12/31/2013 Update: Sadly I heard that Wimauma has closed their doors.
Hello LilyOnTheLam.com Readers:
Miss LBB (the extra "B" is for Bodacious!) suggested we check out Wimauma Restaurant (South Tampa, Florida) which opened about six months ago. It's on MacDill about halfway between Gandy and Bay to Bay in the St. Croix Shopping Center. With my geographically challenged brain, if it's not the Palma Ceia area, then it's at least Palma Ceia adjacent. I had heard of Wimauma but did not know anything about it, so I looked online and saw that Wimauma bills itself as "Fresh Local Florida" cuisine. That's all my brain and stomach needed to know. I told Miss LBB that I was in for dinner.
LBB, her sister P and I headed over for a late Tuesday night dinner at Wimauma around 8 p.m. The decor is a bit of a hodge podge - the bar area with its floor to ceiling chalkboard wall reminds me of quaint gastropubs in major metropolitan areas. The rest of the restaurant reminded me more of a homey Grandmother's house - if your Grandmother had an appreciation for vibrant Floridian art work and clean, solid honey colored tables. This would be upscale Granny's place!
Wimauma serves beer and wine. I had had a frustrating day at work, so a huge vodka lemonade in a mason jar with basil leaves or rosemary sprigs would have hit the spot. But I made do with a Strongbow Cider instead. This particular night, Wimauma had four ciders available - Crispin, Strongbow and both pear and apple Woodchuck Cider. I love any place that has a cider selection, so points to Wimauma for having four for me to choose between!
We started with two appetizers - the Country Sausage on Biscuits Slider Plate with BLT Macaroni Salad and the Salt & Pepper Fried Okra with Cilantro, Scallion, Jalapeño, Fried Garlic and Shallots.
The Country Sausage Slider was presented exactly as billed - when I think "Country Sausage" I think hearty sausage with good, strong flavors. The sausage was spicy and delicious. The biscuit was flaky with a "nice crumb" - it held up well to the nice, thick, savory sausage patty. The biscuit on its own was a bit bland - LBB described it as being almost too much of a flour taste- it was missing that buttery feel of a southern biscuit. However we both agreed that when paired with the sausage patty, it was good that the biscuit was a bit bland as it didn't overpower the sausage. The biscuit was a good delivery mechanism for the sausage slider. I appreciated that the biscuit was hearty enough to stay together for multiple bites of the slider. I hate when biscuits crumble in your hands upon the first bite.
The appetizer order came with three Country Sausage Sliders (we snatched two off the plate before my brain even remembered to take a picture!) The BLT Macaroni Salad was a delightful surprise. When I think Southern cuisine and macaroni salad, I think of overcooked elbow macaroni drowning in mayonnaise. I was very happy to discover that Wimauma's BLT Macaroni Salad was not of that quality. The macaroni was cooked perfectly al dente with a very light dressing that woke up my taste buds with this amazing clean, bright, citrus POP! of flavor. The acidity cut through both the salad dressing and the fatty, smoky mouthfeel of bacon. It was incredibly refreshing to the palate.
I would not normally think of "macaroni salad" as being a palate cleanser to sausage and biscuits, but trust me - this works. Wimauma bills itself as "Where Cracker Meets Cuisine." Personally, I think this motto understates the amazing culinary creations coming out of the Wimauma kitchen, but I have to say that the Country Sausage Slider appetizer is a perfect example of Wimauma's motto. The citrus notes really elevated the BLT macaroni salad and were an incredibly smart pairing to the Country Sausage Slider. Nicely done.
Side Note: let me apologize for my poorly lit pictures of the food - they absolutely do not do Wimauma's cuisine justice. But hopefully the pictures give you an indication of the food - and hey, head over to Wimauma and have dinner there yourself to check out the food up close and personal!
