OTB Still Keeping It Fresh One Year Later

By Gary Nager

It’s only been about a year since owner Dirson De Mesquita opened his “Only The Best” (OTB) Delight Café directly across Bruce B. Downs Blvd. from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, but in that short time, the hard-working owner and his always-friendly staff have built a nice local following. 

In fact, in addition to his Top-25 finish among our readers in our 2014 Reader Dining Survey & Contest and his #6 finish in Wesley Chapel in my “Gary’s Favorites” for his first full year in business, Dirson also is extremely proud to be ranked #1 overall of nearly 100 restaurants in Wesley Chapel by TripAdvisor.com.

“It’s been an exciting year,” says Dirson, who recently unveiled a newly expanded menu and already has followed that up with an exciting new dinner menu, all with the same type of fresh, wholesome ingredients — many of which are organic — which has made his available-all-day menu so popular.

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Amazing Breakfast!

I know not everyone believes the way I do that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but if you enjoy any of Dirson’s outstanding breakfast items, it may at least be the most delicious meal of the day for you.

“We crack real farm-fresh, locally sourced eggs from cage-free hens fed an all-vegetarian diet,” Dirson says. “Plus, all of our vegetables are locally grown and certified organic, whenever possible.”

My favorite of the breakfast items — “Omelette’ing You Go,” is a three-egg monster and you can add up to three fillings, including not only cheddar or provolone but also Havarti, bleu or pepper Jack cheese, plus baby spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, black olives, diced ham and turkey and more. 

Another breakfast favorite is the “Good Morning Ciabatta,” which is overflowing with eggs your way, some of the best turkey bacon I’ve ever tasted, fresh tomato, avocado and provolone on a grilled multi-grain ciabatta roll.

But, whether you choose one of those or OTB’s breakfast burrito, veggie breakfast wrap or “Wake Up Turkey!,” you’ll get a side of oatmeal, fresh fruit or sliced tomatoes and my suggestion is to enjoy it with OTB’s dark roast Java or house coffee (my third favorite coffee in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel).

Expanded Lunch Selection!

You can’t go wrong at the home of my fourth favorite place for lunch in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel. Dirson’s expanded new menu features everything from a variety of great “Lettuce Entertain You” salads, different-each-day “Soup for You” soups, “Rice, Rice Baby” salad-and-rice bowls, “Too Hot to Handle” hot sandwiches, “Bodacious Burritos” and “Funky Cold Cucina” cold sandwiches.

My favorite salads, hands down, are the “Asian Orange Ahi,” which has romaine lettuce, seared tuna, Mandarin orange slices, toasted almonds, sprouts and more with my favorite (at OTB) sesame ginger dressing; and the “Seared Steak Delight,” which offers seared slices of grass-fed steak atop mixed greens (including arugula, grilled onions, bleu cheese crumbles (I get those on the side) and a zesty balsamic dressing. Other salads include the Mediterranean spinach, southwestern chicken, shrimp Louis, blackened portabella Caesar and “Salmon Gone Wild.”

My favorite rice bowl is the Shanghai chicken, which also features the sesame ginger dressing, although the Rio Rancho chicken and “Kitchen Sink” vegan (no cheese) salads also are popular, both in our office and among OTB’s customers. 

My favorite hot sandwich is still the amazing grass-fed (I mistakenly called it “grain-fed” in Gary’s Favorites last issue)  Artisan burger (my third favorite burger in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel for 2014; try it with provolone cheese), although the “San Diego Chicken,” “Shrimp Po’ Boy,” veggie burger and “wild caught” salmon burger also are popular selections. I’m not too big on burritos, but Dirson says that the  “Veggin’ Out,” “Santa Fe shrimp” and both chicken burritos all get high marks from his customers, especially for the organic jasmine rice, whole wheat tortillas and side of sesame slaw, which is my favorite side dish at OTB.

As for the cold sandwiches, my favorite is the Chipotle Club, which is piled high with turkey, ham and turkey bacon with cheddar cheese and a tempting, semi-spicy chipotle aioli. I always ask for extra sauce, ‘cause it rocks.

 And Now, Dinner, Too!

I didn’t realize that Dirson literally rolled out his new dinner menu a few days before we went to press with this issue, so I sadly don’t have pics of the new dinner entrées, although I will definitely update this info for both our February 14 Wesley Chapel and online versions of this story. Considering how much I love OTB’s steak salad, I am most excited about the new OTB sirloin, which is again a grass-fed top sirloin served with jasmine rice and mixed veggies. Other dinner additions are the “Salmon Gone Wild” entrée with homemade pesto sauce, steak with balsamic caramelized onions and Dirson’s favorite, the “Chicken Ana Bella,” a free-range chicken in a cream sauce with broccoli and tomatoes served over jasmine rice.

And of course, OTB Delight Café also has amazing catering, plus a new line of sugar- and gluten-free cupcakes, cookies and more for dessert and even very reasonably priced beer and wine.

In other words, if you’re not already a big fan of OTB Delight Café, I suggest you check it out today!

OTB Delight Café (2653 BBD) is open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For info, call 973-8880, visit OTBDelightCafe.com (online ordering available) or see the ad on page 55 for some great money-saving coupons. And, be sure to tell Dirson and his crew that you read about them in the New Tampa Neighborhood News!