Firehouse Subs — Serving Great Subs…And First Responders Across The Country

Sarrk Restaurants, LLC, is the owner and operator of nine Firehouse Subs locations in the Tampa Bay area. Through a valuable partnership with the Impact Group, Sarrk Restaurants, LLC, became one of the earliest franchisees to sign on with Firehouse Subs, with its first location that opened in New Tampa in 2002 that was later relocated to the Shoppes at New Tampa of Wesley Chapel plaza in 2012.

The New Tampa Firehouse Subs was the 51st location for the franchise. Since then, the company has grown to become a national & international brand in 44 states, as well as in Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico, totaling more than 1,000 locations, making Firehouse Subs one of the fastest growing fast casual restaurant concepts.

All restaurants have a focus to provide the highest in Quality, Service and Cleanliness, all based on a Firehouse Subs’ firefighter theme. And, for the Sarrk Restaurants, LLC, owner Sarju Patel and the public, the brand has become much more than that.

Firehouse’s current marketing drive focuses on a new slogan, “This Sub Saves Lives.” And it really does! Through the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, the company’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, which has granted more than $25 million to hometown heroes in 46 U.S. states (plus Canada and Puerto Rico) since it was established in 2005 to provide lifesaving equipment to more than 2,800 first responder organizations.

All of Patel’s valued team members that make this company run to its optimum are expected to learn what the foundation is all about and, in turn, educate the community.

The life saving equipment that is provided is truly remarkable. This part of the business is so strong, that the company’s own analysis has shown that the restaurants that raise the most foundation dollars has a higher percentage of sales than restaurants that do not embrace this aspect of the business. The old saying “Giving is Receiving” is very much alive and true. Funds are raised in three ways — customers can donate their loose change into canisters at the register, they also can “round up” their Firehouse purchases to the next dollar and/or purchasing a five-gallon pickle bucket for only $2.

Firehouse of America will donate 0.13 percent of your purchase in 2017 at all U.S. Firehouse Subs locations to the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. This percentage will result in a minimum donation of one million dollars.

The Foundation was founded in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Firehouse Subs co-founders, Chris Sorensen and Robin Sorensen, traveled to Mississippi, where they fed first responders as well as survivors. As they traveled back to Florida exhausted and exhilarated, they knew we could do more and the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation was born.

Locally, through the funds raised from all Firehouse locations in the Tampa Bay area, here is a list of some of the Equipment that local organizations have received to date, valued at over $100,000:

•AED Defibrillator — Pasco County Sheriff’s Office

•Personal Locator Devices – Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office

•Fire Prevention Safety materials to educate the community – City of Seminole Fire and Rescue

•See-Doo water craft and trailer, surf rescue sled, life vests, ropes and helmets – City of Treasure Island Fire Dept.

•John Deere Gator Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) and Medlite Transport Deluxe System – Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue

•RoboteX Inc Avatar Tactical Robot – Largo Police Department

•Extrication Equipment – Tampa Fire Rescue Station 13

•AED Defibrillator – Clearwater Central Catholic High School

What About The Food? — GN

Of course, most people still know Firehouse Subs for their steamed meat, toasted subs and everyone in our office has their favorite. I’m partial to the semi-spicy tuna salad sub and the steak-n-cheese sub (and I also really enjoyed the savory chicken noodle soup,too).

Graphic artist Blake Beatty and assistant editor John Cotey both prefer the NY steamer sub, which features corned beef and pastrami.

Sales rep Tom Damico enjoyed the hook & ladder sub, which comes with smoked turkey breast, Virginia honey ham, and melted Monterey Jack.

And, billing manager Stephanie Smith said she really enjoyed the crispy, toasted sub roll on her meatball sub, as well as the zesty tomato sauce.

You can add your favorite dressings and toppings to any Firehouse sub, but the chain is famous for serving its subs “Fully Involved®,” or loaded, complete with mayo, deli mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a kosher dill pickle on the side. The pickles are pretty tasty, too.

