So, it seems that the change in format has thrown some of our usual voters for a loop, but here’s the bottom line: There’s only about two months left for you to submit your votes for your Favorite Restaurants in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel — and to win up to $200 in FREE dining to the restaurant of your choice!
If you click HERE, you’ll find lists of every local and small chain restaurant in a number of categories in both New Tampa and Wesley Chapel. We’re asking you to name your favorites in each category. You can skip as many categories as you like, but we’re grouping the lists of restaurants by type. Here are those categories:
1) Your Five Favorite (overall) Restaurants in Wesley Chapel (NT)
2) Your Favorite American Restaurant in New Tampa
3) Your Favorite Pizza Place in NT
These same categories also appear on the Wesley Chapel ballot. Both entry forms also include lists of places that ask you to pick your Favorite in New Tampa (NT) AND Wesley Chapel,. Here are those other categories:
1) You Favorite Mexican Place in NT/ WC
2) Your Favorite Latin (but not Mexican) Restaurant in NT/WC
3) Your Favorite Chinese Place in NT/WC
4) Your Favorite Japanese/Sushi Restaurant in NT & WC
5) Your Favorite Thai or Korean Restaurant in NT/WC
6) Your Favorite Italian Food in NT/WC
7) Your Favorite Greek or Mediterranean Restaurant in NT/WC
8) Your Favorite Indian Place in NT/WC
9) Your Favorite Breakfast Place in NT/WC
9) Your Favorite Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt or Gelato Place in NT/WC
10) Your Favorite Bakery in NT/WC
11) Your Favorite Coffee Shop in NT/WC
We’re providing the lists of places — although we’ve left out the large national and regional chains (with more than 50-60 total locations), because you still have to write (or type) the names of your favorites in the spaces provided and we’re pretty sure you know those chains if they’re your favorite in a category — and yes, you can still include them (we just wish you would focus more on local).
Fill out as many categories as you like, but please don’t put the same name in every category, because those votes won’t be counted. And, if a restaurant is on our Wesley Chapel list, your vote won’t count if you write the name of that restaurant in any New Tampa-only spaces and vice-versa. You can submit both New Tampa & Wesley Chapel ballots without being DQed.
We have upped the prizes for this year — the Grand Prize is now $200, plus prizes of $100 and $50, chosen at random from among all correctly-filled-out entries received by email or on our NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net website (Note-no U.S. Mail entries will be accepted for this year’s contest!) by Friday, October 18.
The new whole, fried red snapper at Las Palmas Latin Grill on County Line Rd. is crispy outside, tender & flaky inside. (Photos by Charmaine George)
I have been a fan of Ramses Garcia’s authentic Cuban and Latin cuisine since he first took over the original Las Palmas in the Pebble Creek Collection more than a decade ago.
Like so many of their loyal customers, Jannah and I followed Ramses and his wife Ana to the relocated Las Palmas in the plaza at the intersection of County Line Rd. and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. that also includes LA Fitness and Five Guys Burgers & Fries.
And yes, we also frequently took out from the Las Palmas food truck in the same parking lot after the restaurant had to close following a major kitchen fire three years ago.
You can now have a Presidente cerveza or house-made sangria with your meal at Las Palmas.
But now, ten months after Ramses and Ana sold the food truck and reopened the new Las Palmas Latin Grill in the same space in the plaza last October, they are happy to announce that they are now also able to serve cerveza (beer) and homemade sangria and Ramses and many of his loyal customers couldn’t be more excited about it.
“People have been asking me, ‘When are you going to serve alcohol?’ from the day we first opened,” Ramses says. “We would love to be able to sell full liquor, but we’re happy to have cerveza and sangria and believe it will help business.”
The long-time local mom-&-pop favorite — which has consistently finished in the top three Favorite Latin Restaurants in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel in our annual Reader Dining Survey & Contest — should definitely get a boost from beer and wine.
“Right now, we have Corona, Presidente, Coors Light and Heineken beer,” Ramses says, “but we will add more in the future. And, our customers tell me our sangria is pretty awesome, too.”
And yes, yours truly agrees.
New Entrées, Too!
Although I still have some old favorites that I will order forever at Las Palmas (see below), Ramses has added a couple of new entrées that will now be in my regular rotation whenever we visit (or take out from) the restaurant.
