Acropolis Adds Greek Brunch To One Of Our Area’s Favorite Places

acropolis-wafflesEVERY year around this time, we always seem to be writing something about Acropolis Greek Taverna, located in the Oak Ramble Plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., south of Tampa Palms in New Tampa, only 15-20 minutes (despite the traffic on BBD) from most of Wesley Chapel.

The reason is simple — Acropolis is always highly rated among our readers in our Annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest (results to be announced in our December 16 issue) and usually even higher-rated when I tell you my favorites for the year in our January 13, 2017 issue.

Never resting on its already-impressive laurels (it also recently was voted the Best Greek Restaurant by its peers in a recent Tampa magazine survey), Acropolis, which now has five Tampa Bay-area locations (including South Tampa, Ybor City, St. Pete and Riverview as well as the BBD location) continues to add new menu items.

The most recent additions are a new Ouzo mussels appetizer, a new feta cheese dip called Tirokafteri, a new Castoria chopped salad with chicken (none of which are pictured here) and an all-new weekend brunch menu.

I’ll be honest and say that, at our press time, the brunch was so new that I haven’t had time to sample any of the new items before we went to press. But, rest assured, I wacropolis-brunch-tableill. After all, this is one restaurant that never disappoints with its Greek cuisine, so I expect that the brunch items — like waffles, omelettes and baklava crepes — will also be outstanding and not overpriced, just like the rest of owner Sam Waez and general manager Tarek Armoush’s New Tampa menu.

The brunch, which is served Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., also is offered with bottomless champagne or mimosas for just $15 per person and $5 Bloody Marys. That alone is enough to make me want to sample it this weekend.

And of course, Acropolis — which has consistently been ranked in yours truly’s top-three restaurants in New Tampa every year since it opened — still has so many of my favorites (and yours) that it’s always a pleasure to write about the place.

The restaurant’s elegant bar area has been revamped a couple of times and of course, there’s what I call Greek-line-dancing servers and bartenders, entertainment and lots of plate-breaking every weekend evening.

So, here are some of my favorite dishes. For starters, you can’t beat Acropolis’ Greek salad. Although the zesty dressing is more of a creamy vinaigrette than a traditional oil-and-vinegar Greek dressing, it’s a perfect complement for the salad. The spinach dip appetizer is served with these amazingly crisp Lavash crackers and topped with Tirosalata, which is another feta-based dip with garlic, oregano and olive oil. More adventurous tastes will enjoy the grilled octopus appetizer and the delightfully different fried calamari. And yes, there’s still house-made hummus, baba ghanouj, tabbouleh salad, dolmades and even a great Saganaki appetizer, which is grilled Kefalograviera cheese flambéed with Cognac that is as much fun to eat as it is yummy.

If you’re into pastitsio, or Greek-style lasagne, Acropolis offers it with meat or without and both are excellent. There’s alsobest-gyro-tampa mousaka, which is similar to pastitsio, but with potatoes and eggplant.

Favorite Entrées


My two favorite entrées at Acropolis haven’t changed since the place opened. The grilled Greek-style lamb chops are always tender and tasty — they rank up there with the best lamb chops in our area — and the pan-fried Athenian fish is simply to die for.

The Athenian fish is flaky and white and comes with a crispy coating, topped by a small dollop of homemade pesto. I always order an extra side of the pesto because, really, how can anyone spread that one dollop out enough to give you pesto in every bite without it?

My only “complaint” about these entrées is that they’re always served with the same grilled veggies — primarily zucchini and squash with onions. I’ve asked Tarek to maybe add sautéed spinach or broccoli to the mix or at least offer a few other veggie options to go with these superb main dishes.

I’m also partial to the steak and chicken shish kabob entrées, especially the tenderloin medallions. There’s also a Greek meatballs entrée, as well as dolmades, a mixed grill (with steak and chicken kabobs, pork souvlaki and gyro meat), as well as the chicken Santorini (sautéed tenders in a creamy Santorini lemon wine sauce mixed with mushrooms, onions, pesto, green and red peppers over penne pasta, topped with shaved parmesan cheese), chicken Manitari (which is sort of Acropolis’ own Alfredo-style pasta) and chicken Rhodes, which is grilled chicken breast in a lemon white wine sauce with artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and olives, topped with crumbled feta.

