Bagels Plus Has Reopened!

Bagels Plus, located at 2706 E. Fletcher Ave. (a little west of Bruce B. Downs Blvd.), has finally reopened after a kitchen fire had closed the long-time favorite local New York bagel place for about five months.

“Everyone already knows we’ve reopened,” the owner Steve told me this morning. “At least it feels like everybody knows. We’ve been packed since we reopened yesterday (Monday)!”

In fact, Bagels Plus was out of Asiago cheese bagels when I arrived a little after 10:30 a.m. today.  Thankfully, the store still had plenty of sesame bagels available to scoop out and toast to make my bacon (they do also have sausage), egg and cheese sandwich. 

“This is the only place I know locally with bagels that taste like New Yawk,” one customer who said they were from Brooklyn told Steve while I was chatting with him today. “I’m so happy you’re open again!”

That seemed to be a popular sentiment among the seven or eight other customers inside the place, which definitely got a full interior makeover. Bagels Plus also carries tuna, chicken and egg salad, a wide variety of different cream cheeses — from lox and light plain to cranberry-walnut and veggie and more. Other pastries baked in-house include butter croissants, black-&-white cookies and apple and cherry turnovers and more. Pretty great coffee, too.

Bagels Plus is open Monday-Saturday, 6 a.m.-4 p.m., and 7 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, or to pre-order call (813) 999-1216. 

Sushi Bowls To Open Tomorrow In Pebble Creek!

A new fast-casual restaurant is opening tomorrow — Saturday, March 29, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. — in the Pebble Creek Collection plaza at 19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., behind Hungry Juicy  Crab. Sushi Bowls by Kazoku Sushi, which features not only fresh tuna, salmon and snow crab pokĂ© bowls, but also amazing appetizers like chicken gyoza dumplings, crispy vegetable spring rolls,  crab Rangoon and deliciously unique “Sushi Fries” (you have to taste them to really “get it!”). The husband-and-wife team of Sergio and Cristina Chanquin, who also own Sushi House in Ybor City, are proud to bring their skills to New Tampa and our first visit definitely exceeded all of our expectations. Find out more about Sushi Bowls in our April 15 Wesley Chapel and April 29 New Tampa print editions, call (813) 406-4111 or click on the following link: Facebook.com/events/s/grand-opening-of-sushi-bowls-b/1296410661425913

Don Julio’s Celebrates Grand Opening & Anniversary!

When Julio and his wife Ximena Rodriguez first opened the original Don Julio’s Mexican Restaurant in the Palms Connection plaza on E. Bearss Ave. seven years ago, the restaurant was an homage to Julio’s mother Esther Rodriguez (or Doña Esther). Esther began putting her cooking talents to good use in the late 1980s and early ‘90s by selling her authentic Mexican cuisine out of her garage in West Tampa after her husband, the original Don Julio, passed away when her three children were still young. She did well enough to put all three kids through college. 

As we reported last year, since then, Julio and Ximena opened a much larger restaurant, with a full-liquor bar, in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center, which has really helped increase the Rodriguez family’s exposure in the community “and brought in a lot of new customers,” Julio says. 

But, just a few days before we went to press with this issue, Julio and Ximena had moved the original Don Julio’s two spaces down in the same plaza — to the much larger space previously occupied by Bearss Tavern & Tap. “It just got too packed on the weekends at the old space, Julio says. 

I promised Julio that Jannah, photographer Charmaine George (who took all of these pictures), her boyfriend Brendan and I would visit the “new” location to not only check out the much larger space but also to sample some of Doña Esther’s “autentica” recipes we hadn’t tried before. 

