Although we didn’t even find out about it until we went to press with our Feb 6 issue, OishiExpress, a decent fast-casual Japanese place, lasted only about a year in the spot at 17503 Preserve Walk Ln. in Highwoods Preserve — between Taste of New York Pizza and Lapels Cleaners (behind EggTown) — the new fast-casual Namaste Express(or XP) has already replaced Oishi.
I’ve only visited once since Namaste opened, but the new eatery can be summed up pretty easily — it’s a small place with a huge and what seems to be a very tasty menu.
On my visit, I enjoyed the chicken stir-fry bowl (left), which had just a hint of spice, with lots of chunks of chicken and clearly fresh vegetables. The savory sauce tasted like a completely unexpected cross between the curry flavors so prevalent in Indian cooking with a nod to Szechuan Chinese cuisine. I told the chef (I sadly forgot his name) that I would be back to try his biryani, the delicious-sounding Apollo fish (a fish filet tossed with ginger, garlic and a spicy sauce, which is specialty of Hyderabad) and the marinated, fried (but not breaded, because they’re gluten-free) chicken lollipops shown here.
Namaste has menu options from every region in India and even offers a unique “Grab & Go” menu that the restaurant’s website says is “meticu- lously crafted through cutting-edge flash chilling processes.” It definitely sounds unique.
Although there is clearly a sizable Indian population in New Tampa, considering how many Indian restaurants there already are in zip code 33647 — including Saffron, Minerva, Raaga, Dosa Hut, Bang-Bang! Bowls and the café inside the Taaza Mart (as well as the Nepalese Gorkhali Kitchen, which also offers Indian specialties) — we hope that Namaste Express will be able to find its footing in what has so far proven to be a difficult location.
For more information, call (813) 866-1300 or visit NamasteXP.com.
Update On Qdoba
At our press time, Qdoba Mexican Eats,which we told you last issue was getting ready to open in the same plaza in Highwoods Preserve as Namaste (at 17509 Preserve Walk Ln.) last issue, was still not open, but co-owner Liz Montante says that she and her husband and co-owner Mike were expecting the New Tampa Qdoba to open “on or around March 1,” or a few days before this issue hits your mailbox.
In other words, if you’re a fan of Moe’s Southwest Grill (which Qdoba is replacing in Highwoods), Chipotle or any other fast-casual Mexican fare, you definitely should check out Qdoba, too.
“It’s been a long struggle, but we’re finally almost there,” Liz told me the day before I finished this issue. “We can’t wait for New Tampa to experience our fresh Mexican eats.”
For more information about Qdoba Mexican Eats, call (813) 761-0005 orvisit Qdoba.com to check out the menu online.
Although we no longer have a regular Community Calendar listing in our print issues, there are a number of upcoming events that merit your consideration, so we decided to include as many of them here as possible.
If you have an event upcoming that takes place after March 19, feel free to email me at ads@ntneighborhoodnews.com and I will see about getting it included in our next New Tampa issue.
Friday, February 23, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. & Saturday, February 24, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. p.m. — The Friends of the New Tampa Library’s Annual Giant Book Sale. The Friends of the New Tampa Library will host their annual Giant Book Sale at the New Tampa Regional Library (10001 Cross Creek Blvd.). With most books being sold for just 50 cents, all proceeds will benefit the library’s Summer Reading programs for children and events and classes for all age groups.
Monday, February 26, 7 p.m. — Monthly meeting of the New Tampa Democratic Club. The New Tampa Democrats are gearing up for the upcoming 2024 Presidential and local election season. For more information, see the ad to the right.
Wednesday, February 28, 6 p.m. -8 p.m. — Book Launch Performance & Book Signing for Running From Yesterday by Margarette Allyn. Margarette Allyn (photo, right) is an author, speaker and dancer who believes in the healing power of making choices guided by instinct, intuition and faith.
Two unexpected episodes played pivotal roles in Margarette’s life, introducing her to the world of the performing arts.
