The Independent: Quality Coffee & Eclectic Charm - Examiner.com

Thanks to Melissa Russell of Examiner.com for this nice feature! 

Owner Veronica Vellines opened the bar in October 2009 after seeing the success the original bar had in downtown St. Petersburg. A few months later she opened the café. Vellines relies on the quality of her products to bring in the crowd by serving vintage, rare and seasonal beers as well as various wines. When choosing what coffee and espresso to serve, she decided on the local brew Kahwa Coffee Roasting, a roasting company in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The espresso has a smooth finish and compliments the fresh pastries the Independent prepares. The drink menu offers lattes of various varieties as well as teas. The café is also known for their tasty fare from Bavarian pretzels, veggie burgers, a gourmet cheese platter and grilled beer bratwurst. Their most popular menu item is a grilled cheese sandwich made with Gouda and spiced pears.  

Continue reading on Examiner.com Urban cafe serves more than just coffee - Tampa Bay Barista | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/barista-in-tampa-bay/urban-cafe-serves-more-than-just-coffee?cid=db_articles#ixzz1qtcbsMPZ

CreativeLoafing food critic Brian Ries: 10 meals from 2011 I can't forget.

Eating 2011: 10 meals I can't forget 

The dishes restaurant critic Brian Ries is still dreaming about.

by BRIAN RIES

The past year wasn’t an easy one to sum up. Restaurants opened, restaurants closed. Food trucks hit town with a vengeance. Iconic spots like Mise En Place and Mad Dogs and Englishmen celebrated serious anniversaries (25th and 20th, respectively). But in the end, what I remember the most (always) is the food. There are some things I ate that I just can’t shake, that keep me up at night with cravings or just got under my skin, including some food I first tasted years ago that still comes back to haunt me with delicious withdrawal.

And now I'll have to spend the next week rounding up another portion of each. Stupid top 10 list.

Chris Ponte’s steak frites burger at Burger 21. What happens when one of the Bay area’s best chefs plants his culinary flag in a burgeoning fast food chain, serving burgers no less? Something awesome. Brioche bun, airy but sturdy. Sweet red onion jam, garlic butter, French fries. And, of course, a beautiful hand-packed patty griddled crisp on the outside, just this side of raw on the inside. For $7. Burger 21, 9664 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, 813-475-5921, burger21.com.

Bo tai chanh at Restaurant BT. B.T. Nguyen has found her footing as a chef in her new, smaller space on MacDill, that elegant Vietnamese fusion expressing itself in items like the Bo tai chanh. A take on steak tartare, she blends coarsely ground beef tenderloin with peanuts, basil, cilantro, garlic, lime and chilies. Powerful stuff, but the meat shines through the strong heat, bright acidity and fragrant herbs. Restaurant BT, 2507 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa, 813-258-1916,restaurantbt.com

Mushroom and shrimp puff soup at Restaurant BT. There’s no rule that says I can’t pick B.T. twice, right? The broth at the base of this soup is the kind of thing you could drink three times a day, every day, never wearying of its rich but delicate flavor. The incredible roasted shiitakes are carried by the elegant eggplant in the soup, while the scattered hunks of crab serve almost as subtle seasoning, transforming a delicious broth into a well-composed symphony.

*Grilled cheese at the Tampa Independent. Built on toasted rye with a base of gooey Gouda and tender-crisp slices of pears poached in honey and dusted with five-spice powder, each bite combines fat, sweet, crunchy and soft in almost perfect harmony. Plus, beer. The Independent, 5016 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-341-4883, independenttampa.com

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The Independent Bar Tampa - Not just a bar anymore.

Rubis Castro

Photo: R.F.Castro

The Independent, located in Seminole Heights, is already known as a bar with high quality beer. Now it is quickly carving a niche for serving high quality food. The café is a small offshoot of the bar, le

nding to a limited, but appetizing menu. This restriction is not a hindrance, as it allows for the detailed crafting of each individual order as it comes. This attention to detail can cause a wait, especially when business begins to boom and the orders stop being taken at the café and start being taken at the bar. The end product, however, is worth the wait.

The contents of the menu may be perfect for a pub, but are not typical bar fare. There are no fried cheese sticks, but instead a generously portioned cheese tray. The items range from an adult version of a grilled cheese served on rye with Gouda, pears, and allspice, to an excellent veggie burger. The veggie burger patty is not overwhelmed by the flavor of mushrooms, nor is it a potato pancake masquerading as a veggie burger; it is everything a veggie burger should be, but rarely is. The garlic aioli and mustard bring sweet and light flavors balancing out the earthiness of the patty. The accompanying salad of green includes walnuts, grapes, and Maytag blue cheese that are all dressed in a creamy poppy seed.

Another of their delectable sandwiches is a caprese, which offers Roma tomatoes, basil, and flavorful oregano that are not overpowered by the cheese. The crusty baguette of the sandwich yields to a soft fresh bread. The salad has delicate balsamic vinaigrette with marinated red pepper that compliment the sharp bite of the red onions. The option to add prosciutto or pepperoni to the sandwich is an excellent option for any fan of cured meats.