Among the seven businesses cutting ribbons with the NTBC on Mar. 20 were the Chamber itself (above) and Signature Workspace (below), where all of the businesses were located. (Photos by Charmaine George)
Congratulations to the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce (NTBC), which celebrated the most ribbon-cutting events on a single day in its history on Mar. 20, when the NTBC itself cut a ribbon at its new office at the Signature Workspace at the Shops at Wiregrass. Among the six other businesses hosting ribbon cuttings that same day were the Signature Workspace itself, plus The Copeland Team, Wesley Chapel Fingerprinting Services, Cornelius Demps for Circuit Judge, Gulf Coast Accounting & Tax and the Injury Law Office of Lucas, Macyszyn & Dyer.
In addition to all those ribbons being cut, the event also featured amazing free food provided by Vesh Catering, Azteca D’Oro, Chuck Lager America’s Tavern, Crazy Sushi, Grillsmith, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pinchers Crab Shack and The Living Room. If you missed it, you missed something special!
Although the KRATE at The Grove container park has overall been super-successful, any number of the KRATEs have come and gone in a little more than a year. Here are some updates on a few of the newest additions to Wesley Chapel’s dining & entertainment district.
El Pasta & More
One restaurant KRATE that already has changed names and ownership twice is the new El Pasta & More, which originally opened (at 5817 Goldview Pkwy., #107) as The Fry Room and was followed by Top That! Pizza & More.
But, where those predecessors have come and gone, the hope here is that El Pasta survives, as we already have enjoyed a really good penne with pesto and grilled chicken (also available with shrimp) and a unique chicken parmigiana, which is basically a sizable serving of crispy chicken tenders topped with a tasty marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese, served over spaghetti.
Other options include lamb shank with spaghetti, cheese ravioli, a “build-your-own” pasta with your choice of pasta type, sauce and toppings, a variety of naan bread pizzas, as well as a number of different desserts and more.
For more information, call El Pasta at (813) 973-9359 or visit ElPastaFL.com.
Bodega Deli
If you’ve never lived in New York City, you may not know that bodegas are small stores selling groceries that also usually have great sandwiches and other tasty treats.
Well, the owners of the new Bodega Deli (who also own the adjacent Bebo’s Cheesesteaks) in the former location (at 5840 Grand Oro Ln.) of Sugar Pop!, have recreated the NYC bodega feel — with yummy hot and cold subs, wraps and soups, as well as a variety of breakfast sandwiches and even a build-your-own pasta option with penne, fettuccine or ziti, and Alfredo, vodka (pink) or marinara sauce and meatballs, chicken or Italian sausage. And, of course, like any good New York deli, the Bodega features a variety of NY-style cheesecakes, as well as house-baked chocolate chip cookies and even Good Humor ice cream.
On our first visit, photographer Charmaine George and I enjoyed a “Chopped Cheese” hot sub with chopped beef and cheese, lettuce, tomato, ketchup and mayo on a sub roll. Very tasty. We also liked the tuna salad cold sub and the Oreo cookie cheesecake.
Although no one is walking around wearing only fig leaves, you definitely also should visit the new Garden of Eden Olive Oil Company, located at 5830 Goldview Pkwy., Unit 102, in the former location of The Rebellious Hippie and Mythos, both of which were eclectic gift shops.
Located next to Paleta Mia, Garden of Eden is anything but eclectic. It features more than 60 different varieties of olive oils and balsamic vinegars and charismatic owner Adel Youssef is always happy to tell you about (and let you sample) each and every kind.
“All of our olive oils and balsamic vinegars come from our supplier in California, but we have olive oils imported from Australia, Greece, Portugal, Spain and others and our balsamic vinegars are both white and dark — and all of them are delicious and available for sampling here in the store.”
Adel, who says he preiously was in the Egyptian Secret Service protecting president Hosni Mubarak, always has fresh bread available to sample his wares, “although some people will just drink them without bread.” He also sells a variety of olive oil-based candles, skin care products and more. Go and check it all out and please tell Adel I sent you!
