On Easter Sunday, the priest mentioned Italian dinner lasting several courses and lasting a good…read morewhile. FORESHADOWING! DUN DUN DUNNNN.. I have never been to Water and Flour. It is a smaller restaurant but with a somewhat tropical/south Miami vibe. We had a private space at the back with 2 long tables. Everyone was wearing black shirts and I was wearing black pants. Rebel without a cause - that's me. Assistant manager Ray gave some info about Ciccio group and their concept. I didn't know that they had Japanese elements among the Italian which is unique. Ginger and Matt were there, orchestrating and checking on us in addition to the very attentive servers who worked with a Clock King -esque efficiency. We had a Crispy Rice appetizer that was plated very beautifully and a Sake Martini that was very light and refreshing. I have never had sake before but it was heavenly. 5/5. Next was the Antonio Salad which was crisp and fresh. 4/5 The main entree was a pasta flight which had 3 samples - Pesto, Cacio y Pepe spaghetti, and Tomato Rigatoni. the pesto was my favorite. I usually only eat it with bread, but it was so good on pasta. The Cacio and pepe had a nice zing and tasted the most rich to me. The rigatoni was solid and had a nice contrast with the tomato flavor. As many had said, this should be an option on the regular menu if it isn't! 4.5/5 We ended our repast with a tiramisu and coffee pairing. I am not sure how tiramisu is supposed to taste. This was more pudding like (I was under the impression it's usually more cake like?) . It was good, but perhaps the coffee taste could have been more prominent. 4/5 Also, I appreciated the unique card that Ginger wrote for each one of us. It was a very nice and personal touch. Thank you to Ginger, Matt, Ray, and all the servers and staff at Water and Flour for the wonderful experience!

Amazing B+G event. Thanks @yelptampabay and Ginger L. You truly outdid yourself. Great food, great…read morevibe and great people. Loved the setup and decor. Amazing hosts. Ray (Assistant manager) explained the plates so well and service never skipped a beat! Greeted from the moment I walked in the door. Great seeing everyone! Loved the thank you note! Ginger L really knows how to make each and every one of us feel special. She is absolutely amazing! Water + Flour, opened in 1996 under Ciccio. Located in SOHO. The menu boasts fresh food made with local ingredients with an emphasis on gluten-free and plant-based options. 4-courses served for the evening included: Course 1: my fav of the evening Food: Salmon sashimi crispy rice -- not normally served with the salmon, this was special made for our event. Typically served with the ahi tuna To Drink: Saki Martini Course 2: Food: Antonio salad and to Drink: Peroni Course 3: Food: Pasta flight à pesto casarecce, vodka tomato rigatoni, cacio pepe with spaghetti. To Drink: Italian Red Course 4: my other fav (who doesn't love desserts) Food: Tiramisu and to Drink: Coffee Loved having the pasta flight and definitely think that this should be an option on their menu! Loved being able to have the different flavors and the journey of pasta as I devoured the dish! Either eat individual or mix together (yes, I said it...why not) lol. I am not a sushimi person but wow that was my fav of the evening and I'd definitely order again! I loved the crunch! There wasn't a dish they I didn't love and this event would definitely bring me back here to try with friends and family. @waterandfloursoho #yelpelite @yelptampabay #yelptampabay

I'm totally late to the game in posting my Holiday *CHEERS* event review. The event was December…read more1st through the 16th. My bad since I'm not experienced with Yelp event etiquette and this was my first real event. Enough excuses, right? First of all, I want to thank Ginger for organizing this BOGO coffee/drink event and strategically finding locations that would be near all of us. Thanks for literally spreading the holiday cheer! I know there were various locations for this event, but the one closest to me was Eggs Up Grill. I would have never known about it because I'm rarely over in that part of U.S. 301. It was the perfect choice. This was my very first visit. It was a lovely experience! I checked into Yelp for this awesome deal. They have a great flavored coffee selection on their menu. I immediately decided to try the Cinnamon Smile. It was so creamy and good. I would totally get it again. I switched up the flavor for my next coffee drink and got the Hazelnut Harmony. It had little candied praline pecans on top of it. Great presentation! It's a good thing that the coffee wasn't too strong or I'd be pinging off the walls. I liked both flavors but the Cinnamon Smile was my favorite of the two. The breakfast was also wonderful. So much so, that I want to bring my husband next time. Yes, there will be more visits. I received my very first Yelp swag at this event. It was such a great gift mug. I really do love it! Thanks again Ginger (and Yelp) for spreading the cheer and introducing me to a new breakfast/brunch/lunch spot!

