2 & 2 Restaurant — The ‘2 Minute’ Zephyrhills Tradition Expands To Wesley Chapel! 

(Below left) Owner Kruth (Kurt) Sombutmai thanks everyone for attending the Grand Opening & ribbon-cutting ceremony (above) for the 2&2 Restaurant he owns with his wife, Suzie (also holding scissors) on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

Unlike most of his already-large contingent of regular customers — many of whom attended the Grand Opening and Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting event on Dec. 12 — I first met owner Kruth (Kurt) Sombutmai and his beloved wife of 48 years, Sa-Ang (Suzie) a few weeks ago, as they were getting ready to open their 2&2 Restaurant on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, less than a mile west of Morris Bridge Rd./Eiland Blvd. 

Even so, it’s hard not to love this couple, who have been serving down-home food to the Zephyrhills community for 35 years and are now hoping to attract a lot of new customers in Wesley Chapel. 

The ribbon-cutting event wasn’t your usual show-up-stay-for-a-bit-&-go-home affair. Most of the people in attendance, many of whom were, like Kurt, military veterans, stayed for at least a couple of hours to be regaled by stories of how Kurt moved from California, purchased the Hills Grocery on the Zephyrhills side of the corner of Morris Bridge Rd. and S.R. 54 and became one of that community’s best-known restaurateurs. Sure, they also hung around for the delicious free food buffet that followed the ceremony, but there wasn’t a single long-time customer of Kurt and Suzie’s who didn’t have a story they wanted to share about them. The event was indeed a beautiful tribute. 

In addition to the Chamber folks, Zephyrhills Mayor Charlie Procter and former Pasco Clerk of the Court & Comptroller Paula O’Neil were in attendance for the ceremony and Paula said that Kurt and Suzie are among her best friends. 

“Paula first announced she was running for the Clerk’s office at my restaurant,” Kurt recalled. “She visited me in the hospital when I got sick a few years ago, too.” 

Kurt, Paula O’Neil & Suzie at the Grand Opening. 

If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering where the name “2 & 2” came from. It’s basically a tribute to Kurt’s original restaurant, which often had lines wrapped around it for Kurt’s $1.99 “Eye Opener” breakfast and “all you can eat” fried fish special on Fridays. Whenever anyone asked Kurt how long the wait would be, he’d always hold up two fingers and say, “Two minutes!” The saying became so popular that when Kurt sold his Hills Grocery coffee shop to CVS and opened his location on U.S. Hwy. 301 in Zephyrhills, he called the new restaurant “2 Minutes,” and he decided to call the new place “2 & 2,” meaning that he now has two restaurants with two-minute waits. 

The 2 Minutes restaurant, as well as Kurt and Suzie’s Best Thai & Sushi on S.R. 54 in Zephyrhills, are both still open, too. 

Whether you visit 2 & 2 Restaurant for breakfast, lunch or dinner, not only are you likely to be greeted by Kurt, you’re also guaranteed to see Kurt’s tribute to his idol, the late, great “Duke” himself, John Wayne. You’ll also find homestyle cooking and always fair prices. 

So, What About The Food? 
The Grand Opening included a delicious buffet of free food, although our editor prefers 2&2’s bacon, ham & cheese omelet with crispy hash browns (below right) & garlic pork chops (below left). 

In the few short weeks since 2 & 2 opened, I’ve been able to sample quite a bit of the menu, especially for breakfast because, unlike some other diners, where the full menu is served all day, you can only get breakfast at breakfast time and lunch and dinner from 11:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. 

My favorite breakfast item so far is the cheese omelet, which I got with large chunks of grilled ham and thick slices of crispy bacon inside. And, if you order the hash browns (there’s also home fries and grits and sausage links or patties available as sides) extra crispy, like I do, they really do come out super-crispy. So good. 

I also sampled Charmaine’s pancakes when she ordered the Kurtski Breakfast, which you basically could call the “Kitchen Sink,” because it comes with 2 eggs, 2 pancakes or two French toast slices, 3 pieces of bacon and 3 sausage, hash browns or home fries or grits, plus toast AND refillable coffee, all for just $12.99! The pancakes were light and fluffy and even though they’re not on the menu with blueberries, the kitchen added fresh blueberries at Charmaine’s request and all I can say is that it should become part of the menu! 

There also are veggie and western skillets (the western has ham, green peppers & onions with cheese, hash browns or home fries and egg on top). 

For lunch and dinner, appetizers include everything from bacon-wrapped shrimp smothered in honey BBQ sauce and battered gator bites to soft pretzel bites and Philly egg rolls served with beer cheese. Sandwich options include battered or grilled “2 Mins Fish,” a double decker turkey, ham and roast beef club and “Suzie Spicy” chicken sandwich with melted cheddar, tortilla strips, avocado and sriracha mayo. There’s also a fresh salad bar. 

