Luisa B.
Yelp
Trophy Fish moved into the empty place where Bodega Tampa used to fill our hearts and tummies. It was a bittersweet day for those living in the neighborhood. We loved Bodega, but COVID shutdowns led it back across the bay. It's hard to step into the exact same space and not compare, but we will try.
Firstly, Trophy Fish got one thing super right- the space itself really needed a roof, and that's the first thing they added when they moved in. The roof changes the functionality completely. Firstly, on a hot day you can actually go and sit out there, enjoy the open-air patio, and not become the roasted chicken yourself. Secondly, on a day like yesterday, when it's raining, you can blissfully enjoy your fish sandwich without much affect.
They also added an enormous bar that spans the entire space. The message is clear- we serve drinks. And the drinks are definitely worth serving. They actually give neighboring business Mandarin Heights a run for their money. Our original plan was to eat dinner at Trophy Fish, then head to Mandarin Heights, but after the drinks at TF, we decided to stay. The Mandarin drinks have always been slightly watery (in our opinion) and this was NOT the case for the strong and delicious drinks at TF. They also discounted their dark and stormy because it was raining, and that gets them some brownie points (in my opinion).
As far as the food goes, I hate to say it- but I wish it was still Bodega. I know it's a completely different concept, but the food was mediocre. I had the blackened mahi fish tacos, and my husband had a fish platter. They were a little pricey, but that's hardly the issue. More so, they lacked downright deliciousness. My tacos were literally swimming in fish juice. The shells got soggy and fell apart quickly, leaving my ingredients in a puddle of juice. The taste was just okay. My husband ordered the chorizo creamed corn. It had a lot of chorizo grease, to the point where it looked like soup. It wasn't creamy at all. Nothing stood out as particularly outstanding. The yucca fries were gummy.
The whole concept is great. I hope they can tweak their menu offerings a bit and improve the preparation. I think they stand a good chance of surviving in the Heights, especially because we are low on quality, outdoor lunch places- but I'm probably still going to be sitting there wishing I could be ordering the lechón sandwich of pre-COVID Bodega.