Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

This is the first of what I hope to be many posts on your local parks. Being the father of three young children I often end up at one of the many parks in the area. If you have kids or like to get out and enjoy the outdoors as much as I do, I hope you find these useful.

The park I go to on a regular basis is Henry and Ola Park located in the Old Seminole Heights neighborhood of Tampa. This park is run by the City of Tampa, and as far as I can tell is named after the streets where it is located (no, I couldn’t find out who the streets are named after either).

One of the things I enjoy is that this place is popular with local citizens, and busy on a regular basis.  Henry and Ola hosts youth soccer on Saturday mornings, with adult soccer pickup games throughout the week. The main soccer field has been re-sodded in the past few years and is well maintained, so I can definitely see the attraction there. The city maintains the softball field and basketball courts, and are always well-lit.

The children’s area includes a playground with swings, a climbing wall and the new style jungle gym, but it would be much nicer with mulch or ground up tires in place of regular old Florida sand.

The city added new in-ground garbage cans to replace the aluminum ones that were constantly getting abused. In saying that, trash seems to still be a problem as it is not always put it into the cans. Whether in a park or on the streets, we encourage you to hold on to your garbage and drop it where it belongs.

Parking can be a problem when there is an event, but folks can use an overflow area for really busy times. The picnic tables could use an upgrade and it would nice if the playground included an area for toddlers.

Henry & Ola Park earns a C+

Did you know that the City of Tampa has a neighborhood department. Yup. TheCity of Tampa Neighborhood and Community Relations mission is to “bring government closer to all people by serving as the liaison between the government and community to help Tampa thrive and shine.”

They also include a list of 104 Tampa neighborhood groups. Unfortunately, only 26 of them have a website:

• Ballast Point Neighborhood Association
• Bayshore Beautiful Homeowners Association, Inc.
• Bel Mar Gardens Neighborhood Association
• Davis Island Neighborhood Planning Task Force
• South Seminole Heights Civic Association
• Lowry Park Central Civic Association, Inc.
• Hunters Green Magnolia Chase Neighborhood Association, Inc.
• The Marina Club Of Tampa
• Davis Islands Civic Association, Inc.
• Oakford Park Neighborhood Association, Inc.
• Riverside Heights Civic Association
• The New Tampa Community Council
• Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association, Inc.
• Palma Ceia Neighborhood Association, Inc.
• Palmetto Beach Community Association, Inc.
• Civic Association Of Port Tampa City, Inc.
• Ridgewood Park CPCA, Inc.
• Southeast Seminole Heights Civic Association
• Sunset Park Area Homeowners Association
• Gandy/Sun Bay South Civic Association
• Swann Estates Neighborhood Association
• Tampa Heights Civic Association
• Tampa Downtown Partnership
• Temple Crest Civic Association
• The Virginia Park Residential Neighborhood Association
• Wellswood Civic Association

I grabbed them all from the city, so if there are bad links, please let me know.

We arrived at the Ghetto Gourmet (”GG”) event on Sunday night at a house in Seminole Heights not really knowing what to expect. While walking up to a house full of strangers made us both a little uncomfortable, we also liked the mystery and adventure of not knowing what was in store.

The first sign that we were in for an interesting evening was the old VW bus parked on the front lawn of the house. Later in the evening we learned that this bus is owned by Sam Esser, a local drummer, who is a story in himself. Our first impression after meeting everyone was that these were some of the friendliest strangers we’ve ever met. While wine and beer certainly helped loosen things up, this was clearly a nice group of down-to-earth people who enjoy good food.

The group for the night numbered about fifteen. Everyone sat around a long, low rectangular table like you would find in a Turkish or Moroccan restaurant. GG co-founder Jeremy Townsend kicked the meal off with an introduction and history of GG (they’ve now done 250 events all over the U.S.), and then the dining extravaganza began. First up was a poultry soup of sorts with a candied little orange filled with chamomile rice floating in the middle. This was the only dish that I didn’t like.

Next out was a spicy Korean-style salad with kim-chi, which was delicious. Before serving the main course, we went outside and were entertained by Sam Esser on his drum-set. It turns out that Sam keeps his drum-set inside his VW bus and drives around to local bookstores and just starts playing - no joke. This obviously attracts attention and at times other musicians, resulting in improvised jam sessions. GG guests took turns taking quick lessons from Sam at his drum-set-on-wheels.

