(Above, l.-r.) Travis Younger, Rachell Reed, Ciara Weiss and Erika, Francesco & Luca Ammirati invite you to check out Frammi, New Tampaâs only restaurant serving both great American and Italian cuisine.(Photos by Charmaine George & Gary Nager) Â
If your family canât always agree about what type of food to eat â you want delicious lasagne but your kids are asking for great cheeseburgers â you can both find plenty of favorites at the all-new Frammi American Grille and Italian Food, located in the space previously occupied by the popular Oakleyâs Grille on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in North Palms Village.
The restaurant has been owned by Luca and Erika Ammirati since August of 2018, but they kept the name as Oakleyâs Grille until about a month ago, and they kept the menu virtually the same, with Luca adding some of his authentic Italian specialties a little at a time.
But, considering that Luca is from Napoli (Naples) in southern Italy and Erika is from a small town outside of Milano (Milan) in northern Italy, the two have a vast wealth of Italian dishes that they love sharing with hungry diners in New Tampa, Wesley Chapel and beyond.
When they were formulating the menu for Frammi, Luca says he and Erika wanted to keep as much of the all-American Oakleyâs menu while incorporating an equally extensive selection of truly authentic Italian favorites. To that end, the Frammi menu is American on one side, but flip it over, and youâll find Italian specialties on the other side.
âThere are plenty of places in the New Tampa area serving American food and some serving Italian,â Luca says with his charming accent, âbut we wanted to be the only restaurant in the area specializing in both.â
Great Grilled Specialties
Yes, Frammi still has those delicious Oakleyâs hamburgers (with a dozen different options, including the popular ghost pepper burger and the bacon, egg & cheeseburger below), âKars Katchâ fried tilapia tenders, Philly cheesesteak and chicken Philly sandwiches, beef, chicken and fish fajitas and some of the best fries in the area.
But, Luca and Erika also have added sandwiches with Boarâs Head meats and cheeses, like the pastrami & swiss sandwich on marble rye bread, as well as a great corned beef Reuben.Â
And, although itâs not shown on these pages, the fried chicken sandwich also is excellent and is one of a half-dozen chicken sandwich choices, including my favorite, the unique Cajun chicken Cordon Bleu, topped with hot capicola and melted Swiss.
The Ammiratisâ Italian influence also is evident in the variety of hot pressed sandwiches, including the spicy Italian and Uncle Muzzieâs mufaletta.
Now, Thatâs Italian!
But, to be honest, I was much more interested in Frammiâs all-new Italian side of the menu, especially the incredible variety of pasta dishes.
Prosciutto and Mozzarella
Meatballs
Lasagna
Clam pasta
There are favorites like pomodoro (fresh tomato sauce, Parmesan cheese and basil), two different ragus (not to be confused with the jarred sauce) â one with black angus beef (aka Bolognese) and an incredible ragu di salsiccia, with fresh Italian sausage. Luca says his favorite is the spicy pasta arrabiata and thereâs also a puttanesca (with black and green olives, garlic, anchovies, tomato sauce and capers).
But, my favorites are the truly authentic meat lasagne (above), made with creamy bechamel sauce, instead of the more Americanized ricotta), the perfect pesto (which sticks to the pasta better than at most places) and especially, the vongole (tiny, fresh clams in their shells, made with diced tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, white wine, garlic and red chili pepper flakes.Â
Luca originally introduced me to his authentic fried meatballs more than a year ago, as he says in southern Italy, they donât serve the meatballs in sauce, theyâre served with a side of fresh tomato dipping sauce and garlic bread.
Other Italian specialties include a chunky bruschetta appetizer, a an antipasto Italiano with prosciutto, mortadella (also ham), salami, Parmesan cheese and house-baked bread), a âsecondo plattoâ (second dish) of prosciutto e mozzarella (also with house-baked bread), a fried chicken âcotolettaâ (served with fries), an eggplant (melanzana) parmigiana so popular it sells out all the time, fried calamari and several others.Â
Thereâs also a variety of freshly made salads and a reasonably priced kidsâ menu, with everything from fish sticks to cheeseburger and more â all from $3.49-$6.99.
âPlease be patient,â Luca says. âWe are not serving fast food here. Everything is made to order â including Erikaâs homemade tiramisu (above).â
And, everything Iâve sampled to date has been outstanding. I canât wait to try more â and neither should you!
