Posts by Gina Giradot Melton | Panache Vue' Magazine - North Pinellas/Pasco

It’s a Family Affair at Grand Plaza Café

September 18, 2011 By Gina Giradot Melton

Linda DePasquale, Marguerite and Tommy Cottone

It’s been a long road, but this month, Grand Plaza Café in Trinity is celebrating its one-year anniversary.

After a string of bad luck relating to finding the right location for the restaurant, there was a time when Linda DePasquale and Marguerite and Tommy Cottone didn’t know if their dream of opening a restaurant together would become reality.

Thankfully for Trinity and New Port Richey diners, they found a place for their dream at the Grand Plaza strip near the intersection of Little Road and State Road 54.

The inspiration for Grand Plaza Café sprouted from the many dinners out the trio shared over the years. Marguerite says that, “we come from an Italian family where eating and cooking is a huge part of our family so food is really important to us. The three of us would always go out to dinner and say, we could make food so much better than this!”

The menu at Grand Plaza has something for everyone, no matter what the craving. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner with different dinner specials each night.

Some of the highlights of the menu are the pastrami and corned beef stacked on marbled rye ($8.95)—the best I’ve had anywhere outside of New York — the cheese and parsley sausage with broccoli rabe, and the Pecan Crusted Tilapia topped with a lemon basil sauce.

Grand Plaza Cafe An absolute must-order when you go to Grand Plaza Café are the rice balls, a Sicilian favorite also known as aranchine. The balls are filled with a little bit of Sopresata, Genoa salami and Mozzarella, and then deep friend to crisply perfection. Quite possibly, it’s the most perfect little bite ever created.

As for the family tree, Linda and Margurite are cousins and Tommy and Marguerite have been happily married for thirty years. Linda says that the goal of opening the restaurant “was to create a family restaurant in a modern environment. The type of place we’d like to take our families to.” Grand Plaza is the perfect family restaurant,

Grand Plaza is the perfect family restaurant, where kids eat free Monday through Thursday and the dinner entrée prices are in the $12-14 range. Last month, Grand Plaza ran a special promotion featuring a wine tasting, two appetizers, two pastas, entrée and two desserts for only $19.95. Linda estimates that 98 percent of all customers return to Grand Plaza after their first visit, so the restaurant’s success is closely tied to word-of-mouth.

On the horizon, Grand Plaza has more wine tastings in the works and live music and dancing on most Friday or Saturday nights.

They are planning a one-year celebration party complete with prizes and free drinks for attendees. More details can be found on their Facebook page or on the Grand Plaza Café Website.

Grand Plaza Cafe
4040 Little Road
New Port Richey, FL 34655
www.GrandPlazaCafe.com

Gina Giradot Melton

Gina Giradot Melton is a Tampa-based food blogger. Her blog, Zest: The Florida Foodie Insider’s Guide (www.ZestFloridaFoodie.com) documents her gastronomic attack on Florida via restaurant reviews, recipes and other bon vivant obsessions. She was born into a boisterous Italian family where food was paramount and early on, her Mom – an amazing pastry chef in her own right—fueled her interest by teaching her everything she could in the kitchen. Her goal is to give readers easy access to delicious food that’s a little bit off the beaten path and miles away from the many chains and tourist traps that proliferate Florida’s landscape. She can be reached at zestfloridafoodie@gmail.com

Filed Under: 2011, North Pinellas / Pasco, Nosh, September/October 2011 - North Pinellas/Pasco, Wine & Dine Tagged With: Dining, Features, Gina Giradot Melton, Gourmet, Grand Plaza Café, Linda DePasquale, Marguerite Cottone, New Port Richey, Pasco, Restaurant, Tampa Bay, Tommy Cottone

Q&A with Philip Orsino – Chairman, Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant

September 18, 2011 By Gina Giradot Melton

Philip Orsino

Phillip Orsino is the Chairman of Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant, a Tampa Bay institution with locations in South Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Orlando and Sarasota.