I am NOT an okra fan nor a cilantro fan, but I am a fan of the Tampa restaurant "Yummy House Chinese Cuisine." So when I saw on the menu that Wimauma's Salt & Pepper Fried Okra with Cilantro, Scallion, Jalapeño, Fried Garlic and Shallot was an homage to "Yummy House" (and its fabulous "salt and pepper calamari" dish); I knew I had to try it.
Hands down, you need to go to Wimauma just to try this appetizer. I don't know how they could combine so many different strong flavors that go so wonderfully well together without overpowering each other. The combination of salt, pepper, garlic, jalapeño, shallot and cilantro with the fried okra was fantastic - crispy, crunchy, oniony, spicy with the jalapeño heat. This dish says "Hello taste buds, get a load of THIS." If your taste buds need an awakening, try this dish! This dish is so delicious ... words cannot even describe it. Complex, savory, crispy fried crunchy, spicy goodness. Whereas the Country Sausage Slider with the BLT Macaroni Salad was very homey "country cuisine," the fried okra takes the concept of "country cuisine" even "country haute cuisine" and blows it right out of the water. This is creative, complex, crunchalicious fabulousness in a "country cuisine" jacket. Seriously, try this dish. You are not going to find okra like this anywhere in Tampa Bay and that alone is reason to check out Wimauma.
Miss LBB was torn between the pork and the fried chicken. Our server recommended the fried chicken. Miss LBB decided to go with his recommendation and ordered the fried chicken with a side of grits. It also came with a side of hush puppies. Miss LBB was very happy with the large portion of fried chicken (lunch for the next day as well!) She said that she appreciated that Wimauma used a correct-sized fryer chicken for their fried chicken and that the breading was light and crispy. LBB and her sister P both very much enjoyed the crispy fried chicken and thought it was a very good representation of the southern staple.
My fork wandered into LBB's grits (surprising how forks have minds of their own!) I do not like grits and never have until I had the amazingly rich and lush grits at Bailey's Restaurant on Davis Islands in Tampa. I can now add Wimauma Restaurant to the very short list of places where I thoroughly enjoy their grits. Smooth, creamy, rich without being overly cloying. These grits are delish.
LBB's sister P had a salad with chicken. LBB said the chicken had almost a "fragrant" taste. We asked Wimauma owner Amy Moran what was giving the chicken this flavor - turns out it was pickled peaches! Hello Southern cuisine! P had the salad with the house sherry vinaigrette, which looked like ranch dressing and tasted a bit like honey mustard but complimented the salad well. This salad may look simple but there was a large variety of complex greens that you won't find at your usual local restaurant.
For my entree, I went with the shrimp and scallop burger. This entree normally comes with French Fries and hush puppies. I asked if I could have the macaroni and cheese instead. I had a shrimp and bacon burger at Top Chef Masters winner Chef Floyd Cardoz's North End Grill in New York City, so I wondered how Wimauma's shrimp and scallop burger would compare to the "Spice King's" version.
Whereas the shrimp burger at North End Grill was made with pulverized ground shrimp, the Wimauma shrimp and scallop burger had whole shrimp in it (see picture below). I believe this helped keep the moisture in the burger much better than my previous one from North End Grill. The shrimp burger I had had at North End Grill was moist in the middle, but dried out along the edges. Wimauma's shrimp and scallop burger was moist throughout the entire patty. The slaw topping had the same zesty citrus punch as the BLT Macaroni Salad did. The citrus definitely elevated the more subtle shrimp and scallop "burger patty." The acid and the crunch of the slaw added depth and texture to the mild shrimp and scallop burger patty as well.
I will say that I thought the bun to burger ratio was off in the shrimp and scallop burger, however. Too much bread in each bite. The bun was more dense and thick than I would have preferred for such a lightly flavored "burger." A toasted potato bread roll or even an airy sweet Hawaiian bread roll probably would have made a better accompaniment for the shrimp and scallop burger. However I will fully admit that I am anti-excess bread so I may be more "bread ratio sensitive" than your average diner. If you try the Wimauma shrimp and scallop burger, please leave me your feedback in the comments section below ("Lily - bread phobic or correct on the ratio comment?" is the theme).
