Since the opening of Datz on January 28, 2009, owners Roger and Suzanne Perry have sparked invention and reinvention in Tampa’s food scene. They have evolved Datndon and Matthew proud. It’s a craft beer oasis, a bourbon lover’s paradise, a food ie wonderland filled with bacon, cheese, and house-made breads.
Their two-level Datz restaurant conveys a sense of comfort as soon as you pass through its doors. With a bar on each floor, there’s plenty of room to try the house-made cocktails. At the retail store you can buy pastries, chocolates, local honey and jams, and also choose from a large selection of American craft boutique spirits.
When it comes to the menu, the Perrys, along with their chef, have created comfort food dishes that are made with as many locally sourced products as possible. Peruse the offerings, which are presented in the form of a newspaper, and order the eggs barbacoa (pulled pork with cilantro and Monterey jack cheese over corn tortillas) or the red velvet tower made of four fluffy red velvet pancakes for breakfast.
Burgers are available as are flatbreads and a margherita pizza. If you are a fan of chicken-waffle, order the “Waffles n’ Tweet” made with boneless fried chicken and served with cheddar cheese waffles and jalapeño-maple syrup. If you haven’t tried it, this version is a good introduction.
wo must-haves are the Creole shrimps and grits and the pastrami pork belly on a bed of delicious homemade sauerkraut. Artisan cheeses are available before you move on to the peppercorn cheesecake or the Vosges macarons and chocolates. Accompany your meal with American wines — you can catch a peek of the wine cellar upstairs — or craft beers. If Datz is what we call a “neighborhood restaurant,” it should be more than that, as this is a dining destination for all of the Bay and out-of-towners, too.
Photo Credit:http://www.tampabay.com/