And, the fresh-baked, fudgy brownies are to die for and everyone in the office enjoyed the white chocolate macadamia nut and chocolate chip cookies, the Miss Vicki’s chips and Coca-Cola “super fountain,” where you can combine more than 100 different sodas and sparkling waters.

The Wesley Chapel Firehouse Subs is located at 1824 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. For more info, call (813) 977-3181 or visit FirehouseSubs.com. Or, see the ad on page 35 of our current issue for $2 off when you buy a medium or large sub, chips and a drink.

Nibbles & Bytes: The Chamber Stays Busy

The Chamber Stays Busy

If you think the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) is going to slow its roll anytime soon, guess again.

Since our last issue, the WCCC has hosted ribbon-cutting ceremonies on May 24 at the new Axiom Bank inside the Walmart on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and at the beautiful, new Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tampa North-Wesley Chapel.

This month, the Chamber unveiled its new “Explore Wesley Chapel & New Tampa” video at its Monthly Business Breakfast at PHSC on June 6, held ribbon cuttings on June 5 at Mystic Oaks Dentistry and at The Joint Chiropractic in New Tampa.

(Please note that not all Chamber events are free, although most are open to the public. For info (including all start times for these events), call (813) 994-8534 or visit WesleyChapelChamber.com.)

I also wanted to give a special shout-out to the folks at the new Holiday Inn Express, which hosted one of the best Grand Opening  events I’ve attended, with delicious food from Puff ‘n Stuff Catering and lots of great giveaways (I won two tickets to the Cobb 16 movie theater, where I saw “Wonder Woman,” and a $30 gift certificate to Texas Roadhouse, where I had an excellent NY strip), as well as tours of this beautiful, new hotel located adjacent to Florida Hospital Center Ice.

The Joint Opens!

Even though I had never been adjusted by a chiropractor before I visited the new The Joint Chiropractic, located in the space previously occupied by the Halftime Sports Lounge at 19014 BBD Blvd., in the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center Plaza, I’m a true believer now.

The Joint New Tampa is owned by Dr. Edward Leonard, D.C.’s TJ Wesley Chapel PA and managed by Valerie and Alex Pierroutsakos’ VALEX Inc. The Joint welcomes walk-ins and no insurance is needed because the prices are so amazing. New patients pay just $29 for their initial visit for a limited time (when it goes back up to $39), which includes a consultation, exam and a chiropractic adjustment with Dr. Leonard or Dr. Barnabas Bickerton, D.C.

For more info, visit TheJoint.com, call (813) 995-7380 or see the ad on pg. 3.

The Cake Shop Opens!

Congratulations to my new friends Joe and Jana, the owners of The Cake Shop, which opened in May at 20327 BBD in the Live Oak Preserve area, next to Firestone Complete Auto Care.

The Cake Shop naturally has a European flair and feel, as the owners are from the eastern European country of Montenegro, and Jana’s incredible, different-each-day variety of truly gourmet cakes by the slice, square (like the moist, delicious chocolate ice cube in the photo) or the whole cake are beyond compare and made with the highest-quality ingredients.

There also are different-each-day, gourmet cupcakes, gluten-free and egg-free cakes and desserts, plus sandwiches, salads, Lavazza coffee and you should also ask about their awesome custom cakes for special occasions.

You really have to see it to understand it, so please tell Joe and Jana that you saw them in the Neighborhood News, whether you stop in, call (813) 991-8513 or check them out on Facebook or Instagram @TheCakeShopTampa.

Irish 31 & Noble Crust Still On The Way, But…

It seems like new dining options are opening near the Tampa Premium Outlets (TPO) almost every day (e.g., signs for the previously announced Wendy’s and Taco Bell have recently gone up across the street from TPO), but the restaurant question the most people ask me is “Are Noble Crust and Irish 31 still coming to the Shops at Wiregrass?”

