RARE 1981 Chef de Cuisine Mark Davis & new Executive Chef Emanuel Zarlenga
Although I don’t know why Saddlebrook Resort decided to bring in a new Executive Chef and completely overhaul the menu at the resort’s RARE 1981, I’ll say this much — there is definitely nothing exactly like it anywhere in the Tampa Bay area, much less in Wesley Chapel.
RARE 1981 new Executive Chef Emanuel Zarlenga, who is from Argentina, has replaced many of the dishes on the original menu with a variety of Argentinian-influenced options.
The good news is that RARE 1981 still has some of the best prime steaks in the area — which is no surprise considering that Argentina is famous worldwide for serving some of the most delicious steaks anywhere. Jannah and loved our prime filet mignon (right), which was done to medium rare perfection.
There also is a “Seabass of the Day” and a “Gulf Coast Catch of the Day,” which, for us, was a delicious mahi-mahi (left) in a buttery lemon garlic sauce, served with a side of peas, sliced asparagus and turnips. Excellent.
Pretty much everything else we ordered were Argentine-inspired dishes.
Mine and photographer Charmaine George’s favorite starter was the Whey-Melon Tuna (below left), which is 48-hour compressed melon cultured in whey, shaved and served with raw slices of pickled sushi-grade tuna, onions and carrots. It’s definitely a large enough portion to share.
Our favorite of Chef Emanuel’s homeland-inspired dishes was the Choripan (right), which is an entrée but also works as a shareable appetizer that features pieces of both Argentine and American chorizo sausage cooked “sous vide” style (vacuum-sealed and cooked in a temperature-controlled water bath) and served with crispy and warm brioche, pickled veggies and chimichurri sauce. Amazing.
Equally different was the Strawberry ‘Gazpacho” (not pictured), which featured nicely grilled scallops served with fermented strawberry and lacto-fermented cold gazpacho.
We also tried a variety of new Family Style Sides, including our two favorites — the Hay Asparagus (below right), grilled with actual burning hay), and “Two Potatoes” (below left), made with buttery, tender potatoes, finished with a warm, airy potato espuma (foam). We also liked the 30-Hour Beets (cooked for 30 hours and finished with bee pollen, seaweed and fresh lime zest) and a traditional South American corn & squash Humita finished with queso fresco and a caramelized crust.
And, even though we had no room for dessert, we shared the RARE 1981 Dessert Trio of the Day, which featured guava with brie, arroz con leche (rice pudding atop creamy caramel) and bread pudding with vanilla ice cream.
For reservations & info, visit RARE1981.com or call (813) 907- 4466. — GN; all photos by Charmaine George
(L.-r.) Owners Chuck Locke, Brenda Bening-Thompson & David Thompson of Mama B’s Pizzeria on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel. The newly expanded & redesigned interior features a nice bar area (below left photo) & some great white (below) & pepperoni & mushroom pizza & Italian food. (Photos by Charmaine George)
Congratulations go out to owners Chuck Locke, Brenda Bening-Thompson and David Thompson on the recent expansion and redesign of their Mama B’s Pizzeria on S.R. 56.
The trio purchased the former Pomodoro restaurant in Dec. 2022 and changed the name to Mama B’s in July 2023.
“I’m not Italian,” Brenda admits, “but I am ‘Mama B’ and all of the recipes we make here are mine. I’ve loved to cook since I was a kid — I have friends telling me I should open a Mexican restaurant next because they love my homemade salsa.”
Thanks to the success of Brenda’s recipes, the partners decided to take over the out-of-business children’s shoe store next door.
“We now have a total of 2,500 sq. ft. and a private dining room for 22-24 people,” Chuck says. “And we’re all really happy with the new look of the place.”
That new look was created by Bobbie Smith, the owner of Interior Design by Bobbie.
“They told me what they were looking for and I just ran with it,” says Bobbie, who also is designingthe upcoming Tampa Joe’s at The Hub at Lexington. “It definitely feels more like a restaurant now, instead of just another pizza place.”
So, What About The Food?
When we came to take pictures for this story, photographer Charmaine George and I got to sample quite a bit of the Mama B’s menu, starting with two different pizzas. I’ve honestly never been a big fan of “white” pizza, but this mix of creamy ricotta, fresh mozzarella and garlic worked well with Mama B’s true New York-style crust.
I personally was even more impressed with Mama B’s pepperoni and mushroom pizza — even though I don’t generally like (or order) mushrooms on anything, much less my pizza. But again, the true NY-style crispy crust was definitely an upgrade over the last time I had a slice at Mama B’s.