This year the awards ceremony was at Mamajuana Cafe which serves upscale Latin food and drinks…read more They served entrees family style in their outdoors Tiki restaurant. We had several glasses of their sangria. The servers were very attentive. The food was delicious. The inside of the restaurant is modern snd chic. Our fearless leader Ginger did a fantastic job creating a party atmosphere with excellent food and drink. One of their popular specialties is Mofungo which is basically mashed yucca with the consistency of mash potatoes. Then they mold a cup shape an fill with meat, chicken, pork, shrimp, and/or a combination of these. We were served several menu items such as Mofungitos, empanadas, Yuca Fungo, salmon, Sushi roll, pollo criollo, and flan for dessert. Their dinner menu has other items such as seafood, steak, and ribs. Everything was unique and delicious. There is plenty of parking in front and in back.

What a great time! This annual event, sponsored by Crisco, is reminiscent of a small town's fair…read more Friendly people abound here, and Pie Pride oozes from every single booth. There are markets, bakeries, and restaurants galore here, all keen to have you taste either their take on a traditional, or point you with special glee towards their own creations. The weather cooperated, the band was great, people struck up conversations with strangers, and everyone got a little sun. I'm awfully glad that Yelp made this a Yelp Event. I didn't see any other Yelpistas, but then again, my eyes were looking at all that deliciousness..... So, come tomorrow- or next year. And, keep you eyes on the pies!!!

One of the best events we have each year is the Great American Pie Festival over at Celebration! I…read morehave gone to this even for the past 4 years in a row and it always is worth the drive. This year, I was lucky enough to get free entry into the never ending pie buffet from our friends at Yelp! Thanks Colleen for the pie! Since parking can be a nightmare even without events at Celebration, we always park by a friends house over by the high school and walk over. It only takes about 10 min to walk over and besides, it is a nice walk back to the car to walk off some of the pie we just inhaled. We arrived on Saturday around 1 pm and found the crowds this year to be a bit lighter than in the past. After checking in with the info booth and getting our wrist bands, we enjoyed checking out all the vendors and seeing if their was any arts and crafts we might want. There is a large booth that sells t-shirts, cookbooks and of course pies! This year, there were also a larger amount of food vendors selling the normal fair type foods. We did not indulge since we were saving room for pie. They also had a zip line contraption that looked like fun. We made our way over to the pie buffet entry. You must have a wrist band or you cant get in! The pie police are watching you. Once inside, we armed ourselves with plastic forks ( I suggest bringing your own metal one if you like) and then started to check out all the booths. There seemed to be less vendors than in the past. Publix and Winn Dixie were there as well as Kroger's and the Village inn. All make great pies but the ones I enjoy most are from some of the more independent pie companies that make unusual combinations of flavors. Bakers Square, Bonerts, Legendary Baking, and Wicks pies are these types of vendors. Yet this year, they only seemed to have a few flavors to try while in the past, they might have 10 or more types. My favorite of all time was a chocolate coated frozen cheesecake on a stick.... but alas, it was not there this year. Sniff Sniff... All in all, it was still a great feast! I will say that most people can eat about 5 or 6 slices before they are done but one friend of mine ate 10 slices! Oink! Some people like to eat one slice at a time while others stop at each booth, grab the ones they want, and then find a place to spread them all out and eat them one by one. After our pig out, we continued to check out many of the other booths that circle the stage. Crisco is the main sponsor but there are also booths for Duncan Hines, Smuckers, and Dunkin Donuts. Duncan was having a bit of a scavenger hunt with their new stir in flavors of frosting. You had to collect all 12 of the flavors and then visit their booth to be in a drawing for prizes. I collected them all, got my ticket for the hourly drawing but never got back to see if I won... oh well... There was also the appearance of Poppin Fresh! and Pie man! Always popular and sometimes a line to get a photo with them. The main stage had an assortment of entertainment including comedian Kirk Marsh, singer Dean Daniels and guest chefs David Sloan and Brian Ehrenholm. If you want something fun to do and love pie, I do recommend checking out the pie festival. The normal entry for adults is $10 and if you eat enough pie, it pays for itself. Our best tip would be go in... eat pie... walk around and enjoy the booths and sights... then go back again for more pie! (Then take a really long walk back to your car!) Enjoy!