The macaroni and cheese was divine. Exactly what you want from mac & cheese - perfectly cooked pasta with a rich, creamy, sharp bite from the cheese. It was beyond delicious. When you're in a "craving homestyle comfort food" mood, this is the mac and cheese you want to dive into and eat to your heart's and belly's content.
The three hush puppies that accompanied both the fried chicken and the shrimp and scallop burger entrees were not our favorite part of the meal. They were overly greasy, which was surprising since the fried chicken was light and crispy with no greasy taste. I had wondered if perhaps the hush puppies were cooked in a lower temperature oil so that they absorbed more oil than they should versus a flash fry technique? Or perhaps the corn meal was just extra absorbent? Or the hush puppies weren't given proper time to drain off the oil? Who knows? The hush puppy almost oozed oil as if it had an oil center. It was probably the only strongly noticeable off note in my entree.
I will disclose that I am a hush puppy diva - I like hush puppies with green onion slices. If a hush puppy doesn't have an oniony component, I will never be 100% happy. Now LBB hates green onions in hush puppies, so she was glad that the Wimauma hush puppies were onion-free. So just goes it show you, no restaurant can satisfy 100% of the diners, 100% of the time. If the hush puppies were less oily, they would have been close to perfect as the corn meal seemed light despite the oil.
Another confession - I am a strawberry shortcake freak. I have been sublimating my strawberry shortcake desires by indulging in way too much Ben and Jerry's Strawberry Shortcake Greek Frozen Yogurt (which is amazing, but would be even more amazing if it had used shortcake instead of shortbread pieces ... but I digress.) When I saw that Wimauma had strawberry shortcake on their dessert menu, I knew I had to have it. Real shortcake versus Ben & Jerry's silly shortbread pieces! It was now time for dessert!
The strawberry shortcake came in this large white mug, pictured below. Macerated strawberries with torn up pieces of biscuit topped with velvety smooth sweetened cream and julienned basil. Fresh, simple, lovely, delicious. I gobbled this shortcake up. I would have preferred more strawberries and less biscuit, but I am a Northerner so just be happy you're not reading 1000 words on why I prefer cake instead of biscuits. (But if you'd like to read more of my biscuit versus cake whiny chatter, check out my blog post "A Tale of Three Shortcakes" comparing three restaurant strawberry shortcake desserts.)
The basil with the macerated strawberries really put this dessert over the top for me. The flavors were fresh and bright and ohhhh the sweet cream was soooo good. I wanted to jump inside this mug and go for a swim. Rich but not heavy. Sweet without being overly so. Fresh basil giving a nice bite to the berries. This is some refined shortcake.
LBB had first spotted the "Grits Creme Brûlée" on the dessert menu when we first arrived at Wimauma and she was determined to check out this intriguing dish. Owner Amy Moran instructed us to make sure we requested extra strawberries. When the Owner gives you a tip, you should follow it and we did. The "Grits Creme Brûlée" was amazing - silky, sweet, rich like a rice pudding without being overly starchy. It was like a traditional creme brûlée, but slightly thicker with more "oomph." Next time, I'll be getting the "Grits Creme Brûlée" and I won't be sharing!
Other than two minor glitches (our Server forgetting to bring us silverware with the appetizer and forgetting which salad dressings Wimauma had available), the service was great. Our Server checked in with us with the appropriate frequency to make sure all of our needs were met. I also liked our Server's attitude and demeanor. The way he approached our table was very friendly with a "how can I best help you to have a great dinner?" enthusiasm. I will overlook many service glitches, if I feel like the Server sincerely cares about giving the patrons a great dining experience. I definitely felt earnest sincerity from our Server. We welcomed his recommendations and he did not steer us wrong.
