Mark your calendars now because on Wednesday morning, June 21, Jeff Cofini & Nick Cignarella are excited to welcome you to Zioโs New York Bagel & Deli Co. in the Pebble Creek Collection at 19651 BBD Blvd. Pick up a dozen bagels or try the authentic fried egg, bacon & cheese bagel sandwiches! Great Gavina gourmet coffee, plus freshly sliced Boarโs Head meats & cheeses & more, too!
Since it first opened in the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center shopping plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (only a mile or so south of the Pasco County line) in 2016, Minerva Indian Restaurant has been among our readersโ favorites every year. In fact, even though our 2022 Reader Dining Survey was the first year we gave โIndian Restaurantsโ their own category, not only did Minerva dominate the voting this year, it also has received the most votes for โFavorite Restaurant in New Tampaโ of any Indian restaurant in New Tampa between 2017 and 2022.
And, for good reason. Not only do Minerva owners Venkat Reddy and his wife Amrutha offer a huge menu (with more than 200 different food items), including North India, South India and Indo-Chinese favorites, they also feature one of the largest Indian lunch buffets in the Tampa Bay area, with about three dozen total items.
Long-time readers of the Neighborhood News know that Indian food has never been at the top of my list of favorite cuisine types, although I have expanded my horizons enough to have multiple favorites at Minerva. And, the good news is that photographer Charmaine George enjoys Indian food more than I do, so we were able to sample quite a few options during our recent visits.
Of course, the Minerva lunch buffet is a an affordable place to start for those who arenโt sure what Indian appetizers and entrรฉes theyโll like best and it includes everything from naan breads to vegetable samosas (deep-fried veggie โpiesโ stuffed with potatoes and veggies) and veggie spring rolls (very much like Chinese or even Thai-style), plus entrรฉes like butter chicken, Tandoori chicken (one of Minervaโs variety of meats cooked in a clay Tandoor oven), chicken tikka masala, goat curry and multiple biryani (rice) dishes, as well as desserts. I couldnโt possibly name and didnโt sample all 35+ items (40+ on weekends) on the buffet, but all I can say is that itโs super-popular and available seven days a week between 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Also available on the buffet are some of Minervaโs Indo-Chinese dishes, including the Hakka veg chowmein (with lo mein-style soft noodles) and veggie fried rice, although I also really liked the full order of chicken Indo-Chinese fried rice I got on another visit.
One of mine and Charmaineโs absolute favorites was the garlic naan bread, one of about ten different naans โ from butter to onion to spicy chilli โ and 20 or so total bread options at Minerva.
Charmaine and I also sampled three different long-grain biryani rice dishes โ goat, chicken and veggie. We agreed that the biryanis themselves arenโt as spicy as weโve had at some other Indian restaurants, but when goat or chicken is added, the biryani does take on a spicier flavor.
Among the other dishes we tried were the tandoori lamb chops, always one of my favorite dishes at any Indian restaurant. Also available are Tandoori goat chops, lamb shish kababs, chicken shish kabobs, and chicken on the bone or boneless, as well as a mixed grill of lamb and chicken kababs. These dishes are all served fajita-style on a sizzling plate, with peppers and onions.
Charmaine and I also wanted to try a South Indian specialty, so Amrutha suggested we try the Upma, which is a traditional breakfast dish made with semolina, vegetables, peanuts, onion, chillis and ginger. It has a delicate flavor and a consistency that most reminds me of corned beef hash, but without meat.
And, although there are probably still 200+ items on Minervaโs menu we havenโt yet sampled, Charmaine and I both look forward to trying the soups (e.g., the Minerva Special chicken soup and hot-&-sour soup), the North Indian paneer paratha (wheat bread stuffed with cheese), and perhaps one of Minervaโs shrimp or fish dishes, including ginger fish or shrimp, vindaloo (curried with potatoes) or tikka masala (in a creamy sauce).
And yes, we both also enjoyed the gulab jamoon dessert, which is basically Indian-style donuts served in a sugar syrup.
Minerva also offers a great variety of traditional Indian drinks (mango lassi, coconut water and more), as well as the best selection of Indian beers youโll find anywhere. These Indian beers, like Taj Majal, King Fisher and Hunter, as well as red and white house wines (although there is a nice variety of other wines, too) are all just $1 from 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Speaking of specials, there are a lot of them, including BOGO buffet and entrรฉe deals, and Minervaโs Biryani Special. On Thursdays and Sundays (only), all biryani dishes (usually $12.95-$16.95) are only $10 each all day. There also are a number of Value Meals, enough to serve 2-3 people, for $19.95-$27.95, on the last page of Minervaโs menu. Minerva Indian Restaurant (19050 BBD) is open every day for lunch & dinner. For more info, call (813) 978-8586 or visit MinervaTampa.com.
Our congratulations go out to Florida Penguin Productions for putting on a successful third-annual Rum & Seafood Festival at the Tampa Premium Outlets on June 3, despite the constant threat of bad weather that could have caused the eventโs cancellation.
