Minerva Is Still Our Areaโ€™s Favorite Indian Restaurant!ย 

This is just a small portion of three dozen or so options at the lunch buffet at Minerva Indian Restaurant in the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center plaza on BBD Blvd. (All Photos by Charmaine George)

Since it first opened in the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center shopping plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (only a mile or so south of the Pasco County line) in 2016, Minerva Indian Restaurant has been among our readersโ€™ favorites every year. In fact, even though our 2022 Reader Dining Survey was the first year we gave โ€œIndian Restaurantsโ€ their own category, not only did Minerva dominate the voting this year, it also has received the most votes for โ€œFavorite Restaurant in New Tampaโ€ of any Indian restaurant in New Tampa between 2017 and 2022.

And, for good reason. Not only do Minerva owners Venkat Reddy and his wife Amrutha offer a huge menu (with more than 200 different food items), including North India, South India and Indo-Chinese favorites, they also feature one of the largest Indian lunch buffets in the Tampa Bay area, with about three dozen total items. 

So, What Are Our Favorites?    

Long-time readers of the Neighborhood News know that Indian food has never been at the top of my list of favorite cuisine types, although I have expanded my horizons enough to have multiple favorites at Minerva. And, the good news is that photographer Charmaine George enjoys Indian food more than I do, so we were able to sample quite a few options during our recent visits.

Among our editorโ€™s favorites from Minervaโ€™s buffet are the Tandoori chicken, the Hakka veg chowmein and the vegetable spring rolls and samosas.

Of course, the Minerva lunch buffet is a an affordable place to start for those who arenโ€™t sure what Indian appetizers and entrรฉes theyโ€™ll like best and it includes everything from naan breads to vegetable samosas (deep-fried veggie โ€œpiesโ€ stuffed with potatoes and veggies) and veggie spring rolls (very much like Chinese or even Thai-style), plus entrรฉes like butter chicken, Tandoori chicken (one of Minervaโ€™s variety of meats cooked in a clay Tandoor oven), chicken tikka masala, goat curry and multiple biryani (rice) dishes, as well as desserts. I couldnโ€™t possibly name and didnโ€™t sample all 35+ items (40+ on weekends) on the buffet, but all I can say is that itโ€™s super-popular and available seven days a week between 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Also available on the buffet are some of Minervaโ€™s Indo-Chinese dishes, including the Hakka veg chowmein (with lo mein-style soft noodles) and veggie fried rice, although I also really liked the full order of chicken Indo-Chinese fried rice I got on another visit.

One of mine and Charmaineโ€™s absolute favorites was the garlic naan bread, one of about ten different naans โ€” from butter to onion to spicy chilli โ€” and 20 or so total bread options at Minerva.

Charmaine and I also sampled three different long-grain biryani rice dishes โ€” goat, chicken and veggie. We agreed that the biryanis themselves arenโ€™t as spicy as weโ€™ve had at some other Indian restaurants, but when goat or chicken is added, the biryani does take on a spicier flavor.

The Tandoori lamb chops.
South Indian Upmaย 

Among the other dishes we tried were the tandoori lamb chops, always one of my favorite dishes at any Indian restaurant. Also available are Tandoori goat chops, lamb shish kababs, chicken shish kabobs, and chicken on the bone or boneless, as well as a mixed grill of lamb and chicken kababs. These dishes are all served fajita-style on a sizzling plate, with peppers and onions.

Charmaine and I also wanted to try a South Indian specialty, so Amrutha suggested we try the Upma, which is a traditional breakfast dish made with semolina, vegetables, peanuts, onion, chillis and ginger. It has a delicate flavor and a consistency that most reminds me of corned beef hash, but without meat.

And, although there are probably still 200+ items on Minervaโ€™s menu we havenโ€™t yet sampled, Charmaine and I both look forward to trying the soups (e.g., the Minerva Special chicken soup and hot-&-sour soup), the North Indian paneer paratha (wheat bread stuffed with cheese), and perhaps one of Minervaโ€™s shrimp or fish dishes, including ginger fish or shrimp, vindaloo (curried with potatoes) or tikka masala (in a creamy sauce).

Gulab Jamoon dessert at Minerva.

And yes, we both also enjoyed the gulab jamoon dessert, which is basically Indian-style donuts served in a sugar syrup.