Frammi (17631 BBD Blvd.) is open every day, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., and offers delivery with Doordash, Mobile Meals & Uber Eats. For more info, call (813) 523-5075.
If you somehow havenât seen it as you crawl to or from I-75 on S.R. 56, or you havenât seen the ads (or my previous shorter writeups) in these pages, a favorite from Tampaâs Armature Works has opened in our area.
Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill opened towards the end of 2020, next to Crumbl Cookie, and has brought that great Tampa vibe along with it.
Gia, who spent several years at Sushi Alive in the Westshore Business District, followed by five years at Ocean Prime outside of the International Plaza, says that Zukku-San allows him to get even more into his unique combination of knowledge and love of the freshest sushi and the ability to create more upscale works of art that he learned at Ocean Prime.
In fact, âZukkuâ is a canvas commonly used by artists to create their masterpieces and âSanâ is a title of respect added to a name in Japanese. Amazing food is the art form and the chefs are the artists who use the finest ingredients to create these culinary masterpieces. In fact, there even are large and small sushi and sashimi palettes served on a custom artistâs palette. These folks are not playing around when it comes to food.
If you spend a few minutes with Ferdian and Chef Gia, you can tell just how excited they are about their latest venture together (they also have a Zukku Sushi location in Charlotte, NC) â and theyâre not the only ones.
Although fans of Zukku-San pack the place (but please note that there are few eateries better set up for social distancing) for dinner virtually every night, Gia and Ferdian only recently unveiled a new lunch menu, so the lunch crowd is just now building.
Jannah and I havenât always gotten a full meal when we visit Zukku-San because the starters are just so delicious.
But, every dine-in visitor to Zukku-San also receives a towel that puffs up when your server pours hot water on it. But, neither photographer Charmaine George nor I got a picture that really does this magical process justice, so youâll just have to check it out for yourself, OK?
But, our favorite starters are probably the wide variety of Tempura a la Carte options. Jannahâs favorite is the zucchini and mine are the broccoli, carrot and amazing whole soft shell crab tempura (right). Also on the tempura menu are shrimp, sweet potato, tofu, whole giant squid, avocado, scallops, hamachi (yellowtail) collar, asparagus, onion rings, red and jalapeño pepper and even whole lobster tail tempura.
âMost Japanese restaurants give you an order of tempura that may have some vegetables you donât like,â Ferdian says. âBut, we give you four pieces of zucchini or broccoli or whatever vegetables you like, for only $2.95 per order. At Zukku-San, you pick only the tempura items you want.â
Thereâs even âChefâs Featuresâ available, like a tender bluefin tuna appetizer, topped with caviar. Ferdian says that the bluefin appetizer is likely to become a regular menu item in the future, but Gia says other âChefâs Featuresâ also are coming soon.
But, itâs really hard for us to ever pass up the Japanese-style fried rice, which is jasmine rice with egg, peas, carrots and onions and available with chicken, beef, shrimp or fried tofu protein options, but our favorite is the veggie fried rice, which adds red peppers, broccoli, zucchini and amazing baby bok choy. The rice has a nutty flavor that is hard to match.
Zukku-San also has a kids menu, but while the items arenât cheap, the portions seem adult-sized to us. Thereâs also a variety of desserts, from triple chocolate cake to matcha green tea cheesecake, fried ice cream and more, but weâve honestly never had room left over for dessert. Thereâs also a variety of hot and iced teas, as well as boba milk tea, but Jannah usually gets a wine or hot saki and I usually have either an Asahi Dry or Sapporo beer, or a whiskey.
Zukku-San Sushi Bar & Grill (25916 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz) opens every day at 11 and is open until 9:30 on weekdays, 10 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. & 9 p.m. on Sun. For more information, visit ZukkuSushi.com, call (813) 419-1351.
A full bar in available at the Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment for a pre-movie drink.
The Grove Theater, Bistro & Entertainment will have a spin room, childrenâs room, acting studio, a comedy club and more, but on Feb. 19, it finally opened to do what it was built to do:
Show movies.
After more than a year of renovations and redesign, the theater debuted its new reclining leather seats and bistro with a showing of movies like âJudas and the Black Messiahâ, âLandâ and âThe Little Things.â
The former Cobb Theater was operating at limited capacity, with only 50 percent seating in checkerboard style, and no one sitting in front of, behind or next to other customers. Only some of the 12 screens were in use, and some of the showings were sold out.
