Category: Dining & Entertainment

Little Italy’s Restaurant & Catering Adds An Amazing New Lunch Menu!

ALLOW ME to start this review by saying that although Little Italy’s Family Restaurant & Catering isn’t actually physically located “in” New Tampa or Wesley Chapel (it is located on S.R. 54 in Lutz, two miles west of the Tampa Premium Outlets), it is the only place we have in our area serving authentic, delicious sit-down Italian food in a casual eatery that’s more than just another pizza place that also happens to serve Italian specialties.

The husband-and-wife team of Carl and Chef Jessica Meyers takes pride in being not only my favorite Italian place located close enough to our distribution areas for me to include it in our annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest, but also one of the favorite places of so many of our readers.

But, the big news is that Jessica and Carl have added a new lunch menu with smaller-sized (for them, anyway) lunch portions of so many of our favorite dishes that we felt that these new lunch options warranted their own full-length feature article in these pages. And yes, all of the food pics shown here are the actual portions you’ll receive for only $6-$9 apiece, with the seafood selections shown here selling for just a few dollars more. And, lunch is served at Little Italy’s Tuesday.-Friday, noon-3 p.m., although the full dinner menu is available anytime the place is open.

So Simple…So Yummy

Although the shellfish dishes pictured on the facing page don’t actually appear on the new lunch menu, Jessica usually includes both the shrimp fra diavolo and mussels marinara sho 1104161204e wn here on her daily specials board, along with the only shellfish option I can still eat without an allergic reaction — the linguine with white clam butter sauce. I will say that the people whose shrimp over linguine Gavin photographed for this article were getting a little impatient waiting for him to finish.

My favorite item off Little Italy’s new lunch menu is definitely the still-huge lunch portion of meaty baked lasagne, which comes with a side salad. Umm, actually, I think it’s the tender chicken parmigiana over spaghetti (also served with a side salad). Meanwhile, Gavin said the hand-crafted individual pizza (we preferred the meat lovers, but the veggie ‘za photographed better) was his favorite.

Although I didn’t include a picture of it on these pages, my favorite item also could be the mini meatball (it’s also available in chicken or eggplant parm) “grinda,” featuring the meatballs (photo) my entire staff has deemed the best they’ve had, at least in the Tampa Bay area, to date. The mini-sub roll comes out properly crispy and Jessica’s red sauce — what her family back in Brooklyn still calls “tomato gravy” — is second to none in our area. One of those perfect meatballs also is served as a lunch menu item over spaghetti with a side salad. 1104161150b

Another lunch option not pictured here is the personal-sized traditional cheese calzone, which, at just $8, is definitely a lot smaller than the regular size calzone that sells for $13 on the full menu, but it’s still big enough for two to share, especially if you add Buffalo chicken or any kind of meat (pepperoni, sausage, etc.) to it for just $1 per item.

I also would be remiss if I didn’t mention the amazing daily ravioli special, including the one shown here — spinach and cheese raviolis over Alfredo sauce with sautéed spinach in the sauce. I was surprised at how much I loved it because I’m not usually a cream sauce fan, but the spinach was the perfect complement for it and Jessica’s homemade raviolis are to die for…literally.

Help For The Holidays!

1104161153b If you’re getting ready to host a holiday party for 2-to-200 people (up to 40 if you host it at the restaurant), you owe it to yourself to let Little Italy’s cater it for you. Jessica says she can do anything from a huge antipasto salad to big servings of bruschetta to eggplant rollatini, chicken Francese and even a roast beef carving station. Just don’t forget to order a few dozen meatballs. Oh, and maybe also get a dozen hand-piped cannolis filled with Jessica’s house-made cannoli cream for dessert.

For more info about Little Italy’s Family Restaurant & Catering (24436 S.R. 54, Lutz), visit LittleItalyFamilyRestaurant.com or call 909-2122. And, be sure to mention this article when you visit for a special offer.

Little Italy's

LongHorn Opens; Ford’s Garage Goes Vertical

For those of us who want more restaurants in our area, the area on S.R. 56 near the Tampa Premium Outlets (TPO) mall continues to give us new options.

Since last month’s opening of BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, another chain has opened and two others have gone vertical.

