Category: Out of Town

Last year I needed a warm and sunny break and happened upon Tampa.  I try to go a least twice a year now.  There’s a Waffle House, Chick-fil-a and I always find chili cheese Fritos all my down south faves.  This visit I ran into my dear friend, we met up for dinner.  Aqua was recommended by the hotel staff.  It was in the lobby of the Westin, it was beautifully decorated.  I was a little under the weather,  very rare for me.  My appetite was on the light side.  I went with a soup and salad.  I still startwwith a dragon berry mojito,  sick or not I needed a drink.  My partner had an Iced Coconut,  it was pretty good, very strong.  I had a salad that had everything in it, apples, goat cheese,  candied walnuts and a champagne vinaigrette.  It was great.  I had the chef’s soup which was butternut squash.  It was pureed nicely, had hints of nutmeg and cinnamon but not a sweet soup.  I also had the brussel sprouts,  they have become my new favorite vegetable.  They were roasted and slightly sweet.  My partner had calamari to start and steak with seasonal roasted veggies and black rice.  The calamari was crispy a little lack luster on taste.  The steak and veggies were both cooked well and were alright.  The black rice was amazing.  A hint of sweet, the rice was cooked perfectly best part of the meal.  I skipped dessert,  I barely made it through my dishes.  I would go again, have a full course meal including dessert.  Being sick, my menu choices were a little off.  The ambiance was really nice too, open kitchen big booths and they have outside seating.