County Commissioner Mike Moore announced his retirement Monday.
Pasco County District 2 Commissioner Mike Moore, who represents most of Wesley Chapel and has played a pivotal role in the growth of the area, unexpectedly announced Monday that he will not run for re-election in November.
âIt has been an honor and a pleasure to serve the citizens of Pasco County over the past seven years,â Moore wrote in a statement released Monday afternoon, âand I am pleased to have led a number of transformative changes to better the quality of life for the citizens of Pasco County.â
Moore said in the statement that after much deliberation with his family, he would be returning to the private sector full-time as a small business owner (he owns a business consulting firm) at the conclusion of his term.
He gave no further hints to what lies ahead.
âNot sure what Iâm doing yet,â he told the Neighborhood News in a text message. âHavenât made any decisions.â
Moore has held the District 2 seat since 2014, when he defeated Democrat Erika Jean Remsberg with 59 percent of the vote; he won re-election with 60 percent of the vote in 2018, defeating challenger Kelly Smith.
He has served as the commission chairman in 2017 and 2020, and vice-chairman in 2016 and 2019.
Moore has helped speed up a number of major transportation projects, including the diverging diamond interchange, spearheaded the addition of a new indoor recreation center (and before that, a universally inclusive playground) at Wesley Chapel District Park as well as playing a role in the building of the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, and most recently was the driving force behind a six-month (now one year) moratorium on new apartments in the Wesley Chapel area.
In 2017, the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber presented him with the Community Hero Award (picture), honoring his efforts in helping grow Wesley Chapel.
âI am extremely grateful for the citizens of Pasco County who placed their trust and vote in me,â Moore wrote. âEven though I am retiring from the commission, I will always be your champion and will continue to be by your side fighting for what is best for our countyâs future.â
A former radio/TV major at the University of Central Florida, Moore launched Reel Politics in August 2021, a weekly talk show that can be heard on The Answer 860 AM or 93.7.
Moore lives in Wesley Chapel with his wife Lauren and their three children.
Treble Makers owner Jamie Hess (left) and executive chef Kevin Maggard pose with Neighborhood News publisher Gary Nager, who has once again chosen Treble Makers as his favorite Wesley Chapel restaurant again.
Every year, in the issue after we report the results of our annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest, I always feel compelled to give you my dining favorites, including all of the restaurants that opened in (or very near) Wesley Chapel and New Tampa the previous year.
As someone who remembers when Cracker Barrel, Dennyâs, Waffle House and Brewmasterâs Steakhouse (the original tenant in Vallartaâs spot in the Village Market plaza) were the only ârestaurantsâ in Wesley Chapel outside of Saddlebrook Resort â and who has sampled every new place to eat since then â I do feel uniquely qualified to provide you with my annual list of favorites in both of our distribution areas.
And, even though quite a few new eateries opened in our distribution areas in 2021 after the reader voting ended, my top-25 âsurveyâ lists arenât quite as different from the readersâ lists this year as they have been in previous years, especially here in Wesley Chapel.
1 — TREBLE MAKERS 6034 Wesley Grove Blvd. The Grove at Wesley Chapel (813) 406-4371 Even though a number of local chain restaurants made it to my top-25 list of Garyâs Favorites in Wesley Chapel for 2021, I am still someone who most appreciates great mom-&-pop eateries. And, as someone who has been observing, enjoying and writing about the local dining scene for 28 years next month, I just have to say that of all the mom-&-pop places that have opened in Wesley Chapel and New Tampa (at least those that are still in business) since I bought the Neighborhood News in 1994, Treble Makers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant truly is my #1 favorite â now for two years in a row!
In order to be at the top of my Favorites list, a restaurant has to specialize in the items that I appreciate most when Jannah and I go out to eat, whether for lunch or dinner.
Wahoo Bianco
First of all, we love sharing a great steak (Jannah prefers a filet, but I also love the New York strip).
Second, our favorite places always have to have great fresh fish on the menu, too. You can keep us coming back for more with grouper, snapper, mahi-mahi or the amazing wahoo bianco â itâs my favorite new dish in Wesley Chapel for 2021 â so thanks to Treble Makers Executive Chef Kevin Maggard for staying creative.
