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Dining Planner: Changes for Sea Sea Riders and Grill 131, info on the St. Pete Wine & Food Festival

 
Sea Sea Riders in Dunedin, in its distinctive 1903 Key West-inspired old Florida cracker house, has been a stalwart in the town’s dining scene for 27 years.
Sea Sea Riders in Dunedin, in its distinctive 1903 Key West-inspired old Florida cracker house, has been a stalwart in the town’s dining scene for 27 years.
Published Sept. 2, 2015

NEW TRICKS: LONGTIMERS EVOLVE

Sea Sea Riders

Sea Sea Riders has been a solid part of Dunedin's dining scene for 27 years, since really before the charming gulf-side burg with the Scottish accent had much of a dining scene. Sylvia and Artie Tzekas have seen chefs come and go in the 1903 Key West-inspired old Florida cracker house, but through it all they've maintained an appealing Southern coastal theme to the menu.

And after a year of renovation, they've just unveiled a new look for the restaurant that more deftly suits its culinary vision.

"It's a very quaint and charming building, but over the years had become a bit outdated," Sylvia said. "Overall, it was time for an update."

They sought the help of Atlanta-based consulting firm Concentrics Restaurants, which preserved the original wood beams, ceiling details and windows while opening up the space and giving the 185-seat restaurant a more exposed-beam and open floor plan (if you watch HGTV, that's the buzzword to end all buzzwords). It still has its wrap-around veranda, but now there's a hip, zinc-topped bar and rustic tables made of salvaged ceiling rafters. The best time to visit? Sunset (now viewable from most tables) or the "social hour" from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. nightly ($3 house wines and well drinks and buy one, get one Bud Light). Sea Sea Riders is located at 221 Main St. (727) 734-1445.

Grill 131

Bob Spoto has been a fixture in Pinellas County restaurants for decades. He's had 13 of them, to be exact. The most recent, Grill 131 on Park Boulevard. in Seminole, opened on the site of a restaurant he opened back in 1991. Spoto is 82 (although he once mentioned something to me about helping George Washington cross the Delaware, so maybe my math is off), and enough is enough. "I've been in the restaurant business for 62 years," he said. "Some of them have been winners, some have broken even and a couple have been losers. But I've had a good run."

To that end, last week he sold Grill 131 to veteran restaurateur Jim Gilbert and his son, Chris. Chris has worked locally at Hotel Zamora, Spinners and Cody's, and Jim has, by his own count, had "probably 20 or 25 restaurants" in the Monterey and Santa Cruz areas of California. For now they are keeping the Grill 131 name as well as all of the staff ("We're not letting anyone go — he had some good people.") The restaurant has stayed open during the transition and is likely to undergo some menu tweaks in upcoming weeks.

And what's on the horizon for Spoto?

"My wife and I worked side by side for 37 years. Today we did some baking together and made a pistachio cheesecake. The future? We really have no plans. We're both tired."

ATTENTION: ST. PETE FOODIES

Dawna Stone and her husband Matt Dieter owned a large running event company before selling it in 2012. Nearly immediately they began missing putting on large events. And thus, we are around the corner from the first St. Pete Wine & Food Festival, a four-day event from Sept. 24 to 27. They anticipate attracting 8,000 people over the four days, beginning with the Charity Pairings Dinner in the Birchwood Ballroom, benefiting the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance. From 7 to 10 p.m., the 200-seat dinner ($175 each) consists of six courses paired with wine.

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The next evening, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., it's a craft beer festival in North Straub Park ($65 tickets; VIP tickets for $85 get you in an hour early).

"We have 35 breweries on board," Stone said. "Some are making brews just for the event, and there will be a number of hard-to-find beers. The all-inclusive pricing includes beer and restaurant tastings."

And split between a huge white 12,000-foot tent in North Straub Park and a 10,000-foot tent closer to the Vinoy and picnic tables set up in the grove of trees between, the grand tasting takes place Saturday and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. The cost is $95 for general admission ($125 for VIP, for which you get in at noon) and dozens of St. Petersburg restaurants are participating. stpetewineandfoodfest.com.