Minerva also offers a great variety of traditional Indian drinks (mango lassi, coconut water and more), as well as the best selection of Indian beers youโ€™ll find anywhere. These Indian beers, like Taj Majal, King Fisher and Hunter, as well as red and white house wines (although there is a nice variety of other wines, too) are all just $1 from 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Speaking of specials, there are a lot of them, including BOGO buffet and entrรฉe deals, and Minervaโ€™s Biryani Special. On Thursdays and Sundays (only), all biryani dishes (usually $12.95-$16.95) are only $10 each all day. There also are a number of Value Meals, enough to serve 2-3 people, for $19.95-$27.95, on the last page of Minervaโ€™s menu. Minerva Indian Restaurant (19050 BBD) is open every day for lunch & dinner. For more info, call (813) 978-8586 or visit MinervaTampa.com.

Genesis Wellness Clinic โ€” Providing Holistic & Integrative Medical Care

A variety of unique treatment options are available at Genesis Wellness Clinic on N. 56th St. in nearby Temple Terrace. (Photo by Charmaine George)ย 

Genesis Wellness Clinic, formerly known as Genesis Medical Clinic (located on N. 56th St. in Temple Terrace), offers a unique variety of outpatient healthcare services in one convenient location. The practice combines a focus on prevention and wellness into a traditional medical clinic to provide an integrative approach to healthcare.

After operating for more than a decade as Genesis Medical Clinic, this long-standing clinic is โ€œin the process of transitioning to this new name to reflect a shift in treating patients more holistically,โ€ explained owner Ike Okeke. Holistic medicine refers to considering a personโ€™s mind, whole body and environment when developing a treatment plan and can incorporate alternative medical treatments, too. When holistic medicine is combined with traditional Western medicine, it can be referred to as integrative medicine.

Ike Okeke is a pharmacist by trade. He received his Bachelor of Pharmacy degree (B. Pharm) from the University of Nigeria in 1991. His pharmacy background helps him as the clinic owner to understand the work performed by the different Genesis providers and to bring new treatment options to the clinic.

Ikeโ€™s wife Yvonne also is a pharmacist, having graduated from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine College of Pharmacy with a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree in 2011. She runs Temple Terrace Pharmacy, an independent community pharmacy, located next door to the clinic, making it easy for patients who want to fill their prescriptions right after their clinic appointments.

There are three physicians at Genesis Wellness Clinic, each with different specialties and medical training.

Dr. George Bino Rucker, M.D., is an integrative medicine doctor. Dr. Rucker completed medical school at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville in 1995 and received urologic surgery training at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York City. 

In 2011, after a decade as a urologic cancer surgeon, Dr Rucker shifted to practicing in integrative medicine. Since then, he has developed expertise in hormone replacement therapy, IV infusions (including Ketamine, ozone, stem cells, etc.), comprehensive weight loss programs and more.

Dr. Gerald (Jerry) Mastaw, M.D., is an interventional pain management and regenerative medicine physician with more than 20 years of experience. He graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor in 2000 and completed residency training in anesthesia. After residency, he served as an anesthesiologist for the U.S. Navy for five years, including in Iraq and Spain. Afterwards, he went back to the University of Michigan to complete a one-year fellowship in interventional pain management. 

Dr. Syed Hasan, M.D, completed medical school in 1990 at Dow Medical College in Pakistan and an internal medicine residency at New York University (NYU) Lutheran Medical Center (now known as NYU Langhorne Hospital) in Brooklyn, NY, thereafter. Dr. Hasan has been practicing in internal medicine since then, and has experience in bariatric medicine (causes, prevention and treatment of obesity) as well.

In addition to the physicians, Genesis Wellness Clinic patients also may see Mary Rosario, a psychiatric nurse practitioner (NP) and Janelle Griffith, a physician assistant (PA).

Treatments & Services Available

Before anyone can receive treatment at Genesis Wellness Clinic, a doctor will first meet with you for consultation only to ask questions and gather medical information. Then, if you are deemed an appropriate candidate for treatment, the doctor will design a treatment protocol specific to you.

Hormone replacement therapy has become an increasingly popular treatment at the clinic. It can be uncomfortable to discuss, but patients are increasingly seeking hormone therapy with estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. โ€œMen and women come to the clinic asking for hormone therapy because they are struggling with hot flashes, lack of sleep, mental fatigue and low sex drive,โ€ Ike says.

The clinic also offers many interventional pain techniques to help manage chronic body and nerve pain. Available treatments include anesthetic and steroid injections in various areas of the spine, injecting lubricating hyaluronic acid near the knees, and applying radiofrequency ablation (heat from radio waves) to tissues. 