I also appreciated Owner Amy Moran stopping by our table to ask how our dinner was and also to inquire how we had heard about Wimauma. I have seen many restaurants come and go in the Tampa Bay area in the last few years, I enjoy when restaurant owners and managers take the time and effort to talk with their patrons. Again it is that feel of sincere interest that makes guests feel welcome and at home. I also thought I saw Chef Owner Gary Moran pop his head out of the kitchen to check out the dinner crowd as well. I felt like the Morans cared about what their patrons thought about the food, the restaurant itself and wanted to hear all opinions.
I very much enjoyed dinner at Wimauma Restaurant. The fresh local produce in simple-appearing but complex tasting dishes was a refreshing culinary change of pace for the MacDill area of restaurants in South Tampa. I also liked that unlike some Tampa Bay restaurants which I will choose not to individually name, Wimauma knows how to add complex flavors without throwing everything and the kitchen sink at a dish. Their ingredients work well together in a thoughtful, creative manner.
Wimauma goes beyond their motto of "where cracker meets cuisine." Instead I would say it is "fresh, farm to table, heart-warming, belly-singing, homey Floridian cuisine with a gourmet twist." If you are visiting Tampa from out of town, I hope you check out Wimauma because this is definitely the type of food I would like visitors to think of when they hear the words "Floridian cuisine."
The prices at Wimauma are in range for what I would normally expect for this type of restaurant and food, which was a welcome relief as I find too many new restaurants overprice themselves to compensate for start-up costs. (Farm to table doesn't mean "bring an extra wallet" and I'm glad Wimauma gets that.)
The service at Wimauma was thoughtful and for the most part refined and focused. I hope more restaurants like Wimauma open in South Tampa. They are a breath of fresh air wrapped in a biscuit. Check it out for yourself and let me know your thoughts in the feedback section.
Wimauma Restaurant
4205 South MacDill Avenue
Tampa, Florida
(813) 793-1687
Google Affiliate Ads:
Hello LilyOnTheLam.com Readers:
Miss LBB (the extra "B" is for Bodacious!) suggested we check out Wimauma Restaurant (South Tampa, Florida) which opened about six months ago. It's on MacDill about halfway between Gandy and Bay to Bay in the St. Croix Shopping Center. With my geographically challenged brain, if it's not the Palma Ceia area, then it's at least Palma Ceia adjacent. I had heard of Wimauma but did not know anything about it, so I looked online and saw that Wimauma bills itself as "Fresh Local Florida" cuisine. That's all my brain and stomach needed to know. I told Miss LBB that I was in for dinner.
LBB, her sister P and I headed over for a late Tuesday night dinner at Wimauma around 8 p.m. The decor is a bit of a hodge podge - the bar area with its floor to ceiling chalkboard wall reminds me of quaint gastropubs in major metropolitan areas. The rest of the restaurant reminded me more of a homey Grandmother's house - if your Grandmother had an appreciation for vibrant Floridian art work and clean, solid honey colored tables. This would be upscale Granny's place!
Wimauma serves beer and wine. I had had a frustrating day at work, so a huge vodka lemonade in a mason jar with basil leaves or rosemary sprigs would have hit the spot. But I made do with a Strongbow Cider instead. This particular night, Wimauma had four ciders available - Crispin, Strongbow and both pear and apple Woodchuck Cider. I love any place that has a cider selection, so points to Wimauma for having four for me to choose between!
We started with two appetizers - the Country Sausage on Biscuits Slider Plate with BLT Macaroni Salad and the Salt & Pepper Fried Okra with Cilantro, Scallion, Jalapeño, Fried Garlic and Shallots.
The Country Sausage Slider was presented exactly as billed - when I think "Country Sausage" I think hearty sausage with good, strong flavors. The sausage was spicy and delicious. The biscuit was flaky with a "nice crumb" - it held up well to the nice, thick, savory sausage patty. The biscuit on its own was a bit bland - LBB described it as being almost too much of a flour taste- it was missing that buttery feel of a southern biscuit. However we both agreed that when paired with the sausage patty, it was good that the biscuit was a bit bland as it didn't overpower the sausage. The biscuit was a good delivery mechanism for the sausage slider. I appreciated that the biscuit was hearty enough to stay together for multiple bites of the slider. I hate when biscuits crumble in your hands upon the first bite.
