The Official Unofficial Seminole Heights blog notes that Smokin A’s BBQ recently opened at the corner of Florida and Hanna. Yum.
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Speaking of new restaurants, it’s now official. The Refinery has replaced the Bungalow Bistro. The new owners kept the name and menu for a couple of weeks while they planned their renovation, ordered signage, and created a new menu. If you use Facebook, be-fan The Refinery and get updates on specials. Or follow them on Twitter at TampaRefinery. Tonight is “cheap date night.”
“CHEAP DATE NIGHT. We wanna bring back Friday Date Night and to do this we are going to bribe you. Select bottles of really good wine (including champagne) will be $15 all night. So, you could EASILY get away with a $35 tab for 2 people for the entire night. You can thank us on Saturday.”
And, here is the dinner menu until March 7. Menus change regularly so they can serve seasonal vegetables they get from Urban Oasis Hydroponic Farm. For the less adventurous palates there will always be “Craig’s List” which this week includes steak and a hamburger.
Small Plates
Apalachacola Oyster – Strawberry-Serrano Mignonette $2
Salad – Roasted Beets, Chevre, Fennel, Orange, Mint $7
Ravioli – Acorn Squash, Rainbow Chard, Pecans, Vanilla Brown Butter $10
Spice Cured Pork Belly – Cheese Grits, Collards, Cider Gastrique $10
Duck Confit – Braised… Cabbage, Granny Smith $10
Sea Scallops – Lentils, Mushrooms, Curry Broth $10The Big Deal
Pork Rib Chop – Rapini, Rapini, Black Eyed Peas, Maple Glaze $18
Key West Shrimp – Risotto Cake, Tarragon Corn Broth, Greens, Sherry-Chorizo Vinaigrette $17
Duck Breast – Roasted Beets, Chevre, Turnip Puree $20Craig’s List
Hereford NY Strip, Yukon Gold Puree, Baby Spinach, Cippolini, Zinfandel Reduction $20
Burger – Vermont Cheddar, Bacon-Tomato Jam, Crispy Onions, Yukon Gold Fries $10Desserts
‘Naner Pudding Tiramisu $8
Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies, Milk Shooter $8
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The new issue of UC Tampa is up. This issue has some great articles, but of special interest to me is the post on Urban Core 2.0, about some ingenious ideas for continuing the renovation downtown. Reading all the way through to the end I see that it’s actually a reprint of an article written by B. C. Manion for 83 Degrees.
“Now that the Riverwalk and three brand spanking new museums stand poised to spawn downtown Tampa’s long-awaited rebirth, imagine adding a terrace garden on the north end near Interstate 275 — and envision the south end without a waterfront convention center.
“Add a daily farmer’s market in the midst of the urban core, a much greater mixture of housing stock, more eclectic places to work, play and relax, and new ways to enjoy the surrounding river and bay waters above, beneath and on the surface.”
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Laura Reiley writes about Paci’s Pizza, currently my favorite pizza in Tampa.
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Roblimo let’s us know that the Freethought Film Festival will be coming to Tampa.
Here’s executive director Andrea Steele explaining the origins of the Freethought Film Festival. Go Andrea!
The Freethought Film Festival is Coming to Tampa from roblimo on Vimeo.
Deadline for submissions is April 30.
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If you are a Go enthusiast, or would like to learn how to play, drop by one of the Tampa Go Club meetings 3 – 6 pm on Sundays at the International Boba House (between USF & University Mall) 2764 University Square Drive.
“Go is a fascinating board game that originated in China more than 4,000 years ago. Also known as baduk, wei ch’i, weiqi, and igo, it is played today by millions of people, including thousands in the United States. In Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan, it is far more popular than chess is in the West, and professional players compete for large cash prizes. Its popularity in this country continues to grow, more than fifty years after the founding of the American Go Association.
“It is said that the rules of go can be learned in minutes, but that it can take a lifetime to master the game.”
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Joran attended Social Fresh Tampa, a social media conference, and provides a wrap-up. Here’s another round-up at the official site.
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Creative Loafing throws the Roosevelt Art Gallery some love, and explains a little bit about Project 3.0 episodes.
“What the episodes of the Project 3.0 show will demonstrate is exactly how we’ve self-capitalized this company basically without any financial resources whatsoever,” explains Arnauts. “Our philosophy is that everything is a joint venture. So, what the show really demonstrates is how these business relationships have evolved from the very beginning, and how we’ve been able to build out this building.”
I also deeply heart the Roosevelt guys, and am delighted that we’re surfing the same neuro-space. Their first show was Re:Create, the Art of the Upcycle, and they expect to continue the theme of re:creation.
“We’re going to carry on with the theme of (the ‘Re:Create’) show, which was upcycling – taking disposable items or things that people consider garbage, and making them into something either of use, or just giving it a value.”
Three cheers for recreation!