The newest restaurant to open (on Nov. 14) is LongHorn Steakhouse. The steakhouse chain definitely has the best steak of the three sit-down restaurants located in front of TPO (Cheddars Scratch Kitchen and BJ’s are the others), and the service and food are always dependable.

fords Building up quickly, between LongHorn and BJ’s, is a new McDonald’s. But, perhaps the most eagerly awaited eatery to go vertical recently was the latest incarnation of Ford’s Garage, which has locations in Brandon, Cape Coral, Ft. Myers and Estero. The Wesley Chapel location will be the first building to open on the north side of S.R. 56 in the Cypress Creek Town Center Development of Regional Impact.

Try Little Italy’s New Lunch!

Although I’m OK with the chains that are opening in our area, there’s no doubt I’m still much more into local mom-and-pop restaurants like Little’s Italy’s Family Restaurant & Catering, located a couple of miles west of TPO at 24436 S.R. 54 in Lutz.

1103161241a Owners Jessica and Carl Meyers have a great new lunch menu, where most items are just $6-$9, like the amazing mini-meatball “grinda”, which is served with excellent homemade potato chips. Other new lunch options include smaller-sized servings of chicken parmigiana, ravioli, lasagna, personal hand-tossed pizzas and even seafood pasta options like shrimp and mussels marinara (for a little more).

Stop in Tues.-Sat. for lunch or dinner, call 909-2122 or visit LittleItalyFamilyRestaurant.com.

Takara Sushi Closes

Although we still have quite a few very good Japanese restaurants in our area, we were still saddened to learn that Takara Sushi & Sake, located in the Oak Ramble Plaza (the same plaza as Acropolis Greek Taverna; see story on pg. 42) on BBD south of Tampa Palms, had closed.

We didn’t have any word at our press time as to why it closed or what might move into the space, but Takara was doing very well again in this year’s annual Reader Dining Survey. Those results are coming soon!

Parks Lincoln Unveils New Model

I also was excited to be on hand for the unveiling of not only a new model from Lincoln Motor Cars, but also for the Grand Re-Opening of the beautiful Parks Lincoln of Tampa dealership at 10505 N. Florida Ave., south of Fowler Ave, in Tampa.

lincoln2-rev Owner Ron Parks, who also owns the Parks Ford, Fiat & Alfa Romeo dealerships on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, cut the ribbon at the revamped dealership and unveiled the new 2017 Lincoln Continental (left) during a VIP event on Oct. 13.

With live entertainment and upscale food provided by Puff n’ Stuff Catering (like amazing beef short ribs, seared scallops and homemade ravioli), Parks kicked off the new dealership and model reveal in style.

The event was organized by Parks’ Jennifer Cofini, who was recently honored as Volunteer of the Year by the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce.

Allthough I didn’t get to test drive the new Continental, I was treated to what Parks calls a “Date Night,” where I got to test drive a new Lincoln MKZ for 24 hours and receive a $100 Visa gift card to enjoy a great dinner. It’s been years since I drove an American car, but Lincoln definitely has affordable luxury down to a science.

To schedule a “Date Night” test drive, call (800) 398-7989 or visit Lincoln ofTampa.com & tell ‘em I sent you! — GN

Nibbles & Bytes Parks Lincoln

Acropolis Adds Greek Brunch To One Of Our Area’s Favorite Places

EVERY year around this time, we always seem to be writing something about Acropolis Greek Taverna, located in the Oak Ramble Plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., south of Tampa Palms in New Tampa, only 15-20 minutes (despite the traffic on BBD) from most of Wesley Chapel.

The reason is simple — Acropolis is always highly rated among our readers in our Annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest (results to be announced in our December 16 issue) and usually even higher-rated when I tell you my favorites for the year in our January 13, 2017 issue.

Never resting on its already-impressive laurels (it also recently was voted the Best Greek Restaurant by its peers in a recent Tampa magazine survey), Acropolis, which now has five Tampa Bay-area locations (including South Tampa, Ybor City, St. Pete and Riverview as well as the BBD location) continues to add new menu items.

The most recent additions are a new Ouzo mussels appetizer, a new feta cheese dip called Tirokafteri, a new Castoria chopped salad with chicken (none of which are pictured here) and an all-new weekend brunch menu.

