Tampa - How Far Is Airport From ......

[TidePrideGA]

They do have excellent Paella and excellent Sangria - and you can buy the pitcher (which is very nice ceramic - I'm looking at mine) for $10. As for the salad, it's the dressing I love, but the salad itself is excellent - fresh and varietal.

[sail7seas]

I think I`ve heard of Berns before. Anyone else on the boards eaten there? Where do you eat at Sail? :cool:

 

 

The last stay we had in Tampa, I was recovering from NLV.....we ate a light dinner at a small place walking distance from the Marriott Waterside.

 

We intend to fully make up for what we missed last time on our two stays in April. :)

 

When will you be in Tampa, Jean? Where do you eat/stay?

[peaches from georgia]

There is a Columbia at St. Armands Circle in Sarasota also. EC

That's the one we go to as we had family in Sarasota for 40 years. They are gone now, but we still like to go to St Armands for all sorts of reasons, Columbia included. :D

[sail7seas]

They do have excellent Paella and excellent Sangria - and you can buy the pitcher (which is very nice ceramic - I'm looking at mine) for $10. As for the salad, it's the dressing I love, but the salad itself is excellent - fresh and varietal.

 

 

Thanks, TidePride. We have something very nice to look forward to.

What we saw of Tampa we really liked and are very happy to be returning.

[TidePrideGA]

Ybor City is somewhat of a dangerous area, but if you park in the parking lot and go straight in and straight out, you should be fine.

 

There's also an area of bars and night clubs down the street a few blocks.

[sail7seas]

I can tell you a lot more about Sarasota restaurants, just an hour south, but there may be some of the same restaurants in Tampa also. I will check. Are you seafood fans? Good steaks?

 

 

DH looks for a great steak and I enjoy fish....though I have a steak now and then IF it's a great steak place.

 

If these restaurants have more than one location, are they chain kind of places? Like Morton's, Ruth's Chris etc Is that the sort of place you are suggesting?

 

I have the impression Colmbia and Bern's are single location restaurants but when you say 'same places may be in both Tampa and Sarasota', that is why I ask.

 

We wouldn't bother to drive an hour each way for dinner in Sarasota....I don't care what they are serving, for us, personally, we wouldn't bother driving two hours for dinner.

[peaches from georgia]

I have the impression Colmbia and Bern's are single location restaurants but when you say 'same places may be in both Tampa and Sarasota', that is why I ask.

 

We wouldn't bother to drive an hour each way for dinner in Sarasota....I don't care what they are serving, for us, personally, we wouldn't bother driving two hours for dinner.

I think you would enjoy spending an afternoon in Sarasota in addition to dinner, especially the Longboat Key/St. Armands Circle area. Great shopping and very upscale; much more so than the Tampa area. I'm sure there is a website detailing the shops, all on a very walkable circle near the Gulf. Sarasota and Naples are very much alike and not only the cream of the West Coast, but 2 of the best spots in FL. Anyone will tell you that.

 

Columbia's is on St. Armand's Circle, but there is no Berns. We also like Cafe Europa there and a nice little Northern Italian restaurant, Osteria. Charlie's Crab (now called something else which will come to me) is also there for terrific seafood. These are all among the finest restaurants on the West Coast of FL.

 

I know you always go pre-cruise to your port in addition to post-cruise and am sure I remember you did so in Tampa also. Will you share where your pre-cruise dinner was? We will be down in that area shortly and plan to be in Tampa for an evening in addition to Sarasota.

[TidePrideGA]

So peaches, have you eaten at the Sarasota Columbia? How does it compare. Part of what I *love* about the Columbia is the ambience... how does that particular aspect compare?

 

Also, part of my love for the Columbia stems back to the first time I ate there when I was 7 or 8 and my first memory of my Dad (may he rest in peace) teaching me how to behave properly in a fine restaurant. Back then, the Columbia was indeed a fine restaurant (and in MY book, still is).

[peaches from georgia]

Sorry if my post was misleading, TPGa. I have only eaten in the Sarasota Columbia's, but loved it and was reenforcing your opinion of the restaurant and the food. It is one of Sarasota's most favorite restaurants and being such a small chain and in the same FL locale I am sure it is very much under the thumb of the Tampa ownership and very similar in everything.

[TidePrideGA]

Oh, I don't think your post was misleading in any way - I was just curious as to how the ambience compared between the two. I would assume, like you, that the food is pretty much the same.

 

Has anyone eaten at both who could compare the ambience?

[sail7seas]

I think you would enjoy spending an afternoon in Sarasota in addition to dinner, especially the Longboat Key/St. Armands Circle area. Great shopping and very upscale; much more so than the Tampa area. I'm sure there is a website detailing the shops, all on a very walkable circle near the Gulf. Sarasota and Naples are very much alike and not only the cream of the West Coast, but 2 of the best spots in FL. Anyone will tell you that.

 

Columbia's is on St. Armand's Circle, but there is no Berns. We also like Cafe Europa there and a nice little Northern Italian restaurant, Osteria. Charlie's Crab (now called something else which will come to me) is also there for terrific seafood. These are all among the finest restaurants on the West Coast of FL.

 

I know you always go pre-cruise to your port in addition to post-cruise and am sure I remember you did so in Tampa also. Will you share where your pre-cruise dinner was? We will be down in that area shortly and plan to be in Tampa for an evening in addition to Sarasota.

 

We are well familiar with Sarasota and Naples. Some of our friends have second (and in a few cases third) homes there.

 

 

I don't recall where we ate pre-cruise. We arrived on New Years Day. Maybe the name will come to me? I do remember that we enjoyed ourselves and found the people very friendly and we had a wonderful server who we enjoyed chatting with.

[peaches from georgia]

We are well familiar with Sarasota and Naples. Some of our friends have second (and in a few cases third) homes there.

Oh, that was not at all apparent from your question.

 

Sarasota is a very small city, with only the St. Armands/Longboat Key area having dining/shopping establishments of much interest. I would never have guessed anyone well familiar with Sarasota would be asking about a Columbia (yes, there is) and Bern's (no, there isn't).