Buya Ramen shop opening August 10th

August 5, 2016 Carlos H.Leave a comment

Word on the street: St. Petersburg’s first full-on ramen shop and izakaya, Buya Ramen, is opening for business on Wednesday, August 10th, 2016 at 4PM. The shop is located at 911 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg, Florida 33705.

Reservations are now being accepted online through OpenTable: http://www.buyaramen.com/

The ramen and izakaya scene is certainly seeing an uptick in Tampa Bay. Ramen has been taken the U.S.A. by storm for years with Momofuku Noodle Bar in NYC setting the stage for a ramen renaissance of sorts. The trend took some time to catch on in the Tampa Bay area but has proven to be successful with Ichicoro and Japanese Kitchen Dosunco leading the way to ramen-mania.

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Like BUYA RAMEN on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/buyaramen/

Follow BUYA RAMEN on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/buyaramen/

Tweet BUYA RAMEN @buyaramen

Photo credit: Buya Ramen on Facebook

Shake Shack looking to open location in Tampa Bay

August 5, 2016August 5, 2016 Carlos H.Leave a comment

The Tampa Bay Business Journal (TBBJ) reported earlier this summer that Shake Shack is looking to open at least one location in the Tampa Bay area. They are joined by a number of competitors in the area serving fast-casual gourmet burgers including Burger 21, Burger Monger, BurgerFi, and a planned Wahlburger’s entry into the market. Most of these burger chains are concentrated on Dale Mabry Highway and in South Tampa along Howard Avenue. The TBBJ held a poll recently asking where people would like to see Shake Shack open up.

Personally, I think Shake Shack would be a good choice in the university area along Fowler Avenue or on Bruce B. Downs in New Tampa. There is a true lack of gourmet burgers in this area with the only options being Five Guys and maybe Burger 21 further along Bruce B. Downs heading towards Wesley Chapel. The addition of Portillo’s to the university area in late September/early October sets the stage for new restaurants to open in the university area.

There also seems to be few gourmet burger locations in the Brandon area besides Ford’s Garage and Square 1 Burgers in a densely populated area. The Brandon area is booming lately with new movie theaters, Dave & Buster’s, and new apartment complexes appearing rapidly.

No doubt the first location will also draw in plenty of traffic to wherever it opens and provide an economic advantage to that area. Parking considerations should hopefully drive Shake Shack to a location that will allow plenty of access. My visits to Shake Shack in Winter Park were always met with congested parking (where it shares space with Trader Joe’s market) when that location opened in 2014.

Wherever they decide to open – let’s hope it opens soon! I am ready to chow down.

Photography credit: Evan Sung

Dave & Buster’s arcade coming to Brandon

July 22, 2016July 22, 2016 Carlos H.1 Comment

Popular game arcade and sports bar, Dave & Buster’s, is making plans to come to Brandon after years of speculation of when they would arrive in the Tampa Bay market. The 40,000 square-foot facility features a restaurant and 412 parking spots.

The restaurant serves American food fare including burgers, ribs, steak, seafood, sandwiches, and salads. Alcohol options includes wine, bottled beer, local beer, and spirits.

Let’s hope they bring the new Dance Dance Revolution over to the Brandon location (cue: 90’s and early 2000’s memories).

Major local competitor GameTime just finished a remodeling worth $1 million in Ybor City that includes high-end modern materials and furnishings, 65 TV’s, and new attractions and games. Time will tell if Dave & Buster’s has any impact on their business.

The greater Brandon area has been rapidly building new apartment complexes and home projects keeping in line with all the new business coming to the area with TopGolf and Bass Pro Shops already established in the area. In addition, this fall Goodrich Quality Theaters will open a multiplex in Gibsonton and Xscape Theatres will open in Riverview on the corner of Progress Blvd. and I-75 soon as well. Previously the only option for Brandon residents was AMC Regency 20.

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Izakaya Japanese pub ‘Noble Rice’ now open

July 21, 2016July 21, 2016 Carlos H.1 Comment

Tampa residents can enjoy a whole new experience with the soft opening of Noble Rice, an izakaya or Japanese style pub in South Tampa on Platt Street. These pubs normally serve Japanese appetizers and beer/sake wine to customers in an intimate setting used for socializing or meetings.

The restaurant is aiming for a traditional Japanese environment and menu with some inspiration from the south. Head Chef and Co-Owner, Eric Fralick, feels “southern comfort food and Japanese comfort food are so compatible, they were meant to be together”.

Fusion dishes include Sake Ribs utilizing Japanese sake to kick up a southern favorite and Tan Tan Men Wings inspired by buffalo wings. Many of the traditional dishes also incorporate fusion elements into them.

Traditional Japanese izakaya finds include yakitori (meat and vegetable skewers), takoyaki (octopus balls), gyoza (pan-fried dumplings), yamakake (grated yam), and a number of nigiri/sushi options. Ramen lovers will also find a variety of Shoyu ramen soups (soy-sauce base).

It wouldn’t be a true izakaya if we were not also discussing the drink selections. Sake lovers can find a wide-selection of rice wine. Noble Rice serves a Japanese distilled spirit, called shochu, which is derived from a variety of ingredients including sweet potato, barley, buckwheat, and sugar cane. Popular local craft beer will also be available on tap.