The New Tampa area already has a much larger number of Asian restaurants of all kinds — Chinese, Indian, Thai, Japanese, Korean and even Nepalese — than Wesley Chapel does, but it seems we should make room for at least two more, as Rain Bistro just opened in the former location of Mei’s Pizza (and a couple of others before Mei’s) on E. Bearss Ave., just west of Livingston Ave., and Nawabi Hyderabad House & Biryani Place just replaced another Indian eatery — Raaga — in the Shoppes at Amberly in Tampa Palms.
Right As Rain!
Rain Bistro, owned by my new friend Will, is actually pretty delicious. Although it is something of an Asian fusion place, Will is Chinese and he says his signature crunchy fried chicken (above right) and delicious fried rice (not pictured) are definitely from his native country, even though he also has great almost-Thai-style spring rolls and Japanese-style fried gyoza dumplings filled with chicken (both in left photo above), as well as a large variety of ramen and other noodle and rice dishes, plus a number of different boba tea drinks. Considering it only opened the day we went to press with this issue, all I can say is the food is great and the place, even though it still doesn’t look impressive from the outside, is much more upscale inside — without the upscale prices. Great job, Will!
For more info about Rain Bistro (2592 E. Bearss Ave.), which is open every day for lunch & dinner, call (813) 977-1688.
Nawabi — More Than Just A New Name!
Although I was never a big fan of Raaga, the most recent Indian restaurant in the same location is the new Nawabi Hyderabad House & Biryani Place at 15345 Amberly Dr. and I definitely enjoyed my first visit.
I didn’t find out why the restaurant is called Nawabi, but Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. Of course, the bottom line is, did I like the food on my first visit to this much nicer new sit-down restaurant? And, the answer is unequivocally “yes!”
Although I didn’t venture very far (if at all) out of my comfort zone, I gobbled down the garlic naan bread and wok-tossed hakka noodles with chicken at Nawabi. The thinner-than-lo-mein noodles had a delicate flavor, with a hint of black pepper and just a bit of a kick, even without the much spicier Schezwan (their spelling) sauce, which I was told to order on the side — and I was glad I did. I really only needed a dab on each bite to savor.
For info about Nawabi (also open for lunch & dinner every day), call (813) 443- 0198 or visit NawabiHHTampa.com.
Personal trainer Andrea Barnes of Healthy Steps & Fitness always demonstrates the proper technique for each exercise for her clients. (Photo by Charmaine George)
Imagine a decade spent in personal training, armed not with mere anecdotes but with tangible evidence of transformations — testimonials and before and after photos of lives changed through the power of health and fitness.
Although Andrea Barnes had been training clients at other local facilities the last 10 years, in March of this year, Andrea (pronounced “On-DRAY-a”), a personal trainer, and her husband Aaron unveiled Healthy Steps & Fitness, a unique facility embodying the mantra “people over profit.” A testament to personal triumph and dedication, it was born from the couple’s own challenges. After being open for several months at another location, Healthy Steps & Fitness is now open in its own space on U.S. 41 in Lutz (in the same building as Villaggio’s Ristorante Italiano). Andrea says it is where well-being takes center stage, and every client’s steps to health are celebrated.
Aaron epitomized health yet still faced a silent adversary. While diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, dehydration and certain medications are the top five causes of kidney failure, Aaron had none of those symptoms, but was somehow facing kidney failure anyway. His doctor gave him less than two weeks to live.
Andrea & Aaron Barnes in the hospital after Andrea donated her kidney to her husband (above) & now (below right). (Photos provided by Andrea Barnes)
Then, nine months ago, Andrea donated one of her kidneys to save her husband’s life. This gift helped spur a miraculous recovery, giving Aaron normal kidney function and a renewed lease on life — a gift he’s vowed to cherish and share through the couple’s new business.
The steps taken by Aaron to regain his health inspired the gym’s name, emphasizing the commonality of the journey for those facing transplants, chronic illnesses, diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as aging.
“We chose our name based on the pattern of our lives and how we had to take steps to get to where we are today,” Aaron says.
With mostly female (but still some male) clients, and most of them ranging in age from their 50s to their 70s, understanding their diverse needs, especially of seniors and those with physical disabilities, Healthy Steps & Fitness offers easy accessibility for those with walkers and wheelchairs.