I’ll be honest and say that, at our press time, the brunch was so new that I haven’t had time to sample any of the new items before we went to press. But, rest assured, I w acropolis-brunch-table ill. After all, this is one restaurant that never disappoints with its Greek cuisine, so I expect that the brunch items — like waffles, omelettes and baklava crepes — will also be outstanding and not overpriced, just like the rest of owner Sam Waez and general manager Tarek Armoush’s New Tampa menu.

The brunch, which is served Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., also is offered with bottomless champagne or mimosas for just $15 per person and $5 Bloody Marys. That alone is enough to make me want to sample it this weekend.

And of course, Acropolis — which has consistently been ranked in yours truly’s top-three restaurants in New Tampa every year since it opened — still has so many of my favorites (and yours) that it’s always a pleasure to write about the place.

The restaurant’s elegant bar area has been revamped a couple of times and of course, there’s what I call Greek-line-dancing servers and bartenders, entertainment and lots of plate-breaking every weekend evening.

So, here are some of my favorite dishes. For starters, you can’t beat Acropolis’ Greek salad. Although the zesty dressing is more of a creamy vinaigrette than a traditional oil-and-vinegar Greek dressing, it’s a perfect complement for the salad. The spinach dip appetizer is served with these amazingly crisp Lavash crackers and topped with Tirosalata, which is another feta-based dip with garlic, oregano and olive oil. More adventurous tastes will enjoy the grilled octopus appetizer and the delightfully different fried calamari. And yes, there’s still house-made hummus, baba ghanouj, tabbouleh salad, dolmades and even a great Saganaki appetizer, which is grilled Kefalograviera cheese flambéed with Cognac that is as much fun to eat as it is yummy.

If you’re into pastitsio, or Greek-style lasagne, Acropolis offers it with meat or without and both are excellent. There’s also best-gyro-tampa mousaka, which is similar to pastitsio, but with potatoes and eggplant.

Favorite Entrées

My two favorite entrées at Acropolis haven’t changed since the place opened. The grilled Greek-style lamb chops are always tender and tasty — they rank up there with the best lamb chops in our area — and the pan-fried Athenian fish is simply to die for.

The Athenian fish is flaky and white and comes with a crispy coating, topped by a small dollop of homemade pesto. I always order an extra side of the pesto because, really, how can anyone spread that one dollop out enough to give you pesto in every bite without it?

My only “complaint” about these entrées is that they’re always served with the same grilled veggies — primarily zucchini and squash with onions. I’ve asked Tarek to maybe add sautéed spinach or broccoli to the mix or at least offer a few other veggie options to go with these superb main dishes.

I’m also partial to the steak and chicken shish kabob entrées, especially the tenderloin medallions. There’s also a Greek meatballs entrée, as well as dolmades, a mixed grill (with steak and chicken kabobs, pork souvlaki and gyro meat), as well as the chicken Santorini (sautéed tenders in a creamy Santorini lemon wine sauce mixed with mushrooms, onions, pesto, green and red peppers over penne pasta, topped with shaved parmesan cheese), chicken Manitari (which is sort of Acropolis’ own Alfredo-style pasta) and chicken Rhodes, which is grilled chicken breast in a lemon white wine sauce with artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and olives, topped with crumbled feta.

My other fish favorites include the Psari mahi-mahi (blackened and topped with pesto and red peppers) and the grilled, fresh, whole red snapper (although it is messy to eat) . Other seafood entrées include charbroiled Siros salmon, a mixed seafood pasta and shrimp Mykonos (sautéed in a creamy lemon wine sauce), but of course, I can’t eat shrimp because I’m allergic to it, so I can’t personally vouch for these last two choices.

There’s also a nice selection of unique wrap and other sandwiches on the menu, as well as gyro, pork and chicken souvlaki platters. I don’t usually order a sandwich at Acropolis, but I have enjoyed their American burgers (there’s even a Crete burger topped with feta), as well as the Athenian fish, mahi-mahi and fried Fira fish sandwiches. Other sandwiches and wraps on the menu include the Mediterranean chicken wrap (with spinach leaves, onions, grapes and candied walnuts), a (vegetarian) falafel wrap and the Thessaloniki wrap (another choice for vegetarians), which has Mediterranean roasted vegetables, sliced feta and hummus.

For those who enjoy a glass of wine with their meal, Acropolis has a nice variety of unique Greek red and white wines, as well as popular choices like a malbec, a chardonnay, multiple sparkling options and a cabernet sauvignon. Please ask for samples of the Greek wines; I know you’ll find one to your liking.