The appetizer order came with three Country Sausage Sliders (we snatched two off the plate before my brain even remembered to take a picture!) The BLT Macaroni Salad was a delightful surprise. When I think Southern cuisine and macaroni salad, I think of overcooked elbow macaroni drowning in mayonnaise. I was very happy to discover that Wimauma's BLT Macaroni Salad was not of that quality. The macaroni was cooked perfectly al dente with a very light dressing that woke up my taste buds with this amazing clean, bright, citrus POP! of flavor. The acidity cut through both the salad dressing and the fatty, smoky mouthfeel of bacon. It was incredibly refreshing to the palate.
I would not normally think of "macaroni salad" as being a palate cleanser to sausage and biscuits, but trust me - this works. Wimauma bills itself as "Where Cracker Meets Cuisine." Personally, I think this motto understates the amazing culinary creations coming out of the Wimauma kitchen, but I have to say that the Country Sausage Slider appetizer is a perfect example of Wimauma's motto. The citrus notes really elevated the BLT macaroni salad and were an incredibly smart pairing to the Country Sausage Slider. Nicely done.
Side Note: let me apologize for my poorly lit pictures of the food - they absolutely do not do Wimauma's cuisine justice. But hopefully the pictures give you an indication of the food - and hey, head over to Wimauma and have dinner there yourself to check out the food up close and personal!
 |
| Lily as Goldilocks with her camera - Sausage Slider with too much light in the photo |
 |
| Darker picture of the Country Sausage Slider and the BLT Macaroni Salad |
I am NOT an okra fan nor a cilantro fan, but I am a fan of the Tampa restaurant "Yummy House Chinese Cuisine." So when I saw on the menu that Wimauma's Salt & Pepper Fried Okra with Cilantro, Scallion, Jalapeño, Fried Garlic and Shallot was an homage to "Yummy House" (and its fabulous "salt and pepper calamari" dish); I knew I had to try it.
Hands down, you need to go to Wimauma just to try this appetizer. I don't know how they could combine so many different strong flavors that go so wonderfully well together without overpowering each other. The combination of salt, pepper, garlic, jalapeño, shallot and cilantro with the fried okra was fantastic - crispy, crunchy, oniony, spicy with the jalapeño heat. This dish says "Hello taste buds, get a load of THIS." If your taste buds need an awakening, try this dish! This dish is so delicious ... words cannot even describe it. Complex, savory, crispy fried crunchy, spicy goodness. Whereas the Country Sausage Slider with the BLT Macaroni Salad was very homey "country cuisine," the fried okra takes the concept of "country cuisine" even "country haute cuisine" and blows it right out of the water. This is creative, complex, crunchalicious fabulousness in a "country cuisine" jacket. Seriously, try this dish. You are not going to find okra like this anywhere in Tampa Bay and that alone is reason to check out Wimauma.
 |
| Salt & Pepper Fried Okra with Cilantro, Scallion, Jalapeño, Fried Garlic and Shallot |
Miss LBB was torn between the pork and the fried chicken. Our server recommended the fried chicken. Miss LBB decided to go with his recommendation and ordered the fried chicken with a side of grits. It also came with a side of hush puppies. Miss LBB was very happy with the large portion of fried chicken (lunch for the next day as well!) She said that she appreciated that Wimauma used a correct-sized fryer chicken for their fried chicken and that the breading was light and crispy. LBB and her sister P both very much enjoyed the crispy fried chicken and thought it was a very good representation of the southern staple.
My fork wandered into LBB's grits (surprising how forks have minds of their own!) I do not like grits and never have until I had the amazingly rich and lush grits at Bailey's Restaurant on Davis Islands in Tampa. I can now add Wimauma Restaurant to the very short list of places where I thoroughly enjoy their grits. Smooth, creamy, rich without being overly cloying. These grits are delish.
