Vuelo Mexican Grill Is Taking Flight On Bruce B. Downs Blvd.!

I guess I was just about the only one who actually really liked the old Señor T’s, the original Mexican concept restaurant opened by owner Tom Reynolds in Nov. 2015 in the former location of Romano’s Macaroni Grill on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., next to Chili’s Grill & Bar.

Even though Señor T’s closed only nine months or so later (in Aug. 2016), I was kind of addicted to the unique mahi-mahi fajitas. Few people in our area believed that Reynolds shut down to revamp, but revamp he did, and on October 25 of last year, Reynolds and an all-new crew brought in by Carol Daniel and Dennis Borders of Chicago-based Levy Restaurants opened the new Vuelo Mexican Grill.

Reynolds and company are hoping that the now-four-month-old Vuelo, which means “flight” in Spanish, will take flight in New Tampa. Daniel and Borders brought in celebrity chef consultant Mark Estee — a former James Beard award semifinalist for “Best Chef in the West” for his Campo restaurant in Reno, NV — to completely overhaul the menu, and award-winning Reno-based architect Larry Henry to improve the interior.

Since then, Reynolds has hired new general manager and head chef Michael Lopez, fresh off a three-year stint as the food and beverage director at Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club in Dade City, to maintain quality control in the kitchen and to also make sure the “front of the house” runs smoothly.

Estee (who appeared on a recent episode of WCNT-tv on YouTube) and Lopez have been working together to keep Vuelo as a “scratch kitchen” and Lopez says that about 90-percent of what comes out of the kitchen is made in-house. “Ultimately, we will be closer to 98 percent from scratch,” Lopez says. “The only things we won’t make are our own mayonnaise and our own breads, but all of our chips, salsas and entrées are made here.”

Speaking of salsas, one of the focal points for Vuelo is the new fresh salsa bar, which has about seven different salsas (from roasted maize verde to hot Tomas to mild Luis), plus fresh lemon, lime, cilantro and jalapeños to spice your salsa your way.

“And yes, chips and salsa are absolutely free at Vuelo,” says Reynolds, who took a lot of heat locally for charging for chips and salsa at Señor T’s. “We want to be a long-term player in New Tampa, so we know we have to keep our customers happy.”

And, that customer base is growing. Lopez says that, thanks in large part to advertising in the Neighborhood News. “We were absolutely slammed on Valentine’s Day,” he says. “I know we had some people who weren’t happy about their wait times, but we had more than 300 people in here on that Tuesday night.”

OK, So What About The Food?

All this talk about new people is great, but for most of us, what matters most at any new restaurant is the food and I have to say that I think Reynolds, Estee and Lopez are on to something.

My favorite dish at Vuelo is the bubbling filet mignon molcajete, which is served bubbling hot in a lava rock bowl with chunks of tender filet, potatoes and sautéed veggies and a deliciously zesty peppercorn gravy. There’s also a seafood molcajete I can’t eat with shrimp, scallops and snapper. I may have to try it without the shrimp someday.

Lopez also is proud to announce that, due to customer demand, the sizzling asada platters the restaurant opened with have now been replaced by some absolutely excellent chicken, steak and shrimp fajitas, for just $15 or pick a combo of any two of those items for just $17. The chicken fajitas pictured above are thick slices of tender chicken breast with some of the best onions and peppers you’ll find anywhere and basted in and topped with a savory lime butter. Yum!

Also added to the menu since Vuelo opened are the Vuelo wings served in your choice of sauce — traditional fire hot, chipotle BBQ glaze or mojo Cubano. I haven’t sampled them yet, but you can bet I will…soon.

Other Vuelo favorites so far in our office include the trio of “street” tacos, available with pork carnitas, barbacoa beef, achiote chicken and our favorite, the fried or blackened fish. We also love the chicken quesadillas and the enchiladas. We haven’t yet sampled the burritos that Lopez says he will bring to this year’s Taste of New Tampa (see pages 34-39). Vuelo’s marketing director Suzanne Deveney says many Yelp reviews have called the burritos “the best in town.”

