AN EXCELLENT
REINCARNATION
By Margaret Word Burnside and Aaron R. Fodiman
This fresh snapper and shrimp with a Tasso and brandy cream sauce is typical
of Chef Brad’s creative daily specials at The Bistro in Tarpon Springs.
with saffron base, loaded with chicken,
mussels, sausage, shrimp, peas and olives.
The menu goes on to offer a pork shank
osso buco; an oven roasted snapper in a
white wine; and chicken or veal in a wild
mushroom demi glace or lemon caper
sauce, plus daily creations by Chef Brad.
The bar serves specialty drinks, and the
wine list includes selections from around
the world with many choices by the glass.
Daily happy hour is from 4 to 6 p.m. with
$3 draft beers, house wine for $16 per
bottle or $4 per glass, and half-price fried
calamari or mussels.
The exceptional service and friendly
atmosphere make The Bistro the perfect
restaurant for anything from a gourmet
meal to a drink and some small plates, as
you relax in its soothing décor. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Bistro is located at
17 N. Safford Ave. in downtown Tarpon Springs,
(727) 935-5770.
CUISINE
The Bistro
fried calamari, Arancini fried risotto rice
balls, meatballs and bruschetta. But there
are also items such as Greek “cigars” with
spinach and feta in a crispy roll served
with lemon aioli dipping sauce; stuffed
portobella mushrooms in a spicy red
pepper cream sauce (we always order
this); grilled octopus; Greek nachos; a goat
cheese fondue; and the not-to-be-missed
Garlic Parmesan Truffle Fries.
For dinner, there is a mix of classic dishes
for traditionalists, such as a 16-ounce grilled
rib-eye steak, their Bistro burger, pasta in
red sauce, and a rustic gemelli pasta with
pesto and grilled chicken. Or you may try
fettucine in a garlic cream sauce, which is
heavenly and can be ordered with chicken
or shrimp; the fabulous Caramelle pasta
with its Gorgonzola and pears; a pasta
with sausage, white truffle oil and heavy
cream sauce; and a wild mushroom ravioli
with a brandy sauce. New to the menu
is a Spanish-style five-grain rice bowl
MAY/JUNE 2021 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 145
Dan Jenkin had the right formula
for his Tuscan Sun Italian Bistro
in downtown Tarpon Springs, but
shutdowns from COVID-19 made
it impractical to continue operating the
highly successful restaurant. So he used
the downtime to redecorate and rethink his
concept. He chose to shorten the name to
The Bistro, since that is what most people
had begun to call it, and to expand the
menu to make the cuisine more like that of
the Mediterranean and Southern Europe.
The rebirth of this popular restaurant is a
cause to celebrate.
Chef Brad Sullivan has been brought
in to add his creative flair to new items,
while many of the popular dishes, such
as Caramelle Pasta with its Gorgonzola
cream sauce and diced caramelized pears,
remain true to their original recipes. The
menu offers pizzas, a calzone, three salads
and a long list of appetizers from a soup
of the day to standards such as mussels,
GRAM