NEWS: Taste of Latino coming Sunday October 20th to Ybor City

The first annual Taste of Latino is coming Sunday, October 20th to Centennial Park in Ybor City from 11AM-6PM. The event is organized by Latin Times Media, creators of the Cuban Sandwich Festival and is presented by Ford.

Food will be featured from around Latin America with countries such as Puerto Rico, Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, Spain, Peru, Venezuela, and more represented. Award-winning chefs will be present at the event.

Live music and dance performances will occur around the event from Revelacion Salsera, Cukiara, Salsa Aerobics, XTreme Dance, and more. Be sure to bring cash for all the vendors who will be selling food from around the world.

Competitors will compete for who makes the best flan, paella, arroz con pollo, arepas, ceviche, and more.

The event is fitting Ybor City, which was once known as the “Cigar Capital of the World”, and home to numerous immigrants from Latin America. Over 950 historic buildings fill Ybor City and are the foundation of where the Cuban Sandwich was created long ago in Tampa.

VIP tickets to the event are available and start at $20. VIP guests can taste contest entries from competitors for the best latino food, complimentary refreshments, and hangout with VIPs, celebrities, and media.

Event Name: Taste of Latino

Venue: Centennial Park

Date & Time: Sunday, October 20th, 2019, 11AM-6PM

Address: 1800 E. 8th Ave, Tampa, FL 33605

Cost: FREE General Admission, VIP starting at $20

Buy VIP tickets: http://bit.ly/2BapTX2

Facebook RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/events/405448503389654/

The Godfrey Hotel Tampa upcoming Winterland + holiday events

Looking for some holiday cheer this December?

The Godfrey Hotel & Cabanas Tampa located at 7700 West Courtney Campbell Causeway has a number of upcoming events for the holidays that guests can enjoy.

The main event is “Winterland” which will have a number of rotating events throughout December and a pop-up bar. The event is FREE on weekdays with the exception of private events and family-friendly until 10PM. Winterland is 21+ after 10PM. The event will operate 7 days a week.

Winterland is produced by Matthew McCahill, who leads the growing division of Food and Beverage as Corporate Food & Beverage Director at Oxford Hotels and Resorts.

During McCahill’s 28-year career, he has worked alongside top chefs/restaurateurs including Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, and Nick Nicholas in fine dining restaurants and hotels from Las Vegas and Los Angeles to Chicago.

Christmas Caroloke will be available on Thursdays December 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th. Sing your favorite Christmas songs at Winterland.

Families can enjoy photo ops and dinner with the Grinch: Saturdays on December 8th, 15th, and 22nd from 5PM to 9PM.

The dinner buffet will feature an special holiday menu along with cookie decorating for kids, hot chocolate and eggnog bar, a giant snowman, and FREE photo ops with the Grinch. Dinner is $24.95 for adults and $12.95 for kids ages 6 to 12. 50% off for first-responders.

Here are some notable events to keep track of:

Wednesday, December 5th (6PM to 2AM) – Grand Opening of Godfrey Hotel & Cabana Winterland: Enjoy a FREE event featuring a lighting of Winterland ceremony at 6PM, tour of Winterland, and the Grinch’s Cave, a meet-and-greet with the Grinch, holiday-themed Instagram photo ops, 12 cocktails of Christmas, and an eggnog and chocolate bar for kids and adults.
Thursday, December 6th (4PM to 9PM) – Pets in Wonderland: Bring your pets to this FREE event and enjoy some special photo ops with Winterland festivities on this day.
Friday, December 14th (5PM to 9PM) – Ugly Sweaters & Toys for Kids: Come out to an ugly sweater party at The Godfrey benefiting families in need. Tickets are $10. Donate a used or new toy for a FREE cocktail.
Monday, December 24th (5PM to 9PM) – Christmas Eve Dinner with Mrs. Claus: Enjoy a holiday dinner on Christmas Eve featuring a ham carving station, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, and more. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in the Winterland this day. Tickets are $24.95 for adults and $12.95 for kids ages 6 to 12. 50% off for first-responders.
Tuesday, December 25th (11:30AM to 8PM) – Christmas Day Buffet: Celebrate Christmas Day with a holiday buffet. Tickets are $24.95 for adults and $12.95 for kids ages 6 to 12. 50% off for first-responders.

