Want Great Food in Tampa? Head Over to Datz!

My family and I recently met up with several other family members in Tampa for what has turned into an annual event, the Tampa Rays vs New York Yankees baseball game.  This was our second year and just like last year, we love to start our family gathering with a great meal.  Now, I have never dined in Tampa but I had heard some great feedback from other bloggers about a restaurant called Datz.

Datz opened it’s doors in 2009 and it was apparent that this was no ordinary restaurant.  Datz says that “ordinary” belongs in the dictionary, not in a restaurant.  Especially not in this restaurant.  And I for one am glad they are not ordinary.

Our party off 11 arrived for brunch and were seated very quickly.  We took advantage of the call ahead Text by simply texting the word “Datz” to 626-414-3210 to avoid a lengthy wait.  Once seated we received our menu, which came in the form of a newspaper called Datz Weekend.  Since we were having brunch, we felt that a Bloody Mary was in order, but not an ordinary bloody mary.  We ordered the award winning Datz a Mary!

Made with homemade Tito’s Vodka, Nueske’s Bacon, Celery and a Salish Ader Smoked Sea Salt, this Datz a Mary hit the spot and got our meal started off right.

Once we started drinking our cocktail it was time to think about an appetizer.  And the Datz weekend menu had plenty to choose from.  A few items on the menu were Nom Nom & Cheese (soft pretzel sticks with cigar city jai alai beer cheese fondue), Mac Bites (crispy Benton’s Tennessee hickory smoked bacon jalapeno mac ‘n cheese and srirachi aioli), but we went with the waiters recommendation and ordered the Datchos, Datz not so ordinary take on nachos!

This delicious dish consisted of Datz potato chips, chili, cheese, jalapenos, sour cream, blue cheese drizzle, scallions and BACON.  Large strips of BACON!  It was amazing!

Along with the Datchos, our table decided to also share an order of Datz Monkey Bread.  This pull-apart creation was nothing short of a gooey deliciousness.  Make with warm cinnamon sugar bread and then drizzled with vanilla icing, it was perfection.  Datz menu says this is a great item for sharing, but I’ll be honest.  I didn’t really want to share it.

Now that our appetizer plates were clean, it was time to get down to business.  The Entree!  With 11 of us ordering, this was going to be fun.  It was a great opportunity for each of us to order something different and sample each others choices.  I know that eating off another persons plate is not for everyone, but hey we are all family.

It was highly recommended by a friend that I order the house favorite, Chicken ‘n Waffle Benedict.  Seriously, three of my favorite things on one plate.  Not to mention the side of amazing grits that came with it.  The crispy boneless fried chicken sitting on top of that sweet belgian waffle might have honestly been enough for me.  But that’s just ordinary right?

Datz took it over the edge and placed a delicious poached egg eith tasso hollandaise sauce on top and then garnished with scallions.  And did I mention the grits!  The southern boy in me LOVED the grits!  Everything on my plate was cooked to perfection.

The next dish that caught my eye at the table was The Vandross Burger.  On the menu the word splurge is written next to it and let me tell you a splurge this burger is.

The Vandross Burger is far from ordinary.  This all beef patty has a tasty tomato-bacon jam and white cheddar cheese.  The best part, it sits on a split glazed doughnut.  The sweet and salty flavor is like nothing I’ve experienced.  This is one burger that I may have to order for myself next time I visit.

Here a a few more pics of items that were served at our table.

Nutella Hotsy-Totsy – House baked french toast, chocolate sauce, nutella sauce and pastry crunchies!

The Shorty Benedict & Pastrami Benedict

Our family had a great time reconnecting and we honestly could not have picked a better place to fill our stomachs.  I’m so thankful for the friends that recommend this restaurant.

Once our plates were clean the waiter asked if we’d like to try dessert and even suggested we visit their bakery next door called Dough.  Stuffed from appetizers and brunch, dessert seemed out of the question for the moment so we declined, especially knowing that we were going to a baseball game.

With that, we paid our check and headed downstairs.  As we walked down the staris we took notice of several of the salts, jams and sauces that Datz has for sale, manyof which are locally made.

It was while looking at the all of the good for sale that something caught my eye!  THE DESSERT CASE!  I could have kicked myself.  How did I drive all the way to Tampa, visit Datz and NOT try their desserts>  I pulled my aunt over and showed her the case.  Knowing she was a sucker for sweets I knew she would know what we would have to do.

And as always, Aunt Bobbie knew exactly what to do.  Come back that evening and visit DOUGH after the baseball game!

<Dough Update Coming Soon!>

Datz is located at 2616 S MacDill Ave, Tampa, FL, For more information visit Datz.

#Bacon #Florida #Gastropub #Datz #Tampa