717 South – Tampa, FL

 

Last week, we headed to 717 South for date night.  We had a CL Deal, so we got a pretty fancy dinner for a great price.  It was a Friday night, but surprisingly there was almost no one in the restaurant.  Every other time we’ve been there it’s been packed!

 

We started off with a Jai Alai & a Syrah (my wine was excellent!) 

 

 

And usually free bread isn’t worth the calories, but 717 serves complimentary toasty bread with a delicious tomato dipping sauce before the meal. 

 

For my meal, I chose one of the house specialties – lollipop pork chop.  It was served lightly smoked with Old Smokey Tennessee “apple pie moonshine” sauce, asparagus, and bacon-truffle mac & cheese. 

Lance had the hanger steak – with a fried egg, house cured bacon, baby arugula with gorgonzola vinaigrette, cilantro chimichurri and house-made white cheddar stone ground grits.  He actually got the same meal last time we went there.

 

We both cleared our plates – the food at 717 is always fantastic.  I loved the sweet sauce on my pork chop, but chimmichurri served with Lance’s steak was even better! 

It would normally be a bit pricey for us, but it ends up being reasonable if you have a CL Deal or Groupon.  Just make sure that you tip on the pre-discounted amount.  My credit card company actually sent me an alert making sure I meant to give a 40% tip – they must have thought I was just being extra generous. 

My parents gave us a bunch of CL Deals as Christmas presents this year, so we’ll have lots of date nights already paid for! 

717 South is located at 717 South Howard Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606 and is open 11:30am – 10pm Monday – Wednesday, 11:30am – 11pm Friday – Saturday, 5pm – 11pm Saturday, and 5pm – 9pm on Sunday.  

Ava – Tampa, FL

 

This year has introduced several new and exciting restaurants to the Tampa Bay restaurant scene.  One of the most highly anticipated has been Howard’s new high-end Italian restaurant, Ava.  It’s in the lower level of the new Post SoHo Square apartments across from its sister restaurant, 717 South. 

 

I tried to make reservations last Friday, but they were booked all through the weekend!  We ended up heading there Monday night for dinner with Grandma Anne.  We stopped by her home beforehand to see her beautiful Christmas decorations!

 

Ava’s design has a mix of wood, tile, and industrial metal throughout – I love all the textures.  The one downside to all the hard surfaces was the noise level – immediately upon entering, we realized it would be a difficult place to hold a conversation.  Maybe they can add some acoustic panels to their large open ceilings. 

 

 

Our waitress explained that the majority of the menu was comprised of smaller plates like tapas, with the “secondi” section comprising of the larger entrees.  While we browsed the menu, we enjoyed our drinks – my 1919 Mule was served in the traditional copper cup. 

 

 

We ordered the Salumi to share – a Chef’s selection of house-cured meats with grilled bread, pickled vegetables, and mostarda.  The fancy charcuterie platter was served with a side of potted pork topped in duck fat (a bit too fatty for me…but I loved the chicken liver topped crisp bread and the prosciutto).

For dinner, Grandma had the Casarecce al Pomodoro with tomato sugo, olive oil, and basil.  I had the Bucatini alla Vaccinara with oxtail, pine nuts, and currants.  And Lance had the La Bestia Pizza with spicy sausage, San Marzano tomatoes, arugula, and ricotta. 

 

We loved both the freshly made pasta dishes – although Grandma wasn’t as impressed with the tomato sauce on hers.  The Pizza was delicious and the ingredients vibrant, but I couldn’t even tell that there was any sausage on it.  It had a soft, doughy crust, so it had to be eaten with a knife and fork.  The flavor was delicious, but I prefer a crispy crust. 

We all agreed that my Bucatini dish was the winner for the night.  I was expecting a small amount of oxtail, but there was almost more meat than pasta!  The pine nuts and currants really elevated the dish.  I’d have trouble ordering anything else if I went back because it was so incredible. 

Despite being pretty full, we still splurged and split tiramisu for dessert.  The portion would normally be enough for just one, but we didn’t want to hurt ourselves after the large meal.  It was a perfect end to an enjoyable dinner.

If you plan to check Ava out, make sure you make reservations well in advance since it’s hugely popular right now!  It’s definitely worth the trip. 

Ava is located at 718 South Howard Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606 and is open Monday through Wednesday 5pm – 10pm, Thursday through Saturday 5pm – 11pm, and Sunday 5pm – 9pm.  They will start serving lunch beginning January 1^st from 11am – 2pm Monday through Fridays. 

Royal Palace Thai – Tampa, FL

 

The Royal Palace Thai is right down the street from where I grew up.  It is owned by the Damrongwatanasuk family – four sisters who were raised on authentic Thai cuisine in Thailand.  They’ve been in that location since 1999. 

 

When I was younger, I was told I could pick my choice of restaurant for my birthday dinners.  I definitely remember picking the Royal Palace Thai for a birthday or two.  I especially loved the chicken satay since it is served with a mini firepit to warm the skewers of meat. 

A few nights ago, I wanted to try out the new restaurant, Ava, with my cousin Jenn.  On our way there, we called to see what the wait was like, but found out they were booked for several more days (We’re actually trying Ava out tonight with my grandmother now that we got a reservation!)

Instead, Jenn and I headed to the Royal Palace Thai right down the street.  The parking can be a bit tight, so if you go with a group, try to carpool.  We were greeted and seated immediately.  

 

We split an appetizer of Asian Pork sliders (which are a fairly new addition to the menu).  They were amazing! I also ordered my usual satay (although I tried the beef this time) along with the Tom Khar Chicken soup.  Jenn had Chicken Pad Thai.

 

My satay was as good as always – the peanut dipping sauce is so good you’ll want to lick the bowl clean.  It also comes with a small cucumber salad that is light and refreshing. 

 

 

The soup was perfect for the slightly chilly evening – it is a combination of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, mushrooms, onions, and lime juice.  Next time I’m sick (which will hopefully be awhile from now), I want a bowl of this. 

Jenn enjoyed her pad thai as well – she got it with a number 0 spice level.  Just a warning, even a 1 spice will have a bit of kick to it, so if you aren’t a fan of spicy food, stay away from the higher numbers.

This is by far my favorite Thai restaurant.  If you haven’t been, I guarantee you’ll enjoy it. 

 

Royal Palace Thai is located at 811 South Howard Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606 and is open Tuesday through Sunday 11:30am – 2:30pm and 4:30pm – 10pm.  They are closed on Mondays.