We decided to head to Cafe Ole due to the spectacular rating here on Yelp. Â Overall it was good, but I don't think it's the best restaurant I visited in Tampa. Â On our visit to Cafe Ole, we took advantage of Happy Hour. Â Beers were 2 for 1, and (chock full of ice and a little watered down) Red Sangria was a little under $4 a glass. Â The atmosphere was nice, and there were many friendly people at the bar who were largely locals. Â They also had appetizer specials around $5. Â I cannot imagine paying full price for the appetizers. Â I ordered croquetas de pollo, and was disappointed. Â Croquetas here in the States are nothing like croquetas in Spain. Â They were sort of like chicken crab cakes, if you can envision that. Â The bread was a little hard and stale, and I was disappointed by that too. Â The deal was made a little sweeter though by the check in offer, 1 free glass of house wine.
Prices are high, portions are small. Â If that's your thing, this is your type of place to go!
I rarely give out 5 stars- seriously- I rarely do. You have to be pretty gosh darn special to earn the perfect 10 from me and although some come close- most miss the mark.
Cafe Ole- where do I begin? First, I want to apologize for never giving you the time of day when I lived in WC for years. Shame on me- laughed then but I cry now.
As you park in front of Ole, you're not real sure what you're getting yourself into. It looks bland from the outside- standard strip mall fare which has unfortunately become standard practice in Florida. It's boring- sure- but it's Florida so learn to live with it.
Once you walk in, all preconceptions shall be left at the door. The restaurant is split- bar side and dining side (however you can eat at the bar side as well with several tables available). We elected to sit at a table a few feet away from the nice, wooden bar that stands as a showpiece for Cafe Ole. We were instantly greeted by the bar tender who asked us to take a seat. He made us comfortable right from the start- can't say most bar tenders have this quality.
As we were seated, he brought menus to look over. The bar tender walked up to us, exchanged pleasantries, and then went over the bar specials (it was happy hour). Liz ordered their Sangria (awesome) and I ordered their Mojito. Yeah, quite possibly the best mojito (save the one I had at the Rue Hotel in Aruba). Yup, Ole was already off to a killer start.
We ordered the Paella Valenciana (I hope I spelled that right) and the New York Strip with chimichurri. Liz, who often fascinates over a recurring dream of her swimming miles in end through waves of rice, saffron, and chorizo with the darting seafood in a well prepared paella, had such a glee on her face after her first bite of the paella that I knew instantly that Ole would be a main staple whenever we returned to WC. My steak was prepared perfectly with beautiful seasoning, cooked right on the dot at medium rare, excellent roasted potatoes and veggies. We also had a side order of plantains which were perfect- sweetened and salted right at that fine line of absoluteness. We drank, ate, conversed- it was a beautiful time at Ole.
I think the best moment at Ole was when we were asked for dessert. We wanted to try the Tres Leches cake because of what we had heard. The waitress said that they were unfortunately out. Again, I must look so obvious when I'm disappointed (like a big cry baby) because it was at that precise moment that the waitress said "You know what, let me ask the owner-he's in the kitchen. His wife is who makes the cake. Maybe she has one coming- she normally delivers it around this time"
Ask me if we had cake that night? Go on- I dare you. She came rushing over when she heard  a customer wanted a slice- that's dedication to her craft, to her husband's restaurant, to the customers. I'll never forget that. As for the cake-it was delicate, mildly sweet, and just on point. Splendid.
Sometimes I end my reviews with a rhetorical question of will I return or will I abstain. I think it's clear where I stand with Cafe Ole. All I ask is that more of the Wesley Chapel faithful to venture on over as well and give Ole a shot. You won't be disappointed- I guarantee you that much. Where so  many chain restaurant varieties do fail at delivering the customer what they really want in a fine meal- Cafe Ole does the complete opposite and wants to make your night as special as can be. When it's a desire of theirs to make your night memorable- you have found a winner and as a diner- you can't ask for anything more.
A few weeks ago, I ventured into New Tampa to try out Cafe Ole with some friends. I pulled into a strip mall which contained quite a few ethnic restaurants to find Cafe Ole tucked away inside. Upon walking in, I met up with Carlos, Jen and Blaire and knew instantly I was in for a treat as it was National Paella day.
We were greeted by a pitcher of delicious red sangria. It had the perfect flavor. Not too sweet, not too fruity and a hint of cinnamon. I instantly thought that I couldn't wait to bring Gabe here since he is such a Sangria snob.