Although I know a lot of people (including Jannah) won’t eat anything that’s looking back at you, if you’re already a fan of whole snapper, you honestly can’t beat the crispy outside, flaky inside whole snapper at Las Palmas.
The new churrasco steak entree at Las Palmas.
I’m also a big fan of the recently re-added churrasco steak, served with Ramses’ homemade chimichurri sauce. The flank steak is tender, with just the right amount of garlic and the tangy chimichurri is a perfect complement.
“We had to take the churrasco off the menu until I found the right supplier with the right steak,” Ramses says. “The new churrasco is fire.”
And, like all of the entrées at Las Palmas, the whole snapper and churrasco are served with your choice of two delicious sides, from black or red beans, yellow or white rice, boiled yuca, French fries, sweet or savory plantains, green beans or salad with Las Palmas’ signature creamy herbal dressing.
You can’t go wrong starting your meal with some empanadas.
Start your meal with beef or chicken empanadas, deviled crab, ham croquettes, savory tostones bites (crispy green plantain bites stuffed with your choice of beef picadillo or mojo pork) or the “Fan Favorite” golden brown fried yuca sticks served with creamy, tangy cilantro sauce.
Many of Ramses’ customers still come in for his award-winning pressed Tampa Cuban sandwich, with ham, Swiss cheese, roasted pork, salami, mustard-mayo sauce and pickles. Or, try the Miami Cubano (with no salami and mustard only), or the slow-roasted pork sandwich cooked with onions and garlic-lime mojo.
My favorite entrées are still the merluza a la Rusa — a tender basa filet in panko-spiced blend and served with the traditional “Russian-style” sauce — and the vaca frita (tender beef, marinated in garlic and lime and “grilled-fried” until crispy).
The new whole snapper is awesome, but so is Ramses’ merluza a la Rusa, shown here with a side of perfect black beans.
There’s also ropa vieja (Spanish for “old clothes), with shredded beef slow-cooked with tomatoes, bell peppers and onions; roasted chicken on rice (arroz con pollo), grilled pork chops (chuletas) and fried pork bites (masitas). Jannah also loved the huge “crumbed” pan-fried chicken breast coated with a seasoned panko-crumb mixture. and topped with sautéed onions (called pechuga empanizada). There’s also a golden seared chicken fillet with fresh herbs and spices if you’re looking for a delicious chicken dish that’s grilled.
I also should not forget to mention to the slow-roasted “lechon asado” mojo pork. Yum!
And, although I still can’t eat shrimp, Charmaine flipped for the shrimp in garlic sauce (gambas al ajillo) in a fragrant garlic-lime and butter sauce, with a touch of white wine and fresh herbs.
The zesty shrimp with garlic sauce (shown with yellow rice and sweet plantains).
Your kids will love the chicken nuggets and fries, which are served with ketchup and savory dipping sauces.
I also recommend saving room for coffee and dessert at Las Palmas. Try any of the flaky guava or guava and cheese pastries in the display case by the cash register. And, don’t forget to try the Cuban-style vanilla flan and Ana’s homemade tres leches cake — a delicious, light and airy sponge cake soaked in a luxurious blend of three milks. And, definitely enjoy any of these desserts with an authentic café con leché.
Catering also is available from Las Palmas, which has an extensive catering menu, with many more available options than what’s on the restaurant menu, including a gourmet mixed seafood paella (minimum of 20 servings per order).
Las Palmas Latin Grill (6431 E. County Line Rd., Suite 104) is open every day except Sunday for lunch and dinner. The hours are Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., and 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. on Friday & Saturday. For more info, visit LasPalmasLatinGrill.com, or follow them on Facebook or Instagram and please tell Ramses, Ana and their crew I sent you!
The award-winning Tampa Cuban. The “crumbed” pan-fried chicken fillet. All entrées at Las Palmas are served with your choice of two sides. When you taste his food, you’ll be smiling along with Las Palmas owner & chef Ramses Garcia.
So, it seems that the change in format has thrown some of our usual voters for a loop, but here’s the bottom line: There’s only about two months left for you to submit your votes for your Favorite Restaurants in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel — and to win up to $200 in FREE dining to the restaurant of your choice!
