Congratulations to Steve and Micaela Falabella and their entire family and staff on the opening of the amazing Falabella Family Bistro, located at 6027 Wesley Grove Blvd. in the Village at The Grove plaza in Wesley Chapel!
Steve, who also owns 900Âș Woodfired Pizza in the Shops at Wiregrass, also is looking forward to the opening of his second 900Âș Woodfired location in The Grove, right next to his familyâs âdeliciosoâ new Italian bistro.
The Bistro is a casually elegant new place for tasty â and affordable â Italian favorites using the Falabella familyâs recipes from both New York (where Steve grew up) and Milan, Italy.
Best of all, almost all of the items on the menu are only $8.95-$14.95 (with only the large-size antipasto board costing more).
Top it all off with house-made desserts like tiramisu, NY cheesecake and a perfect cappuccino and youâll become a regular at the Bistro.
Falabella Family Bistro is open every day, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (10 p.m. on Sat.-Sun.). For more information, call (813) 428-6957 or visit FalabellaBistro.com. â GN
Have You Seen Our Latest Dining Videos? If youâre looking for updates on all of the new restaurants in Wesley Chapel (and New Tampa â and even beyond), look no further than our âNeighborhood Newsâ page on Facebook.
Because so many new eateries keep opening in our distribution areas, we have increased the number of dining-oriented videos weâve been releasing, including my latest âNeighborhood Dining Newsâ segment, which was shot at the getting-ready-to-open Falabella Family Bistro, but also includes sneak peeks at the coming-soon Ice Dreammm Shop and Bluefin Sushi, plus food pics from the now-open Omnivorous kitchen inside Double Branch Artisanal Ales. All of these newcomers are located in the ever-expanding Village at The Grove, but there also are updates on the new Token Ramen at the Shops at Wiregrass, as well as from the new Señor Tequila (see story, left) in the former Bonefish Grill location on BBD.
Another well-received recent dining video was a look at the truly delicious Vesh Bistro at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center, even though itâs in Zephyrhills. Itâs my pleasure to keep you informed, both in print and online, about all of these new places because I truly love sampling them â almost always on my own nickel.
Pick Of The Week: Vesh Bistro At SVB! I remember when I first met Mark Vesh of Vesh Catering. It was at a groundbreaking event for AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and I remember being so impressed with the food being served, I asked to meet him. Since then, I have enjoyed Markâs delicious finger foods at any number of local events, but until recently, I had never had a complete meal created by him and his staff.
And, to date, I have not been disappointed. From appetizers like the ahi tuna bruschetta and specialties like the cauliflower crust caprese & pesto flatbread and some of the best chicken salad in town on a baked-in-house croissant and so much more, the food at the Vesh Bistro is always on-point. Thereâs even an all-you-care-to-eat Sunday brunch buffet with an omelet station, perfect candied bacon and a rotating menu of lunch favorites.
The Vesh Bistro is at the SVB Tennis Center (6585 Simons Rd., Zephryhills). Call (813) 517-0707, visit VeshCatering.com or watch the video on our Facebook page.
Checking Out The New Señor Tequila! Iâm pretty confident that our âNeighborhood Newsâ Facebook page was the first to tell anyone (on May 25) about the opening of Señor Tequila in the former Bonefish Grill location in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., just south of S.R. 56.
Very little seems to have been changed inside the new Mexican restaurant, the fourth link in a local chain which has existing locations on N. Dale Mabry Hwy. and in Westchase, as well as Winter Springs, and after sampling a few menu items, the food and service are both pretty good.
Wesley Chapelâs Señor Tequila is located at 1640 BBD Blvd. For more info, visit TheSenorTequila.com or call (813) 428-5411 & please tell them I sent you.
Batter & Dough Closes Storefront! So, while scrolling through Facebook, I noticed that Batter & Dough, the unique dessert and breakfast place located on S.R. 56, in the same Cypressview Square plaza as Capital Tacos, announced that it had closed its storefront location to concentrate on catering. The Facebook post I saw said, âWe thank you for all the memories you created with us. Words cannot express our gratitude to the love and support we have received. We have closed our location but we will continue to make large catering orders. You can contact us through IG, FB or at Thebatterandough@gmail.com.â
While I will miss their waffle ice cream sandwiches, I may have to order some of their great desserts like this Chocolatey Peanut Buttery Pie (photo) â and others â sometime soon.
Where can you enjoy a variety of craft beers, delicious food and listen to some outstanding music, all to support a couple of great causes?
On Saturday, June 19, 4 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Double Branch Artisanal Ales, located in the Village at The Grove shopping plaza, will host the Rhythm & Brews Festival to benefit the Joshua House (a safe haven residence for abused, abandoned and neglected children) and the Rotary Club of New Tampa Foundation.
The Rhythm & Brews Festival is free to attend if you just want to hang out and listen to some great live music (starting at 4 p.m.) by Bob T & Friends. But, from 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Altered Craft Distribution and Double Branch are offering an amazing Craft Beer Tasting, which will include unlimited 3-oz. samples of an outstanding selection of craft beers, for $30 per ticket in advance or $35 per ticket at the door.Â
âBob Tâ is New Tampa Rotary After Hours Satellite Club chair Bob Thompson, and club members will be volunteering during the event.Â
In addition to Double Branch, the other Altered Craft brewers offering samples at the event include Bayboro Brewing Co., Bullfrog Creek Brewing Co., Cueni Brewing Co., Dissent Craft Brewing Co., Gulfport Brewery, Overflow Brewing Co., Pinellas Ale Works, Southern Lights Brewing Co. and Troubled Waters Brewing.
The event also will feature food vendors, including Omnivorous, Double Branchâs outstanding in-house kitchen and the Neighborhood News is proud to be a sponsor of this much-needed, fun event.
