biteintotampa

Review: Water + Flour (The Specials) I’ve already established that Water + Flour has New York DNA. The owner is a Lanza, the pizza is fermented properly, and the attitude is right. But then I saw their Specials Menu , and I got suspicious. In New York, "Specials" usually means one of two things: The chef is trying to get rid of ingredients that expire tomorrow. It’s a trap to get you in the door so they can charge you $18 for a cocktail. But I looked at the deals here, and I have to admit... I’m angry. I’m angry because I’m paying full price back home while you guys are getting away with highway robbery. Water Wednesday: The $6 Sushi Risk Let’s start with the big one. Water Wednesday. $6 Sushi Rolls. $6. Do you know what $6 sushi gets you in Manhattan? It gets you a roll from a Duane Reade drugstore and a 50/50 chance of meeting your maker. But here? It’s the real deal. It’s the spicy tuna, the tempura shrimp, the actual fresh fish I raved about in my last review. They run t...

Review: Jay Luigi (South Tampa) I was told Jay Luigi in St. Pete was the "cool, fast-casual cousin" of Italian food. I tried it. I survived it. But then my Tampa friends dragged me to the South Tampa location (516 S Howard Ave), insisting it was "different." "It's full service," they said. "It has a real vibe," they said. I walked in. First impression: The aesthetic is very "SoHo." Exposed brick, neon signs, and enough plants to make me wonder if I was eating in a greenhouse or a restaurant. It’s definitely swankier than the St. Pete spot. It feels like a place where you go to be seen eating carbs, rather than just eating them. The Menu: An Existential Crisis The menu is broken down into sections that try a little too hard to be cute: "Pass The Plate," "Fancy Plates," "Fresh Greens." In New York, we call those "Appetizers" and "Salads." But fine. I’ll play along. I started with the J...

  Review: Sweet Soul (South Tampa) After surviving the "Dirty" tacos and the tequila curfew at Green Lemon, I needed a detox. My Tampa friends, who seem to run on solar power and good vibes, pointed me toward Sweet Soul . "It's a superfood bar," they said. "It's plant-based," they said. I checked my wallet. In New York, "superfood" is code for "overpriced birdseed." I walked in expecting to roll my eyes so hard I’d pull a muscle. I mean, the menu has a smoothie called "Don’t Kale My Vibe." If I said that out loud in Brooklyn, I’d get evicted. But here I am, holding a cup of blue sludge, and I have to admit... I might be a convert. The "Hangover Powder" Logic The first thing that caught my eye wasn't the fruit. It was the add-ons. Collagen. Protein. Greens Powder. Standard stuff. And then: HANGOVER POWDER (+$2). Okay, Sweet Soul. I see you. You know exactly who you are. You know your customers were at Gre...

Review: Green Lemon (The Logistics) So, I enjoyed the food. I respected the tequila. I made peace with the "SoHo" name. But then I looked up the Location & Hours on their website to plan my Friday night, and I almost dropped my phone. Friday - Saturday: 11am - 11pm. Ex-squeeze me? 11:00 PM? On a weekend? In New York, if a bar closes at 11 PM on a Saturday, it’s because it got raided by the cops or the building caught on fire. There is no other excuse. I thought this was the "party" spot? I thought this was where the tequila calls you? Apparently, the tequila has a curfew. It has to be in bed by midnight. The "Temporary Hours" Excuse The website lists these under "TEMPORARY HOURS." I’m suspicious. How temporary is "temporary"? Is this a post-COVID thing? A staffing thing? Or is this just Florida slowing down because the humidity made everyone sleepy? Sunday to Wednesday they close at 10 PM. That’s not a restaurant; that’s a library ...