We started off with an order of Bruschetta which is not on the menu. Fellow foodie and friend, Leslie, dined at Cafe Ole a few weeks back and has raved about this, so we had to try it for ourselves. It was truly the best Bruschetta I have ever had.
Cafe Ole's menu has something for everyone. I love eating with a group at Tapas restaurants since you can taste a little bit of everything and that was our plan. The four of us each ordered an appetizer and being it was National Paella day, we decided to split two orders of paella among the four of us. My Tapas choice was the SETAS CON CHORIZO, Spanish sausage and mushrooms, sautéed in olive oil and garlic, in a sherry wine sauce. There comes a time when you are forced to put down your fork because you don't want to be full, but you lose all self control. As Blaire and I were sitting closest to this dish, we had a few issues turning away. It was out of this world chorizo goodness.
Carlos ordered the CALAMARES FRITOS - Tender calamari dusted in seasoned flour and lightly fried. Served with tomato pesto sauce. Perfectly seasoned and fried rings of calamari.
Jen ordered the PATATAS ALIOLI with a side of BRAVAS sauce- Deep fried diced potatoes finished in a light Alioli sauce. The side of spicy tomato sauce was very spicy.
Blaire ordered the TORTILLA DE PATATAS - A classic Spanish potato omelet.Served with homemade alioli sauce.
Four Tapas for four people is the perfect amount of food. What we were not expecting was the Chef sending us multiple  daily special Tapas. Before we knew it, we were stuffed and the Paella hadn't made it's way out. Of the Chef choice lineup, my favorite dish of the meal was presented. Let me start with the sauce - a Bakon Vodka cream sauce. OMG. Best sauce ever.....laying on top was tender and moist stuffed chicken surrounded with a layer of prosciutto and topped with black caviar. I want to recreate this at home and I luckily have the Bakon vodka to experiment with!
We received an order of Bacon wrapped shrimp with a light fruit sauce. I normally steer clear of anything bacon wrapped since it is never executed correctly. Not the case here. The bacon was crispy while the shrimp was cooked to perfection.
Just when we think the Paella is on it's way, we receive another specialty tapas, a ripe beefsteak tomato stuffed with pork, shrimp, breadcrumbs, fresh herbs and spices.
OK, it is time for the Paella! We ordered two of the three kinds, the PAELLA VALENCIANA, which is a classic paella, featuring shrimp, calamari,clams, mussels, fish, chicken and chorizo baked with Valencia rice in a home made saffron sauce. It was perfection in a paella pan.
We also tried the PAELLA NEGRA Sautéed with pulpo, shrimp, calamari, fish, and scallops then baked with Valencia rice and squid ink. Although I love squid ink, it was a little much for my taste in this dish.
When my stomach cannot handle anymore food, dessert comes out. Thank goodness I wore my stretchy jeans. The highlight of the end of our delicious meal was a traditional TRES LECHES, a rich meringue cake soaked in 3 different types of milk. Tres Leches is not something I would order as I feel this is never executed. Cafe Ole has perfected the Tres Leches and I urge you to order this to end your perfect meal.
We also tried the CREMA CATALANA, a Cafe Ole original recipe of vanilla citrus pudding topped with raw sugar and then burned to make a hard candy shell. It reminds you of a fruity Creme Brulee.
And finally, the FLAN DE LA CASA, Homemade Spanish caramel custard. The flan is normally what I would have ordered on my own. While it was delicious, it was overshadowed by the amazing Tres Leches.
This was my first time eating in the restaurant I've always ordered to go. The food is always amazing! Â Today I took a party of seven that had never been there for lunch. The service was horrible, the waiter knew nothing of the menu and our drinks were never refilled. Half of the parties food was served at different times and once everyone was almost done with their food the rest of the group canceled the order. When we got the check they still charged the ones that never got food for the drinks and we never got a single apology from the waiter or any member of management for the obvious lack of service. The ones that did receive their meal thought the food was amazing . If you eat here get it to go, the food is awesome but service terrible!
Review Source:First to come out was a special of the night- their take on Caprese. Â Not your typical tomato, mozzarella and basil stack, this plate of refreshments also came with delectably salty prosciutto and sweet roasted red peppers. Â Drizzled with tangy balsamic, it captured all of the taste buds on my tongue. Â Stellar Caprese exists here people; funny how adding just two ingredients can take an already tasty combo to a whole new luscious level.
