Nosh | Panache Vue' Magazine - North Pinellas/Pasco

What Will You Be Doing on The Biggest Night of The Year?

December 13, 2011 By Linda Baldwin

Celebrate the New Year South Tampa Style!

It’s December the holiday season is in full swing, Holiday celebrations abound. Though if you’re like me you are wondering where the year has gone, and already thinking about how to ring in the New Year. Well, I decided to do the leg work for you coming up with some great options for you whether you are staying at home, or hitting the town.

Byblos Cafe a unique S Tampa destination offers authentic Lebanese Cuisine. Live Belly dancers entertain the crowd at two seatings 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM – 1:00 AM the later will offer 1 appetizer per couple, an entrée, a dessert, a bottle of wine, champagne toast, party favors at midnight for $65.00 ea. Reservations are required and are made by calling 813-805-7977.

Ciro’s Speakeasy and Supper Club, S. Tampa’s hideaway opens it’s door on NYE from 6:00 PM – 3:00 AM. Three options will be available. Each will receive a complimentary cocktail upon arrival, (starting @ $25.00) champagne toast @ midnight, party favors and Guest DJ. For the $55.00 ticket you will receive passed hors d’ oeuvres, and first selection of exclusive seating in one of their booths. 3rd tier ($65.00), additionally includes an open bar from 8:00 PM -11:00 PM. Ticket prices do not include tax or gratuity. Ciro’s is located at 2109 Bayshore Blvd., Tampa. Valet parking is onsite and reservations are required. 813-251-0022

717 South one of Soho’s Trendiest Night Spots & fine dinning facility features a fusion menu from the Pacific rim and Italy. Located at 717 S. Howard Ave the restaurant will offer a choice of Soup or Salad, Appetizer, Entree and Dessert for $75.00 per person. Reservations are requested by calling 813.250.1661 or online @ 717south.com

The Rooftop Party in Hyde Park is another great way to celebrate New Year’s Eve. From 9pm – 2 am. The Rooftop Eve will feature a variety of complimentary hors d’ oeuvres and champagne. An open air cigar lounge, & the sounds from DJ Papi. Tickets should be purchased in advance @ http://www.therooftopeve.com/#!tickets

Consider The Fox Jazz Club if you are looking for a sultry feel for the evening. The venue offers a night club and a back den area each featuring live music. A 4 course dinner for 2 with champagne toast, and party favors is $170.00 per couple, reservation required, dinner will be served from 7:30 to 10:30 PM. If you want to join the party walk -ins are welcome at the door $50.00 which includes a toast at midnight and party favors. Call for resevations @ 813.639.0400

Entertaining at home with family and friends is always a great option especially if you have little ones. The tips below will help you throw your NYE bash, and create the perfect atmosphere for your soiree. The party should start a few hours before midnight; around 9:30 or 10:00 pm.

A cocktail party, with a New Year’s theme, is meant for mingling, and nibbling on delicious bites of food. Don’t bother with a full bar, do just sparkling wine, or arrange the ingredients for three or four cocktails out on the table along with shakers so guests can create their own drinks. Hang a few white paper lanterns to give your space a festive. Mirrors make very festive trays and with the addition of a few tea lights will make the serving table twinkle all night long.

Linda Baldwin

Linda Baldwin, is a Credentialed Diet & Nutrition Expert and a Professional Catering Executive (CPCE) whose skills have been honed by 25 years in the catering, restaurant, and event production industry. She is know as local foodie, ultra healthy prepared foods specialist, educator – columnist and creator of Amore and Amore To-Go a lifestyle company, based in South Tampa since 2006. She leads a team of professionals that include chefs, and educators in the field of health and wellness.

Filed Under: 2011, December 2011, Nosh, South Tampa Tagged With: Dining, Features, Gourmet, Holidays, Linda Baldwin, New Year's Eve, Restaurant, South Tampa, Tampa, Tampa Bay

Reminiscing Thanksgiving

November 15, 2011 By Linda Baldwin

Linda Baldwin

As Pat and I are in the car heading north to visit our children in Gainesville, the landscape makes a dramatic change about 30 miles outside of Tampa. We begin to see rolling hills, and fields that are strewn with freshly cut bales of hay. This sparks for us an instant reminder of the season, and initiates our reminiscence of Thanksgiving Day celebrations we have shared with family and friends.

We come from different parts of the country, the midwest and the northeast and have lived in Florida for over 20 years. One thing we know for sure is that even though there are many different traditions when it comes to celebrating Thanksgiving, there are also some common threads across the nation. No matter where you live you can count on the fact there will be football, the Macy’s parade, and a turkey dinner with all the trimmings.