Co-owners Jamie and his brother Joe Hess and Lee Bevan also are to be commended for sticking to their guns with providing an affordable, yet upscale, fine dining experience with great food, located in Wesley Chapel proper, despite all of those chain restaurants and having to fight through the worst pandemic of all of our lifetimes.
An, while Treble Makers is still also an entertainment destination, especially on weekend evenings, you owe it to yourself to check it out during the day or any night other than Friday or Saturday, when Jamie admits that the service can be slower due to the sold-out nature of most of those dueling piano shows.
Jannah and I have enjoyed those shows, but most of the time, we just visit for a great meal. My favorite appetizers are the sesame-crusted seared ahi tuna appetizer, the potato gnocchi with smokey Alfredo sauce and the sweet & spicy fried calamari.Â
In other words, Treble Makers is my back-to-back Favorite restaurant in Wesley Chapel for good reason.
Treble Makers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner. For dinner & show reservations or more info, call (813) 406-4371 or visit TrebleMakersofWC.com. `
2 — GRILLSMITH 2000 Piazza Ave #100 The Shops at Wiregrass (813) 907-1900
3 — FALABELLAÂ FAMILY BISTRO 6027 Wesley Grove Blvd. Suite 105 (813) 428-6957
Congrats to owner Steve Falabella, his family, GM Adrian Luna and the staff of Falabella Family Bistro, my favorite new restaurant to open in Wesley Chapel in 2021. Steve also managed to open his second local pizza place â 900Âș New York Pizza â adjacent to the Bistro in The Grove, all while turning the Bistro into the favorite Italian restaurant in The Chap. With delicious Italian specialties like beef short rib ragu, Samâs meatballs and the spaghetti with white clam sauce shown above, plus amazing desserts (amazing cheesecakes, tiramisu, etc.) by Evelyn Barreno of 7 Layers Bakery, if the Bistro adds a fresh fish dish other than salmon to the regular menu (I loved the mahi-mahi special), the Bistro could move up in my ratings.   Â
5 — FLORIDA AVE. BREWING CO. 2029 Arrowgrass Dr. (813) 452-6333 Although the menu is missing some of our favorite items, what remains available at Florida Ave. Brewing Co. still keeps it near the top of my rankings. And, with the opening of what may be the largest microbrewery in Florida in 2021, Florida Ave. is only getting more popular. The restaurantâs cutely named specialty burgers are tasty, but you can still order a plain bacon cheeseburger with fresh veggies (photo) â and you wonât regret it. Florida Ave. also has crispy wings, a great chicken club sandwich and popular Korean-style bibimbap bowls (now available with a variety of protein options, from chicken and bulgogi shaved prime rib to salmon and vegan Beyond burger), plus beers, ales, hard seltzers and ciders and a full-liquor bar.Â
7 — BLUEFIN JAPANESE RESTAURANT 6034 Wesley Grove Blvd. (813) 803-4709 Based on the rankings shown on this page, BlueFin was my second favorite new restaurant to open in Wesley Chapel in 2021. It also qualified as my second favorite Asian restaurant in Wesley Chapel, behind Zukku-San. And for good reason. This newcomer offers completely different takes on its large sushi and sashimi menu, and its gyoza dumplings (photo), and veggie tempura, soft shell crab, chicken teriyaki and steak fried rice are all outstanding. We also really enjoy the hibachi-style filet mignon, chicken and scallops, the fried pork or chicken katsu and the overall vibe of the place, which is located directly next door to Treble Makers in The Grove. Thereâs also a great variety of beer, wine and sake.Â
8 — OMARIâS GRILL Lexington Oaks Golf Club 26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd. (813) 907-7270 Omariâs Grill at the Lexington Oaks Golf Club may have dropped a little in my rankings this year, but not because the quality of the food has slipped at all. The problem is that, like many restaurants nationwide, Omariâs has greatly reduced the number of choices on its menu, including several of mine and Jannahâs favorites. The good news is that you can still get co-owner/chef Anass El-Omariâs perfect grilled mahi-mahi topped with mango salsa, crispy, but tender chicken parmigiana, filet mignon with cream sauce and Cajun pasta with andouille sausage, but only as Friday night dinner specials. The burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches (photo, right), wings and salads on the regular menu are all as good as youâll find here.