The first was watching “The Nutcracker” on TV. The second was encountering the iconic TV show “Fame,” which struck a chord with its relatable characters and stories that felt just like her own. Dance soon became Margarette’s refuge — a way to escape and express herself. Her dance aspirations took flight when she was accepted into Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts — the real “Fame” school — in New York’s Upper West Side.
Author & performer Margarette Allyn will sign her book Running From Yesterday & dance at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center on Feb. 28. (Photo provided by Margarette Allyn)
It was a dream that seemed beyond reach, especially for a young woman from Harlem. But, Margarette held onto the idea that the sky has no limits. However, unforeseen circumstances, ego and personal choices halted her burgeoning dance career, crushing her dreams of attending Juilliard and leaving her with a deep sense of loss.
At the age of 24, Margarette embarked on a new path, joining the New York City Police Department (NYPD). Despite battling an overwhelming cloud of dread, despair and her complex relationship with alcohol, she clung fiercely to her discipline, determination, and the will to truly live.
Supported by her loyal friends and colleagues, she dedicated twenty years to her police career, retiring as a Sergeant in 2019.
Today, Margarette resides in New Tampa with her husband and two sons.
This remarkable journey serves as the focal point of her inspiring memoir, Running From Yesterday, A True Story of Hope, Courage, and Love. Grateful for the grace and mercy bestowed upon her, Margarette finds purpose in giving back to those she mentors, is dancing once again, accepts motivational and inspirational speaking engagements and looks forward to many more years of being on stage.
Friday-Sunday, March 15-17 — Three-Day St. Patrick’s Day Parking Lot Celebration at O’Brien’s Irish Pub. O’Brien’s (5429 Wesley Chapel Village Market) will again be hosting the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Wesley Chapel with an indoor-outdoor party every day of St. Paddy’s Day weekend.
On Friday, MoonShine Abby will be performing from 8 p.m.-midnight. According to their website, MoonShine Abby is “the best blend of mature artistry, vigorous technique, and honed skill all wrapped up into a high-energy, party-style band.
What’s a St. Pat’s Day party without bagpipes? You can come out to here pipers on Saturday and Sunday. On Sat., 25-year-old Gemma Briggs (plays the pipes from 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Gemma says she is, “passionate about providing high-quality bagpipe music, professionalism and an unforgettable touch to any occasion.”
Gemma (photo right) will be followed at 8 p.m. on Sat. night by the Ryan Marchand Band.
Ryan’s website says he uses “live-looping (to create) sonic landscapes with layered beat-box percussion, vocal harmonies, and a bevy of guitar effects to cover the frequency and timbre spectrum. He draws inspirations from studio albums from Pink Floyd, The Beatles and more.”
Then, the main event at O’Brien’s will be held on Sun., St. Paddy’s Day itself.
From 4 p.m.-7 p.m., “The Irishman” Capt. Kirk, will play all of your favorite Irish tunes. Inside, from 7 p.m.-midnight, DJ SAF will spin dance music inside, but outside, the City of Mt. Dora pipe band will play your St. Pat’s favorites from 7:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
Then, the Daniel Sprouse Band will play your favorite rock and country hits from 8 p.m.-midnight outside.
Please note that no coupons will be accepted all weekend at O’Brien’s and there will be a $10 cover charge on Sun. only. For more info, call (813) 97309988 or visit ObriensWesleyChapel.com.
Christan McLaurine stole the New Tampa Players’ production of “Dreamgirls” as James “Thunder” Early. (Dreamgirls Photos by Charmaine George)
When I grew up and later lived in New York in and near Manhattan, I was fortunate to be able to see dozens of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows and although musicals may not necessarily be everyone’s cup of tea, I came to appreciate musical theatre, as well as stage comedies and dramas, and the incredibly talented people who performed in all of those shows.
What I will admit that I never expected is that there also could possibly be so many talented people performing in local community theatre. I also have no problem admitting that I probably should have attended at least a few more local theatre performances in the years leading up to the opening last year of the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd.