With over 11O tapas options and full weekend brunch menu, Ceviche offers not only a unique dining atmosphere, but also one of the best dining values in Tampa Bay. And the sangria is delicious too!

Nosh recently had the chance to chat with Canadian-born Orsino from his home in Toronto, Ontario where he spends his time when he is not in Tampa Bay.

Nosh: What made you want to invest in Ceviche?
Orsino: It sounds corny, but I really enjoyed going to Ceviche for dinner. I saw a viable business interest and first got involved as an investor. We expanded to Sarasota and Clearwater and eventually I bought out my partner.

Nosh: What sets the Ceviche dining experience apart?
Orsino: It’s a great cultural experience. People enjoy our intimate environment by sharing Tapas, while taking in some live entertainment. It makes for a great night out.

Nosh: It seems like everyone has some sort of small plate offering, how is Ceviche different?
Orsino: We have over 110 tapas options. I’ve traveled (and eaten!) all around the world and I think that the food we serve is comparable to the food you’d find in Barcelona, Spain. It’s not just about serving small portions—lots of places are doing that. We offer a great wine list and an authentic Spanish experience that no other restaurants in town offer. The value of our dishes is unrivaled.

Ceviche Tapas Bar and Restaurant

Nosh: So what in your opinion, is the key to success in the restaurant industry?
Orsino:You can have the best location, but it still comes down to the food. The quality of our food is very good and our Executive Chef, Antonio Escobar, works hard to make sure that every night we offer our customers a consistent product. There also has to be a passion for what you are doing. I have always enjoyed eating out and have a passion for it. Sharing a meal with good conversation and good wine gives people an escape from reality. Nothing gives me more satisfaction than seeing people at the restaurant enjoying themselves, laughing and trying new things.

Nosh: So what are your favorite items on the menu?
Orsino: The tuna tartar and the paella are my favorites. The pork shanks with potatoes bravas was one of the first things that I ever ordered at Ceviche and I still love it!

Nosh: Do you have any plans to for new concepts?
Orsino: At this time, no. We are constantly staying abreast of what’s fashionable and innovating items on our menu—all the while focusing on our core values of offering our customers a full dining experience focused on food quality.

Gina Giradot Melton

Filed Under: 2011, 2011, North Pinellas / Pasco, Nosh, November/December 2011 - North Pinellas/Pasco, September 2011 - South Tampa, South Tampa, Wine & Dine Tagged With: Ceviche Tapas Bar and Restaurant, Clearwater, Dining, Features, Gina Giardot Melton, Orlando, Philip Orsino, Restaurant, Sarasota, South Tampa, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Tapas

Get your Fro-yo on at South Tampa’s Best Frozen Yogurt Stores

August 12, 2011 By Gina Giradot Melton

Lately, I’ve been feeling like I’m back in Junior High. Much to my dismay, the rad fashions of the 80’s are back, the unemployment rate is in the double digits and frozen yogurt is en vogue. Incidentally, if you see me in my jeggings, it’s Ms. Melton, if you’re nasty.

Growing up, it was a treat to go to TCBY, despite its identity crisis (is it “This Can’t Be Yogurt” or “The Country’s Best Yogurt?”). Then, much like the peach and green wallpaper in my parent’s bathroom, Frozen Yogurt sadly became passé. But, fro-yo is back! Answering the call from a more health conscious public, Fro-yo stores are multiplying in South Tampa like Blinkys in a Pacman game. But which ones are worth a stop this summer? Here are some noteworthy South Tampa frozen yogurt stores:

I like Berryism because the live cultures in the yogurt make for a yummy tummy. (Yea, I just wrote that.) They offer Tart, Wildberry, Chocolate and a Flavor of the Week, plus the usual assortment of dry and fruit toppings. 701 South Dale Mabry Highway Tampa, FL. Tel: (813) 873-2377.