A steady stream of adult visitors paid $15 per person to get into the Festival, which featured live music, dozens of vendors โ including Siesta Key and Sailor Jerry rums, FishHawk Spirits and Jack Danielโs Tennessee Whiskey โ and great seafood food trucks like Charm City Eats, Super Grouper, Got Lobstah? and From the Soul to the Sea. Among this yearโs highlights were the Crab Races (that I unfortunately missed) and the โrooftopโ bar.
Theย North Tampa Bay Chamber received a portion of the eventโs proceeds.
If you love sushi and all-you-can-eat Japanese-inspired cuisine and havenโt yet checked out the new Crazy Sushi Wiregrass at the Shops at Wiregrass, you probably should.
Crazy Sushi is more than just another replacement for the several restaurants that have opened and gone out of business at 28152 Paseo Dr., #150 โ itโs a much larger (having also taken over an adjacent store), real sit-down restaurant that just happens to also offer all-you-care-to-eat lunch (for $22.95 per person; available Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. only) and dinner (and Sat.-Sun. lunch, for $32.95) Japanese food that, based on our first visit, is well worth the price.
The sushi (the left photo is of a tasty sushi sampler that isnโt on the menu) is really fresh, the appetizers โ including gyoza dumplings, tempura veggies, fried chicken karaage (right photo), etc. โ and lo mein are spot-on and the hibachi sirloin steak and chicken are both of a higher quality (at least, in my opinion)than what weโre used to getting at Ginza or Koizi. And. the premium full-liquor bar offers full-sized drinks at lower-than-mall prices.
For more information, call (813) 991-8989 or visit CrazySushiWesleyChapel.com and please tell our friend Edgar behind the bar that we sent you!
Even though we told you that the Blush Champagne & Cocktail Bar had opened at the KRATE Container Park last issue, we didnโt get to show you any of the great pictures photographer Charmaine George took at the spectacular Grand Opening party on May 19 for the second KRATE (the other is the nearly adjacent Blush Wine Room) owned by Felicia and Nimesh Desai (top left photo). The event included a DJ, a 360ยบ photo booth, the great Blush Wine Room food, a dozen frozen wine-based cocktails, a variety of sparkling wines and hundreds of happy attendees! For info about the Blush Wine Room or Champagne & Cocktail Bar, call (813) 428-6247 or visit BlushWineRoom.com.ย
When Tabatha Castro and Pablo Reid open the newest location of Playa Bowls next to the Latin Twist Cafรฉ at 2653 BBD Blvd. on or around June 17, you can expect not just the ever-popular aรงai bowls, but also coconut, banana, chia pudding, green and pitaya bowls, plus fresh fruit smoothies and juices, oatmeal & more. The beach-themed healthy eating place also known as โPineappleland,โ started at the Jersey Store and has grown to nearly 200 locations nationwide. For more info, visit PlayaBowls.com.
The Metro Lagoon is Open South of S.R. 52 & Will Host a Grand Opening Celebration the Weekend of June 24-25!ย
โI made the call to make sure that Epperson got the potable water to open the first Metro Lagoons amenity in the U.S.,โ District 1 Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley said proudly at the VIP Lagoon Ribbon Cutting event at the new Metro Lagoons amenity at Mirada on June 2. โAnd, itโs awesome to be here as we open the largest (Crystal Lagoonsยฎ) amenity in the country right here in Pasco!โ
Yes, while Eppersonโs 7.5-acre Metro Lagoons amenity was the first in the U.S. when it opened in Wesley Chapel in 2018, the 15-acre lagoon at Mirada, located just north of Wesley Chapel in San Antonio, is now the largest manmade lagoon amenity in the country โ and also is now open to the public.
There were lots of โoohsโ and โaahsโ as more than 100 visitors โ including Oakleyโs fellow Pasco Commissioners Seth Weightman and Jack Mariano, a representative from State Sen. Danny Burgessโ office and Board members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce (NTBC) โ joined most of the team from Metro Development Group, which now has three Metro Lagoons amenities in the Tampa Bay area (the other is at Southshore Bay in Wimauma), with a fourth opening this year in Ft. Myers, and several others planned throughout Central Florida.
Oakley added, โThis amenity will be for all of our citizens and visitors and Iโm very grateful to have it. Itโs also part of the Connected City and I made the motion to approve that, too.โ
Oakley was introduced by Metroโs VP of marketing and communications Vaike OโGrady, who quickly ran down some of the stats about Mirada:
โThis community is 2,000 acres and will one day have 4,500 homes from six different builders โ DR Horton, Lennar, Lennar Active Adult Collection, Biscayne, Maronda and West Bay Homes โ with prices from the high $200s to about $1 million,โ OโGrady said. โThis lagoon amenity includes about a mile of shoreline and is filled with 33 million gallons of water, or about as much as in 2,750 swimming pools. We also brought in 17.2 million pounds of sand, or enough to build four average-sized, two-story homes entirely out of sand.โ
OโGrady then introduced Dist. 5 Commissioner and Pasco Board chair Jack Mariano, who noted, โProjects like this are what makes Pasco a premier place. We want to create quality places to live, work and play.โย
Mariano was followed by Dist. 2 Commissioner Seth Weightman, who said, โWhat a great and beautiful way to kick off the summer!โ
Next, OโGrady introduced NTBC CEO Hope Kennedy, who said, โThis is an absolutely wonderful day! Weโre proud to have had a seat at the table on this project since, I think, 2012 or 2013, and we have been honored to stand by your side!โ
Before multiple ribbons โ well, pool buoy lines โ were cut (by a saber-wielding pirate), Kennedy was then followed by Metro Lagoons managing director Eric Wahlbeck, who said, โWe have had the first and now the largest (lagoon amenity) in the U.S. Whatโs next? This is a massive project and pretty exciting stuff!โ
In addition to the ribbon-cutting pirate, the VIP preview event featured three mermaids, one in a life-sized martini glass (above) one who appeared to be wearing a skirt surrounded by mimosas (above) and another sitting on the side of the lagoon deck.