The answer is a resounding “yes,” but neither restaurant looks like it will be ready to open by the end of this month, which was the last thing I heard from Noble Crust Wesley Chapel GM Will Perez and founder TJ Theilbar several weeks ago.

Even so, Irish 31, which has existing locations in Westchase, Westshore, at Amalie Arena and Hyde Park Village, all in Tampa, will open its first Pinellas County location on Clearwater Beach and its first Pasco location at Wiregrass, hopefully sometime in July.

We told you about Irish 31, which is owned by former USF football star Jay Mize, before any other news medium, back in January 2016. The Irish 31 at Wiregrass will be 2,800 sq. ft. and will feature the same great chef-inspired cuisine as the other Irish 31 locations. Visit Irish31.com for more details.

Meanwhile, Noble Crust, which had a widely viewed WCNT-tv episode following its second place People’s Choice award at the Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel, has a 4th St. in St. Petersburg location that continues to impress me with its array of delicious Italian cuisine with a southern twist, like the bucatini pasta with beef, lamb and pork meatballs pictured on the previous page. Just get it open, guys!

For more info, visit Noble-Crust.com.

The Gift Box Celebrates 3 Years!

The Gift Box Boutique (17032 Palm Pointe Dr. in Tampa Palms) will be celebrating its third Birthday with a three-day event!

From Thursday-Saturday, June 22-24, purchase any three items at The Gift Box and the third item will be 30-percent off. Come join the fun! Sips and Snacks will be served while you shop!

For more info, call (813) 284-5986, check out The Gift Box on Facebook, Yelp and Instagram or see the ad on pg. 50.

Openings & Closings In New Tampa

There’s been a lot of businesses opening and closing in New Tampa over the past several weeks. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Wing Zone has closed in the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center plaza, while the new China One take-out Chinese restaurant has opened next to Leiva’s Jewelers and The Joint (see previous page) in the same plaza.

• Tuesday Morning has announced that its store in the Publix-anchored City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center will close by the end of June, or whenever the store runs out of inventory. No word yet on when The Fat Rabbit Pub & Grub will open in City Plaza.

• Pita’s Republic (in the same plaza on BBD at County Line Rd. as Five Guys and Frogury) will become NY Guys Grill & Smoothie by the end of the month. We were told the eatery will remain open during the transition.

• The second location of Precinct Pizza has opened at 10970 Cross Creek Blvd., in the space previously occupied by Zaytoun Grill.

• Starbucks has opened in front of the Tampa Premium Outlets on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel. —  GN

Las Palmas Café Is A Lot More Than Just Great, Authentic Cuban Cuisine!

When the husband-and-wife team of Chef Ramses and Ana Garcia took over Las Palmas Café in the Pebble Creek Collection four years ago this month, the restaurant was already a popular little place that not enough people outside of Pebble Creek knew about.

Today, in addition to revamping the interior, Ramses says he “changed literally everything on the menu” to make the Cuban dishes more authentic. And, using his training from places he worked for in his hometown of Miami, he has slowly added many other menu items, some of which are not traditionally Cuban, although everything we’ve sampled on Las Palmas’ extensive (but never expensive) menu has been delicious.

In fact, there are so many great items available at this still-hidden gem that I didn’t have room for a pic of what has always been my favorite dish at Las Palmas — the merluza a la Rusa, or flaky, breaded white fish with a unique topping of hard boiled eggs, pimiento and parsley.

Instead, I did include a pic of Ramses’ equally delicious (and less fattening) grilled fish, with a side of yellow rice, and his grilled chicken with a side of homemade fried plantains.

I’m all about trying new things, so I told Ramses to make some of his favorite dishes for us to sample at the Neighborhood News, and he didn’t disappoint.

First up was a fried yuca appetizer, served with a delicious cilantro lime dipping sauce. I don’t always love the consistency of yuca, but Ramses no doubt knows how to make it crisp, tender and very tasty.