If you have a painful diabetic neuropathy (nerve pain) causing numbing and tingling in your hands and feet, Genesis Wellness Clinic offers a drug-free approach that combines deep tissue lasers, microvascular artery pneumatic pumps and nutrition to increase blood flow to affected areas and hopefully reduce that pain.

For those suffering from urinary incontinence, the clinic has a TeslaMaxโ„ข machine that provides electric muscle stimulation to weakened pelvic floor muscles. Combining the TeslaMaxโ„ข treatments with resistance exercises taught by the clinicโ€™s practitioners can strengthen pelvic floor muscles and nerves and improve and even potentially eliminate urinary incontinence for patients.

โ€œThe TeslaMaxโ„ข machine helps patients in a similar manner to performing Kegel exercises but via electrical stimulation,โ€ says Ike. Also available are injections with ozone, platelet rich plasma (PSP), Botox, vitamins and more. 

Ketamine is a medication with many uses. It is gaining use in pain control, depression, and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), especially if traditional treatments have been unsuccessful. โ€œWe also can treat anxiety, depression, ADHD and many other mental health conditions,โ€ Ike says. For those needing help with weight loss or physical therapy, comprehensive programs with counseling, in office therapy, home exercise regimens, medicine and close follow-up also are available.

Walk-ins are always welcome. If patients have primary care providers or referring doctors, the providers at Genesis Wellness Clinic will be in communication with them as well.

Genesis Wellness Clinic is located at 9780 N. 56th St., Suite C. It is open Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m. โ€“ 5 p.m. For more info or to book an appointment, call (813) 549-7465, visit mygenesiswellnessclinic.com.

The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm For Your Family Law Needs

The husband-&-wife team of Josรฉ Ignacio Leon & Samah (โ€œSamโ€) Abukhodeir now have six offices of The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm, including one on Amberly Dr. in Tampa Palms. (Photos on these pages provided by the firm)ย 

Attorney Samah (โ€œSamโ€) T. Abukhodeir is a woman of many talents and interests. Sheโ€™s the founder and managing partner of The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm, which has its newest of six offices in the Somerset Professional Park in Tampa Palms. Sheโ€™s an adjunct professor at her law school alma mater, Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, where she currently co-teaches a course on epistemology (a branch of philosophy related to the theory of knowledge). 

She also is a passionate advocate for the Arab-American community, as she and her team speak in Arabic, Spanish and English at Arab-American festivals, conventions and online groups about the importance of seeking legal help to a group that may not know or feel comfortable to do so. Sheโ€™s also a fashionable social media presence and networking pro who attends conferences and classes to stay up to date on legal and business practices.

Wherever Sam goes, she builds connections as strong as family. When she first founded her law firm in South Florida in 2018, it consisted of only two people โ€” Sam and a part-time law clerk, Anwar E. Hadeed. Over time, by word of mouth and reputation, she has been able to bring 24 more people on board, including her husband, Josรฉ Ignacio Leon, as another partner, and that same law clerk (Anwar) now as an associate attorney. In just five short years, sheโ€™s also expanded her firm from one to six Florida offices.

The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm can represent you in legal matters related to family law, guardianship, probate and estate planning. Family law includes adoption, child custody, child support, divorce, domestic violence, elder law, paternity, pre- and post-marital agreements, spousal support or, as Sam simply summarized, โ€œanything relating to family.โ€ Guardianship refers to when an individual is granted legal authority to make decisions or manage interests for another person. 

โ€œProbate is the process in court that an individual must go through when a family member or loved one passes away intestate (without a legal will or irrevocable trust) to receive an inheritance,โ€ explained Sam. โ€œFor example, if parents pass away, leaving behind a house, their children or loved ones will need to go through probate to get that house in their name if the homeโ€™s title is still in the name of the deceased.โ€ Estate planning involves drafting wills, trusts, or other legal documents while an individual is still alive and of sound mind to have control over how their estate (assets and liabilities) will be divided upon death or becoming incapacitated.

A Powerhouse Probate Couple

How did Sam decide to focus on these legal areas? While she was studying at the FIU College of Law, her fellow law student and law school sweetheart Josรฉ was completing a clerkship with the Honorable Maria M. Korvick, an administrative probate judge. With this experience, Josรฉ developed an interest in probate and told Sam that she should get this experience for herself. After Josรฉ completed his clerkship, Sam then clerked for Judge Korvick. After they both graduated with their Juris Doctor (J.D.) degrees from FIU in 2013, Sam returned to work for Judge Korvick as a case manager and staff attorney. 

