InnerVision Psychiatry — For Psychiatrist-Led Outpatient Ketamine Treatment

(L.-r.) Amanda Thompson, Dr. Joseph Pullara and Dr. Simon Chamakalayil of InnerVision Psychiatry, which is located in the Summergate
Professional Center behind Sam’s Club north of S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel. (Photos by Charmaine George)

Isn’t it frustrating to feel like you’re out of options or settling for an incomplete solution to a problem? Many people with treatment- resistant anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are in that boat. However, Drs. Simon Chamakalayil and Joseph Pullara of InnerVision Psychiatry, in the Summergate Professional Center behind Sam’s Club in Wesley Chapel, may be able to offer these patients another treatment option — Ketamine.

What’s Exciting About Ketamine?

Ketamine was approved in 1970 by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) as a general anesthetic, but also has been used off- label (without formal approval yet from the FDA) for short-term pain relief and sedation, chronic pain management and migraines. In recent years, Ketamine has been increasingly studied for use in patients with psychiatric conditions, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD and even suicidal ideation.

The exact way that Ketamine works to help patients with psychiatric conditions is not completely understood, but it is believed to be related to the drug’s psychedelic properties, which can cause feelings of detachment or disconnectedness. Since this is a new treatment approach, it can be helpful in patients who did not receive enough relief from more traditional treatments.

Unfortunately, because Ketamine has been available for more than 50 years, it is no longer protected by a patent and can be sold by any pharmaceutical company. This greatly reduces the potential profit that a pharmaceutical company can make off of Ketamine, even for a new use, and has eliminated those companies’ incentives to pursue the large- scale clinical trials required to submit for and receive FDA approval for Ketamine as a psychiatric treatment.

In 2019, Janssen Pharmaceuticals did successfully get FDA approval for one form of Ketamine called Esketamine, under the brand name SparavatoÂź. While this helped legitimize the use of Ketamine for psychiatric conditions, Esketamine was only FDA approved for treatment-resistant depression and depressive symptoms in adults who have acute suicidal ideation or behavior. Also, it is only available as a nasal spray that must be given under the supervision of a healthcare provider.

But thankfully, barriers for pharmaceutical companies do not stop independent research. In fact, it was while reading promising findings about Ketamine in medical journals when Dr. Pullara first became interested in Ketamine.

Is Ketamine safer than other anti-depressants or anti-anxiety/PTSD medications? It, like other psychiatric drugs, has side effects and potential for abuse if used in high (more than medically required) doses. Drs. Chamakalayil and Pullara are aware of this and take measures to minimize these issues.

As both doctors explain in a variety of posts and videos on Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms, they use only low-dose Ketamine in their clinic, as that is the dosing that was mainly studied and supported by the medical community. In order to ensure patient safety and deter potential abuse, they only give Ketamine by intravenous (IV) infusions in their clinic under healthcare provider supervision, as opposed to oral Ketamine that could be given at home. “Monitoring is important,” says Dr. Pullara. “We don’t support at-home or oral Ketamine because it can be risky without monitoring.”

He adds that many of the main side effects of Ketamine — including nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness and increased heart rate and blood pressure — are often temporary and can be monitored and improved upon by adjusting the infusion rate.

A plus for IV Ketamine therapy for anxiety, depression and PTSD treatments is that it does not need to be given every day. The initial treatment — aka, the loading doses — are usually six doses over a two-week period. After that, if the Ketamine is helping, the patient will continue on maintenance treatment, which is based on managing symptoms.

Dr. Chamakalayil explains on InnerVisionPsychiatry.com that after completing the initial six treatments, they recommend bi-weekly treatments for the following month. After that, the frequency depends upon each patient’s need, ranging from every other week or monthly, every two to three months, or even every six months.

Perhaps the best part is that patients can experience an improvement in their symptoms much faster than they can using older treatment options.

“Ketamine works more quickly and differently than traditional anti-depressants,” says Dr. Chamakalayil. “With other drugs, it usually takes at least four weeks just to see an effect. With Ketamine, you can see a benefit within a few days to the first week.”

The Matthew & Maya Cases

There have been a few public cases in which Ketamine has been associated with bad outcomes, such as with “Friends” star Matthew Perry and locally, with Maya Kowalski.

Maya Kowalski did not suffer harm from Ketamine, but her healthcare team was concerned about her Ketamine use at a young age, and at her mother’s insistence. However, they initially did not know that Maya has a rare disease called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and Ketamine was medically prescribed at higher doses to manage her pain. As stated earlier, for psychiatric conditions, only low-dose Ketamine is recommended.

