Editor Chris Bartlett, who helped create Worth Tasting, contributed to this column.
Plans for summer travel are underway. A summer getaway in Tampa, Florida… why not? With these awards, it makes it the ideal area to discover.
• Tampa Bay is ranked as the seventh-best summer travel destination for 2023 (WalletHub)
• Tampa was recognized as one of the Best Places to Travel (Money)
• Three neighborhoods in Tampa were listed in the top 10 of the 2024 Best Places to live in America (Niche)
• Tampa was named the 12th “Most Fun Cities in America” (WalletHub)
• Tampa Riverwalk was chosen as the second-best Riverwalk in the U.S. (USA Today)
• Tampa was included in the list of the greatest places in the world (TIME)
• Tampa is among the top 10 cities to visit with kids (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
• Tampa Bay area ranked as the best spot for a vacation with your pet (Tampa Bay Times)
And, for food enthusiasts…
• Tampa is ranked first among surprisingly amazing coffee cities (Livability)
• Tampa was listed as the eighth-best Foodie City in America for 2022 (WalletHub)
• Tampa is known as the eighth-best City for Vegans and Vegetarians for 2022 (WalletHub)
• With all this recognition, would you believe… Tampa was named one of the 15 U.S. tourist hotspots that nobody cared about 15 years ago (Orbitz).
I recently wrote about the Hyde Park area of the city: https://bit.ly/3Uhgqqg.
Today, I’ll be highlighting the Midtown district experience.
Sometimes the best vacation spots offer the perfect combination of convenience and neighborhood atmosphere. And when location is crucial, often the middle of it all is just right.
This is true for Midtown Tampa, and the Aloft Hotel, one of the two anchor hotels (Element Hotel is nearby) in the district. When in Midtown, most of what visitors would want to do in Tampa is within a 5 to 15-minute drive.
In the “campus” of Midtown Tampa, there’s excellent shopping, leisurely walking, enjoying drinks, and dining options (more on this later). The standout here is Sal Y Mar, the dazzling restaurant and bar situated atop the rooftop of the Aloft Hotel.
From here, one can gain a clear understanding of both the layout of this district, and its proximity in relation to downtown Tampa, with its wonderfully diverse neighborhoods.
This special neighborhood has a uniquely captivating atmosphere. Quickly, we found ourselves embracing the staycation vibe that it exudes, from the numerous luxury apartments to the hotels, lively culinary scene, entertainment, spas, coffee shops, boutiques, and retailers like REI, a Seattle-based outdoor gear company that was a pioneer in the industry.
Here in Midtown, people live and work, and enjoy themselves, all weaving in and around, across, and between these Midtown establishments.
Choosing to vacation in Tampa makes it convenient to all the attractions in the Bay area. Moreover, it’s the perfect place to simply enjoy everything Midtown has to offer — without needing a car.
You can enjoy sunshine and sunset markets, yoga, aerobics, and other fun and health-focused activities in The Commons. After some activity, you can go to the rooftop pool at the Aloft to soak in some sunshine and enjoy panoramic views while sipping on your favorite drink from the poolside snack bar.
You should definitely try dining at Sal Y Mar, the hotel’s well-respected rooftop restaurant and lounge, which is open to both hotel guests and locals.
The Tulum-inspired restaurant and menu offers Tampa Bay views from the covered terrace if you choose to dine outside, or through the window from inside its inviting and relaxing interior.
Executive Chef Johnathan Rodriguez leads the culinary team and has received the Best Chef Award at Savor St. Pete Food & Wine Festival in 2022 and 2023, as well as the Taste of Clearwater’s Chef Inspired Award among other honors.
He credits the chefs at the Michelin-grade restaurants where he has previously worked for influencing and inspiring his attention to detail and various flavor profiles that guests of Sal Y Mar enjoy today.
