Daily Loaf

The Table Restaurant in St. Pete, which has flirted with two new names recently — The Place and St. Pete Brasserie — as well as different culinary themes, will begin serving its French-inspired menu this weekend, according to GM Andrew Wilkins. Almost all the prices, excepting a ribeye and bigger portions of lamb and filet mignon, are decidedly under $16. Wilkins is also planning to offer a free cocktail with the purchase of an entree, as well as a 4-course prix fixe menu from 5-7 p.m. for $19.

The menu lists the name of the restaurant as The Table Brasserie, so that back-and-forth saga is obviously still ongoing. Wilkins says that his funding still hasn’t come through, so he’s just moving ahead with the changes he can make in the short term. Hence, the new menu. Check it out.

Full menu after the break (be aware that details may change before this weekend): Read the rest of this entry »

Gratzzi’s not dead yet! CineBistro ups the ante on beer and fries theaters! The Table will not be The Spot, or will it? Primi changes owners, but not much else!

Read on for all the details!

Gratzzi closed up shop in Baywatch a few weeks back, right around the same time that Pacific Wave closed on the other side of Downtown St. Pete. For Pacific Wave, the closure was about revenue, and the economy, and being tired of struggling in an industry that’s tough in the best of times. For Gratzzi, though, it was more about the fact that Baywalk is on life-support, with relatives eager to pull the plug and divide its meager posessions. Don’t count Gratzzi out. The Italian restaurant is planning to re-open in the former home of Pacific Wave before the end of the year, if things go well. Owner Domenic D’Angelo will scale back his upscale menu to concentrate on homier dishes that cater to diners’ reduced budgets, with the smaller space a better match for the more casual fare. Read the rest of this entry »

St. Pete’s The Table has ridden a rollercoaster of ups and (mostly) downs since it opened just two years ago. (The long tale, in chronological order: here, here, here, and here.) The original owners walked away from the place, then a new team of owners stepped in, chefs came and went, then the ownership shifted again.

It looks like more change is on the way. According to newish operating partner Andrew “Wilko” Wilkins, the restaurant will cease using The Table as its moniker after tomorrow night, and will close for approximately one week before re-opening as a “new restaurant tentatively named ‘THE’ Place, along side its new companion ‘THE’ Place To Go.”

Chef J. Ward will remain in the kitchen, and will spearhead a menu change that will Read the rest of this entry »

• The Table is in the midst of another shake-up, with 717 South Michael Stewart, former GM Joe Moledo out and Andrew Wilkins (formerly of Mad Fish and Ceviche) in as GM. This comes after a long history of turmoil, including the loss of chef Pedro Flores earlier this year. Looks like the restaurant’s new thrust will be for lower price points and fewer staff changes. (Mouth)

• Ella’s Folk Art Cafe, the first of a new generation of restaurant slated to open in Tampa and Seminole Heights, started serving this past weekend.

The Columbia, OktoBEERfest, Domenica Macchia, and Grattzi’s after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

A fancy dinner deserves the company of a high quality beer; at The Table Restaurant (539 Central Avenue, St Petersburg, 727-823-6372) in downtown St. Petersburg, you can get both. Just like wine pairings, certain foods go better with certain beers. So, cast aside the domestic lagers — or even the tasty mojitos — and get hip to the ways of intermingling The Table’s impressive food and beer menus. Here’s how it goes:

If you’re in the mood for the snacky goodness of cheese, try the Spanish Cheese Selection with Belgian beer, Saison Dupont. The funky, dry spiciness of farmhouse ale blends with the nutty taste of Manchego, the mild acidity of Queso Fresco, and the tanginess of wine-bathed Drunken Goat, while stabalizing the sugary elements of dark rum guava spread and balsamic glazed almonds.

Wahoo Ceviche Cones, a signature dish of the restaurant, pairs well with German Hefe-Weizen Hacker-Pschorr Weiss. The traditional wheat beer’s creamy texture and bready, lemon banana flavor add another layer of depth to the sweetness of raw wahoo fish and citrus vinaigrette perched atop a blue corn tortilla cone.