And, it just so happens that Doña Esther (center in above photo, with Ximena and Julio) was helping out in the kitchen on the day we visited — and yes, we definitely sampled! We started by sharing the huge Don Julio’s Sampler (photo right) from the “Antojitos/Cravings” menu. The sampler includes crisp taquitos (we had them filled with chicken), a tamale (corn dough stuffed with pork, wrapped in a corn husk and steamed), a sope (handmade thick corn tortilla topped with refried beans, lettuce, onions, cheese and sour cream; we added ground beef to it), a tostada (similar to a sope, but flatter; we added carne asada steak to it), nachos (we added pastor and ground beef) and our new favorite, the perfectly cheesy quesadillas to which we added shredded chicken. 

We each also ordered a main course. Jannah got her usual fave (although it was her first time having it at Don Julio’s) — the ground beef enchiladas (with refried beans and a red guajillo chile sauce). Charmaine really enjoyed her taco salad (bottom right photo) with tender carne asada steak. Brendan also raved about his chimichanga al pastor (marinated pork cooked on a vertical spit; left photo), which also was stuffed with plenty of cheese and topped with melted cheese). 

I also tried the Bistec Ranchero (below), which is round steak cooked (and covered) in an amazing combination of tomatoes, onions and serrano peppers. The steak itself was not quite as tender as the carne asada, but the flavor was truly fantastic. 

The new restaurant itself is beautiful. Julio says, “It took us six months to build this out, but we’re very pleased with the result,” including the authentic Mexican Talavera tile behind the bar (bottom left photo). We’d have to agree. 

And, speaking of the bar, the newest Don Julio’s still features an incredible selection of tequilas and mezcals, some very upscale and rare, but all at very reasonable prices. Brendan, previously a long-time bartender, said his strawberry margarita was “spot on,” Charmaine savored her tequila sunrise and Jannah raved about the white sangria. I, of course, also had no complaints about my Woodford Reserve bourbon. 

Ready For Cinco? 

Julio promises that both locations of Don Julio’s will be throwing “the best Cinco de Mayo party in town” the weekend of May 3-4, “and the big final blowout on Monday, the 5th.” 

“We’ll have DJ music, drink specials and, at the Bearss location, we’ll be serving quick and easy tacos from our food truck outside,” he says. “Plus the new location has this huge outdoor patio, so come check us out!” 

Both award-winning Don Julio’s locations (2802 E. Bearss Ave. and 16023 Tampa Palms Blvd.) are open Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Friday & Saturday. For more information, visit DonJuliosMexican.com or find them on Facebook or Instagram. For reservations (not required but suggested, especially on the weekends), call (813) 898-2860 (Bearss Ave.) or (813) 644-7899 (Tampa Palms). 

Get Your Tickets Now To See “Into The Woods” At NTPAC!

By Nora Paine Producing Artistic Director New Tampa Players

On Mar. 28, the New Tampa Players (NTP) theatre troupe once again took the stage at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center. This time, NTP is presenting Stephen Sondheim’s beloved musical “Into The Woods,” which intertwines classic fairy tales with deeper themes of human desires and consequences, is taking center stage in a new production that is sure to enchant local audiences. Nominated for ten Tony Awards (winning three) in 1988, this Sondheim masterpiece has been praised for its complex characters, beautiful score, and profound narrative. 

Directed by Karissa Barber, the NTP production is showcasing the talents of local actors, a live orchestra led by musical director, G. Frank Meekins, and more than a dozen unseen costumers, designers, painters, builders and crew members, all working together to bring this timeless story to life. 

Set in a fantastical world where characters from different fairy tales — such as Cinderella, Jack (of Beanstalk fame), Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel — reside in the same village and cross paths in the mysterious forest, “Into the Woods” explores themes of wish fulfillment, moral choices and the unexpected consequences of pursuing one’s desires. The show’s rich score, which includes songs like “No One Is Alone” and “Children Will Listen,” is widely considered one of Sondheim’s greatest achievements. 

The production’s leads, Richard Brown and Hope Lelekacs, are taking on the roles of the Baker and the Baker’s Wife. These two characters are central to the story, embarking on a quest to find ingredients for a potion that will lift a curse placed upon their family. Their journey through the woods is filled with challenges, but it also brings them closer together as a couple and forces them to confront the deeper questions about their lives and wishes. 

