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We choose 30 bay area restaurants - newly opened and long established - and explain what makes them the best.
By CHRIS SHERMAN, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 17, 2002
Every year I try to sort out what's best in Tampa Bay restaurants, usually focusing on what has happened in the last 12 months. But as an everyday matter, our choice of restaurants is always a cumulative mix of the new and the old.
So this year we salute the best restaurants, whether they opened in 2001 or long before.
Rather than picking an arbitrary number -- 100? 50? 10? -- it seemed wiser to let the marketplace determine the size of the list. So our first step was to examine how many restaurants truly deserve to be honored.
After all, in the last decade I have tasted and recommended hundreds of restaurants in these pages. We suggest many in this magazine every week and will add still more.
Yet after retracing and retasting dozens of our most popular and esteemed establishments, I decided that 30 would be the number.
That forced tough judgments, which it should. To name 40 or 50 might spare hurt feelings but it would fail to distinguish those restaurants that go substantially out of their way to put great food on the table.
I hope the number of Tampa Bay's Best will grow in the future.
I expect it will, since that has been the trend. When I started eating my way around Tampa Bay in 1989, we would have been lucky to come up with a Top 10.
But in the last decade, this area has acquired a taste for the kind of contemporary cooking that distinguished California, the Pacific Northwest, New York and South Florida. Prodded by experiences in other cities or perhaps the fantasies inspired by glossy magazines and Food TV, we hungered for more.
Those new tastes add to the many places that serve longtime favorites such as chicken and yellow rice, barbecue and steaks.
My list is subjective, most heavily influenced by my main priority: food. Others might go mostly for atmosphere: the blue walls, the linen, the cool lamps, the tableside Caesar salad, the fact that they know your name, your favorite table and how you take your coffee.
All fine qualities, but not enough to make them Tampa Bay's Best by me.
What I looked for were places that put food first, and I found them widely scattered. There are concentrations -- Tampa's Howard Avenue and Dunedin's Main Street and seemingly wherever Frank Chivas finds a space -- but there is now plenty of sophisticated dining in St. Petersburg and even on the beaches and in the suburbs.
Many of Tampa Bay's Best are expensive, the kind of big-splurge dinners worthy of proposals, graduations and anniversaries. A few are modest places that take so much care with their food, I'd happily take out-of-town guests there. Cost of a dinner for two with tax and tip is indicated by the number of dollar signs: $ -- Inexpensive (less than $25); $$ -- Moderate ($25 to $50); $$$ -- Expensive ($60 and up).
Because my list includes a variety of prices and cuisines, I didn't rank my Top 30 numerically except to pick the Best of the Best. Each of the others is the best in its own way.
And with that, we announce Tampa Bay's Best:
SideBern's
2208 W Morrison Ave., Tampa; (813) 258-2233.
Innovation, constant innovation, becomes the legend of Bern's best. Under Jeannie Pierola, the steakhouse's spinoff is our outstanding exemplar of global dining -- and hip-hot dating in teahouse green instead of Bern's bordello red. No place else packs as much flavor in the tower of dim sum du jour, a curried Caesar or a bread basket. Yet you can dine subtly on sea bass with fennel oil or filet mignon with foie gras and wild mushrooms. Service is finally as savvy as the food. $$$
Grand Finale
1101 First Ave. N, St. Petersburg; (727) 823-9921.
In the Forbidding Zone around Tropicana Field is an urbane scene of artists and other nocturnal creatures hanging out in hip ambience, eating hipper food. Chef John Shields knows his way from various corners of Asia to grilled cheese with foie gras, steak, roast chicken and homemade ice cream. $$-$$$.
