If you’ve never heard of Sorimmara, which just opened next to Smoothie King at 17501 Preserve Walk Ln., off Bruce B Downs (BBD) Blvd., you’re probably not alone.
Sorimmara is a fast-casual chain based in South Korea, where it has more than 200 locations. The only other U.S. location is in the Koreatown section of Los Angeles, CA.
Despite its Korean roots, most of the menu at Sorimmara is made up of Chinese dishes that have been given a Korean twist. Confused? Just what until you visit!
Sorimmara offers a large variety of raw meats (beef, pork, lamb, chicken, etc.), seafood (shrimp, clams, fish, etc.) and veggies (everything from broccoli and collared greens to Napa cabbage, baby corns, a variety of mushrooms & much more).
You wait to be seated, but you’re immediately invited to grab a bowl and fill it with as much “stuff” as you like — but you’re told you need to have at least 1 lb. of ingredients in your bowl because the restaurant charges by the pound ($14.99-$18.99) for its six main entrée options, including malatang, which is a spicy broth cooked similarly to the popular Chinese hot pot soups, except the restaurant’s kitchen cooks it for you and brings it to your table in a metal bowl placed on top of a lit burner.
Charmaine enjoyed her malatang (top photo), but we both included way too many ingredients because we didn’t know until the restaurant weighed our bowls how much “stuff” we had. There’s also creamy rose malatang available.
I also liked my tomato xiang guo (below left), or “stir fry dry pot,” which is like a stir-fry dish at a Korean or Chinese restaurant.
When I visit Sorimmara again, I plan to try the guobaorou, which means “fried pork” in Chinese, but also is available in crispy, sweet- &-sour chicken, shrimp, cream shrimp and mala mayo shrimp varieties. There’s also four actual Korean street food options called tteokbokki, which features tube-shaped rice cakes that are described as a blend of sweet, spicy and savory.
One piece of good news for less adventurous diners is that all of the dishes at Sorimmara are available in five levels of spice, from mild to super-spicy. There’s also a sauce bar with pre-made options like a delicious creamy sesame sauce and make-your-own options where the restaurant provides you with the recipes!
There also are Chinese standards like egg fried rice and egg rolls, as well as unique spicy mala and mala mayo fried rice, mala and mala mayo rice balls and flying fish roe rice balls.
Sorimmara is open Mon. & Wed.-Fri., 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. & 5-10 p.m. It’s open Sat. & Sun., 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Closed Tues. For info, call (813) 252-6643 or visit SorimmaraTampaBay.com. — GN
Bagels Plus, located at 2706 E. Fletcher Ave. (a little west of Bruce B. Downs Blvd.), has finally reopened after a kitchen fire had closed the long-time favorite local New York bagel place for about five months.
“Everyone already knows we’ve reopened,” the owner Steve told me this morning. “At least it feels like everybody knows. We’ve been packed since we reopened yesterday (Monday)!”
In fact, Bagels Plus was out of Asiago cheese bagels when I arrived a little after 10:30 a.m. today. Thankfully, the store still had plenty of sesame bagels available to scoop out and toast to make my bacon (they do also have sausage), egg and cheese sandwich.
“This is the only place I know locally with bagels that taste like New Yawk,” one customer who said they were from Brooklyn told Steve while I was chatting with him today. “I’m so happy you’re open again!”
That seemed to be a popular sentiment among the seven or eight other customers inside the place, which definitely got a full interior makeover. Bagels Plus also carries tuna, chicken and egg salad, a wide variety of different cream cheeses — from lox and light plain to cranberry-walnut and veggie and more. Other pastries baked in-house include butter croissants, black-&-white cookies and apple and cherry turnovers and more. Pretty great coffee, too.
Bagels Plus is open Monday-Saturday, 6 a.m.-4 p.m., and 7 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, or to pre-order call (813) 999-1216.
A new fast-casual restaurant is opening tomorrow — Saturday, March 29, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. — in the Pebble Creek Collection plaza at 19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., behind Hungry Juicy Crab. Sushi Bowls by Kazoku Sushi, which features not only fresh tuna, salmon and snow crab poké bowls, but also amazing appetizers like chicken gyoza dumplings, crispy vegetable spring rolls, crab Rangoon and deliciously unique “Sushi Fries” (you have to taste them to really “get it!”). The husband-and-wife team of Sergio and Cristina Chanquin, who also own Sushi House in Ybor City, are proud to bring their skills to New Tampa and our first visit definitely exceeded all of our expectations. Find out more about Sushi Bowls in our April 15 Wesley Chapel and April 29 New Tampa print editions, call (813) 406-4111 or click on the followinglink: Facebook.com/events/s/grand-opening-of-sushi-bowls-b/1296410661425913
When Julio and his wife Ximena Rodriguez first opened the original Don Julio’s Mexican Restaurant in the Palms Connection plaza on E. Bearss Ave. seven years ago, the restaurant was an homage to Julio’s mother Esther Rodriguez (or Doña Esther). Esther began putting her cooking talents to good use in the late 1980s and early ‘90s by selling her authentic Mexican cuisine out of her garage in West Tampa after her husband, the original Don Julio, passed away when her three children were still young. She did well enough to put all three kids through college.