Maya’s mother Beata ultimately committed suicide herself when doctors at All Children’s Hospital in Tampa feared she was abusing her daughter. The Kowalski family successfully sued the hospital in the now- famous “Take Care of Maya” case, which will reportedly be appealed to a higher court.

As for the unfortunate death of Matthew Perry, the doctors explain the circumstances behind his Ketamine use.

“By now, we have all seen the headlines
 “Matthew Perry died of the ‘acute effects of Ketamine,’” says Dr. Pullara. “The level of Ketamine found in his system was consistent with that of someone undergoing high-dose anesthesia. These high doses, combined with the sedative effects of buprenorphine, lorazepam and clonazepam found in his system, put him at a significant risk of sedation and respiratory depression. This is why the autopsy listed drowning as a ‘contributing factor’ in his death.”

He adds, “It was reported that Matthew was indeed undergoing IV Ketamine infusions for depression, similar to those offered at InnerVision Psychiatry. But his last infusion was about 1.5 weeks before his death, and as the autopsy report itself points out, the Ketamine in his system ‘could not be from that infusion therapy, since Ketamine’s half-life (time required for 50% of the drug to be eliminated by the body) is 3 to 4 hours or less.”

The Doctors Behind InnerVision

Dr. Pullara was born and raised in Lutz. After completing a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biological Sciences at Florida State University in Tallahassee, he attended medical school at the American University of the Caribbean in St. Maarten and received his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree in 2015.

Dr. Pullara’s dedication to research-guided treatment advances led him to co-found The Journal of Psychedelic Psychiatry with some of his colleagues during his four-year psychiatry residency at the University of Kansas in Kansas City, MO, where he also served as chief resident. He currently serves as one of TheJournal’s deputy editors.

After finishing his residency in 2020, Dr. Pullara returned to Florida and began working at Lakeland Regional Hospital as a psychiatrist, where he met Dr. Chamakalayil, who was similarly interested in Ketamine for use in his psychiatric patient population.

Dr. Chamakalayil completed a combined BS/MD program in 2015 at the Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. Afterwards, he was a general psychiatry resident at Temple University Hospital, also in Philadelphia, where he also served as chief resident.

Discovering a passion for helping children and adolescents, Dr. Chamakalayil obtained further specialization in child and adolescent psychiatry by completing a two-year fellowship at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC, where he served as clinical chief fellow, in 2021. After completing his training, Dr. Chamakalayil relocated to central Florida to work at Lakeland Regional Hospital.

While working at the hospital together, both doctors saw difficult cases of patients requiring hospital admission for psychiatric care — and experienced exciting success when using Ketamine to treat these patients.

Dr. Pullara, who eventually moved from Lakeland to Wesley Chapel with his wife and two children, felt strongly that patients in his hometown area shouldn’t have to travel all the way to Tampa or Clearwater for psychiatrist- led Ketamine treatment.

Looking To The Future

Together, the doctors opened InnerVision Psychiatry in Wesley Chapel in November of 2021, becoming the first clinic offering IV Ketamine infusions for anxiety, depression and PTSD in Pasco County.

Converting a former Sylvan Learning Center location from the bottom up, they creating a tranquil, state-of-the-art facility for their patients. Working with their office manager Amanda Thompson and a team of four nurses, the clinic is open by appointment only during the weekdays to offer Ketamine infusions.

All patients must complete a screening form to ensure that they are good candidates for Ketamine treatment. It’s important to note that InnerVision does not treat pain, so any patients looking for Ketamine for pain relief are referred to pain management providers.

The doctors do not believe in a quick, walk-in treatment approach. They always provide a one-hour consultation to new patients to learn their treatment and medication histories and the symptoms they are experiencing before starting Ketamine treatment. If necessary, they will touch base with a patient’s primary care provider and psychiatrist. Then, on each appointment day, there is a pre- and post-treatment check-in to make sure patients are comfortable and feeling well before and after receiving Ketamine.

Even though the office just hosted a ribbon cutting event in January, the doctors estimate that they’ve already helped about 50 patients. Even better is that they’ve already heard great feedback from several of those patients.

One of Dr. Chamakalayil’s first patients at InnerVision was struggling with severe anxiety and PTSD since childhood. Like all of the clinic’s patients, this patient had already tried several different treatment options in the past and was therefore diagnosed with treatment- resistant disease.

After receiving the loading dose Ketamine treatments, Dr. Chamakalayil recalls that the patient said, “This is the calmest I’ve felt in my entire life. Now I understand what calm means.”