Kelly's For Just About Anything
319 Main St., Dunedin; (727) 736-5284.
You can breakfast on exotic french toast and eggs Benedict with Hollandaise du jour or dine on veal crusted with pistachios, 'Bama-sauced ribs or scallops with fennel and sweet peas, sip silly-tinis or savor serious vino. Virgel Kelly built this culinary playground from a three-meal-a-day Main Street joint his hometown loved all day long. It still does. $$
Lucky Dill and Brooklyn Bakery
2800 Alt. 19 N, Palm Harbor; (727) 789-5574.
You just can't please some people, but the rest of us admit we're not living in Brooklyn. So we stand in line to eat in a deli that has real corned beef and clatter and a bakery counter to die for. It's a jumble inside, but the soups have matzoh balls the size of Manhattan. The Mitow family gives you comfort food with a comforting accent for the foods and times you miss. $
Salt Rock Grill
19325 Gulf Blvd., Indian Shores; (727) 593-7625.
Thanks to Frank Chivas, the first wave of modernity hit the south Pinellas beaches and stayed. Amid a bit of Vegas glitter and the sharpest local artists, the taste is straightforward: good steaks and extremely fresh fish, done with detail and style. There's real wood under the meat and chimichurri on top; asparagus is grilled and topped with Manchego. Whether you like a highball or a first-growth from the glass-roofed cellar, it's served with a sunset -- and a crowd. $$-$$$
Island Way Grill
20 Island Way, Clearwater Beach; (727) 461-6617
Long a safe harbor for tourist food, the old Flagship/Crab House became a first-rate, hour-wait dining destination in 2001. Ingredients include Asian flavors, blue-water views, local-hero owners (Bucs Mike Alstott and Dave Moore) and gulf fish, and more Chivas genius with Tom Pritchard in the kitchen. That means ceviche shots, shellfish towers, bok choy in sake and sashimi cut from grouper only minutes off the boat. $$-$$$
Dockside Dave's
13203 Gulf Blvd., Madeira Beach; (727) 392-9399.
Get a burger if you want but the prize is boat-fresh black grouper and shrimp. They're served with no fancier garnish than waffle fries and real, red tomatoes. Cold beer and hot seafood fresh from the fryer are fixed with the speed of a short-order grill and the respect for ingredients much costlier restaurants should have. Fling open the screen door and leave pretension outside; here you eat with sand in your shoes and salt in the air. $
Ben Thanh
2880 34th St. N, St. Petersburg; (727) 522-6623.
Mighty plain and a bit unkempt, the decor conceals a temple and a playground for exploring Vietnamese cooking beyond cool bun salad or warm pho soup. An endless menu from Susan Nguyen-Tran and family provides a grand tour of salty, sour and sweet sensations from Vietnam's greatest hits: crepes, ground shrimp, frog legs, catfish stew, veal and quail. Fresh herbs, nuts, fruit and finger foods make it even more fun. $-$$
Pane Rustica
2821 S MacDill Ave., Tampa; (813) 902-8828.
Come for Kevin Kruszewski's bread, crusty and as Old World as a New American can bake it; stay for lentil and sausage soup and salad. Every inch of black plastic holds goodies beyond good greens: perfect smoked eggplant, glazed nuts, sliced turkey, goat cheese and caramelized onions. Ignore the BMWs out front; anyone can afford this luxury. It's what Panera and Atlanta Bread Co. dream of being. Food and service here beat most Tampa Bay restaurants at any price. $
Chandler's
717 S Howard Ave. Tampa; (813) 250-1661.
"Bistro" should mean good food, quick, at any time of day and at any price. Tampa's Soho Restaurant Row gets one from longtime faves, Dwight and Lauren Otis. Between her fabulous pastas of many colors and stuffings, his ways with roast meats, soups and all manner of fresh vegetable and local fish, you won't taste more skill at twice the price. $$
Spartaco Trattoria
3215 S MacDill Ave., Suite B, Tampa; (813) 832-9327.
Our smallest, least pretentious Italian restaurant delivers charm and flavor with a perfect accent. Spartaco Giolito has a sharp eye on the daily market and the other on foods of his childhood in Emilia Romagna. Homemade pastas, from tiny purses to priest-stranglers, and the day's fish are your best bets. Hospitality and salads of bresaola, arugula and Parmesan are always fresh. $$-$$$.
Backfin Blue
2913 Beach Blvd. S, Gulfport; (727) 343-2583.
Grand oaks, gulf breezes and the town's funky heritage of beatniks and condo-minions have a place to eat that matches their laid-back spirit. Harold Russell sticks to a menu of simple pleasures starring grouper, prime rib and crab surrounded by well-tended vegetables and service that'll make you wish you lived here. $$
Rusty's Bistro
Sheraton Sand Key Resort, 1160 Gulf Blvd., Clearwater Beach; (727) 595-1611.