Double Branch Artisanal Ales is located at 5956 Wesley Grove Blvd. For tasting tickets, scan the QR code in the ad on pg. 32 of this issue or, for more info, visit dbaa.com. â GN
If youâre looking for truly delicious, gourmet ice cream and treats, you have to check out the new Ice SSSScreaminâ shop, located at 14933 Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., next to Mr. Dunderbakâs in the Oak Ramble Plaza, just south of Tampa Palms.
My new friend Zee says this is his second store with the many âSâ name, with the other having been located in Cape Coral for 15 years. Both stores serve decadently creamy Yoderâs Southern Creamery ice cream (based in Sarasota) in an amazing array of flavors, several of which I got to sample on my first visit, including brownie caramel, chocolate peanut butter and triple peanut butter and all are absolutely unforgettable!
Zee says, âPeople love us for our monthly specials,â plus croissant sundaes, pancake, waffle and even donut ice cream sandwiches, hand-spun milk shakes (âWe can make them with any of our flavorsâ) and more!
Thereâs even no sugar added and vegan flavors available. For more information or to place an order, call (813) 605-5040 or visit icesssscreamin.com and please tell Zee I sent you! â GN Â Â
The fact that restaurants serving a variety of bowls have taken over the collective consciousness (and appetites) of the local community hasnât been lost on Ryan Mortti, now the co-owner of Mahana Fresh, located just north of I-75 off Doña Michelle Dr. and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in New Tampa.
Ryan, who also owns his own construction company, recognized the need to do more to capture more customers, especially with multiple new bowl-oriented restaurants either having opened recently or getting ready to open within a couple of miles of his Mahana Fresh location â which is one of three in the Bradenton-based mini-chain.
To that end, Ryan has brought in an experienced partner, Chris Courtney-James, who was responsible the last several years for making sure that Dunkinâ Donuts locations that hadnât been meeting company expectations were brought up to speed. More important, however, is that Chris also spent years in the kitchens of restaurants across the Tampa Bay area and, in his words, âisnât afraid to spend a lot of time cooking at a hot grill.â
In addition, Ryan and Chris have a special offer that they hope will bring in plenty of locals â two hours of free Mahana-sized bowls on Saturday, June 12, from noon-1 p.m. and from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. You can pick a bowl, any bowl â one per person, for dine-in only.
Photographer Charmaine George and I spent some time recently at the local Mahana Fresh and even though both of us already loved the food, we were impressed with the incredible precision with which the bowl-oriented eatery prepared for a large catering order â as well as with the delicious aromas that emanated from those grills while tender steaks and marinated chicken breasts and thighs were cooked over the open flame.
An Amazing Selection!Â
For those who have never tried Mahana Fresh, you shouldnât wait until June 12 to check it out. Hereâs how it works. You choose from three sizes â Kids (with 1 base, 1 veggie, 1 protein & your choice of sauce), Mahana (1 base, 2 veggies, 1 protein & sauce) and the Big Mahana (2 bases, 2 veggies, 2 proteins & sauce).
The bases include coconut or cauliflower rice, a basmati rice blend, sesame noodles, spinach or my favorite, the kale crunch salad.
Your proteins include marinated ahi tuna, plus Key West, BBQ or (Jannahâs favorite) teriyaki chicken, plus spicy grilled tofu and tender, grilled-to-order steak (my favorite).
The incredible veggies (above photo) include roasted mushrooms, roasted sweet potatoes, Buffalo cauliflower, garlicky cilantro green beans and my two favorites, the sesame ginger broccoli and the honey sriracha Brussels sprouts.Â
Available sauces include coconut sweet potato, creamy wasabi and mine and Jannahâs two favorites, the cilantro vinaigrette and the citrus ginger.
For a small extra charge, add roasted almonds, avocado smash, parmesan cheese, Jannahâs favorite feta cheese and my fave, the Mediterranean tomatoes.
Honestly, you really canât go wrong with any of them, but if you have any trouble deciding, Mahana Fresh has now introduced âSignature Bowls,â including everything from a âKeto Surfer Bowlâ (cauliflower rice, sesame ginger broccoli, roasted mush-rooms, grilled steak & cilantro vinaigrette) to a âVeggie Vacay Bowlâ (coconut rice, sesame ginger broccoli, roasted mushrooms, sesame garlic tofu and coconut sweet potato sauce) and The Big Kahuna Bowl (basmati rice blend, spinach, Buffalo cauliflower, garlicky cilantro green beans, BBQ chicken, grilled steak and cilantro lime vinaigrette).
And, all of Mahana Freshâs house-made desserts are pretty tasty, especially for gluten-free â and include chocolate chip cookies, zucchini brownies and snickerdoodle cookies.
As for beverages, Mahana Fresh has done away with its unique beer taps, but still has fountain sodas, Pure Leaf sweet and unsweet tea, regular and strawberry lemonade, a variety of Bubly flavored sparkling waters and Bai flavored antioxidant infusion drinks.
Mahana Fresh is located at 17512 Doña Michelle Dr. and is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. every day. For more information, call (727) 238-9967 or visit MahanaFresh.com.
Bringing Mini-Golf To The Grove!
As mentioned earlier, Ryan also owns his own construction company and has been busy working on not only completing many of the repurposed shipping containers at the KRATE container park at The Grove, but also on bringing a cool mini-golf course to the area near The Grove theater, with his brother Matt Mortti and his sister Melissa Schachtner and her husband Andrew Schachtner.Â
âIt wonât have windmills but it will have a mountain with waterfalls and fire, plus cool trick shots,â Ryan says, adding that the tropical-themed course also will have a tiki hut restaurant that serves beer and wine.
