Cheddar’s To Open on Monday!

CheddarRibbonCheddar’s, the growing, Texas-based chain with 100 company-owned restaurants and 65 franchises (including Brandon and Pinellas Park), will open in front of the Tampa Premium Outlets (TPO) mall (at 2391 Sun Vista Dr., off S.R. 56) on Monday, June 6.

The Neighborhood News was on hand today for the Wesley Chapel location’s “family & friends” pre-opening event, which also included a Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) ribbon cutting just after 10:30 a.m.

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Grilled 8-oz. top sirloin

The prediction here is that Cheddar’s, which has re-branded itself as a “Scratch Kitchen,” will be a monster hit in our area, which is hurting for reasonably-priced restaurants where you can get anything from steaks and ribs to grilled salmon and tilapia. It has similar (albeit mostly less expensive) price points as Applebee’s or Chili’s, but the food — including the grilled 8-oz. top sirloin pictured here — is definitely a step up from those microwave-dependent chains.

“Literally everything here is made from scratch,” said one of Cheddar’s regional managers. “We pride ourselves on stressing the details to make our customers happy.” We also were told that beginning next year, the company plans to open another 20 restaurants per year for at least the next five years.

With its prime location in front of TPO, reasonably-priced full liquor bar and truly fresh-tasting food at very fair prices, expect long lines for lunch and, especially, dinner tables from the moment the place opens.

For more info, visit Cheddars.com.

Zaytoun Mediterranean Grill For Authentic Middle Eastern Cuisine!

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Lamb chops

Next month, Zaytoun Mediterranean Grill, located near the intersection of Cross Creek Blvd. and Morris Bridge Rd., will celebrate one year in business. It’s been a good year for owner Bilal Saleh and his wife Abida, who created the recipes used at New Tampa’s most authentic Mediterranean restaurant.

Even so, Bilal admits, “Some people still don’t know we’re even here. I know if they do find us, they’ll keep coming back.”

It’s hard to argue with Bilal’s logic, as Zaytoun (which literally means “olive tree” in Arabic) already has a loyal following of people who enjoy authentic dishes of Syria, Lebanon and Greece prepared with the best and freshest ingredients, and with so many people eating healthier these days, “We have so many vegetarian and gluten-free choices here we know you’ll keep coming back.”

In fact, Bilal and Abida, who also runs two other local businesses (Florida Aesthetics and the Neuro Center), agree that although Zaytoun has attracted many of the Muslim people who live in New Tampa (the mosque the Salehs belong to is 1/3 of a mile north of Zaytoun on Morris Bridge Rd.), “most of our customers are not from the Middle East. They just like good food.”

A Few Of The Favorites…

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Fresh Kebob Sandwich

Of course, I always try to tell you about my favorite dishes at any of the restaurants I review, and I have quite a few at Zaytoun.

My favorite starters are the fattoush salad — which features romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, mint, sumac and extra virgin olive oil, topped with toasted pita chips — and the traditional Greek salad. You can add chicken, shrimp beef or kufta kabobs to any salad for $2.99-$3.99 and the salads themselves are only $4.99-$8.99.

I will say that Zaytoun’s homemade hummus might just be the best I’ve tasted, although I’m not usually the biggest fan. I’m also not usually the biggest fan of grape leaves, falafel, tabbouleh or baba ghanouj, but many of my Zaytoun-loving friends rave about all of them. There’s also two appetizer platters on the menu, one which combines salad, falafel, grape leaves, hummus, baba ghanouj, muhammara and tabbouleh (for $12.99) and the Zaytoun Sampler Platter ($16.99), which has yogurt salad, tabbouleh, grape leaves, hummus, fried kebbeh, muhammara and baba ghanouj.

There’s also two homemade soups on the menu — lentil soup and freekeh, which is an aromatic soup made with tender chicken, smoked green wheat and spices.

Zaytoun’s grilled entrées are definitely my favorites, especially the perfectly seasoned grilled lamb chops — which are soaked in lemon, garlic and extra virgin olive oil marinade and served with veggies and rice —and the Zaytoun mixed grill, which features grilled kufta (spiced ground beef and lamb) and tender beef and chicken shish kabobs.

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Fresh Falafel Sandwich

I also enjoy the chicken shawarma platter (the kabobs and shawarma are all available as sandwiches, too, rolled in fresh, warm pitas straight from the oven and served with Zaytoun’s special garlic sauce).

And, although I can’t eat the shrimp kabobs on the menu because of my shellfish allergy, Bilal says he has many customers asking for them — and for more seafood.

“We do have a wild-caught salmon special sometimes, when we get salmon we like,” says Bilal. “But, we’re very picky.”