Actually, visitors favor the buffet; smart locals know John Harris and crew cook some of the best food in Pinellas, in or out of a hotel. It starts with brilliant cold soups and house-infused vodka and ends with homemade souffles and sorbets. Sea bass, scallops, veal and lamb do seasonal dances with wild mushrooms, blood orange Hollandaise and more. $$-$$$
TC Choy's Asian Bistro
301 S Howard Ave., Tampa; (813) 251-1191.
Big-city Chinese arrived from the West Coast and from a big local Asian pantry, Oceanic Market. The huge open kitchen uses tiger clams, plump scallops, monster oysters as well as the eel (and chicken feet) to produce dinners sauced with black beans and XO sauce, Peking duck on-demand and a weekend parade of dim sum. Food tastes and feels like the real thing, although service ranges from perfect to too slow, and sometimes too fast. $$.
Roy's
4342 W Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa; (813) 873-7697.
Hawaii's Roy Yamaguchi is the sharpest, most elegant of Outback's partners. The branch here under Rand Packer teaches Outback -- and us -- new tricks about smart dining, serving and cooking with Asian influences and the freshest fish. French sauces and techniques meet Asian flavors and formats with island grace and superb wines. Desserts showcase Hawaiian chocolate, vanilla and fruits. $$$
Cafe B.T.
3324 Gandy Blvd.Tampa; (813) 831-9254.
The sophisticated feel and exotic aroma of a perfume ad in Vogue can be found in a low-fashion stretch of Gandy. The surroundings hardly matter when the style of B.T. Nguyen is tangible in food, decor and perfect service. She blends two worlds beautifully in Vietnamese bouillabaisse, lobster and shiitakes in Dubonnet or a sandwich of pate, cilantro and pickled carrots on a baguette.
Boulevard Bistro
8595 Seminole Blvd., Seminole; (727) 399-1800.
Seminole may pinch itself, but here, good everyday dining is no mirage. An old Pep's is now comfy in sleeker Frank Chivas duds. James Shields' food is at home too, as simple as sashimi tuna or steamed shellfish and friendly as BLT pizza; turned out with Asian slaw, grilled peaches, lavash and hummus. Real rarity: A bartender who shares a love of wine -- and control of the remote -- with patrons. $$
Marchand's Grille and Terrace Room
Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club, 501 Fifth Ave. NE, St. Petersburg; (727) 894-1000.
At St. Petersburg's pink palace, new chef John Pivar has taken hold, and the hotel eats as good as it looks. On both sides of the grand dining room you'll find top-dollar fare such as rack of pork, veal chops, grouper with oysters in a contemporary trim of pea shoots and great breads. Sunday brunch is a gourmet feast, but even a delicate sea bass lunch includes a champagne broth and crab slaw. $$$
Mystic Fish
3253 Tampa Road, Palm Harbor; (727) 771-1800.
The decor's flash and edge might be blinding, but it's the food that stands out. The Guppy's/E&E team has created the kind of seafood place we don't have many of, where the fish of the day can include local amberjack or hognose snapper. Even swordfish gets a Greek aioli and mahi a bit of avocado. Bouillabaisse is worth the Marseillaise, and wine lists and service are just as good. $$-$$$
Ambrosia
201 Seventh Ave. N, St. Petersburg; (727) 898-5194.
A slick bistro in this neighborhood was very bold a few years ago, and it's back on the culinary edge now that Christian Briner has returned to the kitchen with Tullie Carlton. The kitchen is a tiny mess of a place, but fresh vegetables and imagination go in and great food like crab avocado napoleons and fruit-stuffed pork tenderloin comes out. The eclectic menu includes hints of the Middle East. $$-$$$
Pacific Wave
211 Second St. S, St. Petersburg; (727) 822-5235.
After a year on the edge of downtown St. Petersburg, Joe Chouinard has found his groove and a following for high-end Pacific Rim dining with dramatic presentation and a wide array of ingredients. The kitchen and sushi bar are partial to Hawaiian fish, big shrimp and perfect scallops. Cooking is fresh, flavorful and fashion-forward; service puts the accent on comfort. $$-$$$
Mia's
1633 Snow Ave., Old Hyde Park Village, Tampa; (813) 258-6838.
Barely a month old, this Naples import injects Hyde Park with stylish energy and food fit for a Beautiful Neighborhood. Yuppity comfort food here is mussels with fennel or boldly herbed meatloaf, served against tiles and mirrors that glitter like a sailfish in the gulf. Chef Todd Johnson fishes waters near and far for the likes of trigger fish and arctic char and does them with style. $$-$$$.