Here is a current list of beer/wine (7/21/16):

Shochu

Satsuma Shiranami – Sweet Potato
Hakutake Shiro Kome -Rice
Chiyonosono 8,000 Generation – Rice
Kintaro – Roasted Barley

Sake

Ama No To Heavens Door
Junmai
Kikusui Blue Junmai
Southern Beauty
Born Gold Konteki Pearls of Simplicity
Tozai Snow Maiden Nigori
Hiko’s Reserve Junmai
Eiko Fuji BanRyu
Sword of the Sun

Wine

Cabernet Savignon – Grayson Cellars
Pinot Noir – Block Nine
Chardonnay -Annabella
Sparkling – Francois Montand Brut

Beer on Tap (rotating to local companies)

Big Storm – Wavemaker
Coppertail – Free Dive
Coppertail – Unholy Tripple
3 Daughters- Beach Blonde
Darwin- Parata Pils

Bottled Beer

Duchesse de Bourgogne
Nest Red Rice Ale
Seadog Blue Paw
Stella Artois
Woodchuck Granny Smith Cider
Motorworks – V Twin

Here are some photos via Noble Rice Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NobleRiceCo/

Noble Rice. 807 W Platt St, Tampa, FL 33606. (813) 284-7423 noblericeco.com

Bokuchoi Ramen launched – first Japanese ramen restaurant in Tampa Bay

October 15, 2011October 15, 2011 Carlos H.Leave a comment

My good friend in Tampa informed me that a ramen restaurant opened in August and she was surprised at how great it tasted. As you know, I had some great ramen here in Seoul at Gaya-Gaya and South Korea has no short supply of ramen shops. The idea of a ramen restaurant in Tampa interests me. I hope this small operation can find its place in our great city of Tampa. I investigated and learned about the restaurant owner and his plans.

You can read the article on Creative Loafing: http://cltampa.com/dailyloaf/archives/2011/10/11/bokuchoi-ramen-restaurateur-brings-first-japanese-ramen-restaurant-to-tampa

Check out Bokuchoi Ramen on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BokuchoiRamen

Mema’s Alaskan Tacos closing shop, last day to visit October 14th

October 13, 2011October 13, 2011 Carlos H.1 Comment

Mema’s Alaskan Tacos, a popular taco eatery in Ybor City that opened shop in 2004, is closing down and having their closing bash Friday, October 14th, at 4:00PM. There will be a limited menu with tacos, nachos, burritos, and beer. They will stay open until they run out of food and beer. Restaurateur Sean Godin’s grandmother, Mema, learned how to make their tacos in Alaska during the 1950s.

Mema’s Facebook page reads:

“To all of our loyal customers.I want to thank you for the good times. Our closing is an unfortunate result of many things, most of all the deadstill economy and rising prices. Rather than sacrifice quality and service, the decision was to close the doors. So, thank you Tampa, for everything.”

I personally was only able to visit Mema’s Alaskan Tacos once during my many years of living in Tampa, but the experience was a positive one. I still remember the great taste of their chorizo taco and the refried beans. For many years I remember reading the raving reviews online (over 100 on Yelp) and always being curious about the late-night taco shop in Ybor City. Mema’s Alaskan Tacos will be missed and I am sad I will not be able to have their tacos one last time before they close shop.

In Memory of Lisa Tian, Joy of Tokyo in New Tampa restaurant owner

July 21, 2011 Carlos H.6 Comments

I stumbled upon Joy of Tokyo in New Tampa one day in January of this year when a friend and I were heading to SoHo Sushi North and found it closed at 2PM. We decided to try a new restaurant we had seen on Bruce B. Downs by Acropolis, Joy of Tokyo. Once inside we had a great meal and the owner, Lisa (Lixin) Tian, came and sat with us. We talked for quite some time about her new business and how much I liked the food. She told me she moved all the way from Ohio down to Tampa to support her son attending USF and had successful businesses in Indiana and Ohio. I gave her some suggestions about using social media and setting up a website and she took my suggestions.

The next time I visited for lunch the owner and I talked about her new website and Facebook fan page. She told me her son who attends USF made the accounts for her since she wasn’t too familiar with how to use the internet. We laughed and after another great lunch I decided I wanted to schedule a sushi social with the organization I started at USF, The Japanese Club at USF. She was happy to set it up and I talked with her for about thirty minutes over the phone, she said she was happy to work with the USF community and would plan special discounts for my members and work with us however best she could.

The sushi social had a decent turnout for being scheduled during the day and the owner prepared everything and was completely hospitable to us. The next time I would interact with Joy of Tokyo would be at a Sushi Workshop organized by USF organizations Sigma Lambda Beta and Asian Students in America (A.S.i.A.). The employees from Joy of Tokyo came to our school and explained to students how to make certain sushi rolls. It was clear that Lisa was a smart businesswoman who was open-minded and happy to be a part of the USF community.

Unfortunately, in late May 2011 – I heard that Lisa Tian had been hospitalized after being severely beaten by her husband, Chunping Lin, and Lisa suffered severe bleeding from the brain and a broken wrist in a case of domestic violence. Chunping a six-foot tall, 160 pound man, also attacked his 10-year old son who was defending his mother and caused a laceration of the son’s finger with broken glass. Lisa became comatose at St. Joseph’s Hospital and after two months of the restaurant being closed down, I heard that she died a few days ago. Her husband was being charged with attempted murder, domestic violence, and child abuse according to article released in June. I am unaware of his current criminal charges.

During the week that Lisa became hospitalized a positive article was written about her business by a local newsletter. I am deeply saddened that her business never had the chance to reach success in the Tampa Bay area and that a local community leader has been lost in such tragic circumstances. The restaurant was hardly at it’s half-year point. My condolences go out to her children who must be struggling through such a difficult time. We have lost a pioneer in New Tampa and a local friend. Rest in Peace.

Carlos Eats

Food Blog

Category: Restaurant News