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Red Elephant Didn't Forget About Food

Tribune photo by JAY CONNER

Clockwise from left, the Elephant Burger, Siesta Key Salad, Kickin Chicken Wings and Elephant's Garden pizza provide adult-worthy fare at the kid-friendly Red Elephant Pizza and Grill.

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By MARY PATRICK

Tribune correspondent

Published: November 6, 2008

TAMPA - If you're not a parent or you don't spend a lot of time babysitting, it's probably impossible to appreciate how difficult it is to find a restaurant where you can take your children and the food isn't awful.

Most "kid-friendly" restaurants require adults to set aside hope and gird themselves for an evening of a disappointing entree and antacids for dessert.

Although we can't herald the Red Elephant as the jewel in the family restaurant genre you've been waiting for, it definitely bucks the trend. Youngsters are welcome and there's an arcade game room, but the food is above average and adults can enjoy a cocktail. That's high praise.

It's a combination that has worked in three other locations: two in Tallahassee and one in Panama City.

Located in a strip center on North Dale Mabry Highway between Carrollwood and Northdale, the restaurant has tinted windows that allow no one to look inside, a possible holdover from the former occupant, a French restaurant.

Inside, it's an open space filled with booths. Five flat-screen TVs hang on the walls (tuned to college football the day we dined inside) as well as large, colorful acrylic paintings of African animals. An open kitchen is across the back of the restaurant.

We started with the most unusual choice of the appetizers: a bucket of boiled peanuts. It was far more than we needed, but if you like boiled rather than roasted peanuts, these are tasty, with enough spice to make it interesting.

We were less enthusiastic about the onion rings, although the loaded fries make up for those if you're in the mood for a very heavy starter: crispy fries topped with cheese and bacon bits and served with a spicy ranch sauce.

We sampled the steakhouse salad, which had a mix of red onions, cucumbers and tomatoes topped with feta cheese and strips of sirloin cooked to order. We tried the balsamic vinaigrette to top it off and recommend you do the same.

The pizzas are on the high end and come in a wide variety. Red Elephant specializes in a half-dozen kinds of pizza and offers the option of building your own from about 25 ingredients.

In two trips we tried a variety, from the basic Elephant Classic (pepperoni, sausage, green peppers and mushrooms) to the more exotic Papa Gus' Pesto Pizza. The latter featured a zesty pesto sauce, mozzarella cheese, spinach, mushrooms and roma tomatoes. It could have held its own at an "adult" establishment.

Equally successful was the Elephant Burger (again, bring an appetite). This half-pound burger, served cooked to taste, was topped with bacon, grilled onions, sauteed mushrooms, American cheese and crumbled bits of bleu cheese.

The menu also offers a pasta chicken dish, calzones and a sirloin. The kids' menu features a basic pizza, grilled cheese, a burger and Sleepy Swine (i.e. pigs in a blanket).

From the dessert menu we tried the homemade elephant ears, which fulfilled all our sugar-sprinkled, cinnamon-spiced, fried-dough dreams.

In short, Red Elephant delivers on its promise of a welcome environment for your kids - and tasty food, as well.

DINING REVIEW

Red Elephant Pizza and Grill

BOTTOM LINE: Kid-friendly pizza pub serves up better-than-average family fare

WHERE: 14391 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa

HOURS: Sunday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

CREDIT CARDS: All major

RESERVATIONS: No

CHILDREN'S MENU: Yes

ALCOHOL: Full bar

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes

PRICE RANGE: $6.39 to $19.49 per entree

CALL: (813) 908-7492

Tribune reviewers eat anonymously. Mary Patrick can be reached at marypatrick@ fridayextra.com.

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