Bolay is a good build your own bowl place. I have try many build your own bowl, only Bolay standout…read moreamong the group. We arrive with the store clerk welcoming us with a smile. The selection of the regular bowl has many selections of protein. I start with avocado noodles. Then the two vegetables as grill broccoli and corn. I pick salmon and willing to pay extra for upgrade and the owner was nice to include it without upgrade fees. Thank to the store. Overall we have a good experience. Food is really tasty. Thanks to the crew who serve us and kitchen crew who cook a tasty food.

I LOVE eating Bolay! I've moved away from other similar restaurants with similar set-ups because I…read morefeel like Bolay is much more elevated ingredients and flavors at the same (and even less) prices. I especially like the south Tampa location of Bolay because it's easy to access or even go through the drive-thru when I'm on the go. Bolay was very busy when I went, but the crew worked quickly and efficiently. For my Bol, I chose the Asian sweet potato noodles and chopped kale salad; lemon chicken for my protein, and beans, tomotoes, and feta cheese for toppings. I also chose the creamy garlic sauce for a huge punch of additional flavor. As usual, the Bol was so delicious and even the regular size had enough food for two meals. I highly recommend Bolay if you've never tried their fast-casual build-your-own meal. Thank you Yelp for this awesome opportunity!

Great info about the city and best places to visit. We found an amazing cigar spot. Lafarona…read moreCigars!

I love your city. I'm not a big fan of the nightlife, but I do like to make day trips in go to…read moreplaces. I've never been and learn about. It's history. I love seeing the chickens and the roosters as well.

What a treat indeed! S/o to Adela for organizing this amazing event and the staff of Lorelei Spa…read morefor hosting this event & such wonderful customer service! From start (valet service to front desk to meeting the other Yelp Elite Squad to my pedi to the check out at the spa desk to ending with valet) to finish, everything was a 10/10! I would like to remark how ALL the staff at this spa were very accommodating! I have already shared this resort & spa with others in the community and can't wait to visit again!

What an amazing event put on by Adela! This has to be one of my favorite yelp events by far. We…read morestarted off with refreshments and meeting the director and manager of the sunseeker spa. Then proceeded with going to our services. Full service pedicure, facial or massage?! My husband and I opted for the 50 minute massages. Our masseuses Lexi and Kandi were very professional yet friendly. I left feeling extremely relaxed We were able to explore the grounds and were also invited to the evening pool party which would cost a cover of $50 but is covered by the yelp event!! I'm so grateful to be given the chance to explore this side of SWFL thanks to Adela. This was my first time at the sun seeker resort. It was great way to explore the grounds, they have a beautiful rooftop pool and lots of dining options. Let me also mention that Valet was also covered by yelp. I love the attention to detail! We will definitely be coming back for a visit !

We went to the Orlando Beer Festival with VIP tickets, which were supposed to include early entry,…read morea commemorative glass, a t-shirt, a private VIP area with food, covered seating, bathrooms, and private parking. On paper, it sounded great, but the event itself felt very unorganized. When we arrived, the VIP parking lot was completely unmanned. I spent about 30 minutes trying to find someone to confirm we were parked correctly, but no one seemed to know anything about the parking or who I could even talk to. Honestly, anyone could have parked there without being checked. Inside, the beer stations were set up way too close together, which made the flow of traffic feel cramped even though there was plenty of space available. It was a hot day, and unless you were in the VIP area, there was no shade to take a break. The food trucks were outside the event space with no seating, which made grabbing food inconvenient. The turnout was low, and overall the vibe felt pretty "blah" compared to other beer festivals I've attended. On the positive side, there were a lot of quality vendors, and we had fun interacting with them. I even discovered a few new breweries I'll visit later. But the organization issues kept piling up. As we were leaving, we asked about our VIP glasses at the entrance, and the staff had no idea what we meant. We were sent to the information booth, where my husband was questioned about whether he was really leaving before they finally pulled the glasses out from under the table. There was no signage or clear instructions for VIPs about how to get them. We did get our t-shirts in the VIP section, but again, nothing was clearly communicated. Overall, despite some good beer and friendly vendors, the event was poorly organized from start to finish. Between the parking confusion, lack of shade, and unclear VIP perks, it just wasn't worth it. I won't be going back to this particular beer festival.

