Say hello to Outback & Carrabba's Express. It's the newest family member for Bloomin' Brands, the Tampa parent company of chain restaurants Bonefish Grill and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, alongside the aforementioned Carrabba's Italian Grill and Outback Steakhouse.
Construction is underway on the bundled operation at 4320 W. Gandy Blvd., not far from the Walmart in South Tampa. And, well, this seems like another sign of the times for Bloomin' Brands, as it's seen some struggles, like many of the other casual-dining chains out there.
With a slated opening of January, Outback & Carrabba's Express specializes in delivery and takeout orders, plus catering. Now you can have your chicken Bryan — and Aussie cheese fries, too.
• Also in South Tampa, Byblos Café — the longstanding restaurant from owner-siblings Roger and Ziad Estephan — is closer to premiering its more luxurious look and reworked menu at 2832 S. MacDill Ave. CL first wrote about the joint's extensive renovations back in July, and they're set to wrap up in late November. For diners looking to get their Mediterranean fix ASAP, Byblos will continue filling take-away and catering orders until full-service operations resume this season.
• The second location for Paul's Chicago Pizza is "opening soon." At 11002 Fourth St. N. (previously home to the short-lived Ricky P's Orleans Bistro), St. Petersburg residents can look forward to thin-crust pies, a specialty of the eatery, which operates its popular flagship in Clearwater. Italian beef sandwiches, stuffed pizzas, Chicago dogs, salads and homemade meatballs are among the other offerings.
• Apparently, the best time to hit up Locale Market is on a Saturday. That's when a new special from the downtown St. Pete gourmet market's French cheese specialist is featured at the cheese and charcuterie station. The $10 special in question is a rotating pasta dish, rolled in an aged Parmesan cheese wheel.
Something tells me serious pasta-and-cheese lovers already know about St. Pete-based Gratzzi Italian Grille's Cavatelli Bada Bing, which gets flambéed in a Parm wheel during dinner. But, hey, there could never be enough cheese-wheel noodles in the world, right?
• And quickly: Two Brandon new-ish-comers are Chicago's Best Burgers at 1925 W. Brandon Blvd. and Thai Chilli Pepper at 875 E. Bloomingdale Ave. Mexican cuisine is the focus of Chica's Taco Bar in Clearwater, located at 2542 N. McMullen Booth Road, and Riverview's Gran Agave, which opened at 5924 Providence Road a few months ago. Bay Leaves has started serving up Indian delicacies to Tampa at 4023 W. Waters Ave. And in the Tampa plaza at 20685 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Asian fusion — think sushi, pho and Thai dishes — drives the menu of Aroi Thai-Tsuyu.
This article appears in Nov 2-9, 2017.