Many more after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

After the surprising departure of chef Pedro Flores from The Table — he originated The Table’s Atlantic Rim cuisine in its previous incarnation — current owners Michael Stewart (717 South) and Linda and George Rahdert (the owners of the building The Table occupies) have brought in some local names to helm the kitchen at this downtown St. Pete restaurant.

Steven O’Brien, formerly of the TradeWinds, Saint Petersburg; Jay Ward, formerly of Mise en Place and Michael’s Grill, Tampa; and Antonio Guevara formerly of the Renaissance Vinoy and Snappers have joined Table’s new Chef corps.

The menu will stay the same, although The Table plans on adding new items based on the expertise of the new chefs. Full press release after the break. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s been a busy week, folks, so here’s an easy list of all the top stories in CL’s food and drink coverage. Eat it up!

Nosh Pit Episode 4 is up!
Corkscrew covers wine and chocolate.
Ocean Prime and Restaurant BT build better cocktails.

Restaurant News: Bern’s and Zack Gross of Z Grille make Beard Awards semifinals, the horror and delight of Sam’s Club pizza, waiter rant, Mr. Dunderbak’s re-opens, Cilantro Indian Cuisine owner being deported, $10 bottles of wine at Ruby Tuesday, The Table loses its chef, free bread at the chains

Drinks: Beer Review: Nogne O Brown, Total Wine coupon, tickets on sale for Spring wine events, Beer Review: Petrus Oud Bruin, Wine Review: Brandal 2007 Albarino, Spanish love at B-21

Cooking and Recipes, Food News after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Earlier today I detailed the re-opening of The Table (535 Central Ave. St. Petersburg, 727-823-6372) under new owners Michael Stewart (of 717 South in Tampa) and building owners George and Linda Rahdert, with former Table co-owner and awesome chef Pedro Flores in the kitchen.

Check after the break for the new menu, featuring lower prices and the same innovative, “Atlantic Rim” cuisine of Flores: Read the rest of this entry »

The Table (535 Central Ave. St. Petersburg, 727-823-6372), which closed rather quickly the day they won our Reader’s Poll award for Best New Restaurant, has re-opened. Former manager Joe Moledo teamed with the building’s owners and Michael Stewart of 717 South in Tampa to re-open the doors with food from former Table co-owner and chef Pedro Flores. I gave Flores a nod as Best Chef in Sarasota this year, so the food should be at least as good as before — maybe better, since Flores spent most of his time at the Sarasota location after the St. Pete spot opened. According to Moledo, prices are a little lower, but the same Atlantic-rim cuisine will be represented on the new menu. No lunch, but The Table opens at 3 p.m. for happy hour.

Elements Global Cuisine in Gulfport has closed, but the doors are still open thanks to new tenant Le Moulin Jaune (3121 Beach Blvd., Gulfport, 727-343-9894). That makes two French joints in this thriving bay-side dining district. Owner Alex Hambert also got the keys to the space next door just today, and plans to have a full bakery open there within two months. For now, the restaurant is open for continental breakfast, and lunch and dinner. When the bakery opens, the main space will be closed during breakfast.

Bella Brava has re-opened for lunch, and Roy’s opened for lunch for the first time starting last week (take a sneak peek at Bella Brava’s lunche menu after the break).

Abol Bunna (3644 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, 813-964-6889), a new Ethiopian/Italian restaurant, opened a few weeks ago in South Tampa, just a few blocks away from Queen of Sheba. Hopefully, that’ll drum up extra business for both places.

In case you missed it, the new Z Grille is open. Just found out that it’s only open for dinner, but they plan on adding lunch, then breakfast, hopefully by the beginning of the year. All-day dining, seven days a week? Nice.

India Grill, in downtown St. Petersburg, has lost its lease. May re-open elsewhere. May not.

Merino’s Deli in Seminole Heights has closed due to the economy.

Bella Brava lunch menu after this break: Read the rest of this entry »