“I’ve really been working with our cooks on consistency,” Brenda says, “especially when it comes to pizza. If all the ingredients are measured and the dough is worked the same way every time, your pizza should taste the same every time you visit.”
Charmaine absolutely loved the house-made garlic knots, which we both used to mop up the tasty (but different) marinara sauces served with the house-made signature meatballs (which are served with a generous scoop of ricotta cheese), and the extra-meaty (the way I like it) lasagna. I told Brenda that what I love most about the lasagna is the fact that when you cut into it, it doesn’t all fall apart, despite the generous amounts of ricotta, mozzarella and marinara.
My other favorite dish we tried, which again was something of a surprise because I almost never order pasta with Alfredo sauce, was the creamy fettuccine Alfredo. Yes, it’s made with cream, but Mama B’s Alfredo was definitely not as “runny” as I’ve sampled in many other places.
I would definitely add Mama B’s pan-seared chicken to the Alfredo on my next visit, or I could opt for a more familiar favorite of mine — fettuccine pesto — with the chicken.
Other appetizers on Mama B’s menu include crispy baked — and then flash-fried — chicken wings with your choice of five sauces (from Nashville hot to teriyaki), and fried ravioli or mozzarella. There’s also a Mama B’s Savory Sampler with fried mozz, garlic knots and wings.
We also enjoyed the Mediterranean salad, with Kalamata olives, cucumbers, onions, cherry tomatoes, banana peppers and creamy feta cheese, with a zesty Greek dressing. Other salads include house, Caesar, caprese and antipasto.
Mama B’s also offers a variety of specialty pizzas from standards like Margherita and Grandma’s to unique options like “This Little Piggy” (with a BBQ sauce base, pulled pork, smoked mozz & pickled red onion).
The casual eatery also offers a variety of strombolis, calzones and toasted hot subs, as well as pasta dishes like baked ziti, penne alla vodka, spaghetti with meatballs or meat sauce and chicken parm. Visit for a great lunch special (for example, two slices & a fountain drink for $7.99), plus beers on draft, wine by the glass and even a kids menu.
Mama B’s Pizzeria (27607 S.R. 56, Suite 105) is now open every day for lunch & dinner. To order or for more info, visit MamaBsPizzeria.com or call (813) 328-8063.
The members of the neurology team at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel pose with the hospital’s new biplane neurointerventional suite.
“When strokes happen, minutes matter,” said AdventHealth Wesley Chapel (AHWC) president & CEO Ryan Quattlebaum during the hospital’s packed “Advanced Stroke Intervention Suite” demonstration on Aug. 17. “We know that time equals tissue, brain tissue. That means it’s incredibly important for people to have access to care quickly — and not just any care, but world-class equipment in the hands of world-class, trained physicians and specialists.”
(Above, l.-r.) Dr. Guilherme Agnoletto, Dr. Nure Khoury, Dr. Jason Maljaar & AHWC president & CEO Ryan Quattlebaum.
He added, “So today, we’re excited to showcase an advanced look at what stroke care capabilities are available right here in Pasco County. Stroke remains one of the leading causes of both death and disabilities in the United States. Having access to that quality care close to home means that people don’t have to leave [our area] to get that care, so you don’t have to transfer to another hospital to get this specialized stroke care.”
Quattlebaum was joined by three AHWC neurologists — Dr. Jason Maljaar, the medical director of neurology at the hospital, plus Dr. Guilherme Agnoletto and Dr. Nure Khoury, who demonstrated the hospital’s new biplane neurointerventional suite.
AHWC is the first hospital anywhere in Pasco County to be home to this purpose-built machine designed to perform a range of minimally invasive procedures, including mechanical thrombectomies (a procedure that allows physicians to actually remove blood clots from the brain and restore blood flow for patients experiencing the most severe types of ischemic strokes). When this procedure is done quickly, it can improve recovery and reduce the risk of long-term disability, versus relying on clot-busting medications alone.
“That means you can come to AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, and we’ll be able to take care of you,” Quattlebaum said. “Our commitment to excellence was recently recognized by U.S. News & World Report, which named [AHWC] a high-performing hospital for stroke care. This designation reflects the dedication of our physicians, nurses, clinical teams and support staff who work tirelessly every day to fulfill our mission of extending the healing ministry of Christ.”
He added, “As a primary stroke center, [AHWC] continues to strengthen its stroke program through investments in advanced technology, specialized, world-class physicians and evidence-based care.”
Dr. Maljaars said, “This is an exciting day for us here. It’s my privilege to be the stroke medical director here at this hospital. It takes a lot of people to have a program like this and to be able to provide the care that we have and plan to continue to do so.”
