The Refinery
3 stars
5137 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-237-2000 or thetamparefinery.com
When Greg and Michelle Baker opened The Refinery a couple of months ago — in the Seminole Heights spot formerly occupied by Bungalow Bistro — it's like they designed the place to appeal to restaurant critics. A dedication to sourcing local ingredients? Check. A small menu that changes often? Check. Beer and wine options that are as flexible as the menu? Check. Reasonable prices? Check.
That's not because they were trying to curry favor with the local rags, it's because they care about food. And, after more than a decade out of the restaurant business — spent doing catering and personal chef services, along with writing for the Trib and their Culinary Sherpas blog — the Bakers' perspective is fresh and bright, free from bad habits generated by the daily grind. I celebrate that, and I'm sure Tampa food lovers will be eager to support their efforts. And because The Refinery is trying to do things that could eventually improve the entire Bay area restaurant scene, it's easy to overlook the lapses in fiddling details that might be a bigger issue in a standard restaurant.
Like the menu, which changes every week on Thursday night.
This article appears in Apr 14-20, 2010.