Congratulations to Florida Penguin Productions and the North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) for hosting a super-successful third annual Summer Rum & Seafood Festival.
Despite heavy rains that delayed the start of the event, this year’s Summer Rum & Seafood Festival on July 13 at the Tampa Premium Outlets was four hours of tasting samples of rum (and other spirits), great bands, local vendors and, of course, lots of seafood.
More than 1,000 patrons came out to enjoy samplings from nine different Florida-based distilleries including: St Pete Distillery, Everglades Distillery, West Distilling, Tarpon Springs Distillery, 90 Miles South, Lugo’s Craft Distillery, Preez Distillery (photo below), Reif Rum Spirits and American Freedom Distillery.
Entertainment this year included popular southern rock & country band Southbound 75 and Turn It On Again, A Tribute to Phil Collins/Genesis. Turn It On Again did an amazing job of covering the catalogs of Collins and his former Genesis bandmate Peter Gabriel.
Among the fun returning events were the hermit crab races (bottom right), a live mermaid tank (below, right) and 10 different seafood vendors offering everything from crab legs to crab cakes, shrimp skewers, whole snapper and more.
Among the favorite seafood trucks were crab cakes from New Tampa’s own Charm City Eats (top photo) and From the Soul to the Sea’s shrimp bowl (above).
Major sponsors of this year’s event were Universal Roof and Pasco County Recycling ,with a media shout out to MOR-TV.
According to Drew Cecere of Florida Penguin Productions, admission fees and sponsorships for the Rum & Seafood Festival raised $2.600 for the North Tampa Bay Chamber Foundation. — GN
Although I admit to having missed it when three Tampa restaurants were awarded Michelin Stars last month, I wanted to congratulate the owners of Gorkhali Kitchen, the Tampa Bay area’s only Nepalese-Himalayan restaurant, located in the Cross Creek Center plaza at 10044 Cross Creek Blvd., which was one of only two Tampa eateries to win the Michelin Bib Gourmand award (the other was Psomi, a Greek concept in South Tampa).
Michelin Stars are offered to the best of the most upscale eateries, while the Bib Gourmand awards are given to restaurants with “consistently good quality, good value cooking,” but both awards are presented only after multiple Michelin Guide inspectors make multiple visits and all agree on the restaurant’s quality.
Gorkhali’s Nepalese (and Indian) fare includes the country’s signature Momo dumplings, sizzling Tandoori lamb chops and chicken wings, tender goat dishes and the Nepalese fried rice (with chicken) shown here.
Gorkhali Kitchen co-owners Rajesh Pathak, Reena Widdoes, Poonam Gurung and Menora Panthi have rightfully been inundated with new customers since the announcement.
Gorkhali Kitchen is open every day for lunch and dinner. For more information, call (813) 388-6404 or visit GorkhaliKitchenTampa.com.
Grand Hampton: The Movie Series Makes It To Orlando Film Fest!
Photo provided by Antony Capers.
Speaking of congratulations, I also have to give big props to filmmaker Antony Capers and his talented cast and crew of “Grand Hampton the Movie Series – Super Vita,” which has been invited to the nonprofit Orlando International Film Festival (OIFF) the weekend of July 13-16.
Capers says, “Being a part of the OIFF is huge, and a great accomplishment. We have no celebrity actors or figures in our movie, we had no production budget, nor any high-end specials effects, but yet myself, and Annette (Simmons-Brown)wrote a movie that had a strong enough story to make an impact.”
Capers & crew, who got to present (photo) and even film a portion of the series at the historic Tampa Theatre in downtown Tampa earlier this year, says that although “Grand Hampton” will be one of about 200 short and feature-length films presented at the OIFF, “I think being in this film festival will help expose our ‘Grand Hampton the Movie’ brand to a wider audience… Hopefully being in the festival, we can get enough eyes on it and possibly get a movie or production deal from Netflix, HULU or a service like that because our story is very unique and different.”
To see all episodes of “Grand Hampton,” visit “Grand Hampton the Movie Series” on Youtube.
Sportsman’s Warehouse To Replace Best Buy In August
Those who enjoy outdoor activities — including hunting, shooting, fishing, camping, boating, outdoor cooking, etc. — will be thrilled to know that Sportsman’s Warehouse is expected to open in The Walk at Highwoods Preserve (in the former location of Best Buy) on (or around) Thursday, August 17.
For more info, including how to register to win a GMC AT4 truck and outdoor gear package, visit Sportsmans.com.
Azteca D’Oro Is Open At The Shops At Wiregrass!