So, Jannah and I have kind of gone on to sit in the audience of several shows since I was a bit player in the New Tampa Players (NTP)’s opening performance at NTPAC of “Grease.” We were in the audience for the fun and adorable “Shrek the Musical,” but we didn’t stop there. Here is a rundown of the other shows that we either recently saw or plan to see in the coming weeks…and I think you should, too.
“Dreamgirls”
The “Dreamgirls” were (l.-r.) Patty Smithey as Lorrell Robinson, NaTasha McKenzie as Effie White & Caron Davis as Deena Jones.
The first stop on our post-”Shrek” theatre journey was the New Tampa Players’ production of “Dreamgirls” at the NTPAC. Like “Grease” and “Shrek,” this award-winning Broadway hit that also spawned a successful movie, also ran for two weekends and six performances and the entire second weekend of the show’s run was fully sold out, while the first weekend had probably fewer than 20 total unsold tickets.
And, for good reason. While NTP’s “Dreamgirls” couldn’t possibly match the Broadway talent or the voices in the film starring “American Idol” winner Jennifer Hudson, the cast and show were nonetheless super-impressive and talented, especially for community theatre.
And, although the women who portrayed the Dreams singing group — NaTasha McKenzie as Effie White,
Caron Davis as Deena Jones and especially, Patty Smithey as Lorrell Robinson — were all excellent singers, dancers and actors, for our money, the dynamically talented Christan McLaurine as James “Thunder” Early stole the show.
Up next for the Players are auditions for “Singin’ in the Rain,” the song-&-dance musical based on the classic 1952 film starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds. The show runs July 19-28 at NTPAC.
The show combines the talents of director Nora Paine, musical director G. Frank Meekins and choreographer Sarah Walston, the trio who also led the production of “Grease.”
If you know any talented male or female singers and tap dancers, auditions for “Singin’ in the Rain” will be held in April. Look to these pages for additional information or visit NewTampaPlayers.org.
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
(L.-r.) Richard Brown (William Barfee), Gabrielle Ray (Olive Ostrovsky), Chris Cordero (Chip Tolentino), Jillian Koehn (Marcy Park), Taylor Skolnick (Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre) & Dylan Fidler (Leaf Coneybear) made MAD Theatre of Tampa’s “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” a blast from beginning to end. (Photo provided by Mad Theatre)
If you were looking for a fun, hysterically funny and light-hearted musical theatre experience, I hope you got to check out MAD Theatre of Tampa’s “Spelling Bee” at the Shimberg Playhouse at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Tampa. This tiny playhouse was the perfect setting for this Spelling Bee, which was chock full of amazing, talented characters, including Chris Cordero and Dylan Fidler, who played the title roles in NTP’s “Shrek” and “Grease” (Danny Zuko), respectively.
But, it wasn’t just the six young actors portraying the pubescent spellers who gave amazing performances. The entire cast, led by director Casey Vaughn, music director Megan Zeitler and choreographer Evan Lomba (who played Donkey in NTP’s “Shrek”) all deserve big kudos for a show that truly was a laugh riot.
Up next for MAD Theatre, which is celebrating 25 years as a performance troupe, are performances of “Urinetown The Musical,” with performances June 14-30, also at the Shimberg Playhouse at the Straz Center.
One show that I have no idea what my expectations are or should be is the World Premiere of “Ember: A New Musical,” written by Kyle Griffin Fisher, the young man who gave local audiences memorable performances as Kenickie in NTP’s “Grease” and the hysterical Lord Farquaad in NTP’s “Shrek The Musical.”
According to Kyle’s Facebook page:
“Discover the dark allure of desires in ‘Ember,’ a spellbinding musical that explores the boundaries between dreams and damnation. In a world where the mundane meets the magical, farm boy ‘Guy’ yearns for adventure. When the enigmatic demon ‘Sequins’ offers to fulfill his deepest desires in exchange for his soul, Guy plunges headfirst into a Faustian bargain.