CaliYogurt - Located in the heart of South Tampa, the flavors at this shop change regularly (green tea and the pink grapefruit are delish) and the service is always friendly. 2303 West Morrison Avenue Tampa, FL. Tel: (813) 254-2362.

Chill: A Frozen Yogurt Bar - This bar is a newcomer to the South Tampa frozen yogurt scene. Its draw is the 12 -flavor variety and the fact that no growth hormones, gluten or high fructose corn syrup are used in their fro-yo. The price tag is pretty good too—it’s only 49 cents an ounce. 3401 D West Bay to Bay Boulevard, Tampa, FL. Tel: (813) 805-2445.

The Pinkberry swirly sensation recently landed at Westshore Plaza. Pinkberry has seasonal flavors (Watermelon and Salted Caramel are the summer offerings), smoothies as well as my new favorite, the fruit parfait layered with granola. 173 Westshore Plaza, Tampa, FL (next to PF Changs). Tel: (813) 636-5019.

Yogurtology is a self-serve frozen yogurt emporium that offers offbeat flavors (the Bananarama stays true to its 80’s roots) and tons of toppings in a self-service bar. The toppings are premium here, offering poundcake, cookies and just about everything but the kitchen sink–which makes it worth the stop. We like that we can make our serving precisely the way we want thanks to the self-serve. 202 South Church Street, Suite C, Tampa, FL. Tel: (813) 251-2717.

Gina Giradot Melton

Filed Under: 2011, August 2011 - South Tampa, Nosh, South Tampa, Wine & Dine Tagged With: Dessert, Dining, Features, Frozen Yogurt, Gina Giradot Melton, Gourmet, South Tampa, Tampa

Carmel Café Melds Technology with Modern Mediterranean Food

July 15, 2011 By Gina Giradot Melton

Tampa has been buzzing about Carmel Café & Wine Bar in the Northwood Plaza in Countryside, and for good reason.

Taking inspiration from the casual eateries on the California coast, the convivial ambiance at Carmel Café features a large bar with communal tables, a lounge in the center of the restaurant and an open dining room. Our party of four instantly felt at home.

The Carmel Café concept is spot-on for those looking for value and a place to eat health-conscious food. Offering many small plates and wines by the glass, we enjoyed our evening, sharing lots of different dishes in the restaurant’s vibrant atmosphere.

The best part? We didn’t have to worry about pairing wines with our food! Carmel Café utilizes an iPad application that allows you to see what wines pair well with your food or which foods would be complemented with the glass of wine that you may have started at the bar waiting for your table.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Steve Cook, Carmel Café’s Director of Culinary Operations, who told me that Carmel Café is phasing in a project to offer an iPad for each table to not only assist with wine pairing, but to also send their orders to the kitchen. Chef Cook said that, “We will always offer our customers a menu to order traditionally, but the iPad application allows diners to order courses as they want it, which works well with our casual, spontaneous concept.” During lunchtime, the restaurant is already set up for customers to order their food from the iPad bar at the front of the restaurant. Diners are seated, and minutes later, their order is brought to their table.

The Carmel Café menu has something to please everyone’s palate, including vegetarians. Our group thoroughly enjoyed our first selection, a Mezze platter that featured a fresh twist on Mediterranean standards including edamame hummus, crispy fried feta cheese and Muhammarra. We were equally impressed with how fast the next courses came to the table, only a few minutes from when we ordered. The crab cakes contained very little filler that allowed the sweet and succulent meat to shine alongside the avocado salad. The lamb lollipops served with a zesty tzatziki dipping sauce were juicy and perfectly seasoned. Next time, I want to try the seasonal sangria served in a French press and to sample the chickpea fries and the steak frites that Chef Cook says are his favorite items on the menu.

The wine selection is top notch at Carmel Café. And, since all the wines by the glass are offered in 3, 6 and 9 oz pours, I was able to sample three different zinfandels and felt comfortable enough to drive home.