I really love Vuelo’s beautiful bar area, which is stocked with a wide variety of Mexican beers in bottles (try the Victoria beer), some of the world’s most famous tequilas and a nice selection of fresh fruit margaritas. Even the Casa ‘Ritas on the rocks are potent and absolutely delicious.

There are great specials almost every day, including five mini tacos for $5 Mon.-Fri., from opening til 6 p.m.; and one kid eats free every day 4 p.m.-6 p.m. (with each purchase of an adult entrée at full price).  There’s DJ dance music on Vuelo’s covered patio on Taco Tuesday nights (when two tacos & a draft beer or Casarita cost just $6), and on Fajitarita Friday, you get a free Casa ‘Rita or glass of house wine with any fajita purchase. There’s also a great weekend brunch menu on Sat. & Sun., with bottomless mimosas or bloody Marys/Marias for only $10 per person. Brunch starts at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays.

“We get a nice crowd for UFC fights, too,” Lopez says with a smile.

Vuelo Mexican Grill is located at 17641 BBD and is open every day for lunch and dinner. For more information, call 972-4800 or visit VueloMexicanGrill.com.

Academy At The Lakes — An Independent Option For Students

Students at Academy at the Lakes on Collier Pkwy. in Land O’Lakes receive top-quality academics and have opportunities to participate in school sports, theatre and other programs.

Wesley Chapel families considering an independent school option for their children’s education will find everything they’re looking for at Academy at the Lakes (AATL) on Collier Pkwy., near S.R. 54 in Land O’Lakes.

Consisting of two campuses on opposite sides of Collier Pkwy., AATL has a PreK 3-Grade 12 curriculum geared towards college preparation. Head of School Mark Heller says the day-to-day school experience at AATL develops more than academic knowledge.

“We have very strong academics, but so much more,” says Heller, who has been Head of School for 10 of AATL’s 25-years of existence. “We equip students with a set of skills that will last them for the rest of their lives.”

Heller adds that emphasizing things like good manners and even just mastering the basic handshake prepares students to interact easily and effectively with the world beyond AATL. He refers to this part of the school’s routine as its “hidden curriculum.”

“Our hidden curriculum helps build confidence and confidence builds success,” Heller says.

One way that schools, independent as well as public, measure student success is how many of their graduates who apply to college are accepted. According to information provided by AATL’s marketing office, that figure is 100 percent for the years 2014-16, with $7 million in scholarships offered for that same period.

Ryan O’Malley is a Class of 2017 AATL graduating senior with a mailbox full of college acceptance letters from Florida State, Central Florida and others. He says is waiting to hear from UCLA and Notre Dame before making a decision. O’Malley gives much of the credit to AATL‘s college counseling program that emphasizes applying to schools that match a student’s interests, talents and academic achievement.

“They helped me learn where I fit best when it comes to  deciding which college to go to,” says O’Malley.

As far as his educational experience at AATL, O’Malley cites the benefit of the school’s  smaller class sizes than he encountered while attending the public King High in the Hillsborough County School District.

“The teachers here really get to know you,” O’Malley says.

According to Heller, that’s the way it is supposed to work.

“Everyone has different gifts and a huge job of our school is to bring out those gifts,’’ he says. “It’s an awesome and wonderful task.”

Director of admissions & marketing Penny Rogers cites a 14-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio (for elementary through high school grades; the ratio for PreK3-Kindergarten is only 8-to-1) as a factor in creating a nurturing learning environment.

“Your child will not get lost here,” says Rogers, who lives in Wesley Chapel and has two daughters attending AATL, which has 460 students in all of its grades. “We want (each of our) students to find (his/her) passion.”

It Starts With Academics

To help each student find his or her passion, AATL offers a rigorous curriculum with a wide assortment of honors classes and is a College Board-approved Advanced Placement Capstone school, a trademarked educational program. High school students can participate in Capstone to develop their skills and talents through exploration and research of academic and real-world issues.

