Monthly Archives: July 2009

Mamas on South Dale Mabry

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We visited Mamas Kitchen at 5524 S Dale Mabry Hwy on 26 July 2009. Mamas also has a location on North Florida, which was the first breakfast we ever officially reviewed. Both locations make a good breakfast at a reasonable price and the people are always very friendly. Marek and I visit the Florida Avenue location regularly. I visit the South Dale Mabry location frequently for breakfast with my colleagues from work. It seems like everyone in Mamas is a regular. You just can’t help but feel at home here.

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You notice right away that Mamas is special. Two things stand out before you even get in the door. The benches outside:

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And the “facilities” are located outside for some reason:

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We had breakfast. The bacon was the way Steve from Yankeetown likes it. The pancakes were perfect, or at least as perfect as can be given that they weren’t blueberry pancakes. And the eggs were just right.

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While you’re having breakfast at Mamas you get a chance to enjoy the interior decorating, which includes the Terrorist Body Bag.

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Sorry, could you repeat the question? What, coffee? Oh yes, and we had coffee.

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The coffee was strong, black, and bitter, just the way diner coffee should be.

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Mamas also has a great lion mural. Note the neat touch of how they painted over the air conditioner.

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Mamas is really close to Macdill AFB and the military influence pervades.

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When we were done, Marek offered to pay.

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He had no problem finding the right place.

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And then the Best News Ever, he found what was in the bottom drawer under the register.

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With a pop in hand, Marek went away the happiest boy ever.

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Great food, great atmosphere, friendly and regular people, interesting decor, and a pop at the end. This is a great breakfast and we’re always happy to visit Mamas at either location. We’re pleased to give this Tampa Bay Breakfast a rating of 4.5 pancakes.

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La Teresita Restaurant

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We visited La Teresita Restaurant at 3246 W Columbus Dr on 20 July 2009. La Teresita has a web site at http://www.lateresitarestaurant.com. We’ve been to La Teresita a bunch of times for lunch, but this was our first time for breakfast. I mean “desayunos!”

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This was a special Tampa Bay Breakfast as we had our favorite person ever join us … Mom!

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La Teresita is one of the best-known Cuban restaurants in Tampa and is considered a must on the Tampa Tour for out-of-town visitors. It’s a vibrant, bustling, exciting place and the prices are as low as the food is good. And it’s almost all lunch counter, which we think is pretty neat. Everyone, on both sides of the counter, is very friendly and welcoming. You get the feeling that folks have been coming here and sitting on the same stool for 30 years. That’s a good place.

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Before we go any further, I’ll have to let you know about our morning challenges. Marek was being two years old, hollering and throwing cars around and generally not being interested in breakfast. We made the best of it but I’ll admit that I considered selling him to the La Teresita staff for the price of a cafe con leche.

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The menu is a bit limited for desayunos. No pancakes listed, but when we asked they were very happy to make us some.

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So we had pancakes. And while they were small, they were remarkably good. Nice and crispy on the edges.

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And Mom had a tasty omelet made in a unique way, sort of like a frittata.

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I had the scrambled eggs and bacon, and our breakfasts came with tostadas, which was a unique Cuban touch to this breakfast.

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Marek proceeded to mostly ignore breakfast and alternate between playing cars and wondering if someone would save him from Dad.

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Usually Marek pays the bill, but today he just wasn’t interested. So I took the opportunity to slip in an extra coffee at the end, and ordered un presso when I paid. Now that’s good coffee!

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We had a nice time with some incredibly friendly people who enjoyed speaking Spanish to Marek. We had some tasty and unique food in a classic Tampa landmark. Aside from the fact that Marek woke up on the wrong side of Toddlerville this morning and caused chaos for all, it was a breakfast well worth repeating. Oh, and the three of us had breakfast for ten bucks and change. That’s a value!

We’re pleased to give La Teresita a Tampa Bay Breakfasts rating of three and a half pancakes.

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Jimbo’s Pit Bar B-Q

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We visited Jimbo’s BBQ at 4103 W Kennedy Blvd on 11 July 2009. Jimbos has a web site at http://www.jimbosbarbq.com/. This was our first visit to Jimbo’s. We’ve had several recommendations that this is a great place for breakfast.

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This was a special Tampa Bay Breakfast as we had guests. Marek’s friend Daniel and his dad Teddy joined us!

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Jimbo’s is actually a BBQ joint and has a great reputation around town. Walk in the place and you can tell — you’re in for BBQ. And even for breakfast it’s obviously a popular place. Several folks were greeted by name when they came in, which is a very good sign!

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Aside from it being a BBQ shack, there’s no strange claim to fame for Jimbo’s. Just a nice place with good people. There is a huge alligator skin on the wall, which is pretty neat. And there’s a big ole gumball machine by the door. Just the right size for getting your hand stuck in it.

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The menu at Jimbo’s is a bit sparse and, I felt, a little high on the price. Breakfast, while good here, is not the core competency of the kitchen, and it shows in the menu selection.

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But the coffee was really good!

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We had breakfast. The pancakes were ginormous. The bacon was very nice. We didn’t have eggs, as to get eggs and bacon and pancakes together we’d have had to spend $12!

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Marek didn’t really eat much, but I think he was distracted. Whenever we have TBB guests he tends to not eat well, so we won’t hold that against Jimbo’s.

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Even though he didn’t eat much and was sort of being loud and making a mess, he still took time out to love his dad.

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When we were done, Marek paid the bill.

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Daniel went to help.

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Marek got the change. But no pop! Oh sad day!

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Marek made a new friend! This is a sign of a good place, when folks take a moment to get to know you.

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When we were done, Marek and Daniel offered to drive us home.

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Overall, this was a nice place and we had a great time. We loved having breakfast with Teddy and Daniel. The folks at Jimbo’s were very friendly and the customers were all regulars. The breakfast was really good but a bit high priced. We’re pleased to give Jimbo’s Pit Bar-BQ a Tampa Bay Breakfast rating of 3.5 pancakes.

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Jimbo's Pit Bar-B-Q on Urbanspoon