9 — TOP SHELFÂ SPORTS LOUNGE AdventHealth Center Ice 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd. (813) 953-1032 When Top Shelf first opened at what is now called AdventHealth Center Ice, it was a best-kept secret as far as being a place with great food and a rockinâ full-liquor bar scene for watching Tampa Bay Lightning games. Well, the word is out now, as Top Shelf is almost always packed, especially for Bolts games, but the food is still outstanding. Top Shelf still has some of the best wings, burgers and bar food around (you can even get delicious mixed veggies as a side), and has added new menu items like the brisket quesadilla (pictured) and ahi tuna and Havana bowls. The true Canadian-style poutines are super-popular, as are the craft beers from owner Keelan Cottleâs own 81Bay Brewing.
Patrick Paterson and Brianna Miranda are proud to serve you a hard-to-find beer in a traditional beer stein (above) at Mr. Dunderbakâs. (Photo: Charmaine George)
1. Mr. Dunderbakâs 14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (813) 977-4104 Dunderbaks.com
When J.B. Ellis bought Mr. Dunderbakâs 25 years ago, it had just six beers on draught and he says the first thing he did was get rid of the Natural Ice and Bud Light. Donât be shocked.
He replaced those popular favorites at other bars, and expanded the bar, with the kinds of beers you would expect in a European pub: a variety of English, Belgian and German lagers, just for starters. You could argue, by the cases and cases of beers throughout, that the joint looks like a beer hoarder had moved in to live there.
When Ellis moved the bar/restaurant from its original space in University Square Mall to its current location on BBD, he cut a hole in the wall of what used to be a hair salon next door and added an in-house brewery, âso I could brew things I want to brew.â
The wide and traditional selection of beers, along with a quirky and comforting setting and a menu featuring German goodies like sandwiches, sausages and schnitzels that draw in big crowds, make it New Tampaâs best bar this year (at least, according to our readers), despite the fact it only offers beer and wine and no hard liquor.
A charming curmudgeon, Ellis is definitely old school. He was at ground zero of the craft and home beer explosion in Tampa Bay, and offers more beers (500+) that you canât find anywhere else than anyone else in the New Tampa, including favorites like Hacker Pschorr and many others.
âYour chances of finding a candy corn-flavored, lactose-infused cookie dough bull—- beer is just not going to happen here,â he says.
Which is why he proudly sells T-shirts that say âBeer Flavored Beerâ on them at his popular location.
Of all the winning restaurants and bars in this yearâs survey, no one has a better Google rating than Mr. Dunederbakâs â an impressive 4.8 out of 5 stars average, with more than 2,000 reviews.
Our readers are definitely among those who agree. â JCC
Although it hasnât always finished as high with our readers for Favorite Bar as it has for Favorite Restaurant in New Tampa (including this year), one of the highest compliments you can pay the local location of this mini-chain is that there may be no more New Tampa crowd at any bar in our area year after year than at Stonewood Grill & Tavern.
The drinks arenât cheap, but neither are they overpriced, and many locals (including Jannah and yours truly) prefer to dine at the bar instead of the more private tables and booths in the main dining area.
Part of the reason for that is the crowd itself â which is usually made up of Stonewoodâs well-dressed regulars â but itâs also because of the outstanding service provided by the always-attentive bartenders. In other words, Stonewood is your place for great food, drinks and conversation. â GN
3. Fat Rabbit Pub 16029 Tampa Palms Blvd. W. (813) 252-3004 FatRabbitPub.com
There arenât too many things that The Fat Rabbit Pub does wrong, hitting the triple crown of bar services â great food, great bar and a relaxing and clean atmosphere. It caters to both drinkers and eaters, and a plethora of TVs makes it a perfect place to catch a game after work.
The Fat Rabbit has a wide variety of beers, the lineup being regularly tweaked with craft and local beers, as well as a full offering of premium liquor and wine. It may also be the sharpest-looking bar in town.
When it comes to food, Fat Rabbit, which was the No. 4 overall favorite restaurant last year (#11 this year), can make the case for having both the best (and widest variety of) wings, as well as the best burgers in New Tampa. Oh, and the tater tots (try the New Tampa Truffle) are a treat, too.