For more information visit Winterland online at www.winterlandtampa.com

4th Annual Peach Festival this Saturday at Keel & Curley

Full disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Keel & Curley Winery located in Plant City. I have been compensated for my time.

This Saturday, May 12th is the 4th Annual Peach Festival at Keel & Curley Winery in Plant City located at 5210 Thonotosassa Road.

The event has FREE admission. It event will run from 8AM-6PM and feature U-Pick Peaches & Blueberries, Food & Craft Vendors, Peach Cider, Peach Wine and Blueberry Wine Bottle Specials for $10, Live Music, and more.

Some of the vendors include:

Stanford’s Jerky
Ben’s Soft Pretzels
Jessi’s Flaming Fruit Sauce
Lobster Maine-iacs
Alessi Bakery
Cotton Kraze
Aunt Neci’s
The Tea Jug
The Best Thai Food
& More

Parking costs $5.

Facebook RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/events/552397481827222/

St. Pete Asian Lantern Festival this Friday! FREE Admission.

The Gulf to Bay Food Truck Association will host the first St. Pete Asian Lantern Festival this Friday, November 3rd from 6PM-11PM at Albert Whitted Park, Downtown St. Petersburg, in collaboration with Carlos Eats and the City of St. Petersburg, Florida.

The event is FREE to attend. Food trucks will accept cash and most major credit cards.

The first 400 guests will receive a complimentary Asian folding hand fan. 400 lanterns will be spread around the event for your enjoyment. Live music will be performed by Acoustic Thunder (Covers 50’s to current). Tampa Taiko and a Lion Dance Troupe will be in attendance at the event.

Adult beverages will be available for purchase.

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Parking information:

These lots will be available in addition to Downtown St. Petersburg garages:

Albert Whitted Parking (adjacent to the event) – Take 1st Street SE. to Dali Blvd

Dali Museum Parking – Take 1st Street SE. to Dali Blvd

Al Lang Parking – Corner of 1st Street SE & 1st Ave SE

Participating food trucks:

Participating dessert trucks:

What: St. Pete Asian Lantern Festival

Venue: Albert Whitted Park, Downtown St. Petersburg

Date & Time: Friday, November 3rd, 2017, 6PM-11PM

Address: 480 Bayshore Dr SE St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Cost: FREE To attend

Facebook RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/events/1858715594391995/

Ybor City’s 1st Cookoff for Kids this Sunday

Full disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Junior Chef’s of America. Junior Chef’s of America was created by Ybor City Food Tours, Inc. with the mission of finding a creative way to teach children how to have fun cooking healthier meals. Children learn math, science, English, and reading through cooking classes.

This Sunday, September 4th, 2016 head out for Ybor City’s 1st Cookoff for Kids from 10AM-5PM in Centennial Park located at 1800 E. 8th Avenue. The Cookoff will occur from 2PM-4PM with children ages 4-17 participating.

The event is FREE to the public and will feature live music and food vendors, including kid-friendly vendors that will be perfect for families. An all-kids rock band will be present as well as children motivational speakers.

The competition dish this year will be the Cuban Sandwich. Ybor City is known for hosting the annual National Cuban Sandwich Festival each year in the spring. The festival draws thousands of people every year and showcases traditional and creative Cuban sandwiches. Tampa is so well known for Cuban sandwiches that a restaurant opened in Seoul, South Korea called Tampa Sandwich Bar featuring our signature Cuban Sandwich.

