Ciccio Cali - Dinner w/ Abby

WHERE WE WENT:   

Ciccio Cali
17004 Palm Pointe Drive
Tampa, FL 33647

WHAT WE ORDERED:
Mediterranean Wrap w/ Greek Yogurt Sauce, Black Beans, Yellow Rice, Hot & Crunchy Tuna Bowl


WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 8
Menu - 9
Presentation - 8
Taste - 8
Price - 8
Service - 7
 Overall - 8


Atmosphere - Ciccio Cali is part of a local Tampa restaurant group that manages multiple brands, all of which are very hip and trendy. The majority of the dining space is a shocking white that makes it appear much larger and fancier than it actually is.The tables are fairly close together which creates a crowded sense of intimacy. There is a lovely patio seating area and a second story balcony area that provides privacy for larger parties.

Menu -  This is one of those places where there is going to be something for everyone...even your picky, fad dieting friends. Sensitivity to gluten? Free range only? There are vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy options galore.They even have naturally sweetened organic sodas. You'll have choices coming out of your ears, but everything can be broken down into a few quick categories: Pizza, Salad, Wraps, Stirfry and Bowls. Pizza and Salad are pretty self-explanatory (at least we hope so). In the other areas, it's all about customization. Choose your base (rice, kale, spaghetti squash, noodles), your protein (chicken, tuna, steak, broccoli mix), and choose your style for sauces and fixings. The possibilities are endless with every taste profile imaginable (Latin, Asian, fusion). 
 
Presentation - The food looks so good that you're going to want to eat it with your eyes. Classic white dishes in funky shapes keep with the trendy vibe of the place.

Taste - If you're a fan of tuna, you'll want to try the Hot & Crunchy Tuna Bowl. We recommend it with Asian noodles and extra sriracha aioli. It is an explosion of your favorite sushi, tempura, and soba all in one. 
The Mediterranean wrap is a vegetarian paradise. The vegetables are fresh and crisp, and the white bean hummus is some of the best I've ever tried. The Greek yogurt sauce is amazing. The kind of amazing that would make your Nona proud. Get extra.


Price -It's priced comparably to other restaurants of its kind and the atmosphere is very nice. Fair.

Service -Our waitress was an absolute sweetheart. She was very friendly and attentive and full of helpful product knowledge and suggestions.

WOULD WE GO BACK? 
Absolutely. Everything was delicious. We'd really like to go back and try the brunch menu. They also have $2 Tuesday specials for drinks and small plates. Red and white sangria are included and we're intrigued.


Here's a link to their website:  
 http://cicciorestaurantgroup.com/restaurants/ciccio-cali.html

Bangkok Alley - Date Night

WHERE WE WENT:   
Bangkok Alley 
121 Union Avenue
Memphis, TN
38103



WHAT WE ORDERED:

-Snow White Roll (Shrimp, Spicy Mayo, Tempura Flakes, Topped w/Crab, Scallions)
-Explosion Roll (Spicy Crawfish, Avocado, Topped w/ Spicy Tuna, Spicy Mayo, Chef's Spicy Sauce)
-Island Roll (Crab, Shrimp Tempura, Topped w/ Tuna, Avocado, Spicy Mayo)
-Crab Rangoon

WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 8       
Menu -7
Presentation - 10
Taste - 7
Price - 7
Service - 9
 Overall - 7


Atmosphere -Bangkok Alley was small, but not cramped. The dark colors and simple decor fit nicely with the idea of it being a lounge. The overall feel felt classy yet comfortable, not at all stiff. The dim lighting definitely added to the lounge vibe, but could have been lightened up a little for the sake of reading the menu. The music did not match the restaurant theme at all and was distractingly loud.

Menu - The menu was composed of multiple parts: the traditional Thai menu and the sushi menu. The sushi section was extensive. It included traditional rolls such as the California Roll & Spicy Tuna Roll as well as unique creations bearing locally inspired names such as the Collierville Roll, Grizzlies Roll, Southaven Roll, and Memphis Roll. The traditional section of the menu contained a large variety of dishes including stir frys, fried rice, and traditional dishes like pad thai. The menu was multiple pages long and not particularly aesthetically pleasing. Variety is good, but this was just too much. It took forever to read through the menu. We like choices, but 15 appetizer choices is a little overkill.

Presentation - The presentation of the sushi was beautiful. All three rolls came on the same plate, arranged in a circle with the ginger and wasabi in the middle. The colors of all three rolls were gorgeous and the toppings had a marbled pattern so that each individual piece looked unique. The plate came decorated with extra sauce around the edges as well. 


Taste - As far as the crab rangoon, we have definitely had better. There was very little crab filling in the middle of each piece. The ratio to the shell was not good and the shells were somewhat burnt. We liked two of the three rolls. The Snow White Roll and the Island Roll were both very good, but the Island Roll could have used a little more crunch. The Explosion Roll was pretty, but the special sauce on top turned us off of it.

Price -The price point of this restaurant is comparable to other restaurants of its kind and pretty good for a place in the heart of downtown. the traditional sushi rolls are especially reasonable.

Service - Our waitress Penny was friendly and attentive. She acquainted us with the menu and made suggestions. She was wonderful except that she checked up on us a little too frequently and was a little irritating.

WOULD WE GO BACK? 
Yes. The location is great. We would love to try different sushi rolls. The price is reasonable and the atmosphere is great for a dinner with friends or a girls night out, if you can ignore the music.

Here's a link to their website: http://bangkokalley.com/