The Bungalow
Restaurant Review
by Vanessa Daniel
Settled in a nearly 90-year-old-building in the historic South Tampa, you will find a new restaurant and bar appropriately titled “The Bungalow.”
Built in 1919, the former home is as comfortable a place as you will find in any Tampa establishment. On my first visit to the new establishment in the old building, we were immediately welcomed by friendly waiters, and seated in the main dining room. This room included new classic-looking wood floors and familiar brick walls which help replicate the ambiance of dining in your own home.
The casual atmosphere at the place has already proven itself to loyal patrons as the place to go for inimitable Florida cuisine with friends or family, and is also a great setting for a couple of beers while watching your favorite college football game on one of the many plasma TVs in the bar.
We pulled out the menu, which owner Andy Alvarez teamed up with the talented Chef Frank (who previously studied under the executive chef at the Harbour Island renowned restaurant Café Dufrain) to create a very reasonably priced layout of items which augment a heavy Caribbean and local influence. Many entrees boast fresh seafood options such as their cilantro crusted ahi tuna ($14.95) – served rare and drizzled in an avocado lime cream sauce; or their seafood fra diablo ($15.95) – mahi, grouper, and shrimp sautéed in garlic and wine and tossed in a spicy marinara sauce served over linguini.
We first contemplated appetizers such as Guinness gator bites ($7.95) which are served deep fried with your choice of bbq or tartar sauce; and their fresh fish tacos ($7.95), but could not pass up the chipotle spiced conch fritters ($6.95) – six large conch fritters, slightly battered and deep fried and composed mostly of conch meat and very little breading. We also sampled the back country gator chowder ($3.50/cup) – a heavy cream based soup with chunks of gator meat, potatoes, bacon, carrots, a hint of Worcester sauce and many other tantalizing seasonings.
The Jerk marinated chicken ($9.95) is a must try entrée – two succulent baked pieces of chicken topped in a Creole mustard honey glaze served on a platter with a medley of grilled vegetables and yucca fries. As if the amount of food on the one dish wasn’t enough to share, we also ordered the traditional English fish & chips. For a chance to taste some of their other side options, we substituted the “chips” for their macaroni and cheese – a delicious blend of 4 white cheeses served creamy style in a steaming hot crock. But be sure to leave room in your belly so you can try one of their daily dessert options such as their key lime sponge cake or their velvety crème brûlée.
We applaud owners Andy Alvarez, Peter Alvarez, and Ryan Quinn and manager Bryce Quinn on choosing a non-traditional style restaurant which has brought even more variety to the already diverse South Tampa neighborhood.
As Andy says, “The Bungalow takes an ordinary restaurant setting and produces an environment where anyone can unwind after a long day at work, dine over lunch with business partners, or let loose on the weekend watching a game or having some drinks with friends.”
With plans to open an outside deck within the next few weeks, you can also list The Bungalow as a spot to dine al fresco in the cool fall breeze.
Visit The Bungalow at 2202 W Kennedy Blvd.
www.thebungalowtampa.com