There also were two gymnasts (top of page) wearing body suits covered in water bubbles who struck some impressive poses while balancing themselves. It looked like the young lady on page 1 was actually swimming in the lagoon (at least to me it did).
There also was a steel drum playing island sounds, the bar was open and serving tasty tropical drinks and a delicious lunch was provided by local favorite Vesh Catering that featured coconut shrimp, chicken satรฉs and roast pork.
A Metro staffer told me that there actually are multiple events every week planned and that the total number of planned events at the lagoon will number in the thousands.
The public Grand Opening event for the Mirada lagoon will be held the weekend of June 24-25, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., both days. It will include free carnival rides, games & tasty treats at the โLagoon Shore,โ the Mirada Lagoon Bar will be open and there also will be food trucks, live music, activities and fun. Youโll also be able to meet the Mirada builders under the โBig Topโ on the beach.
In other words, even if youโve already been a regular at the Epperson lagoon, you owe it to yourself and your family to check out the largest manmade Crystal Lagoonsยฎ amenity in the U.S.
For free Mirada Lagoon Grand Opening weekend tickets, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reserve-your-spot-tickets-574684235017 or MiradaStayCay.com.
Anyone who has ben reading this publication since at least late 2021 knows that The Grill at Morris Bridge (located on Cross Creek Blvd. in the Publix-anchored Cross Creek Plaza) has been high on my list of favorites from the moment it opened. Itโs been so great seeing the brainchild of Frank and his brother and co-owner Jimmy Gouveia continue to adapt its menu to not only the ownersโ tastes, but also to suggestions from their already super-loyal customers.
And, while The Grill continues to make changes to its already-popular dinner and Late Night/Happy Hour bar menus (see below), one thing that previously had been missing was a great Sunday brunch. But, no more!
Over the last month or so, The Grill has added a huge selection of uniquely tasty items for Sunday brunch (11 a.m.-2 p.m.), including:
โข โBrunch Platesโ like the deliciously cinnamon-y Berry, Berry French toast, topped with a variety of fresh berries and served with maple syrup,
โข Handhelds like a fried egg, bacon, cheese & fries egg sandwich and the F.G.T.B.L.T (fried green tomato BLT),
โข Two huge new breakfast โpizzas,โ including the savory Breakfast Pizza Fritatta (made with scrambled eggs, linguiรงa sausage, peppers, onions and spinach),
โข A variety of Benedicts (including very tasty short rib, smoked salmon and crab cake โBennysโ), and
โข Your basic omelette and grilled breakfast plates, plus shrimp & grits, steak & eggs and pancakes.
The Grill now also has a new Happy Hour & Late Night menu, available at the bar only. Among the tasty new items on this menu are short rib or pork tacos, stuffed, baked quahogs (pronounced โCO-hogs,โ theyโre giant New England clams), spicy Firecracker shrimp and tasty soft (but crispy outside) pretzel sticks, served with a creamy beer cheese dip. I can personally vouch for the quahogs, the short rib tacos and the breadsticks. Yum!
Although The Grill is still open for lunch Tues.-Sat., there no longer is a separate lunch menu, meaning that the full dinner menu is in effect for both meals, although there have been some new lunch-oriented additions. The โHandheldโ options now include Philly and shaved ribeye steak sandwiches, a legit corned beef Reuben, an awesome-looking (havenโt tried it yet) smash burger (made with ground brisket, short rib and chuck), fried, blackened and Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, as well as a grilled Cuban (with shredded caรงoila pork, salami, ham & Swiss).
As for the new favorites on the dinner menu, The Grill offers one of the best values for a melt-in-your-mouth 34-36-oz. tomahawk ribeye (for two) Iโve seen (just $105, including mashed potatoes and broccoli), a lamb shank osso buco, a Cabernet-braised short rib and the new bacon and parmesan-crusted grouper (which replaced the same dish previously made with mahi-mahi), a seafood (shrimp & scallop) risotto and my new favorite clams linguine.
And, with the best wine list in New Tampa, a great bar vibe and super-premium cocktails, The Grill at Morris Bridge just keeps getting better!
The Grill at Morris Bridge (10920 Cross Creek Blvd.) is open every day for lunch (or brunch) & dinner except Monday. For more info, call (813) 388-5353 see the ad on pg. 35 or visit TheGrillatMorrisBridge.com.ย ย ย