My other fish favorites include the Psari mahi-mahi (blackened and topped with pesto and red peppers) and the grilled, fresh, whole red snapper (although it is messy to eat) . Other seafood entrées include charbroiled Siros salmon, a mixed seafood pasta and shrimp Mykonos (sautéed in a creamy lemon wine sauce), but of course, I can’t eat shrimp because I’m allergic to it, so I can’t personally vouch for these last two choices.

There’s also a nice selection of unique wrap and other sandwiches on the menu, as well as gyro, pork and chicken souvlaki platters. I don’t usually order a sandwich at Acropolis, but I have enjoyed their American burgers (there’s even a Crete burger topped with feta), as well as the Athenian fish, mahi-mahi and fried Fira fish sandwiches. Other sandwiches and wraps on the menu include the Mediterranean chicken wrap (with spinach  leaves, onions, grapes and candied walnuts), a (vegetarian) falafel wrap and the Thessaloniki wrap (another choice for vegetarians), which has Mediterranean roasted vegetables, sliced feta and hummus.

For those who enjoy a glass of wine with their meal, Acropolis has a nice variety of unique Greek red and white wines, as well as popular choices like a malbec, a chardonnay, multiple sparkling options and a cabernet sauvignon. Please ask for samples of the Greek wines; I know you’ll find one to your liking.

Acropolis also features a nice kids menu, with options like pizza, meatballs, chicken skewers and a kids gyro or chicken gyro.

And, save room for dessert, because Acropolis has some great ones, although my favorite is probably the baklava cheesecake.

  Acropolis Greek Taverna’s New Tampa location is open every day for lunch (and weekend brunch) and dinner and is located at 14947 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., at the north end of the Oak Ramble Plaza.

For more information, call 971-1787, visit DineGreek.com or Facebook/DineGreekinNewTampa. And, don’t forget to check the website for Acropolis’ other great locations, including the newest one opening soon in Sarasota.

Avalon Park West Continues To Build On Its ‘Small Town Feel’

Home buyers looking for the convenience and amenities that a mixed-use master-planned community offers may find what they’re looking for at Avalon Park West (APW), located five miles east of I-75 at S.R. 54 and River Glen Blvd. in Wesley Chapel. APW is part of the New River Township Development of Regional Impact (DRI), which is undergoing review for a revision requested by the developer, Avalon Park Group, to distinguish APW from the existing New River community.

If approved by Pasco County, the project’s eventual size of about 1,400 acres and 4,400 single-family homes and multi-family units, means the APW development is large in size, but the streets lined with homes featuring spacious front porches and set-back garages give it a “small town feel.”

The landscaping emphasizes natural features such as ponds and trails, while the amenities center offers a clubhouse, pool and playground. Frequent special events like movie nights provide recreation for residents. For people who just want to relax, yoga classes are available.

With New River Elementary within walking distance, as well as plans for a K-12 charter school, an assisted living facility, and plans for a future downtown area with 680,000 sq. ft. of retail and office space, APW is — according to marketing manager AnaLee Rodriguez — a community where residents, “live, learn, work and play.”

Rodriguez says Avalon Park Group has a clear vision of what the project should be.

“We’re building a small town,” says Rodriguez. “You can grow up in this community, go to school, work, start (and raise) a family here and, with the assisted living facility, you can even have older members of the family live nearby.”

The first phase of APW, known as Cypress Village, consists of 317 single-family homes. Builders for the first phase are Beazer Homes, Avex Homes, and D.R. Horton, which has already completed its involvement in Cypress Village.