I can vouch for the 1/4-lb. Kurtski burger and you can sub a short rib, brisket and chuck patty for only $1 more. Tasty fries, too. My favorite lunch/ dinner entrée so far is the grilled garlic pork chops, served with mashed potatoes (you also can choose baked potato or fries), plus your choice of soup or salad, ice cream and a soft drink, all for just $14.99. I plan to try the slow-cooked pot roast, breaded veal cutlet and fried chicken dinners on future visits. There’s also seafood dinners (catfish or haddock, coconut shrimp, fried clams or grilled salmon) for just $15.99. And yes, the All You Can Eat fish fry is available on Fridays only, for just $13.99! 

For info about 2 & 2 Restaurant (33835 S.R. 54), call (813) 355-4829, visit 2and2Restaurant.com or see the ad below. — GN

Gary’s 2023 Favorite Breakfast Places In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel 

Jannah loves brunch more than I do, but I am and always have been a breakfast guy. It’s hard for me to not pick bagel places as my top choices for breakfast, but give me the fried eggs, toast, crispy bacon and perfect grits at EggTown (photo) over the other places on this list, all of which are worth visiting. 

1. EggTown 

2. Brunchie’s 

3. Zio’s NY Bagel & Deli 

4. Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. 

5. Happy Hangar Café 

NT & WC’s Favorite Breakfast and Dessert Restaurants

Pumpkin pancakes

New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s longtime favorite has always dominated this category, and while the vote was much closer in 2020 as newer options sprouted up, First Watch and its healthy and unique menu still sits on our readers’ breakfast throne.

 Located in Wesley Chapel but currently building a second location in New Tampa in The Village at Hunter’s Lake, First Watch is known almost as much for its morning crowds as for its diverse menu made with fresh and local ingredients. 

Sure, you can get simple scrambled eggs and bacon, but why not expand your horizons with farmhouse hash (picture), a smoked salmon and roasted vegetable frittata, a carnitas burrito with pork and eggs or a BLT Benedict on a toasted ciabatta roll?

Instead of regular pancakes, give the cinnamon chip pancakes a try, or maybe go healthy with one of First Watch’s quinoa power bowls.

And, a Million Dollar Bloody Mary made with New Amsterdam Gluten Free Vodka and Million Dollar Bacon will surely kickstart your day. — JCC

2 — Wolf’s Den is terrific. They keep it simple, and that’s a compliment. Eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast and coffee and an old-time diner feel give it a homey feeling unmatched by other breakfast places.

3 — Cracker Barrel, with locations in Wesley Chapel and just off BBD in New Tampa, typically serves up tasty country breakfasts, although, with its vast menu, you can start your day off with meatloaf while the kids down pancakes.

4 — Brunchies has been another favorite with locals since moving into the former Stage Left location on S.R. 54 in Lutz, a little west of the outlet mall. And, you can add a mimosa to enjoy the great breakfast and lunch items. 

5 — The Brunchery is new to the local scene (on BBD in New Tampa), but has been a welcome addition, thanks to its sizable portions of morning favorites, house-made biscuits, french toast, skillets, potatoes and more.

The Next 6, in order of votes: Panera Bread, Big Apple Bagels (Lutz), Buttermilk Provisions, Waffle House, Bagelicious, Bayscape Bistro.

Twistee Treat doesn’t just offer a large selection of delicious soft serve desserts, it also offers what few other places can without even serving up its first cone — the excitement of ordering from people inside, well, a giant 25-foot fiberglass ice cream cone.

Twistee Treat, with a Bruce B. Downs Blvd. location each in Wesley Chapel (at S.R. 54) and New Tampa (at New Tampa Rd.), keeps it relatively simple, which might explain its success. Plus, the homemade soft serve ice cream is good, the toppings are plentiful and there’s just enough variety to keep you coming back.

The menu has a selection of teats like shakes, slushies, sundaes and even Nathan’s Famous hot dogs, if you need a quick bite before dessert.

Whether it’s a simple vanilla or chocolate ice cream cone, with a chocolate dip, or a Twirl blended with your choice of candy and cookie bites, or one of the popular waffle tacos, Twistee Treat is the most popular dessert stop for New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News readers this year.  — JCC

2 — Ice Dreammm Shop is the best Mom-n-Pop ice cream place around, with fresh-made ice cream, funky flavors (including some with alcohol, for adults only) and no artificial colors. They may need to add a few more “mmms” to their name.  

