Just inside Gate A next to the escalator, vendor George Varnai was standing in front of a rolling cooler filled with ice, beer bottle caps and no beers. Forty minutes before the game, he was out of brewskis. ...more

February 2, 2009

There were plenty of culinary delights to enjoy all over the stadium. ...more

February 1, 2009

CHINESE CHINA BUFFET, 1245 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa; (813) 615-1310. The star attraction of this all-you-can-eat buffet is its surprisingly fresh, high-quality sushi. For lunch, they have an ample variety of sushi rolls, with a few pieces of nigiri (strips of fish atop fingers of rice) here and there. Plus there's vegetarian sushi for those who haven't yet made the leap to raw fish. For dinner, they put out more nigiri, which requires much more fish. The rest of the buffet is the standard fare of most Chinese restaurants - noodles, vegetables, different types of pork and chicken, soups and salad-makings. They also offer you-peel-'em crawdads and cold shrimp. ($) ...more

November 7, 2008

PACIFIC RIM THE BAMBOO CLUB, International Plaza, 2223 N. West Shore Blvd., Tampa; (813) 353-0326. Pacific Rim favorites are steamed, sizzled, woked and flash fried. Don't miss Woked Vietnamese Shrimp and Chicken with a zesty cracked pepper and soy sauce. Thai Spicy Shrimp with green beans gets zip from crushed red peppers. Squid fans should order the Spicy Crackling Calamari Salad. Bamboo Club also serves wonderful fried spinach, crisp woked beef and lemon grass shrimp. Three noodle dishes can be served as soup or woked entrees. ($$-$$$) ...more

August 29, 2008