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"The Food Is Amazing- It's Always Extremely Fresh And Tasty And They Offer A Wide Variety Of Entrees To Please Any Palette..." "This Is Truly My Favorite Restaurant..." "It Is Without Question The Best Meal I'd Ever Eaten Up To That Point. The Only Meal I've Had Better Has Been On My Return Visits. Not Only Do They Make The World's Best Meals In The Bistro, You Have To Check Out The Other Side For The World's Greatest Pizza."
In the highly competitive restaurant business, to be a success you have to excel in four main areas.
First... great food means fresh, well-prepared, well-presented, well-sized portions, with variety and creativity. Second... the environment must have an ambiance that enhances the dining experience. Third... service must be “spot on” – neither too invisible nor too intrusive. And four... the price for the dining experience must match the value you receive.
Circles New Tampa Bistro, located in the Pebble Creek Collection at 19651 Bruce B. Downs has, for the past 8 ½ years, understood those components better than most. Owners Donna & Louie Sinudom have ingrained their eclectic international restaurant into the fabric of New Tampa and we are grateful.
A Place To Bring The Whole Family
The unique aspect of Circles is evident as soon as you enter. To the right, is the family friendly side that offers the complete Circles menu but also includes pizzas, Strombolis, Calzones and an extensive children’s menu. With crayons on the table and large booths lining the walls, this is the perfect place to bring your entire family. Mom and dad can enjoy Circles extensive gourmet menu (more on that later), and the kids can relax and order things like chicken tenders and fries, or their favorite style of pizza with your choice of toppings.
A Place To Enjoy Intimate Dining
However, if you choose to go to the left upon entering, you walk into a delightful bistro, quiet, intimate with tablecloths, candles, and stemware greeting you at your cozy table. High ceilings, low lights and tasteful art adds to the ambiance. Here the feeling is more subdued and refined, as diners seem to speak in quieter tones. The real treat awaits you as you open the menu. You will see the eclectic diversity that makes Circles a unique dining experience.
Scrumptious Appetizers
Appetizers, to name a few, include Pepper Crusted Tuna – prepared sashimi style with spicy sesame oil scallions and ponzu sauce; Caprese – fresh buffalo mozzarella, vine ripened tomato and fresh basil drizzled with raspberry vinaigrette; Chicken Satay – skewers of chicken marinated in a coconut milk curry, served with peanut butter curry sauce and cucumber salad.; and Fried or Poached Calamari – with your choice of either a mild, medium or spicy marinara sauce, to name a few.
Thai Cuisine
The entrees are actually divided into six categories to help you navigate through the extensive menu. Under Thai Specialties, try the Panang Gai (chicken) – a classic Thai dish made with boneless breast of chicken in a coconut milk curry, with fresh basil; Shrimp in Garlic Pepper Sauce – stir fried in freshly cracked peppercorns, garlic, coriander and Thai seasonings; the Garlic Pepper Filet – pan fried with black peppercorns, garlic, coriander and Thai seasonings; or perhaps the Steamed Mahi with Chilies in Lime Sauce – a boneless Mahi fillet, steamed in a spicy broth seasoned with lime juice, soy sauce and Thai chilies.
New York Stip Steak, Filet Mignon and Rack of Lamb
Meat lovers will look to entrees like the New Zealand Rack of Lamb with a Caramelized Shallots Balsamic Glaze; the Filet Mignon with a Rosemary Bordelaise Sauce; a traditional Grilled New York Strip - finished with garlic butter; a wonderful Steak Diane – a New York Strip topped with a Cajun sherry cream sauce with mushrooms and served with rice pilaf and vegetables; or another of my favorites, the Tornadoes Au Poive – seared peppercorn crusted filet mignon in a brandy cream sauce. You really can’t go wrong with any of these!
Seafood
The fish selections are numerous and shows the gourmet diversity of Chef Louie. Try the Black White Sesame Crusted Tuna – served rare over jasmine rice and sautéed spinach, served with Thai chili butter and wasabi aioli; or another of my favorites, the Grilled Tuna with Black Pepper Brandy Cream Sauce. Like Mahi Mahi? Circles offers no less than four mouth watering selections. Want something light and healthy? Try the Grilled Mahi with Roasted Corn & Black Bean Salsa, served with rice pilaf and fresh vegetables.
Shrimp and Scallops
The seafood entrees (separate from the fish section) include a number of excellent shrimp and scallop offerings. Try the Miso-Sake Glazed Grilled Scallops; or another of my favorites (heard that before) their Shrimp Diane – shrimp sautéed in butter with basil, onions and mushrooms, seasoned with Cajun spices then finished with a touch of sherry and heavy cream, served over linguini; or perhaps the Shrimp Czarina with julienne zucchini, carrots and onions in a three pepper cream sauce over breaded fried eggplant, served with rice pilaf.
Italian Specialties
Like Italian? Baked Lasagna or Baked Ziti with meat sauce will satisfy the most discriminating palate. Try the traditional Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms; the Pollo alla Florentina – boneless chicken breast, dusted with flour, dipped in egg and fried, then sautéed with fresh spinach and a white wine lemon butter sauce; or the Chicken Normandy – sautéed in butter, Romano cheese and heavy cream, served with rice pilaf.
Gourmet Selections
Circles also has a number of meatless selections and meal sized salads that add to your entrée choices. But, if that is not enough, Circles offers a gourmet special during the week and two choices on the weekend. You will find creations like Pork Porterhouse – a 14oz. bone in cut, marinated in Chef Louie’s secret recipe, grilled, and topped with goat cheese, wild mushrooms and a Dijon cream sauce; or perhaps you will want to try their Gorgonzola Filet; or their Mahi Oscar, – Mahi Mahi with crabmeat, asparagus and hollandaise sauce.
In fact it is these kinds of specials that eventually make it to the regular menu, as their customers ask for certain entrees to be available every night.
Wine Selections
Along with any good restaurant, and especially a Bistro styled gourmet restaurant, there has to be wine. Circles doe not disappoint, as they have a understanding that good food is accompanied with good wine. Circles has been recognized for the last four years by the renowned authority on wine, Wine Spectator Magazine, and has earned their “Award of Excellence”. This award encompasses not just good wine, and a good selection, but at a price point that is easy on the budget.
Donna wants people to enjoy wine with their dinners, and has priced their wine accordingly. Choose from about 30 selections by the glass, and over 140 great selections by the bottle. Great wine, reasonably priced…humm, makes sense to me! Circles has hosted a number of memorable “Wine Dinners”, where you enjoy a five course gourmet meal, while drinking six wines from a specific winery or region in the world. Both menu and wines are chosen to compliment each other and give you a unique, memorable dining experience. Donna assured me that you will see more of these dinners in the future.
Catering Experts
Circles would love to cater your next event, no matter the size. Unlike most restaurants, Circles can do as little or as much as you want. The food, of course, but they can also provide the servers, the plates, the glasses, the tents, the chairs, the band (get the idea?) They are experts at this part of the business, and will customize the menu to your specifications. Talk to Donna, she will make your special event even more special.
Circles New Tampa Bistro is a most unique and delightful gourmet experience, yet priced modestly. Whether you choose ‘family’ or ‘bistro’, you will not be disappointed. Tell them you heard about them on the Best of New Tampa. For more information, call Donna at 973-7703. They take reservations for parties of five or more, but you can call ahead and get preferred seating.
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