Restaurant news

By Laura Reiley and Chris Sherman, Times Staff Writers
Published September 26, 2007

Swedish flavor perking at the coffeehouse

The new ingredient in Starbucks coffee and pastry case is chef Marcus Samuelsson, the star chef of New York's sleek Aquavit.

His black chocolate cake, fired with cinnamon in the batter and crust, has classic Swedish spicing. Samuelsson is also a good hand at coffee blends since Sweden and Ethiopia are major stops in the coffee world and major influences in his life.

SideBern's takeout

Next month SideBern's will open a limited takeout lane.

One Pot Wonders will be sold between 4 and 8 p.m. on Wednesdays for $19.91 from Bern's Fine Wine and Spirits next to the restaurant at 1208 S Howard Ave. in Tampa. The meals will be yupscale-homey, from chili with corn bread and avocado salad to short ribs and polenta or mustard herb chicken with potato puree and chocolate mousse.

Frozen delights

Seems there's a Tampa Bay area frozen confection renaissance going on. Fro-yo is hot.

CaliYogurt (2303 W Morrison Ave., Tampa; (813) 254-2362) is getting high marks for its green tea and plain. Very tangy, it's not too sweet, offered with lots of fun toppings. Ritter's Frozen Custard (2655 East Lake Road, Palm Harbor; (727) 784-0220) is also wowing customers with its glaciers, shakes, malts, sundaes and good, old-fashioned frozen custard. The peanut butter mountain sundae and the turtle sundae are big sellers, as is the turtle custard made on Tuesdays and Saturdays. And finally, Cafe Cones (1718 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Wesley Chapel; (813) 973-7200) opened this year at the Shoppes at New Tampa at State Road 56. A scoop shop with other desserts, like crepes and waffles, Cafe Cones has gotten Pasco excited about French toast crunch, vanilla peanut butter and thin mint crunch.

New places to eat

- Cheap has opened at the site of Cappy's in Hyde Park (309 S Howard Ave., Tampa; (813) 258-5878). The short (and cheap) menu features hot, small plates on one side and cold crudo (raw fish presentations) on the other. Cheap is just the beginning of the plan for this block. Sangria is set to close at the end of this year, at which point Cheap will move its dining room into that space. A night owl's dream, Cheap is open past 2 a.m.

- GrillSmith of North Tampa (14303 N Dale Mabry Highway; (813) 269-1500) opened for business on Aug. 23. The open-kitchen concept is the brainchild of Mark and Bob Johnston of the Melting Pot and Todd Dziubek, former managing partner of Carrabba's. The first location in Clearwater has given rise to one south of Henderson on Dale Mabry in Tampa and this newly opened Carrollwood location. Tortilla pizzas, grilled wild mushroom meatloaf and cheeseburger empanadas, all served in a family-friendly atmosphere.

Latin bistro

Construction is under way on a multistory restaurant and nightclub in McNulty Station in downtown St. Petersburg. Downstairs will be de Santo, a Latin bistro with a Mexican chef hired from Monterrey. Upstairs will be the Push Ultra Lounge (136 Third St. S; (727) 895-6400). Shooting for a Halloween opening.

[Last modified September 25, 2007, 11:27:05]