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Dining planner: Sushi Battle Tampa Bay, Columbia's 1905 day on the horizon

 
The competition will be fresh and fierce Sept. 24 when local chefs face off in Sushi Battle Tampa Bay at the Ritz Ybor.
The competition will be fresh and fierce Sept. 24 when local chefs face off in Sushi Battle Tampa Bay at the Ritz Ybor.
Published Sept. 9, 2015

ON A ROLL: SUSHI BATTLE

Who has the best volcano roll in the area? You'll have to wait for the eruption on Sept. 24 to find out. Big City Events is putting on the first Sushi Battle Tampa Bay at the Ritz Ybor. So far, the lineup includes the Renaissance Vinoy's Marchand's Bar & Grill (St. Petersburg), Pisces Sushi & Global Bistro (Clearwater), Rain Sushi (St. Petersburg), Kazoku Sushi (Tampa), Carmel Kitchen (Tampa), Kona Grill (Tampa) and Ciccio Water (Tampa), with more restaurants likely to sign up. There will be a panel of local judges, but guests get to vote on their fave with the Audience Choice Award. To make their decision, guests will nibble unlimited sushi samples from all the restaurants throughout the night. General admission tickets, $45, will include a free sake bomb with a commemorative beer glass, shot glass and chopsticks to take home. A sake tasting ticket can also be added for $20, so guests can enjoy unlimited sampling of more than 20 types. VIP tickets, for $75, get folks in an hour early from the hoi polloi start time of 6:30 p.m. Need more incentive than a big wasabi kick? Think sumo wrestler suits, Japanese drums and dances, Godzilla movies and the hilarity that is the group sake bomb. Get tickets and more details at SushiBattleTampa.com. The Ritz is at 1503 E Seventh Ave., Tampa.

BUDGET BOLICHE: 1905 DAY

They do it every year and, yes, the lines get long. On Sept. 20, the Columbia restaurants (but not Columbia Cafe on the Riverwalk) roll back their prices, this year to celebrate the 110th anniversary — making the original Ybor City location the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the state. It's the annual 1905 Day, from noon to 7 p.m., and here's the menu that ignites people's passions: chicken and yellow rice, boliche and merluza "Russian style" all for $2.95 each; the 1905 Salad for $1.95, sangria for 95 cents (!!!), flan or a cup of bean soup for 50 cents and a cup of coffee — hold onto your hats, Starbucks-goers — 5 cents. The fourth and fifth generations of the Gonzmart family welcome the frugal masses every year on this date, but they don't take reservations or takeout orders on this day only. For more information, visit columbiarestaurant.com.

BEER NEWS: OLDSMAR GETS HOPPING

Brewers around the area are tapping into the craft beer enthusiasm of Oldsmar residents. Ybor City's Tampa Bay Brewing Co. has debuted a 17,000-square-foot brewery-restaurant on Race Track Road, a quarter mile north of Hillsborough Avenue. The facility houses its corporate office, brewery, canning operation, restaurant and bar. The larger facility will allow Florida's oldest brewpub to brew an additional 8,000 barrels of beer per year, to be distributed statewide.

Sounds like a savvy reason for expansion into what they are calling Westchase (really, it's Westchase-ish). But take a drive by the new facility and the parking lot is swamped — it's the combination of beer, pizza oven and a rustic but attractive interior that has locals swooning. The new outpost is at 13937 Monroe's Business Park, Tampa. (813) 247-1422.

Still thirsty? Looks like you'll have to wait until November when New Port Richey's Craft Street Kitchen opens another location in Oldsmar on Tampa Road. The original was debuted by brothers Jason, Jimmy and Johnny Rehm, who also own nearby Zim Zari. With Craft Street, they've hit on a booming indoor-outdoor gastropub concept that is equal parts big-time fun and serious gastronomic ambition. The original location boasts a stupendous chalkboard of craft beers and a seriously progressive lineup of craft cocktails. If the Oldsmar location mirrors its big sib, expect prime burgers, fancy flatbreads and noteworthy fried green tomatoes.