3 — Coldstone Creamery has some of the tastiest ice cream around, and watching them fold in the mix-in treats is always a joy. And, don’t sleep on last year’s winner’s ice cream cakes — they are arguably among the best around. 

4 — Nothing Bundt Cakes was last year’s runner-up in this category, and still has the most outstandingly moist bundt cakes or mini bundtelets around. A Nothing Bundt Cake is always a great gift to bring to parties. 

5 — Bruster’s Real Ice Cream is a long-time New Tampa staple that has withstood the test of time. A massive variety of flavors and combinations makes it perfect for a family of varying desires. Try the ice cream pies!

The Next 8, in order of votes: 365 Caffe Italiano, Baskin-Robbins, Dairy Queen, Grain & Berry, Buttermilk Provisions, Cake Shop, Menchie’s, Mr. Penguin.

BayScape Bistro At Heritage Isles — Best-Kept Secret No More!

The husband-and-wife team of Eddie and Lourdes Bujarski have helped hundreds of young people learn how to safely prepare and cook food from all over the world during their 18 years of running the Culinary Arts Program at New Tampa’s Wharton High. 

That era ended at Wharton in December of 2017, after the Bujarskis took over the newly revamped restaurant at the Heritage Isles Golf Club the month before. When Eddie told me that during my most recent visit to their BayScape Bistro, I wondered why they continued to work at Wharton even though they had already taken the reins at the open-to-the-public eatery inside Heritage Isles.

“Well, when you’re a teacher,” Eddie told me, “you definitely feel obligated to finish out the semester. We couldn’t just leave those kids like that.”

That kind of commitment to their students is the same dedication the Bujarskis have brought not only to BayScape Bistro, but also to the local community — especially the residents of Heritage Isles.

“We found that the residents weren’t really eating at the restaurant unless they were golfers,” Eddie says. “Lourdes and I decided that we would have to change that to be successful here.”

And, change that they have. Although BayScape Bistro has a simple and not overly diverse menu, the menu items are all made with the same commitment to quality the Bujarskis tried to instill in their culinary students, many of whom have gone on to post-secondary cooking schools like the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and Johnson & Wales University, and on to professional culinary careers.

In addition, at least 20 of those former students have worked at BayScape Bistro and several of them have told me how much they appreciate the Bujarskis’ no-nonsense approach to the restaurant business. 

“They really know what they’re doing,” says Tristan, a former Wharton culinary student now working on his four-year culinary degree at Johnson & Wales while he hones his craft at BayScape Bistro. Tristan was the amazing young chef creating unique, made-to-order pasta dishes during BayScape’s recent Thursday night all-you-can-eat (for only $10 per person; $5 for kids under age 10!) sauté station, one of the restaurant’s newer “Daily Signatures”..  

I can assure you that the smell of fresh garlic being heated in oil is enough to get you to try the pasta station, which gives you options like tender, grilled chicken, mojo pork, bacon, fresh spinach, tomatoes and much more, with your choice of pastas and a hearty marinara or creamy Alfredo sauce — or try it “Gary’s Way” (registered trademark pending), with just the garlic and oil.

According to BayScape’s online menu, Monday is “Sauté Night,” but Eddie says it has been so popular that the night Jannah and I were there (Thursday is also Trivia Night at BayScape) was the “tryout” for Thursday.

Tuesday is “Take-Out Tuesday,” where Eddie, Lourdes and their staff create different-each-week to-go packages which feed a family of four — for only $20! I unfortunately missed the recent fried chicken Takeout Tuesday, but Eddie promised me there will be more.

Wednesday is Ladies NIght (with $1 glasses of wine for the ladies), but it also is “Wings Wednesday,” where anyone can get six Buffalo or mojo wings for only $5.

On Fiesta Friday, which was mine and Jannah’s first experience with Eddie’s loyal crowd of super-fun regulars who come for dinner and stay for karaoke, you can enjoy tacos, fajitas and other Mexican favorites. It was our Fiesta Friday visit that convinced us to have both my birthday party in January and my “Gary’s 25 Years of Neighborhood News” celebration in April at BayScape, and I heard no complaints about the catering-style food at either of those events.

Saturday is “Live Music Night,” with a rotating lineup of artists and groups performing. Eddie says it’s also the night where he usually serves a steak or, occasionally, a fresh fish feature entrée, although he admits he hasn’t yet found a supplier with the kind of fresh fish he wants at the right price.

Sunday is “Family Night,” where one kid eats for free for each adult entrée purchased. The kids also are kept entertained with indoor games.

