There's a new chef cooking in the kitchen of Beach Bar & Restaurant.
Located inside Tampa's Bay Harbor Hotel, the waterfront restaurant formerly known as Hogan's Beach recently brought on executive chef Joe Garcia, previously of Grille One Sixteen, to oversee the menu of comfort food and Latin and Caribbean-infused flavors.
Garcia's approach involves focusing "on the hero of the plate," plus adding interesting layers, texture and sauce (because duh). His signature sauces are featured in a number of Beach dishes — including the wings, chicken pizza and ribs, which call for mango chili barbecue sauce (mango, Thai chili and fresh lime), and chipotle guacamole (avocado, chipotle paste and hint of smokiness) showcased on the chicken and mahi mahi tacos.
"I'm ecstatic to bring my talents to Beach Bar | Restaurant. It's been a rewarding challenge, creating a menu I personally love, for [palates] of all tastes. I enjoy creating dishes that intrigue — that have people guessing what made it so delicious," Garcia said in a statement.
Other casual-meets-fun on the chef's lineup — which is offered for breakfast, lunch, dinner and after hours — are hog snapper (skin-on snapper grilled and served with broccolini, mango pear salsa and citrus vinaigrette) and a beignet-style doughnut burger (American cheese, applewood-smoked bacon and caramel sauce).
