrophobic, you may not want to try it, but if not, there currently are two rooms available for escape as you’re reading this. The team I was on of mainly WCCC members escaped the first challenge in a little more than 10 minutes, almost five minutes sooner than our allotted 15 minutes.

For more info, visit ImagineEscape.com or call 693-BOOK (2665), and please tell them the Neighborhood News sent you, even though I didn’t have a pic to show you because I was part of the game.

And for the full upcoming WCCC schedule of ribbon cutings and business events, visit WesleyChapelChamber.com

Updating Our Exclusive Map Of State Road 56 Near The Tampa Premium Outlets

It’s been a few months since we updated our maps of everything new that’s happening in Wesley Chapel and of course, the area most people want to know about is all of the new “stuff” coming to both the north and south sides of S.R. 56, in front of the Tampa Premium Outlets mall.

And, while a lot of people (including yours truly) still complain about having too many chain restaurants in our area, no one could possible deny that we have lots of new places to eat that weren’t here or weren’t confirmed when we last updated this map.

As you are probably aware as a Wesley Chapel resident, Pollo Tropical became the first place to open on the north side of 56 near the mall about a month ago. If you like flame-grilled chicken as much as I do, you probably should go and check out Pollo Tropical. Tell them I told you to order the chicken as “well done as possible.”

Right next to Pollo Tropical is the long-awaited second local free-standing location of Ford’s Garage, which will have opened by the time this issue reaches your mailbox. Look for pictures in our next issue, as well as in the episode of WCNT-tv (which might even have some footage from the Ford’s Garage pre-opening VIP party) and is scheduled to be released the same day this issue reaches your mailbox.

Great burgers, craft beer and more have made Ford’s Garage a big hit in Brandon and people are obviously excited about it coming even closer to us. 

Meanwhile, on the south side of 56, the location on our map directly west of Culver’s, which we previously incorrectly labeled as being Panda Express, will actually be a drive-through and sit-down Starbucks. Panda Express is still coming, and will actually open a few weeks before Starbucks north of Costco and just west of TPO. And, as you can see from the map, even though the south side of 56 is currently much more filled than the north side, there are still at least three more sizable parcels totalling nearly 30 acres available, including one site that we have heard might include a big outdoors sporting goods store, although it apparently won’t be the previously announced Cabela’s.

Firing Up The North Side, Too

Just as the south side of 56 has been a hotbed of new restaurant activity since the opening of Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Culver’s and Chick-fil-A, the north side of what will soon be the most overcrowded section of roadway in Pasco County (just a prediction) is just now kicking into gear.

In other words, in addition to Ford’s Garage and Pollo Tropical, the north side of 56 will soon also be home to the popular Mellow Mushroom pizza and more chain and Bahama Breeze, which will finally make its way into our area. The island-themed seafood eatery actually was turned down years ago for a space off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in the Highwoods Preserve area of New Tampa (in the space now occupied by TGI Fridays near the Muvico Starlight 20 movie theaters) because the developer for Highwoods Properties thought a tiki bar was not appropriate for an upscale area like New Tampa.

Oh well. At least we’re getting Bahama Breeze, Mellow Mushroom and Newk’s soon, although we haven’t been given a timetable for when construction will start or when they will open.

Also planned for the same area north of 56 between Pollo Tropical and I-75 are Wesley Chapel’s second Wendy’s location, yet another Taco Bell, another Mattress Firm location, a T-Mobile store and another Men’s Wearhouse (the closest location being on BBD in New Tampa, too).

And, just for good measure, in addition to the new Holiday Inn Express hotel which has now opened adjacent to Florida Hospital Center Ice, the Hyatt Place hotel has broken ground across I-75 from the new ice rink.

There’s lots of new stuff to report further east of I-75 off S.R. 56 and BBD, as well as on S.R. 54. Look for map updates in our future issues and on WCNT-tv!