“‘Ember’ is a captivating journey of redemption and unexpected alliances. Can a demon, driven by ambition, rediscover forgotten compassion and love? Will Guy, armed with newfound powers and a heart full of hope, conquer the challenges laid before him? In ‘Ember,’ the stakes are high, the magic is potent, and the battle for the soul takes center stage.”
In addition to Fisher, the “Ember” cast features fellow NTP performers Dylan Fidler, Makayla Raines, Heather Rich, Kristin Nelson, Zachary Smith, Tripp Peavyhouse and Zane Sarsour.
Although “Ember” is not an NTP production, all performances will be at NTP’s Uptown Stage in University Mall. This production is recommend for audience members ages 14 and up due to adult language and situations.
Performance Dates: Saturday, March 2, 6:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 3, 1 p.m. For tickets & more info, visit NewTampaPlayers.thundertix.com.
“Broadway Through The Decades: Contemporary Era”
The Wesley Chapel Theater Group (WCTG) presents Part 2 of its Broadway musical revue series. The show will feature songs from popular musicals of the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s performed in a cabaret-style show. WCTG has teamed up with the Zephyrhills Lions Club to bring new entertainment to the Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel areas.
Proceeds from the show will go to help WCTG continue to produce performing arts for our community and to the Zephyrhills Lions Club’s sight program.
“Broadway Through The Decades” will be performed Sat., Mar. 9, 7 p.m., and Sun., Mar. 10, 2 p.m. The Sat. show includes dinner at 5:30 p.m. and the Sun. matinee includes coffee and dessert at intermission. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at the Zephyrhills Lions Club (5827 Dean Dairy Rd.) or at WesleyChapelTheaterGroup.org.
The pollo Tapatio (top), ceviche (below right), Elote (Mexican street corn) (below left) and Xango (fried cheesecake) (Bottom right) dessert are all among our editor’s favorites at Señor Tequila in The Shoppes at New Tampa Plaza on BBD Blvd. south of S.R. 56. (All photos by Charmaine George)
If it’s been a while since you first visited Señor Tequila — the Mexican restaurant that took over the former Bonefish Grill space in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza (on Bruce B. Downs Blvd., south of S.R. 56) in May of 2021 — you should probably give it another try.
Wesley Chapel Señor Tequila owner Alvaro Mellado and his family have opened and been operating all five of the restaurant’s locations — the original of which opened in Winter Springs (in the Orlando area) ten years ago, although Mellado also owns the location on N. Dale Mabry Hwy. in Carrollwood and opened a new one a year ago in Clearwater. Even so, the Wesley Chapel location recently got an impressive menu upgrade that likely will have it moving up in our readers’ rankings in the 2024 Dining Survey.
Every restaurant these days seems to have — and many people love — Mexican street corn (“Elote” in Spanish), but photographer Charmaine George and I really enjoyed Señor Tequila’s new version, which covers corn on the cob sections on skewers with mayo, cotija cheese and queso sauce, cilantro and tajin seasoning.
My favorite new appetizer, however (which should come as a surprise to no one) is the ceviché, which is a new item normally served as a trio of lime-marinated fresh fish, shrimp and octopus, but I had to get mine with fish only, since I’m allergic to the shrimp. Señor Tequila’s version of this favorite adds fresh tomatoes, red onions, avocado and tajin. The fish was tilapia, which isn’t always my favorite, but the flavor was delicate and tangy and the tomatoes and avocadoes were a nice touch, too.
We also sampled the super-tasty pollo Tapatio (Tapatio is the name given to people from Guadalajara, Mexico, as well as a brand of hot sauce). The dish features grilled chicken breast sauteéd with onions, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and poblano peppers and is served with rice and the Mexican bandera salad (guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo) and your choice of tortillas. The chicken was tender and tasty, but not at all spicy, and the sautéed veggies were excellent.
