The Dish

A little about me: I was born and raised in a beach town south of Boston, Massachusetts, and received my formal culinary training at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.  Before starting at the Quorum Hotel Tampa in 2005, I had worked mostly in freestanding restaurants in New England and a short stint in San Francisco.  My husband and I took a vacation in Tampa, Florida to visit family, and decided to move down here and never shovel snow again! 

I'm very excited about our new flag as the Wyndham Tampa Westshore.  We still have the same great staff, service, and fantastic food Tampa has come to expect from us.  I truly believe that you will find that we are the most innovative business meeting hotel in the market. Not to mention our wedding receptions, Tampa!

Don't forget to come on over and try our new menu in the Blue Water Grill!  We (I've got the best executive sous chef in the world, Joyce Simonds, but more about her later!) have worked hard to bring you some really fresh, delicious options whether you are looking for a quick lunch, a fun happy hour, or a place to linger over dinner and dessert.

So what are you waiting for?  Wyndham Tampa Westshore is where it's at!

Check out our website www.WyndhamHotelTampa.com

Our culinary team decided to celebrate our flag change from the Quorum Hotel Tampa to the Wyndham Tampa Westshore with a brand new menu in our restaurant, the Blue Water Grill.  Our philosophy with the menu was to simplify and use top quality ingredients to create a really fresh flavor profile on each item, from produce to Boars Head deli meats and cheeses to artisan breads, seafood, and last but not least, a really interesting steak. 

We decided to go with a Stout Grilled Hanger Steak with Red Onion Marmalade and Guinness Red Eye Gravy.  Did I mention that we serve it with gratin mashed potatoes? You'll be over tonight for dinner, you say?


Hanger steak is an often-overlooked cut of beef that very recently is starting to creep its way back onto some menus. Here are some facts:

• There is only one hanger steak per steer.  So yes, it is a rare find!

• It is unbelievably flavorful. Cut from a section of the plate, between the  brisket and the flank, some believe its close proximity to the kidneys give it a unique and delicious flavor.

• The nature of the location makes it look as though the muscle is actually "hanging" off the diaphragm, and is the source of the steak's name. Its purpose is to support the diaphragm, and that effort tends to make for a surprisingly flavorful cut of meat that can easily be overcooked and made tough. 

• The hanger steak is best served rare to medium rare for this reason, and is at it's best when marinated with something flavorful that combines something slightly acidic, such as lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, wine, or beer, with oil and seasonings.  Grilling hangers on high heat for 6-8 minutes should be sufficient.

But hey, just because you know how to cook it now doesn't mean you should!  Let us do it for you!  Come on over, we're right down the street from Raymond James Stadium, and just a hop, skip, and a jump over from the St. Pete Times Forum!  Come over before the game- who wants an overpriced hot dog when you can get a very reasonably priced steak at the best Tampa area hotel?