Ramses’ award-winning “historic” Cuban sandwich also didn’t make it onto these two pages, in part because his full-page ad on page 41 has such a gorgeous picture of it, but also because he wanted me to try his equally tasty Cuban club sandwich, which includes ham, turkey, bacon and Swiss cheese, with lettuce, tomato and mayo pressed on perfect Cuban bread.

“Our traditional Cuban incudes our famous roast pork, ham and Swiss, with mustard, mayo and pickles pressed on Cuban bread,” Ramses says. “We entered the Cuban Sandwich Festival for the first time in April (as reported last issue) and we were proud to win, but not surprised. We sold more than 1,000 mini-Cubans in the two days of the festival. By the time they announced that we had won (on Sun.), we were already almost sold out.”

Other traditional Cuban cuisine Ramses made sure we tried were the Havana Trio — ropa vieja (shredded beef), roast pork (lechon) and picadillo (ground beef with olives and veggies in tomato sauce), and Ramses’ must-try braised ox tail.

I told Ramses that I had only ever had ox tail at Jamaican restaurants, and usually, it was in a soup, which I didn’t love. But, his ox tail is in big pieces, on the bone like a veal or pork shank, in a dark, savory sauce.

“We only make ox tail on Thursday,” Ramses said on my recent Thursday visit. “But, we braise it for six hours and have regulars who come in every week for it.”

And, as if on cue, in stepped Bob, a Pebble Creek resident whose first words were, “Where’s the grumpy guy? I’m here for my ox tail.”

Other new and old favorites of mine at Las Palmas include the grilled flank steak with chimichurri sauce, the breaded  steak milanese with marinara sauce and Italian cheese, the “masitas” (pork chunks) and tender, grilled pork chops.

One item I couldn’t try that everyone else in our office raved about is the shrimp in garlic sauce, served with a side of homemade tostones (large and not sweet fried green plantains). If you’re not allergic to shrimp, I definitely suggest dipping Ramses’ perfect Cuban bread in the sauce.

Other popular appetizers include ham, chicken or cheese croquettes, empanadas and pork tamales. Soups include black bean, chickpea and chicken tortilla. Try the house and Las Palmas salads (the creamy herbal dressing is addictive), too.

Other favorites on the menu include the chicken and yellow rice, the Cuban-Creole shrimp stew, the “vaca frita” (crispy beef), the Cuban rafters (merluza topped with shrimp), Ramses’ steak sandwich (unbreaded palomillo steak topped with sautéed onions and shoestring potatoes) and the fried fish sandwich.

Daily Lunch Specials & More!         

Even though all of the entrées on the menu are only $8.99-$14.99, many of the previously mentioned favorites (including picadillo, ropa vieja, pork chops and more) are available as lunch specials (with white or yellow rice and a side item) for only $7.99-$8.99 for lunch.

There’s also a great kids menu, with all items $4.99 or less, an extensive catering menu and many homemade desserts, including flan, rice pudding, creme brulée, triple chocolate truffle cake and Ramses’ homemade tres leches dessert, which Bob says is, “the best I’ve had anywhere and I’ve had it all over the world. Do yourself a favor and try it for yourself!”

Las Palmas Café is located at 19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in the Pebble Creek Collection. It is open Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday (closed Sunday). For more information, call (813) 907-1333, or visit LasPalmasCafe.net. And please, tell Ramses and Ana that we sent you!

Editorial: How To Make Driving In Our Area Better

Driving in the rain
Photo by Jannah McDonald

So, your favorite (or not) New York-transplanted editor is back for another rant about driving in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel — and really everywhere in Florida.

I’ve already complained about our self-deputized civilians who refuse to get out of the left lane (because they may be traveling the posted speed limit), despite the fact everyone who wants to drive a normal speed has to pass them on the right — and are still doing it despite Florida’s new law that says you can be ticketed for it. “Slower traffic keep right” isn’t just a slogan.

I’ve also previously explained why dedicated right turn exit and acceleration lanes when going from one major roadway to another are neither yield nor stop signs.