Students interested in technology will find plenty of options with AATL’s Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics program (STEM), which begins with the youngest students in PreK3, who, if they haven’t encountered an iPad before, will as part of their Academy education. Other science and technology educational opportunities include a substantial robotics program, explorations of Lake Myrtle in the school’s recently purchased pontoon boat, a semester-long medical seminar, experiential trips to the Amazon rain forest and opportunities to compete in science and math competitions.

Artistic exploration and expression is promoted at all grade levels. In addition to classroom instruction in studio and performing arts, there are theatrical productions and musical concerts in which to gain on-stage experience. Literature is celebrated with events like Poetry Camp, where students gather before a video-recorded campfire, snack on s’mores and read aloud poetry ranging from the classics, such as the works of Rudyard Kipling, to student compositions written in observance of Black History Month.   

As an independent school, AATL’s teachers are able to focus on things other than standardized testing. Upper division English teacher Kim Vreeland, who also has taught in public schools in Pasco, Leon and Palm Beach counties, says teaching at an independent school allows her to tailor her instruction to accommodate the needs of her students.

“To be able to connect with each child is important,” says Vreeland, a Lexington Oaks resident. “To do that, I adjust how I deal with each student. We want to get the best out of every student and let them become the best version of themselves.”

That approach to education is appreciated by Sue Maxwell, whose 5th grade daughter has been a student at AATL for three years.

“We chose Academy at the Lakes because we felt that it was the best fit for our daughter,” says Maxwell. “It is a wonderful place for learning. The teachers are fair, supportive and most importantly, encouraging.”

Athletics & More!

AATL also has an active and successful athletics program. The school is a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) and has 40 middle school, junior varsity and varsity teams in 14 sports, including football, cheerleading, basketball and volleyball.

The school was the 2014-15 winner of the Carey E. McDonald award as Florida’s top Class 2A high school sports program and, this year, the AATL Wildcats began competing in the Class 3A division. There is a no-cut policy for all teams and more than 70 percent of AATL’s students in grades 5 through 12 participate in at least one school sport.

Community involvement is another feature of AATL student life. The school participates in food drives and other community outreach activities with organizations like Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa.

Heller says AATL fulfills its role as an educational resource for the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa communities by keeping in mind words at the heart of the school’s mission statement.

“We celebrate the love of learning and the joy in the journey,” he says.

AATL is accredited by the  Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS),  by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and by the Florida Kindergarten Council (FKC).

Academy at the Lakes’ middle and upper schools are located at 2331 Collier Pkwy.; grades PreK3 through 12 are located at 2220 Collier Pkwy. For more information, or, to schedule a tour, visit AcademyAtTheLakes.org or email admissions@academyatthelakes.org. The phone number is 909-7919.

Nibbles & Bytes

So Much Building In Wesley Chapel!

In the past few weeks alone in Wesley Chapel — New Tampa’s neighbor just north of the Pasco County line — we have seen the opening of Florida Hospital Center Ice, the groundbreaking ceremony for the first Crystal Lagoon to be built in the U.S. and the green light given by Pasco County’s Board of County Commissioners for the 7,800-acre “Connected City”.

A couple of weeks before those big events, the Williams Automotive Group (which also owns Wesley Chapel Toyota, Wesley Chapel Honda and Tampa Honda on N. Florida Ave.) broke ground on its newest dealership — the 60,000-sq.-ft. Lexus of Wesley Chapel, located just south of Wesley Chapel Toyota, adjacent to I-75.

Brothers David and John Williams, honored as the WCCC’s Business Leaders of the Year for 2015, held a private groundbreaking ceremony for the Lexus dealership, which is being built quickly. We hope to have more information about when the dealership is expected to open in time for our next issue.

Very close to the Lexus dealership, Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen was hiring its staff at our press time and could be open around the same time this issue reaches your mailbox. We also got word that a second Wesley Chapel Chick-fil-A was being built near the Walgreens on S.R. 54 at BBD. The land next to the pharmacy has been cleared for some time; we’ll let you know when it goes vertical.