Carmel Café is ideal for a drink and an appetizer with friends, for a weekend date night to enjoy the live music they offer, or for lunch during the week since the food is served quickly after ordering at the iPad bar.

Carmel Café & Wine Bar
2548 McMullen Booth Road
Clearwater, FL 33761
Phone: 727-724-4228

Gina Giradot Melton

Filed Under: 2011, July/August 2011 - North Pinellas/Pasco, North Pinellas / Pasco, Nosh Tagged With: Carmel Café & Wine Bar, Clearwater, Dining, Features, Gina Giradot Melton, Restaurant, Tampa Bay, Wine

Get Your Foodie Therapy at Datz Tampa

July 14, 2011 By Gina Giradot Melton

Datz Restaurant Satirist Peter De Vries once said that “gluttony is an emotional escape, a sign something is eating us.” If the frequency that I visit Datz on MacDill Avenue in South Tampa is an indication of a deep-rooted emotional issue, frankly, I don’t want to be cured. For me, visits to Datz are foodie therapy sessions.

Datz is a culinary emporium like none other in Tampa Bay. It’s a full service restaurant and bar featuring modern artisanal comfort food. It’s a market brimming with craft beers and wine, fresh desserts, extensive imported cheeses and cured meats and an addictive cold brew coffee. It’s an education center where people can learn to prepare Vietnamese street food or to cook with mustards.

“Datz is the closest thing Tampa Bay has to New York City dining,” Datz Chef Gary Moran says. This is something he credits to Datz owners Suzanne and Roger Perry’s vision and drive. “The Perrys get an idea and they go for it full speed. This suits my personality and is one of the reasons working here and collaborating with them is so satisfying.”

According to Chef Moran, the cornerstone of the Datz menu will always be their sandwiches and understandably so. Many well-intentioned dieters have been foiled with Datz heaping sandwiches like the “Yo Vinny” or “April in Paris” – both constructed with phenomenal ingredients on artisan breads. The homemade Datz chips topped with a mild blue cheese drizzle rounds out a satisfying sandwich platter.

Chef Moran has a culinary pedigree that includes working under Wolfgang Puck, Eric Rippert, David Goulet and as Chef de Cuisine at New York City’s famed Tavern on the Green. Menu items like the pan roasted bay scallops with fresh corn, smoked bacon and sage served over caramelized onion and black truffle soubise and the duck carbonara showcases this lineage.

Datz Restaurant - Food Clearly, the Datz menu is much more than just sandwiches. The Perrys are constantly innovating the menu, be it through the introduction of house-smoked sausages, new brunch items like Red Velvet Pancakes and Eggs Barbacoa or a cocktail menu featuring small-batch local liquors swirled with premium mixers.

Chef Moran thinks that it is an exciting time to be involved with distilled sprits because microbatch distillers are now able to mass produce their products. Embracing this trend, Datz recently unveiled a bourbon, whiskey and scotch list that may be the most extensive in the Tampa Bay area– and quite possibly in the entire State of Florida.

Datz is pioneering a new concept in the coming months that I’m certain will impress South Tampa diners. In the meantime, I’ll still look to Datz for my weekly foodie therapy.

Datz
2616 South MacDill Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33629
Phone: 813.831.7000

Gina Giradot Melton

Filed Under: 2011, July 2011 - South Tampa, Nosh, South Tampa Tagged With: Dining, Features, Gary Moran, Gourmet, MacDill Avenue, Restaurant, South Tampa, Tampa, Tampa Bay

Trying to Bring a Piece of Italy Home

May 15, 2011 By Gina Giradot Melton

Nosh - Gina Giradot Melton - Family Photo - Italy - Panache Vue Magazine - Photo

Gina Giradot Melton (center) with Family

I just returned from a culturally-packed two week holiday in Italy.

On the long plane trip back to reality, Icouldn’t help but think about how fortunate I was to experience all I did on my trip. I spent cherished quality time with my Mom and sister, saw amazing art and historic sites, all while eating and drinking like a Medici. Not surprisingly, I started thinking about how to integrate more of the Italian lifestyle in my own life.

