Nibbles & Bytes: Fushia

fushiaNibbles & Bytes: Fushia Adds Chinese Hot Pot Buffet

If you’re looking for a healthier and more fun way to enjoy an authentic Chinese meal, Fushia Asian Bistro has recreated a portion of its space in the Shoppes at Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms as our area’s first-ever Chinese Hot Pot Buffet.

Although it isn’t cheap (it costs $25.99 per person), Fushia co-owner Sharon Wang says the hot pot buffet can be addicting (in a good way, of course). Sharon says to think of it as a kind of a “melting pot” for Asian cuisine. Each diner chooses one of 8 broths as the “base” for their own hot pot, which simmers on burners at each table. Then, choose from more than 30 different kinds of meat, chicken, shellfish, fish and veggies. Throw it all in your hot pot, let it simmer and then you scoop out all of the goodies and drop them in your plate and enjoy them with more than 20 different sauces — from sweet and mild to multiple kinds of hot & spicy. Your meal comes with soft drinks and dessert.

I wouldn’t try the hot pot buffet with the kiddies. Go on a date night, bring the coupon in the ad below and try the sensation that’s sweeping large cities across the nation! And, Fushia does still have delicious New York-style Chinese fare next door, too.

For more info about Fushia’s Hot Pot Buffet (15315 Amberly Dr.), call 903-6705 or see the ad below.

LongHorn Opens; Ford’s Garage Goes Vertical

For those of us who want more restaurants in our area, the area on S.R. 56 near the Tampa Premium Outlets (TPO) mall continues to give us new options.

Since last month’s opening of BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, another chain has opened and two others have gone vertical.

The newest restaurant to open (on Nov. 14) is LongHorn Steakhouse. The steakhouse chain definitely has the best steak of the three sit-down restaurants located in front of TPO (Cheddars Scratch Kitchen and BJ’s are the others), and the service and food are always dependable.

fordsBuilding up quickly, between LongHorn and BJ’s, is a new McDonald’s. But, perhaps the most eagerly awaited eatery to go vertical recently was the latest incarnation of Ford’s Garage, which has locations in Brandon, Cape Coral, Ft. Myers and Estero. The Wesley Chapel location will be the first building to open on the north side of S.R. 56 in the Cypress Creek Town Center Development of Regional Impact.

Try Little Italy’s New Lunch!

Although I’m OK with the chains that are opening in our area, there’s no doubt I’m still much more into local mom-and-pop restaurants like Little’s Italy’s Family Restaurant & Catering, located a couple of miles west of TPO at 24436 S.R. 54 in Lutz.

1103161241aOwners Jessica and Carl Meyers have a great new lunch menu, where most items are just $6-$9, like the amazing mini-meatball “grinda”, which is served with excellent homemade potato chips. Other new lunch options include smaller-sized servings of chicken parmigiana, ravioli, lasagna, personal hand-tossed pizzas and even seafood pasta options like shrimp and mussels marinara (for a little more).

Stop in Tues.-Sat. for lunch or dinner, call 909-2122 or visit LittleItalyFamilyRestaurant.com.

Takara Sushi Closes

Although we still have quite a few very good Japanese restaurants in our area, we were still saddened to learn that Takara Sushi & Sake, located in the Oak Ramble Plaza (the same plaza as Acropolis Greek Taverna; see story on pg. 42) on BBD south of Tampa Palms, had closed.

We didn’t have any word at our press time as to why it closed or what might move into the space, but Takara was doing very well again in this year’s annual Reader Dining Survey. Those results are coming soon!

Parks Lincoln Unveils New Model

I also was excited to be on hand for the unveiling of not only a new model from Lincoln Motor Cars, but also for the Grand Re-Opening of the beautiful Parks Lincoln of Tampa dealership at 10505 N. Florida Ave., south of Fowler Ave, in Tampa.

lincoln2-revOwner Ron Parks, who also owns the Parks Ford, Fiat & Alfa Romeo dealerships on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, cut the ribbon at the revamped dealership and unveiled the new 2017 Lincoln Continental (left) during a VIP event on Oct. 13.

With live entertainment and upscale food provided by Puff n’ Stuff Catering (like amazing beef short ribs, seared scallops and homemade ravioli), Parks kicked off the new dealership and model reveal in style.

The event was organized by Parks’ Jennifer Cofini, who was recently honored as Volunteer of the Year by the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce.

lincolnAllthough I didn’t get to test drive the new Continental, I was treated to what Parks calls a “Date Night,” where I got to test drive a new Lincoln MKZ for 24 hours and receive a $100 Visa gift card to enjoy a great dinner. It’s been years since I drove an American car, but Lincoln definitely has affordable luxury down to a science.

To schedule a “Date Night” test drive, call (800) 398-7989 or visit Lincoln ofTampa.com & tell ‘em I sent you! — GN

Nibbles & Bytes

drgreg2Congrats, Dr. Greg!

On Oct. 27, Dr. Greg Stepanski, DDS, of Children’s Dentistry, located at 10317-B Cross Creek Blvd., in the Cory Lakes Professional Center, celebrated 25 years in practice in our area at a party at his current office.

At least 100 guests — including many of Stepanski’s fellow local dentists (such as Dr. Paul Duga and Dr. Mark Farina in the picture; the trio represents about 60 years worth of advertising in this publication) — enjoyed great food, entertainment and fun with Dr. Greg, his wife Sue and his amazing staff.

Dr. Greg was my kids’ pediatric dentist, so I can tell you with confidence what a great dentist — and friend — he is.

For more info, call 973-3100 or visit DrGreg-ChildrensDentistry.com.

Nibbles & Bytes: Toast Is Toast!

ToastWEBI was saddened to learn that Toast Wine & Café, located in the Oak Ramble Plaza (which still has Acropolis Greek Taverna, Mr. Dunderbak’s, Jersey Mike’s and Takara Sushi & Sake Lounge, among others) had closed, and apparently it’s been more than a month since it happened at our press time.

Toast started out with a group of owners, all of whom lived in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel. It also began as primarily a wine bar with minimal food, but grew into a pretty good restaurant with reasonably priced food, great retail wines by the bottle or glass, coffee and entertainment, all in a cozy, casual setting, is the latest in, unfortunately, too long a list of my favorite mom-&-pop restaurants in our area that is no longer in business.

And, speaking of those mom-&-pop places, help out as many as you can by entering our 2016 Reader Dining Survey & Contest, where you can win a $50, $100, or even $200 gift card to the restaurant of your choice in the Tampa Bay area!

Check out our latest issue to enter!

Nibbles & Bytes: Costco, BJ’s & Longhorn All Getting Closer!

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BJ’s Brewhouse

If it’s been more than a week or two since you visited the outlet mall area, you may not have seen that two more restaurants  in front of the new mall are going vertical, as BJ’s Brewhouse and Longhorn Steakhouse are both closer to having their separate buildings completed.

BJ’s, which is directly across Grand Cypress Dr. from Cheddar’s, is the closer of the two, although the construction process on both restaurants will go quickly now that the shells of the buildings themselves are nearly completed.

If you drive west and south behind Cheddar’s, Chick-fil-A and Culver’s on Sun Vista Dr., you’ll also notice that the site of the 152,626-sq.-ft. Costco also has been cleared and appears to be getting ready to go vertical shortly.

We’ll keep you posted about these and other developments along S.R. 56, both in these pages and on future episodes of WCNT-tv.

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