Valencia Garden
Tampa, FL 33606-1418
Phone: (813) 253-3773
- Price:
- $$
- Hours:
- Mon-Fri 11:00am- 2:30pm Mon-Sat 5:00pm-10:00pm
Editorial Review for Valencia Garden – by Sara Kennedy
The Scene
An institution among Tampa's movers and shakers, the restaurant attracts an accomplished crowd: At lunch, sometimes, you'll see the mayor, several city council members, the publisher of The Tampa Tribune, a few judges, businesspeople, maybe the president of the University of Tampa. There are several dining rooms, and a nice bar as well; it used to be bright, with lots of windows, but a renovation a few years ago eliminated most of them, and it feels claustrophobic. Still, it's a clean, quiet, civilized place to eat.
The Food
Classic Spanish and Cuban dishes.
What to Order
In nearly 28 years of dining there, I have yet to experience a bad meal--quite a record for any restaurant. Start with Spanish bean or turnip green soup; continue with the house salad (ask for dressing on the side, as they're pretty liberal with dressing). The Cuban dish called "ropa vieja," a spicy shredded beef dish, is excellent, as is pretty much any grouper dish. Finish with smooth flan and creamy Cuban coffee.
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Insider Tips
Order SangriaThe Spanish national beverage made with fruit is delicious.
It's DressyBusiness-style duds are appropriate
At Night, Bring TeensYoung people seem to like its Old World ambience.
User Reviews for Valencia Garden
02/25/2008 Posted by jkielyIII
My wife and I were in town for the weekend for a late Valentine's Day gift to each other. We decided to give them a try after reading several nice reviews. We were not impressed with the food at all. The shrimp appetizer and the vegetable side tasted like they were previously frozen. The yellow rice was very bland. I had the house specialty sea bass and it was okay. Nothing special. My wife was not that impressed with her crab stuffed shrimp either. It was not a horrible experience, but I would have rather eaten at Olive Garden.
Cons: food quality
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