“Gyms always think about fitness — how the body looks on the outside,” explains Andrea. “Our approach is to look at your overall health. Our motto is ‘Health first, and the body will follow.’”
Healthy Steps & Fitness is where your health concerns are heard, and achievable personal goals are set. Andrea goes beyond what traditional gyms do by conducting an in-depth initial consultation with each client, including blood pressure measurements and discussions about your diabetic A1C levels and cholesterol. She encourages her clients to get comprehensive lab evaluations from their physicians before beginning a program with her. This proactive approach addresses a common blind spot in personal health — many individuals, especially seniors, who want to start a training regimen remain unaware of what may be crucial cardiovascular indicators. Aaron recalls a young, outwardly healthy man with three small children, a friend of his sister-in-law’s who had a headache every day for a week. Instead of seeking medical attention, he chose instead to self-medicate with Ibuprofen and coffee.
“The headache he was having was due to high blood pressure,” says Aaron. “Most people don’t check their blood pressure when they have a headache. He died at his work desk from a stress-induced heart attack the primary symptom of which was unchecked high blood pressure.”
Aaron and Andrea plan to partner with a local medical office to refer their clients who don’t have a primary care physician to, so they can have things like their blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and other important medical factors checked before they begin working out at Healthy Steps & Fitness.
If a new client has been receiving physical therapy for an injury, Aaron, who handles the business side of the business, and Andrea ensure that they only begin their journey when they are released by their physical therapist and that it is safe for them to begin training.
“During our assessment, if we see the person has a bad shoulder or hip,” Andrea says, “before we start working with this person — unlike most trainers — we refer them to their physician to get x-rays to ensure that we don’t injure them further.”
How many big box gyms can say they know — or even care to know — their clients’ blood pressure or pain symptoms before letting them work out with weights, on cardio machines or take classes?
“We always encourage our clients — at least once a year — to visit their doctor and have a physical exam and blood work,” Andrea says, “so they can know what their numbers are and can work on improving them.”
Aaron adds, “I’ve had other gym memberships. No one was ever concerned about my health. I never had health questions asked. It was all about memberships and classes. But, we want to know how people are doing. Underlying health problems can limit your progress.”
Another important part of this fitness facility is its community “feel.”
“We believe Healthy Steps & Fitness is unlike any other gym because we get close to our clients from Day One,” Andrea says. “It’s a pride feeling. You’re not just coming here to work out. A lot of friendships start here.”
Eventually, Andrea says, a wall of success will showcase clients’ before & after photos and testimonials (like the photos, above).
The gym offers a range of membership options for both one-on-one personal training and small group fitness classes and all of these options begin with a free seven-day trial. You can see what’s included with each of these memberships at HealthyStepsandFitness.com. Each membership level also includes a complimentary “Twelve-Steps to Wellness” online coaching program which promotes gradual lifestyle changes over 12 weeks.
“Every week, we offer a new online coaching program that we want them to implement into their lives, and every week, we introduce a new lifestyle change,” Andrea says. “By the end of those first 12 weeks, we hope they will have at least begun changing their lifestyle and habits to help them achieve and maintain better health and fitness. For example, she says the first week’s theme is “Love — loving yourself first and what that means.”
Happy Wellness Day!
Healthy Steps & Fitness also hosts Wellness Days, featuring experts who address community questions on various health topics, creating an environment that transcends the conventional gym experience. The most recent such Wellness Day, on Feb. 17, was held at Healthy Steps & Fitness’ former location, but Andrea said that about 35 people attended and got a lot of great information about the importance of lab work, managing anxiety, eating and living a cleaner life, overcoming health obstacles (where Aaron was the featured speaker) and even financial health.
“We got tremendous feedback about that Wellness Day,” Andrea says, “so we definitely plan to do it again soon here.”
She adds that they envision their gym as the next step in the evolution of physical wellness, offering ongoing care beyond traditional rehabilitation. They see the facility as a bridge back to health, keeping their clients from succumbing to post-rehab challenges, such as dependence upon pain meds.
“More than likely, people aren’t better when they go home (after a serious injury), and can get hooked on pain medication,” Andrea explains. “Instead of being depressed at home, we see ourselves as the next step in your recovery.”