In 2016, Josรฉ started his own firm โ€” The Florida Estate Planning Law Firm โ€” and in 2018, Sam founded The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm. While Jose still has his firm, he is increasingly working with his now wife since 2022, by becoming a partner at Samโ€™s firm.

Even if youโ€™ve never thought of following a lawyer on social media, Sam and Josรฉ make it so inviting. On Facebook and Instagram, you can find either Sam, or both Sam and Jose together, sharing video clips and words of wisdom about family law and probate. In 30 seconds or less, they discuss topics like four things to know about Florida probate law, the right timing as to when to call a lawyer to write a prenuptial agreement, and more.

The coupleโ€™s recent videos about estate planning for blended families were particularly informative. Sam points out that married partners in blended families should look into estate planning, especially if they have children from previous relationships. Josรฉ added that certain children can get disinherited, depending upon which partner passes away first, so itโ€™s important that estate planning documents have all children included. In fact, in a recent consultation with Sam, thatโ€™s exactly what happened. To illustrate how important this is, a couple who remarried and each had children from previous relationships, but no children in common, sadly both passed away in an accident. Because the husband died 10 minutes after the wife, the wifeโ€™s children were disinherited completely.

Meet The Team 

Brenda Shapiro, a seasoned family law attorney, is the third partner with Sam and Josรฉ at the firm. Brenda obtained her J.D. degree from University of Miami (FL) School of Law and, after running her own practice for 25 years, she joined The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm as the chair of the family law department. Brenda has earned many accolades over the years, including receiving an Honorary Doctorate of Law & Letters degree from Pine Manor College in Boston and being a founding member of the Collaborative Family Law Institute, a nonprofit association that teaches about a family-focused alternative to litigated divorce.

Valeska Casanova-Chacon, Krizia L. Toledo, Yudislaidys โ€œYudyโ€ Mallol, and Anwar E. Hadeed are the associate attorneys at The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm. In addition to bringing a variety of legal experiences to the team โ€” including working at an immigration clinic, doing pro bono work with a special prosecutions unit and serving as victim and witness counselors, the four associates also come from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, including Puerto Rican, Cuban, Caribbean and Syrian.

The firmโ€™s diversity in work experience, ethnic and cultural backgrounds continues with the paralegals and client relations, marketing, and operations team members who come from Colombia, Honduras, Venezuela, Mexico and Palestine.

โ€œOne factor that distinguishes us is that we are a diverse team of different faiths, cultures, and backgrounds,โ€ says Sam. โ€œI am always proud to say that we can connect with anyone.โ€

Clients of the firm agree. โ€œSam and her team were extremely helpful with my estate planning case,โ€ says client Maricarmen Calo. โ€œThey were very responsive and made me feel comfortable. They were transparent throughout the whole process, making me feel calm and reassured. Thank you, Sam and team, for bringing me peace of mind!โ€

Whatโ€™s Next? 

So, what made Sam and her successful team, with five offices in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale metropolitan areas, want to expand into Tampa? Not surprisingly, she says family was a motivating factor.

โ€œI grew up in central Florida, in Lake Wales, and my parents and sister have lived in Tampa for years, so Iโ€™m quite familiar with the area,โ€ Sam says. โ€œI can provide dedicated time to clients in this area, as I am already making trips to Tampa every weekend to be closer to family. In addition, weโ€™re actively expanding and looking to add team members from this area.โ€

Sam adds that she also is acutely aware that you donโ€™t see a lot of Arab-American lawyers in courtrooms these days and thatโ€™s something sheโ€™d love to help change. She and several other lawyers across the country are working to reactivate the Arab-American Bar Association. Also, maybe the most exciting challenge to date for Sam and Josรฉ is parenthood, as they just became parents to a precious 3-month-old son named Jibril.

The Florida Probate & Family Law Firmโ€™s newest office is located on 15257 Amberly Dr. in Tampa Palms. To contact the firm for a free consultation, call (813) 999-3134, or visit FloridaProbateandFamilyLaw.com. Be sure to follow โ€œThe Florida Probate & Family Law Firmโ€ on Facebook or โ€œlawyerladybossโ€ on Instagram for helpful videos and legal tips.

Lillian Bischelโ€™s Client-Centered Hypnosis & Coachingย  Is Here To Help!