As we reported last year, since then, Julio and Ximena opened a much larger restaurant, with a full-liquor bar, in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center, which has really helped increase the Rodriguez family’s exposure in the community “and brought in a lot of new customers,” Julio says.
But, just a few days before we went to press with this issue, Julio and Ximena had moved the original Don Julio’s two spaces down in the same plaza — to the much larger space previously occupied by Bearss Tavern & Tap. “It just got too packed on the weekends at the old space, Julio says.
I promised Julio that Jannah, photographer Charmaine George (who took all of these pictures), her boyfriend Brendan and I would visit the “new” location to not only check out the much larger space but also to sample some of Doña Esther’s “autentica” recipes we hadn’t tried before.
And, it just so happens that Doña Esther (center in above photo, with Ximena and Julio) was helping out in the kitchen on the day we visited — and yes, we definitely sampled! We started by sharing the huge Don Julio’s Sampler (photo right) from the “Antojitos/Cravings” menu. The sampler includes crisp taquitos (we had them filled with chicken), a tamale (corn dough stuffed with pork, wrapped in a corn husk and steamed), a sope (handmade thick corn tortilla topped with refried beans, lettuce, onions, cheese and sour cream; we added ground beef to it), a tostada (similar to a sope, but flatter; we added carne asada steak to it), nachos (we added pastor and ground beef) and our new favorite, the perfectly cheesy quesadillas to which we added shredded chicken.
We each also ordered a main course. Jannah got her usual fave (although it was her first time having it at Don Julio’s) — the ground beef enchiladas (with refried beans and a red guajillo chile sauce). Charmaine really enjoyed her taco salad (bottom right photo) with tender carne asada steak. Brendan also raved about his chimichanga al pastor (marinated pork cooked on a vertical spit; left photo), which also was stuffed with plenty of cheese and topped with melted cheese).
I also tried the Bistec Ranchero (below), which is round steak cooked (and covered) in an amazing combination of tomatoes, onions and serrano peppers. The steak itself was not quite as tender as the carne asada, but the flavor was truly fantastic.
The new restaurant itself is beautiful. Julio says, “It took us six months to build this out, but we’re very pleased with the result,” including the authentic Mexican Talavera tile behind the bar (bottom left photo). We’d have to agree.
And, speaking of the bar, the newest Don Julio’s still features an incredible selection of tequilas and mezcals, some very upscale and rare, but all at very reasonable prices. Brendan, previously a long-time bartender, said his strawberry margarita was “spot on,” Charmaine savored her tequila sunrise and Jannah raved about the white sangria. I, of course, also had no complaints about my Woodford Reserve bourbon.
Ready For Cinco?
Julio promises that both locations of Don Julio’s will be throwing “the best Cinco de Mayo party in town” the weekend of May 3-4, “and the big final blowout on Monday, the 5th.”
“We’ll have DJ music, drink specials and, at the Bearss location, we’ll be serving quick and easy tacos from our food truck outside,” he says. “Plus the new location has this huge outdoor patio, so come check us out!”
Both award-winning Don Julio’s locations (2802 E. Bearss Ave. and 16023 Tampa Palms Blvd.) are open Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Friday & Saturday. For more information, visit DonJuliosMexican.com or find them on Facebook or Instagram. For reservations (not required but suggested, especially on the weekends), call (813) 898-2860 (Bearss Ave.) or (813) 644-7899 (Tampa Palms).
The friendly, professional staff at San Antonio Dental Care is led by dentists Dr. Kim Tran-Nguyen (above center & photo below) and Dr. Lou Cerillo (to her right above), on Curley St. in San Antonio, just north of Wesley Chapel. (Photos by Charmaine George)
San Antonio Dental Care has been keeping patients in the Wesley Chapel/San Antonio area smiling with incredible care and skilled dentists for the past 15 years. Currently located on Curley St., off C.R. 52, just north of Wesley Chapel, the practice was started by local general dentist Louis Cerillo, D.D.S., who has had a practice in the Tampa Palms community of New Tampa for more than 30 years.
A year ago, Kim Tran-Nguyen, D.M.D., joined the team and, together with their team, the dentists take care of patients’ various dental needs, including corrective, restorative and emergency dental care. San Antonio Dental Care can help whether you need a regular check-up, teeth whitening, a crown, Invisalign® aligners, dentures, oral surgery or cosmetic dental services.
