Foraging around Tampa Bay can get discouraging at times, but if you stay in the hunt you can turn up treasures.
* Starved for gelato, that luscious ice cream you fear can only be found on an Alitalia flight?
It has come to International Plaza in the person of Licio Zanzi, who has opened Gelateria del Duomo, (813) 877-7771, in space vacated by a French bakery. Under a logo of the many spires of the fantastical cathedral in his native Milan, he's making more than a dozen flavors of gelato daily, all strongly and naturally flavored, plus coffees and Italian cakes.
After one visit I can vouch for subtly sinful pear, zabaglione as eggy as the real thing, wicked pistachio and biting limone if you must pretend you're not indulging.
I leave it to you to try the chocolate flavors, but I know my next spoonful will be the famous variety of the Piedmont, gianduja with hazelnut. Prices run from $2.85 to $4.55.
* Also open now in the mall's Bay Street walkway of restaurants is Bar Louie (2223 N West Shore Blvd., Tampa; (813) 874-1919). It's the 16th unit of the Chicago chain and is a flashy, uptown lounge with a long list of big sandwiches, half-pound burgers and bar food, from quesadillas to fresh, soft pretzels, and of course, silly 'tinis. Most prices are less than $10. A pizzamaker from Italy may open in the space vacated by Prezzo.
* Spartaco Giolito, whose name hangs outside South Tampa's most stylish, and tiniest, Italian restaurant (3215 S MacDill Ave., Suite B; (813) 832-9327) has plans for a second, more casual restaurant. It will concentrate on a short menu of pasta and wine at modest prices with a possible location on Gandy Boulevard later this spring.
California dreamin'
Scott Howard, a veteran of creative local kitchens from Mise en Place, Mojo and Next City Grille to Capriccio, has struck a bit of gold in the Marin County city of San Anselmo. Fork, the restaurant he started two years ago with chef Charles Low, sticks to inexpensive small plates (under $15) in a casual format, but has won excellent marks from the San Francisco Chronicle.
A review this winter praised Fork for the likes of truffled egg salad with smoked trout, rock cod and lentils and carrot soup with an herb custard of chervil.
It would be nice to live and dine in that neighborhood, but if you're out that way, stop in for lunch or dinner, Tuesday through Saturday (198 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo, Calif.; (415) 453-9898).
Not so fast
Who says fast-food chains don't care about the American diet? Sonic Drive-In has come up with a diet version of cherry limeade: A large has 33 calories and 6 net grams of carbohydrate. That beats 361 calories and 98 carbs. Of course that extra-long chili cheese dog weighs in at 666 calories and 47 carbs.
Still, the fast-food companies are right about one thing: The choices are up to us.
Tampa Bay bouillabaisse
* Easter-egg hunting is easy in Tarpon Springs: They're rich rosy reds and often tucked into the braids of tsoureki Easter breads. Packets of traditional red Greek dye can be found in most of the city's stores and the bakeries are busy with loaves of bread. The 79-year-old National Bakery (451 Athens St., Tarpon Springs; (727) 934-5934) will have its ovens full most of the week, selling Easter loaves for $6.
Whether you want tsoureki or hot cross buns for your holidays, call your baker early.
* Add a couple shots of espresso, machiattos, frappes and such to the menu of downtown Palm Harbor at the Simple Gourmet (1019 Florida Ave. Palm Harbor; (727) 787-8778). Simple opened in February with bagels, pastries, salads, tapenade and uptown sandwiches including a gourmet PB&J (homemade PB, and jam on croissant or baguette). Except for Sunday, eye-openers start at 6 a.m., food and coffee brew all day long, with live music on Friday evenings.
* Dumplings are always in season at little Helen's Pirogy Cafe (1810 S Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs, (727) 942-6355). With Lithuanian and Sicilian heritage, owner Dawn Garrison makes dumplings with all kinds of fillings. Potato, cheese, bacon and farmer cheese are available daily at $7.25 a dozen; mushroom, kraut, prune, sour cherry ricotta and spinach and other flavors can be ordered with 24-hour notice for up to $9.50 a dozen. Menu also includes sandwiches, cabbage rolls and haluski.
* The annual yearlong battle of the pans in the Best Chef Tampa Bay contest (call it Concrete Block Chef) enters its final four next week at La Maison Gourmet (471 Main St., Dunedin; (727) 736-3070). In the quarter finals are Eric Webber from Eric's New World Bistro in Palm Harbor and Robert Masson of 717 S Howard in Tampa, who face off Tuesday; James Graham of Clancy's Grill and Steak House in Clearwater takes on Massimo Patano of Massimo's of Palm Harbor on April 27. Final showdown is May 11. Tickets are $75 to $100 to watch, eat and judge the competition.
- St. Petersburg Times food critic Chris Sherman writes about dining and restaurant news in the Nibbler. He can be reached at 727 893-8585 or by e-mail at sherman@sptimes.com
