Goody Goody – Tampa, FL

There has been a lot of buildup leading to the opening of Richard Gonzmart’s latest restaurant, Goody Goody, in Hyde Park.  We are big fans of the Columbia and Ulele, so I knew that he would do it right. 

This restaurant is a re-creation of a classic 1925 Tampa landmark where many people grew up eating (at its prime, Goody Goody had four locations throughout Tampa).  While in a new spot, it still retains the feel of a classic diner and serves many of the original recipes, including their famous hamburgers and pies.

I’m so excited about the transformation of Hyde Park Village (although right now, the construction makes it a bit difficult to drive up Swann…)  I spent a lot of time there growing up in Tampa, and it made me sad when for a while it had become a bit of a ghost town.  That’s definitely turning around – it seems every other week, something new opens. 

I’m sure the food was great back then, but the décor was a bit lacking – pretty much your standard diner. 

I absolutely love the design of the new Goody Goody.  They kept the old-fashioned feel, but updated it for a classy, modern atmosphere.  There is an art-deco vibe with beautiful graphics on the doors and brass sculptural light fixtures above the main dining areas.  The floors are lined with vintage-style mosaic tile with green and yellow that carry throughout the space. 

We heard that the wait was insane, so we downloaded the NoWait app, which allows you to get in line on your phone before you arrive.  There were still a couple people in front of us in line by the time we got there, but we ended up sitting at the counter which is first-come first-serve. 

Lance had their classic Goody Goody Cheeseburger POX, with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, cheese, mayo and their special barbeque sauce.  I had the Royale with Cheese, topped with a fried, over-easy egg, onion, cheddar, Monterey Jack cheese, sautéed mushrooms, bacon, lettuce, and tomato.

I’m happy with the version that I got – I thought Lance’s tasted more like a fast-food burger (which he likes).  We also split an order of onion rings which nice and crispy with a ranch dipping sauce.  It was a greasy, messy meal, but delicious. 

We finished with a slice of their renowned butterscotch pie.  OMG I would go back and just order this – the bottom layer is incredibly decadent and rich with an airy topping of toasted meringue.  They have several flavors of pies, but I’d have trouble not ordering the same one every time since it was so good. 

I have no doubt this restaurant will be successful.  It is really reasonably priced compared to most of the dining options in Hyde Park (their classic burger is $4.95) and it appeals to not only the young people looking for a trendy place to eat out, but to the older crowd with nostalgia from the olden days. 

Goody Goody is located at 1601 W Swann Ave, Tampa, FL 33606.  They are open Sunday – Thursday 7am – 10pm and Friday – Saturday 7am – 11pm.    

bartaco – Tampa, FL

 

Hyde Park Village was one of my favorite places to spend time when growing up in South Tampa.  Sadly, for awhile it turned into a bit of a ghost town, but in the past several years it’s started to revive!  Several new businesses have opened their doors in Hyde Park, and half a dozen more are scheduled to open in this next year – including Buddy Brew Coffee, Goody Goody Burgers, On Swann, and Sur La Table. 

One of the latest new arrivals was bartaco – a California beachy-vibed Mexican restaurant that took the Cactus Club’s old abandoned space on Snow Ave.  We finally checked it out this week and it definitely lived up to all the great reviews I’d heard so far!

We expected that going on a date night on a Tuesday wouldn’t be a problem, but this place was actually packed – not sure if it’s just the newness, but it seems that it’s the popular place to be.  We snagged some seats at the bar, which was fine for just the two of us.  Their atmosphere feels laid back yet upscale at the same time – I guess I’d describe it as sophisticated surfer.  The employees all wear blue and white checkered button-up shirts.  Our bartender, Raul, was super friendly and informative.  He seemed pretty excited that we were checking out the restaurant for the first time, so he went over the whole concept for us. 

Clearly their main focus is tacos.  They’re pretty cheap – just $2.50 or $3.50 each – and not just your standard beef or chicken flavors.  We ordered one each of baja fish, pork belly, spicy chorizo, curry shrimp, and sesame ribeye tacos.  We also ordered a side of their grilled corn with lime, cayenne, and cotija cheese.  You fill out the menu by ticking off how many of each menu item you’d like (sort of like at a sushi restaurant). 