He added, “This machine can do a lot of things. One of the things that’s most impactful is reducing the amount of time it takes to treat a patient with a large stroke blood clot stuck in a big area of the brain. If we determine that this is a good case to attempt to pull the blood clot out with catheters, normally that patient would have to transfer to another hospital somewhere that has this technology and staff and everything in place to make that happen.
“But now that we can do that here, we can take these types of patients and take care of them right here, rather than having to transfer them, which cuts down on time — which is the biggest thing in any stroke situation.
“If you take another 30-60 minutes or longer to transfer that patient to another hospital to get that procedure, that can be the difference, quite honestly, between someone who goes home two days later or someone who ends up in a nursing home for the rest of their life.”
Dr. Maljaars also mentioned that the new machine, “also can perform diagnostics and look at arteries in the neck and the brain. We can put stents in, we can fix aneurysms…so, there are a lot of things we can do with this machine.”
He then turned it over to Dr. Khoury and Dr. Agnoletto, the hospital’s neurointerventionalists, to demonstrate how the biplane interventional suite works.
Dr. Khoury, who described himself as a vascular neurologist, said, “I don’t think we can emphasize enough how impactful this procedure is and how it’s changed lives across the globe. We’re lucky to have access to this kind of procedure, to this treatment here, because large strokes in the past were such a large cause of death and disability and now, we really have the opportunity to make those changes and impact more lives.”
Then, Dr. Agnoletto, who also described himself as a vascular neurologist, said, “We think this is a very big day for Pasco County and the families here because we can now offer this top-tier stroke care without them having to leave the community at all.”
He added, “I also wanted to mention that this type of procedure is truly a team effort. More than anything else, I would say it really takes a village — the nurses, techs, anesthesia physicians, technicians, therapists, the institution and the community that support us — today is a celebration of all of you and all of them, just as much as the technology we’re demonstrating here today.”
The Demonstration Itself
Dr. Agnoletto (photo), noted that “Obviously, we aren’t showing you a real patient, but it is a life-size model of the vessels inside the human body. It’s a large construct of different types of catheters, smaller and larger, and wires that we use to access the brain (through the femoral artery).”
Thanks to the large monitor in this photo, we could all see the large blood clot and watch Dr. Agnoletto guide the catheter to the point of the clot and pull the clot out.
“It looks like a straw,” he said, “but a lot of time, research and technology has gone into these catheters, so we don’t have any issues — they don’t collapse on themselves.”
It was obvious that the demonstration was completely successful, so the hope here is that this is just the first of many successful procedures to clear large blood clot strokes right here in our Wesley Chapel community.
For more information about AdventHealth Wesley Chapel (2600 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.), visit AdventHealth.com, or call (813) 929-5000.
Every 8–12 years, the Tampa City Council and Mayor form a Charter Review Advisory Commission to review and update the city’s governing charter — the document that defines how our city government operates.
District 7 City Councilman Luis Viera appointed me to represent New Tampa on that commission.
His only instruction to me was simple: Use your best judgment and do a good job.
I took that responsibility seriously.
And I’m proud to say we did something monumental.
We made Tampa’s city government more accountable, more transparent and more responsive to the people it serves.
People have every right to question government. In fact, they should.
That’s why I helped champion the creation of Tampa’s first-ever Inspector General.
The Inspector General (IG) will have the independence to investigate allegations of (governmental) corruption and wrongdoing without political interference or favor. The IG will be selected by a distinguished panel that includes the State Attorney, Public Defender, Chief Judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit, Mayor, City Council and others.
Why does that matter?
Because while the City Council has the authority to investigate allegations of wrongdoing, it has no dedicated budget to conduct those investigations. And, when elected officials investigate elected officials, there can always be questions about political motivation.
The Inspector General changes that.
It puts an independent watchdog inside Tampa’s system of government whose job it is to follow the facts and protect the public interest.
Only a handful of cities in Florida — including Doral and Jacksonville — have an Inspector General. Tampa is about to join them.
Alan Cohn (front left) sits on Tampa’s Charter Review Advisory Commission, which is helping the city update its charter & creating an independent Inspector General position. (Photo provided by Alan Cohn)
But, we didn’t stop there.
We also delivered a major win for the residents of New Tampa.
For years, Councilman Viera has fought to secure funding for parks, playgrounds, infrastructure and other projects our community needs.
But, getting funding approved doesn’t necessarily mean a project gets built.
Too often, residents are left wondering: What happened to that project? When will it be completed? Why is it delayed?
That’s changing.
We’ve created a new transparency system requiring the city to provide an annual progress report on major capital improvement projects — including their current status, delays or problems and anticipated completion dates.