Avex and Beazer are still building and selling homes on lots in 45-foot and 55-foot widths. Some floor plans have flexibility in how they can be configured, ranging from a 1,697 square-foot, single-story home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a two-car garage (listed at $216,990), to a two-story home priced at $289,990 for 2,974 square feet of living space that includes four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and a two-car garage. Homeowners association (HOA) and community development district (CDD) fees combined start at about $2,000 per year, based upon the home you purchase.

Home features vary by builder and model, but examples available include 50-gallon water heaters, high-efficiency HVAC systems, Energy Star-rated appliances, pre-wired security systems, ceramic tile flooring in wet areas and irrigation systems.

For residents like Jefson and Candice Louis, living at APW with their two children means more than having a nice home with a front porch view of the world.

“The community is family oriented with lots of activities,” says Jefson, who cites APW’s annual Fourth of July celebration as one of his favorite events. “It’s great sitting on your porch, watching the fireworks.”

Candice expresses appreciation for the neighborly attitudes of residents. “We meet together, take our children to the playground and eat together on Sunday. We have fun here.”

She’s also looking forward to the forthcoming commercial development that will complement the quiet residential area with convenient shops and services. “That’ll be a great addition,” says Candice.

Sidewalks and nature trails make APW a pedestrian-friendly community, which promotes relationships as well as exercise, according to Elisenda Lopez, whose family has lived there for about a year and a half.

“I like to walk in the neighborhood and run into my neighbors and have conversations with them,” Lopez says.

Cassandra Miranda’s family of five includes three daughters, whom she says benefit from the activities hosted by the community. “They have so many events for the kids to come out and meet each other.,” says Miranda.

‘Avalon Aglow!’

Many events at APW are not just for its residents, but are open to the general public as well, creating relationships with the greater Wesley Chapel community. In addition to summer’s Fourth of July Celebration, APW hosted last month’s third annual Wesley Chapel Jazz Festival (see pg. 3) and the public is invited to attend “Avalon Aglow” on Saturday, December 10, 5 p.m.-8 p.m., featuring food trucks, a snow slide and fireworks.

Inviting the public into the community demonstrates that while APW is designed to be self-contained, that doesn’t mean isolating the community from non-residents, according to APG senior VP Ross Halle.

“We don’t believe in separating people and things by walls,” Halle says. “We see our community as serving a much larger population than just the people who live there.”

To learn more about the homes and lifestyle offered by Avalon Park West, visit AvalonParkWest.com, see the ad on pg 15 of this issue or call 783-1515. The new information center, which should be open in December, will be located at 33613 S.R. 54. To attend a public event, go to the clubhouse area at 5227 Autumn Ridge. Dr.

WCCC Earns ‘Certified+’ Designation

The Florida Association of Chamber Professionals (FACP) had confirmed what local businesses already know:

The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) does a pretty darned good job.

The FACP gave the WCCC a “Certified Plus” Chamber of Commerce designation at it’s annual conference in Orlando Sept. 28-29.

“It was great news,’’ says WCCC CEO Hope Allen. “It’s something we have definitely been shooting for.”

Being Certified Plus means the WCCC scored better than an 86 on its certification program, which took a year to put together. More than 300 pages long, it includes items like a particular chamber’s strategic planning, procedural information, membership growth and plans for transitioning from operating as a non-profit to a regular, for-profit business.

“The Certified Chamber of Commerce program sets standards within the industry and recognizes chambers that have met those standards while offering guidelines for those to improve their effectiveness,” said Tammy C. Bracewell, the FACP  president. “In many ways, it is like the Good Housekeeping seal of approval for a chamber of commerce.”

The WCCC was one of only five chambers to receive the Certified Plus Chamber status this year, joining the Melbourne Regional Chamber, the Charlotte County Chamber, the Bay County Chamber and the Ocala/Marion County Chamber.

The WCCC was the only one in the group that achieved that honored status with their inaugural application.

There are 250 chambers of commerce in Florida, and only 14 currently have Certified Plus Chamber designation, including the Greater Tampa and Brandon chambers.

The WCCC currently has 545 members, and is having its best year to date. Since last year, the WCCC has added 72 new members.