Andrea and Aaron stress that they don’t want their clients to be in his situation, “The healthy steps, healthy lifestyle choices, and having my wife as a trainer coaching me along the way got me back, and I’m still a work in progress,” Aaron says. “I made amazing progress from being in critical condition to where I am now. Once the word gets out there, people will know we care. We’re the health care approach to fitness.”
Healthy Steps & Fitness will host a Grand Opening celebration in May, on the first anniversary of Aaron’s lifesaving transplant. It is located at 118 Flagship Loop (off U.S. Hwy. 41), in Lutz, and is open from Mon.-Fri., 5 a.m.-1 p.m.; & 7 a.m.- 10 a.m. on Sat. For more information, visit HealthyStepsandFitness.com, call (813) 860-7709.
Whether you prefer chicken or steak fajitas, try them at either Don Julio’s Mexican restaurant locations in the New Tampa area. (Photos By Charmaine George)
When Don Julio’s Mexican Restaurant opened in the Palms Connection plaza on E. Bearss Ave. (a little west of Bruce B. Downs Blvd.) six years ago, Jannah and I ate there a few times, but of course, without a full-liquor bar, it was never going to be a top choice for us, even though the Mexican cuisine served there was always tasty — and definitely authentic.
So, when Julio and Ximena Rodriguez opened the second Don Julio’s location — with a full, premium liquor bar — in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms plaza in 2022, we started visiting a little more, but because of all of the other Mexican restaurants closer to where we lived, we never really visited as often as we had some other local Mexican eateries.
But, when Julio began advertising in these pages a couple of months ago and told me he wanted us to come sample as much of the menu as possible for this story, we realized that we truly had been missing out on a somewhat hidden — but award-winning (more on that below) — gem in the New Tampa area.
First, A Little History
According to DonJuliosMexican.com, “Don Julio’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant started as a dream for the Rodriguez-Nambo Family. Julio’s grandparents — the original Don Julio & Esther Rodriguez — migrated to the Tampa Bay area from Mexico in the early 1970s. Esther (or Doña Esther, Julio calls her his “Abuelita”) always had a passion for cooking Mexican food” and she began using those talents in the late 1980s and early ‘90s — by selling her delicious Mexican cuisine from her garage in West Tampa — to put all three of her children through college, as her husband passed away when they were very young.
Julio & Ximena Rodriguez invite you to check out either of their authentic Mexican locations.
“Many of (her customers) recommended she open a Mexican restaurant, as her authentic flavors were unmatched by any existing restaurant in the Tampa Bay area,” the website continues. “Don Julio’s opened their doors (in the Palms Connection in) 2018, making the family’s dream come true of sharing Doña Esther’s authentic Mexican flavors with the entire Tampa Bay area and to keep alive her recipes for generations to come. The name was chosen in honor of the late Don Julio, who would be proud to see how his family has come together to make a legacy.”
Julio adds, “Don Julio’s is truly a family affair. In addition to Ximena and me, we have several cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews working in both of our locations and we pride ourselves on outstanding service, as well as delicious food.”
And, Speaking Of Food…
When Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I visited the beautiful Tampa Palms location of Don Julio’s shortly before this issue went to press, we wanted Julio and Ximena to pick “a couple” of their favorite dishes, to go along with a couple we chose.
The Queso Fundido is another tasty starter.
OK, sure. Instead of a “couple of” dishes, we were treated to a feast of epic proportions. We started with the house-made chips and perfect salsa, “with very small chunks of tomato and lots of cilantro,” Julio said.
Then, came the starters (called “Antojitos” or “Cravings” on the menu) and beverages. Jannah loved the Queso Fundido (melted Oaxaca cheese with Mexican chorizo sausage served with handmade chips). And, even though it isn’t made tableside, the house-made fresh guacamole was definitely a true treat, too.
“Everything we make here is from scratch,” Julio said. “We are always proud to serve our food.”
The Coctel de Camarones (shrimp cocktail) is made with three kinds of tomato sauce. The new birria tacos are among our editor’s favorites at Don Julio’s.
Whether you call them taquitos or flautas, you should try them at Don Julio’s!