“I see the Baker as someone who is stepping out of his comfort zone and putting all of his family’s burdens on his shoulders,” says Brown, who most recently was seen as Seymour in NTP’s fall production “Little Shop of Horrors.” “[The Baker] has no idea what he’s doing but he’s doing it anyway because he feels he has to. So, although he can be funny, I think the sincerity and vulnerability of someone who desperately wants a family should also be there.” 

Lelekacs, a recent graduate of the University of Tampa, is excited about playing the Baker’s Wife, a dream of hers since she saw Brianna Filippelli play her on the New Tampa Players’ stage in 2016. 

“The Baker’s Wife is complex and hopeful,” Lelekacs says. “The driving force in her relationship is balancing love and longing with a contagious belief that life holds more than just routine and work. I admire how she stays practical and grounded, yet isn’t afraid to take risks.” 

Theatergoers can expect a truly community-driven performance, with all of the cast members and production team hailing from Hillsborough County and surrounding areas. The show has been months in the making, with rehearsals beginning in early January and production design and staging evolving throughout February. 

If you’re looking for a magical evening filled with laughter, tears, and unforgettable music, “Into the Woods” promises to be the perfect outing. It’s a chance to experience the magic of theater while supporting local talent, and the cast and crew of your not-for-profit community theater, the New Tampa Players. 

“Into the Woods” will be performed Friday-Sunday, March 28-30, and April 4-6, at NTPAC (8550 Hunters Village Dr., New Tampa). For more info or to purchase tickets online, please visit NewTampaPlayers.org. 

Everbowl Craft Superfood Is Now Open Next To Publix In The New Tampa Center 

Photos by Charmaine George

Benjamin Burkhalter, the franchise owner of Everbowl Craft Superfood in the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center plaza at 19036 Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (at New Tampa Blvd.), may look a little young to be an entrepreneur, but he says he recognized a good product when he saw one. 

“I’ve been into eating healthy and working out since my teens,” Benjamin says. “But, when I visited my brother, who was stationed in San Diego (where Everbowl started), I met (founder and CEO) Jeff Fenster and sampled a lot of his healthy menu, so I decided to open a franchise here in Florida.” 

The only other Florida Everbowl of the chain’s 100+ open and coming-soon locations is near the University of Central Florida campus in Orlando and Benjamin says a lot of the existing locations are near or on college campuses — and he is looking to open others in his Tampa Bay-area territory. 

“I liked the look of the stores and the fact that everything is super-fresh and that we have so many different bases for our bowls and smoothies,” Benjamin says. “I just feel like if people try us, they’re going to love it!” 

Photographer Charmaine George (who took the photos on this page) and I sampled a few menu items on our first visit and we enjoyed everything.  

Charmaine absolutely loved her PB Everbowl, which included an açai base, with granola, fresh bananas, strawberries and blueberries with a peanut butter drizzle. We each also tasted a spoonful of other bases, including “Coco Love,” Blue and Mango Majic, Cacao Wow and vanilla. They reminded us of fresh fruit sorbets and frozen yogurts. 

I was in the mood for a post-workout smoothie, so I ordered the PB Cacao Dream, which uses the chocolatey Cacao Wow base, blended with bananas, cacao nibs, peanut butter and almond milk, and Benjamin added a scoop of protein powder. I finished the entire large-size smoothie while I interviewed him.  

Assistant manager Abby Roneker (at right in photo, right) also made us my surprise favorite menu item, the Bruschetta Avocado Toast, which is a thick slice of tasty toasted rustic artisan bread topped with house-made (and truly fresh) avocado spread, marinated tomatoes, basil and a zesty balsamic drizzle. I’m not as big an avocado fan as Charmaine is, but we both loved it! 


Everbowl also offers a variety of lemonades and fruit teas with unique flavors like dragon fruit, strawberry basil and more. For more info or to order online, visit Everbowl.com and please tell Benjamin and Abby I sent you! — GNÂ