By Gary Nager
Long-time readers of this publication know how much I try to do to help new local restaurants, especially ones I truly like. Yes, you folks know I do everything I can to promote everyone in these pages, but you also know the difference between a lukewarm, just-OK review and a rave. Well, folks, this one’s a rave.
In other words, if you haven’t yet tried Only The Best (O.T.B.) Delight Café, located directly opposite Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC) on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., join the growing crowd of locals enjoying O.T.B.’s healthy-but-truly-delicious cuisine, you owe it to yourself — and your taste buds — to check it out ASAP.
I can’t swear that I love the name owner Dirson De Mesquita chose for his unique breakfast, lunch and dinner spot, but I already have at least eight menu items I have to rave about on behalf of his outstanding new establishment, which has been built around no concept other than uniquely tasty food using only the truly finest ingredients.
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“This is the way I eat, the way I like to eat,” says Dirson, who is originally from Brazil but who has 20 years of experience in the restaurant/food business, including being a regional supervisor for a large chain that was purchased by another large chain last year (feel free to ask Dirson what company it was when you meet him). “I love non-traditional, unique food made with the freshest, organic (when possible; see below) ingredients. People think healthy can’t be delicious or fun. I’m trying to prove them wrong.”
The names of many of the menu items/categories are certainly fun (more on those in a minute), but I’ll be honest, cutesy names don’t impress me as much as delicious cuisine does.
So, let’s start with breakfast, ‘cause I always do. O.T.B. Café starts with only the finest locally sourced eggs, from cage-free hens that are fed an all-vegetarian diet. All vegetables are locally grown and certified organic whenever possible.
All breakfast fare is served all day, with your choice of healthy sides like oatmeal, fresh fruit or sliced tomatoes Instead of grits and home fries or hash browns) and to date, I’ve enjoyed some perfect “Egg-lectric Slide” fried eggs (sunny-side-up shown here for the picture; I order mine over easy) with probably the best-tasting turkey bacon I’ve ever enjoyed. You also can choose a side of Black Forest ham instead of the bacon and the thick slab of marble rye (wheat toast also is available) reminded me of an old “Seinfeld” episode.
Other breakfast items to try and enjoy are “Omelette’ing You Go,” “Eggy Breaky Heart” and the “Yolko Ono,” to name a few. Check ‘em out and let me know what you think.
And, speaking of “Seinfeld,” the lunch and dinner fare at O.T.B. Café pays homage to not only that old favorite (with “Soup For You”), but also to old Broadway Shows (“Lettuce Entertain You”). My favorite salads are the awesome “Asian Orange” seared ahi tuna salad served with a lip-smacking-good sesame ginger dressing and the seared steak carpaccio salad with an also-yummy balsamic vinaigrette (although I hold the bleu cheese crumbles).
Other delicious options include O.T.B.’s “Rice, Rice Baby” bowls, my favorite of which so far is the Shanghai chicken, with big chunks of free range, antibiotic- and hormone-free chicken, jasmine rice, sesame seeds, green onions, romaine, Napa cabbage, carrots, toasted almonds and that same sesame ginger dressing.
Perhaps the biggest surprise to me so far among my faves at O.T.B. Café is that I didn’t expect the artisan burger (part of the “Too Hot To Handle” section of the menu) to be so delicious. Dirson convinced me to give it a try and wow, his grass-fed, seasoned and hand-pattied burger is grilled to order, served with arugula, sliced Beefsteak tomatoes and red onion and will surely be among my top five in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel in this year’s “Gary’s Favorites” after our 2014 Reader Dining Survey ends.
Our GM Nikki Bennett loves the veggie burger and I’ve heard some O.T.B. Café regulars say great things about the wild-caught salmon burger, although I’m not big on salmon myself.
Other recommended items from our office’s most recent lunch at O.T.B. Café include the “Going Back to Cali” chicken and Santa Fe shrimp burritos, the “Cool Hand Cuke” veggie sandwich on foccaccia and the roast beef arugula whole wheat wrap.
Speaking of rave reviews, Dirson is particularly proud of his reviews from his customers on O.T.B. Café’s Facebook.com page, including this one from James Litchford: “For the same price it would cost us to go to (a popular local chain), we got something unique, delicious, and farm fresh. Portions are great as well. We will definitely be back. Keep this place going.”
And, O.T.B. Delight Café also has delicious gluten-free baked goods from Stacy’s Gluten-Free Goodies and probably the best gluten-free brownies I’ve ever tasted, amazing organic coffee (the dark Java roast is my fave) and Dirson can handle any kind of catering order. He also offers great specials, like 35-percent-off your second entrée (of equal or lesser value) when you purchase one at regular price with the coupon on page 40.
O.T.B. Delight Café (2653 BBD) is open Mon.-Sat., 8 a.m.-9 p.m., and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sun. For more info, call 973-8880, visit OTBDelightCafe.com or Facebook.com/OTBDelightCafe.
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