Later, after completing the loading doses, the patient provided an update. With the guidance of the patient’s psychiatrist, the patient stopped taking the two oral anti-depressants that the patient was previously taking. In the patient’s own words, “Ketamine saved my life.”

Right now, the doctors are focusing on Ketamine infusions. But, they believe strongly in evidence-based medicine and are keeping up with the latest research on other psychedelics. They are hopeful about offering patients new treatment options for difficult to treat psychiatric diseases in the coming years.

“There are promising clinical trials for mi- domafetamine or MDMA (the active ingredient in the street drug ecstasy) in PTSD treatment,” says Dr. Pullara. “It’s possible that by the end of this year, MDMA could receive FDA approval. Currently, there are only two FDA-approved treatments (for PTSD), so this would be the third. We would be interested in providing MDMA treatment to patients upon FDA ap- proval and the release of more research data.”

Dr. Chamakalayil also is looking to make a change. His family is still living in Lakeland for now, but they hope to make the move to Wesley Chapel soon, so they can be closer to the clinic— especially since he and his wife are expecting to welcome their first child in May.

InnerVision Psychiatry is located at 27774 Cashford Cir., Suite 102. The clinic is open by appointment only, Mon.- Fri., 9 a.m.–5 p.m. For more info, call (813) 428-5420, visit InnerVisionPsychiatry.com. The website also has links to the clinic’s social media pages, which are regularly updated with easy-to-follow, informative posts and videos.

Fields Insurance Moves To Wesley Chapel To Help With Home, Auto & More 

When you trust Fields Insurance to find you the right home, auto or other insurance policy, you’ll deal with the married team of Nancy & Michael Fields. Their office is located in the Medallion Corporate Park just north of S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

As the owner of five insurance agencies in Tennessee, and with more than two decades of experience, Michael Fields knows his way around the insurance business. 

When their only daughter, Bethany, graduated from Ole Miss University and took a job in Tampa, Michael and his wife Nancy decided to move to the area, too. 

In 2021, Michael acquired a Brandon-based insurance agency and Nancy retired after 33 years as a schoolteacher to help her husband with the newest branch of the family business. 

Over the past two years, they have bought a home in Grand Hampton and decided to move the agency to the Medallion Corporate Park, just north of S.R. 56 and east of I-75. 

Now, they have set down roots, are leaning in to their new community and are excited to help their neighbors. 

“We treat people like they want to be treated,” says Michael. “It’s important to be a person of integrity, and a person who can be trusted.” 

Fields Insurance helps people with personal and commercial property and casualty insurance. That’s primarily auto, home, renter, boat and motorcycle insurance, although they also write some life insurance policies, as well. Michael says that, since coming to Florida, he’s also written a lot of policies for vacation homes, condos and mobile homes. His agency helps both individuals and businesses, including offering business property and liability insurance. 

One designation that sets Fields Insurance apart is being recognized as a “Ramsey Endorsed Local Provider.” Dave Ramsey is an author and radio host who offers financial advice. While he’s recognized nationwide, he’s based out of Nashville, so Michael says Ramsey is extremely popular in his home state. People who take Ramsey’s classes and want to be connected with a trusted partner can be directed to Fields Insurance. 

“It puts us in a category that says we are an agency of integrity,” says Michael. “We always try to give you the insurance you need at a price that best fits within your budget.” 

While Michael will always strive to get his clients the best possible insurance at the lowest possible price to fulfill their needs, he says the most important thing is that he finds them the right insurance. 

“We are educational in the way we approach business,” he says. “We make sure people don’t sacrifice coverage to get the lowest rate.” 

The Challenges Of Florida 

Michael says that right now, prices across the board for auto and especially, homeowners insurance in Florida are very high, and that’s something that is out of his control. However, he says you can trust his agency to work with you and always act in your best interest. 

He adds that as an independent agency, Fields Insurance is able to work with a number of different top-rated companies, including Liberty Mutual, Allstate, Nationwide, Progressive, Safeco, Florida Peninsula, Slide, Cabrillo Coastal and more, although the companies that are writing new homeowners policies in Florida right now are definitely limited. 

A Little History 

Michael started out in the insurance business in 1999 in Memphis as an associate agent with Nationwide Insurance. In 2011, he went through a three-year training program as a “replacement agency executive” and became the primary agent at that location in 2014. 

In 2017, Nationwide made all of its agents independent, so he no longer sells exclusively Nationwide products. Since then, Michael has opened four more agencies in Tennessee and one in Florida. 

