Taste | Hales Blackbrick opens in Tampa

Plus: Holiday gifts for foodies

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View on the web Go to our home page Subscribe to the Times Thursday, December 1, 2022 Forward this to a friend Subscribe to more newsletters  [ IVY CEBALLO | Times ] Hales Blackbrick opens in Tampa  Folks, we’re in the thick of it right now.    After a slower than usual year, restaurants are suddenly opening left and right, part of a last-ditch effort from restaurateurs attempting to cash in on the holiday and high tourist season before the year's end.   A few notables from the last couple of weeks: Zoie's, a Southern-inspired restaurant in St. Petersburg's Grand Central District; Bin 6 South, a petite tasting room and wine cellar in St. Petersburg; and Ponte, chef Chris Ponte's highly anticipated follow-up to Cafe Ponte, which opened yesterday at Midtown Tampa (for more on that look for our story publishing next week).    For now, check out our piece on Hales Blackbrick, the new restaurant from chef Richard Hales, which opened right before the Thanksgiving holiday and appears to be off to a promising start.    An offshoot of Hales’ wildly popular restaurant Blackbrick Chinese, the new Tampa spot (which took over the old Pop ‘N Sons Diner on Dale Mabry Highway) sports a modern Chinese menu with strong Sichuan and Cantonese influences.  Personally, I cant wait for the restaurant to launch its weekend dim sum service, which, fingers crossed, will start in the coming weeks.    Here’s everything to know about the new spot before you go.  RESTAURANT RADAR [ HELEN FREUND | Times ] Local holiday gifts for under $25  Feeling a little cash-strapped this holiday season? We've got you.    Our annual gift guide from the Life & Culture team just published, and it's stacked with plenty of fun, creative and local gift ideas — all under $25. And yes, there are some great options for the foodie in your life, including a hot sauce, barbecue and spice rub trio (shown above) from Gulfport favorite Red Hot Tiki.   Big taco news: Te Invito, the popular quesabirria and taco truck from Jesus Bravo and Korie LoVecchio, is back in the game, this time with a permanent set-up outside St. Petersburg's Brutalist brewery. Starting Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. folks can get their taco fill every Wednesday through Saturday.    Patrona Coffee to open waterfront bar: The owners of St. Petersburg's Patrona Coffee will open La Cabana, a waterfront cigar and cocktail bar. The new spot occupies the same space as the daytime cafe concept, next to Gandy area favorite The Getaway. No word on an opening date yet, but according to the bar's Instagram page, it won't be long.  WHAT I'M EATING RIGHT NOW Dinner at Miggs Craft Kitchen  For several months now, I've been trying to make it to Miggs Craft Kitchen in Dunedin.   Chef and owner Miguel Rosado opened the restaurant in early 2022, and while it's been on my radar awhile, for some reason, the stars never aligned just right.    Things finally came together on a last-minute Tuesday night trip to Dunedin last week and I'm happy to report it was well worth the wait.    The restaurant occupies a cozy space inside a strip mall off Main Street — an unassuming spot for a neighborhood restaurant of this caliber. An open kitchen overlooks the petite dining room, allowing diners constant glimpses of the chef in action. With just one server handling several tables, some dishes took longer than others to arrive, but the intimate, personal approach made up for the slight hiccups in timing.     The menu changes frequently, depending both on the chef's whimsy and whatever happens to be in season that day (meaning no two nights will ever be quite the same here and there's always a chance to try something new).    I, for one, am looking forward to going back and trying more.   Calamari ($12): A solid take on an ubiquitous seafood appetizer that, let's face it, is often a pretty big letdown. Not here: The crispy, bronzed rings were bouncy and flavorful, bolstered by the acidity from a juicy tomato compote and a dunk in the accompanying chipotle aioli.  Jumbo scallops ($28): Maybe the best dish of the evening, these juicy, perfectly seared scallops packed a ton of flavor and paired great with a creamy squash risotto and crispy slivers of bacon. Shaved Parmesan and a drizzle of red wine sauce tied the whole thing together.  Butternut squash velouté ($8): The autumnal soup of my dreams, this velvety bisque made with butternut squash was hearty and warming, and arrived topped with crispy spears of asparagus, which added a nice contrast in texture while adding a pop of flavor and color.    🍽️ Got a recommendation? Send me tasty tips here. Contact Helen Freund at hfreund@tampabay.com. Follow @helensavina on Instagram and @helenfreund on Twitter. Did someone forward this to you? Get Taste in your own inbox next time. It's free to subscribe. Sign up here. 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