In these lactose-intolerant, gluten-free times, there is so much guilt surrounding what we put in our mouths. Is it organic? Does it have high fructose corn syrup in it? Sometimes, it’s just exhausting. Balance is important, and what struck me about Italians and their lifestyle is that everything is done in moderation and no one seemed to be sweating the small stuff.

Nosh - Pasta - Panache Vue Magazine - Photo It appears in some areas, Italians do actually, do it better. Do you want gelato? Nessun problema. The regular-sized portion was half the size of our portions in America. Plus, I walked up five hills and 10 city blocks just to get to the gelateria, so I was practically in calorie deficit. Feel like having wine with lunch? Perché, naturalmente. I saw business people having wine on their lunch hour, but it was an accompaniment to their lunch, not a three martini drunkfest.

Frederico Fellini references aside, life is simple but so sweet in Italy. There was always time for a shot of espresso, a glass of wine and good conversation. The most expensive meal that we had—amidst the incredibly picturesque mountains of Fiesole overlooking the entire city of Florence—was as promised, elegant and refined.It was also mind-numbingly expensive. That experience made the effortless meals we had intucked away, family-owned places all the more satisfying. The rigatoni in a tomato sauce with meat followed by the lemon sponge cake that we ate at DaVincenzo’s in Positano was unforgettable.We learned that the meals at DaVincenzo’s are still lovingly prepared by the family’s Nonna. And while the food was not fancy, it was incredibly cravable. In fact, I’m still thinking about it.

Nosh - Italian Dessert - Panache Vue Magazine - Photo I also envy Italians because generally, they appeared to be frazzle-free. My guess is this is related to the fact that family and leisure are revered by Italian culture. There’s something meaningfulI took from this example and since returning tothe States, I’ve made a concerted effort to turn the television off during dinner and spend less mindless time on Facebook when I could be connecting with my husband. That, and having just a *little* bit of vino with dinner every night!

Gina Giradot Melton

Filed Under: 2011, May/June 2011 - North Pinellas/Pasco, North Pinellas / Pasco, Nosh, South Tampa Tagged With: Dining, Features, Gina Giradot Melton, Italy, Travel

How Should a Restaurant Handle a Disappointing Dining Experience?

March 15, 2011 By Gina Giradot Melton

Lately, I’ve had some disappointing dining out experiences. Truth be told, the last few “nice” dinners I’ve had have been underwhelming and in one instance, I was treated downright offensively. For me, it became uncharacteristically personal.

I guess it’s not that surprising since food is really personal to everyone involved. It’s personal to the owner because it’s their business and their reputation. But on the flip side, food is also very personal to the diner – after all, they are clunking down their hard-earned cash in the hope that the product promised is the one that’s delivered.

Recently, at one new upscale Tampa restaurant, our party waited for nearly an hour for a table because our reservation was misplaced. We ultimately were seated at a bar table. Drinks and heavy apps were very slow – almost four hours from arrival to departure -but delicious. No one ever apologized for the mix up and they did not take anything off our check.

Or, how about last weekend, when we went to another higher-end Tampa restaurant? My meat was completely undercooked and practically inedible. And there was a hair on my carrots. The kitchen fired up a new meal but by that point, my hubby was done eating and the meal was pointless. They gave me a doggie bag for the new lamb but both the thirty-two dollar lamb and our dessert was on the bill.

I’ve given this some thought and it seems that as a result, I have more questions than answers. If I’m going to drop two Benjamins on dinner for two, my expectations are higher than if I’m grabbing a casual meal. Is that reasonable? Should the management’s response to an issue be different at a more upscale place?

And, how assertive is too assertive? Owners and managers, what is the best way for customers to address a complaint? This one always gets me: If the main part of your meal is ruined, does offering a free dessert ever really fix anything?