If you click HERE, you’ll find lists of every local and small chain restaurant in a number of categories in both Wesley Chapel and New Tampa. We’re asking you to name your favorites in each category. You can skip as many categories as you like, but we’re grouping the lists of restaurants by type. Here are those categories:
1) Your Five Favorite (overall) Restaurants in New Tampa (NT)
2) Your Favorite American Restaurant in New Tampa
3) Your Favorite Pizza Place in NT
These same categories also appear on the Wesley Chapel ballot. Both entry forms also include lists of places that ask you to pick your Favorite places in New Tampa (NT) AND Wesley Chapel (WC). Here are those other categories:
1) You Favorite Mexican Place in NT/ WC
2) Your Favorite Latin (but not Mexican) Restaurant in NT/WC
3) Your Favorite Chinese Place in NT/WC
4) Your Favorite Japanese/Sushi Restaurant in NT & WC
5) Your Favorite Thai or Korean Restaurant in NT/WC
6) Your Favorite Italian Food in NT/WC
7) Your Favorite Greek or Mediterranean Restaurant in NT/WC
8) Your Favorite Indian Place in NT/WC
9) Your Favorite Breakfast Place in NT/WC
9) Your Favorite Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt or Gelato Place in NT/WC
10) Your Favorite Bakery in NT/WC
11) Your Favorite Coffee Shop in NT/WC
We’re providing the lists of places — although we’ve left out the large national and regional chains (with more than 50-60 total locations), because you still have to type in the names of your favorites in the spaces provided and we’re pretty sure you know those chains if they’re your favorite in a category — and yes, you can still include them (we just wish you would focus more on local).
Fill out as many categories as you like, but please don’t put the same name in every category, because those votes won’t be counted. And, if a restaurant is on our Wesley Chapel list, your vote won’t count if you write the name of that restaurant in any New Tampa-only spaces and vice-versa. You can submit both New Tampa & Wesley Chapel ballots without being DQed.
We have upped the prizes for this year — the Grand Prize is now $200, plus prizes of $100 and $50, chosen at random from among all correctly-filled-out entries received by email or on our NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net website (Note-no U.S. Mail entries will be accepted for this year’s contest!) by Friday, October 18.
Dr. Nicole Mitchell-Toth of Blue Water Dental in the Pebble Creek Collection is an experienced family, implant and cosmetic dentist who has been practicing in New Tampa for 18 years. (Photos by Charmaine George)
Dr. Nicole Mitchell-Toth, a highly skilled, caring and dedicated dentist, has been practicing in the New Tampa area since 2006. She offers family, implant and cosmetic dentistry, with an extensive array of dental services — and has the experience and background to match.
Dr. Mitchell (which is what she says her staff and patients call her, despite her recent married name) graduated from the University of South Florida in Tampa, where she received her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Chemistry. She earned her Doctor of Medical Dentistry (D.M.D.) degree from the University of Florida College of Dentistry in Gainesville.
After graduation, Dr. Mitchell served in the United States Army, where she was stationed at Ft. Benning, GA, and completed her residency in AEGD (Advanced Education in General Dentistry), as well as the “Spear Curriculum” in advanced comprehensive dentistry. She earned the rank of Major before leaving the Army.
Dr. Mitchell has received implant training from implant educators and has averaged about 100 hours of continuing education per year for the last 20 years. She also completed the Executive Practice Management Curriculum through the University of Florida.
She opened her first private practice office 18 years ago in The Walk at Highwoods Preserve plaza before moving to her current location in the Pebble Creek Collection in New Tampa in 2020.
Having moved just before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Dr. Mitchell calls the move, “perfect timing. We were able to complete everything before building materials became scarce,” she says. “I was very fortunate to be a dentist in Florida, since the relatively lenient restrictions here allowed us to resume seeing patients after only six weeks,” which was a small amount of time compared to the six months some states shut down their dental offices.
Using AI Technology
During the pandemic, Dr. Mitchell says she was introduced to new technologies that continue to benefit her patients, including both hardware and software that utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI). For example, she has a device that attaches to a smartphone camera, enabling patients to take and then transmit pictures of their teeth to the office for evaluation, eliminating the need for some (but not all) in-person visits.
“It’s not just what we see but also what the AI technology analyzes.” Dr. Mitchell explains.
In the office, she adds, AI technology enhances dental care by identifying problem areas in photos and X-rays. “The AI can detect early signs of cavities, allowing me to prescribe medication before they become serious,” she says. This tech also allows her to create 3D models of a patient’s teeth, which can reveal changes over time, such as gum recession or wear and tear.
Dr. Mitchell uses AI technology to show patients where they have problems with their teeth.
