Taste | Union New American opens at Westshore

Plus: Has Ichicoro Ramen closed?

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View on the web Go to our home page Subscribe to the Times Thursday, April 6, 2023 Forward this to a friend Subscribe to more newsletters  [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ] Westshore gets a big, buzzy opening  This one has been a long time coming, folks: Union New American, the hotly anticipated new restaurant from Jeff Gigante's Next Level Brands, finally opened its doors this week.    The restaurant group is having a busy year, with the flashy Parisian-inspired bistro Boulon making a glitzy debut at Tampa's bustling Water Street in January and another Forbici in the works for St. Petersburg inside the Sundial development.    Union New American, which opened Tuesday at Westshore City Center, was the first big restaurant planned for Next Level Brands. It's also the most emblematic of the type of restaurants the new hospitality group hopes to make its calling card.    If you've ever dined at a Houston's or a Hillstone Restaurant Group spot, you'll have a pretty good idea of what's in store: Gigante credits Hillstone's founder George Biel for creating the type of seamless, upscale American dining experience he too hopes to emulate at his latest spot.    Think warm, sexy lighting, lots of wood and brass, martinis, steaks and sushi. Downstairs, there's a large bar and seating for 180 people, inside and outside. Upstairs, the team plans on hosting large private parties on weekdays while the space will do double duty as a lounge and bar on the weekends, when a cabaret singer and visiting DJs will provide entertainment.     If there's one word that comes to mind, it's "ambitious." Gigante is biting off a lot here, and has his hopes set high. But if anyone can pull off something of this caliber, he can.    I, for one, can't wait to see how this one shakes out.  RESTAURANT RADAR  [ Times (2018) ] Has Tampa's Ichicoro Ramen closed?  Please, say it ain't so.    This week, we received several reports from readers that the celebrated (and Michelin-recognized) Seminole Heights ramen joint Ichicoro Ramen had abruptly shuttered. The spot appears to have stayed dark all week, with a sign on the front door informing guests that the restaurant was closed. In addition to that, Google has the spot listed as "permanently closed" and Yelpers have reported the restaurant as closed "indefinitely."    I've reached out to the owner and have yet to hear anything back, but I do hope this wildly popular and delicious spot has better days ahead.   St. Petersburg restaurant and brewery Sesh opens: The new spot from the people behind Mad Beach Brewing Company is now open in the old Melting Pot spot location on Fourth Street North. Here's what to know.    Tampa gets some Michelin cred: Three more restaurants were added to the Michelin Guide's Florida selection this week, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll snag stars at the upcoming 2023 reveal. Here are the spots that investigators are eyeing.    ICYMI: Looking for dinner plans tonight? Check out my latest review for Bin 6 South, a new gem of a restaurant now open in St. Petersburg.  WHAT I'M EATING RIGHT NOW Bites around town  Pompano at Grace: It's not every day I spot pompano on a menu but when I do, I've got to have it. The version here (local) was served at Grace, in Pass-a-Grille. The restaurant recently underwent an ownership change, and I was curious to see how things were holding up. I enjoyed this spin on the fish, which arrived crispy-skinned with crunchy edges giving way to the flaky white fish while hunks of pineapple and bok choy delivered a nice contrast in color and texture.  Salmon carpaccio at Boulon: Earlier this week, I popped into Boulon Brasserie for lunch and instantly fell for this gorgeous plate of salmon carpaccio. Thin slices of cured salmon came paired with sweet, roasted red beets, cucumbers and dollops of horseradish creme. Pickled shallots offered a delightful and acidic counter to the plate, while celery leaves and dill sprigs delivered the final pop of color and flavor.  Dill pickle grilled cheese at The Salty Nun: I love a good grilled cheese sandwich and this one is a keeper. The sandwich (served at the St. Petersburg restaurant from the folks behind Gulfport's Stella's) features a medley of oozing melted cheese, dill pickles and a creamy dill pickle aioli on golden-fried sourdough bread.    🍽️ 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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