Lillian Bischelโ€™s Client-Centered Hypnosis & Coaching can help you overcome fears or help you improve your life. (Photos by Charmaine George)

A lifelong โ€œFlorida Crackerโ€ and New Tampa resident for the past three decades, Lillian Bischel has spent years studying the human condition.

With Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees in Psychology and Anthropology, and a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Speech Language Therapy โ€” all from University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa โ€” Lillian has been a speech language pathologist for the past 14 years. Prior to that, she was a legal assistant.

She says her varied educational pursuits and work experiences have led her to find her passion โ€“ as a certified hypnotist whose practice, known as Client-Centered Hypnosis & Coaching, helps people to meet their goals, whether they want to improve an area of their lives or overcome a particular fear.

She also has earned a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Transpersonal Psychology from Atlantic University (a distance learning university based in Virginia Beach, VA), is certified as a hypnotherapist (CHt), a master hypnotherapist (MHt), and is a member of the National Association of Transpersonal Hypnotherapists.

Here in Florida, however, the title of โ€œtherapistโ€ is reserved for those who hold a medical degree, so although her certification is as a hypnotherapist, she is considered a โ€œhypnotistโ€ in our state.

Lillian explains that transpersonal psychology takes the connection of mind and body that is central to traditional psychology one important step further. Transpersonal means that the therapy incorporates an unconscious element, as well. 

โ€œWhen you go to a โ€˜regularโ€™ psychologist, they say they can fix you if you do what they say,โ€ Lillian explains. โ€œTranspersonal psychology is more that you have a challenge and I can help you find your own answers.โ€

The first session with Lillian is always an interview to allow her to get to know you and establish background information. She coaches people to come up with their own solutions and suggestions, then uses their own words to write a completely customized hypnosis script, which is done in a separate session.

The client-centered approach means she focuses on active listening and understanding the issues, needs, and wants of her clients, and to guide them to find answers within themselves from a mind, body and soul (meaning the unconscious) perspective.

However, she says, sometimes her clients find the coaching so helpful, they donโ€™t even need the hypnosis.

But, for those who do, the hypnosis starts with a relaxation process and deepening technique, which helps tap into the clientโ€™s subconscious. Then, Lillian can do a suggestive hypnosis, where she shares ideas from the interview that will help the client reach their goals. 

Her โ€œMasterโ€ certification allows her to do age regression and past life regression, as well.

She says that many clients donโ€™t understand the spiritual connection to their personal problems. In fact, these problems can be hard to discuss because theyโ€™re usually deeply personal topics, and often bring up ideas that might sound crazy if the clients didnโ€™t experience them. Lillian says that, based on her experience, she believes people are eternal beings. 

โ€œWhen our bodies die,โ€ she says, โ€œour spirit, our soul, our energy, continues.โ€

That philosophy allows her to help people who are interested in regression to a past life โ€” which may help them overcome fears they are presently experiencing โ€” or simply regression to a younger age.

All coaching and hypnosis sessions are completely virtual, via teleconference, so you can participate in these sessions from the comfort of your own home.

Lillian offers a free consultation to explain the process and โ€œsee if weโ€™re a good fit for each other.โ€

She says most people who find her service valuable have something going on in their lives thatโ€™s not working for them. They might not know why itโ€™s happening or how to change, but itโ€™s interrupting their lives in some way. It might be stress that is affecting their health, relationships, or even their ability to work. 

Lillian also can help people who have set a goal for themselves, such as to be more confident, to be able to speak in front of people, to develop healthier habits, or even quit smoking.

She says she has helped any number of people with debilitating phobias to be able to face their fears.

During the training and certification process, Lillian had to do many hours of hypnosis under the supervision of her college professors. She also is required to have continuing education credits to maintain her membership in the National Association of Transpersonal Hypnotherapists.

Not For Entertainment Purposes!

One thing Lillian stresses is that therapy with hypnosis is not entertainment.

โ€œI donโ€™t do this for fun,โ€ she says. And she further clarifies that she will never make people do anything while they are under hypnosis. 

โ€œYou canโ€™t make a person do something that goes against their morals,โ€ she explains. โ€œEven though weโ€™ve reached an unconscious level, at all times your everyday mind is still there, so youโ€™re very much aware of everything that goes on and can stop at anytime, if you want.โ€

Brenda Murray says she has known Lillian a long time and that her experience with hypnosis therapy was even better than she had hoped.

