DINING SPICE IS NICE New American food is the biggest 2022 dining trend, which translates to signature dishes with unique flavors from multiple global and ethnic cuisines that define the U.S. today. Spice & Tea Exchange and Savory Spice feature popular international spices and hot sauce aficionados boast that it’s not just the sauce, it’s the ghost pepper that wows them. Best of spicy food is good for you. Hot foods, such as peppers and sauces, contain capsaicin, an effective pain reliever, antioxidant, and immune system booster. It’s good for your heart too, lowering blood pressure, fighting inflammation, and reducing the effects of LDL, the bad cholesterol. Explore the world, one taste at a time, at these fabulous finds from St. Pete to the Gulf Beaches. For Brazilian, you must head over to Tampa’s Texas de Brazil.
By Nanette Wiser Latin Bowl Restaurant: Create a bowl with your choice of protein, toppings, sides, and spicy sauce (bbq chipotle, creamy jalapeno) or opt for the empanadas or tostones. Largo, Brandon, Palm Harbor (coming)
SPANISH
NEW AMERICAN REGIONAL FARE
Aussie Grill: Opened Dec. 6, spice it up with their Volcano Burger with creamy Cajun sauce on a burger, crispy shrimp, cheddar cheese, pickles, aioli, lettuce, tomato, or crispy Sriracha Chicken Sandwich. Clearwater
Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant: Start with marinated olives with chili flakes, potatoes with spicy aioli and red peppers, veal, pork, chorizo, sherry cream tapas or relish the hanger steak, confit piquillo peppers and spicy quince sherry glaze. Exquisite food, wine, and spirit list. DTSP BEST OF SHOW
LATIN AMERICAN/PERUVIAN
Alma Llanera Venezuelan Food: Try the chorizo arepa or asado negro. Pinellas Park
Nash’s Hot Chicken: Nashville’s spicy chicken with mac n’ cheese will set your palate on fire. DTSP
La Mordida Restaurant Bar and Grill Peruvian: Share the arepa corn cake made with chicken and beef with pink sauce, the Jaya fried shrimp with homemade sweet chili sauce, add a tostone and shredded chicken breast in Peruvian yellow pepper cream, milk. Clearwater Chicks: Venezuelan delights especially the spicy jerk chicken. St. Petersburg COPA Try the spicy margarita or Cocopeño Mojito with jalapeno at this Latin American bistro. DTSP
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African: Mitmita Ethiopian Restaurant (vegetable sambusa filled with lentil, onion, jalapeno pepper, herb), Queen of Sheba Ethiopian. Asian: Nori Thai, Basil Leaf, Matjoa Korean Barbecue, Buya, The Abandon Izakaya, Sab Café, Token Ramen, Hawkers Asian Street Food, Nine Spices Hot Pot, Savanh of Laos, Lanna Thai and La V Vietnamese. Caribbean: Miller’s Jamaican Spice Cuisine, La Gloria Caribbean Restaurant Pinellas Park and Yah Mon.
Datz: Oodles of spicy dishes here and at sister resto Dr. BBQ but we love these eggs poached in tomato Shakshuka sauce with spinach and grilled challah in a cast iron skillet at this bacon-obsessed fave. Tampa, DTSP
Indian: Flames Indian Cuisine and Gateway to India for exceptional curry and naan. Mexican: Nitally’s Thai-Mex Express, Red Mesa, VIP (Mexican pizza, enchiladas) in TI and Indian Rocks Beach or Nueva Cantina (albondigas soup) are my faves.