So, here’s Part 3 of this “helping you drive better” series — which I felt was particularly fitting as our recent drought ended and we began the rainy/hurricane season when the calendar turned to June — driving in the rain.

Let’s take a quick quiz on the subject:

1. Whenever you’re driving in the rain, you should:

a.) reduce your speed, b) allow yourself additional braking distance between you and the vehicle in front of you, c.) turn on your headlights if they’re not already on or on auto, d.) all of the above. The answer, as most everyone knows (except those who refuse to turn on their headlights in the rain), is d., all of the above.

2. When are the roads at their slipperiest or slickest?

a.) When it’s been raining heavily all day, b. When it first starts to rain, c.) The roads are always equally slippery, d.) I have no idea.

The answer to that one is actually b., because the oils that build up on the roadway when it’s dry outside rise to the surface and make the roads slicker than when it’s been raining all day and those oils have all been washed away. Sadly, this means that for many people, the answer, until now, was d.

Now for the toughie/trick question (despite the hint in the photo above):

3. When it is raining so hard that seeing the vehicles in front of you becomes difficult, you should:

a) Pull off to the side of the road and have your hazard lights flashing, b) Continue driving, but turn on your hazard lights, c.) Continue driving, but make sure that your headlights are on, reduce your speed and use extra caution or d.) I have no idea.

The “trick” part is that if it’s so bad that you really can’t see the vehicle in front of you, the answer should be a., but very few of us will choose to do that when we’re in a hurry to get to or from work or to a meeting or event that we can’t afford to pull over and wait it out, especially because you’re something of a sitting duck if someone else swerves off the road.

The most practical answer, in that case, is actually c. Those of you who picked b. might as well have picked d., because you are truly clueless — a fact that is re-proven to me almost every time it rains more than a drizzle here.

But, here’s why you don’t turn your hazards on in heavy rain, McFly — your hazard lights are for when you and/or your vehicle are in an emergency situation — you had to pull off the road to change a flat tire, your car breaks down in the middle of the road, etc.

If you’re already driving with your hazards on and your car breaks down (maybe because you’re driving through deep water and your car’s electrical system goes bad), how will the vehicle behind you know that your car has stopped working? The answer is usually by smashing into you from behind, which is normally the rear-ender’s fault, but not in this case.

As indicated on the sign in the photo, Florida law says “Driving in the Rain: Headlights On, Hazards Off,” which means that if you have an accident while violating this law, you would be the at-fault driver.

So, please: read the sign and obey it. Driving in the rain is tough enough without drivers who make up their own laws because they mistakenly think it’s easier to see flashers than it is steady lights.

WCNT-tv Keeps Building!

Check out the ad for WCNT-tv — Wesley Chapel & New Tampa Television — on page 43 of this issue. You’ll see some numbers that I’m very proud of. As of June 9, a little less than a year since we debuted the show — we have reached very close to three quarters of a million people and been viewed more than 350,000 times on YouTube and Facebook.

Our recent Neighborhohood Dining News segments about Little Italy’s Family Restaurant & Catering and Fushia Hot Pot Buffet & Asian Bistro each garnered thousands of views and have generated some new business at both locations. And, I think our most recent News segment about the Diverging Diamond Interchange (see story on page 6) and most recent Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Featured Business segment about American Wood Flooring are among the best work we’ve done to date.

Please view, like & share all of our WCNT-tv segments on YouTube & Facebook!

Bosco’s Italian-To-Go Is A True Wesley Chapel Love Story With A Great, New Menu!

Bosco’s Italian-To-Go owners Charles and Nancy Frankulin went on their first date for their senior prom at Wesley Chapel High (WCH) 14 years ago. They’ve been together ever since. Both started working at Bosco’s Italian-To-Go in the Freedom Plaza on S.R. 54 (about a mile east of Saddlebrook Resort) several years ago, where they learned the restaurant business and talked about opening their own eatery some day.

It didn’t take long for “some day” to happen, as Linda Carr, the owner of Bagelicious & More in the same plaza, purchased Bosco’s from the former owner, but always with the intent of fixing the place up a bit and flipping it.