โ€œI was extremely impressed with her professional nature and calmness,โ€ explains Brenda. โ€œShe was very detailed, guiding me through with ease. I was surprised at how easy and comfortable Lillian made it.โ€

Brenda says she was curious about hypnosis โ€” as she thinks many other people also may be โ€” and she wanted to work with Lillian to gain some ambition in a certain area in her life. โ€œIt did help,โ€ Brenda says. โ€œI was impressed with that.โ€

She also says she looks forward to working with Lillian again to focus on another part of her life.

โ€œI highly recommend her,โ€ says Brenda. โ€œSheโ€™s a natural. I saw a different side of Lillian than I knew and I was quite impressed by her.โ€

Lillian Bischelโ€™s Client-Centered Hypnosis & Coaching offers hypnosis and coaching via virtual sessions. For more information or to set up a free consultation, call Lillian at (813) 390-2910 or email her at clientcenteredhypnosis@gmail.com. 

Nibbles & Bites: Checking Out The Third Annual Rum & Seafood Festival!ย 

Our congratulations go out to Florida Penguin Productions for putting on a successful third-annual Rum & Seafood Festival at the Tampa Premium Outlets on June 3, despite the constant threat of bad weather that could have caused the eventโ€™s cancellation.

A steady stream of adult visitors paid $15 per person to get into the Festival, which featured live music, dozens of vendors โ€” including Siesta Key and Sailor Jerry rums, FishHawk Spirits and Jack Danielโ€™s Tennessee Whiskey โ€” and great seafood food trucks like Charm City Eats, Super Grouper, Got Lobstah? and From the Soul to the Sea. Among this yearโ€™s highlights were the Crab Races (that I unfortunately missed) and the โ€œrooftopโ€ bar. 

Theย  North Tampa Bay Chamber received a portion of the eventโ€™s proceeds.

Crazy Sushi Is Open At The Shops At Wiregrass; Azteca Dโ€™Oro To Open June 24!ย 

Crazy Sushi Is Open!

If you love sushi and all-you-can-eat Japanese-inspired cuisine and havenโ€™t yet checked out the new Crazy Sushi Wiregrass at the Shops at Wiregrass, you probably should. 

Crazy Sushi is more than just another replacement for the several restaurants that have opened and gone out of business at 28152 Paseo Dr., #150 โ€” itโ€™s a much larger (having also taken over an adjacent store), real sit-down restaurant that just happens to also offer all-you-care-to-eat lunch (for $22.95 per person; available Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. only) and dinner (and Sat.-Sun. lunch, for $32.95) Japanese food that, based on our first visit, is well worth the price. 

The sushi (the left photo is of a tasty sushi sampler that isnโ€™t on the menu) is really fresh, the appetizers โ€” including gyoza dumplings, tempura veggies, fried chicken karaage (right photo), etc. โ€” and lo mein are spot-on and the hibachi sirloin steak and chicken are both of a higher quality (at least, in my opinion)than what weโ€™re used to getting at Ginza or Koizi. And. the premium full-liquor bar offers full-sized drinks at lower-than-mall prices.

For more information, call (813) 991-8989 or visit CrazySushiWesleyChapel.com and please tell our friend Edgar behind the bar that we sent you!

Recapping Blush Champagne Barโ€™s Grand Opening Event!

Even though we told you that the Blush Champagne & Cocktail Bar had opened at the KRATE Container Park last issue, we didnโ€™t get to show you any of the great pictures photographer Charmaine George took at the spectacular Grand Opening party on May 19 for the second KRATE (the other is the nearly adjacent Blush Wine Room) owned by Felicia and Nimesh Desai (top left photo). The event included a DJ, a 360ยบ photo booth, the great Blush Wine Room food, a dozen frozen wine-based cocktails, a variety of sparkling wines and hundreds of happy attendees! For info about the Blush Wine Room or Champagne & Cocktail Bar, call (813) 428-6247 or visit BlushWineRoom.com.ย 

Playa Bowls To Open June 17!

When Tabatha Castro and Pablo Reid open the newest location of Playa Bowls next to the Latin Twist Cafรฉ at 2653 BBD Blvd. on or around June 17, you can expect not just the ever-popular aรงai bowls, but also coconut, banana, chia pudding, green and pitaya bowls, plus fresh fruit smoothies and juices, oatmeal & more. The beach-themed healthy eating place also known as โ€œPineappleland,โ€ started at the Jersey Store and has grown to nearly 200 locations nationwide. For more info, visit PlayaBowls.com.