Meanwhile, the pace of new businesses popping up is even faster and more furious along S.R. 56 — especially around the Tampa Premium Outlets — than it is on S.R. 54. The first buildings on the north side of 56 across from the outlet mall are getting very close, as Pollo Tropical is nearly as close to opening as is Popeye’s, Ford’s Garage is likely a few weeks behind those two and Panda Express  is at least 1-2 months behind those three.

Further east on S.R. 56, the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, next to FHCI, is now taking reservations and another hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn, has gone vertical on Silver Maple Pkwy. off 56, next to the TD Bank near Texas Roadhouse.

Taste Of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel To Rock Florida Hospital Center Ice!

Dress Warm! The Coolest Event Ever Will Be Held At The Coolest Venue Ever — Saturday, March 18, Noon-4 p.m!

The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) was no longer interested in putting on any more big events. The New Tampa Rotary Club just happened to be looking for one.

So, with a little bit of gentle negotiations, the Taste of New Tampa — formerly a New Tampa Chamber of Commerce fund raiser that was inherited by the WCCC when the two chambers merged in 2014 — fell back in New Tampa’s mouth…errr, hands.

“They had an asset, meaning the trademark for the Taste of New Tampa, and it was a great opportunity for us as a club to take on that trademark,’’ says Karen Frashier, the president-elect of the New Tampa Rotary and chair of the 21st (but now-renamed) “Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel.”

Scheduled for Saturday, March 18, noon-4 p.m., at the new Florida Hospital Center Ice, this year’s Taste has the potential to be the best one ever.

Why? Here are our top five reasons you should attend the 2017 “Taste”:

1. IT’S INDOORS!

If you attended many of the previous 20 Tastes, chances are there was at least a time or two when you cursed out the weather. Whether you were soaked by the rain or just drenched in your own sweat, being held outdoors sometimes made the food spectacular a crapshoot.

But, you’ll want to wear an extra layer of clothing for this one.

You won’t be standing directly on ice — but it will be beneath the rink’s special “sports court” floor — and the temperature inside the FHCI will be below 60 degrees.

You’ll be dry from any rain, though, and you can leave the sunscreen at home. Hurrah!

2. THE FOOD!

The last Taste in 2013, due to the threat of torrential  rain, ended up having fewer than 20 restaurants show up. This year’s event already has 41 signed up, with a month to go. According to our own Gary Nager, the restaurant chair for the 2017 “Taste”, there are another dozen or so still interested in participating at our deadline, so you might just have the choice of sampling food and adult beverages from more than 50 restaurants and beverage providers when it’s all said and done.

Your choices cover just about the whole spectrum of categories. Arroy Thai, Cantina Laredo, Dempsey’s Steak House, Latin Twist Cafe, Little Italy’s, OTB Delights Cafe, Paramount Lebanese Kitchen, Pepe’s Cuban Cafe and Union 72 are among the many participating at our press time.

And, organizers didn’t forget about your sweet tooth, as Blondie’s Cookies, La Berry Yogurt & Ice Cream, 7 Layers Bakery, Happy Cow Frozen Yogurt and The Cake Girl are among those that will be dishing out desserts. For a complete list, check out pages 34-39 of our latest New Tampa issue, or pages 40-45 of our upcoming Wesley Chapel issue.

3. IT’S FOR A GOOD CAUSE

The New Tampa Rotary Club supports a lot of worthwhile causes, and much of the money raised at The Taste will help the club support about 25-30 nonprofits in this area. The Rotary’s signature project is Feeding America Tampa Bay, so four mobile food pantries in the USF area, Meals on Wheels and the club’s meal-packing events – to which the club devotes $10,000-14,000 annually — will benefit.

“We saw (the Taste) as a great potential fund raiser for the nonprofits that we support,” Frashier says.

Also, 10 percent of the net proceeds will be provided to the WCCC to be used for scholarships for area high school students. The WCCC already gives out mutliple scholarships to students at Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch high schools, but now, thanks to The Taste, you can add Freedom and Wharton to that list, too.

