The Chicken Boss Is Open...Blush Champagne Bar, MM Kicks Are Coming Soon

When we updated you last issue about everything happening at The KRATE at The Grove Container Park, The Chicken Boss had not yet opened next to The Bacon Boss HQ and we had precious few details about some of the other newcomers and changes at the KRATEs.

Since then, the Chicken Boss has opened and after just our first visit, I’m guessing that owners Josh & Christy Norland have another local favorite on their hands. The Chicken Boss’ nicely spiced, hand-breaded tenders and waffle fries are served hot and crispy, the chicken is juicy inside and there are a variety of tasty house-made sauces from which to choose.

In other news from the KRATEs, neither the new Blush Champagne Bar (next to Urban Sweets, in the former location of CenterEd tutoring center), nor the Tutti-Frutti Café (in the former location of Valiart Designs/Jewelry, next to Life Essentials Refillery) were quite ready to open, but both were hopefully only a couple of weeks away from doing so.

A newcomer also coming soon to the KRATEs, in the former location of the shuttered Tonella’s Flowers, is MM Kicks, which is going to be your place to buy, sell and trade vintage and sought-after sneakers. With the impending release in early April of “Air,” the Matt Damon/Ben Affleck movie about how Nike built its athletic shoe brand around one man — Michael Jordan, of course — MM Kicks is likely to get an instant boost in popularity.

For more information about MM Kicks, visit MMKicks.com or “@_ mmkicks_” on Instagram.

And finally, when we told you about the new 3Eleven Aroma candlemaking shop in the KRATEs, we neglected to tell you that the retail store it replaced — MaeBerry Co. did not close its doors. Instead, MaeBerry moved a few doors down, to the former location of Décor by ZC balloon shop.

For more info, visit MaeBerry.com or “@maeberry.co on Instagram. — GN

New & ‘Coming Soon’ Restaurants Adding To Wesley Chapel’s Dining Options

Despite all of the recent newcomers to the Wesley Chapel dining scene, if you’re still looking forward to some of the restaurants that are planned to open in and near Wesley Chapel, join the club.

Two highly touted and anticipated places — Cooper’s Hawk Winery (bottom right photo) and Rodizio Brazilian Steakhouse (bottom center) have not yet even begun building. Meanwhile, the Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar (same plaza as Chicken Salad Chick) still has just a dirt floor. The good news is that there are others that are a lot closer to bringing great new options to our area.

One that just opened that I, for one, didn’t realize was such a good restaurant is PopStroke, the new Tiger Woods-designed (and co-owned) mini golf course. The biggest problem with PopStroke to date is that it’s been so packed every day, it’s hard to find parking to get into the open-air (but covered) restaurant to sample some of its great food options. My favorite, to date, is the Caribbean mahi (right), which is grilled with tasty jerk seasoning and a warm pineapple salsa that give it a semi-spicy, slightly sweet flavor. The mahi is usually topped with two grilled shrimp, but I had to have (and photograph) it without the shrimp. Truly delicious. And, the side of grilled zucchini and squash ribbons also was tasty and healthy. Even the creamy hardpacked ice cream also is really good. Hopefully opening within the next couple of months is Azteca D’Oro, the upscale Mexican place replacing Cantina Laredo at The Shops at Wiregrass. With a huge menu of options, including upscale entrées like the marinated Borrego lamb shank (bottom left), Azteca D’Oro can’t open soon enough for me!

Speaking of Latin cuisine, owner Cindy

Cruz says her Rice-n-Beans Express (above) should only be a few weeks from opening on S.R. 54 in Lutz, in the former location of Cody’s Roadhouse. Cindy says that those of us who enjoy the Puerto Rican-inspired sitdown dining at the Rice-n-Beans on Wesley Chapel Blvd. and those looking for quick, delicious sandwiches and hot food specials should be thrilled when her Express location opens.

And, despite the fact it should be several months before it opens, Shuckin’ Shack promises a menu focused on shrimp and oysters (neither of which I can eat). But, there will be plenty of other seafood and non-swimming options at the North Carolina-based, twodozen-link chain’s newest location off WC Blvd. Extension, including some pretty greatlooking snow crab legs (above) — which (at least, to date) I am able to eat. There also are mahi-mahi bites, sandwiches, wings and other options to keep things interesting. — GN