Up next was another special of the night: Crab Stuffed Artichoke bottoms. Â Glorious. Â Crab and artichokes= two of my favorite foods in the world. Â Would these little beauties taste as amazing as they looked? Â Showing off on the plate, in all their splendor, I gave up on capturing the best angle with my camera. Â My mouth was watering as threw down my camera and snatched one. Â Fresh lump crab made its presence known with my first bite. Â Sitting in scampi sauce, the lemon butter richness only further enticed and delighted my palate. Â
For a full review: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.leslie-floyd.com%2F2013%2F02%2Fcafe-ole-one-fantastic-spanish-tapas.html&s=25522cf7cb31655a2f1ffa26227126ee294471c8325a92203802818dfe771fb9" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.leslie-floyd.…</a>
Café Ole's unassuming location does not do justice to the caliber of food leaving its kitchen. If Spanish cuisine is your bag, and tapas are your coin purses... wait, let me rework that. If you like Spanish food and tapas (ah, there we go), this should reach the top of your list for stomach field trips. That said, enough chitchat... it's time to stretch the limits of your eyelids.
Prepare yourself for tapas domination. You'd be crazy not to order at least one of their always rotating specials. Our waitress admits, even she can't keep up with the inspiration coming out of the kitchen, as she reads from a front-and-back list of mouthwatering creations.
I have to start with the standout tapa of the evening for me: moist chicken, surrounded by a salty layer of prosciutto, filled with delicious herbs, and topped with little clusters of gorgeous black caviar, swimming in bacon vodka sauce. This bite of chicken was perfection; I was a little upset I had to share (sorry friends).
As much a feast for our eyes as it was for our bellies, this ripe tomato stuffed with pork, shrimp, breadcrumbs, fresh herbs, and spices, was beautiful and delicious.
We all fell hard for the fresh bruschetta, with its vinegary bite and fresh chopped onions and veggies. It's a fresh take on the grilled bread classic. It simultaneously excited and cleased our palates.
Another spectacular take on a classic, the bacon-wrapped shrimp were succulent on the inside, crispy on the outside, and paired artfully with an entourage of chilled chopped fruits, and a light fruit sauce. Perfection... for more and mouthwatering photos, check out the write up on my blog site!
Food was alright here. Just felt that the money we spent was not up to par for the food. We got quite a bit, paella with chicken sausage, and seafood. Which is a lot smaller than standard paellas. Â Our favorite was the tapa with the chicken, steak, and sausage. That comes as a meal too but I think as a meal that would be way too much meat, but as a tapa that was so heaven. My next favorite was the ceviche. The best part were the crunchy corn things that is what made it so great. Â Our mushroom and sausage thing was okay, and the potatoes were alright.
The service was good, and we were happy to sit outside with our dog on a nice night. Even with my <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a>, it ended up super pricey for all that we had. I think if I were to go again, I would try the tapas night on Monday or Tuesday. For now, it was alright.
Food was excellent and service was great.... Our concern was the noise level from the bar.... The cursing and yelling of some post-golfing regulars was too much to bear and we almost left. Â What is worse is the bartender told them of our concern and then she brushed it off loud enough for us to hear in the dining area and said whatever. Â Tapas were great and we will try it again and hopefully be able to rate better. Â A
Little hard to find and parking was a bit rough. Â
The margaritas were very sweet but not overly so.... the happy hour special for them was well worth the little drive up here. Â The tapas we ordered were truly delicious too, shrimp wrapped in bacon, guacamole, chicken skewers. Â and some garlic potatoes that were wonderful!
Spanish food is one of my favorite cuisines and Cafe Ole is as authentic as they come. I had lunch there recently and it was well worth the drive from South Tampa. The restaurant is beautiful and cozy with scents of tantalizing food filling every nook and cranny. We started off with fresh, hot bread and a cold pitcher of red sangria.
My first dish wound up being my favorite of the day. Beautifully plated, Setas con Chorizo is a nice blend of Spanish sausage and mushrooms that are sautéed in olive and garlic and then served in a sherry wine sauce. The sherry wine sauce simply fantastic and I loved taking my bread and dipping into the sauce and then topping it with chorizo and mushrooms.
The next dish I tried was Tortilla de Patatas, which is a classic Spanish potato omelet. Similar to a quiche, it is drizzled with their homemade alioli sauce. I really enjoyed this and loved the combination of flavors. As I was enjoying this dish, I could not help but think how fantastic this would be for brunch. Since I could not finish it all, I took the rest home and enjoyed it the next day with a cup of French roast.
