Café Don José — Authentic Spanish Cuisine, Minutes From New Tampa!

By Gary Nager

I can honestly say that I have been a customer/fan of Café Don José, now located on N. 56th St. (between Fowler and Fletcher Aves.) in Temple Terrace, since before I purchased the Neighborhood News in 1994.

In fact, I well remember meeting the restaurant’s original owners — Carol and Anselmo Torrens — and enjoying their outstanding, authentic Spanish cuisine for the first time when I was negotiating to buy this publication. Café Don José was then located in the Sherwood Forest plaza south of Fowler, but moved into its larger location north of Fowler Ave. after Carol and Anselmo sold the restaurant.

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Now, as we announced in a “Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes” item last issue, Café Don José is on just its third set of owners in more than 25 years and general manager Chris Causey says he and owners Mehdi Belhassan and his brother Karim Benmansour have rededicated the restaurant’s highly experienced staff (including Chef David, who was trained by Anselmo more than 20 years ago) to returning this still-respected eatery to its former glory and beyond.

And, all I can say is, “So far, so awesome.”

The biggest change at the new Café Don José is its expanded tapas menu. Assistant editor Matt Wiley and I got to sample four of the new tapas items on our most recent visit and we both came away impressed and very full. Of the new tapas offerings, Matt and I started with the revamped calamares, which now features hand-floured and hand-cut calamare (squid), flash-fried to crisp, yet tender perfection and served with a slightly spicy tomato piquant dipping sauce.

We also loved the new tostones con ropa vieja tapas, which consists of three large tostones (thick-sliced, deep-fried, green or unripe plantains) topped with ropa vieja (shredded flank steak) and fried sweet plantains. The unripe plantains fry up into thick, but extra crispy slabs, the ropa vieja (aka “old clothes”) is fork tender and the plantains on top add a uniquely soft texture and sweetness.

Also new (and scrumptious) is the stuffed piquillo pepper appetizer. Piquillo peppers — which Chris says are grown only in Spain — are so mild & sweet they have a taste and texture closer to ravioli pasta than your average pepper, and they’re filled with Serrano ham, chorizo sausage, mushrooms and cheese and are topped with a piquillo aioli and Manchego cheese. Too good.

But, my favorite new appetizer — although I could only try two-thirds of it — was the ceviche sampler. Café Don José’s signature ceviche is available in three varieties — fish (corvina), calamare and shrimp — and a small cup of each comes with the sampler. You also can get the ceviche mixto, which combines all three in one cup. If you love the unique combination of garlic, red onion, lime, mango and cilantro as much as I do, you’re sure to love all three (if you’re not allergic to the shrimp, as I am), but the pescado (fish) is my favorite.

And, all of these new tapas items, plus more than ten others, from Café Don’s albondigas (meatballs), empanadas & Don Quixote puffs to steamed mussels or clams, also are available for just $5 each all day every “Tapas Tuesday.” The restaurant’s famous homemade sangria also is available for just $5 per glass all day Tuesday. You can’t beat it!

Affordable Lunch, Too?

Chris says that lunch also is a whole new experience at Café Don José these days. Yes, you can still have lunch-sized portions of many of your Café Don dinner favorites (like my new favorite José Trout Rusa; more on that below), but if you want something delicious and quick, go for any of the three new “Latin Bowls” for lunch.

Matt and I both raved about the Caracas Bowl, which combines your choice of yellow or white rice, spicy chopped chicken, black beans, shredded cheddar & jack cheese, sour cream, crushed tostones and crisp lettuce, drizzled with a green chimichurri sauce. Chris says the Skinny Bowl (your choice of quinoa or farro, shrimp or chicken, plus sundried tomatoes, steamed broccoli, fresh feta cheese, crisp lettuce then drizzled with a light cilantro-lime aioli) also is popular.

We also loved the restaurant’s unique cheeseburger, with your choice of cheese (we picked provolone) and crisp, truffle oil-infused fries, the newest sandwich on the Don’s lunch menu.

As for dinner, as a certified fresh fish lover, my favorite entrées at Café Don José have always been the pan-fried black grouper and the prepared (de-boned) tableside Dover sole.

Well, now I have to add a third, as the José Trout Rusa has won my heart. This 7-9-oz. flaky fillet of Caribbean Sea trout is sautéed in butter sauce and topped with chopped hard boiled eggs, Spanish pimento and parsley and literally melts in your mouth.

Of course, Café Don José also has great steaks, paella, roast duckling, rack of lamb, chicken and rice Valencia and even ostrich medallions (and so much more), plus soups, salads and more.

The wine list is very reasonable (there are two wonderful Spanish tempranillos on it)  and the impressive Happy Hour Happy (5 p.m.- 7 p.m. every day except Sunday) in the revamped Tapas Bar features $3 domestic bottles & drafts, $3.50 import bottles & drafts, $3.50 well drinks $3.50 house wines and a $5 Tapas menu! There’s even private banquet rooms available for parties for 15-80 people and live music Thur.-Sat.

Chris says the reaction from customers to the new ownership/menu changes have been very well received. I agree.

For reservations (not required) and more information, call Café Don José (12350 N. 56th St.) at 985-2392 or visit CafeDonJoseTampa.com. It is open weekdays for lunch and every night except Sunday for dinner.