If you are from the south that may mean your bird is deep fried or smoked, and your side dishes probably consist of mac “n” cheese, sweet potato pie and corn bread stuffing. Those of us from the north prefer our stuffing made with white bread and lots of fresh herbs, like sage, and thyme. Depending on how far up the coast you are, you can find anything from sausage to oysters and lobster in your stuffing, and apple pies in addition to the pumpkin pies for dessert. In the midwest and on the west coast there is an emphasis on foods prepared from the local harvest and seasonal specialties determine much of whats on the menu. My husband who grew up in the midwest enjoyed harvest staples like corn pudding, bean casseroles with onion straws, and sweet potato with marshmallows each year. The evolution of Thanksgiving has families trying things like Turducken a dish originated in Louisiana where a turkey is stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a chicken, which sounds a little strange but is in actuality is a wonderful alternative to the traditional bird. Through the years our family has adapted a dish or two from all over making our meal a true cornucopia of cultures.

Reminiscing Thanksgiving Though we should be mindful through out the year Thanksgiving by way of it’s name is a perfect opportunity to remind us all to be grateful, for the blessings in our lives. It is a terrific opportunity to give back to the community and there are multiple opportunities to do just that locally. Consider volunteering or making a donation to one of the charities in the community, listed below are just a few of the many who need our support.

Metropolitan Ministries will use 150 – 200 volunteers per shift at their distribution centers, at times they feed up to 1700 meals in a day. You can sign up for volunteer opportunities or learn more about making a donation on their website http://metromin.org

The Salvation Army – Tampa, has year round food, toiletry, and linen drives and are currently in need of items for both men, women and children. To participate or help organize a drive, please contact: Jessica_vick@uss.salvationarmy.org (813-223-5288)

Kids Charity of Tampa Bay provides Holiday Gifts for abused, abandoned and neglected children in the Tampa Bay area through an annual Holiday Gift Drive. This community initiative brings individual and group donors together to “Help Us Fill the Wagon” with gifts for children who otherwise would not receive them. go to http://www.signupgenius.com/go/help286 to select a child or family to sponsor.

Linda Baldwin

Filed Under: 2011, Nosh, November 2011, South Tampa Tagged With: Autumn, Dining, Fall, Features, Gourmet, Holidays, Linda Baldwin, Philanthropy, South Tampa, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Thanksgiving

Fall in Love With Fall

October 14, 2011 By Linda Baldwin

Linda Baldwin

I know it doesn’t seem very fall like in Florida with the temperatures stuck in the 80’s but …the autumnal equinox 2011 occurred September 23rd at 5 a.m., signaling the start of the fall season. It’s a favorite time of year for us the lull between the end of summer activities and the start of the holiday season. For many of us it is the perfect time to entertain guests.

October offers multiple opportunities to get together with friends-family and causally entertain. Football season, the start of Hockey season, Halloween and Oktoberfest are all reasons to gather and celebrate. Growing up, food was always a focal point of our get togethers. I have fond memories of my Mother and her sister planning menus during the week for Saturday dinners where everyone was welcome. The entire family would be involved in the selection which always resulted in a cornucopia of dishes that would be served throughout the weekend. We have carried this tradition on and more often than not our home has been the place where everyone would congregate. These days though we don’t have the time families had in years gone by so we must simplify the way we entertain.

Inviting guests means you will most definitely want to feed them, a good starting place when planning your menu is to consider what is freshest at this time of year.

While in most parts of the country people are pulling out there sweaters and putting up the patio furniture; the tropical climate many of us don’t even think about makes the growing season in Florida almost year-round. We are fortunate that fabulous fruits and vegetables are readily available at our finger tips so why not incorporate them into your dishes?

Oct 2011 - Dining - Panache Vue' Magazine The menu ingredients that come to mind quickly are Anjou Pears, Apples, Figs, Pie Pumpkins, Eggplant, Pickled Cucumbers, Zucchini, Beets, and Sweet Potatoes, all terrific and easy to use in a variety of dishes both sweet and savory.

For ease and simplicity try making shareable sized salads laden with cut fresh fall vegetables. The salad will make a perfect base for grilled salmon or chicken and can also be a great accompaniment to a make ahead, crockpot of turkey and white bean chili. When the guests come over to root for their favorite team, serve buffet style, ask guests to bring desserts so you don’t have to do everything yourself. Bake sweet potatoes cut in wedges sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg or try baking some kale sprinkled with sea salt and lemon and serving as wonderful seasonal alternative to chips for snacking.

Offerings like this can be paired with seasonal beverages like my husband’s favorite Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale only available for a short time. It’s fragrant with cinnamon, cloves and cardamom instantly reminding you of fall. Pat likes to say “put away the coronas it Oktoberfest time.” Infusing waters both sparkling and still with cucumber, mint or lavender by muddling makes refreshing non-alcoholic choices or can be used to create interesting martinis.

Some places to locally to grab this seasons harvest are Tampa Bay’s Farmers Market located at 623 S. Mac Dill Ave. and, The Garden of Eat’n 3401 S. Westshore Blvd. both markets are open 7 days a week. We encourage you to be adventurous.

Linda Baldwin

Filed Under: 2011, Nosh, October 2011, South Tampa Tagged With: Autumn, Dining, Fall, Farmer's Markets, Features, Gourmet, Linda Baldwin, South Tampa, Tampa, Tampa Bay

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, 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, September 2011, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, Nosh Tagged With: Dining, Features, Gina Giradot Melton, Tampa, Tampa Bay