Although I’m still more partial to the sizzling chicken and steak fajitas at Señor Tequila, Wesley Chapel marketing rep (and sometime server and weekend bartender) Dafne Dominguez says that among the most popular dishes are the brochetas — skewered steak, chicken, bacon, onions, and bell peppers that are marinated in a special house sauce with chile guajillo (a sweet type of pepper) and is served with rice. Please note that the brochetas are slow-cooked for 20 minutes and since everything at Señor Tequila is made fresh to order, you will wait for it. Please also take into account that if you prefer your steak medium rare to rare, it is hard have it that way on the same skewers as chicken, which has to be cooked all the way through. But, the flavor was excellent.
Other top sellers at Señor Tequila include the steak Monterrey (skirt steak with a poblano pepper stuffed with shrimp and veggies, topped with creamy habanero pesto sauce), the birria tacos and the monster super burrito with your choice of beef or chicken.
Save room for dessert, because not only does Señor Tequila serve delicious lava chocolate cake and flan, but also the ever-popular fried ice cream (with vanilla ice cream rolled in corn flakes, topped with caramel), as well as mine and Charmaine’s new favorite — the Xango (pronounced “Chang-o”), which is creamy cheesecake wrapped in a pastry tortilla and fried until golden brown, covered with cinnamon and caramel. Decadent!
Señor Tequila’s full, premium liquor bar also is now featuring new bartender-created drinks, including a “True Blue” organic margarita, an Añejo old fashioned, sangritas (house frozen margarita with a sangria floater) and many more. The bar features a huge selection of tequilas and mezcals, from the usual favorites to top shelf and even many rare finds — and Happy Hour is Mon.-Fri., 3 p.m.-5 p.m..
Señor Tequila (1640 BBD Blvd.) is open every day for lunch & dinner and delivery through Doordash is available. For reservations (not required), orders or more info, call (813) 428-5411, visit TheSenorTequila.com.
Please tell owner Oscar Escudero that you want his new Ceviché Lima added to his regular menu, which already features favorites like the Lima Wrap sandwich (below, right) and the Tallarin Saltado de Mariscos (bottom). (All photos by Charmaine George)
If you’ve somehow still never sampled Peruvian food — despite having an outstanding Peruvian restaurant right here on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. — I implore you to go visit Lima Rotisserie Chicken & Peruvian Cuisine in the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center.
Lima, which is owned by Oscar Escudero, who was raised in Lima, Peru, continues to add amazing new dishes, thanks to Oscar’s passion and his happy supporting cast. The food at Lima is a fusion of Peruvian and Chinese cuisines, since Peru is on the west coast of South America and located directly across the Pacific Ocean from China, which means that in the same place you can find several varieties of authentic Latin ceviché, you also can find wok-sautéed lo mein-style noodle and fried rice dishes.
If that sounds too good to be true to you, trust me, it’s not. And, if that combination doesn’t make your mouth water, trust me, it should. I named Lima my Favorite Latin Restaurant in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for 2023 because no other place in either of our areas offers a wider variety of uniquely spiced and tasty dishes. And, feel free to research why Peruvian food has been named as the best Latin American cuisine and among the favorite cuisines in the entire world by several trusted sources.
If you like pot roast, you should definitely try Lima’s Asado de Res con Ensalada Rusa.
Speaking of unique, not only does Lima offer vinegar-and-lime-marinated ceviché options like shrimp, mussels and calamari, as well as my favorite Ceviché de Pescado (raw white meat fish), Oscar recently added — as a special only, at least for now — his own twist on the classic dish that he calls Ceviché Lima, which adds a savory golden pepper sauce to the fish and two types of corn kernels, as well as a generous helping of flash-fried calamari. The sauce is so delicious that not only does it give the ceviché itself a delightfully different flavor, with just a hint of spice, it also may be the best dipping sauce for fried calamari I’ve ever tasted. I told Oscar that I would tell my readers to ask — no, make that demand — that he add Ceviché Lima to the regular menu, so please feel free to do just that!