LBB's sister P had a salad with chicken. LBB said the chicken had almost a "fragrant" taste. We asked Wimauma owner Amy Moran what was giving the chicken this flavor - turns out it was pickled peaches! Hello Southern cuisine! P had the salad with the house sherry vinaigrette, which looked like ranch dressing and tasted a bit like honey mustard but complimented the salad well. This salad may look simple but there was a large variety of complex greens that you won't find at your usual local restaurant.
For my entree, I went with the shrimp and scallop burger. This entree normally comes with French Fries and hush puppies. I asked if I could have the macaroni and cheese instead. I had a shrimp and bacon burger at Top Chef Masters winner Chef Floyd Cardoz's North End Grill in New York City, so I wondered how Wimauma's shrimp and scallop burger would compare to the "Spice King's" version.
Whereas the shrimp burger at North End Grill was made with pulverized ground shrimp, the Wimauma shrimp and scallop burger had whole shrimp in it (see picture below). I believe this helped keep the moisture in the burger much better than my previous one from North End Grill. The shrimp burger I had had at North End Grill was moist in the middle, but dried out along the edges. Wimauma's shrimp and scallop burger was moist throughout the entire patty. The slaw topping had the same zesty citrus punch as the BLT Macaroni Salad did. The citrus definitely elevated the more subtle shrimp and scallop "burger patty." The acid and the crunch of the slaw added depth and texture to the mild shrimp and scallop burger patty as well.
I will say that I thought the bun to burger ratio was off in the shrimp and scallop burger, however. Too much bread in each bite. The bun was more dense and thick than I would have preferred for such a lightly flavored "burger." A toasted potato bread roll or even an airy sweet Hawaiian bread roll probably would have made a better accompaniment for the shrimp and scallop burger. However I will fully admit that I am anti-excess bread so I may be more "bread ratio sensitive" than your average diner. If you try the Wimauma shrimp and scallop burger, please leave me your feedback in the comments section below ("Lily - bread phobic or correct on the ratio comment?" is the theme).
 |
| Trying to get a close up of the shrimp and scallop burger patty |
The three hush puppies that accompanied both the fried chicken and the shrimp and scallop burger entrees were not our favorite part of the meal. They were overly greasy, which was surprising since the fried chicken was light and crispy with no greasy taste. I had wondered if perhaps the hush puppies were cooked in a lower temperature oil so that they absorbed more oil than they should versus a flash fry technique? Or perhaps the corn meal was just extra absorbent? Or the hush puppies weren't given proper time to drain off the oil? Who knows? The hush puppy almost oozed oil as if it had an oil center. It was probably the only strongly noticeable off note in my entree.
I will disclose that I am a hush puppy diva - I like hush puppies with green onion slices. If a hush puppy doesn't have an oniony component, I will never be 100% happy. Now LBB hates green onions in hush puppies, so she was glad that the Wimauma hush puppies were onion-free. So just goes it show you, no restaurant can satisfy 100% of the diners, 100% of the time. If the hush puppies were less oily, they would have been close to perfect as the corn meal seemed light despite the oil.
Another confession - I am a strawberry shortcake freak. I have been sublimating my strawberry shortcake desires by indulging in way too much Ben and Jerry's Strawberry Shortcake Greek Frozen Yogurt (which is amazing, but would be even more amazing if it had used shortcake instead of shortbread pieces ... but I digress.) When I saw that Wimauma had strawberry shortcake on their dessert menu, I knew I had to have it. Real shortcake versus Ben & Jerry's silly shortbread pieces! It was now time for dessert!
The strawberry shortcake came in this large white mug, pictured below. Macerated strawberries with torn up pieces of biscuit topped with velvety smooth sweetened cream and julienned basil. Fresh, simple, lovely, delicious. I gobbled this shortcake up. I would have preferred more strawberries and less biscuit, but I am a Northerner so just be happy you're not reading 1000 words on why I prefer cake instead of biscuits. (But if you'd like to read more of my biscuit versus cake whiny chatter, check out my blog post "A Tale of Three Shortcakes" comparing three restaurant strawberry shortcake desserts.)