I could live on potatoes. I love them in every form and the next dish was right up my ally. Patatas Alioi o Bravas are deep fried diced  potatoes finished  in  a light  spicy tomato sauce or alioli sauce. I tried the version with alioli and it was fantastic. As I nibbled on these I was thinking back to my high school days when my Spanish teacher would talk about some of the dishes he ate while growing up in Spain. I distinctly remember him talking about this dish and was delighted to be enjoying it.
I was now ready for the main event....a duo of paella. The first was visually stunning and I could not take my eyes off the gorgeous dish of beautiful seafood and rice. It was Paella Negra which consisted of sautéed pulpo, shrimp, calamari, fish, and scallops baked with Valencia rice and squid ink.  Served in a traditional paella pan, it was beyond delicious! I enjoyed this exquisite version of paella and savored every last bite.
The second version was Paella Valenciana which really reminded me of the first time I tried paella when I was in high school. This classic dish was a delicious blend of shrimp, calamari, clams, mussels, fish, chicken and chorizo baked with Valencia rice in their home made saffron sauce and served in a traditional paella pan. I thoroughly enjoyed this and have to say it was some of the best paella I had had while living in Tampa.
My meal came to a sweet end with a dessert I am still thinking about to this day. Move over crème brûlée and say hello to Crema Catalana! Their chef's own recipe, this luscious dessert is a sweet mixture of vanilla citrus pudding topped with raw sugar and then burned to make a hard candy shell. I have to say I like this better than crème brûlée and had no problem finishing every sweet bite. The vanilla citrus pudding was sweet and creamy and there were traces of fresh orange inside. The top was much softer than a traditional crème brûlée and I never thought I would say this, but I prefer the way the Crema Catalana is prepared.
If you are looking for authentic Spanish cuisine in New Tampa...look no further than Cafe Ole.
I am a card carrying member of the get your behind off the computer, turn off the TV and take your behind to bed at a decent hour club.  Lately, my membership has been lapsing, they might even take my card.  Some might blame Daylight Savings time, others Netflix always being available, but I blame the chorizo at Cafe Ole.  I had the pleasure of going to Cafe Ole for the first time at  UYE with Carlos and Steve.  It was fun, it was an event with a #Foodiechats event on Twitter.  There are other Twitter members who get on and chat about food, sometimes they meet up and chat together from the same location.  It is interesting and I would like to try #Foodiechats again, even though I do not quite "get" Twitter. But the food was great and this a place that I probably would not have otherwise visited.  On Mondays the tapas are $5.55, you cannot beat that.  We were served these dishes. Â
1. Setas Con Chorizo 5/5 it had sausage and mushrooms. Â When I had this dish I was starving and thought it was good but not my favorite of the night but now that I think about it and am craving its my favorite
2. Gambas Al Ajillo 5/5 I love anything with shrimp and it was slightly spicy
3. Croquetas De Pollo 4/5 They were fried perfectly and not greasy I liked the sauce
4. Patatas Bravas 5/5 they were a little spicy
5. Polenta 5/5 it was not on the menu but it was one of the best things I have tasted in a while. Â The polenta was covered in mushrooms and had cheese on top and was extra creamy and ever so rich. Â When eating this was my favorite dish.
6. Fried cheese 4.5/5 It was not on the menu but I would like to try again also. Â It was two cheese squares with (I think) sundried tomatoes in the middle
7. Tres Leches 4.5/5 coming from a person who does not eat sweets. Â I have not had good Tres Leches sense leaving Texas and this reminds me of good homemade cake made in someone's grandmother's house.
I plan on coming back soon to get some chorizo, maybe I can get some more polenta too. Â I have not tasted paella ever in my life. Â It not a very popular dish in Texas and most places that serve it do not really specialize in it, so I never order it. Â I want my first paella to be special, maybe next time I will try paella velenciana. Â
Now time to drink some sleepytime and get the chorizo out of my mind.
Cafe Ole is just an amazing place located in northern New Tampa along Cross Creek Blvd off of Bruce B. Downs. If you know where the New Tampa Regional Library is located then you'll find Cafe Ole in a small strip mall across the street.
