CUAISR ITNE
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Tampa’s Lure
By Margaret Word Burnside and Aaron R. Fodiman
Photography by Noraa
T aking over a great
location on South
MacDill Avenue in
Tampa, The Lure,
a St. Petersburg creation,
has proven to be a success
on both sides of the bay.
Open for about a year,
The Lure in Tampa offers
a very broad menu that has
something that appeals to everyone. It
is easy to enjoy dining here because the
restaurant’s efficient and friendly servers
attend to your needs. We asked our server
for suggestions, and she did not steer
us wrong. However, since we enjoyed
everything we ordered, we believe that
left to our own devices, we would have
ended up just as happy.
Two of the items we chose on our own
were the specialty roll named the Bacon-
8-Her and the Godfather Flat Bread. The
Bacon-8-Her featured bacon, avocado and
asparagus, wrapped in soy paper and
topped with eel sauce and tempura chips.
When it was finished, we wanted another
then and there because it was so good.
Likewise, the Godfather Flat Bread was
pure pleasure. Created as a tribute to the
godfather of Tampa Bay chefs, the late Tom
Pritchard, who died in 2015, the Godfather
Flat Bread features spiced shrimp and
“The Charlotte,” slow braised pork belly drizzled with bourbon bacon
Sriracha sauce on a bed of shitake garlic Parmesan risotto and topped
with tempura onion straws and pickled baby heirloom tomatoes is
from the tapas section of The Lure menu in Tampa.
170 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018
style. If you just want a
salad, they serve them,
too, including a traditional
Caesar and a Cobb with or
without a protein.
There are six tacos on
6-inch, soft corn tortillas,
such as The Donald with
its pan-seared duck breast
and The Hugo with mojo
pulled pork. The small plate category, or
tapas, includes 13 different items from
pan-seared snapper to pork belly on a bed
of shitake garlic Parmesan risotto. The
Joey Meatballs are three gigantic masses of
meat, while The Kevin is bronzed scallops
on a bed of white pepper vanilla sweet
potato mash. They don’t want you to hang
out here just for their irresistible food, so
they have all types of great offerings from
the bar, including tiki drinks and cocktails.
They serve lunch and brunch and are
open seven days a week, which is a good
thing because you are liable to get the
urge for something from The Lure at any
moment. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Lure in Tampa is at
2402 S. MacDill Ave., (813) 533-6011.
marinated Portobello mushrooms grilled
and resting on a pesto fondue, topped
with an Asiago Mozzarella blend. Each of
Lure’s flatbreads raises funds for a charity,
donated in the name of its chef/creator.
The huge menu begins with sushi
starters such as Tuna and Avocado Salad
and Tuna Tataki, then moves to sushi rolls
that range from a traditional Spicy Tuna
to a Winner, Winner Chicken Roll. Their
specialty rolls are extensive, and you can
order any of them tempura style. The
Marquis de Quisenberry and The Hollister
are two of the most elaborate creations,
although with 20 different rolls, you are
sure to find one that is perfect for you.
They also serve nigiri, raw seafood over
rice; raw sashimi and poke bowls. Next
are their fast plates, such as Lava Drops,
made of nori edible seaweed and rice balls
stuffed with spicy kani, imitation crab and
cream cheese, which is served tempura