Speaking of picky, Abida promises that although she isn’t at Zaytoun every day, she does go into the kitchen and sample different dishes every time she does come in, “just to make sure the quality is what we and our customers expect,” she says.

In addition to the puffy pitas, Zaytoun’s hand-crafted brick oven also creates some wonderful entrée pies. My favorite is the spinach pie, although I did also enjoy the sfeeha, or ground beef pie. I’ve yet to sample the feta cheese or zaatar (thyme) pies, but they look and smell wonderful as they go by at Zaytoun, and you can get a single piece of each baked pie in Zaytoun’s Pie Sampler for only $9.99.

Before we get to the decadent desserts, let me not forget to mention that Zaytoun also is known for its fresh mint lemonade — it’s like a mojito without the alcohol, since no alcohol is served at the restaurant.

I also really love Zaytoun’s hot tea and Nespresso-brand espresso drinks, especially the cappuccinos and lattes.

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Halawet El Jibn

But, I really hope you’ll plan to save room for dessert at Zaytoun. The signature dessert is called knafeh, which is shredded dough which bakes up extra crisp, filled with a thick (and not overly sweet), homemade cream filling, sprinkled with chopped pistachios and drizzled with orange blossom syrup. Whatever you think it sounds like, to me, the knafeh is decadent, like the crispiest hash browns you ever had, but for dessert, stuffed with a cannoli-style cream. Awesome.

Please note that the knafeh takes 25-30 minutes to bake, so the servers all suggest ordering it when you order your meal, so it will be perfect when you’re ready for it.

I also rave about Zaytoun’s homemade baklava and the sticky, smooth cheese roll with cream also is very tasty.

So, stop in at Zaytoun and try a few of these great menu items. You may just end up letting them cater your next party or event.

For more information about Zaytoun Mediterranean Grill (10970 Cross Creek Blvd., behind Dunkin’ Donuts), call 345-2515, visit Zaytoun-Grill.com, or see the ad in our latest issue for some great coupon values. Zaytoun is open Mon.-Thur., 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m., 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. and noon-9 p.m. on Sun.

Nibble & Bytes: Spa Moritz Closes

Martin and Patricia Anello (holding the scissors) at a ribbon-cutting party for Spa Moritz in February.
Martin and Patricia Anello (holding the scissors) at a ribbon-cutting party for Spa Moritz in February.

Anyone looking for a truly upscale, European spa experience in New Tampa is probably looking again, as Spa Moritz — the European-style spa located in the OrthoTechnology building on Commerce Park Dr. in Tampa Palms (across from Freedom High) — has closed its doors again, apparently for good this time around.

Spa Moritz, which built a loyal following despite changing owners more than once, closed just a few weeks after announcing that physician-directed cosmetic procedures were to be added to the existing massages, facials, hair styling and nail services for which the spa was known. In fact, owners Martin and Patricia Anello hosted a party at the spa for about 50 existing and potential clients to meet with the doctor who was going to provide the expanded services.

At press time of our latest issue, no further information was known about why Spa Moritz closed so abruptly and the Anellos did not respond to multiple messages after the closing of the spa.

OrthoTechnology also has exited the 20,000-sq.-ft. building and a spokesperson for the leasing company trying to fill both spaces says there has been a lot of interest in the building, although nothing was ready to be announced.

Try Tarek’s Café In Tampa Palms For Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner!

Tarek 2WEBIf you love great food at very fair prices and you haven’t yet visited the new Tarek’s Café & Grill, located actually at our former address in the Shoppes at Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms, it’s definitely worth a visit no matter which meal of the day you’re eating.

Although his restaurant is a newcomer to the Tampa Palms dining scene, Tarek is no stranger to a lot of New Tampa residents — his original Tarek’s Café has been a fixture on the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus, just south of Fletcher Ave. off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., for 25 years.

“I’ve actually been in this business 40 years,” says Tarek Elsayed, the owner of the two local Tarek’s Cafés, which are two totally different types of places.

The USF Café is geared to busy college students and faculty members, but Tarek warns that it is still “much more than just a sandwich shop.”

Even so, the Tampa Palms Tarek’s is spacious, with room for 140-150 seats (there’s a little more than 100 inside right now) and attractive wood booths.

But, the menu is significantly more geared towards the sit-down audience — local residents who want a truly delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner in a casual setting.

TarekFoodWEB“We have all of the local proms and graduations happening now,” Tarek says. “Bring those parties over here. We want and can handle your group.”

I’ve only enjoyed breakfast at the Tampa Palms Tarek’s twice so far, but I didn’t post a pic of my favorite breakfast to date — the cinnamon French toast with crusty white bread — because I didn’t think my pics did it justice. Tarek says that virtually everyone who has tried his corned beef hash has raved about it.