Celebrity judges for the cookoff including Victor Padilla, owner of Cuban Sandwich Festival, Chef Gaston of Gaston Culinary, Ilya Goldberg, Ybor City Campus President. The MC for the event is Cloe Cabrera of Cabrera Communications. I will also be participating as a judge at the event!

There will be a fundraiser event tonight at Gaspar’s Grotto for Junior Chefs of America from 7-11PM including an open bar from 7-8PM – info: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/labor-day-weekend-party-tickets-27273215923?aff=es2

Check out their Daytime TV segment: http://wfla.com/2016/08/30/young-chef-cook-off/

See you at the Cookoff for Kids this Labor Day Weekend in Ybor City!

Event name: Ybor City’s 1st Cookoff for Kids

Venue: Centennial Park

Address: 1800 E. 8th Avenue Tampa, FL 33605

Date & Time: Sunday, September 4th, 2016, 10AM-5PM

Cost: FREE to attend

Website: http://www.juniorchefsofamerica.org/

Where to Ring in the New Years in Tampa Bay

Looking for a restaurant to spend New Years Eve with friends and family in Tampa Bay? I have you covered. :] Look below for some recommendations.

The Columbia – Ybor City: 3 dinner menu options for New Years Eve: Limited Ala Carte Menu, Dinner with Flamenco Dance Show, or New Years Celebration in the Ybor Cafe. You can make reservations here or call (813) 248-4961 for more information. St. Petersburg: Pre-fixed, 5-course menu for $49.95. The Columbia Cafe: Regular menu – open until 5PM on New Years Eve.

Donatello – Offering live music from Dwight Champagne, Jerry Kenny, and a surprise guest. Make reservations at (813) 875-6660

El Puerto Restaurant & Grill – Open until 2AM on New Years Eve for some delicious Latin American cuisine. They will provide the traditional Spanish 12 grapes of luck called doce uvas for customers as well.

The Fox – Offering a 4 course dinner, champagne toast, and party favors, in addition to live jazz music for $85/person or $170/couple. Walk-ins are accepted for $50 at the door with a champagne toast and party favors only. Call 813-289-8446 for reservations

Ocean Blue Sushi – Featuring a New Years party with the usual 1/2 off beers, wells, house win, sushi, and appetizers after 10PM in addition to $60 bottles of Absolut (bottle-service available), $30 bottle of champagne, $6 on all premium liquors/$4 on all absolut vodka, $4 Ocean Blue Cocktail Champagne, $2 jello shots. DJ Bootron will be spinning until 3AM.

The Rack – $10 all you can drink special from 11PM-1AM and 50% off everything for everyone after 1AM. Call 813-250-1595 for more details.

Spanish Restaurant & Toma Bar – New Years Eve dinner including a New Years hat and favors, glass of wine/sangria/beer, choice of appetizer, specialty house salad, entree, dessert, grapes, and a champagne toast at midnight with live music and flamenco dancing. $65 per person.

Grand Hilton Seoul Oktoberfest Festival 2011

The Grand Hilton Seoul will host their annual Oktoberfest festival this weekend on September 23rd and September 24th. There is much history behind Oktoberfest festivalsand they have been held since 1810 in Munich and eventually spread around the world through various other festivals based on the original. There will be beer, traditional German food, games, and the German “Paulaner Oktoberfest Band” performing live. The event starts at 6:00PM on both nights and the price is 120,000 KW (including tax and a service charge).

Some photos from Oktoberfest 2010 at the Grand Hilton Seoul:

Ah look at all that German food!

Location: Grand Hilton Seoul

Address: 201-1 Hongeun-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-710, Korea

Directions (Subway): Hongje Station (Subway Line 3), Exit 2. Take Bus 01 from the station to the hotel. Hotel is about a 15-min walk from the station.