Wade and Pamela Simpson, who live in Seffner, were at a loss when they inherited a family home in Dunellon that was built in 1986 and still had its original roof. 

“I had been with State Farm for 25-30 years and they couldn’t help me,” says Wade. “I couldn’t even get other companies to talk with me. I was calling everyone and someone suggested this new company in the area, Fields Insurance. So I called, and Michael answered the phone.” 

Wade adds that he couldn’t believe the west Tennessee dialect he was hearing — which sounded exactly like his own — and that he and Michael discovered they were born and raised in neighboring towns in Tennessee. 

While it was fun to discover that connection, Wade says that what really stood out was how Fields Insurance was able to get a policy for his newly inherited home when others couldn’t. 

“I have recommended Fields Insurance to two dozen people in the last six months,” says Wade. “I say, ‘Quit calling everybody. Call Fields!’” 

Wade says that his State Farm agent later told him that his policy on a home he owns in Tennessee was going to be cancelled, so he reached out to Fields Insurance again, and again, Michael was able to help. 

“I saved tons of money,” Wade says, so he also switched his policy on his Seffner home to Fields Insurance, as well. “What a relief!” 

Wade also says that, for many years, he has rented a parking lot to park cars in during the Plant City Strawberry Festival. Last year, the doctor he rents the parking lot from told Wade he needed to have a $1-million liability policy. 

“I didn’t have a clue who to talk to about that,” Wade says, “so I called Fields and they had a policy for me within a week.” 

And, Wade adds, “Talk about customer service! They called me again (a few weeks ago) to ask if I need another policy for this year’s Strawberry Festival” (which begins Feb. 29). 

Michael says he invites those who are insurance price shopping or who have questions about insurance to give him a call anytime. 

“Quotes are free,” he says, “and it doesn’t hurt to get a quote. We try to work with everyone the best we possibly can and make it as simple as possible.” 

And, Nancy adds that they love serving the communities of Wesley Chapel and New Tampa. 

“We love the community connection here,” she says. “We’ve gotten season tickets to the Bucs and we’ve gone to Lightning games with our daughter. We love all the restaurants and how close everything is to us here.” 

Fields Insurance is located at 2600 Cypress Ridge Blvd., Ste. C1, in Wesley Chapel. For more information or for a quote on your home, auto, business or other property insurance needs, call (813) 651-0094, visit FieldsInsuranceAgency.com.

Updating Three Of The Stories That Ran In Our Last Issue

Wharton High grad Gabriel Hassan lost his battle with Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome after receiving his diploma.

Because of the fact we only have an issue every four weeks in each of our markets, sometimes the stories that appear in our issues are or become “old” even before (or shortly after) that issue arrives in your mailbox.

In our Feb. 6 issue, we had two such stories that really needed to be updated in this issue and a third that was an event that took place after that issue hit mailboxes.

The most important, and saddest, of these was the fact that Gabriel Hassan who was on the cover of our last issue for receiving his diploma for graduating from Wharton High on Jan. 22, while he was still at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital — passed away less than two weeks after that event.

Gabe, who was suffering from terminal leukemia, succumbed to his cancer and was buried by his family on or the day before Valentine’s Day. We also learned that his specific form of leukemia is called Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome, or SDS.

When we posted the story that Gabe had passed, his father Mahmoud Hassan commented on our Facebook page:

“He was my beloved boy — a precious soul who loved people and life.

He loved service to others, EDM music, Roblox, Video Games, Going to the movies.

He was our proud Eagle Scout and graduated HS despite all of his challenges.

Gabriel was a sweet angel and he will be missed dearly. We are grieving for our angel in heaven. We miss him so much.”

Although I never met Gabriel or his family, we join the Hassan family in their grief. Rest in Peace.

To help those afflicted with SDS, please search“Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome Alliance” on Facebook.

Suzy Tkacik Falls Short Of Award

We also knew that our story about Pride Elementary media specialist Suzy Tkacik (photo) being a finalist

for the Hillsborough School District-wide Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year award would be old news by the time the Feb. 6 issue reached your mailbox.

Even so, we still felt it was important to highlight Ms.Tkacik in these pages, as she was the only finalist for any of the District’s “Excellence in Education” awards from a New Tampa school.

Well, at the District’s award gala on Feb. 1, this year’s Ida S. Baker award went to Dr. Ilfault Joseph, the community resource teacher at Jennings Middle School.

Congratulations again, Suzy. You’re still a winner in all of our eyes!