“We can use these images overlaid to show the patient how and why things have changed and what they can do to improve.”
For more than a year, Dr. Mitchell also has been using AI software to analyze X-rays.
“The software highlights problem areas in different colors (see photo left), making it easier to explain to patients what they need,” she says. “This visual aid helps patients understand their dental health and the necessary treatments.”
Dr. Mitchell’s approach to dentistry is grounded in honesty and openness. She ensures that each patient is fully informed about treatment options and costs, empowering them to make the best decisions for their dental health.
She also emphasizes the importance of education in maintaining oral health. New patients fill out detailed questionnaires about diet and lifestyle to identify potential causes of dental issues.
“You may not realize it, but what you eat or drink can affect your teeth,” she says.
The Blue Water Dental team includes three dental hygienists, four dental assistants, three administrative staff members and therapy dogs Max and Mandi.
“In January of 2016,” says Dr. Mitchell, “we welcomed to the office these two nine-week-old Maltese-Shih Tzu mix pups, who we named after the Maxillary and Mandibular jaws. These therapy dogs were trained for the purpose of providing comfort and kindness to our patients.”
The hypoallergenic pups enjoy roaming the office, “but mostly they enjoy sitting on the laps of patients and getting a good belly rub” says Dr. Mitchell, who adds that most patients find Max and Mandy to be very calming and comforting.
Implant & Cosmetic Services
In addition to general/family dentistry, Dr. Mitchell specializes in cosmetic dentistry and dental implants.
“Creating new smiles is a favorite part of my job,” she says. Her practice offers a number of cosmetic procedures, including veneers, crowns and teeth whitening. She provides comprehensive assessments and multiple treatment options, ensuring that patients can choose the best solutions for their individual needs.
When it comes to implants, Dr. Mitchell handles everything from individual teeth to complete replacements.
“Replacing teeth can significantly improve a person’s appearance and confidence,” she says. “Depending upon what the patient wants or needs, the implant process can take from four months to a year.”
Mandi is one of two hypoallergenic therapy dogs in Dr. Mitchell’s office.
Cosmetic services include single-visit permanent crowns, customized cosmetic veneers, specialty orthodontic care with virtual checkups, dental implants and same-day emergency appointments.
Giving back to the community also is important to Dr. Mitchell. She volunteers with Missions Smiles, a program of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Mission Tampa that provides dental care via a mobile unit to underserved areas.
“We offer care once or twice a month, and sometimes we see patients in the office as well,” she says. “This program also assists survivors of human trafficking.”
Another volunteer effort is with “Operation Stand Down,” presented by the Chapters Health Valor Program of HPH Hospice in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. This annual event provides comprehensive services to veterans, “many of whom are homeless and haven’t had dental care in years,” Dr. Mitchell explains. The event offers a range of services and accommodations, creating a supportive environment for these veterans in need.
Dr. Mitchell has built long-term relationships with her patients, some of whom she has cared for since they were school aged and are now married with children. She takes pride in building these relationships and doing her absolute best to cater to every patient’s needs
For more info about Blue Water Dental, the Family, Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry office of Dr. Nicole Mitchell-Toth (19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite A-1), call (813) 957-5887 or visit NicoleMitchellDMD.com to request an appointment. The office is open Mon.- Thur., 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., and 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Fri.
When you visit The Primary Care of Wesley Chapel, located off Wesley Chapel Blvd. in Lutz, you’ll meet the team of (l.-r.) Alexis, Megan, Scarlette and Maggie. (Photos provided by Primary Care of WC)
Scarlette Owens, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, has spent her entire career caring for patients. First, as a nurse in obstetrics and gynecology, then as a nurse practitioner.
With decades of practice in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area, the word has gotten out that Scarlette is a knowledgeable, experienced primary care practitioner who listens to her patients and treats them with compassion and care.
When Scarlette found herself at a career crossroads, the timing seemed perfect for her to open a new primary care practice of her own.
So, Scarlette joined fellow nurse practitioner Megan Dudley, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, to open The Primary Care of Wesley Chapel just after Memorial Day weekend of this year. The office is located in the new Cypress Bend Professional Park, off Wesley Chapel Blvd., next to Harley Davidson of Wesley Chapel.
The letters behind their names mean Scarlette and Megan have advanced credentials and participate in ongoing training to treat both female and male patients, ages 18 and up. They have each received a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, earned credentials as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) and have earned Board certification as family nurse practitioners (FNP-C) by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board.