Phone number: (82-2) 3216-5656

Website: http://www.grandhiltonseoul.com

Tampa Food Truck Rally #1 – Tampa’s First Food Truck Roundup

Over the summer I visited Miami and had the pleasure of the attending the Biscayne Triangle Truck Roundup. Over 30 trucks meet by FIU in Miami and for someone who loves food it is simply paradise. The trucks range from Asian cuisine to grilled cheese sandwiches. I am happy to announce that the same food scene is now making its way to Tampa. TBO Food Writer Jeff Houck wrote a great piece on Tampa’s food truck scene back in July and here we are a few months later preparing for a real food truck rally.

The 1st Tampa Food Truck Rally will occur on September 24th, 2011 at the Hyde Park Presbyterian Church from 11am to 3PM. The event is co-sponsored by Tasting Tampa and 352 Media Group. There will be live music, home-baked desserts, free child care and it is even located in the shade. Some of the vendors include Wicked ‘Wiches’, 3 Ballers Traveling Bistro, and Michelle Faedo serving Deviled Crab & Cubans. A second rally is currently be planned for October as well.

Event location: Hyde Park Presbyterian Church 1309 W. Swann Avenue Tampa, FL 33609

Event time: 11AM-3PM

Event website: http://www.facebook.com/TampaFoodTruckRally and http://www.tastingtampa.com

Parking is available in the Hyde Park Village parking garage across the street.

Spread the word and tell your friends about this important part of Tampa food history 🙂

Where to Dine on Father’s Day in Tampa Bay

In case you haven’t heard, 50 million Americans are expected to dine out for Father’s Day this weekend. Trying to figure out where to take Dad to eat on Father’s Day? I have you covered. Here are some suggestions of dining deals happening around Tampa on Father’s Day (Sunday June 19, 2011 for those of you who didn’t know).

Stump’s Supper Club in Channelside is offering a free appetizer for Dad’s on Father’s Day (with the purchase of an entree).

Yamato Japanese Steakhouse has Morgan Chardonnay for $5 down from the usual $17 for Father’s Day.

The Yacht StarShip has a Father’s Day Brunch Cruise with tickets selling at $39.95, boarding at Noon on Father’s Day.

Father’s get free food and get to bowl for free at Splitsville in Channelside when they come with their kids.

Charleys is offering free 24oz Ribeye steak for dads, along with a signature salad and French bread (with a purchase of equal or greater value) on Father’s Day.

The Bearded Clam in Sarasota has a buffet with live music for families. $20 for adults and $6.95 for children 10 and under.

IKEA is having an all-you-can-eat Father’s Day brunch. $9.99 for adults and children 12 and under are just $2.49. Quite a deal with the amount of things on the menu.

Spaghetti Warehouse in Ybor City will be offering free Lasagna or Spaghetti for Dad’s on Father’s Day. No coupon necessary.

The Columbia will be open for Father’s Day and is accepting reservations. They have a number of specials for Father’s Day including a Coca de Langosta y Chorizo tapas special and two entree specials: New York Strip Sirloin “The Bambino” and Vieiras y Ibérico “Canarias”. Note: The Columbia Cafe on the Riverwalk will have their usual menu and not be offering Father’s Day specials.

Grille 54 has a special Father’s Day menu. They will be opening at Noon on Sunday.

Beef O’ Brady’s will give Dad’s a free meal for Father’s Day (with the purchase of an entree of equal or lesser value and a limit of $10, some restriction apply…check with your local Beef franchisee for details).

Fleming’s Steakhouse has a 3-course Father’s Day Brunch for $32.95 and you get a free $25 gift card for your father with your purchase.

Visiting the Cheesecake Factory for Father’s Day? Print out this coupon for a free cheesecake for every $30 purchase. Valid until 6/28/2011. Even if you aren’t going for Father’s Day print it anyway. Who doesn’t love free cheesecake?

Hope everyone has a Happy Father’s Day! 🙂

Did I miss your restaurant? Shoot me an e-mail to carloseats [at] gmail [dot] com and I will add you to the list.

Tag: Things to do