The Fat Rabbit isnât an entertainment venue, but its food, drinks (try a bourbon flight) and service are outstanding. â JCC
The rest of your Favorite Bar in NT top 10: (4) Glory Days (5) Acropolis (6) Via Italia (7) Peabodyâs (8) Chiliâs (9) Bayscape (T10) Red Lobster and Olive Garden.Â
Two Wesley Chapel residents were killed Wednesday afternoon in a two-car accident on S.R. 56, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
According the the FHP report, the driver of a 2017 Nissan Rogue was traveling eastbound on S.R. 56 when it turned left at the intersection of Lajuana Blvd. It was struck by a 2017 Honda Accord driven by a 17-year-old from Wesley Chapel driving westbound.
Upon impact, the Nissan Rogue overturned. A 52-year-old man — who was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle — and a 56-year-old woman (who was wearing a seatbelt and removed from the vehicle by a passersby) suffered fatal injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The 17-year-old was wearing a seatbelt and is seriously injured.
According to a GoFundMe page set up by Mindy Gammage, those killed in the accident were Jody and Johnna Seifert, and they were the victims of “reckless street racing.” The GoFundMe page urges people to “please take two minutes to discuss with your children the dire importance of safe driving.”
The initial FHP report makes no mention of any speeding. The report does ask that any witnesses to this crash contact the FHP by calling 813-558-1800.
The GoFundMe page says the Seiferts are the parents of three children: a son, and two daughters that graduated from Wiregrass Ranch High. Johnna Seifert was the social media marketing manager at Fox Hollow Golf Club in Trinity and owned Johnna Seifert Photography, which specialized in golf events. Jody Seifert was the executive director of XUDE Hospitality, a property management company.
Camila Jaramillo (left), Maria Burbano and Melissa Acosta serving up chips and salsa, the popular chicken fajitas and a steak burrito during lunch at Cantina Mexican Grill & Bar.
1. Cantina 10032 Cross Creek Blvd (813) 406-4856
Owner Yecid Cardenas opened Cantina Mexican Grill & Bar six years ago with the idea of filling what he saw as a hole in New Tampaâs dining options with a fusion of old Mexican cuisine with what he says is ânew eraâ Mexican cuisine. After some mixed results when he first opened, Cardenas now has achieved one of his goals:
Cantina is this yearâs top choice with our readers in the Latin category of our annual survey.
Cantina rose to the top of the charts this year with an improved and packed menu, and the consistency also was much improved. Cardenas also says many more people were exposed to the restaurant (which is tucked away behind a Shell station on the corner of Cross Creek Blvd. and Kinnan St.) due to a pandemic-influenced increase in to-go orders, and more customers equaled more votes.
âWe try to do the same thing every day,â he says. âWe want to be consistent. These are âGrandmaâ flavors here, with new era fusion.â
The menu is extensive and varied. One of the stars of the menu is the 12 oz. ribeye served up a handful of different ways â you can get it topped with ranchero chile sauce or chorizo and fries, for example. The carne asada steak is another of the most popular dishes, along with the fajitas, and of course, the tacos and burritos. There are a host a seafood choices available, as well.
A bar with 12 different Mexican beers and, of course, tasty margaritas, complement your meal, which according to our readers, is the best Latin choice around. â JCC
Las Palmas has now had two locations in New Tampa â three if you count the food truck it currently is operating out of after a fire late in late 2021 damaged its County Line Rd. store â and it has always remained something of an under-the-radar local favorite, thanks to its award-winning Cuban sandwiches and a variety of delicious Latin-infused pork and chicken dishes.
For a large chain, Tijuana Flats has a pretty simple recipe but is regarded for having some pretty good food. The regular burritos and dos tacos (hard or soft shell) are good, the nachos are enough for two and the chicken tinga burritios and tacos have a little extra kick.
Speaking of a little kick, one of the fun things about Tijuana Flats is the wide variety of different salsas, which are always worth trying out and comparing.
Locals also are raving about Tijuana Flatsâ new wings, available with red chili rub, âbanginââ sauce, chipotle BBQ and smack jalapeño lime varieties.
Although tucked away off Bruce B. Downs Blvd., just north of I-75 in Highwoods Preserve, Tijuana Flats continues to draw a good local crowd, and is always a fun spot to be on Cinco de Mayo. â JCCÂ
The rest of the 2021 Latin Favorites with our readers: (4) Chipotle (5) Lima (6) Don Julio (7) Moeâs (8) Chiliâs (9) Cross Creek DeliÂ