Both Megan and Scarlette say they were looking for more flexibility in their work/life balance and thought that opening a new practice, with each of them as part owner, would give them that opportunity.
Megan, as the mom of 10-year-old twins, wanted a schedule that would allow her to chauffeur her kids to soccer games and figure skating practice. Scarlette, after 18 years in internal medicine as a partner at a local Florida Medical Clinic office, was looking to slow down with a schedule that allowed her to work just four and a half days each week.
As a member of the clinical faculty at the University of South Florida, in Tampa, Scarlette says she has trained many nurse practitioners.
“I made a big leap to leave all of that behind,” she says, adding that she had signed a contract to work for a company that was putting primary care practices inside of Walgreens pharmacies. At the last minute, that company pulled the plug on the practice and told Scarlette they no longer had a job for her. She attempted to return to primary care, but the right fit wasn’t available, so she started working in urgent care for Florida Medical Clinic.
“I loved the crew there,” Scarlette says. But, she also says that her former patients were tracking her down, asking her where they could see her for primary care again.
“It was very humbling,” Scarlette says. “You’re busy doing your job, so you don’t realize how much your patients appreciate you and want to see you.”
In addition to Scarlette and Megan, The Primary Care of Wesley Chapel has two employees who are both cross-trained as front desk staff and medical assistants, Alexis and Maggie. Scarlette says she expects them to become the leadership team as the practice grows.
Megan and Scarlette look forward to being your primary care providers, too.
There also are two other providers in the office. Fellow Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Patricia Moore, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, is a part-time provider who focuses on women’s health. While she’s trained as a primary care provider, Patricia can take the time to have more lengthy conversations surrounding women’s issues and problems, such as hormones, bladder issues and contraceptives.
And, occupational therapist Irfan Choudhry, OT/PTA, is expected to offer occupational therapy services at the practice starting in a couple of months.
Scarlette and Megan say they are both focused on being available, accessible and good listeners, proactive in decision making and taking care of people.
“So many people can’t get in to their primary care provider for six months,” explains Scarlette. Or, she adds, they may have an urgent issue — such as an infection or low blood sugar — and they’re told they can wait three weeks for an appointment or go to the emergency room, because those are the only options.
“They don’t feel cared for,” Scarlette says. “I saw it from the urgent care perspective. All these people were there because they couldn’t get into primary care.”
Telehealth Benefits
So, at The Primary Care of Wesley Chapel, the team has Telehealth appointments available every day. If someone is on vacation and needs antibiotics or has high blood pressure or is having an allergic reaction, they can speak to a health care provider right away.
“We are small, but that’s what makes us special,” says Megan. “We know our patients expect us to have knowledge and experience but we also want to have kindness and personal interactions. I hope people feel listened to, heard and valued. That’s what we’re here to do.”
Megan says she often has patients she recognizes from her kids’ school or activities in the community, since she and her husband have lived in Wesley Chapel for more than 10 years now.
“We live here, we’re raising our kids here, we go to church here and they go to public school here,” Megan says. “We’re entrenched in our community, and I love that I’m home from work in less than 15 minutes.”
Scarlette says it means a lot to her that her patients continue to seek her out.
“As a former OB nurse, I have patients who remember that I was the one who told them they were pregnant, and I’m still seeing them,” she says. “And now, those babies I delivered are all grown up and sometimes I see them, too.”
One of Scarlette’s long-time patients is Donna, who asked that we not use her last name. She says she first met Scarlette nearly 20 years ago.
“She is always so responsive and caring,” says Donna. “When I first became her patient, she spent so much time going through my chart, making sure she was very familiar with everything. She really listens and doesn’t just run in and out of the room.”
Donna says she’s already seen Scarlette at The Primary Care of Wesley Chapel for both an in-person well check and sick visits via Telehealth.
“The whole staff is so personable,” Donna says. “They seem so genuine and caring. And the office is beautiful.”
The Primary Care of Wesley Chapel accepts many major health insurance plans, Medicare and some plans from the “Obamacare” marketplace. Patients also can self-pay if they don’t have insurance.
The Primary Care of Wesley Chapel is located at 2935 Pearson James Pl., off Wesley Chapel Blvd. It is open Mon.- Fri., 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For appointments or more information, call (813) 991-4243 or visit PrimaryCareWesleyChapel.com.
