Post by Lisa Gallant
Tampa Bay Food Tours
Join me and my fellow Taste Ambassador from Tampa Bay Food Tours as we sample and recap our way through some of the newest and most delicious local restaurants.
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Like any true South Tampanian, I make my way north of Kennedy Blvd only occasionally and had been curious about the elegant facility that was beginning to take shape in what would soon become Psomi. The renovations appeared to be quite stunning as the former service center began to take on an entirely new life and opened for business as a restaurant in late 2019. It seemed to be quite a leap of faith for the new owner, Christina Theofilos, who according to my research was a newcomer to the restaurant industry after having grown up in a Greek family with a strong affinity towards the kitchen.
The curb appeal is undeniable with its stone pathways, potted lemon trees, elegant fireplace, and tranquil fountain. After taking in the aesthetically appealing surroundings of the covered front and rear outdoor dining areas, we made our way indoors and heeded the invitation of the sprawling bakery case which displayed a range of options from spanakopita to “big AF cookies.” This is truly how the cookies are noted on the menu. We were intrigued.
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We took our seats in the spacious dining area that was rife with natural light and started off with an order of saganaki: fried cheese drizzled with honey and sesame seeds along with a savory herb biscuit that had caught my eye in the bakery case. The plump biscuit was dense and flavorful – we both enjoyed the prelude as a sign of things to come. These starters were the perfect companions to my seasonal cider herbal tea to which the waitress attended with ongoing hot water check-ups.
Lunch continued with keftedes – beef meatballs adorned with arugula and grilled lemon. The menu alerted cooking times of 10-15 minutes for some items and these were worth the wait, if you call that a wait. They were piping hot and earning of two new happy fans.
We continued to study the menu for our next course and observed the range of items available including local and organic ingredients, alternative milks, roasted eggplant, tzatziki, Tarpon Greek salad, lamb, and grilled octopus. The pork gyro spoke to both of us and made quite an entrance at our table; the serving came accompanied by fries with ketchup and olive tapenade. I think I’m going to insist on olive tapenade with my fries from now on. Although we both agreed that the pork was a bit bristly, the soft pita had enough other things going on inside to hold our attention such as tzatziki and fries – yes they were inside the wrap!
And now it was time to choose which big AF cookie to enjoy; the advice of our waitress was requested for this very important decision. The ole reliable chocolate chip cookie was soon warmed and brought to our table and won the affection of even the most discerning sweet tooth via its cakey center, gooey chocolate chunks, and sporadic pockets of salted butter.
We both concluded that we had just experienced some of the best Greek food in town and we were optimistic for the future of Psomi. I returned within 24 hours start the next day with the spanakopita and was impressed with its plush and flaky pastry gatherings. At my second visit, I was also offered a sample of the olive ciabatta stuffed with feta…at least…I’m pretty sure that’s what it was. I stopped paying attention to the explanation because I was so overtaken by its deliciousness.
And aside from the food, I was also pretty impressed with the floor-to-ceiling mosaic in the bathroom. Proven attention to detail at every turn in this great new spot!
While Psomi is currently open for breakfast, lunch, and weekend brunch, rumor has it they intend to eventually open for dinner. Hours are presently 7am-3pm Tues-Fri and 8am (bakery) / 9am (brunch) -3pm on the weekends. And yeah, they are north of Kennedy but just a few blocks. Come on, you can do it!
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