The selection of movies also is limited, as Hollywood has held back on production and releases due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Bistro dining area, which The Grove Theater management refers to as âupscale,â was busy on the weekend nights, with a wide menu of dishes, featuring items like steak, shrimp macaroni and cheese, fish tacos and bruschetta, with crĂšme brulee highlighting its desert options. The chicken parmesan was the most popular menu item, and all could be ordered at Bistro tables, as well as for in-movie dining.
Laron, Angel and English Hearst (eating the burger) of New Tampa enjoying a meal at the Grove Bistro.
A full bar serving drinks, as well as a sushi bar, are also part of the Bistro, and the main lobby has 45 video arcade games for pre-movie entertainment.
âPeople are ready to go back to the movies and we are proud to be able to provide them with a safe environment to enjoy a night out with their friends and family,â said Matheus Gold, vice president of operations. âWe are operating at 50% capacity with checkerboard seating and sold out several showings our opening weekend. Our Bistro offers new dishes and the feedback we received is that we are back better than ever.â
The theater is taking lots of Covid-19 safety precautions, with temperature checks at the door and facial coverings required inside. However, with the limited seating, social distancing was easily manageable.
The two-floor, 85,000-sq.-ft. movie theater is being dubbed by developer Mark Gold as the future of how entertainment will be offered to attract families. His plans are for families to come for dinner, leave the kids in a converted-theater Kids Play Place room, and see a movie or comedy show at Side Splitters Comedy Club (which is expected to open this spring).
Then, families can then spend time together cruising the 200-acre complex, which will have a mini-golf course, the much anticipated KRATE by Gold Box container park and a âdowntown villageâ area, all featuring other bars, restaurants and retailers.
The theater renovations are another part of a massive project at The Grove, which Goldâs Mishorin Gold Properties purchased in September 2019 for $62.7 million.
The Grove Theater, Bistro and Entertainment will be open Saturday and Sunday from 4-9:30 p.m., and Sundays noon-7 p.m. Tickets can be reserved at grovetheater.com.
1 — TREBLE MAKERS 6034 Wesley Grove Blvd. The Grove at Wesley Chapel (813) 406-4371 When Treble Makers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant was getting ready to open in the new Village at The Grove, I didnât know what to expect in terms of the food â that is, until I met with co-owner Jamie Hess and Executive Chef Kevin Maggard.
Then, I couldnât wait for it to open.
Maggard promised delicious, tender steaks (like the perfectly seasoned filet shown in the top photo), fresh fish and seafood and unique, inspired appetizers and in the six months or so that Treble Makers has been open, he has more than delivered on that promise, at least in one editorâs opinion.
His seared, sesame-crusted ahi tuna appetizer (photo, left) is as good as there is in the area, and although it hasnât always been as crispy as the perfect first time I had his sweet & spicy calamari, thereâs no doubt that itâs different than youâll find anywhere else. People weâve spoken with also rave about his imperial crab dip and homemade potato gnocchi appetizers.
In addition to the coconut curry grouper and the filet, definitely also try the seared diver scallops, the tender veal or chicken Marsala and I still plan to try the NY strip and prime rib steak options.
And of course, please also check out the dueling piano shows and other entertainment options at my favorite for 2020!
2 — TROPICS at SADDLEBROOK 5700 Saddlebrook Way (813) 973-1111 When Dempseyâs Steak House at Saddlebrook resort closed for much-needed renovations in 2020, it was a little easier for me to move Treble Makers up to this yearâs top spot in Wesley Chapel, even though much of the Dempseyâs menu is still available at the resortâs The Tropics restaurant. Another factor in dropping the only non-chain restaurant in Wesley Chapel to offer a tomahawk ribeye steak (photo) is affordability. Treble Makers definitely isnât cheap, but The Tropics is still primarily a âbig night outâ kind of meal for almost anyone, especially for a certain news magazine editor.
4 — ZUKKU-SAN SUSHI 25916 Sierra Center Blvd (813) 419-1351 While I donât want to spoil the surprise for you about why I love Zukku-San so much â my full-length review of this elegant, new and delicious sushi-and-so-much-more restaurant located just west of I-75 on S.R. 56 appears in our latest issue â I will tell you that it also is Jannahâs 15-month-old granddaughter Rosieâs favorite place to eat in our area, so weâve been going there a lot. And, itâs definitely not so much about the sushi, which is excellent, as much as it is about creativity. The dish shown above â a semi-spicy raw bluefin tuna appetizer topped with caviar and served with golden grape tomatoes â isnât on the menu, yet…but Iâm guessing it will be soon.