I've been attending this event for a couple of years now, and I really enjoy it--even though I'm…read morenot a beer drinker. What I love about this festival is that it offers so many options beyond beer, giving you the chance to sample a wide variety of products. This year, we had VIP access, which included food from restaurants like Marlow's and Solita's. The food was delicious. One thing that stood out this year was the number of THC-infused beverages and hemp products available, which was new to me. Overall, I enjoyed walking around, trying different products, and collecting the fun swag they hand out. The event is always hosted in the Milk District, and I'm already looking forward to next year's festival.

3.5 stars for a fun foodie event at City Hall…read more My wife and I decided to check out the Taste of Downtown event due to seeing it randomly pop up on our Facebook newsfeeds (guess it knows we Yelp). Taking place on Orange Avenue in front of City Hall, the Taste of Downtown Orlando event involved about 15-20 restaurants and vendors that were giving out food and drinks in exchange for pre-bought $1 dollar tickets. The food and drinks range from 1 to 8 tickets, and most items average about 4 tickets. We arrived at the event around a little after 6 so that we could avoid the crowds. After getting through the security gate, we went up to the table and bought about 40 tickets to ensure we could try everything we wanted to try. We then proceeded to walk around the outside area, where about 1/3 of the vendors were located. Rather than get all the food and drinks at once, we mostly tried to look over all the vendors once and buy food and drinks on our second round. However, some of the food and drink from the vendors really stood out. The 4Rivers table was giving out tasty chicken sandwiches for about 3 tickets, which seemed like a good deal, and the Chef Nite table convinced us to spend 5 tickets on some spicy yet tasty jerk chicken (which was a pretty decent-sized portion). Also outside were several blowup basketball courts, free Red Bull stands, and other random non-food vendors. After about 15 minutes, we proceeded inside, which is where most of the food vendors were located. We walked around from table to table looking at the various foods offered by places like Kasa, Artisan Table, and The Boheme. Aside from the tables, there was also a huge pile of free shrimp offered by Red Lobster! One of the best deals of the night was a 1 tickets seasoned pork stick from Dovecote (good way for a young restaurant to draw attention). While it was fun going from table to table, many of the options usually weren't some of the restaurants' better options. Additionally, when you think about giving 4 or 5 tickets (aka 4 to 5 dollars) for what was essentially a glorified sample, it did give us a little pause. However, the food was decent and the experience was fun. After walking around and trying some options, we went back outside to give a second look at those vendors. What turned out to be the best option of the night was some ahi tuna nachos from Ferg's Depot, which were tasty, messy, and huge! World of Beer (which had two tables for some reason) was offering drinks for 2-4 tickets and free food tickets at their Lake Eola location if we signed up for their raffle/email list. The final option that we grabbed was from City Diner (probably the only food vendor there we haven't dined at), who made a deal with us to get their brisket and cuban for a combined discount ticket price. While we thought things were pretty much over when we went outside, our second run-through was probably equally as fun as the inside experience with the higher-class restaurants. We finished around 7:15 and headed home with full and satisfied bellies. Overall, Taste of Downtown Orlando is a fun and relatively cheap (compared to other similarly-constructed events) 2-hour festival that lets you try some of Downtown's better restaurants. While the food offered is pretty average to your more dedicated foodies and the event pales in comparison to Yelp-sponsored events, the price, location, and experience make this a festival worth checking out each year.

Delicious delectibles, free Stella Artois, and all the food your hungry heart could desire. All…read morethe food was really good. Standouts were shrimp ceviche from Hue, waygu meatballs from Kres, and the best was waygu carpaccio from The Bohemian Hotel! I know they treat their cows better than most humans, but DAMN! That beef is goood. It was a bit smaller than most tastings I've been to, but it was a professional/business focus in mind, and not so much the general public-feed your face extravaganza. Of course that didn't stop me from scarfing food like a wildabeast. My only regret was coming here dressed in sandals and shorts, bc I seriously was the only one, and felt like i had snuck into the event through a sidedoor.