This very excellent Spanish & Mediterranean restaurant serves tapas along with chicken, pork, steaks, and seafood main courses; three different types of paella, and some incredible desserts  The restaurant has three different seating areas, so no matter how large your group you can easily find a place to sit. They also have a great bar with beer, wine, mixed drinks, delicious sangria, and some nightly drink specials.
I met my friends Carlos H. (our new official Tampa Bay Yelp intern) and Sheira H. for an unofficial Yelp gathering to sample tapas and sangria. We had hoped for more people to join us, but the three of us had a great time chatting about Yelp, food reviews, and #foodiechats while we enjoyed a massive amount of food.
Carlos is a regular, and great friends with Sergio, the managing partner of Cafe Ole. Sergio and his team kept bring us different small plates of food to sample, and made sure that we had the opportunity to snap photos before reaching in to clear the table between servings. Â : - )
For our dinner we enjoyed the following types of tapas:
* Setas con Chorizo which was a small platter of the famous spicy Spanish sausage and mushrooms sauteed in olive oil and garlic, and served with a dark sherry wine sauce.
* Croquetas de Pollo which was 3 chicken croquettes made with Spanish cracker crumbs and then deep fried and served over a tomato pesto sauce.
* Gambas al Ajillo which was a small skillet of peeled jumbo shrimp sauteed in garlic and served with crushed red pepper and olive oil.
* Chef's Special #1 which was an Italian-style fried cheese sandwich served with a spicy mayo sauce.
* Chef's Special #2 which we affectionately renamed "El Friggin Yummo Polenta". This was polenta cakes covered in brown gravy & mushrooms with a bleu cheese cream sauce drizzled on top.
* Patatas Bravas - Deep-fried diced potatoes in a spicy Alioli sauce.
* Tabla Ole platter which included aged Serrano ham, Choizo Cantinpalo sausage, and Manchego cheese served with marinated Spanish olives.
The majority of these plates of tapas are $5.55 on Mondays and Tuesdays.
We enjoyed a very delicious glass of house-made red sangria, and then capped off the evening by sharing the Tres Leches dessert which was a rich meringue cake soaked in three different types of milk and served over a chocolate sauce plate decoration.
Truly an incredible amount of very delicious food and drink, served up with some delightful company. Yeah, it's a bit of a drive to get there, but so very worth it.
Thank you Carlos and Sergio!
I really liked my food experience here at Cafe Ole. In a way I was surprised to see that the owner tries to stay on top and to deliver great quality with us about the restaurant's food. Â Great Surprise to find Crema Catalana, Paella, and Zarzuela. Those mussels are to die for. Â The sangria is also pretty good. Â I will definitely come back for more! Â The tapas are the best! Great price also!
Review Source:How can you go wrong with $5.55 tapas like this?
I went on a Tuesday which is their $5.55 tapas day and it did not disappoint. Â I went with friends so I was able to sample several dishes. Â My fav was the setas con chorizo. Â Some of the best chorizo I've ever tasted with mushrooms in a dark sauce. Â I could have eaten just this and been happy. Â We also sampled the croquetas de pollo or chicken croquettes. Â I like these because they weren't your usual big round ball of a croquette with too much filling. Â These were more like flat disks and best of all they had an amazing tomato/pesto sauce. Â Another favorite of mine were the almejas castillas which were clams in a white wine sauce. Â They were delicious and you'll need to ask for extra bread because you'll want to sop up all that tasty sauce when you're done. Â
As for entrees we tried the zarzuela de mariscos. Â This is a variety of seafood served in a delicious, savory broth. Â The menu says it's a lobster broth.... whatever it was it was amazing. Â There are clams, mussels, large shrimp, fish and scallops in the dish and you can tell they do not skimp on the quality when it comes to the seafood.
The benefit of going places with friends? Plenty of room to share some desserts. Â We had the crema catalana which is like the spanish version of creme brulee. Â It was mild, yet delicious. Â We also tried the tres leches. Â This is a staple dessert for latin cooking and it was yummy too. Â
The manager tells us they will soon be expanding which will be great and I look forward to going back to sample more tasty bites. Â It was a great first experience and I'm kind of sad I don't live closer. Â I will definitely make the 30 minute drive again to visit Cafe Ole!
I got to have tapas for the first time in Spain this summer. So I was excited to give this place a try. And it looks sooo cool.
But they close at midnight and I come rolin' in before 10:00 and the kitchen's already closed.
Booooo.
I'll try again earlier in the day. Hopefully I can bump their rating up a couple stars.
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