Gina Giradot Melton

Filed Under: 2011, March/April 2011 - North Pinellas/Pasco, North Pinellas / Pasco, Nosh Tagged With: Dining, Features, Gina Giradot Melton, Tampa, Tampa Bay

Baby Steps to a Healthier 2011: Eating Cleaner, Locally

January 15, 2011 By Gina Giradot Melton

Happy New Year! As much as Ilove the holiday season, each year I look forward to January so I can reboot and get focused on what I want to accomplish in the next year. For me, it’s time to put down the eggnog, put away the elastic-waist sweat pants and getdown to business.

Sometimes divulging my New Year’s resolution is one way to keep me on track. So I’ll confess to you: in 2011 I want to build on the progress that I made in 2010– not by measuring success by what the scale reads, but by living healthier.

Last year, I managed to cut the diet soda addiction out of my life. It sounds like a little thing, but I had an unhealthy consumption of three diet sodas a day and it was a necessary “baby step” for me. Today, I don’t miss the sodium or the bloat that comes from soda or the long-term health risks associated with artificial sweeteners. In 2011 I’m ready to take on bigger goals. That means eating “cleaner” (i.e. eating more organic foods and less processed foods), eating more locally, and as much as it pains me to say it– eating out less.

As a writer, I have the good fortune of being in contact with some of the best sources in town when it comes to good food and fitness. Here are some of the insider tips I’d like to pass along to help you reach your health goals in 2011.

Eating cleaner: In a nutshell, eating clean is eating whole, natural foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates. It also means staying away from man-made sugar, bad fats and preservatives. Generally, if you can’t pronounce the ingredients, then it’s processed and not clean. Eating clean has gotten a whole lot easier since Events by Amore owner Linda Caivano-Baldwin launched a new line of ready-to-heat meals called Amore Now- Healthy Lifestyle To Go. Low-fat, low-calorie and low-salt food never tasted so good. With entrees like Pear & Lemon-Thyme Chicken, Balti Caribbean Chicken and Bangkok Dressed Salmon, I can attest that you don’t feel like you are sacrificing by eating Linda’s clean food. And, priced at $5.95 to $8.95, it’s not prohibitively expensive. Bonus!

Eating locally: I want to eat more locally because it is a win on so many fronts. Forselfish reasons local, fresh food just tastesbetter, but altruistically, I’m concerned aboutmy carbon footprint. Eating locally allowsme to feel guilt-free about what I’m eating while supporting local small businesses.On Fridays, I like to head to the Dunedin Green Market in Pioneer Park for locally grown fruits and veggies. On an everyday basis, grocers like Central Café & Organics (St. Petersburg) and Nature’s Food Patch (Clearwater) are also good options for locally grown produce. I’m also considering stocking up twice a month on ethically-raised and hormone-free chicken and pork from Twenty-Four Rivers LLC in Plant City.

Eating out: While I’m going to try and cook at home more this year to control what my family eats, sometimes I know I’m going have to eat out. Everyone needs a break from the kitchen and has social obligations that takes them out of the house during dinnertime. I’ve realized that there’s no reason that eating out has to be a license to binge or derail good progress I’ve made in the week leading up the dinner out. Sometimes, being strategic about where I go can keeps me on track.

Meeting up for drink with friends? Ceviche (including the Clearwater and St. Petersburg locations) has a new “Skinny Sangria”on the menu. At only 100 calories, it’s packed with the flavor and fun of regular sangria, with half the sugar. Couple sangria with a grilled seafood tapas selection and manage to be healthy and fabulously social. If you are looking for a healthy dinner out in Oldsmar, head to City Fish for the Ahi Tuna Salad or for a Steak salad at Flamestone Grill.

Here’s to a nutritious and delicious 2011!

Gina Giradot Melton

Filed Under: 2011, January/February 2011 - North Pinellas/Pasco, North Pinellas / Pasco, Nosh Tagged With: Dining, Features, Gina Giradot Melton, Health, Tampa, Tampa Bay