Wharton Tournament Nets $6,400!

The third story we needed to update was the second annual Wharton High Cornhole ithloma. Tournament, which was held on Feb. 10 and ended up raising more than $6,400 to provide teacher grants and classroom needs for the school.

Our congratulations go out to Wharton teacher Matt McKernan (left in photo, left) and his partner (and fellow former Wildcat) Tate Wheeler, who outlasted 28 other teams to take home the top prize, after finishing as the runners-up in last year’s inaugural Cornhole Tourney. The second-place finishers were Benito Middle School teacher Christopher Taylor and his uncle Shawn Quinn. Both winning teams left with prize packages worth more than $700!

Bella Nails Is So Much More Than Your Average Nail Salon! 

The friendly, attentive staff at Bella Nail Lounge in The Shoppes at New Tampa plaza is ready to pamper you! (Photos provided by Bella Nails)

If you want to try a brand-new, affordable, upscale place to pamper yourself in Wesley Chapel, Bella Nail Lounge, a full-service nail salon that has had an original location in Lutz for 12 years, expanded to The Shoppes at New Tampa plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., south of S.R. 56, in Wesley Chapel in January. 

Founder Lap “Andy” Nguyen says the new location is, “central to Wesley Chapel, and I was looking at this plaza for years, waiting for the opportunity. Wesley Chapel is a newer area, with a lot of new people moving in.” 

Julie Dang (in red) and Andy Nguyen of Bella Nails.

Julie Dang, Bella Nails’ assistant manager, adds, “We live here in Wesley Chapel, and it is a very high-end, close-knit, family-oriented community, and there weren’t any high-end salons here like in South Tampa. We’re bringing the South Tampa vibe to Wesley Chapel.” 

At Bella Nails, you will experience more than just a nail salon. This isn’t the fast-paced, traditional mom-and-pop nail salon you may be accustomed to or expecting. Instead, you will enter a luxurious nail lounge where you will receive relaxing and rejuvenating spa services. Sip on a glass of champagne or wine as you sit back in Bella’s state-of-the-art, full-body massage pedicure lounge chairs, escape the stress of your everyday life and pamper yourself with the best service and quality. 

The nail technicians at Bella Nails are friendly, skilled, attentive and are trained in all aspects of safety, sanitation and sterilization of all products. They use only non-toxic, toluene-free nail polish, with more than 2,000 color choices, including organic and vegan options, and the right equipment to ensure your safety and satisfaction. 

“People who are pregnant can choose a safe vegan option for a soft gel,” Julie explains. 

Even the youngest clients are treated like royalty at Bella Nails. 

Bella Nails doesn’t forget the youngsters, either. For kids ages 11 and under, Bella Nails provides organic and vegan choices in Princess pedicures and manicures, gel pedicures and manicures, plus polish and gel polish changes. 

So, whether you want a classic French manicure, a trendy nail art design, SNS-dipping powder, gel top coat, polish change, or a spa pedicure — or virtually any other type of nail service, you can enjoy them all at Bella Nails. 

Beyond a regular manicure (or, for the gentlemen, a “manli-cure”), Bella Nails also offers a Voesh Mani-In-A-Box with Collagen Gloves. This individually packaged three-step treatment is regarded as the cleanest and most hygienic spa manicure solution, with sugar scrub, mud mask and massage cream. 

For pedicures, the selections are vast. You may choose from a mint refresh, coffee-infused, mango-infused, charcoal, volcanic-mineral, honey and milk, mojito lime, CBD volcanic gold, CBD volcanic rose gold, Napa Valley champagne elegance anti-aging pedicure, cooling signature bliss pedicure in cucumber-mint, lemon, and mandarin scent, or Voesh Pedi-In- A-Box. Each service will leave your feet feeling refreshed, revitalized and radiantly beautiful — all in a sanitary and luxurious environment. 

Don’t want a mani or a pedi? Have a beer or wine at Bella Nails’ unique bar area.

Bella Nail Lounge also offers less common services, including waxing from eyebrows and lips to back and Brazilians, facials, lash extensions and even IV vitamin injections. 

“We go beyond a nail salon,” Andy says. “We’re like a spa attached to a nail salon. On the weekends, when the wife gets a pedicure, the husband can enjoy a complimentary beer or wine at our bar.” 

But don’t let them fool you — Julie says that men love to be pampered, too. Whether it’s a soothing manicure or a pedicure, men also can’t resist a little self-care. At Bella Nail Lounge, men and women can equally experience the ultimate indulgence: a pedicure in the massage chair. 