5 — ROCK & BREWS 26000 S.R. 56 (813) 537-6016 Directly across S.R. 56 from Zukku-San is Rock & Brews, which is owned in part, and inspired, by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of the rock group KISS. But, Rock & Brews is a really delicious restaurant offering everything from âsweet heatâ chicken (photo) and a really good 8-oz. filet mignon, to crispy calamari, unique Brews-chetta, blackened redfish, wings, blackened chicken pasta and even the âfront rowâ pizzas. And, even though it also opened during the pandemic, it seems that a lot of local people agree with me when it comes to the made-from-scratch food, the atmosphere and the live music on weekends (please call about availability). Jannah and I love the covered outdoor bar.
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6 — OMARI’S GRILL Lexington Oaks Golf Club 26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd. (813) 907-7270 Omariâs Grill at the Lexington Oaks Golf Club is still (sadly) one of Wesley Chapelâs best-kept secrets. And, even though you can only get co-owner/chef Anass El-Omariâs perfect grilled mahi-mahi topped with mango salsa (above), crispy, but tender chicken parmigiana and filet mignon with cream sauce as Friday night dinner specials, the regular golfer-oriented menu for lunch and dinner is delicious, too. From burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches to salads and wings, everything is made from scratch and it shows. You can even give it a try for free as a first-time visitor to a Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel meeting on Wednesdays at noon.
7 — FLORIDA AVENUE BREWING CO. 2029 Arrowgrass Dr. (813) 452-6333 When you think about craft beer breweries, you may not think of delicious food, but in the case of Florida Avenue Brewing Co.âs location in the former Sports + Field building on S.R. 56, youâd really be missing out on something yummy. With small plates like perfectly sesame-seared, Szechwan ahi tuna, excellent Chinese sticky ribs, Buffalo cauliflower and the jumbo lump crab cakes shown above (with zesty remoulade sauce), a variety of flatbreads, Korean-style bibimbap bowls, braised short ribs and Gulf grouper fish & chips, Florida Ave. has great chef-created food to go with a unique variety of craft beers and hard ciders and seltzers.
8 — BUBBA’S 33 26340 Silver Maple Pkwy. (813) 522-5090 Bubbaâs 33, which is an entirely different concept restaurant from Texas Roadhouse, features sports bar prices with restaurant-quality food. Delicious starters include the crispy wings in a variety of sauces and dry rubs to unique items like âBig Oâ(onion) Rings, crispy fried pickles, Bubbaâs fiesta dip (with bacon, ground beef and refried beans), plus tasty hand-tossed pizzas, excellent bacon grind bacon burgers (photo), plus everything from California grilled chicken to Southern fried chicken and chipotle chicken & shrimp pasta. Thereâs even two different Texas Roadhouse-quality grilled and marinated signature ribeye steaks and outstanding drink prices.
9 — LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE 2647 Creek Grass Way, Lutz (813) 909-0003 When Jannah and I feel like a delicious filet at a fair price, with great sides included, Longhorn is the first place we both usually think of â and not just because itâs the closest steakhouse to where we live. From the tender Floâs filet (photo) to the NY strip or the recently added bone-in âoutlawâ ribeye, Longhornâs steaks are always done to perfection and if youâre somehow ever not happy, the management will always make it right. We love the salad, the crisp-crust bread and always-fresh veggies, too. Jannah also loves the parmesan-crusted chicken. And, although we wish the bar area was a little bigger, the bartenders and drink prices are outstanding.
10 — AUSSIE GRILL 25340 Sierra Center Blvd. (813) 261-0140 You have to hand it to Bloominâ Brands, the parent company of Outback Steakhouse, for coming up with this fantastic fast-casual concept. Even though it opened in the middle of the pandemic, the new Aussie Grill â ours is the first freestanding unit â with its super-easy drive-through and order-ahead pickup options, was the right concept at the right time. The food is Outback-quality â from the topped, grilled chicken (photo) and seared beef tenderloin large plates, to the bacon âbombâ burger and braised brisket sandwich and more â Aussie Grill has been a welcome addition to our local dining scene. With a larger menu, it could have finished even higher on this list.