Jannah and I also have other favorites at BayScape, from the BayScape chef salad (with mojo pork, chicken and bacon and what Jannah says is the best ranch dressing around); the French dip sandwich with real au jus for dipping; the same tender roast beef also is available as a dinner plate with brown gravy; the grilled chicken club sandwich and the BayScape Cuban.  There’s even a grilled veggie and cheese sandwich on the menu.

Breakfast, Too?

The picture above is the best breakfast I’ve had in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel. The thick-cut brioche French toast with two eggs perfectly over easy and the tastiest thick-cut bacon around with truly amazing cottage-fried potatoes and super- fresh (and delicious) fruit costs only $9.99. If you don’t need the French toast, the cost is only $7.99 with regular toast! 

And, best of all, breakfast is served all day, so you can even have it for dinner if you have such a craving. Other breakfast dishes to try are the meat-lover’s hash, country fried chicken & eggs with pepper gravy, the “breakfast in hand” sandwich, pancake breakfast, create-your-own omelets and even a yogurt parfait with fresh fruit and house-made granola.

Still More To Come!

Eddie and Lourdes promise that more items will be added to BayScape Bistro’s unique menu, based on customer demand and boy, considering the place hasn’t yet been open for two years, there are a lot of regular customers enjoying the restaurant and bar, which has some of the most reasonable premium alcohol mixed drink prices around.

Friday karaoke nights are always packed and most of the main portion of the restaurant was full for Trivia Thursday. And, with Takeout Tuesdays averaging at least 50 family-of-four meals every week, it’s obvious that Eddie and Lourdes are building something special in New Tampa, even though Heritage Isles is almost at the Morris Bridge Rd. eastern end of Cross Creek Blvd.

And, keep reading the Neighborhood News for more info about a family-oriented Back-to-School Business Expo, in conjunction with the North Tampa Bay Chamber, coming sometime in August! There will be food, games for the kids and booths available for kid-oriented business sponsors.

BayScape Bistro at Heritage Isles (10630 Plantation Bay Dr.) opens at 9 a.m. for breakfast (8 a.m. on Sat. & Sun.) and stays open for lunch & dinner until 9 p.m. (10 p.m. on Fri. & Sat.).

For info, call (813) 994-3445, visit BayScapeFlorida.com or see the ad on pg. 39 of this issue.  

NT/WC Reader Survey Results: Best Breakfast

First Watch Wesley Chapel manager Kerri Hagerman is proud that First Watch has been voted as having the “Best Breakfast in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel” by Neighborhood News readers.

When it comes to places to grab a hot and healthy breakfast in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, our readers left no choice that their favorite place to do so was First Watch.

While the area doesn’t have a wealth of breakfast options, readers still managed to name 20 places they would call their favorite. But, it was First Watch, located on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza in Wesley Chapel, and then everyone else, as the Bradenton-based chain garnered 56.5 percent of the votes. No other style of restaurant dominated their category in the Best of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel the way that First Watch did.

But that is of little surprise to anyone who has waited in line — and who hasn’t? — to dine there.

“I think it is multiple things,’’ says Kerri Hagerman, the manager for the Wesley Chapel location, which happens to be the fourth-ranked performing First Watch of more than 300 locations nationwide. “One of the biggest reasons is that we focused on quality as a company — quality of the food, quality of the service and the quality of the  people we have working for us.”

Hagerman says it all leads to achieving the company’s mission statement: “You First.”

The restaurant offers a unique menu of breakfast, brunch and lunch items, like its popular avocado toast, lemon ricotta pancakes, a “chickichanga” burrito with whipped eggs, chicken, chorizo sausage, various cheeses, a mild Veracruz sauce and a variety of skillet hashes.

Every made-to-order menu item is made with the promise of fresh, and often local, ingredients.

The Tampa Bay area, including the Wesley Chapel location, also is First Watch’s test market for limited time offerings. Every 10 weeks or so, five new items are colorfully displayed on the chalkboard at the front of the restaurant. If they end up being a hit, they make it onto the regular menu. So, items that some across the country are experiencing for the first time now, the Wesley Chapel location featured a year ago.

Items currently being featured: a Mediterranean tomato stew called Shakshuka with Moroccan red harissa stew topped with cage-free poached eggs, a supergreen frittata wrap, an acai bowl topped with fruit and granola, rainbow toast featuring ricotta cheese-covered brioche toast topped with berries, mango and local honey and a blue booster drink with white grape juice, blueberry, lemon and basil.

Hagerman says First Watch’s juices, like the popular Kale tonic that was tested here but is now a regular menu item, are always big hits. While the restaurant has a reputation for innovative healthy foods, there also is plenty for those looking for something more traditional.

“We do serve healthy foods, but we also have a large variety of indulgent items as well,” Hagerman said. “There’s is definitely plenty for those looking for something heartier as well.”