As the first dental practice located in San Antonio, Dr. Cerillo says that opening his second office in that community was actually due to a patient’s persistence and determination.
“We had our original practice in Tampa Palms, and we had patients and team members that lived in [San Antonio],” explains Dr. Cerillo. “We started having patients come to us from this area and one patient told me that I needed to set up a practice there.” He says that even though it all started as something of a joke, since the patient was just hoping she wouldn’t have to drive as far to see him.
However, when Dr. Cerillo told her he’d do it if she could find a place where that office could be located, the patient took him up on that offer. and got back to him a few months later to let him know she had found an office for him. Less less than six months after that, the San Antonio office was up and running.
“We opened in 2009,” Dr. Cerillo says. “There was no dentist up here, other than in Dade City,. We were originally in a small office up the road, it was a home that a veterinarian had converted to their vet practice. But then, [the vet practice] outgrew the building and built a new office. We moved in and put a dental office in there.”
Dr. Cerillo’s practice was located in that small, three-bedroom house until 2018, when it also had outgrown that original space. The current location, which previously was a Wells Fargo Bank, provided the room needed for Dr. Cerillo’s growing clientele.
Dr. Tran-Nguyen was excited to join San Antonio Dental Care a year ago, in large part due to the reputation of Dr. Cerillo, along with seeing the positive environment he had built at the practice.
“He has been working here for a long time,” Dr. Tran-Nguyen shares. “And, when I first came here, I felt like the team had nothing but good things to say about what he has done for the community. He has built the practice. It was important for me to work with someone who has the same amount of care that I want to give to people.”
And, it’s not just the dentists that are involved in helping patients, it is a team effort — from the dental assistants and hygienists, to all the people who work in the front office.
“It is something that has to be built and takes time,” she says. Dr. Cerillo adds that her experience, training, conscientiousness, meticulousness and focus have made her a great addition to the practice.
Originally from Miami, Dr. Tran-Nguyen knew she wanted to explore other cities after graduating from high school. She attended the University of Florida in Gainesville for her undergraduate and graduate studies. After receiving her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology, she completed her Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degree from the school’s College of Dentistry. She then completed a General Practice Residency at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull, located in Brooklyn, NY, and has been practicing dentistry for almost eight years.
Cosmetic dentistry and surgical dental implants are two of Dr. Tran-Nguyen’s specialties and she says she enjoys how dentistry utilizes her varied skills. “I get to use my creative side, because I get to do cosmetics,” she explains. “I’m making people healthier, but I am also helping them have a prettier smile. I feel like it is a good balance of both science and art.”
Dr. Tran-Nguyen’s love of the work, desire to go above and beyond and her obvious passion for lifelong learning were additional factors that made it clear to Dr. Cerillo that she would be a good fit for the practice. For example, she completed more than 100 hours of continuing education, which was more than three times the State of Florida’s requirement. “I’m always learning,” she says. “I take a lot of continuing education, more than what is required by the state. I’m always trying to better myself so that I can provide better quality care for the patients.”
Dr. Tran-Nguyen also says that her initial decision to pursue the field of dentistry was inspired by both her older sister being a dentist as well as her positive experiences with her family dentist.
“I had a really good relationship with my dentist when I was younger,” she shares. “He always knew the ins and outs with me and my family, and was very personable. I felt like there was actually a solid connection and I found that to be really important to me. I want to be able to connect with people and I would like to break down the barriers for people who are afraid to come to the dentist.”
That sense of connection, and service to the community, comes across in the approach of both dentists in their work, as well as their interactions with clients and the neighborhood. And, the practice’s patients are appreciative of the excellent service they provide.
“This has by far been the best dental office I have ever visited,” says patient Julie Crocker. “The staff is warm and friendly and genuinely cares for their patients. Even though they are professional, they also are so very personable. Walking in the door feels like visiting family. I actually cried when I saw my new smile.”
Patient Kathy Marino also shares her recommendations for San Antonio Dental Care: “They are the greatest team. They always make me feel very comfortable and confident.”
For all the staff at San Antonio Dental Care, maintaining rapport and positive relationships with clients and the community is a priority.
“As you look at the growth of the [local] community, we’ve grown at the same rate,” says Dr. Cerillo. “So, it’s been really good to be here, and I’m proud we were the first dental office here.”
San Antonio Dental Care is located at 11938 Curley St., and is open Mon. & Wed., 7a.m.- 3 p.m.; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Tues. and Thur.; and 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Fri. For more info, visit SanAntonioDentalCareFL.com or call (352) 668- 4819. Dr. Cerillo’s Somerset Dental Care is located at 15277 Amberly Dr. For more info, visit SomersetDentalCareFL.com, or call (813) 971-1688.