Acropolis also features a nice kids menu, with options like pizza, meatballs, chicken skewers and a kids gyro or chicken gyro.

And, save room for dessert, because Acropolis has some great ones, although my favorite is probably the baklava cheesecake.

Acropolis Greek Taverna’s New Tampa location is open every day for lunch (and weekend brunch) and dinner and is located at 14947 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., at the north end of the Oak Ramble Plaza.

For more information, call 971-1787, visit DineGreek.com or Facebook/DineGreekinNewTampa. And, don’t forget to check the website for Acropolis’ other great locations, including the newest one opening soon in Sarasota.

Acropolis

Can Vuelo Mexican Grill Succeed Where Other Restaurants Have Failed?

Management hopes that menu items like the more upscale taco combination plate at Vuelo will attract hungry new customers.

Outside, it still looks pretty much the same. Inside, however, things have changed.

Walls have come down, leaving a more open, free flowing and — dare we say it — festive design.

The staff is friendlier, and already seemingly more knowledgeable.

The menu has been carefully crafted and creatively cultivated, with newer, slightly-pricier dishes promising an infusion of fresher, better and tastier ingredients. The bar is serving zippier drinks.

“It’s a new restaurant,’’ says Suzanne Deveney, who is handling public relations for Vuelo, a “new” Mexican restaurant located on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in the same spot as the “old” Señor T’s.

vuelo1 Vuelo means “flight” in Spanish, and on Oct. 25, the newest New Tampa food joint quietly took off.

Deveney has little interest in talking about Señor T’s, which had a bumpier opening. She doesn’t want to talk about the past, about the no-free-chips-and-salsa opening that seemed to scar Señor T’s from its very first moments in business, or the vicious reviews on Yelp! about everything else from bad food to shoddy service.

Many things kill restaurants, the majority of which fail before they make it to their one-year anniversary, and social media can certainly take some credit for this one.

But, owner Tom Reynolds then deserves some credit for Vuelo, which bears only a slight resemblance to its predecessor. Reynolds’ second try at a Mexican eatery in the former Macaroni Grill location shows the touches of someone not afraid to start over, and determined to not fail again.

vuelosalsa1 — Chef Mark Estee overlooks the new salsa bar.

Chef and entrepreneur Mark Estee, who has opened a handful of restaurants in Reno, NV, where he says the focus was on fresh food. Estee has made multiple appearances on the Food Network, and has been brought in to engineer Vuelo’s new concept.

He heard all about the past failures and even read some of those cringe-worthy Yelp! Reviews.

But, after weeks of studying the market by “looking, tasting and eating” what other restaurants were serving in the area, and putting more emphasis on training a new staff and incorporating a new mindset, he says he’s willing to stake his reputation on one fact: Vuelo isn’t just 100-percent better than Señor T’s, it’s 150-percent better.

“Great food is simple — make it fresh, from scratch,’’ Estee says. “We’ve put some care into turning this puppy around. The flavors are authentic Mexican-Latin, and they are delicious.”

vueloquesa The menu is filled with new and different things, but not overwhelmingly so.

There are a dozen appetizers to choose from, from simple guacamole and chips or quesadillas to oven roasted shishito peppers and cast iron cauliflower.

There are seven different kinds of Street Tacos, including Beef Lengua, or cow tongue, for the more adventurous eater.

The Bubbling Molcajete bowls are served with bay scallops, catfish and snapper; filet mignon or charred vegetables.

There are burritos and enchiladas, tortas (basically Spanish sandwiches) and create-your-own-lunch specials. There’s also a great bar Happy Hour and a new drink menu with a variety of beers and margaritas, including a spicy jalapeno margarita with the salted rim of the glass adorned with a jalapeno pepper.

vuelodrinks And,, if you need any more proof that Estee gets it, consider this: the chips and salsa are not only free, there’s even a salsa bar with six different fresh, homemade salsas.

“We’re pretty proud of that,’’ Estee says with a smile. “It allows people to customize their experience.”

Estee was brought in for what can best be described as a restaurant reclamation project, and he started by discarding every microwave oven in the kitchen, and there were many. A wall separating the bar from the rest of the restaurant was removed to create a more open design, and the decor has a more authentic feel.

Deveney doesn’t see the success of Vuelo tied to those who were disappointed by Señor T’s giving it a second chance, because she doesn’t see this as a rebranding.