Big City Tavern
1600 E Eighth Ave. Tampa; (813) 247-3000.
It took a smart import from West Palm Beach and its chefs to show us the glory of the Old Centro Espanol and the new tricks of roast chicken with truffles, caviar and eggs, carrot lobster bisque and butternut risotto. Great room and great staff from the floor to the kitchen and especially the pastry shop. Chocolate walnut brownie or any dessert proves this is Ybor's best. $$-$$$.
Armani's
Hyatt Regency Westshore Hotel; 6200 Courtney Campbell Parkway; Tampa; (813) 281-9165
The Hyatt's rooftop temple of Italian is once again on top. No longer content with Big Bucks veal in cream, chef Massimo Patano can make simple salads of fennel and parmesan or pasta with clams and rapini or stretch out with risotto and foie gras or dress sweetbreads with crawfish. The wine list includes some bargain bottles; dining above the twinkling city is still a luxury. $$$
La Cachette
321 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach; (727) 596-5439.
Space, menu, hours and rules are limiting, but if you can land a table, the welcome, the prix-fixe dinner and its flavors are warm and generous. Martin and Beulah Jackson are most comfortable with old school classics, but they've mastered modern tricks, too. Entrees might be truffled capon, pork with red cabbage and juniper, duck breast or calves liver. Since you bring your own wine and a three-course meal is $31, it's a delicious bargain. Only souffle is extra (go for it). $$
Green Springs Cafe & Gathering Place
122 Third Ave. N, Safety Harbor; (727) 669-6762.
Paul Kapsalis is a typical Safety Harbor artist, a Bohemian spirit with a Floridian passion for color, and his food is just as bright with a dash of Greek zest. He plays with flavors and textures and invites you to, too. You'll taste home in his cobblers, coddled eggs and sandwiches of real roast turkey, and the whole world in rustic Greek beneli or perfect lasagna. $$
Black Pearl of Dunedin
315 Main St., Dunedin; (727) 734-3463.
The most uptown spot in downtown Dunedin puts a rainbow of depression glass on white table cloths. Chefs Katherine Schluntz and Mark Hrycko fill them with sophistication and the pick of produce. Watch specials for the likes of a perfect veal chop over white beans with smoked oysters or porcini gnocchi as rich as chocolate. If the kitchen has licorice ice cream, you must have some. $$$
Best pioneer with staying power
Mise en Place
442 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa; (813) 254-5373
After 16 years, Mise and the Blitzes deserve badges as heroes of the culinary revolution, the Old Guard of Innovation. With the closing of their casual spinoff, they are back in the Grand Plaza headquarters, where the black and white lair has been tamed with couches and new art. Marty cooks up new menus, constantly tossing exotic vegetables, fish and game with flavors from Asia, the Mideast, the Caribbean and the South, and still makes smooth French pates. $$$
O Bistro
6661 Central Ave. St. Petersburg; (727) 381-1212.
The split personality of this strip center corner feeds West Siders lunch ordinaire, but at dinner chef Tyson Grant adds the extras -- wild mushrooms, kaffir lime sauce and clever trimmings. Fat sea scallops swim in a cream of Maytag blue cheese and lamb chops wear a vanilla glaze on top of potatoes and plantains. A pleasant surprise. $$-$$$
Blue Gardenia
1809 W Platt St., Tampa; (813) 250-1595
Tom and Emily Golden uprooted Safety Harbor's favorite and replanted it in hallowed ground, the oddball building where Mise en Place was born in the '80s. New proprietors are channeling New American ghosts with elaborate combinations of exotic ingredients, but simple tastes lurk underneath: crusty softshell crab, delicate shellfish soup and very nutty pecan pie. $$-$$$