“I hear it’s the best in this area…anywhere…all the time,” Tarek says proudly. “If it’s not, I’ll finish it for you.”

As for lunch and dinner, my favorite dishes so far are the braised (“for seven hours,” Tarek says) beef short ribs and TarekWhiteBallssmashed potatoes, the “Ooey-Gooey Ragout” (ask Tarek to describe it for you), the blackened (or grilled) grouper with buttery rice and perfect French-style green beans, the uniquely spicy Israeli-style couscous (available as a side), the turkey bacon cheeseburger, and the totally decadent, indescribable Oreo “balls” covered with rich white chocolate. They’re like the chewiest, most delicious brownie bites ever.

I also love the mini-baklavas Tarek is holding in the picture above and he usually has other great desserts,too.

There’s no alcohol served at Tarek’s Cafe (15345 Amberly Dr.), but it is open Tues.-Sat., 7 a.m.-7 p.m., and 7 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday. Call 252-3238 or visit
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Shuayb Laser Dental — Top Dental Technology Plus Personalized Care!

Shuayb1If you’ve been told you need a dental implant, the area’s best technology meets caring, experienced dentists at Shuayb Dental, which has two offices in Spring Hill, one in Brooksville and one in the Oak Ramble Plaza (same plaza as Acropolis Greek Taverna) on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., just south of Tampa Palms.

Dr. Mohammad Shuayb, D.M.D. (Doctor of Medical Dentistry) first opened his practice in 2000 in Hernando County, and it was only five years later that his brothers and fellow D.M.D.s — Omar and Mujib — each opened their own dental offices within a few miles of their brother. Three years ago, Omar opened the Shuayb Laser Dental location on BBD and two years ago, Mohammad opened an office near his new residence in the newest section of Tampa Palms. He closed the Tampa Palms location a few weeks ago — “There was just no walk-in traffic at that professional park,” Mohammad says. “But here, we’re between Acropolis and Mr. Dunderbak’s, so a lot more people can find us.”

All three brothers now split time between the three offices in Hernando and the New Tampa location.

Shuayb2WEBAll three Shuaybs also earned Bachelor’s degrees from the University of South Florida in Tampa and their D.M.D. degrees from the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine at Boston University.

With the three brothers at the forefront of the business, Shuayb Dental is obviously a family-oriented practice, but with technology to rival and even surpass what you get with the big corporate dental groups.

“We’re more than just a chain of offices,” says Dr. Mohammad Shuayb, the eldest of the three. “We provide top-quality, personalized dental care and all of the equipment we use is a top brand name.”

And, speaking of brand names, the Shuayb name is one that is well-established all across Hernando County and Mohammad says the brothers are working hard to build the same type of loyal following in New Tampa by combining personalized, quality care with the latest technology…and some great offers.

Dental Implants A Specialty

If you need dental implants, you won’t find a better place to make and fit your implants than Shuayb Dental.

Whether you visit the New Tampa office or any of the Hernando locations, the Drs. Shuayb utilize a high-end CEREC 3D Omni-Cam scanner and CEREC software, as well as the highest-quality Straumann implants, and Mohammad says he believes the BBD location is the only one in the New Tampa area to use both.

“We create quality dental implants with laser precision,” Mohammad says. “We even show the patients exactly how their implants will fit with the CEREC, which is a $200,000 machine that also can help us create properly fitting crowns to go over the implants.”

Lasers are a big part of many of the dental services at every Shuayb Dental office. The Drs. Shuayb utilize lasers for everything from treating periodontal (gum) disease to drilling and filling. For gum treatments, the laser replaces the usual scalpel and sutures, which reduces bleeding, minimizes swelling and recovery times and Mohammad says that in some cases, there’s even been regeneration of healthy bone around the teeth.

And, he says that for many fillings, the focused laser beam can replace the drill, often without the need for anesthetics. The laser technology can even assist with tooth whitening procedures.

The CEREC system helps the Shuaybs place crowns with laser precision in a little more than an hour. This dental restorative system also allows the dentist to remove defective amalgam fillings and place cosmetic veneers in just one appointment. It eliminates the need for patients to endure messy, uncomfortable impression materials or wear temporary veneers, sometimes for weeks at a time. The office also offers dentures, bridges, tooth extractions and non-surgical root canals, as well as Invisalign orthodontics.

“Both of those are significant savings over our regular rates and won’t last too long,” says Dr. Mohammad Shuayb. “And, we know you’ll be happy with the quality of our work.”

Shuayb Dental has three offices, one in Brooksville, two in Spring Hill and the New Tampa office (above), located at 14954 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., just south of Tampa Palms. For office hours and more information, please visit ShuaybDental.com or call 632-9200.