The main course was Florida grass fed beef on white sweet potato with strawberry peppercorn sauce. This was the best dish of the night in my view. Dessert was a delicious Tupelo honey almond pound cake with lemon sauce. Overall I’d rank this meal as comparable to the last great high-end dining experience we had, in this case at the Maritana Grille at the Don.

While fifty bucks a ticket for the GG event wasn’t cheap (plus tip - whatever amount you decide), it was a deal in the context of what a four-course meal of this caliber would cost at a very nice restaurant, plus you wouldn’t meet an interesting mix of new people, too. Traci and I border on anti-social and enjoyed it.

The guest chef for the evening was Tim Trojian. Tim’s culinary resume includes leading foraging expeditions for private groups up in Toronto and then cooking with these same local ingredients. Robin and Tripp, the owners of the house and friends of Jeremy, were gracious hosts.

Photographer Bill Rogers of Windsong Productions took photos of the event.

GG is planning to hold another Tampa event in a few weeks. You can find more information about future GG events on their website or by signing up for their mailing list. We had a really good time and I hope GG receives another local support to find it worthwhile to do future events here.

Bottom-line: GG isn’t for everyone, and this isn’t an inexpensive experience, but if you love good food, and want to see what an “underground dinner” is all about, you’ll want to check out GG.

Full disclosure: GG did provide us with one comp ticket to the event. Traci’s ticket we paid for out our pocket, plus tip for the night. It was BYOB so we also made a visit to Total Wine on Dale Mabry.

The Ghetto Gourmet, a self-described “wandering supperclub for lovers of fine cookin’, cool art and new friends” is visiting Tampa this Sunday night, Feb 11- and you’re invited. I’ll be going and so will Traci to cover the event. Full disclosure: Ghetto Gourmet was nice enough to give us passes.

Started several years ago in an apartment in Oakland, California, this will be the first time this traveling supperclub stops in Tampa. All that Ghetto Gourmet is saying at this point is that the location of the event is “near Sligh and Nebraska” (Seminole Heights). The gang will share with you the specific address after you purchase your tickets, as well as the menu. Seating is very limited and tickets are $50 each + BYOB + bring a floor cushion. They accept dietary requests and seem to aim to please.

If you’re scratching your head wondering what the heck “community dining” is all about (and I was largely clueless), this video clip from a Chicago news station answered most of my questions.

The way one of the organizers explained it to me today is that the chef for the night usually works for one of the top restaurants in town. So you get to enjoy top notch food at “more bang for your buck” prices and get to meet interesting new people in an unpretentious setting. Plus, there’s entertainment. For the Tampa event there will be an interactive percussion session.

To purchase tickets to the event this Sunday night, Feb 11, from 8-11pm, click here. If you’re interested, but this comes on too short notice, Ghetto Gourmet plans to hold another local event in several weeks. There is a GG Tampa/Miami mailing list if you’d like to learn about future dates.

Hope to meet some of you there. Should be a fun time and I’ll report back next week.

Last Friday night we were in the mood for pizza and wanted to try a place we hadn’t been to before so we decided on Cappy’s Pizzeria on Bay to Bay in Palma Ceia.  I had received generally positive feedback about Cappy’s after my review of the Gourmet Pizza Company a few months ago so I thought it was worth giving this independent pizzeria a try.

Last year, Cappy’s moved from its long-time location on SOHO into an old two-story bungalow on Bay to Bay.  I like the location and the funky style of the place.  We had expected the restaurant to be busy, since it was a Friday evening.  What we didn’t expect was that the place would be packed with little kids and families.  Our wait for a table was made more bearable, though, by Cappy’s cool “serve yourself” beer case.  This fits perfectly with the vibe of the place, minus the rug rats.    

After about a thirty minute wait, we were seated.  Cappy’s menu smartly keeps things simple.  We decided upon a small Greek salad to split as a starter, an order of cheese bread, and a medium-sized deep-dish “Cappy” pizza.  “The Cappy” is their name for a supreme.  After placing our order, I looked around and noticed that most folks were eating Cappy’s New York-style pizza and not the deep dish Chicago-style, but at this point I still thought we were in okay shape.  How wrong I was.