Wesley Chapel definitely had one of its biggest years ever, in terms of restaurant openings, in 2020, so my list this year looks very different than last year. Here are short write-ups about my 25 favorite restaurants (new and existing) in Wesley Chapel for 2020, starting with No. 25 and counting down to No. 11. Tomorrow, we’ll show you the Top 10.
25 — FRATELLIâSÂ PIZZA & CAFE 5327 Village Market (813) 991-1118 Even though I didnât remember the name of their long-time, open-24-hours-a-day original Fratelliâs in the Hunts Point Market in The Bronx, NY, I am so happy that the Fratelli brothers decided to sell that location and bring their tasty NY-style pizza and pastas to Wesley Chapel. I was even happier when I first sampled the truly authentic penne with broccoli rabe, chicken and sausage shown above. You wonât find better broccoli rabe in the Tampa Bay area and the baked pastas and hot subs also rock! Fratelliâs also features Jannahâs favorite garlicky Grandmaâs pizza in Wesley Chapel.
25 — AMICI PIZZA 26602 Wesley Chapel Blvd. (813) 973-9734 For anyone who loves authentic NY-style pizza, the new location of Amiciâs on Wesley Chapel Blvd (aka S.R. 54) in Lutz has brought me ever closer to the Mannino brothers and their delicious pizza. But, like 900Âș Woodfired, Amiciâs makes my list of Wesley Chapel favorites in part because it features a very authentic NY-style version of another one of my favorite pasta dishes â the linguine with white clams shown above. I canât really call it a sauce, because itâs correctly more of a light broth, but it is loaded with whole clams and garlic and is a definite must-try! And, although Iâve never been a big fan of the garlic knots at most pizza places, try Amiciâs garlic bread with marinara dip. Yum!
24 — RICE-N-BEANS 27405 Wesley Chapel Blvd. (813) 803-7974 Although I never really thought of Puerto Rican food as one of my favorite Latin cuisines until I tried the original location of Rice-n-Beans on S.R. 54 in Lutz, the beautiful new location (in the former Codyâs Roadhouse building) has kept me a fan of Wesley Chapelâs Rice-n-Beans, especially the amazing fried chicken chicharrons shown above. Iâm also a fan of the roast pork mofongo, the grilled pork chops and chicken breast in garlic sauce. And yes, the rice and (I prefer the red) beans served with every meal are also delicious and authentic. Rice-n-Beans also has great drink prices at its spacious, full-liquor bar and had added salsa dancing and other entertainment pre-pandemic.
23 — THE GARDEN GRILLE at the Hilton Garden Inn 26640 Silver Maple Pkwy. (813) 591-6900 Please stop me if youâve heard me say this before, but when the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa-Wesley Chapel first opened in late 2018, it hosted a Grand Opening event, where the food served in the hotelâs Garden Grille restaurant was so good, I thought it mustâve come from an outside caterer. Wrong! The food at the Garden Grille is excellent, from delicious crispy wings, to tasty meatballs, perfect Pan Asian ribs and even a great New York strip steak (photo). I wish the Garden Grille was open for lunch, but itâs also great for âeventâ food like a unique French toast casserole for brunch and more. The bar is never crowded and has great drink prices.Â
22 — LITTLE ITALY’S 24436 S.R. 54, Lutz (813) 909-2122 Owners Jessica and Carl Meyersâ seemingly hard-to-find location on S.R. 54, a mile or so west of the Tampa Premium Outlets, has been bringing in hungry fans from the moment it opened and the addition of beer, wine and homemade sangria definitely hasnât hurt business, either. Although Iâve always said that the menu could be more diverse, if youâre looking for huge portions of lasagne, chicken or veal parmigiana (photo, usually offered as a special only)  and, especially the calzones, this is your place. I canât partake of the âlobstaâ ravioli, but Iâve seen and heard many rave about it.