While we waited for our food, we sipped on a mojito and margarita.  I think they offset the inexpensive food prices with pricey drinks, but they can definitely justify doing that because they were amazing. The margarita was one of the best I’ve ever had – they squeeze the lime juice right there in front of you, so you know it’s fresh, and it wasn’t sickly sweet like the pre-made mix that a lot of Mexican restaurants serve.  They have an entire menu just for different types of tequila (if you really wanted to go all out, you could try their tequila flights – we weren’t quite that adventurous). 

I’d recommend pretty much everything we ordered.  The corn was traditional Mexican street-style – which I’d never had before, but now I don’t want corn on the cob any other way.  I think our favorite tacos were the pork belly and chorizo. 

We finished off with something sweet – churros with chocolate dipping sauce.  When I was a kid, there used to be a churro truck that parked outside our elementary school, so they are a nostalgic food for me. 

It’s kind of a loud atmosphere, so if you’re looking for a quiet date night, this isn’t your place.  But if you want a fun night out with really tasty modern takes on Mexican food, go check them out! 

bartaco has several locations around the country.  The Tampa one is located at 1601 W Snow Ave, Tampa, FL 33606 and is open 11:30am – 11pm Sunday through Wednesday and 11:30am – 1am Thursday through Saturday.

Piquant – Tampa, FL

 

One of our Christmas presents from my parents was a stack of CL Deals to use for date nights!  So for dinner last night, we headed to Piquant in Hyde Park. 

It’s in a cute location right on the corner of Rome & Snow Avenues.  I don’t think we’d been there since Sophie’s French Bakery was in that location a few years back. 

The previous restaurant had more of an eclectic coffee shop feel – it still has the bakery, but now it’s a bit more upscale now with ghost chairs, high-back black leather banquettes, and mood lighting.

I ordered the La Tour Eiffel cocktail – the Ketel 1, passion fruit, St. Germain, bubbly & rosemary.  It was served with crushed ice, so it tasted more like a fancy slushy drink.  Lance had the Coppertail Unholy Trippel (served in a 3 Daughters glass…) We still haven’t made our wait to Coppertail Brewery in Ybor, but Lance enjoyed his beer, so we’ll have to check it out soon! 

They served some crispy baguettes before the meal – I had to restrain myself from eating the whole bread basket. 

For my meal, I ordered one of their Signature Entrées, the Braised Boeuf Short Ribs with gratin dauphinoise, wilted spinach with pine nuts & preserved lemons, bordelaise sauce, and crispy leeks.  The portion wasn’t huge, but it was plenty enough for me.  And it was clear that it was quality over quantity.  The meat was tender and flavorful, and the potatoes and veggies were perfectly cooked.  

Lance had the Piquant Burger – made with Niman Ranch grass-fed beef, topped with a red wine onion confit, heirloom tomato, and white cheddar on a challah bun. It included parmesan, parsley, and truffle oil fries.  It was the perfect burger & fries. 

We didn’t have room for dessert, but their pastry display was filled with all sorts of goodies including tarts, cupcakes, and their famous cronuts.  We’ll need to come back another day and just have sweets & fancy coffee. 

It was a really wonderful meal.  The CL Deal definitely helped with the price though, so keep an eye out on the Creative Loafing website to see whether they post another deal!

Piquant is located at 1633 West Snow Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606 and is open 8am – 8pm Sunday – Wednesday and 8am – 10pm Thursday – Saturday.   

The Wine Exchange – Tampa, FL

 

Last week, Lance’s parents came in town from Idaho.  They spent some time at Hyde Park Village’s Holiday Market with my parents while Lance & I were at work, then we met with them for dinner at The Wine Exchange. 

 

We all split a bottle of wine and took silly pictures with the color changing candle. 

 

 

 

 

For dinner, I had the Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi served with a coconut-wasabi aioli.  It was served with mixed veggies & a sweet potato.  My food was all incredible, but the aioli was pretty much all wasabi, so it a little went a long way.

 

Everyone enjoyed their dinner, but we still somehow made room for a Yogurtology run after for dessert. 

 

 

The Wine Exchange is located at 1609 W Snow Ave, Tampa, FL 33606 and is open 11:30am – 10pm Tuesday through Thursday, 11:30m – 11pm Friday & Saturday, and 11:30am – 9pm Sunday and Monday. 

Yogurtology has several locations.  We visited the one at 3017 W Gandy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33611 which is open from 11am – 10pm Sunday through Thursday and 11am – 11pm Fridays and Saturdays.