Hello Everyone!
We have some exciting news to spread. The Bungalow Bistro will soon be open for DINNER! Beginning next Friday, you will be able to enjoy our gourmet delights from day into night.
Beginning on 11/23/07: The new hours will be from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (with our lunch menu from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and our dinner menu from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.). In addition, due to popular demand, we have made our 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday Brunch a permanent part of the weekly schedule! You can keep up-to-date by visiting our Bungalow Bistro Web Site, but you will want to check back often as we continue updating the menu and imagery.
Most importantly, please note that we are currently accepting reservations for your holiday parties, call (813) 237-2000 to make your arrangements. We truly look forward to enticing you with a daily special or one of our signature dishes.
Bon Appetite!
Elizabeth
Bungalow Bistro of Seminole Heights
5137 N. Florida Ave.
Tampa , FL 33603
Email us: info@bungalowbistrotampa.com 11/23/07
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We had dinner there last night and it was fantastic! A great mix of offerings on the menu. Very fresh ingredients, beautiful presentation and wonderful flavors. The servers are friendly and attentive, and go out of their way to make sure everything is to your liking. We are fortunate to have this great restaurant in Seminole Heights.
ReplyDeleteSweet
ReplyDeleteWent in there for brunch not too long ago. We were the second table to sit down. We ordered and waited over 40 minutes while watching the rest of the tables fill up and then get served their food before us. The whole staff was working to satisfy the rest of the tables while we sat with no explanation as to why we were waiting so long. Finally, I went to pay for my drinks so I could just cut my losses and find breakfast elsewhere. I was told by the owner that the French Toast we ordered takes 20 minutes to prepare.
ReplyDeleteAside from that being a bit extreme, what happened to the other 20+ minutes we sat and waited?? No offer was made to discount the meal if we stayed. They obviously didn't care if we returned or not. Hope things improve. We were excited to support a new local business in the 'hood but I guess we'll have to try some other time.
We've eaten there for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, roughly once a week since they've opened.
ReplyDeleteBreakfast is generally very good, although I recommend against the french toast (the bread doesn't seem to have been dried and then properly soaked.) The quiche is always a wise choice. Occasionally they have run out of potatoes and we've been forced to wait a bit. I have noticed less of this in recent visits. They have more help and a new chef.
I brought my co-works up for lunch one Friday and they took over an hour to get us lunch. For a lazy weekend, that's fine. For a business lunch, that'll kill your business. 45 minutes, in and out, and no more. My second lunch visit was faster and the red thai curry was some of the best I've ever had.
Dinner is great. The stuffed chicken breast is well worth the trip. Oh, and the cheese cake was high quality.
I'm willing to give new business owners some slack on issues like this as they learn the ropes. Elizabeth does a reasonably good job of getting food to her customers in a timely manner, but has room to improve. The food, though, is good enough to get me in there over and over again, regardless.
I went to the Bungalow Bistro last night. My reccomendation ...dont go on friday! I would go any other night of the week but friday is too hectic. The service was horrible and our server was a pompious brit who was more phony than the concierge at a fancy hotel. The menu was a little boring and somewhat hard to decifer. I went for the stuffed loin of pork and my wife had the salmon in parchment. The food was wonderful! The flavors were so subtle and the sauces were out of this world. They were priced well too. If all the dishes are this good they have a bright future there. All in all I would go again but never on a friday night.
ReplyDeleteBecause of years of experience in the restaurant business, I am usually pretty understanding but when I am speaking to the owner of the establishment and am only given excuses and arguments instead of options and apologies, I tend to write those places off. I realize that things are not always perfect but I also believe that a little positive customer service should be the cornerstone of any establishment.
ReplyDeleteI love the Bistro...so glad we have another dining choice in the hood. There is a comment in this blog about the pompous 'brit'; he is incredible...very knowledgeable about food and was able to describe the taste exactly. He can't help his accent...he's South Africa, and not British, by the way. The food is great, even if you have to wait a little longer on the busy days and nights...it is all made to order (thankfully this is not another fast food chain). Anyway, please support the hood restaurants...we need them here!
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge advocate of only supporting good businesses and not simply businesses located in our neighborhood. Happily, the Bistro is both.
ReplyDeleteThe service is friendly and efficient given the limitations of a small made-to-order restaurant. Busy nights do stress their resources but I expect that to improve with experience.
Count us in as "regulars", thanks. :-)