Monday, June 05, 2006

Food and more food

Seminole Heights Eats reviews Ybor Pizza and Angel Sil comments on Front Porch.

We actually have a lot more places to eat than we think. What about all those little places we pass by every day? Count the next time you go up Nebraska and Florida.

Has anyone tried any of those places? I'd list them but I can't remember their names. There is the re-done spanish restaurant on Nebraska just before the bridge. The former Lizzie's across from 3 Coins. A couple more in strip malls further south. On Florida there are several across from the old Riverview Terrace projects.

We have several gas stations and convience stores/markets that sell deli foods. How are those?

21 comments:

Mike Handley, Handyman said...

My newest discovery is the takeout at Abuella's. I've been getting their $2.79 Cubans. Quite tasty and big enough that I don't always finish it.
Today I asked about the takeout lunch that someone else got, packed so full they couldn't close the container, $3.99 (pork) to $5.99 depending on the meat choice

Anonymous said...

Abuella's is AWESOME! Their food is authentic, delicious and the portions are huge!

Anonymous said...

Shanghai Express, at Waters and Florida (sorta) is pretty good. I am picky about my chicken, so I only get their Veggie Lo Mein, but it is a huge portion plus tons of rice. Under 6 bucks and yummy. And the people who work there are really nice!

I am told by my boyfriend and a neighbor that Esmerelda's (formerly Lizzie's) is also good. They have a decent breakfast as well as lunch.

Ybor Pizza and Subs is the best all around. The review by Michelle is dead-on. They always accomodate my weird requests and make the best pizza I've had in Tampa. The people are great and they deserve to get love from the 'hood. If they sold shirts I would wear one just to advertise them more, because my experience was like Michelle's - I didn't know they were still around at first! I guess I've been eating their pizza for 16 delicious non-consectutive years now. :)

Anonymous said...

Where is Esmeralda's and what type of food do they serve?

Anonymous said...

Where is Abuelas's???

Anonymous said...

At Sligh and Central, across Central from the House of Meats.

Anonymous said...

Abuelas that is.

Anonymous said...

We love Blue Sea, Taconazo, Sid's Sandwich Shop, ABC Pizza and Ybor Pizza. Arthur Treacher's fish and Chips on Hillsborough is good too! Whenever we get Chinese food we always order from Nebraska and Powhattan. It is always hot and fresh and the shrimp are friggin gigantic!! We love breakfast at Three Coins and we visit Nicko's every now and then just not to lose touch with the place. I can still smell Elvis!!!

Anonymous said...

and the Seminole Heights Bakery is good and cheap for sandwiches/lunch etc.

Anonymous said...

Bohio Verde is the new owner, redone Havana Village on Florida just north of the river. This owner used to own the Lincoln on Columbus and just moved. Redone inside. Very clean. Great menu from the old Lincoln restaurant. all the usual Cuban food and REALLY good. People haven't found this place yet but once they do, it will be packed.

Anonymous said...

BEST CHINESE IN THE AREA IS GOLDEN DRAGON ON FLORIDA AND WATERS, CALL IT IN AND PICK IT UP TO GO. I PROMISE IT IS THE BEST FRIED RICE YOU WILL EVER EAT. HER EGG ROLLS ARE OK, BUT HER SPRING ROLLS ARE GREAT!!!1

Anonymous said...

Who could ever eat at Ybor Pizza. They have kept the neighborhood back for too long. Look at the dump they have out back. If that is not enough look at thier citations online for filth inside the restaurant, old/dirty batter on the mixers, etc. And if you still aren't convince, drive by Leslie's house on the corner of 10th and Cayuga and see the condiditons, he lives in. If he is that dirty at home, imagine how filthy he is with your food...Happy Eating!

Anonymous said...

I have eaten at Ybor Pizza for many years and will continue to do so. Why try to ruin it for others, just because you have a personal dislike for one of the employees?

Anonymous said...

I want a Pizza & Subs shirt too! LOVE their pizza!

Anonymous said...

