The Grill At Morris Bridge Opens On CC Blvd!
For those who have been hoping for a great new restaurant to open in the location that was originally Beef O’Brady’s on Cross Creek Blvd. at Morris Bridge Rd., The Grill at Morris Bridge is off to a pretty good start since hosting its friends & family event on December 18 and opening the following day.
Yes, the location has had a couple of Italian restaurants open and close over the last couple of years, but co-owners (and brothers) Frank and James Gouveia are hoping that great food, premium liquor, an outstanding 250-bottle wine list (with some bottles only $25) and a casual, but elegant atmosphere will help The Grill succeed where those others failed.
Frank (photo) says he spent more than 20 years in the wine business, so he definitely knows how to pick great grapes, but he also is thrilled to have an outstanding Executive Chef — Daniel Friley — creating a unique menu with a great variety of starters, entrées and desserts. Both the Gouveia brothers and Friley are from Massachusetts and the menu definitely is New England-inspired.
For example, the starters include a zesty authentic New England clam chowder and stuffed giant clams known as quahogs, plus non-New England options like excellent Chesapeake crab cakes with a roasted padron pepper remoulade, charcuterie boards and more.
We’ve also gotten to sample some great entrées, including a tender and delicious filet mignon au poivre with potatoes au gratin and fresh asparagus and a pan-seared black grouper served with herbed butter broccolini.
There’s also a 10-oz. NY strip, a blackened chicken tscoupitoulas, a grilled dry aged pork chop, fresh Atlantic salmon and more.
For dessert, try Chef Daniel’s house-made creme brulée or Key lime ginger cheesecake.
And, while Jannah says The Grill’s cosmopolitan was one of the best she’s ever had, please also check out The Grill’s outstanding fine wine selection, too.
The Grill at Morris Bridge (10920 Cross Creek Blvd.) is open for lunch (at 11 a.m.) and dinner (until 9 p.m. Sun.-Thur., 10 p.m. on Fri.-Sat). It is open for dinner only Mon.-Tues. For more info, visit TheGrillatMorrisBridge.com or call (813) 388-5353. — GN
Mint Cocktail Café Also Open In Palms Connection!
We first told you a couple of months ago about the Mint Cocktail Club, located in the Palms Connection plaza at 2810 E. Bearss Ave.Mint, which opened last month, is owned by Cody Jay, who also owns the Bearss Tavern & Tap in the same plaza.
Well, Mint is a beautiful, self-proclaimed “Tropical Hideaway” with some unique drinks — many made with the variety of quality rums available, although I loved the tropical High Tide (the yellow drink in the far right pic), which is made with banana-infused bourbon, toasted coconut, pineapple and lime — and what appears to be a great “sneak preview” menu.
Although our bartender Nia assured us that the menu will be expanded, Jannah and I really loved the queso frito appetizer, which is a lightly fried, crispy-coated Mexican cheese with guava rum and a slightly spicy papaya salsa.
While Mint definitely caters to USF students with some free-drinks on Ladies Nights, it should also attract New Tampa adults of all ages.
For more info, visit MintTampa.com or call (813) 219-3478.— GN
Provisions Opens 2nd Location On Bearss Ave.
Congratulations to owner Dana Morris on the opening of her second location of Provisions Coffee & Kitchen (the first is in the KRATE Container Park in The Grove at Wesley Chapel) in the Palms Connection plaza at 2816 E. Bearss Ave. The new location, which opened last month, is larger and will have a slightly larger menu than the KRATE location, but you can get the tasty fried chicken biscuit sandwich above at either location.
For more info, visit “Provisions Coffee & Kitchen” on Facebook. — GN
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