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« Traveling and famished | Main | A restaurant trend that's everywhere -- yet somehow not here » Tuesday, January 30, 2007At the bar in Ybor City
Eating at the bar is our favorite way of dining, no matter where we are. Late last Thursday, we arrived in Tampa on our way to Orlando and popped in to the very big and bustling Columbia restaurant in Ybor City. The place is a legend, and for good reason. It's been serving Spanish-Cuban food in several ornate dining rooms and patios since 1905. On this night, the place was jumping, and extended family groups, business people, and couples crowded the reservation stand. "No," the hostess told us, "no tables unless you want to wait for an hour." "What about eating at the bar?" we asked. No, she replied. We started to walk out, crestfallen, as still more pushed in the door. Finally, we decided to go to the bar anyway just to take in the carved wood and Old World elegance before moving on. As a jazz trio played, we sat down, and immediately noticed that the man next to us was tucking into a plate of seafood. "Of course, you can eat here," said the bartender, a little harried but sweet. We ordered a couple of substantial tapas -- the blue crabmeat cakes with passion fruit aoili were fantastic. With shrimp and garlic sauce, a salad, and a glass of Spanish wine, we had a perfect repast. Moral: Eat at the bar if you want; the hostess is too busy to notice. Posted by Alison Arnett at 05:18 PM
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