The basil with the macerated strawberries really put this dessert over the top for me. The flavors were fresh and bright and ohhhh the sweet cream was soooo good. I wanted to jump inside this mug and go for a swim. Rich but not heavy. Sweet without being overly so. Fresh basil giving a nice bite to the berries. This is some refined shortcake.
LBB had first spotted the "Grits Creme Brûlée" on the dessert menu when we first arrived at Wimauma and she was determined to check out this intriguing dish. Owner Amy Moran instructed us to make sure we requested extra strawberries. When the Owner gives you a tip, you should follow it and we did. The "Grits Creme Brûlée" was amazing - silky, sweet, rich like a rice pudding without being overly starchy. It was like a traditional creme brûlée, but slightly thicker with more "oomph." Next time, I'll be getting the "Grits Creme Brûlée" and I won't be sharing!
Other than two minor glitches (our Server forgetting to bring us silverware with the appetizer and forgetting which salad dressings Wimauma had available), the service was great. Our Server checked in with us with the appropriate frequency to make sure all of our needs were met. I also liked our Server's attitude and demeanor. The way he approached our table was very friendly with a "how can I best help you to have a great dinner?" enthusiasm. I will overlook many service glitches, if I feel like the Server sincerely cares about giving the patrons a great dining experience. I definitely felt earnest sincerity from our Server. We welcomed his recommendations and he did not steer us wrong.
I also appreciated Owner Amy Moran stopping by our table to ask how our dinner was and also to inquire how we had heard about Wimauma. I have seen many restaurants come and go in the Tampa Bay area in the last few years, I enjoy when restaurant owners and managers take the time and effort to talk with their patrons. Again it is that feel of sincere interest that makes guests feel welcome and at home. I also thought I saw Chef Owner Gary Moran pop his head out of the kitchen to check out the dinner crowd as well. I felt like the Morans cared about what their patrons thought about the food, the restaurant itself and wanted to hear all opinions.
I very much enjoyed dinner at Wimauma Restaurant. The fresh local produce in simple-appearing but complex tasting dishes was a refreshing culinary change of pace for the MacDill area of restaurants in South Tampa. I also liked that unlike some Tampa Bay restaurants which I will choose not to individually name, Wimauma knows how to add complex flavors without throwing everything and the kitchen sink at a dish. Their ingredients work well together in a thoughtful, creative manner.
Wimauma goes beyond their motto of "where cracker meets cuisine." Instead I would say it is "fresh, farm to table, heart-warming, belly-singing, homey Floridian cuisine with a gourmet twist." If you are visiting Tampa from out of town, I hope you check out Wimauma because this is definitely the type of food I would like visitors to think of when they hear the words "Floridian cuisine."
The prices at Wimauma are in range for what I would normally expect for this type of restaurant and food, which was a welcome relief as I find too many new restaurants overprice themselves to compensate for start-up costs. (Farm to table doesn't mean "bring an extra wallet" and I'm glad Wimauma gets that.)
The service at Wimauma was thoughtful and for the most part refined and focused. I hope more restaurants like Wimauma open in South Tampa. They are a breath of fresh air wrapped in a biscuit. Check it out for yourself and let me know your thoughts in the feedback section.
Wimauma Restaurant
4205 South MacDill Avenue
Tampa, Florida
(813) 793-1687
Google Affiliate Ads:
Excellent review and insane birthday dinner! D'lish! Loved it and the company! LBB
ReplyDeletePS - Damn you for making me crave the fried okra right now!
Really thoughtful review, we love them over there!
ReplyDeleteThanks Melissa! Wimauma is a welcome addition to the MacDill area!
ReplyDeleteI really want to know who your server was that night! I love and appreciate your review. The website is www.wimaumafoods.com
ReplyDeleteSorry Amy, I can only remember that he was attractive and friendly ;-)
ReplyDelete