Speaking of new specials that definitely should be added to Lima’s regular menu, Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I also got to sample Oscar’s Asado de Res con Ensalada Rusa, which is slow-cooked-to-incredibly-tender beef tenderloin in a brown gravy of its own juices, with a side of Russian-inspired potato-and-beet salad. Jannah, who saw the purple color of this entrée’s side dish and immediately thought she wouldn’t like it, said the beef tenderloin was better than my mom’s brisket (pot roast) recipe, which might have started an argument between us if I didn’t kind of agree with her! And, although my wife didn’t love the beet-and-potato salad, Charmaine and I agreed it was pretty delicious, too. Feel free to also beg Oscar to add this one to the menu.
Other dishes that aren’t new to the menu that we sampled for the first time on our most recent visit include the Lima Wrap sandwich, which is a tasty chicken salad wrap that adds small tomato wedges and cilantro, which gives the chicken salad an unusual zing. The fries were a perfect complement, even though I would order them extra crispy next time. But, since we had some of the Ceviché Lima sauce left over, we all dipped a lot of the fries in both that sauce and the gravy from the Asado dish until all of the fries were gone. Yum!
And, although the Tallarin Saltado de Pollo (flamed diced chicken breast with sliced onions, tomatoes, scallions, julienned peppers and cilantro blended with pasta and Peruvian-style soy sauce) is still Jannah’s favorite dish at Lima, she and Charmaine both also raved about their first sampling of the Tallarin Saltado de Mariscos, which is the same dish, but with shrimp, calamari, mussels and clams, instead of chicken. And, although I couldn’t sample it because of my hated shellfish allergy (I could eat the calamari and clams, but not in the same dish as the shrimp and mussels), Charmaine said that all of the seafood was cooked to perfection and the flavors all blended amazingly well together. There also is a Tallarin de Carne, which replaces the chicken or seafood with tenderloin tips that I also love.
Tallarin Saltado de Mariscos.
Similar wok-sautéed style dishes also are available without the pasta — replaced by sides of both white rice and French fries — in Lima’s Lomo Saltado, as well as in Oscar’s Arroz Chaufa (fried rice) with the same protein options as the Tallarin and Lomo Saltado. These also are excellent, but there’s just something about the way the pasta blends with the Peruvian soy sauce that makes it my preferred choice.
And yes, Lima does feature its perfectly spiced rotisserie chicken, available as chicken-only or with side dishes that include some of the best black beans and rice in town. Other sides include pico de gallo, a zesty house salad, yuca fries and tostones (twice-fried green plantain slices).
Other appetizers include Papa (boiled potatoes) or Yuca Huancaina (covered with cold yellow pepper cheese sauce) as well as tostones topped with chicken salad, tenderloin tips or shrimp, and choros a las Chalaca (mussels on the half shell topped with pico de gallo). There also are several soups on the menu, including Aguadito (cilantro chicken soup) and two different types of mixed seafood soups. And, there is a variety of other sandwiches, as well as a Lima Bowl (jasmine rice topped with black beans, romaine lettuce, pico de gallo and Lima chicken salad with cilantro house sauce).
The Cake de Maracuya is light, refreshing and delicious.
Save room for dessert, too, as Lima has a number of new options we hadn’t sampled before, including the refreshing and light passion fruit Cake de Maracuya and Tres Leches de Lucian, which has hints of coffee and caramel. Kids will enjoy Lima’s chicken tenders with fries and Salchipapas, which are fries topped with diced all-beef hot dogs and a choice of sauces. Domestic and imported beer (including Peruvian Cusqueña and Sierra Andina) and sangria also are available for adults.
Lima Peruvian Cuisine (19062 BBD Blvd.) opens every day at 11:30 a.m. and stays open until 8 p.m. Mon.-Thur., 9 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. & 7 p.m. on Sun. For more info, call (813) 304-0205, visit LimaTampa.com, or see the ad on pg. 43 for 10% off any take-out or dine-in order. Delivery also is available through DoorDash and Uber Eats.
