On the Tampa Riverwalk

Bread pudding with a white chocolate rum sauce

The Tampa River Walk begins near the chaotic madness of the cruise ship terminal.  We walked for about an hour and didn't reach the end.  It is a delight - running along the river, past luxury hotels and parks.  It could use a few more shaded areas!  When we finally turned around we were ready for lunch and headed back to Columbia behind the Tampa Bay Historical Center and overlooking the river.  It is a branch of the famous restaurant located in Ybor City and offers Spanish-Cuban food.  We started with the black bean soup, which was full of flavor.  My friend had a fish dish and I had ropas viejas - a classic meat stew.  Spanish/Cuban food isn't especially spicy, but is very flavorful.  For dessert, I had the bread pudding, which was big enough for two.  I thought it was a bit too heavy and dense.  It was a warm day and it seemed more like a hearty dessert for a cold New England winter.  The taste was great, but I would have preferred the bread cut into smaller pieces.  I highly recommend this spot for the food and the view.  I'll look for the Ybor City location next time I'm in Tampa.

Blurry picture of ropas viejas ("old clothes" in Spanish)