4. THE ENTERTAINMENT

The Taste continues to add new stuff every week, but you can plan on checking out the Wiregrass Ranch drumline, the Bob Thompson Trio and the New Tampa Players, a local acting troupe that plans to perform a medley of Broadway hits, including some from the group’s latest production of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” 

Frashier also said that all of the sponsors will have tables, and FHCI will offer open skating plus hockey, figure skating and perhaps even curling demonstrations.

There will be an area set up for kids to work on projects, and a trophy presentation at the end of the event — The People’s Choice Awards, where the public can vote on the tastiest food (or beverage) they sampled during the day. The top three vote-getters will win the “People’s Choice” awards.

5. GEORGE STELLA 

Famous low-carb chef George Stella may not be the Godfather of the low-carb lifestyle – that’s still Dr. Atkins – but he’s pretty close.

Stella will be on hand, and we hear he will be showing everyone how he makes two of his more popular dishes — Anaheim Shrimp Scampi and Plant City Strawberry Shortcake Martinis.

Stella, who once weighed 467 pounds before dropping 250 by cutting out carbs, hosts “Low-Carb And Loving It” on the Food Network, and his most recent book — Low Carb Essentials — sold out in two days on QVC, Frashier said.

He will be signing copies of the book at The Taste, so if you need to drop a few pounds, the day after this event may sound like a good time to start.

For ticket and volunteer info for the 2017 Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel, visit TasteOfNewTampa.org.

Viera Talks Veterans & More With Both New Tampa Rotary Clubs

Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera talks to the New Tampa Noon Rotary Club on Feb. 15.

Recently elected District 7 Tampa City Councilman and New Tampa resident Luis Viera, two months into his new job of replacing Lisa Montelione on the council, is continuing to make his rounds in New Tampa.

Last week, Viera spoke before the New Tampa Noon Rotary as well as the Rotary Club of New Tampa, filling in club members about some of his goals in his new position.

The most interesting tidbits Viera shared involved the potential creation of a North Tampa Veterans Association, while also suggesting that plans for the long-delayed Hunter’s Lake project may be close to being filed.

Viera, the attorney with Ogden Sullivan who defeated Jim Davison in a hotly-contested runoff election in December, said he recently met with developers, who told him that plans may be filed by April for the project located directly across from the entrance to Hunter’s Green that will be home to the New Tampa Cultural Center, apartments, a restaurant and a green grocer — which Viera said he has heard would likely be either a Trader Joe’s or a Whole Foods.

Viera added that he is hoping developers choose a non-chain restaurant to fill the space.

“Hunter’s Lake is a project that is necessary and important to the area, and I’m ready to fight for it,’’ Viera said.

Viera also is hoping to put together some area leadership groups, first and foremost a North Tampa Veterans Council. An informational meeting has been scheduled for Sunday, March 19 at 12:45 p.m. at the New Tampa Library.

He says New Tampa has a large contingent of veterans living in the area, and combined with the close proximity to the University of South Florida and the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., it’s only natural the area should support veterans through a council.

Viera’s hope is that regional connections can be made with other veterans group, and a council would not only help foster patriotism but also help craft an identity for all of North Tampa.

Although Viera said he is still months away from putting together a council, another of his projects is already seeing results, he says.

His recent area tour with code enforcement has already helped reduce the number of tractor trailers that typically park in the Muvico Starlight 20 parking lot in Highwoods Preserve, and he hopes to see the same results at the former Sweetbay Supermarket across BBD from Muvico.

Some other topics Viera touched on:

Tampa Fire Station No. 23, which will be built on County Line Rd. between LA Fitness and BBD, could break ground in April.

Viera also told the Rotarians that the Kinnan St.-Mansfield Blvd. dead-end is still on his list of items to tackle, and (as a member of the MPO Board) that the idea of a East-West road that was nixed in 2008 but still in the Tampa Hillsborough MPO’s 2025 Long Range Transportation Plan could be revived.

Viera said he would like to see a Veterans Park built in New Tampa. He also visited the New Tampa Recreation Center in Tampa Palms, where he was told the waiting list for gymnastics is 2,400 students long.