Last week, four Tampa restaurants revealed a handful of new menu additions, as well as some that can only stick around for a limited time. Diners may snag a taste of the offerings as early as, well, now.
First up is The Refinery. Executive chef Greg Baker kicked off the Seminole Heights restaurant's lunch service Monday, showcasing small plates, salads, a daily fish selection, burgers and more. The items are offered 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Sandwiches — including steak (kimchi, squash butter, American cheese) and veggie (smoked eggplant, peanut hummus, watercress) renditions — change monthly, while desserts rotate weekly.
On Tuesday, Refinery sibling Fodder & Shine will debut its updated lineup during a grand opening bash. And to celebrate its fifth anniversary, The Refinery will also serve a double-sided menu (one side will have the current bill of fare, while the other displays the opening menu), available throughout the month starting next week.
From 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, folks will gather at The SoHo Backyard to meet head chef "Slimm" Campbell while noshing on complimentary samples of his spring-inspired dishes. Owner Bo Crusoe decided to expand the Hyde Park gastropub's menu, a medley of Floribian Tex-Mex, after numerous diner requests.
Alongside popular items such as duck wings, goat cheese-stuffed figs and the Truman Burger, served on a pretzel bun, Campbell plans to showcase gator spring rolls and other new delectables.
And keeping pace with the season's bounty, Pelagia Trattoria executive chef Brett Gardiner gave this editor and other food enthusiasts a sneak peek of his multicourse Florida Strawberry Tasting Menu last week.
The Plant City strawberry-centric eats, a first-time collaboration between Pelagia and the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, will be featured at the International Plaza eatery Friday and Saturday only.
From the limited-time lineup, we sampled strawberry and brie-filled ravioli, a grilled tuna and strawberry kebab, strawberry-cheesecake gelato and more. With the restaurant's rosemary bread and olive pâté (and the strawberry-blueberry margaritas), the dishes made for a tasty spread.
"We're trying to create an experience and celebrate the Tampa Bay area," Gardiner said.
Wild boar ragout, butternut squash cappellacci and a Brussels sprouts starter with horseradish-Parmesean crema, apples and pancetta (it's delicious) were among the highlights off the restaurant's fall and winter menu, too.