Allen and her two-person staff have helped grow the Chamber while also promoting the Wesley Chapel area. The WCCC gives monthly economic updates to its members via an economic development briefing at Pebble Creek Golf Club and also hosts dozens of free ribbon-cutting and networking events and mixers each year, a monthly business breakfast, a “Lunch & Learn” program, and last week, the Chamber hosted a “Get Down to Business Expo & Lunch” at Saddlebrook Resort off S.R. 54, featuring guest speaker and Business Executive Coach Jayne Jenkins.

For more information about the WCCC, visit WesleyChapelChamber.com, call 994-8534, or see the story on the following page.

Florida Orthopaedic Institute Celebrates One Year In Wesley Chapel!

With 26 years of experience treating patients throughout the Tampa Bay area, the doctors and staff at Florida Orthopaedic Institute are excited about the one-year anniversary of their newest office, located in the Shoppes of Wesley Chapel on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., directly across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC).

The Wesley Chapel office is helping Florida Orthopaedic Institute meet the increasing demand for specialized orthopaedic care that can help residents of Pasco County and nearby communities stay active.

The Board-certified doctors and surgeons at Florida Orthopaedic Institute have been recognized globally for their expertise. Headquartered in North Tampa, the Wesley Chapel office is the tenth for the practice, which now serves patients in or near Bloomingdale, Brandon, Citrus Park, Northdale, Oak Hill/Brooksville, Palm Harbor, South Tampa, Sun City Center, Temple Terrace and Wesley Chapel/New Tampa.

The Wesley Chapel office offers physician services, physical therapy and X-rays. Additionally, three Board-certified physicians are on staff:

• Christopher Baker, M.D., a fellowship-trained specialist in sports medicine and shoulder reconstruction;

• Brian Palumbo, M.D., who specializes in hip and knee replacement surgery, with a focus on diagnosing and treating hip and knee arthritis, and

• Timothy Epting, D.O., who focuses on injuries and disorders of the foot and ankle and general orthopaedic conditions.

In order to maintain the highest level of orthopaedic skill, Florida Orthopaedic Institute only employs doctors who have fellowship training.

“This additional training is just part of what sets us apart,” says Dr. Baker, “especially when the sophisticated work of joints is involved. In order to keep our patients active, the precision of the treatment is paramount to success.”

Dr. Baker has been with Florida Orthopaedic Institute for three years and has practiced in the area for six. He graduated cum laude with his M.D. degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville and completed his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. His fellowship at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas (in Spartanburg, SC) gave him an extra year of study in sports medicine and shoulder reconstruction, making him the only fellowship-trained shoulder specialist in eastern Pasco County.

He also has been very influential in high school athletics, since he assisted in opening the sports medicine programs at Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills high schools. Dr. Baker also treats professional athletes and has served as the orthopaedic & sports medicine physician for the Tampa Bay Storm Arena Football League team.

In addition to caring for athletes, he also treats patients who have shoulder pain stemming from aging or injury. Many patients avoid shoulder treatment because they are afraid they will need surgery or because of the misconception that pain is a normal part of aging, but Dr. Baker always informs his patients about all available alternatives.

“There are a lot of options other than surgery, like physical therapy or cortisone injections,’’ he says. “Our mission is to do what is best for the individual patient.”

Even when surgery is necessary, Dr. Baker says he does not go straight to invasive surgical techniques. He uses the latest technologies and says that many repairs are done with an arthroscope to minimize incisions, pain and recovery time. The other doctors at Florida Orthopaedic Institute, like Dr. Palumbo, also believe that minimizing surgical trauma and muscle damage should be a high priority for any surgeon.

Speaking of Dr. Palumbo, he served in the Special Operations Command for the U.S. Air Force. He later earned his M.D. degree from the University of South Florida in Tampa, where he also served as a resident in USF’s Department of Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. After that, he attended Harvard Medical School’s Hip & Knee reconstruction surgical fellowship for one year at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA.

