Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle

FALL/ WINTER 2023 DREAMSCAPES 35 Columbia's bread for much of its history—the experience leaves me hum- bled and appreciative that a tradition of family flavours is time honoured, celebrated and enjoyed with as much respect as it was when it was first invented there. GREEK GRUB REVIVAL DOWNTOWN Investors like Bill Gates have poured billions of dollars transforming the Water Street district into a culture and culinary hotspot, and home to the city's first 5-star property, the Tampa EDITION. Inside the boutique hotel, an oasis of tropical plants resembles an island paradise that easily morphs into a teaser to what surprises sizzle in the kitchens. Celebrated Michelin-starred chef John Fraser's Florida-focused, Mediterranean-influenced Lilac restaurant was awarded one Michelin star in May, while his equally imaginative rooftop resto Azure is reminiscent of a Greek island escape as is his Greek-inspired menu. Lemon-sprinkled grilled octopus with capers, alongside lamb meatballs with kefalotyri, blissfully transport me back to my own Greek childhood, helping Grandma (Yiayia) cook these same dishes in the old country. RIVERWALK'S INDIGENOUS FLAVOURS Ulele, a restaurant named after a young daughter of local Tocobaga Chief Hirrihigua, sits along Tampa's winding Riverwalk. I meet owner Richard Gonzmart, a 2017 James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur semi-finalist, whose passion for food and art is contagious. Inside this fun Michelin-Recommended gem, I opt for palate-pleasing dishes I can't make at home, including perfectly crispy, hand-cut okra fries tossed in lime juice and sea salt, delectable saffron risotto, and Bar- bacoa-grilled oysters, caught offshore, topped with grated parmesan and Romano cheese. I came, I ate, I savoured. I'll be back, because Tampa's food scene is only getting hotter. PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK/AEVANSTOCK | JIM BAMBOULIS | SHUTTERSTOCK/VIAVAL TOURS | VISIT FLORIDA | VISIT FLORIDA/EMERGENT MEDIA TRAVEL PLANNER For more information about Tampa's Michelin dining scene, visit guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/dining-out/michelin-guide-tampa-new- additions-restaurants For travel information on Tampa, Miami and Orlando visit visittampabay.com; miamiandbeaches.com; visitorlando.com; and for Florida see visitflorida.org i DS A SIDE ORDER OF MIAMI + ORLANDO SIZZLE IN MIAMI In tropical vibe Coconut Grove, Ariete offers a dining excursion of the senses care of Michelin-starred executive chef and owner Michael Beltran. The culinary impresario (Beltran has eight restos under his belt) shines a light on his eclectic fusion of Cuban, French and Floridian ingredients that lure you in like a siren song. NOUVEAU ORLANDO From downtown to Restaurant Row, Winter Park to Lake Nona, Orlando has come of age, increasingly raising eyebrows with its diverse, international flavours. Among them is Amit Kumar's cheerful uber local Bombay Street Kitchen south of downtown. Awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand tag for good quality and good value, the South Indian-inspired eatery caters to everyone from carnivore to herbivore.

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