But, that’s what a majority of the customers are likely to believe. Those who have returned seem to be liking what they are experiencing, with unanimously positive reviews so far on Yelp!

So far, that makes everyone a winner.

Customers get their fresh food and Vuelo gets its fresh start.

Vuelo is located at 17641 Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd.,. For more info, visit VueloMexicanGrill.com or call 972-4800.

mexican food vuelo

7 Layers Bakery — Real NY-Style Baked Goods Made By Real New Yorkers!

In case you didn’t realize it, I have something of a major sweet tooth. I’m more of a chocolate and peanut butter guy than I am into any type of fruit-flavored treats, but no matter what type of baked goods you prefer, I’m sure you’ll find something you’ll love at 7 Layers Bakery, located in the Grand Oaks Plaza on Wesley Chapel Blvd. (S.R. 54) in Lutz, in the same plaza as Amici Pizza.

It was easy for me to become friends with 7 Layers owners Evelyn Barreno and her husband William Morello. After all, not only are they fellow transplanted “New Yawkas,” they serve Evelyn’s amazing baked goods, most of which remind me a lot of the great bakery items I loved when I was growing up on Long Island.

Evelyn, whose background is in marketing, says she has been baking since she was a kid. “My mom, my grandmother…all of us…love to bake,” she says. “People have always told me I should open my own bakery, so here we are.”

7-layers-cupcakesweb I remember meeting this fun young couple at last year’s Wesley Chapel Fall Festival and being instantly hooked not only on Evelyn’s cake and cookie samples, but also on Will’s high-spirited, friendly approach to getting people to try everything.

Since their store opened a little less than a year ago, William and Evelyn have become involved with the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, and held a Chamber ribbon-cutting ceremony almost a year ago.

“We’ve made a lot of friends through the Chamber,” Evelyn says. “The response since we opened the store has been amazing.” The bakery is also a favorite of Joey Richman’s, the young Wesley Chapel resident we wrote about in a couple of recent issues, who has had some continuing health issues following a recent kidney transplant.

There’s no doubt that the baked goods are top-notch. Although the store is named for the famous Italian seven-layer rainbow cookies that Evelyn and Will grew up with in New York City, I initially fell in love with 7 Layers Bakery’s awesome specialty cupcakes, especially the Reese’s peanut butter cup cupcakes, which have not only decadent peanut butter-flavored icing, but also…surprise!…a mini Reese’s cup hidden in the center.

7-layers-cream-hornsweb Other great cupcake flavors include double chocolate, double vanilla, creme brulée, toasted marshmallow, red velvet, cookies and cream and so many more.

But, even this man can not live by cupcakes alone. I’m also partial to Evelyn’s hand-piped cannolis with homemade cannoli cream, her amazingly flaky Napoleons, the real NY-style black-and-white cookies (Evelyn says some of her customers call them “half moons”) and the store’s assortment of loose Italian-style cookies available by the pound, especially the soft-baked chocolate chip cookies and the traditional NY-style lace cookies (which, according to Evelyn, some people call “Florentines,” even though I never heard that term before).

Other items also available at 7 Layers Bakery include homemade tiramisu, flan and tres leches, as well as Italian sfogliatelle pastries (like crispy croissants with custard-style cream inside), as well as an ever-changing assortment of Leann’s cheesecakes, which are uniquely served in jars and great coffee.

Holiday Traditions!

Evelyn also says that she is already gearing up for the holiday season. “We’ve already started doing our pumpkin spice and we’ll have apple pie cupcakes soon,” she says. “By the time the holiday season really gets started after Halloween, we’re going to have to bring in an additional oven to handle the holiday orders,” Evelyn says. “We have a lot of very loyal customers.”

She says that in addition to Christmas tree-shaped, iced cookies, she will be creating some surprises for the holiday season. “But, get those orders in early, because we run out of our cookies a lot now already, so we expect to really be busy this holiday season.”

Custom Cakes, Too!

There’s no doubt that Evelyn also creates some amazing custom-designed cakes in your choice of flavors and designs.

“If you can dream it up, I can make it for you,” she says.

7 Layers Bakery (26306 Wesley Chapel Blvd.) is open seven days a week. For more info, visit 7LayerCookieCakes.com or the company’s Facebook page or call 388-2271.

7 Layers Bakery