Dr. Palumbo specializes in hip and knee arthritis management, joint replacement surgery and the treatment of failed or painful hip and knee joint replacements. He is Board-certified by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a member of the American Association of Hip & Knee Surgeons, and serves as an assistant professor for the University of South Florida’s Orthopaedic Residency Program.

There are several unique aspects to Dr. Palumbo’s orthopaedic practice. He is a proponent of the direct anterior approach (DAA) or frontal approach for hip replacements. He says this technique minimizes surgical trauma and allows for faster recovery and decreased pain. He explains that, “Rather than cutting through or damaging muscles, (with the DAA approach) you’re simply spreading certain muscles to the side, using their natural tissue planes. It’s like opening a window versus breaking through it.”

His approach to joint replacement surgery also includes a technique for total knee replacements called Kinematic Knee Alignment. This technique is unique in that the goal of the surgery is to restore the natural position and dynamics of the knee joint, rather than implanting it in an alignment that the surgeon believes is correct.

“Conventional total knee arthroplasty implants the knee where the surgeon thinks it belongs, while kinematic alignment attempts to implant the knee replacement in a way that attempts to replicate (that) knee before he or she had arthritis,” he states. 

Dr. Palumbo also is an advocate for partial (rather than total) knee replacements whenever possible. He feels that sparing hip and knee joint muscles and preserving bone (when possible) can lead to improved and faster recovery and long-term outcomes.

He also firmly believes in the importance of fellowship-trained, specialized surgeons. “The added training and expertise this provides allows us to care for complex failed and painful joint replacement issues,” he says. “Approximately 30 percent of joint replacements I perform are re-do replacements for old or failed joint replacements.”

Educating patients is a core philosophy at the Florida Orthopaedic Institute, whose surgeons encourage patients to seek out options to ensure that they are getting a doctor who is experienced in treating their particular type of injury.

Dr. Epting (below) is a foot and ankle specialist who is Board-certified in orthopaedic surgery, with fellowship training from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Prior to joining the Florida Orthopaedic Institute team, Dr. Epting served three years as an attending orthopaedic surgeon at the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, FL. He also served as an orthopaedic surgeon in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 2010. “My military experience and fellowship training allow me to explore all options for my patients so they can receive the best possible care,” he says.

Dr. Epting treat sports injuries (fractures, ligament and tendon injuries) of the ankle and foot, as well as arthritis (fusions and ankle replacements) and foot and ankle deformities. He utilizes non-surgical measures (bracing and physical therapy) as well as surgical repair, arthroscopy, and reconstruction when appropriate.   

For more info, stop in at Florida Orthopaedic Institute’s Wesley Chapel office at 2653 BBD, visit FloridaOrtho.com or see pg. 5. The Wesley Chapel location is open Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Call (800) FL-ORTHO for appointments. — Submitted to & edited by Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News.

Dreaming Of A White Christmas? VIP Pest Control Can Blanket Your Lawn In ‘Snow!’

vippest1
VIP Pest Control owner Vicki Hutto (with her pomeranians Chloe, left, and Bailey) can promise you a White Christmas this year.

On Thanksgiving night, when Meadow Pointe resident Vicki Hutto has her yard set up for Christmas and flips the switch to light the decorations for the first time this season, not only will her lawn be ornamented with reindeer and snowmen, but also with a white sparkle that is reminiscent of northern winters. She’ll have a dusting of “snow” on her lawn, thanks to a service now being offered by her company, VIP Pest Control.

Vicki is both the owner and operator of VIP Pest Control, which is celebrating its tenth year in business in New Tampa, Wesley Chapel and surrounding areas in Pasco and Hillsborough counties. While the company’s specialty is keeping homes, businesses and lawns free from nuisance animals and insects (including termites, mosquitoes, ants, roaches, bed bugs and more), Vicki has developed a creative way to help those who have been dreaming of a white Christmas experience it here in Florida.

vipsnowThe VIP Pest Control lawn care technicians will actually paint your lawn white, providing the perfect backdrop for seasonal decorations. “We even figured out a way to make it sparkle, if you want,” says Vicki.

