If you ask operating partner Dennis Diaz or executive chef Danny Manzur how Stonewood Grill & Tavern, located for more than 20 years at The Pointe at Tampa Palms, has been named the Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa the last eight years, both will tell you that it’s about “Our commitment to quality.”
Danny has been with the company for almost 24 years and has been at the Tampa Palms location of the eight-unit mini-chain the last ten — he also has served as the executive chef of Stonewood Holdings (the restaurant’s parent company) since 2018, “but that position didn’t become ‘official’ until 2020,” he says, adding that, across the brand, “We have great management, outstanding chefs and employees who buy into the company’s commitment to quality.”
He adds, “Here in New Tampa, I don’t think there’s another restaurant that has consistently been as committed to freshness, quality, having a scratch kitchen and an innovative menu as we have. We always buy the highest-quality meats, fish and produce possible from our vendors. That’s something we’ve never wavered from.”
Meanwhile, Dennis has only been with the Stonewood for four years, starting as a sous chef at the Tampa Palms location in Feb. of 2020, or just before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, when the restaurant closed for two months beginning on St. Patrick’s Day. He has been the operating partner the last two.
“I am very fortunate to have the staff I do,” Dennis says. “People didn’t know me when I first got here, so I did get some pushback. But, I work shoulder-to-shoulder with our entire staff and our staff and our guests can see that.”
He adds, “It’s all about passion here, from how we train our staff to the quality food we serve, always with beautiful presentation. People know as they are coming into the restaurant that we cook on wood, because of that aroma you can smell every single day.”
Tastes For Every Season
Although all of the dishes shown on these pages are from Stonewood’s “core” menu, Chef Danny actually comes up with unique seasonal dishes that are changed every three months company-wide, with input from the chefs at each location.
“We always want the limited time menu to offer unique dishes,” Danny says, “or dishes we’ve done well before that we bring back with a different, elevated presentation, since everybody eats with their eyes first.”
He gave the example of my favorite Stonewood steak — then hand-cut Manhattan strip, as well as the herb-encrusted grouper. “We changed the presentation on the grouper so it brought the visual, the aroma and the bite to a different level.”
The spring limited menu will continue to be offered until mid-June, when Danny says he will unveil five or six new dishes, including, “a salmon burger, a chicken skewer and a scampi surf & turf.”
One of the former limited menu items that made it onto the core menu is the tasty center-cut, bone-in peach bourbon pork chop with garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed baby kale shown below left — one of my new favorites.
Jannah, Charmaine, Charmaine’s boyfriend Brendan and I visited Stonewood two days in a row to take the pictures on these pages and the really cool thing is that most of what we sampled isn’t usually what we order when we visit. For example, Jannah and I almost always share the Stonewood bruschetta (vine ripe tomatoes, basil, garlic, aged parmesan, griddled garlic bread and balsamic dressing) and either the simply grilled fresh catch (the grouper is always excellent) or the 8-oz. filet mignon. My favorite appetizer is the seared ahi tuna (sushi-grade ahi rolled in spices and sesame seeds, seared rare, with mixed greens, wasabi, ginger and a zesty sesame ginger dressing) and my other favorite steak is probably the herb-crusted prime rib. Jannah’s favorite entrée when we’re not sharing is the Southwest chicken bowl (Santa Fe-style chicken breast, turmeric rice, black bean & corn salsa, pico de gallo, tortilla strips, basil avocado aioli and jalapeños).
But, Dennis had us sampling a variety of other dishes for this visit, including the excellent Asian chicken salad (oak-grilled & chilled, ginger lime-marinated chicken breast, crispy wontons, chilled sesame noodles, fresh mixed greens, sesame ginger dressing & Asian slaw), and the B.L.A.S.T. Stack (hardwood-smoked Bacon strips, field-fresh Lettuce, diced Hass Avocado, signature smoked Salmon and vine-ripened Tomatoes, with lemon-infused olive oil, basil avocado aioli). Both were outstanding with a one-of-a-kind taste.
Stonewood’s authentic French onion soup features a rich beef, onion broth, topped with toasted Holland rusk, finished with melted Swiss, gouda, gruyere and fontina cheeses.
Don’t Forget About Brunch!
Perhaps the best thing about brunch at Stonewood is that it is served on both Saturday and Sunday. Or, maybe it’s the fact that there are special non-brunch items on the brunch menu. Or, maybe it’s because you can create your own bottomless mimosas from the mimosa cart. Or, maybe it’s the Stonewood beignets (flaky, buttery puff pastry topped powder sugar, served with a decadent chocolate and caramel sauce and Julius Meinl espresso dipping sauce). “Our coffee is Julius Meinl premium coffee, too,” Dennis says.
Among the brunch menu items we sampled were the chicken & waffles (super-crispy chicken breast tenders, pearl sugar, Belgian waffles, Four Roses Old Fashion maple syrup, honey butter & choice of side); the prime rib “Benny” (slow-roasted, shaved prime rib, poached egg, chipotle hollandaise, griddled garlic bread & choice of side) and the crème brûlée French toast (custard French sourdough toast, Four Roses Old Fashion maple syrup, brûléed banana, fresh berries & choice of side) — and all were so satisfying. Charmaine also loved the shrimp & grits (creamy white cheddar grits, sautéed white shrimp, andouille sausage, red and green bell peppers, Créole beurre blanc & blistered tomato).
We also sampled the tasty steak bowl (garlic-marinated steak tips, flash-seared, crispy seasoned potatoes, fresh arugula, fire roasted red & green bell pepper, caramelized onions, black bean & corn salsa, with a horseradish cream drizzle) and the Nashville hot chicken sandwich (Jannah’s new favorite).
Dennis also wants everyone to know that not only does Stonewood do on-site catering, “We also have a private dining room for up to 24 people.”
And of course, Stonewood’s bar also is among the most popular hangouts in New Tampa. “We definitely could use a bigger bar,“ Dennis says. “It’s always packed.”
Stonewood Grill & Tavern (17050 Palm Pointe Dr.) is open every day for dinner & for brunch (opening at 11 a.m.) on Sat. & Sun. only. Happy Hour is every day from opening until 7 p.m. For info call (813) 978-0388 or visit StonewoodGrill.com.