Our dining experience at Sal Y Mar started with the award-winning Tuna Tataki, followed by a seafood trio that included a lobster crab cake, grilled scallop, and pan-seared shrimp, all served with delicious accompaniments. The experience was as delightful as it sounds.
To conclude this seafood extravaganza, we enjoyed mouthwatering Cinnamon Churros with caramel dipping sauce, as well as the Sal Y Mar Flan, both well worth the indulgence.
For beef lovers, the Sal Y Mar Tomahawk Experience offers a 32–34-ounce bone-in steak with truffle oil, chimichurri sauce, and Maldon salt, enough for two or three people. If that's too big, there are other meat options like a 6-ounce filet mignon, a 16-ounce ribeye, or Australian rack of lamb.
Chef Johnathan shared two recipes. The award-winning Tuna Tataki recipe can be found at https://stephenfries.com/recipes. The Prime New York Steak with Truffle Burrata Mash and Sautéed Broccolini is below.
The 20-acre area of Midtown Tampa is filled with everything from a fast-casual, superfood eatery called Kale Me Crazy to a Shake Shack, offering a diverse and delicious culinary experience. We visited and tried almost all of them.
From the Louisiana-inspired Gumbo and Ragin’ Red Fish With Creole sauce at Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, to the fresh and delicious trout at True Food Kitchen, there's a food place to satisfy any palate.
In between our meals, we took a break for a delicious cup of coffee and sweet treat at Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. The truffles at William Dean Chocolates were exceptionally rich and memorable, and we also enjoyed fresh salads at Whole Foods on the campus.
We couldn't get reservations at two very busy places, Sunda Tampa Southeast Asian and Ponte Modern American, owned by Chef Chris Ponte of the iconic Ponte Grill. These places looked amazing and are at the top of our list for next time.
Unfortunately, we ran out of time before we could try the amazing-looking pasta dishes at BellaBrava Tampa, which we saw being served to other guests while walking by the restaurant.
Truffle Burrata Mash and Sautéed Broccolini accompany the Prime New York Steak.
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
Steak:
2 prime New York strips
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Olive oil to coat pan
2 tablespoon butter
1 bunch thyme
3 garlic cloves, smashed
Directions:
Dry the steaks. Season them with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a pan with oil over medium-high heat, then put the steaks in when the oil is hot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side and around 1 minute on the edges.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter, thyme and smashed garlic, basting the sauce over the steaks until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees. Take the steaks off the heat and let them rest to achieve a perfect medium steak temperature.
Burrata Truffle Mash:
4 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons truffle oil
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter
¼ cup whole milk
2 balls burrata
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Fill a large pot with cold water. Season with 2 tablespoons kosher salt and carefully add the potatoes. Simmer the potatoes over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are tender. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the potatoes. Put the drained potatoes back into the pot and, using a potato masher or hand mixer, mash the potatoes.
Add the truffle oil, cream, butter and milk to the potatoes and mash until light and fluffy. Break the burrata cheese into pieces and add it to the potato mash. Mix it in with a spoon until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use the reserved potato cooking water to thin the potatoes for a very creamy texture, if needed.
Sautéed Broccolini:
1 bunch broccolini (about 5 ounces), washed trimmed, halved lengthwise (if thick)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup of white wine
2 tablespoons butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Cut off and discard the dried ends of the broccolini stems. Cut the broccolini into thick slices or medallions. Then heat a pan and add the olive oil until it reaches medium heat. Add minced garlic, white wine and cook for 30 seconds to infuse the flavor and reduce the wine. Add the broccolini and a little salt and pepper.
Occasionally stir the broccolini stems for 2 minutes to let steam soften them. Then add water and butter, cover the pan, and cook for 2 to 4 minutes on medium-low heat until the vegetables are tender and bright green.
Stephen Fries, a former coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Conn., has been a food and culinary travel columnist for 16 years and co-founded “Worth Tasting,” a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven. He is also a board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. For more, visit Stephen's website stephenfries.com or email him at [email protected]. stephenfries.com.