20 — GLORY DAYS GRILL 28812 S.R. 54 (813) 535-7678 Iâve said before that when Glory Days Grill first opened in New Tampa a few years ago, replacing the popular Lee Roy Selmonâs, I wasnât a big fan. However, when Jannah and I first tried the new Glory Days on S.R. 54, less than a mile from my office, we immediately recognized that the menu had been greatly upgraded. Even though they did away with our favorite appetizer (zucchini fries), the burgers (try the proprietary blend) are excellent and I also enjoy the comeback chicken (with sundried tomatoes and feta cheese in lemon-butter sauce), fried chicken & waffles, the Boston clam âchowda,â the 1988 center-cut sirloin and the house-marinated pork chops shown above. Â
18 — TOP SHELF SPORTS LOUNGE at AdventHealth Center Ice 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd. (813) 953-1032 Based on my experience at other ice rinks when both of my sons played ice hockey, I had no real expectations for good food when what is now called AdventHealth Center Ice first opened. Boy, was I wrong. Not only does Top Shelf have some of the best wings, burgers (photo) and bar food around, it also serves delicious mixed veggies as a side and the craft beers from owner Keelan Cottleâs own 81Bay Brewing are definitely popular with the hockey moms and dads. Top Shelf also is mine and Jannahâs favorite place to watch Lightning games.
17 — THE HUNGRY GREEK 2653 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (813) 345-8526 Now that there are so many new restaurants in Wesley Chapel, itâs easy to forget about The Hungry Greek, but not if you enjoy great Greek specialties (as I do) in a fast-casual environment that never disappoints for quality, service or price. Iâve yet to try the recent addition of Greek bowls (with brown rice, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, feta, olives, pepperoncini and tzatziki sauce, with your choice of chicken, gyro meat, shrimp, falafel or salmon), but the spanakopita and the gyro dinner shown above (I get it without the onions) are always great, especially with a Mythos or other Greek beer.
16 — BONEFISH GRILL 25264 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz (813) 907-8202 When youâre looking for the best seared tuna sashimi appetizer (photo) in Wesley Chapel, thereâs no doubt in my mind that the recently relocated Bonefish Grill is still near the top of the list. The thick slices are always fresh, always well-seared but still rare and covered in black and white sesame seeds. Bonefish also features excellent fresh fish, but not as good for my money as Grillsmithâs. The Outback-quality steaks are an added bonus. I canât eat the bang-bang shrimp because of my accursed shellfish allergy (but they will make it as bang-bang chicken for folks like me) and itâs still among the best youâll find anywhere. Love the new bar area, too!
15 — UMU JAPANESE & THAI 2653 Bruce B Downs Blvd. (813) 591-6121 Many locals rave about the sushi at Umu Japanese & Thai and you can count me among them, but when you take a deeper dive into the menu (as I finally have), you find out that thereâs even more to love than the huge selection of sushi rolls and the best variety of white meat fish nigiri (on rice) and sashimi in our area. I have enjoyed the crispy soy-marinated Kara-Age chicken appetizer (from Umuâs âHot Tastingâ starters menu), the deep-fried chicken and pork (Umu-ton) katsu, the âWafu-styleâ Japanese NY strip steak and especially, the miso-marinated Chilean sea bass shown here.Â
13 — PASTA DI GUY 4839 Bruce B Downs Blvd (813) 994-1294 Owner/chef Guy Carmeli continues to add items to his still-smallish menu, but itâs hard to argue with the quality served up at the 2020 addition to our local dining scene. Our favorites at Pasta di Guy (see ad on pg. 42) are the made-from-scratch strozzapreti and spaghetti pastas, topped with any of the six different freshly made sauces (Alfredo, beef Bolognese, marinara, creamy pesto, vodka or aglio e olio (garlic and oil), and what may be the best house-cut zucchini noodles (above) in our area. Yes, it costs extra to add grilled chicken, house-made Italian sausage and veggies like broccoli and cauliflower, but itâs worth it. And, the recent addition of design-your-own, house-made pizzas is a step in the right direction, too.
11 — OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE 5710 Oakley Blvd. (813) 973-7717 The steak quality at the Outback Steakhouse has never been in question. The Victoriaâs filet is very similar in quality and price to Longhornâs Floâs filet and the bone-in New York strip shown here is, as the menu claims, full of flavor. In addition to the great variety of steaks, Outback also is famous for its shrimp on the barbie and bloominâ onion appetizers, Alice Springs chicken and surf & turf options that I sadly canât enjoy, but rewards members (like me!) get $20 off at Outback or Bonefish or $40 off at Flemingâs every third visit. Jannah and I still wonât wait for a table, but whether we sit at the bar or use the easy takeout system, weâre rarely disappointed.