“We want to provide an upscale, relaxing spot where moms and daughters, husbands and wives can go,” Andy says. “Many places don’t make it comfortable for the dads or husbands to come along, but with our chairs and pedicure facility, men love it. It’s the Rolls Royce of pedicure chairs. They never want to leave.” 

During their pedicure or manicure, guests also can conveniently receive vitamin IV injections. “We do IV injections for better health,” Julie says. “For people who take medication, and can’t absorb vitamins, we provide our clients with vitamin treatments through an IV as a spa treatment.” 

Julie also says that manicures and pedicures aren’t just for cosmetic reasons anymore. 

The wall of color options at Bella. 

“People are always going to want to get manicures and pedicures,” she says, “with pedicures, it’s not even just about pampering but maintaining your health because reflexology is in your feet. For instance, with ingrown toenails, people must maintain their feet to walk comfortably and wear comfortable shoes.” 

Julie also explains how the nail salon business has evolved and will continue to do so. 

“Before, you only had two options for your nails — paint your natural nails or put on fake nails,” she says. “But now, you have many more natural enhancements that aren’t necessarily acrylic, like natural and gel-powder dips that strengthen your nails. Bella Nails offers all of those options.” 

One of Julie’s favorite stories is about a husband and wife. “The husband would never come into the salon,” she says. “He finally came in, and we offered him a Mimosa. Once he sat down in the chair, that was it. He said, ‘I’m coming back without my wife.’ This is our goal. We want to provide a place where you can have an enjoyable and relaxing experience. Our workers can read the clients and know if they do or don’t want to have a conversation. It’s a no-pressure salon.” 

Bella Nails is located at 1700 Bruce B Downs Blvd. To book your appointment, visit BellaNails.com, call (813) 578-7878.

Tasty Namaste Express Is Open; Qdoba May Be, Too

Although we didn’t even find out about it until we went to press with our Feb 6 issue, OishiExpress, a decent fast-casual Japanese place, lasted only about a year in the spot at 17503 Preserve Walk Ln. in Highwoods Preserve — between Taste of New York Pizza and Lapels Cleaners (behind EggTown) — the new fast-casual Namaste Express(or XP) has already replaced Oishi.

I’ve only visited once since Namaste opened, but the new eatery can be summed up pretty easily — it’s a small place with a huge and what seems to be a very tasty menu.

On my visit, I enjoyed the chicken stir-fry bowl (left), which had just a hint of spice, with lots of chunks of chicken and clearly fresh vegetables. The savory sauce tasted like a completely unexpected cross between the curry flavors so prevalent in Indian cooking with a nod to Szechuan Chinese cuisine. I told the chef (I sadly forgot his name) that I would be back to try his biryani, the delicious-sounding Apollo fish (a fish filet tossed with ginger, garlic and a spicy sauce, which is specialty of Hyderabad) and the marinated, fried (but not breaded, because they’re gluten-free) chicken lollipops shown here.

Namaste has menu options from every region in India and even offers a unique “Grab & Go” menu that the restaurant’s website says is “meticu- lously crafted through cutting-edge flash chilling processes.” It definitely sounds unique.

Although there is clearly a sizable Indian population in New Tampa, considering how many Indian restaurants there already are in zip code 33647 — including Saffron, Minerva, Raaga, Dosa Hut, Bang-Bang! Bowls and the cafĂ© inside the Taaza Mart (as well as the Nepalese Gorkhali Kitchen, which also offers Indian specialties) — we hope that Namaste Express will be able to find its footing in what has so far proven to be a difficult location.

For more information, call (813) 866-1300 or visit NamasteXP.com.

Update On Qdoba

At our press time, Qdoba Mexican Eats,which we told you last issue was getting ready to open in the same plaza in Highwoods Preserve as Namaste (at 17509 Preserve Walk Ln.) last issue, was still not open, but co-owner Liz Montante says that she and her husband and co-owner Mike were expecting the New Tampa Qdoba to open “on or around March 1,” or a few days before this issue hits your mailbox.

In other words, if you’re a fan of Moe’s Southwest Grill (which Qdoba is replacing in Highwoods), Chipotle or any other fast-casual Mexican fare, you definitely should check out Qdoba, too.

“It’s been a long struggle, but we’re finally almost there,” Liz told me the day before I finished this issue. “We can’t wait for New Tampa to experience our fresh Mexican eats.”

For more information about Qdoba Mexican Eats, call (813) 761-0005 or visit Qdoba.com to check out the menu online.