If taxpayers are funding it, they deserve to know what’s happening with it.
That’s what good government looks like.
We made other important changes as well, and I look forward to sharing more about them soon.
The final changes to the city charter have now been approved and sent to the City Council and Mayor. They will ultimately go before Tampa voters next spring.
I’m especially grateful to Councilman Viera for choosing me, trusting me and giving me the opportunity to fight for the people of New Tampa.
He asked me to use my best judgment and do a good job.
And I think we did.
And, this is exactly the kind of government I believe Tampa deserves: independent, transparent, accountable, and always working for the people.
Alan Cohn is New Tampa’s appointed representative on Tampa’s Charter Review Advisory Commission and a candidate for Tampa City Council, District 7
The Culinary Fund Raiser Hosted By Pam & Dr. Elliot Cazes Raised $11,000 For ‘Faces Of Courage!’
(Holding meat platters) Pam (left) & Dr. Elliot Cazes and their amazing team helped raise nearly $11,000 for the New Tampa-based cancer nonprofit Faces of Courage by providing a delicious “Taste of N’Awlins” to nearly 200 people on a rain-soaked Sunday afternoon. Not only did the team cook a ton of andouille sausage for Dr. Cazes’ chicken & andouille gumbo but also red beans & rice and a variety of “Po’ Boy” sandwiches. (Photos by Charmaine George)
Mother Nature’s best efforts couldn’t keep nearly 200 people from getting “A Taste of N’Awlins” — the Cajun culinary experience hosted by long-time New Tampa residents Pam and Dr. Elliot Cazes at the Arbor Greene Community Club on Aug. 23 that raised nearly $11,000 for the New Tampa-based nonprofit called Faces of Courage.
Fellow New Tampa resident Peggie Sherry, who founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Faces of Courage in 2004 to provide day outings, educational workshops and medically supervised overnight camps for women, children and families touched by all types of cancer and blood disorders — all at no cost — was thrilled with the event.
“Apparently, Mother Nature decided ‘A Taste of N’Awlins’ needed a little extra Louisiana weather,” Peggie said, “but despite the torrential downpour, the local community showed up, umbrellas in hand and ready to eat, laugh, bid, buy raffle tickets and support Faces of Courage. We cannot begin to thank Dr./Chef Elliot Cazes and his hardworking wife Pam enough for this fund raiser.”
Elliot, Pam and their team of volunteers (top photo) provided some of the most delicious chicken & andouille sausage gumbo this reporter has had (and I’ve spent some time in New Orleans), plus equally authentic Cajun-style red beans & rice and three different Po’ Boy sandwiches — roast beef, turkey and andouille sausage.
Elliot has been cooking food for Faces of Courage’s camps “for about 20 years now,” he said, “and Peggie and her team are serving such an important role for people struggling with cancer and their families. But, the reason Pam and I put together this fund raiser was because Peggie said she didn’t have enough money to fund her upcoming Women’s Cancer Camp (being held Sept. 18-20 at Rotary’s Camp Florida in Brandon).”
“This wasn’t just a fund raiser,” Peggie added. “It was a community coming together for one very important reason: to help raise the final $10,000 we needed to fund that Women’s Camp.”
She added, “Elliot and Pam really took this on. They corralled just about everyone they knew — and probably a few they didn’t — to help make this event happen. They collected more than 80 donated gift cards, secured an amazing assortment of silent auction and raffle items, recruited volunteers and then, rolled up their sleeves and worked right alongside everyone else.
“And, what a team they put together! People chopped, grilled, cooked, carried, decorated, set up, cleaned up, served food, sold water, sold raffle tickets, worked registration, managed auction items and did whatever else needed to be done!”
And, by the end of the day, the “Taste of N’Awlins” not only met that $10,000 goal, it exceeded it.
Peggie was clearly moved by the enormity of what was accomplished in just a few short hours on a day when the skies opened up, but the members of the local community opened up their hearts — and wallets — even more. She provided us with a list of all 20 of the event’s volunteers and every one of the nearly 90 businesses that provided anything for “A Taste of N’Awlins.” I’m just sorry I didn’t have room here to print those lists.
Peggie also thanked, “every single person who walked through those doors. You could have looked at that rain and stayed home. Instead, you showed up. You ate. You bid. You bought raffle tickets. You volunteered. You donated. You laughed. And most important, you helped make sure women facing cancer can come to camp completely FREE of charge!
“Rain couldn’t stop this crowd — and cancer won’t stop us either. From all of us at Faces of Courage, THANK YOU!”
For more information about (or to donate to) Faces of Courage, visit FacesofCourage.org.