The Frankulins purchased Bosco’s in January and have slowly been building a following for their tasty Italian fare at very fair prices. It took them a while, but Nancy, Charles and Nancy’s mom recently started revamping and upgrading the menu and the interior of the small, mainly take-out restaurant.

“The menu hadn’t changed for 14 years,” Charles says. “We felt like it was time to start adding some new items and improving some of the old ones.”

Some of the improvements are immediately noticeable — like upgrading the sauce, cheese, crust and toppings on Bosco’s Detroit-style conveyor belt pizza. While it may never be like true New York-style pizza to me, there is a definite difference between what the Frankulins are serving now, compared with what was being served before they took over.

The thing I like is the addition of some great new dinner entrées, including a grilled (not fried) chicken parmigiana. Now, even though the chicken is grilled and not breaded, it is still sitting atop a heaping pile of spaghetti, covered with a zesty tomato sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese, so you can’t really call it “dietetic” (especially with a side of tasty garlic knots), although you can call it “delicious.”

The Frankulins also were proud participants in the recent Taste of New Tampa. “We had a lot of people tell us they didn’t now we were there or that there were new owners,” Nancy says. “It was a great event for us.”

I recently took our office to lunch at Bosco’s and the reviews were all pretty terrific. Billing manager Stephanie Smith loved Bosco’s cheese ravioli, which she got with a side of sweet Italian sausage. Graphic designer Blake Beatty also raved about the huge, traditional calzone, to which he added pepperoni. New sales and marketing rep Tom Damico enjoyed the cold Italian sub, which came with a can of soda and a bag of chips. Staff writer Celeste McLaughlin enjoyed her tossed salad with grilled chicken and we agreed that the Greek dressing served with it was excellent.

And, assistant editor John Cotey and I agreed that our 14” (the small size) pizza was really tasty. The Frankulins tried a recent special, offering the 14” pizza with one topping for just $7.99 (14” pizzas regularly cost $11.49 with no toppings)! We got pepperoni on all of it and meatballs on half for just $1 more.

“We tried it for the week of graduation, in order to get people with graduation parties to order a lot of them,” Charles says.

“And it’s been working great,” Nancy added. “We’ve sold a lot of $7.99 pizzas this week!”

Bosco’s also serves 18” large pizzas starting at $13.49. Specialty pizzas include “Vegilicious”, “Italiano” and Bosco’s Winter White Spinach pizza, starting at $16.99 for a small and $19.99 for a large.

I also really enjoyed Bosco’s spaghetti ($7.49) and side of meatballs ($3.39)and the meatball parmigiana hot sub ($8.49). In addition to the calzones ($11.99), Bosco’s stromboli stuffed with three Italian meats and three Italian cheeses start at $12.99.

Bosco’s also has oven-baked chicken wings, a chicken Caesar pasta salad ($8.99) and a huge antipasto salad (also just $8.99).   

Other dinner entrées include chicken Alfredo ($8.49), lasagne ($9.49), baked stuffed shells ($8.49) and manicotti ($8.49).

I haven’t sampled the desserts yet, but Bosco’s does have cheesecake, cannolis and tiramisu, all for $3.39-$3.99 each..

Special Offers, Too?

Bosco’s has lots of great “regular” specials, too, from the $16.99 18” pizza with your choice of garlic bread, cheese bread or any two-liter Coca-Cola product for just $16.99 (see the ad on page 46 for the coupon), as well as two pizzas with two toppings each, plus 8 wings and a two-liter soda for just $28.99, and more.

Please note that these special offers are for carry-out only.

Bosco’s Italian-to-Go (30122 S.R. 54) is open Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m., and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Friday & Saturday. It is closed on Sunday. Delivery is available, too, to a limited area for a delivery charge of $2.25 and a minimum order of $20. For more info, visit BoscosMenu.com or call (813) 907-2440 and please tell them we sent you!