First out was our Greek salad and cheese bread.  While the Greek salad was delicious and better than I expected, the cheese bread was a little disappointing.  While the bread tasted fresh, it could have used some garlic and other seasonings to make it a little more interesting. 

As for our pizza, not only was it drenched in sauce, which overwhelmed the flavor of the toppings, but the sauce itself was pretty bland.  The toppings also seemed non-existent.  For the above average price, I expected more. I’m no expert on deep dish pizza, but this certainly wasn’t a pizza I’d wait in line for again.  I’m guessing that Cappy’s New York-style pizza is what brings people back.

Whatever the case, Cappy’s might have the best New York-style pizza in the world, but their deep dish makes me cautious to go back.  Cappy’s is only open at night and cash-only. I’d wait until after 7pm on the weekend, otherwise you may feel like you’ve stepped into Chuck E. Cheese. Parking is tight. There is also a second Cappy’s location in Seminole Heights.  The Seminole Heights location did flawless on its last health inspection, while the Bay to Bay location didn’t do nearly as well.

I still have Eddie & Sam’s NY Pizza in downtown Tampa  on my list to check out.  What other local pizza joints do you think I should try?     

Bottom-line: I can’t speak for the old location in SOHO, but I like the vibe and atmosphere of the Bay to Bay location.  We didn’t have a good experience with their Chicago-style deep dish pizza, but maybe you’ll have more luck with their New-York style pie. 

Inspection Scorecard:  Last Inspection - December 2006 - Violations - Critical (8), Non-Critical (3).

Grumpy wants to open a bait & tackle shop in Seminole Heights. He’s gonna call it Hookers on Nebraska.

65 years ago…

November 9, 1941 – Police arrest the managers of The Big Orange and Valencia Gardens in Hyde Park and charge them with liquor sales in dry districts on Sundays. The managers were the first arrests in the enforcement of the Sunday liquor closing ordinance adopted by voters of five of the city’s 12 aldermanic districts in the previous week’s election. The ordinance banned sales of whiskey, beer and wine on Sundays in two districts in Hyde Park, two in Seminole Heights, and one in East Tampa.

Courtesy of the Tampa Bay History Center.

We were craving Mexican food this past Saturday so we decided to check out El Taconazo on Hillsborough Ave in Seminole Heights for lunch. El Taconazo, affectionally known as the “Taco Bus” to Seminole Heights residents, has won a variety of “best of” awards for its authentic Mexican food.

The tacqueria gained is nickname the “Taco Bus” thanks to the old school bus that sits out back the restaurant and has been converted into its kitchen.  The corporate feel of a Chipotle this is not.  Customers can walk up and order at the white bus or sit inside the small restaurant where there is table service.  We decided to grab a table inside since the outdoor seating by the bus was filled.

Traci and I both ordered the “special” - two tacos and refried beans and rice.  I decided to try a steak and a chicken taco, while Traci went with all chicken.  Service was quick.  The tacos weren’t big, but were flavorful.  The homemade green chile sauce at the table went great on the tacos.  As for the refried beans and rice, I’m sure some people swear by them, but I wasn’t impressed.

I’m glad we tried El Taconazo out, as the food is good and the prices are a real bargain, but for the best authentic Mexican in Tampa Bay my dollar is still on El Toro Negro in little Kenneth City.  If you think local “Tex-Mex” restaurants like Estela’s and Miguel’s are good Mexican, you owe it to yourself to try out El Taconazo or El Toro Negro to get a taste of the real thing.  Both ooze authenticity.

Finally, while it’s not Mexican per se, I haven’t found a better upscale Mexican/Southwest-style restaurant in Tampa Bay then Red Mesa on Fourth St. N. in St. Pete.  Have a favorite local Mexican or Southwestern restaurant that I’ve missed?  Post your favorite.  I’m always looking for new ideas!

Bottom-line: The legend of the Taco Bus may be bigger than the reality of the place, but it’s still a good choice for authentic Mexican fare.  Be careful getting in and out of the tricky parking lot!

Inspection Scorecard: Last Inspection:  May 2006 violations - Critical (3), Non-Critical (2).