Charmaine raved about the one starter I couldn’t sample, the Coctel de Camarones (shrimp cocktail with Grandma’s homemade proprietary tomato sauce and spices). Julio said, “It’s actually a blend of three different sauces.” But, Charmaine and I agreed that our favorites were the new birria beef tacos, wrapped in handmade soft corn tortillas and served with a delicate dipping broth made from the birria drippings. So delicate and delicious!
The peach margarita is just one of many available flavors.
We all also enjoyed the Taquitos Dorados Don Julio, which Julio says also are called “flautas.” They are rolled and deep-fried and available with your choice of meats — from chorizo to shrimp or fish, carne asada steak or even just veggie (we had the chicken). The taquitos are topped with lettuce, onions and the lightest sour cream sauce ever.
As for the beverages…wow! While all I had a was a Pacifico draft (available with a spicy tahine-salted rim), Jannah loved both the traditional and peach margaritas. Charmaine enjoyed the Cantarito, which is tequila, orange, lemon and lime juices served in a “jarrito de barro,” or clay cup, to help keep it cold and that same tahine-salted rim. Speaking of tequilas, the Tampa Palms Don Julio’s serves many upscale brands, as well as a variety of mezcals, plus other premium liquors and a large variety of Mexican and domestic beers on tap and in bottles.
The menu includes a variety of other craft cocktails, as well as flights of house margaritas in a number of flavors, Yave Tequilas and cervezas.
Moving On To The Entrées…
The feasting did not stop with the starters. We sampled both tender steak and perfectly seasoned chicken fajitas, both served on sizzling plates with crisp, sautéed onions, red and green peppers, with creamy refried beans and Mexican rice.
We also were served a tasty trio of enchiladas — one shredded chicken, one with ground beef and the third with Mexican cheese, although any combination is allowed.
“Our enchilada sauce is unlike any other you’ll find in this area,” Julio said. “My Abuelita’s recipe definitely lives on here!”
We also were treated to another of Julio’s favorites (and now, mine) — the pork carnitas, which are first slow-cooked and then deep-fried until they are crispy outside, but moist and tender inside. The enchiladas and carnitas also are served with the Mexican rice and refried beans.
Despite everything we got to try, the huge menu at Don Julio’s also has pollo ranchero (sautéed chicken cooked with tomatoes, onions and Serrano peppers), breaded Milanesa chicken or steak, carne asada or bistec ranchero steak, a Mexican bowl called Tazon and a variety of shrimp dishes I can’t sample.
Neither the tender, tasty carnitas (pork chunks) (Above) nor the trio of enchiladas (Above Left) will leave you feeling disappointed…or still hungry!
The only thing we didn’t save room for was dessert, but we will be back to try the fried churros with caramel, chocolate or lechera (sweetened, condensed milk) dip. There also are other favorites like a traditional Mexican flan, fried ice cream, fried choco banana with vanilla ice cream, “Sopapillas” pastries dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar and more.
Julio says Don Julio’s also is the only place you can have Mexican brunch every day — from traditional Huevos Rancheros to a burrito breakfast, Chilaquiles (corn tortilla pieces) & Eggs and Tacos Huevos (eggs) & Chorizo.
Don Julio’s is proud to have won “Best Mexican Restaurant” and “Best Taco” in Tampa for four years in a row from “Lo Mejor de Tampa” (The Best of Tampa Bay), a local Hispanic website.
Let Don Julio’s Entertain You!
The Tampa Palms location of Don Julio’s also offers “Cinco Musical Bingo” every Thursday, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., as well as strolling mariachi bands every Friday and Saturday night.
But of course, the biggest event of the year at both locations will be the Cinco de Mayo party, which will be held Saturday and Sunday, May 4-5, and will include outside tables, music, specials and more. Look for additional information about the Cinco de Mayo parties at both locations in the ad in our next issue.
Don Julio’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant (16023 Tampa Palms Blvd. & 2808 E. Bearss Ave.) are both open Sun.-Thur., 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. For Tampa Palms, call (813) 644-7899. For Bearss Ave., call (813) 898-2860. For reservations and more info about either location, visit DonJuliosMexican.com, visit them on Facebook or Instagram.
Cantarito The churros are just one of many authentic Mexican desserts at Don Julio’s. (Photo provided by Don Julios)