I too will never eat there, first for the safety of my family, but more importantly, like the earlier poster said, he is keeping our neighborhood held back. Just imagine what that corner would look like if he took just a little pride in his business. When one or two businesses are ugly, the entire are thinks it is OK. I would rather see him out of business or elsewhere if he will not at least do minimal to keep his area clean. How long do you think the residents in the n'hood will continue to fix up thier homes before they get tired of looking at the dumps along Nebraska Ave. If Nebraska would clean up, the efforts would then move into the neighborhoods. How many times do you hear...Ewww, you live off Nebraska. Granted, alot of that is talking about the Prostitutes, however, studies have been presented that when the business and streets look like crap, they attract crap. The sad part is that entire strip could be the main attraction of our neighborhood.

Anonymous said...

here's something i'm sure will bring some ire.

What is so freaking horrible about how Ybor Pizza & Subs looks? They certainly are not "dragging the
neighborhood down" as you imperiously suggest. I park on the side in their lot and have never seen anything offesive in the back. If you have can't see it from the street or the lot then what's the problem (assuming there is something so horrible there). I am just amazed that with all the truly run down and negelected buildings or houses, people would take issue with a normal-looking restaurant.

As to allegations of filth, who are you, the health inspector? I've never seen anything like you describe and I eat there frequently. Try going into the (not visible kitchen, unlike YP&S) at your favorite restaurant and see if it meets your freaky germophobe standards. As someone who has worked in many restaurants, I can say that you would be appalled at the level of cleanliness at many very popular (and even upscale) places. "For the safety of my family....." Give me a break. Please go live in a hermetically sealed bubble instead of crying "think of the children" with no cause.

As many have said before, please don't hide behind anonymity when you have criticism (unless you have a really good reason) . It makes your allegations seem very questionable, whether they are or not.

Anonymous said...

"When one or two businesses are ugly, the entire are thinks it is OK. " ... Becasue they all get together and have a keeping the neighborhood down meeting?

Anonymous said...

I have to disagree regarding HoHo at Columbus and Armenia.

I ate there about a month ago and the food was terrible. Something about the way the fried rice was prepared, old or dirty oil not sure, caused it to taste nasty. The egg rolls and the cashew chicken were nothing to write home about.

Afterwards, I checked the review of HoHo on Citysearch and saw similiar comments.

http://tampabay.citysearch.com/review/2664584

Anonymous said...

I did have an excellent meal at HoHoChoy on Fletcher, east of Nebraska.

http://hohochoy.com/

Anonymous said...

Viva La Frida & ABC Pizza get my vote. I have to admit, most of the places that have been mentioned I haven't tried... as I'm a stickler for a clean & inviting exterior!
I'd love to support my neighborhood eateries, but aren't sure where most of these are located.
It would be great if someone, who has the knowledge, could compile and post a list with their addresses and hours of operation if know?! (hint, hint!)

Urban Eater said...

hmmmmmmmmmm...I think we have a weeee problem. I agree that Ybor Pizza and subs should, well lets say, add a fresh coat of paint but in NO way do I think it deserves such harsh remarks. Being that the first post included the owner's name and address, tells me there is personal conflict at bay. Because of this, I would hope everyone would ignore this post.
The second post brings up a point, unintended I am sure. The police of our fine city need to work on things such as prostitution and robbery before our business owners invest money aesthetically and get robbed blind because the shop stands out like a money making cow. Never thought of that? Of course not.
Mia wrote .."As someone who has worked in many restaurants, I can say that you would be appalled at the level of cleanliness at many very popular (and even upscale) places."
WELL SAID!!!! I have worked in the restaurant industry and am married to a retired Executive Chef. Folks, I hate to break the lure of sterile white and steel walls, but that is not reality. If you accompanied a health inspector you would be SHOCKED at what is passable at the finest restaurants in Tampa and don’t even think about what happens when he is gone.
Ybor Pizza and Subs is on the fast track to becoming a legend in Seminole Heights. Once the crime diminishes a little, I would recommend a tidy up (Hey Leslie! Ask for neighborhood volunteers! I'd do it and know 5 others who would too!) but NEVER stop making those amazing PIZZAS!!!