Although it wasn’t yet open when we went to press with this issue, the opening of the new Azteca d’Oro Mexican restaurant at the Shops at Wiregrass (across from The Living Room; left photo) took place last week, with a Grand Opening event the weekend of June 24-25.
We were planning to visit and take both pictures and video last week, so look for updates on NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net as soon as you receive this issue in your mailbox.
I met with co-owner Victor Ramos and the rest of the Azteca team the day this issue went to press, where I got the only picture I could (right photo) of a fully completed area inside this beautiful new, upscale Mexican dining experience.
Azteca d’Oro (2000 Piazza Ave., Unit 170) is open every day for lunch and dinner, with Azteca’s “Buy One, Get One” Happy Hour available all day on Sunday and Monday-Saturday, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.). For more information, visit Aztecadoro.com.
Checking Out The Third Annual Rum & Seafood Festival!
Our congratulations go out to Florida Penguin Productions for putting on a successful third-annual Rum & Seafood Festival at the Tampa Premium Outlets on June 3, despite the constant threat of bad weather that could have caused the event’s cancellation.
A steady stream of adult visitors paid $15 per person to get into the Festival, which featured live music, dozens of vendors — including Siesta Key and Sailor Jerry rums, FishHawk Spirits and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey — and great seafood food trucks like Charm City Eats, Super Grouper, Got Lobstah? and From the Soul to the Sea. Among this year’s highlights were the Crab Races (that I unfortunately missed) and the “rooftop” bar.
The North Tampa Bay Chamber received a portion of the event’s proceeds.
Our congratulations go out to Florida Penguin Productions for putting on a successful third-annual Rum & Seafood Festival at the Tampa Premium Outlets on June 3, despite the constant threat of bad weather that could have caused the event’s cancellation.
A steady stream of adult visitors paid $15 per person to get into the Festival, which featured live music, dozens of vendors — including Siesta Key and Sailor Jerry rums, FishHawk Spirits and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey — and great seafood food trucks like Charm City Eats, Super Grouper, Got Lobstah? and From the Soul to the Sea. Among this year’s highlights were the Crab Races (that I unfortunately missed) and the “rooftop” bar.
The North Tampa Bay Chamber received a portion of the event’s proceeds.
Crazy Sushi Is Open At The Shops At Wiregrass; Azteca D’Oro To Open June 24!
Crazy Sushi Is Open!
If you love sushi and all-you-can-eat Japanese-inspired cuisine and haven’t yet checked out the new Crazy Sushi Wiregrass at the Shops at Wiregrass, you probably should.
Crazy Sushi is more than just another replacement for the several restaurants that have opened and gone out of business at 28152 Paseo Dr., #150 — it’s a much larger (having also taken over an adjacent store), real sit-down restaurant that just happens to also offer all-you-care-to-eat lunch (for $22.95 per person; available Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. only) and dinner (and Sat.-Sun. lunch, for $32.95) Japanese food that, based on our first visit, is well worth the price.
The sushi (the left photo is of a tasty sushi sampler that isn’t on the menu) is really fresh, the appetizers — including gyoza dumplings, tempura veggies, fried chicken karaage (right photo), etc. — and lo mein are spot-on and the hibachi sirloin steak and chicken are both of a higher quality (at least, in my opinion)than what we’re used to getting at Ginza or Koizi. And. the premium full-liquor bar offers full-sized drinks at lower-than-mall prices.
For more information, call (813) 991-8989 or visit CrazySushiWesleyChapel.com and please tell our friend Edgar behind the bar that we sent you!
Recapping Blush Champagne Bar’s Grand Opening Event!
Even though we told you that the Blush Champagne & Cocktail Bar had opened at the KRATE Container Park last issue, we didn’t get to show you any of the great pictures photographer Charmaine George took at the spectacular Grand Opening party on May 19 for the second KRATE (the other is the nearly adjacent Blush Wine Room) owned by Felicia and Nimesh Desai (top left photo). The event included a DJ, a 360º photo booth, the great Blush Wine Room food, a dozen frozen wine-based cocktails, a variety of sparkling wines and hundreds of happy attendees! For info about the Blush Wine Room or Champagne & Cocktail Bar, call (813) 428-6247 or visit BlushWineRoom.com.
Playa Bowls To Open June 17!
When Tabatha Castro and Pablo Reid open the newest location of Playa Bowls next to the Latin Twist Café at 2653 BBD Blvd. on or around June 17, you can expect not just the ever-popular açai bowls, but also coconut, banana, chia pudding, green and pitaya bowls, plus fresh fruit smoothies and juices, oatmeal & more. The beach-themed healthy eating place also known as “Pineappleland,” started at the Jersey Store and has grown to nearly 200 locations nationwide. For more info, visit PlayaBowls.com.