Vicki recalls an elderly customer who wanted snow in her yard, like she had up north, “and she sang Christmas songs from her wheelchair while she watched her lawn being painted,” she says. Vicki tells of another customer who wanted to propose marriage with a white Christmas backdrop. Now, Vicki is offering a way to make that happen, too.

“We use an organic paint that is kid- and pet-friendly,” she explains. “Dogs can play on it and kids can sit on it for pictures.”

How does it work? “We spray the lawn three times, so that all sides of each blade of grass are completely covered. It won’t rub off, wash off, or wear off, but it is removed after about three grass clippings.” She says that since grass is dormant in the winter, that usually takes about three months.

Especially for northerners who may miss the white beauty of winter, but not the cold, Vicki says, “Here’s your white Christmas.”

For videos that show the treatment being applied, and the results of one home’s snow application, visit VIPPestControlLLC.com/snow.

Green Lawns, Too!

Year-’round, the team at VIP Pest Control works to keep lawns pest-free, which helps them stay green and healthy. In the winter, when grass is dormant, you may have brown patches that take time to correct. VIP Pest Control offers a service to paint your lawn green until the brown patches grow back healthy. If your homeowners association requires you to have a green lawn, call VIP Pest Control to learn about painting it green for the winter.

Like all of VIP Pest Control’s treatments, the green lawn treatment also is environmentally friendly and can be used on lawns where both pets and kids play.

In Your Home…

This is the time of year when VIP Pest Control gets many calls about roaches and rodents, especially as people get boxes out of their attics with holiday decorations for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“If you see signs of rodents (such as droppings or noises), call us right away,” says Vicki. “Rodents can be dangerous, because they can chew through wires and actually set your whole house on fire.”

Vicki says people often see roaches, especially palmetto bugs, which like to live in cardboard, and German roaches, which can be transported into your home as eggs on boxes delivered by shipping companies.

“German roaches are the ones that will make you sick,” she says. “They’re much smaller than the big palmetto bugs, but they carry diseases.”

And, while termites don’t typically swarm in winter, Vicki says that all Floridians need to be aware that both drywood and subterranean termites can cause damage to your home year-’round. With the drywood termites, sometimes people get a “false swarm.” When you turn on your heat, termites may think it’s swarm season and fly out of the walls of your home to mate. There’s nothing “false” about what they do to your home behind those walls, though.

“When that swarm is gone and you no longer see them, you still have termites,” Vicki explains. “They eat the wood of your home 24 hours a day, and there’s nothing you can do to get rid of them yourself. You really have to call a professional.”

When a VIP Pest Control technician comes out to your home to inspect for termites, they’ll help you determine what conditions in and around your house might lead to termites. For example, termites have easy access to your home when you have mulch up against your house, tree branches or plants that touch your house, or wood-to-ground contact. Hutto says you can help keep termites away from your home by reducing these “conducive conditions.”

When Vicki established VIP in 2006, she says it was her goal to provide a higher level of customer service than other local companies. She says she chose to name her business “VIP” to indicate that to her, customers are, “Very Important People.”

That’s why, for example, you’ll always talk with a live person when you call VIP’s office.  “We give our customers personal attention,” explains Vicki. “No two people are alike, and no two houses are alike.”

Same-day service is often available, especially if you have a serious issue that needs immediate attention. “If you call us in the morning,” says Vicki, “we can usually work you in that day.”

One of the company’s VIP customers is April Saland, who called Vicki when she discovered flying insects in her home.

“VIP came right out and told me I had subterranean termites,” says Saland. “It was a horrible issue, but Vicki held my hand and walked me through the process. She was awesome, and made us comfortable knowing she could save our home.”

VIP Pest Control is located at 119 Flagship Dr., in Lutz. It is open Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. For info, visit VIPPestControlLLC.com or call 234-8888. Also, check out VIP Pest Control on Episode 1 of WCNT-tv on YouTube.